Pre-Chapter Review Answer Corner GO!
Delta XIII - Heavy does not begin to describe this chapter. PREPARE YOUR BODY FOR INTENSE EMOTION. MWAHAHAHA!
We Thought It'd Be Funny - It's about get super real, man. Shit's gonna be on like Donkey Kong.
rsdk525 - I needed a way to get Strega out of the rest of the story, hence why I bumped up the Chidori event and Takaya turned out to be a psychotic bastard. It runs in the family.
Overlord Duelist - Almost nothing in your review made any sense, but there's no Mirror Matches to be had here. A Certain Redhead's Shadow is a whole other beast this time around!
I'd like to thank Lady Starwing/Puppeteer of Hearts again, as well as Jenni Saba and Scarf Drilbur, for helping me with this chapter! I got through it pretty quickly because, to quote everyone's favorite silver haired boxer, I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS! And now, ON WITH THE CHAPTER!
Major Log Entry #26
Log Moderator: Roy Fortune
Log Entry Author: Gen. 7 ASU, Aigis
Date: 11/5/2009
Summary: Betrayal and Despair
Details:
It began immediately after school hours had ended on the Fourth. Chairman Ikutsuki requested I accompany him to the lab for a 'Post-Dark Hour Refit'. He claimed it was to ensure there would be no issues with my systems with the Dark Hour eradicated. Roy had been upset I would be away when I informed him, though I doubt either of us expected what followed to happen. The moment I entered the lab to rest on the docking station provided, all at once I felt something was not as it should be. The feeling proved correct once the diagnostics began.
Foreign data was abruptly uploaded into my system. Mere instants later, and I realized I was becoming a prisoner within my own mind. I attempted to override or otherwise cancel the upload, but to no avail. It was over from the moment it started. Approximately five minutes elapsed before the upload was complete, at which point I remained still. I had no control over my limbs. I couldn't even move my eyes.
"Stand."
My body moved as ordered, disengaging from the docking station. A low chuckle filled the air along side footsteps, until the source stopped in front of me.
Chairman Shuji Ikutsuki.
"Walk five paces to your left, then return to your current position."
Once more, my body did as ordered. When I had a clear view of his face again, he was smiling.
"Good..." he said. "An excellent, well behaved tool."
I cried out, attempting to demand an answer for what he was doing, but no sound came from my auditory communication systems. I had a mouth, but could not use it to scream.
"Come along now, Aigis." He began, starting to leave the room. I followed him automatically. "We have much to do."
The next several hours were spent listening to muffled conversations. Ikutsuki had associates for some manner of scheme, but he was careful to be sure I did not overhear, presumably in the event his control over my body failed. At approximately Eleven pm, Ikutsuki had finished whatever sorts of preparations he had in store and he brought me with him to Gekkoukan High. All I could do was wait, steadily watching the seconds tick by on my internal clock. And when the Dark Hour came, Ikutsuki laughed as a bell rang above us. We had been deceived by this man intensely. I cursed my faulty memories, the ones that were inaccessible from before I was sealed away in the Yakushima Laboratory. They could have held the key to avoiding thus... not now, it was far too late.
I felt a pit in my chest as rapid footsteps drew closer. SEES... my friends... and Roy... they were here. The approached the base of the tower, fire in their eyes... except for one.
Roy.
"Ikutsuki-san!" shouted Akihiko. He sounded angry.
"Aigis? Why are you here...?"
-I have no... Wait, Fuuka-san! Fuuka-san, can you hear me?- I screamed, but again no sound. Nor did Fuuka respond... whatever Ikutsuki had done was thorough. I couldn't even communicate via the psychic link she used to inform us of danger.
"She is here to merely fulfill her role..." replied Ikutsuki. "As a weapon."
"Aigis is not a weapon!" Roy snapped. That fire ignited in his eyes for a fleeting moment before it went out.
I was... afraid. Roy always had displayed an almost subconscious capacity to control his body's ability to express emotion. The only times he seemed so... vulnerable were the instances of Maiko-san being trapped in Tartarus and his reaction to the type of gun Takaya possessed. To see him seem so... empty... was painful...
"What the hell is this all about, Ikutsuki?" Junpei demanded.
"You told us the Dark Hour would disappear if we defeated those twelve Shadows!" shouted Akihiko. "That's why we all fought so hard, but now..."
"...What is your intention?" inquired Mitsuru. "It's clear to me now everything you've told us was a lie. You knew from the start the Dark Hour wouldn't disappear."
Ikutsuki laughed. "Excellent deduction Mitsuru. Shame it came far, far too late for you to stop it."
"So you tricked us?" asked Ken, anger mounting in his voice. "Used us like pawns because you couldn't do it yourself?"
"Everything is as I planned..." He replied evenly. "It's not unexpected for the Dark Hour and Tartarus to remain... In fact, I never intended to let you rid the world of them! Why else would I have informed Strega of your actions to make them oppose you? Antagonists add motivation, after all."
Chidori scowled. "Bastard..."
"But, I'm certain you're all curious..." continued Ikutsuki. "Curious about what the point was!"
"NOT AT FUCKING ALL!" Roy screamed, slamming his hand on his Evoker. "PERSONA!"
There was a deafening silence. Roy's eyes widened in terror. Nothing happened. Nothing had appeared. No Persona had heeded his call. He activated the Evoker again. And again. Over and over he slammed his hand against the button but nothing happened. SEES was staring at him in mixtures of shock and horror. My eyes, however, were drawn to something else... as much as they could be when they were not under my control.
A pair of glowing yellow orbs peering out of the shadows from some bushes behind everyone. They weren't there before Roy tried to summon a Persona.
Ikutsuki laughed, drawing the attention of everyone once more.
"My my, such big talk with no substance!" he said. "Do be patient, young man. As I was saying... the twelve Shadows were once part of a whole. They were destined to be reunited, and that was accomplished in no small part thanks to your efforts! Soon, Death, the almighty, shall arise and bring forth the Fall..."
"What the hell are you talking about?" spat Akihiko.
"The end of all shall come and free this world from despair!" proclaimed Ikutsuki. "The death of everything, but also the beginning! Ten years ago, I, too, was a scientist for the project we spoke of at Yakushima. The experiment went awry, but that is not why the Dark Hour and Tartarus were born. They manifested as a result of harvesting the Shadows' power – just as the experiment was designed to do. That is why your grandfather fathered so many Shadows and samples of powerful Shadows, Mitsuru! To bring about the Fall!"
Mitsuru shook her head in disbelief. "That can't be..."
"People have filled the world, yet turned it onto a void! The only hope of salvation lies in ruin! According to the prophecy, the Fall will be orchestrated by 'the Prince'. Once he has delivered us all, he shall rule the new world as King! The man who tried it ten years ago failed, but I will not; I shall succeed!"
"...I have a question for you."
Ikutsuki looked at Yukari. "Oh? What might that be?"
"...That video from my father... he said to defeat the Shadows..." She was trembling with fury. One of my sensors activated, stating that the wind speed was steadily beginning to climb. "Was that a lie, too? Did you just used my father to fulfill your sick, twisted scheme?"
"Ah, 'used' is such an ugly word..." he lamented. "But, while I did make a few modifications, he recorded it himself."
"You doctored it?" snarled Yukari.
"I corrected it. Your father was a superb scientist, so much so that I still respect his work to this day." replied Ikutsuki. "While others focused on the Shadows' abilities, he explored much more important things... alas, he could not comprehend the magnificent potential of the Fall..."
Another sensor began to alert me to high voltage levels.
"There's nothing 'magnificent' about killing people!" shouted Ken. "You've done nothing by lie and manipulate your way to what you wanted! That's the real reason you were so eager to get me to join SEES!"
Ikutsuki laughed. "Of course. In fact, I'd hoped you'd be the end of Aragaki. His return put my plans in danger, what with his sheer strength and distrust of me. Had he kept taking the suppressants, I likely never would've had to worry... but seeing as he's not here and you children clearly can't see the light..." He moved and suddenly my combat systems activated. "Aigis! Capture them for the sacrifice!"
"...Understood." said my voice as Orgia mode engaged. My body shot forward faster than I could comprehend.
I do not know exactly what happened at that point, but the last thing I remember was the look of terror and despair in Roy's eyes before I struck him.
I was too fast for them, and too strong with Orgia Mode activated. Only Junpei and Akihiko had managed to last more than a single blow before incapacitation. I watched as I was forced to bring them all up the tower and lash them to large, metal crosses. Takeharu Kirijo had arrived in the middle of the task, and was quickly captured. I restrained Takeharu once all of SEES were on the crosses. I felt... so many things. Feelings I hadn't expressed before. Rage, fear, sorrow, helplessness... it was all surging within my mind as I was helpless to stop it.
One by one, SEES began to awaken. Junpei and Yukari were the first.
"What the hell?"
"What is this?"
"FATHER!" shouted Mitsuru.
Takeharu tried to struggle free. "Ikutsuki... what is the meaning of this?"
"Just as it appears..." he replied. "They are to be sacrifices – harbingers of the Fall. The arrangements are complete; the prophecy shall be fulfilled."
"What!"
"You son of a bitch!" snarled Junpei, struggling against his restraints. I heard the metal groan in protest; he would not be restrained for long. "I'M GONNA RIP YOUR HEAD OFF!"
Ikutsuki scoffed, pressing a button on his remote. The safety on my right arm's firearms was undone as the barrels were pointed at the back of Takeharu's head.
"You traitor!" shouted Takeharu. "Are you insane?"
"Of course not... but you know, your father was such an unlucky man." replied Ikutsuki. "Even after all this time, his own son does not understand his vision."
"My father was wrong! Death as deliverance... that is not an ideology anyone should ever embrace!"
Ikutsuki sneered. "Fool... you're nothing but a nuisance now. Aigis!"
-No!- I thought, willing my body to stop before it opened fire.
"Wait! Please, Aigis! No!"
[Direct Order from Mitsuru Kirijo confirmed. Chairman Shuji Ikutsuki overruled.]
The joy I felt when that alert came across my systems could not be described... but, I was still unable to act further.
"What are you doing?" spat Ikutsuki. "Do what you have been told!"
"Aigis, don't listen to him!" pleaded Roy. "You're not just some tool for him to use!"
-I'm... not...!- I thought, struggling against Ikutsuki's upload to regain control of my body. -I'm not...!-
"KILL HIM, AIGIS!" Ikutsuki roared, pointing the remote at me. "NOW!"
"EMERGENCY ASU OVERRIDE CODE: SERAPHIM!"
[Code: SERAPHIM acknowledged. Lockdowns removed.]
"I AM NOT YOUR PAWN!" I screamed, at last in control of my body again. My summoning routine was suddenly operating above normal parameters, Palladion appearing behind me as I released Takeharu. "I AM A PERSON, AND I REFUSE TO DO YOUR BIDDING!"
'I am thou... and thou art I...'
I heard shouting around me. I barely registered much beyond Koromaru suddenly appearing and snatching the remote away from Ikutsuki.
'From the sea of thine soul, the resolution of thine heart calls forth new power...'
Orange light shined from behind me as alerts flashed over my system. Palladion was changing.
'Palladion has given rise to Pallas Athena!'
Ikutsuki stepped back in shock as readouts covered my HUD. I was angry. So very anger. Thankfully, the rage steadily began to calm down once I noticed a hand on my shoulder. A gentle hand.
"Mother!"
"Nnngh... Damn it!" snarled Ikutsuki. "You were faster than I expected..."
Tenshi Kirijo merely glared at him. "Not fast enough, sadly."
"Daichi, help me get them down!"
I turned my head, and Shinjiro's uncle and grandfather were assisting him and Hamuko in getting the others down from the crosses.
"No..." stammered Ikutsuki, drawing my attention back to him. "No! I've waited years for this!" reached into his coat. "I WILL NOT BE DENIED!"
He quickly pulled a gun and fired twice. A flash of light enveloped one of Tenshi's hands before a thin, glowing barrier appeared before the two of us and Takeharu. The first bullet was nullified, but the second merely redirected itself and struck Takeharu in the lower left leg.
"Father!" shouted Mitsuru as she rushed over.
"Damn it..." Ikutsuki cursed, stepping back once more. "You and your blasted Asura Project..."
"I'm ashamed your previous ventures had slipped my notice for so long." said Tenshi, leaving her daughter to tend to her husband. "But, I suppose better late than never is an adequate phrase for this situation..."
He shook his head. "No... no, I'm not through yet! I still have an ace up my sleeve, you-"
"Haha, oh man that's actually FUNNY! How long did it take you to come up with that one, ya psychopathic prick?"
All eyes were drawn to the new, distorted sounding voice. At once, alerts sprang up... but I didn't pay them any mind as I stared in disbelief.
"Of course, given how common that phrase is you probably just fucking stole it..."
I looked over my shoulder, then back at the new arrival who stood a short ways behind Ikutsuki.
It was another Roy.
"I doubt you've got an original bone in your body, what with the whole cliched 'end the world' plan bullshit you're spouting..." continued the other Roy, his bright yellow eyes causing me to shudder, as a dark purple aura sprang up around him. "And then you pull the 'I will not fail' crap before you try to shoot a guy? Wow man, how many Action Movies do you watch on a regular basis?"
Ikutsuki looked between the two Roys, pointing his gun at the yellow eyed one.
"W-where did you come from?" he demanded, not taking his eyes off the strange replicant.
"Oh y'know, deep dark parts of that lying fuck's head." said the other Roy, casually gesturing to the one standing behind me. "But I'm willing to take a detour from airing out the skeletons in his padlocked closet for a minute on account of one thing..."
Ikutsuki was shaking now. "And what's that...?"
The doppelganger suddenly rushed him, his hand quickly wrapping itself around his neck.
"Getting you to shut the flying fuck up, you nihilistic prick." spat the other Roy. "I got business and you're in the way, so y'know what? You wanna die so bad, then allow me to HELP!"
On that last word, his hand violently closed around Ikutsuki's neck. Most of his throat was quickly crushed, reduced to ravaged flesh compressed to bone. It took mere moments for Ikutsuki to die.
"Rot in hell." he said, dragging the dead man over to the edge of the tower before throwing his body off. He looked at the blood covered hand, shaking it off before black mist surrounded it for a moment. When it disappeared, his hand was clean of blood as he turned and walked towards us. "Now, back to business..."
"What.. the hell...?" stammered Junpei. "Roy, did you... always have an evil twin?"
"N-no... I..."
The replica scoffed. "Oh like you've ever told the truth to anyone here ya poker faced asshole."
"H-Huh...?"
"You heard me, hat for brains!" it continued. "You lie and cheat seven ways from Sunday simply because you can! You barely have an honest bone in your body."
"T-that's bullshit!" Roy said quickly. "I don't lie to my friends...!"
The other Roy laughed. "Oh you lie to them the most and you know it! C'mon, think about it; They've unloaded on you with a lot of shit about themselves but how much do you ever say about yourself? Not fucking much, if anything at all, that's what!"
I looked at Roy. He was shaking his head, panic in his eyes.
"I don't!" he repeated, his voice shaking.
"Really, just gonna keep telling yourself that?" asked the doppelganger, crossing his arms. "Do I have to actually list off what you've done in order to get you to deal with it?"
Roy shook his head again. "No... you're lying... y-you have to be...!"
"HA! That's rich, pal. You know was well as I do that I ain't lying!" countered his duplicate, who started counting off on his fingers. "But let's see... apart from having to explain Velvet Room like three times I think, you've neglected to tell everyone here, INCLUDING the metal babe you're so smitten with, about Social Links, the spooky voices that come with them, Pharos, why you left behind everyone you knew in Seattle so readily, the reason you wear those stupid wrappings on your right arm, and... oh I dunno, the exact details about how the hell you met that African Spider God who turned out to be semi-related to how you even GOT all your Wild Card persona bullshit powers to begin with?"
Roy didn't say anything, his eyes wide. I'd never seen someone look so afraid.
"Awww, what? No snappy comeback now?" jabbed the other Roy. "Fine by me, I probably need to actually, y'know, EXPLAIN that whole 'Social Link' thing! It's kind of important, y'know!"
"Roy-kun, what is-"
"IT'S NOTHING!" He shouted in a panic. "H-he's lying!"
"No I'm nooooot~!" sang the duplicate. "Social Links are literally this motherfucker here harvesting energy to make himself stronger via the oh so magical power of ~FRIENDSHIP~! He's just exploiting the lot of you! Especially Aigis... ah, but she's in another league because you LOOOOVE~ her, and clear as day she does too! But in the end, you're just playing her like a saxophone and don't give a-"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Roy screamed.
"Oh, I struck a NERVE~! I know I did, and ya wanna know why? Because I AM you! I know everything you know, every-"
"I SAID SHUT UP!" roared Roy, rushing at his replica. "YOU'RE NOT ME!"
The doppelganger caught Roy's fist, then grabbed his face.
"NOT ANYMORE I'M NOT!" it laughed. "And I'll be taking all of THIS with me!"
Roy let out a scream that will forever haunt my mind as his duplicate laughed psychotically before kicking him away. He landed harshly on the ground, Hamuko and Fuuka quickly rushing over to him as black mist and energy circled the duplicate.
"IT'S FUCKING SHOWTIME, BITCHES!" bellowed the other as it was enveloped in the mist completely for a few brief moments before a bright light pierced out from within, the replica laughing all the while. The mist exploded outwards, forcing me to look away for a moment, and what I saw when I could look again... it frightened me.
It was... a large version of Roy, dressed in a black suit. Roughly fifteen feet tall. But that wasn't what stood out about it.
Red and blue wires erupted from a gash in its right arm, wrapping around it several times. Pieces of heavy tank armor were haphazardly bolted to its legs. Several large knives were tucked into the belt around its waist. What seemed to be a modified version of a tank cannon was attached to its back. Its right hand held a massive sword with an oddly large handle. It was as if someone replaced the weapon's actual handle with some manner of scepter. A shield was mounted on the left arm, appearing to be made of a roulette wheel and the winged ring that held the Hanged Man shadow's helicopter aloft. An odd headdress seemed to be attached to its hat, while the hair on its head was bone white on the right half and pitch black on the left. An odd mask with a cartoonish version of Roy's face smiling with pointed teeth covered its face, while a strange, pointed guard attached to the sides of its head and covering its chin. The eyes of the mask looked like diagonal half circles in a way that would evoke an 'angry' expression, though there were merely holes for the burning yellow eyes of the creature to stare through. Its chest, though... it appeared to be torn open, with a mechanical heat covered in golden spikes contained inside of it.
"I am a Shadow... the True Self..." said the newly transformed creature. "Your luck has all run out, fools! Got a bad hand, and now I'M GONNA KILL YA FOR IT!"
It raised the sword above its head.
"GET LOST!"
"Look out!"
A blast of energy washed across the platform, forcing us to brace ourselves so as not to be blown off.
"What the hell is going on?" shouted Akihiko.
"It's a Berserk Shadow!" answered Tenshi. "Mitsuru, help them deal with it! I'll watch your father!"
"Alright!"
"Senpai, Roy's not waking up!"
"Yamagishi, set up and guard Fortune while we handle the Shadow!"
"I will!"
"Aww, that's cute!" scoffed the Shadow. "Helping the little bastard even after you know the truth? Ha! I'll make your deaths slow and painful!"
Yukari retorted with several wind-infused arrows. Two managed to imbed themselves in its right arm before it could block with the shield.
{I've... I've never seen a Shadow like this before! It... It feels almost identical to Roy-kun!}
"We'll still have to beat it!" said Ken, brandishing his spear. "Good thing I still have those cards he gave me to hold my gear..."
"HA! Like that little toothpick is gonna save you!"
A bolt of lightning striking the Shadow drew its attention to Akihiko and Shinjiro.
"He's not all you have to worry about!" shouted the silver haired Boxer.
"Not like I'm worried about you either!" laughed the Shadow, unleashing another wave of energy across the battlefield.
"HASSOU TOBI."
The sound of clashing blades rang through the air as an armored figure lashed out at the Shadow, its thin swords locked with the massive blade its foe held. How it'd managed to catch the attack and not sustain heavy damage was beyond me.
"Ah ah ah, stay outta this old timer!" said the Shadow. "This is between ME and these small fry!"
A sphere of lightning suddenly slammed into the Shadow's chest, knocking it back. Roland's Atma form rebounded from the impact and landed next to the other figure, likely Daichi's Persona.
"Sorry, not my place to listen to assholes!" Roland mockingly apologized.
"Nor mine." added Daichi.
The Shadow staggered in place, fixing its gaze on the two of them angrily.
"Hmph... fine then." It said, stabbing its blade into the roof before grabbing the cannon on its back. "GUESS I'LL JUST GO THROUGH YOU AS WELL!"
"Persona!" I shouted, calling forth Athena. She appeared before me, a large shield held forward as the Shadow attacked. The blast impacted a large barrier of purple energy, and I felt myself strain as the wall took the brunt of it. I didn't have much time to ponder on my new Persona's appearance beyond its brown hair, golden armor, and white robes before the Shadow started attacking again.
"C'MON, THAT ALL YA GOT?" it taunted, launching another blast from the cannon before retrieving its sword. "BUNCHA WORTHLESS PUNKS!"
"Shut up!" snapped Shinjiro, summoning Vaisravana. The spear wielding Persona launched a stone spike the same size as a motorcycle at the Shadow, but it smashed it aside with its shield. "Damn it, what the hell is with this thing?"
{I don't know! It's projecting some kind of field around itself to absorb most of the damage, but I can't find a way through it!}
"Hey now, you spoiling the surprise?" quipped the Shadow, blocking an attack from Chidori's Persona only for Junpei's to catch it off guard. "Gah, stop fucking doing that ya little shits!"
"No!" shouted Hamuko as both herself and Mitsuru unleashed a barrage of ice shards at it. The Shadow had a hard time blocking all of them.
"Fucking damn it, that's getting really annoying you cotton candy haired psycho-" It was cut off when Themis violently stabbed it in the back. "-GAAAAAAH FUCKING HELL THAT WAS MY SPINE YOU JUST IMPALED YOU LITTLE BASTARD!"
Ken chuckled. "Guess my tactics are just too subtle for you!"
"Oh hardy har-"
"I summon thee!"
"-FUUUUUUCKING COLD!" it yelped after an attack from Mitsuru struck it in the head. "Not okay!"
"Hey, y'know what killed the dinosaurs?" asked Hamuko.
"Oh you're not gonna-"
"THE ICE AGE!"
The Shadow howled in pain and annoyance as spikes of ice shot up from around it. "WHO LET HER WATCH BATMAN AND ROBIN I'M GONNA KILL THEM FIRST!"
{Keep it up! It feels like the field is weakening!}
"Musashi!"
Daichi's Persona once more lunged at the Shadow, exchanging blows before being swatted aside by the shield.
"Alright, FUCK THIS NOISE!" it roared, slamming its sword into the ground again. "YOU GOT A DEAD MAN'S HAND COMING YOUR WAY!"
It quickly swung the cannon around and fired three times – Once towards Daichi and Roland, once at Shinjiro, Akihiko, and Yukari, and the final shot was a sweeping blast of energy I was forced to avoid. However, in doing so I realized what the Shadow's actual intent was; To disrupt Fuuka.
She screamed as the ground beneath Juno exploded, dispelling her Persona, sending her flying in one direction and Roy's unconscious body in another.
"AND NOW HE DIES!"
Everyone was too scattered and disoriented from evading the previous attack to react to the Shadow quickly hurling its massive sword right at Roy. I found myself screaming as the blade flew through the air, but... something happened that I didn't expect.
Roy moved.
He caught the massive sword, landed, then hurled it right back at the Shadow. It was so abrupt that nobody had the time to react with more than surprised shouting. I could tell something was off, though. Roy wasn't moving like he normally would. His movements were too... rough. Something else was making him move, and I was sure of it when I saw his eyes. They were glowing blue.
"Come forth O god of Death..." he said, his voice sounding... different. Like someone else was speaking at the same time he was. "THANATOS!"
He slammed his hand onto his evoker, his body going limp and collapsing to the ground again as a large figure exploded into existence out of blue mist. It was the same thing that had appeared when Maiko-san was trapped in Tartarus. The one with the pointed white mask and a cape of coffins. It was the I realized that the lower part of its own mask resembled the odd guard on the Shadow.
Thanatos let out a savage roar, flying straight at the Shadow and knocking it to the ground.
"What the-?" it stammered, trying to get the Persona off of him. "Where did you-?"
A roar was the response before Thanatos smashed its head against the Shadows, breaking off part of the mask it wore.
"No... You!" shouted the Shadow, suddenly appearing to be covered with Television static for a moment. "Y-You're what the kid left behind! G-GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"
It shoved the Persona off, staggering to its feet and grabbing its sword. The entire attitude of the Shadow had changed... and it was clear that under the mask it wore that it was afraid.
"S-stay back!" It said, shakily pointing the blade at Thanatos. "D-Don't come near me!"
{The field's gone! It's open to attack!}
"Aki!"
"Right behind you!"
"PERSONA"
The Shadow's head jerked suddenly in the direction of Shinjiro and Akihiko.
"WRATH OF KINGS"
The sky boomed with thunder before a multitude of lightning strikes and energy blasts suddenly rained down on the Shadow. It screamed in agony as the attack tore away at its body until it eventually subsided. The Shadow looked very worse for wear, with burn marks all over it. Its body convulsed with electricity, as if it had been overstimulated by the attack.
"S-stay back..." it stammered, trying to keep its balance. It sounded terrified, even though Thanatos had disappeared. "S-stay away... I-I'll kill you...!"
I heard Koromaru howl as Cerberus suddenly rushed the Shadow, violently knocking the sword out of its grip and sending the weapon a long ways away from the Shadow. It flung the canine persona away, firing another blast from its cannon. The blast impacted near Ken, launching him towards the edge.
"KEN!" shouted Shinjiro as the young boy went over the edge.
"TOO SUBTLE!"
My head snapped back towards the Shadow, where Ken had somehow descended from above it and slammed his spear into its back, kicking his way off the Shadow and prying the cannon off of it.
"W-w-what the fuck?" sputtered the Shadow, backing away from Ken. "How the shit did you just do that?"
"Holy shit, did Ken just break physics to do something amazing?"
Yukari fired a wind-energized arrow at the Shadow, shattering the mask on its face completely. "Stay focused, Akihiko-senpai!"
"L-Leave me alone!" yelled the Shadow. "J-JUST STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
"Usas!" "Penthesilea!"
Several ice spikes tore away at its legs, ripping off the tank armor.
"S-stop...!"
"Hestia!"
A fireball blasted the knives out of its hand when it tried to use them.
"N-no! STOP!"
"Caesar!"
Akihiko's Persona rushed forward with an electrified blade in hand and sliced the cables off of its right arm.
"I SAID STOP!"
"TRISMEGISTUS!"
Junpei's Persona slammed into the Shadow, obliterating the shield it carried.
"PLEASE, STOP!" the Shadow begged, struggling to keep its balance. "LEAVE ME ALONE! I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ALONE!"
"Athena!"
My own Persona appeared and hurled its golden spear at the Shadow, piercing right through the exposed robotic heart in its torso. The Shadow staggered back, clutching the spear. It looked down at the wound as it fell to its knees, the spear vanishing a moment later.
"I... I'm..." it sputtered as its body started to become discolored, looking up at us with fear in its eyes. "Scared..."
The Shadow collapsed to the ground, exploding with black mist on impact.
{You did it!}
"Holy crap, what the hell kind of Shadow was that thing?" asked Junpei. "I've never seen anything like it!"
"I wanna know what it did to Roy!" said Hamuko. "Did you see how he was acting?"
"...It seems you're not quite through with it."
At Daichi's observation, I looked towards where the Shadow had fallen. The replica of Roy was in its place, struggling to sit up.
"It's still alive?"
"I'll get it, Mitsuru." said Akihiko, marching towards the Shadow. "Just give me a sec."
It spotted him, then started scurrying away as best it could while still on the ground. The amount of fear in its eyes was staggering.
"...wait..."
I gasped as I turned around. "Roy?"
"Akihiko... wait..." he said, trying to push himself up. I hurried over and helped him to his feet. "Don't..."
"Roy!" "Are you okay?"
Akihiko turned around, looking confused. "Why? It's a Shadow. It needs to be destroyed."
"Sanada, that Shadow could very well be a part of his psyche you dense oaf." snapped Tenshi. "If you destroy it, who knows what could happen to him!"
He froze in place. "What...?"
"Whoa whoa whoa, hold up!" exclaimed Junpei. "Why would a Shadow be part of Roy?"
"What do you think Personae are?" asked Tenshi, sounding absolutely astounded. "Some manner of magic that manifested in response to the sudden emergence of Shadows? Personae ARE Shadows! They're manifestations of repressed human thought! Why else would you need a Persona, another manifestation of human thought, to fight them?"
Everyone suddenly looked at the cowering Shadow near Akihiko.
"So... that's Roy's Persona...?" asked Hamuko. "But... then why is it...?"
"...Let me handle it..." said Roy, staggering slowly over to his doppelganger. I wanted to stop him, but... it felt wrong to try.
"Roy, you-"
"Let him." Roland said sharply, cutting Yukari off.
Akihiko backed away as Roy approached, the Shadow staring up at him with fear in its eyes.
"Here..." he said, extending a hand to his Shadow. "Stand up."
The Shadow hesitated before taking his hand, Roy pulling his other self to their feet.
"...Guess my poker face isn't as good as I thought, huh?" he asked his replica, letting out a bitter laugh. "And here I was hoping I could keep what you are locked away... to never have to acknowledge what you are. Seems even my problems can't be weird in a normal way..."
He sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair.
"...I'm sorry." Roy apologized. "You... you were right. About everything. I'm not an honest person... I've spent so long hiding things, I just... do it without thinking about it too much. But that's where you came from, huh? You're that part of me I couldn't bare to look at. The part of me I couldn't face... everything I'm afraid to see and afraid to say..."
I couldn't see the look on his face, but I think Roy smiled.
"...You're me after all, huh?"
The Shadow blinked, then smiled brightly and nodded. A warm, blue light surrounded it before it vanished, replaced by a floating card. Roy reached out and touched it, the blue light enveloping him for a moment before fading, the card along with it. He sighed as he suddenly sat down on the ground, everyone from SEES rushing over to him.
"Hell of a way for all that come out..." he commented quietly, not looking at us.
"Yeah, but it worked out in the end right?" asked Junpei.
Roy didn't answer.
"What's wrong? It's no big deal man-"
"Junpei, were you not fucking listening when it was talking?" Roy snapped, turning his head to look at Junpei. He was crying... and he looked angry. "I fucking lied! I lied to you all about everything!"
He recoiled back a step. "Whoa, calm down man!"
"Why bother?" asked Roy, looking away. "I've already fucked everything up bad enough as it is. Between what happened with Maiko-chan, to this bullshit with Ikutsuki and that other me... I've reached the apex of making a mess of things at this point. And with all that shit out in the open... I'd understand if you guys wanted me out of the dorm."
"Roy-kun, what are you talking about?" Fuuka inquired. "Why would we want you to leave?"
"Oh I dunno, because I'm a fucking parasite effectively feeding off friendship energy harvested from hanging out with you guys or some shit like that?" he said. "I've done nothing but deceive you all from the word go." Roy steadily pushed himself to his feet. "...I don't deserve to be around great people like you. Just... let me get back to the dorm and I'll pack my stuff." He started to turn around. "You can make the calls or whatever to-"
Roy was interrupted by Hamuko slapping him across the face extremely hard. He actually had to catch himself to avoid falling over.
"Roy Lawrence Fortune, do you even HEAR the stupid shit coming out of your mouth right now?" she demanded.
He stared blankly into the air for a moment before he finally put his hand on his face where she'd struck him, slowly turning his head back to look at her.
"H-huh...?"
"You heard me!" she said. "Do you honestly think we'd have gone through the trouble of kicking the ass of your manifested insecurities if we didn't give a damn about you?"
"And I pretty distinctly remember you saying earlier you wouldn't trade us for anything." added Ken.
"But..."
Junpei smacked him in the arm. "But nothing, man! Ken's right, dude, and don't forget we saw how completely mental you went when Maiko was in trouble. If you're trying to tell me that's fake, you are the worst goddamn liar on the face of the planet and next time I will personally HOLD YOU while Hamu-tan slaps the stupid out of your head! None of my friends are allowed to say stupid shit like that, least of all my BEST friend!"
Fuuka nodded sharply. "You really shouldn't put yourself down, Roy-kun... you're always there to give everyone so much confidence and support. I don't think that's something anyone could fake, especially not someone like you."
"Agreed on both accounts." said Mitsuru. "And Fortune? If you keep brow-beating yourself like this for being as insecure as any human being as the right to be, Iori won't the be only one holding you down while Arisato slaps you."
Roy didn't respond. I don't think we were getting through to him.
"Exactly. You screwed up, but it's stupid to think you're the only one who ever will at any point in their life." added Akihiko. "We don't think any less of you for it, and it seems like a rough subject to talk about in the first place."
"You are... a very kind person, Roy." said Chidori. "You're not the kind of person who'd just gather power from others and run off; the fact you're breaking down in guilt over it proves that."
Yukari nodded. "Yeah. Nevermind that you've had to put up with some or all of us being downright unreasonable sometimes. I don't think you'd have gone through the trouble of helping us if you just wanted to make yourself stronger."
"...I'm not..." sighed Roy. "I'm just... a worthless, goof for nothing piece of-"
"Don't say that!" I exclaimed. "You're not worthless, Roy."
"...Aigis...?"
I felt my body tremble involuntarily. "I... I still don't know why I had such a strong desire to stay close to you when we first met. But now... I don't care. I found a reason to stay by your side, regardless of whatever drew me to you initially." I approached him and embraced him tightly. "I love you, Roy... you mean so much to me. I can't... I can't bear to see you like this..."
Within a moment, I felt his arms around me, his head resting against mine.
"I don't deserve this..." Roy said, his voice thick with sorrow. "I don't deserve to be loved... to have friends like you guys. I... never showed empathy back home. Things happened and I felt nothing..." I felt him cling to me more tightly. "I couldn't even mourn when my parents died... I'm a horrible excuse for a friend and a person... a bum not worth anyone's time of day..."
"Hah... I wondered why somethin' seemed off. It's like I'm listening to a recording of myself." said Shinjiro. "Right down to not being able to mourn my folks when they died..." He shook his head lightly. "We're a lot alike, y'know. You put up your own facade, but it's not to keep people out like I try to do; it's you trying to hide parts of yourself because you're scared of being shut out by everyone around you. And if you'd actually listen to everyone instead of wallowing in that self loathing, you'd know none of us want to actually do that. But from the way you're acting, looks like I'm not the only one who needs to work on their self-confidence, huh?" He approached Roy and placed a hand on his shoulder. "So stop beating yourself up, y'hear? We've got your back."
Roy didn't say anything, but he suddenly raised his head. It took me a moment to hear the sounds of a child crying to discover why. I let go of Roy and looked in the direction of the sobbing, but what I saw confused me. It was an... oddly familiar child, sitting near the edge of the platform. I estimated their age as no more than six years.
"Mom... dad..." sobbed the child. "W-where are you...?"
"...Is that another Shadow...?" wondered Hamuko. "But..."
"Where did you go...?" the child continued. "Why did you leave...?"
"Roy... I think you're up again."
Roy looked at Shinjiro. "...Huh...?"
He gestured to the child. "Look at the hair on the kid. Seems a lot like yours, albeit on someone about ten years younger."
"I don't understand... a human should only possess a single Shadow." said Tenshi. "Even with his ability, he shouldn't have more than one..."
Roy suddenly started to approach the child, sitting down next to them.
"Hey." he said. "What's wrong, kid?"
The child sniffled. "I... I can't find m-my mom and dad..."
"...Where'd you last see them?"
"O-on the bridge..." replied the child, pointing out at the skyline of Port Island. He seemed to be indicating the Moonlight Bridge. "W-we were driving home, but then there was a crash..." Another sob escaped him. "...And n-now... now I can't find them... o-or the angel lady..."
Roy tilted his head slightly. "Angel lady?"
The child nodded. "She was really pretty... I wanted to ask her for help, but... she disappeared too." They looked up at Roy, tears in their bright yellow eyes. "...D-Did she take mom and dad away...?"
"...Yeah." he replied. "She had to take them somewhere they wouldn't get hurt..."
I heard Junpei hum somewhat loudly.
"Really pretty...? I wonder..."
"...Why?" asked the child, his sobs intensifying. "Why did she have to take them away? Why couldn't they stay?"
Roy pulled the child onto his lap and hugged him. "They had to get better. That's why they had to go."
"S-so they won't get hurt again...?"
Roy nodded. "Yeah... so they won't get hurt again."
"...So... they're okay...?" asked the child. "Really?"
"Yeah, really."
They sniffled. "...How do you know, mister?"
"Because, well..." Roy began. "...Do I look familiar at all?"
The child seemed confused. "...A little... you... look kinda like me, but bigger..."
"Why do you think that is?"
They blinked. "...Because you are me?"
Roy smiled. "Yeah. I'm you, and you're me."
The child smiled, climbing off Roy's lap and standing up. Blue light surrounded it as Roy stood and took a few steps back towards the rest of us, the child vanishing a moment later as two figures and two cards appeared. One figure was his Persona Shade, the other was the Persona Anansi.
'I am thou... thou art I...'
The two personae gleamed with light before suddenly both being reduced to orbs that crashed together in violent fusion.
'The acceptance of thine self has healed thine damaged soul...'
The result of the orbs combining soon made itself manifest into a new Persona. It stood the same height as Shade, though more of the features reminded me of Anansi. The long, charcoal gray coat it wore reached to about its shins, several dull silver spiderweb patterns scattered about its surface. Black gloves with gray fingers covered its hands, four total like its arms. A light gray, spider-themed mask covered most of its face, the mask itself contrasting with the sandy brown hair on its head with the bangs covering the top edge of the mask. Four light orange eyes peered out through a like number of holes cut in it, while the lower half of its face was covered by a short scarf that matched the color of the ribbon around my neck. A tan shirt was faintly visible behind a brown vest under the jacket, while a white belt with a silver buckle held the jacket closed at the waist and loose black pants covered its legs, tucking into heavy burgundy boots that came up to just below its knees.
'Thou hast restored the form of thine true self, Anansi...'
The 'new' Anansi vanished in a burst of blue flame, replaced by a card much like his Shadow had been before. Roy reached out and took it, turning to face us with the card in hand.
"...Ha. Can't even have supernatural psychological meltdowns in a normal way..." he chuckled wryly, the card in his hand vanishing as a gentle flare of blue light surrounded him. "Kinda... tired now though..."
I quickly approached him and put his arm around my shoulders. "I've got you."
He smiled at me. "Thanks, Aigis..."
"Nnngh..."
"Father?"
"He'll be fine, Mitsuru." assured Tenshi as she helped Takeharu up. "We'll have to get him to the hospital to see what the actual damage to his leg might be... only so much we can do with Persona abilities."
Junpei seemed uneasy. "...What about Ikutsuki?"
There was a pause in the conversation.
"...I'll come up with something." replied Takeharu, doing his best to not stand on his injured leg. "Provided Fuuma or Tenshi doesn't first."
"Regardless, we should get out of here." noted Roland. "We don't have long before the Dark Hour is over."
"Yeah..." agreed Shinjiro. "Let's get the hell out of here."
Junpei approached and slung Roy's other arm over his shoulder.
"C'mon dude, let's get you home." he said. "You look like you could use some sleep..."
Roy grumbled slightly. "And a snack but sleep is fine..."
"Alright. Let's go, Aigis. Got a long walk back to the dorm."
The Dark Hour ended a short ways into the walk back to the dorm, with Tenshi, Roland, and Daichi taking Takeharu to the hospital. There was little conversation between us the entire time, and Junpei left me to take Roy to his room once we arrived at the dormitory. He seemed sluggish and drained as we entered his room, a heavy sigh escaping him.
"...Hey, Aigis...?"
I looked at Roy as I helped him sit down on his bed. "Yes?"
"...Can you... stay with me tonight?"
I smiled. "Of course. Would you like me to give you some time to change clothes?"
"...Yeah, but you don't have to leave the room." he replied, shrugging off his jacket and tossing his hat over onto his desk. "Not like I have anything to hide from you."
"I never thought you had anything to hide, Roy." I said. "Nor do I think less of you for what you did have hidden."
He stared at the floor quietly for a moment. "...You really are a wonderful person, Aigis..."
"Ah... thank you, Roy..." I said, a small alert informing me that the temperature of my face had elevated several degrees.
"No, I mean it Aigis." he stated, looking up at me. "You're... you're a wonderful, amazing person..."
My temperature rose another degree. "...I think you're just as wonderful, Roy."
A small smile crept across his features before he pulled me into a tight embrace.
"I love you, Aigis..." he said, sounding like he was trying to fight back tears. "I love you so much..."
I returned the hug, resting my head on his shoulder. "I love you too, Roy..." I kissed him softly on the cheek. "I will always be here to watch over you..."
"Hah..." he chuckled softly, pulling away enough to look me in the eyes. "Does that make you my guardian angel, then?"
I smiled at him. "...I suppose it would."
Another soft chuckle escaped him before he kissed me. "Fine by me..."
I spent the remainder of the night by his side, a smile on my face the entire time.
Entry End
Submitting to Log Moderator for Approval
Author Notes - So how 'bout them Shadow Roys? Shit like that's what happens when you're six and half an embodiment of Death violently stuffed into your brain; you get some Childhood trauma supernaturally repressed for ten years. But yeah, that all should be fixed now! And yes, Ken's 'TOO SUBTLE' thing was inspired by Oinkbane the Deadly(Google it! Funny stuff.) and is going to become a running gag because the kid deserves some awesome shenanigans to pull. And next chapter is where things get heavy for other reasons and more shit goes down. Wanna know why? Well, let's just say it's best if you don't fear the Reaper.
Anyway, I have a question for you reviewers; How many of you are still wondering about the Fool with Tsukuyomi that Roy encountered in chapter 24? Because I think it should be obvious who it is, given his parents Hayate and Sayaka appear in the same chapter. Why else would that particular Fool be in Iwatodai? Mwehehehe...