Piece Onze – The Unavoidable Battle (Part One)
[June 13th 2012. One more day until the next Full Moon..]
Aigis sat on her calves, kneeling on the floor of Yukari's room. She was hugging a giant Jack Frost plush. She looked up at Yukari, who was sitting at her desk.
"Something about Souji makes me feel the same way Minato used to." Yukari said, smiling at her desk.
"I don't know what it is… maybe it's his eyes…? Sometimes he stares at me, and I instantly feel… Oh gosh." Yukari paused, laughing at herself. "Listen to me go on and on… y'know, it's funny. Over the years, you've become like a sister to me, Aigis."
Aigis nodded.
"I'm just happy to see you happy." She replied. "But, as your sister, I feel it is my duty to meet this boy, and vet him first."
Yukari laughed. "Oh Aigis! You guys'll meet him soon enough. I think he'll be ready to soon. But go easy on him, 'kay? He's still in high school…"
Aigis sat up. "High school? I did not know you liked younger boys."
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Yukari said, throwing a pillow at Aigis playfully.
Souji frowned down at his phone.
"Hi." Were the words he was about to mail to Yukiko, whom he hadn't spoken with since his surprise visit to Inaba.
He deleted the letters, then wrote them again, only to delete them one more time.
With Yukiko he felt an incomparable warmth. Infinite comfort. Honest and simple love that was meant to exist and connect them beautifully.
With Yukari he felt true perfection in their kiss; love so intense and undeniable he was sure he was guided to her by Fate, like a ship coaxed gently yet swiftly along by strong, soothing winds.
He looked down at the old shrine charm in his other hand.
And tomorrow, the Moon would be full.
Souji suddenly took his phone and quickly texted a new message.
Dojima sat on the hospital bed, groaning as he held his throbbing, bandaged head.
"Damn those things can hit…" He said. "How'd you know something was going to happen?" He asked Yosuke and Chie.
"Just a gut instinct." Yosuke said. Dojima chuckled.
"Gut instinct? You've been hanging around me a little too much…"
"Dojima-san," Naoto said, "If you could please, tell us what Tetsuharu-san told you?"
Dojima's smile faded. He nodded.
"Right. It turns out… Neo Strega is the resurgence of a group called 'Strega' which was secretly run and funded by the Kirijo Group. All of the members of 'Strega' are dead, however, they were connected to another group also run and funded by Kirijo—an organization called SEES. They're Persona users also… There's got to be more information on SEES. Tetsuharu-senpai gave me the contact information of the person who's been feeding him information. I'm getting to the bottom of this."
Dojima paused.
"Senpai's death won't be in vain."
"SEES…" Naoto said to herself. "If we can track them down, they'll have answers about Strega. They're our key to tracking down Adachi."
Yosuke nodded.
"For now however," Naoto continued, "We need to prepare. Tomorrow night is the next full moon… we have to be ready, and concentrate on the task at hand."
"Yeah." Yosuke said, "I'll call everyone up tonight and let them know."
[June 14th, 2012. Okina City Shopping Center, the night of the Full Moon…]
"—and that was 'Reach Out To The Truth' the single from Risette's latest album! You heard it first on KPOP 103! The best and most bumpin' hits from Japan and South Korea! Brought to you by Kirijo Electronics—Kirijo Electronics: Always there when you need them. Midnight is comin' up and—"
"How 'bout that Risette?" A teen asked his friend as they lit up a cigarette outside one of the local arcades. His friend shrugged.
"I'd tap it. I like her. She's one of those idols from that agency that doesn't seem like a complete and total fake."
"Totally agree there."
"Hey, it's getting pretty late. We better bounce soon."
"Yeah—"
A strange fog crept into the area.
"Hm…?"
An unnatural, almost forced silence permeated the fog, so oppressive and heavy that the blood rushing in their ears was the most audible sound.
"What—what's happening…?" One of the teens asked, oblivious as to why he had suddenly begun to speak in a hushed whisper.
An otherworldly, high pitched laughing echoed throughout the area.
"What the hell was that!"
"Sense anything you guys?" Yosuke asked. Teddie's nose twitched and crinkled as he sniffed the air again and again.
"Grr… I'm not really getting anything… Wait!" He said suddenly. He sniffed again.
"I smell something! It smells… sweet… hmm… I know this smell from somewhere before…"
"W-what!" Chie exclaimed. "Is it the Shadow?"
"It smells like… Veronica's Secret Perfume… Cherry Blossom Waterfall, Spring '11 issue!" Teddie exclaimed.
Chie blushed.
"W-wha?" She smacked the bear on the back of the head. "I just wanted to smell nice! Is that so wrong? Idiot!"
"Hold on—" Rise said, concentrating hard. Himiko's satellite shaped head turned back and forth. Kanji had inquired once about using Himiko to steal cable, though, Naoto had highly doubted something like that would be feasible, to Kanji's disappointment.
"I'm getting something…" Rise said, "It's definitely a Shadow… but… this reading is too big… there may be more than one!"
"What! Multiple big Shadows?" Yosuke exclaimed.
"It's in the Okina City Shopping Center!" Rise said.
"We should hurry!" Naoto said. Yosuke nodded.
"Yeah! Let's go!"
Fuuka dismissed her Persona, Juno.
"Found it!" She said. "It's at the Okina City Shopping Center!"
Yukari and Mitsuru looked at each other.
"Okina! No way…" Yukari said.
"Whoa… we better stop it before it tries to take out your guys' school!" Ken said.
Junpei grinned. "Heh. Let's do it already! That other team will be there, too right? We'll beat 'em too!"
"We're not sure if they truly are our enemies…" Mitsuru said. "There's a chance that they'll be cooperative. However, if they prove to be hostile, we'll have the tactical advantage."
"Right." Akihiko said. "They don't know we're coming to crash the party."
"It's a party now…?" Yukari said. "Oh boy. They're in trouble then. Nobody parties harder than Junpei…"
Junpei grinned.
"That's right baby! Hehe! Yeah!"
"Let's go, everyone." Aigis said. They all nodded.
"Arf!" Koromaru barked.
The tension was thick inside the Investigation Team's black van as they headed to Okina City.
"So, what's the plan for tonight's operation?" Kanji asked.
"Right." Yosuke nodded. "The assault team for this one is Chie, Kanji, Yukiko and myself again."
"The rest of you are on support."
"Roger that!" Teddie said.
"Argh," Chie groaned, "I'm so anxious for this fight.. I feel like I can't get there fast enough if we could fly!"
"I'm pretty psyched." Kanji said. "I'm going to set a world record, I'm going to beat that Shadow so fast…"
Yosuke laughed.
"Just don't go and get yourself all messed up again."
"Tch-!" Kanji scoffed.
Rise looked over at Yukiko who hadn't quite been herself the last couple of days. "You alright?" She asked her.
"You've been really quiet lately…"
Yukiko nodded, an offered a weak smile. "Yeah. I'm just trying to focus on tonight's mission."
"Everyone!" Naoto announced, "We're almost there! Please get ready!"
Akihiko stood on the rooftop parking lot, overlooking the entrance to the shopping center. The chilly night air gently ruffled his feathery white hair.
"This is Akihiko." He said on his communicator. "I've got a visual on the other team. They just pulled in."
"Roger." Mitsuru answered him, in a concealed position with Aigis and Yukari.
"Iori, Amada and Koro-chan, prepare to maneuver to their flank and don't attack until I make the command."
"Got ya!" Junpei said on the other line from his concealed position.
Aigis looked over at Yukari, who was on her phone texting.
"Yukari…" Aigis said. Yukari looked up.
"H-huh? What is it?" Yukari answered. Aigis looked at Yukari's phone.
"Sorry…" Yukari said. "I just got a text… it was… spam."
Yukari looked away.
"You are lying." Aigis said. Yukari pouted.
"Not fair. You were able to tell because you have that facial recognition thing right?"
Aigis shook her head, smiling.
"No. I just know my sister. Please talk to your boyfriend another time."
Yukari smiled, rolling her eyes as she put away her phone.
"We've arrived Naoto-sama." Yakushiji said as he slowed to a stop in the Okina Shopping Center parking lot.
"Right. Let's begin the operation." Naoto said. "Be careful!"
Yosuke nodded as he put his mask on.
"This'll be cake!" He assured as he opened the back and hopped out of the van. Yukiko, Chie, and Kanji hopped out after him.
"We'll be at the rendezvous point." Naoto said on the communicator as the van pulled away.
"Got it." Yosuke said. He took a deep breath, getting himself accustomed to the environment. It was an uncharacteristically chilly summer night.
"I have a weird feeling about this mission…" Yukiko said with a frown.
"We'll be fine." Chie assured her. The four continued forward through the fog, towards the main shopping area. On either side of them were rows of different shops; clothing boutiques, video stores, even the occasional cigar shop. There was a second floor that could be accessed by escalator, or regular stairs. The stores, understandably, were closed however.
As they made their way through the shopping area however, they encountered a lone girl standing aloof in the middle of the strip. She clung tightly to the loose, azure shawl that was wrapped around her. She turned and stared at the four with her blue eyes.
"H-hello, ma'am." Yosuke said, trying his best to sound heroic.
"Oh…" The girl said. "You're those heroes, aren't you?"
Chie smiled, nodding. She struck a pose. "That's right! The Fist of Burning Justice at your service!"
"Sergeant Badass!" Kanji said, following suit.
"Err…" Yukiko blushed. "Lady Crimson Rose!"
Yosuke looked at her.
"Dang, everyone came up with better names than I did…" Yosuke said. He turned back to the girl. "A-anyways ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the area. It's dangerous here!"
The girl looked at him blankly.
"You're right," She said calmly, her voice droning. "It is dangerous." She turned to face them fully, and cast aside the shawl, revealing the machine gun attached to her forearm. On the opposite arm she sported a red armband prominently bearing the letters 'SEES'
She aimed her gun at Yosuke.
"…For you I mean."
"W-what the hell?" Yosuke exclaimed.
"Don't move a muscle!" A husky, sultry voice from the fog echoed behind them. A crimson haired girl stepped forward through the fog.
Yosuke turned around and drew his kunai knives.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"You'd better drop those!" Another voice echoed, this time from above them. On the second floor, a girl had an arrow cocked back in her bow, aiming at the three.
"Who am I…? That depends on your answer." The redheaded girl said. "Now, who are you? What is your connection to Neo Strega…?"
"Connection? Are you kidding me?" Yosuke exclaimed. "We're out to hunt that bastard down…"
The red headed girl nodded. "As I thought." She motioned for the two girls to lower their weapons.
"My name is Mitsuru Kirijo… I lead an organization called SEES…"
Yosuke's eyes widened.
"SEES? Kirijo…? Then, you're the one?" Yosuke exclaimed. "Why are you asking us what our connection to Neo Strega is? You're the ones who were affiliated with Strega!"
He twirled the kunai on his finger before pointing it threateningly at the girl.
Mitsuru's eyes widened. "W-what?" She exclaimed.
"We're not stupid!" Chie yelled at her. "We know the Kirijo Group was the one responsible for those horrible experiments thirteen years ago!"
"SEES, Kirijo Group and Strega were all working together! Don't deny it!" Kanji added.
"Th-that's—you've got it all wrong!" Mitsuru retorted.
"We won't become some test tube experiment!" Yosuke cried and charged forward at Mitsuru with his kunai knives.
"Stop!" Mitsuru yelled as she quickly drew her rapier and clashed with Yosuke. She dug her high heeled boots into the ground as the boy pushed forward hard, his knives clashing with her rapier.
"Mitsuru!" Yukari exclaimed. She let loose her arrow at Yosuke. Kanji quickly intercepted the arrow, blocking it with his shield just in time. Chie threw a quick crescent kick that knocked Aigis' gun to the side as she fired it.
"Th-they've engaged the enemy! Tch! So much for diplomacy!" Akihiko said as he watched from the rooftop. He tossed his binoculars and headed for the stairs.
"I'm going! Flank team! Engage them from the rear!" Akihiko yelled into his communicator.
"Got it! We're going!" Junpei replied. He nodded to Ken, Fuuka and Koromaru, and ran off.
"W-weren't we supposed to wait for Mitsuru's command?" Ken asked Fuuka.
"Oh, that Junpei!" Fuuka sighed, and chased after Junpei.
Ken looked at Koromaru and shrugged. The Shiba Inu whimpered, tilting his head sideways.
They got up and ran after Fuuka and Junpei.
Yosuke slashed forward with his kunai knife, clashing hard with Mitsuru's rapier. He twirled the other knife in his left hand, going for another slash, but Mitsuru quickly drew her epee from her side, parrying the attack.
"Grr—you're not going to get your way!" Yosuke exclaimed.
"Wait one minute! You have it all wrong!" Mitsuru cried.
"Why should I believe you?" Yosuke said as the two still clashed hard. "Argh!"
Suddenly Yosuke was hit hard from behind by a flash of lightning. With a cry he flew forward and landed on the ground with a thud.
Akihiko ran in.
"Sorry I'm late!" He said.
"W-wait, Akihiko!" Mitsuru exclaimed.
"Yosuke!" Yukiko cried. She ran toward to help him when suddenly the ground in front of her erupted with flames.
"Huh?" She flinched backwards, shielding herself from the heat and turned to see three more attackers bearing the red 'SEES' armband.
"Haha! Now we got 'em!" Junpei said, grinning. Ken brandished his naginata.
"It's all over!" He said. Koromaru bared his teeth, growling. In his mouth was a khukri knife.
"Be careful, everyone. They're strong!" Fuuka cautioned her SEES allies.
Chie looked all around her. There were foes above them, and on either side.
"This isn't good…" She said.
"I'm at the Okina Shopping Center. Why?" Yukari had written back to Souji's text an hour ago. He had immediately rushed to the train to meet with her.
"I've… I've got to tell her. I've made my decision. Yeah."
Souji nodded to himself. Finally the train pulled to a stop at the Okina Station, the exit of which led up to the Okina Shopping Center.
He stood, fidgeting in front of the doors. He could see her now—her smile. He remembered when he had first met her.
It was on the roof of the Shopping Center's main building. He had taken a part-time job there, and was working late, carrying some boxes up to the storage room. It was by mere whim that he had decided to step out onto the roof for some fresh air, when he saw her standing there.
She was basking in the moonlight, her feathery brown hair, at shoulder length, being tousled softly by the gentle breeze. The soft hemline of her skirt danced slightly around mid thigh.
She was holding a gun to her head, and yet, for some odd reason she had the most contented smile on her face.
The train finally pulled to a stop.
Souji sprinted through the slowly opening doors and up the stairs to street level.
"Now, lay down your weapons. You're surrounded." Mitsuru announced decidedly.
Yosuke gritted his teeth. He looked to Kanji.
"We're going down fighting, right…?" He said to him. Kanji nodded sternly.
Suddenly a familiar black vehicle tore through a chain fence and bounced up over the median. Above it appeared Kamui, who summoned a rain of shining icebergs down upon the SEES team.
"Aghhhh!" Akihiko cried as he shielded himself with his arms.
"Akihiko!" Aigis cried, shooting down the iceberg above him. It exploded into shining bits around them.
Yukari slid down the escalator's rails, quickly drawing a bow from her quiver and firing at another iceberg above Akihiko and the others. She landed gracefully on the ground beside them.
The van skidded to a stop, and Naoto leapt out, followed by Rise and Teddie.
"Are you all alright?" Naoto exclaimed, making her way to Yosuke, Yukiko, Kanji and Chie's side.
"Yeah." Yosuke said.
The SEES team regrouped together in front of the Investigation Team.
They stared each other down, brandishing their weapons silently in the foggy summer night.
Chie looked at the girl with the longbow.
"Wait a minute-!" Chie exclaimed. "Yukari-san?" Chie cried out. She removed her mask.
Yukari's eyes widened.
"W-what? You're… you're one of Souji's friends!" Yukari replied.
Mitsuru turned to Yukari, still holding her rapier and epee to the Investigation Team.
"You know them?" Mitsuru asked.
"W-why are you here?" Yukari exclaimed still drawing her arrow back in her bow, "Why can you summon a Persona?"
"You were with the Kirijo Group this whole time?" Yosuke cried out. He gritted his teeth. "I get it… you were a spy, is that right? You were watching us? Just like what happened with Tetsuharu-san-! You! You'll pay!"
"N-no! It's not like that!" Yukari cried out.
"Save it!" Yukiko cried out suddenly. "How… how could you? How could you lie to him like that…? To Souji-kun!"
She tore off her mask.
"Do you remember me?" Yukiko asked, stepping forward.
Yukari gasped. "You're that girl in red from before… the one who Souji—"
"I won't let you—I won't let you hurt him!" Yukiko cried out tearfully. The blue card that bared the insignia of the Butterfly Mask appeared, glowing in front of her. She crushed it into shards, summoning her Persona, Amaterasu.
"Ahhhh! Amaterasu!" Yukiko cried out.
"Yukiko! Wait!" Rise yelled as Amaterasu summoned a hellish wave of fire towards the SEES team.
"No!" Yukari cried, putting her Evoker to her head and firing. Isis appeared, conjuring up a torrent of wind which absorbed the wall of flames into a tornado which burnt brightly and violently.
"Aughhhh!" Yukiko cried, shielding herself from the inferno.
"S-stop!" Yukari screamed out, shielding herself with her arms as well.
"N-no! I…can't…I won't back down!" Yukiko cried as Amaterasu sent yet another wave of fire into the tornado.
Yukari flinched backwards before Isis countered, intensifying the wind.
"This is getting out of control!" Mitsuru exclaimed over the roar of the devastating inferno tornado. Ashes whirled about the Shopping Center wildly like fireflies in a savage dance.
With one final push, Amaterasu sent another wave of intense fire at Isis, who countered hard with another tornado of violent wind. When the two primal forces of nature collided between them, there was a huge explosion, then everything was quiet.
Yukiko stood in the aftermath, panting, the Investigation Team behind her. Yukari also stood, her chest heaving as she wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. The SEES team was behind her as well.
"Let's finish this." Yosuke said.
He rushed forward toward Yukari, twirling his kunai knives—Aigis drew her gun and fired a volley towards Yosuke. Kanji then rushed forward, blocking the bullets with his riot shield as Yosuke leapt up, jumping off of Kanji's back and hurled his kunai knives down at Yukari. She drew two arrows from her quiver and fired them both off at once, each of them colliding mid air with the kunai knives.
Meanwhile, Chie ran forward, ducking under Junpei's katana which cut through the air with one quick slash, rolling forward and recovering on one knee. Junpei turned around and held his katana up for another downward slash when Chie planted her hand down on the ground, kicking up from the floor into Junpei's chin, and sending him hurling backwards. He stutter-stepped back before returning with another wild slash of his katana which Chie dodged with a backwards leap. Junpei's katana shined and flashed in the light of the full moon.
Akihiko rushed Chie with a left haymaker, which Chie ducked under with a spin and countered with a spinning heel kick which Akihiko deftly caught in his hand.
"Tch-!" Chie gritted her teeth. Akihiko gave a sly smile.
"So the little girl thinks she knows how to fight, huh?" He said, mocking her.
"I'll show you who can fight!" Chie exclaimed. She jumped up and flipped backwards, kicking up with her free leg, and landed gracefully on one knee. Akihiko side stepped the kick, letting the girl go. He rubbed his nose.
"Not bad!"
Ken thrust forward with his long naginata at Teddie, who caught the blade between his claws. Koromaru leapt up off of Ken's back and thrust forward with the knife he held tightly between his clenched teeth, which Teddie evaded with a wild spin. He slashed forward with his claw, which clashed again and again with Koromaru's knife as the tenacious Shiba Inu leapt and slashed.
Behind them, Aigis and Naoto ran alongside each other, trading shots; Naoto with her shining Peacemaker revolver and Aigis and with her machine gun.
Naoto ducked just in time to dodge a well aimed shot by Aigis—the wall behind her exploded with dust. She rolled behind cover as dust and debris blanketed the area.
"I'm definitely outgunned here…" Naoto said to herself, breathing hard. She looked down at her watch and pressed a small button.
"Right. I only have one chance! Here I go—"
Naoto burst from her cover and flashed her wristwatch, which emitted a painfully bright beam of light that shined like a laser into Aigis' eyes.
"What!" Aigis exclaimed, covering her eyes from the blinding light. Naoto squeezed a few rounds off from her revolver as she ran for another spot to use as cover, which Aigis blocked with one arm before leaping away and dodging the rest.
"Tch-! Just what is she exactly?" Naoto said to herself between breaths as she emptied the shells from the revolver's chamber and clumsily pushed more of the .45 millimeter rounds into it.
Meanwhile, Yosuke sprinted forward, ducking under a quick thrust of Mitsuru's rapier, and picked up his two kunai knives as he rolled. He spun around and leapt forward, clashing back and forth with the rapier as Mitsuru tactfully weaved and struck back with her rapier and epee.
Sparks flew with each clash of the two steel weapons.
Mitsuru parried two well aimed slashes of Yosuke's kunai knives before thrusting forward deftly with her rapier, which Yosuke blocked, holding his kunai knives in an 'x'. The rapier's blade scraped against the knives, sending more sparks flying. The blade grazed Yosuke's cheek, causing a line of blood to trickle down under his left eye.
The two broke off the clash.
"This is just a war of attrition now—" Mitsuru said to herself. "If we don't find a way to end this quickly, we won't have any energy left to fight the Shadows that appeared…"
She turned to Aigis.
"Aigis!" Mitsuru called, "We have no choice! Use your Personas! It ends here!"
"Affirmative!" Aigis replied. She took a wide stance.
"Haaaaah!" Aigis cried out, as a ball of bright light emerged from her heart—its rays cut through the fog like lasers. She hunched forward, taking hold of it, then, arched her back as she pointed her finger to the starry sky. Her slender fingers formed a gun.
"Don't mess with SEES!" Aigis cried, glaring at the Investigation Team.
"Per….so….na!"
From her, the Personae Orpheus, High Pixie, Raskasha, and Pallas Athena emerged together above her.
"N-no way!" Yosuke cried.
"She—she can also summon multiple Personas?" Naoto exclaimed.
"She has the Wild Card ability! Like Senpai!" Rise yelled to the others.
Orpheus strummed his harp, sending sharp sound waves echoing and reverberating up and down the floor and walls. The windows around them warped and shattered.
The Investigation Team flinched backward.
Raskasha brandished his twin blades, and summoned a surge of energy to envelop Pallas Athena. High Pixie then blessed the spear of Pallas Athena, before Athena rushed forward with her spear, which was shining brilliantly gold.
"That attack!" Rise cried, "I-it's so powerful!"
"Th-this is it!" Kanji yelled.
The light of Pallas Athena's spear drew closer—
Suddenly, another Persona appeared, parting the fog in a wide circle as it leapt down from the sky; it parried the fusion attack with one swing of its mighty naginata.
The deflected spear of Pallas Athena struck the floor outside of a shop, exploding on impact. The ground shook and dust and debris flew wildly about.
After a moment, the dust settled.
"What was that?" Aigis exclaimed as Pallas Athena staggered backwards.
Izanagi, the Japanese god of creation twirled his naginata.
From the fog, the Wild Card of Inaba himself, Seta Souji appeared. In his hand were the shards of a crushed blue card.
He glared at the SEES team, still holding his fist. Behind him, Izanagi brandished his naginata, the blade of which flashed brilliantly in the light of the full moon.
