Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Persona: Wings of Liberation
Chapter 6
Breaking the Ice
4/15
Morning
Shiho woke up in a strange tower. Along with her was—!
'Kazzy-kun!' Shiho thought.
She rushed over to the unconscious Kazuya and shook him.
"Kazzy-kun! Kazu-chan! Wake up! Wake up, please! Don't go!" Shiho said.
She felt regret over what happened to him. Over what her attempt at suicide did to him. How could she forgive herself for playing a part in his demise? How could she ever face anyone knowing that she had inadvertently caused Kazuya to... to die? Would he even forgive her for what she had done? So much guilt had piled onto her.
But then Kazuya opened his eyes just as she began to shed tears. He gasped.
"Shiho?" Kazuya asked.
She hugged him tightly.
"Kazu-chan!" Shiho said, "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have tried to—! I just wanted to—! I—! I—!"
"Wait… I'm here? But…"
He got up and looked around. Shiho got up and watched as he looked around.
"Kazu-chan?"
"This place… no… it cannot be…" Kazuya said.
She looked around. She saw a butterfly pattern on the floor. The world around them looked so… blue and… empty. Where… where was she?
Just then, a butterfly came down. The butterfly then turned into a man in a white suit with a mask on his face.
"Ah!" Shiho yelped.
"Philemon!" Kazuya said.
Shiho looked at Kazuya in confusion.
"Philemon?" Shiho asked, "Do… you know him, Kazzy-kun?"
Kazuya turned to Shiho. He looked away from her with a bit of a shameful look on his face.
"It's… He…" Kazuya said, "It's a long story."
"Hello, Shiho Suzui." The man said, "I am Philemon and if you're inquiring about our relationship, let us say that he and I have made a contract."
"A contract?" Shiho asked..
"Yes," Philemon said, "His journey began with me."
"Journey?" Shiho asked, "What kind of journey?"
"A journey of self-discovery, a journey of freedom, a journey of life." Philemon said, "In order for him to complete that journey, he needed friends and allies whom he can share a bond with in order to grow stronger."
Shiho still didn't understand anything that was going on right now. Why did Kazuya risk his life to save hers? What was so important about her life that it made him forsake his own life? Why? Why did he save her life?
"Why?"
"Why?" Philemon asked, "Why have I brought you here?"
"No, not you." Shiho said.
She turned to Kazuya.
"Why did you save my life?" Shiho asked, "Was I so important to you that you'd die just so I can live?"
Kazuya looked at Shiho.
"Because I knew you were at the breaking point." Kazuya said.
Shiho gasped at the revelation. Kazuya wanted to die at one point? And… breaking point… she looked so confused.
"Your emotional outbursts gave it all away." Kazuya said, "I should have known the extent of the pressure on you."
"Kazuya…" Shiho said.
"Not only that… I… I sought to end my own life." Kazuya said.
Shiho gasped upon hearing that.
'Kazuya… sought to kill himself?' Shiho thought.
"Just as you wanted to get away from Kamoshida, I… I wanted to end the emotional pain and the isolation in my heart." Kazuya said, "The pain in my heart along with the isolation… my relatives were helpless as everything they tried just failed… and I… I…"
"Then why are you alive?" Shiho asked.
Kazuya turned his back.
"I couldn't do it." Kazuya said, "I was too much of a coward to take my own life."
He began to sob.
"It's funny." Kazuya said, "You went and leaped off without a moment of hesitation and I couldn't thrust a knife through my own chest. I'm pathetic, aren't I?"
Shiho thought about that moment. She… she…
"No… I…" Shiho stopped, "Do you… hate me?"
He turned to her.
"No." Kazuya said, "You're my friend and that's all that matters to me."
Shiho began to sob.
"Kazu-chan…" Shiho said, "I… I'm such an idiot… I should have never tried to kill myself… I shouldn't have listened to that voice…"
"Voice?" Kazuya asked, "Wait, you heard a voice?"
"Yes…" Shiho said, "She told me to jump off…"
"A voice in your head…" Kazuya said, "Philemon… could she…"
"Yes, my boy, it could only be her Shadow." Philemon said.
"My… what?" Shiho asked.
"Shiho! Wake up!"
'That voice… Ann?!'
"I must send you back." Philemon said, "Your friend is waiting."
"Wait! No!"
Shujin Academy
Nurse's Office
Morning
"COME BACK!" Shiho said, thrusting her hand out.
"Shiho!"
She had opened her eyes to find Ann looking at her. Shiho looked around and noticed she was in the nurse's office. She sat up and looked at Ann.
"How… how long was I out?" Shiho asked.
"You were out for like a few hours." Ann said, "And you were talking in your sleep."
"I… was?"
"Yeah." Ann said, "And you said some voice told you to jump off."
Shiho looked surprised. It was all coming back. The voice… her attempt… Kazuya!
"What about Kazu-chan?! Is he going to be ok?!" Shiho asked.
"W-Well…" Ann said.
"I just got in touch with the hospital."
"Huh?"
Ann held up a phone that had—!
"Sophie!" Shiho said, "You're the girl in Kazu-chan's phone!"
"Yeah… to think Kazuya had a virtual girl in his phone…" Ann said, "Even I was surprised when Ren—I mean Amamiya-kun gave it to me."
Shiho took a deep breath and exhaled. She began to calm down. Her heart beat slowed down.
"So, how is he?"
"His condition is slowly improving. He has suffered a concussion on top of some fractures and dislocated shoulders." Sophia said, "He is in a coma at the moment and he'll recover soon."
She gasped and covered her mouth.
"A... coma… Kazuya... No..." Shiho said before she covered her face, "God… I'm such an idiot…"
"No shit you were!" Ann said, "Why did you try to kill yourself?!"
Shiho uncovered her face and looked at Ann with total regret.
"Mr Kamoshida… he called me to his office and he…" Shiho said, "He forced himself on me and tried to rape me."
Ann looked horrified.
"He did what?!"
"He… he said he had it with you turning him down so he…"
Ann began to walk away from Shiho.
"But… why? We… he…"
It was then that Ryuji and the guy she saw with Ryuji came in.
"Hey…" Ryuji said, "You're going to be ok?"
"Y-Yeah…" Shiho said.
Ryuji looked like something was eating at him.
Ren looked at Ann. Ann looked at Ren. He looked at her with a saddened expression.
"Ann… I think it's time you figured out the truth." Ren said, "Kamoshida was using Shiho to get to you."
Ann gasped.
"You mean…" Ann stopped to look at Shiho, "You mean to tell me that…"
"That's exactly right." Ren said, "You may not have known, but all this time, he's been using her position on the team as a hostage from the very beginning."
"And he basically abused her to no end." Ryuji said.
Ann looked at Shiho, who looked away in shame.
"And I kept pushing her to stay on the team…" Ann said, "What have I done?"
"It's not your fault… I…" Shiho said.
"IT IS MY FAULT!" Ann said, "I let you get used by Kamoshida and I… I should have…"
Tears ran down Ann's eyes. She pushed Ren out of the way and bolted out of the room.
"I'll go after her," Ren said, "Stay with Suzui."
"Wha—?! Why am I being left alone here?!" Ryuji said, "I've known Takamaki since middle school!"
"Just do it." Ren said before he too left the room.
He sprinted after Ann. He saw her go up to the roof. He followed her up to the roof. The minute he got to the roof, he saw her crying by the fence. Morgana peeked his head out. He had his eyes on Ann.
Just as he looked at her, Ren noticed something on the ground. It looked like a metal hook on a fence. He went over to the hook and took it off the fence. He saw a wire attached to it.
"Hey, isn't it that thing Kazuya had on him when he caught her?" Morgana asked.
"Yeah… it is." Ren said.
He pulled the wire up to find the device. He made sure his feet weren't in between the wires. He looked at the device and pressed a button. The wire was being reeled in. The noise got Ann's attention. Ann looked at Ren just before the hook was reattached to the device.
"H-Hey… that's the thing he had on him… the thing he used to…"
"So he knew…" Ren said.
Ann looked shocked.
"He… knew?"
"Kazuya… he knew that girl was going to kill herself… and he was willing to save her at any cost…" Ren said.
Ann stood up and looked at the device Ren was holding. Morgana sinked into the bag to conceal himself.
"He knew Shiho would commit suicide…" Ann said, "And he saved her…"
"Yes…" Ren said, "And luckily… he didn't die for it…"
"He truly had luck, I'll give him that." Morgana whispered.
Ann sobbed, wiping her eyes of her tears.
"Some friend I am, Huh?" Ann asked, "He did what none would."
"Yeah…" Ren said, holding back his rage.
"We'll handle him as soon as it all dies down." Arsene said, "Until then, let that rage serve as a reminder."
'I will. Count on it.' Ren thought.
He turned to Ann.
"Don't worry, Kamoshida will pay, that I swear to you." Ren said, "Me and Ryuji will take him down. You just protect Suzui."
"Huh?" Ann asked.
Ren took off his glasses and folded them up. He puts his glasses into his breast pocket.
"Just let me and Ryuji handle the rest." Ren said, "There's no need for you to do anything but to protect Suzui."
"R-Ren…" Ann said.
She looked into his eyes. She could feel just how tense his eyes are.
"He will pay, that I swear." Ren said, "Someone has to do it. It might as well be me."
He puts his glasses on and stashes the device into his bag. He headed downstairs.
"Holy shit… really?" Ryuji asked, looking shocked.
"Yes…" Shiho said, "He said that he wouldn't let me die, just before he pulled out that device and shot the hook at the fence."
Ryuji sighed. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment before he looked at the door.
"Damn…" Ryuji said, "You know, I honestly thought he was just an asshole. Joining the volleyball team and intentionally making Kamoshida look like an ass while we tried to dig up dirt on him… but man… I didn't think he'd got that far for one person… especially you of all people..."
Shiho looked down.
"Yeah…" Shiho said, "He's… he's been through so much…"
"Yeah, I can sorta get what you mean." Ryuji said.
Shiho began to sob.
"His own brother… abandoned him and… called him useless…" Shiho said.
Ryuji looked surprised. He remembered Kazuya saying something about his brother leaving him behind and all that, but having his brother calling him useless on top of that? Especially after his parents died?
"That's effed up…" Ryuji said, "He must have really liked his bro before then…"
"That's… not even the worst part…" Shiho sobbed, "He… he tried to kill himself…"
He snapped his head toward Shiho.
"W-WHOA! For real?!" Ryuji exclaimed, "He never—!"
"His relatives tried everything they could to help him and… and they… they couldn't heal his heart…" Shiho said, "No one ever became a friend of his and he… he pushed people away because he was afraid of hurting himself…"
Ryuji felt really bad about all of this. She pressed her head against his shoulder.
"He couldn't take it… being alone… having to deal with so much pain in his heart… it was soul-crushing… he… he just… he lost any and all hope in him and…" Shiho said, "When I became his friend, he… he finally had someone who would be there for him… and now I… I… I've done something that I could never forgive myself for…"
'Shit…' Ryuji thought, 'I really fucked this up.'
He fucked up big time. He should have been more careful with what he was doing. Now he had made a big mistake in disregarding Kazuya's warning and going after Kamoshida yet again.
"The hell did you do to that girl?!"
"I was just about to have a little bit of fun until that sonuvabitch Kazuya interrupted me!"
"Kazuya?"
"You let him follow her, Mishima! You're just as at fault here for the shit he pulled!"
"But you told me to…"
"Well that doesn't matter anymore. With Romeo stuck in the hospital, he can't do shit. And as for the lot of you, you're all getting expelled along with him!"
"What?!"
"Starting at the next board meeting, I'm having you all reported for expulsion. Good riddance to trash like you. Your future's are mine to take now."
"But what about—?!"
"No one's going to believe a girl who just tried to kill herself. And besides, if she tells the truth, she can kiss her dreams goodbye."
"You bastard—!"
"Forget it. There's nothing we can do."
'Man… I really fucked up big…' Ryuji thought.
He did exactly what Kazuya told him not to do. He had confronted Kamoshida and now he, Ren, Mishima, and Kazuya were going to get expelled by the next board meeting. Just how pissed off is Kazuya going to be if he found out about all of it?
He heard the door open. He saw Ren and Ann coming back.
"Come on, we have to go to class. It's what Kazuya would want us to do right now." Ren said.
"Yeah…" Ryuji said, "Come on Suzui-san, we can visit Kazuya in the hospital after school hours end."
"Yeah…" Shiho said, "Sure…"
They got up and began to leave the office.
Hospital
Afternoon
Naoya was standing right next to his brother as he was put in a care unit. One of the nurses was standing next to him. He had his specialized medical equipment used for his operation. It was far more efficient than what the hospital had. He invested much into many things.
Medicine, manufacturing, homemade appliances, even smartphone apps. They were much more efficient than what current industries were chugging out.
"So… when will he regain consciousness?" Naoya asked.
"We think he'll wake up from his coma eventually, but…"
"Have him released when he wakes up." Naoya said.
"S-Sir?!" The nurse exclaimed.
"Didn't you use my equipment to help heal my cousin?" Naoya asked.
"Yes, but—"
He glared at the nurse.
"Are you questioning the efficiency of my machine?" Naoya asked, "Did it not heal my cousin effectively? Did it not occur to you that I invested my money in the world of medicine? Didn't I basically give you my healing touch? If so, why are you hesitant?"
"W-Well… it's just… releasing so soon after he just suffered from a concussion… and not to mention that his body has suffered some serious damage that was repaired… he needs physical therapy and—"
"Do you know who you're talking to?" Naoya asked, "I'll have you know that I don't tolerate people who don't do as I say or fail to meet my expectations. He doesn't need physical therapy thanks to what my machine has done."
"But sir—"
"Release him when he comes to or I'll expose some of the directors dirty secrets and have this hospital shut down." Naoya said.
"Y-Yes sir…"
The nurse left the room. Naoya had time alone with his brother.
"You know brother, I knew what was going to happen all along." Naoya said, "I knew that girl would try to kill herself, so I simply gave you the one tool to change that. You did just that."
He smiled as he sat down on a chair.
"I knew you wouldn't resist saving her life. She was the one person who gave you what you desperately needed that I could not give you because of my circumstances." Naoya said, "She gave you love. And love… is something you wanted. And you'd be damned if that love suddenly stopped coming to you."
He chuckled.
"You wanted to be loved, didn't you brother?" Naoya asked, "You wanted people to love and praise you because that way, you know your life still had meaning. You wanted someone to feel like they wanted you around, didn't you, brother?"
He chuckled again.
"But of course, I know there was one another reason." Naoya said, "You wanted to die but you couldn't muster the courage to simply end your own life."
He smiled sinisterly.
"You are afraid of dying a most meaningless death." Naoya said, "If you died and no one bothered to remember you, then clearly, it'd be no different to how you lived. To die and be forgotten is a fate worse than just simply living in what you call a living hell."
He stood up.
"You are also afraid of being hurt by other people simply because of what happened two years ago." Naoya said, "You wouldn't want to experience the emotional pain it left you all those years. You didn't want to feel pain similar to the one inflicted upon you."
He pulled out a syringe filled with adrenaline. He pulled part of his brother's medical gown before thrusting the needle into his chest. He pressed down on the injected and sent it straight into the heart.
His brother's eyes shot wide open as he quickly took a huge breath in. Naoya forced his brother on the bed and held him down. He withdrew the needle and got rid of it and the syringe. Kazuya sat up panting.
"Welcome to the land of the living." Naoya said.
"N-Naoya? What—? How—?"
"Come on, back to school with you." Naoya said, "I made the necessary arrangements."
Kazuya got on his feet before he stumbled. Naoya caught him.
"Now now, brother." Naoya said, "Let's get you dressed."
Shujin Academy
After School
Shiho held onto Kazuya's phone. It was the one thing that was a part of him. It made her feel safe at school. Especially after what happened.
"Could you believe it? That girl tried to kill herself and that transfer student from her class stepped in to save her."
"You think he'll recover?"
"No way, he was in a coma."
"The teachers are confused about the whole situation."
"Maybe it's because of the rumors of her being with Mr Kamoshida."
"Is it the same with Takamaki-san?"
"No, she looks way too reserved for that."
"Yeah, she's nothing like that whore."
"I heard that other transfer student's been seen with Takamaki-san recently."
"What gives?"
'Kazu-chan…' Shiho thought.
"Shiho? Is something the matter?" Sophia asked.
"No… it's… it's nothing…" Shiho said, 'I was so stupid… Why did I have to do that? I shouldn't have done that. I should have just… god…'
She decided it was just best to go home and act like it never happened. She had to face it. She could never get away from Kamoshida. There was just no way to get away from him.
She looked at Kazuya's phone. She probably should give it to one of his friends. She took one last look and stopped to notice a red eye shaped icon. She touched it and an interface popped up.
Metaverse Navigator
'Metaverse? Navigator? A navigation app?' Shiho thought.
She saw what looked like a history. The list had one entry:
Kamoshida's Palace - 4/12/XX
'Huh?' Shiho thought, 'This date… it's right after the first day of school…'
Now she remembered. Kazuya wasn't here for the first half of school that day. He was gone. Missing. And this date was exactly just a day after that. Not only that… Palace? Kamoshida? What the heck is this app on about?
Courtyard
Ren, Ryuji, and Morgana were by the vending machines. Ryuji smacked a vending machine with his fist.
"We really have no choice, do we?" Ryuji said, "We gotta go through with this, especially after everything that bastard Kamoshida did."
"Look, we are not going to beat him up, that's not the plan." Morgana said, "We're going to look for the treasure and then steal it."
"Yeah, I know." Ryuji said, "Plus, we have to do it or we'll get expelled."
"And I'm still on probation, so Kamoshida could very well get the cops on me with a false criminal charge once I'm expelled." Ren said, "Without Kazuya…"
"Yeah… it's just going to be us three from now on." Ryuji said.
"So I was right…"
Ren stuffed Morgana in a bag and turned with Ryuji to find Ann standing there.
"You guys are getting expelled." Ann said, "You guys are planning on doing something to Kamoshida, right?"
"S-So what?! What's it to you?!" Ryuji said.
Ann looked determined.
"I want in."
"What?! Hell no! It's too dangerous!" Ryuji said.
"I want to make that bastard pay for what he did to Shiho! For what he almost made her do…" Ann said, "I won't let him get away with this!"
"Forget it." Ren said, "It's something you don't want to get involved in."
"Is it because I'm a girl?! Is it because you guys think you can just go and make him pay yourselves?!"
"That's not it." Ren said.
"Y-Yeah! We don't—!"
Ann stormed off.
"Wait! Ann!" Ryuji said.
She was gone by the time Ryuji went after her.
"Damnit!" Ryuji said.
He turned to Ren.
"We can't let her get involved with that other world!" Ryuji said, "She doesn't know the dangers of it! If she ends up following us in there, she could—!"
"I know." Ren said, "Speaking of which, did you get Kazuya's phone back?"
"Huh?" Ryuji asked.
Ren was starting to look worried.
"Please tell me you did not forget about it." Ren said.
The look on Ryuji's face definitely was a sign of him not doing what he was supposed to do.
"Uh… shit…" Ryuji said, "I forgot."
"Ryuji, if Shiho finds out about the app on his phone, it'll complicate things further." Ren said.
"I-I know!" Ryuji said.
'A phone app?' Ann thought, 'What's that got to do with any of it?'
Ann was eavesdropping on the boys. She was hiding behind a corner and had been eavesdropping. So far, it seems the boys know something about another world.
…
…
Ann had to admit, that was the dumbest thing she ever heard about.
"Ann?"
She turned to see Shiho.
"Quiet." Ann said.
"Huh?" Shiho asked, "What are you—?"
"We'll meet each other at the entrance and head inside the Palace." Ren said, "We'll investigate the first floor and proceed from there."
'Palace? Entrance? What are they talking about?' Ann thought.
"Palace…" Shiho muttered.
"Huh?"
Ann turned to find Shiho on Kazuya's phone. Ann went over to Shiho.
"You know something?"
"I was looking at his phone and noticed a strange app on his phone." Shiho said, "Look."
She showed her the screen. Ann became puzzled.
"Huh? Metaverse Navigator?"
"It's a navigation app." Shiho said, "It even has a history."
She pulled it up. Ann became more puzzled.
"Kamoshida's Palace? Wait… that date… that's just three days ago… and exactly one day since school started…" Ann said, "Is this what the boys are hiding?"
She scratched her head.
"None of this makes sense. How long did they have this app on their phone for?" Ann asked, "And just what the heck is a Palace?"
"I don't know… maybe it's… maybe it's like one of those augmented reality apps?" Shiho asked.
"That uses the basic functions of a navigation app?" Ann asked, "Though those boys did mention something about another world."
Shiho suddenly looked surprised.
"That's it…" Shiho said, "Another world…"
"Huh?" Ann asked.
It was all coming together for Shiho. Another world. Palace. This app. And what Kazuya said about there being a cognitive world. It was starting to make sense the more she thought about it.
"...our own inner world…"
"So… it's like… uh… a world of your own imagination?"
"It's our perception of the real world and it can be changed by what happens in the real world."
'An inner world made up of our own perceptions of the real world.' Shiho thought, 'And if Kamoshida thinks the school is his castle, then…'
It clicked. A lightbulb switched on.
"Ann… I think I understand what it all means." Shiho said.
"W-Wait, really?" Ann asked, "What is it then?"
"I think it's better that we found out for ourselves by keeping an eye over them." Shiho said.
"Really? Alright, fine. Let's do it." Ann said.
Entrance
Shiho and Ann were in an alley, watching the boys from the alley.
"Ok, mind explaining something to me?" Ann asked.
"Yeah?" Shiho asked.
"You never exactly explained to me what exactly the boys are up to." Ann said.
"Just wait for it." Shiho said.
"Yeah, I've been waiting for a whole minute and—wait… Kamoshida… Shujin… Castle?"
The world around them began to suddenly turn pink before there were black-red ripples all around them.
"What the hell?!" Ann exclaimed, "Shiho! What's happening?!"
"Ah!"
Shiho looked to see Sophia awake and up and about.
"S-Sophia?!" Shiho said.
"Wha—?! What did you just do?!" Sophia asked.
"I was hoping she'd tell me!" Ann said.
The ripples stopped and there stood a castle.
"What the…" Ann stopped, "Where's the school?"
"That is the school." Shiho said, "It's how Kamoshida sees it…"
"Huh?!" Ann exclaimed.
"She is right, we are no longer in the real world." Sophia said.
"We're not in Tokyo anymore?!" Ann asked.
"Precisely." Sophia said.
"But why does everything look the same except for the school?!"
"Like I said, it's how Kamoshida sees it… or at least that's what I think it is." Shiho said.
"Screw it, I'm asking one of the boys!"
"Wait, we don't—!"
Ann ran off. Shiho ran off after Ann. Sophia ran after the girls.
The boys and Morgana were standing in front of the Palace.
"Alright, it's time to find that Treasure!" Ryuji said.
"Hold it!"
Ren turned to see—!
"Ann?! What are you doing here?!" Ren asked.
"Huh?"
Ryuji and Morgana turned to see Ann.
"Takamaki-san?!" Ryuji said.
"Precious cat lady?!" Morgana asked.
"What?" Ryuji asked, looking at the cat.
"Wait… Amamiya-kun?! Ryuji?!" Ann asked.
She looked to Morgana.
"And a monster cat?!" Ann asked.
"I'M NOT A CAT!" Morgana said, "Um… milady."
"Ann! Wait up!"
They saw Shiho and Sophia as well.
"Suzui-san?! And Sophia?!" Ryuji exclaimed, "What the hell are you all doing?!"
"I am sorry, I was sleeping and then—"
"We should be the ones asking the questions here!" Ann said.
"Uh… is it me or does that cat's head look like a rugby ball?" Shiho asked.
"No… not you too, Lady Ann's friend…" Morgana whined.
"And why is it talking?"
"Hey! I asked you what the hell you guys are doing here!" Ryuji said.
"Look, you guys were talking about taking Kamoshida down and—!"
"Oh no! You girls are going back to the real world!" Ryuji said, "Ren, a little help!"
"Sorry Ann, but this is for your own good." Ren said.
He picked up Ann, sweeping her off her legs and holding her bridal style.
"H-Hey! Put me down!" Ann said.
"Forgive me for this, Suzui-san…" Ryuji said.
He grabbed Shiho and had a hand on her butt.
"H-Hey!"
The two boys took the girls to the other side of the drawbridge and tossed them out. The girls went through black and red holes formed from where they were thrown out. Sophia went near the boundaries of the Palace.
"I shall go and explain everything to them, now that they know and everything."
"Yes, please give them a good explanation and tell them not to go in after us." Ren said.
Sophia went through the boundaries of the Palace and was never seen again.
"Come on. Let's go." Ryuji said.
Shujin Academy
Kazuya had made it back to school. His legs were aching and so on. He saw Ann, Shiho, and his phone fall out of black and red portals. Ann and Shiho got up.
"Those boys are dead when I get my hands on them!" Ann said, "Throwing us out like that! Do they think they should be doing this alone?!"
"It's for the best." Kazuya said.
Shiho and Ann turned to see Kazuya. They both looked shocked.
"Kazu-chan!" Shiho said as she lunged at him.
She hugged him and unfortunately tackled him to the ground. She was crying onto his uniform as she was on top of him.
"Wow… you got out of the hospital." Ann said, "So… mind telling me how you recovered so quickly or were your injuries just exaggerated?"
"Actually… someone arranged me to be released as soon as I woke up…" Kazuya said, "Shiho…"
"I'm so sorry about everything, Kazu-chan! I didn't mean to hurt you! I swear! I didn't mean to make you feel like I didn't love you or wanted you around or—! Or—! Or—!"
"S-Shiho… I… can't breathe…"
Shiho took a moment to register what he just said and looked up at him. She lessened her grip on his torso, allowing him to breathe.
"I thought I was gonna die…" Kazuya said as he sat up, "My body still feels sore all over…"
"No kidding…" Ann said, "Shiho's been… really worried about you, you know?"
"Y-Yeah…" Kazuya said, "So… uh… where's my phone, I—"
Just then, Ann looked at him in anger.
"YOU ASSHOLE!" Ann yelled.
"H-Huh?!" Kazuya asked.
"SHIHO WAS WORRIED ABOUT YOU!" Ann yelled, "SHE BLAMED HERSELF FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!"
"H-Hold on! What is this—"
"AND THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS YOUR FUCKING PHONE?!" Ann asked, "SHE ALMOST KILLED HERSELF AND YOU ALMOST DIED TRYING TO SAVE HER! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"
Ann had tears coming from her eyes. She was sobbing.
"P-Please—!"
"Ann… that's enough." Shiho said.
"What?" Ann asked as her glare became more intense, "No, this isn't enough! He—!"
At that moment, he saw her eyes go from their natural color to a lit up golden color.
'Her eyes—!'
"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" Shiho yelled back at Ann, "I get that you're angry at him for what happened, BUT YOU DON'T GET TO YELL AT HIM AFTER EVERYTHING HE'S BEEN THROUGH!"
Ann recoiled from Shiho's words.
"Shiho…" Ann said, "I… I just want him to take responsibility for your feelings… that's all…"
Shiho turned to Kazuya, her eyes still golden.
There was no doubt in his mind. Those were the eyes of a person's Shadow Self.
Her eyes turned back to normal. Shiho looked around.
"What… Huh?" Shiho asked, "What… what just…"
"Shiho, do you remember hearing a voice in your head?"
"Oh, she remembers alright." Ann said, "She was talking about it in her sleep."
"In her sleep?" Kazuya asked, 'That's it! While she was on the tower with me!'
Flashback
Philemon's Tower
"Wait, her Shadow told her to kill herself?!" Kazuya said, "Why would it do that?! That makes no sense!"
"I believe her cognition was slightly altered… tampered so to speak, by none other than Nyarlathotep of all people."
"Nyarlathotep?" Kazuya asked.
"He is like me, only he seeks humanity's downfall whereas I see to have humanity move forward." Philemon said, "As you currently are, you cannot vanquish him nor can you hope to beat your brother."
"What?! What does he and Naoya have to do with—!"
"Because Nyarlathotep chose your brother to be his agent of destruction." Philemon said, "You must fight him eventually. You two are destined to fight one another."
Present
'Still… Why would her Shadow do that? It would want its real self to stay alive… so why?' Kazuya thought.
"Oh!" Shiho got off him.
She picked up his phone and handed it to him. Sophia showed up on his screen.
"Kazu-chan!" Sophia cried, "You're ok!"
"Sophia… don't cry…" Kazuya said, "I'm fine, see?"
"You meanie! We all thought you died or something!" Sophia said.
"Look, I—"
"Um… Kazzy-kun? Where did Ann go?" Shiho asked.
"Huh?"
Ann was nowhere to be seen. He stood up and scrambled looking for her. Only one possibility came to mind.
'Damnit! She couldn't have possibly gotten the app on her phone, right?!' Kazuya thought, "Sophia! Turn on the Nav! We're going after Ann!"
"Wait, Ann's in that other world?!" Shiho asked.
Kazuya turned to Shiho.
"Who told you about that other world?" Kazuya asked.
"Well… uh…"
"I got it ready to go! Just tell me when!" Sophia said.
"I'm going too!" Shiho said.
"No! Out of the question! I am not—!"
"Please!" Shiho said, "Ann is my friend! I can't let her go after Kamoshida alone!"
"But you could get killed!"
"I don't care! I'm not leaving her!" Shiho said.
There was no point in arguing with her. He had to go. Every second he wastes is another second of Ann being in danger.
"Do it!" Kazuya said.
"Activating!"
The world around them began to shift. Soon enough, they found themselves in the Metaverse. Sophia materialized behind Kazuya.
"K-Kazuya! Your clothes!" Shiho said.
"My clothes?" Kazuya asked.
"Oh, that's just—!"
"H-Hey! Let me go!"
"That voice!" Kazuya said, "Shiho, stay behind Sophia! Sophia, with me, and keep Shiho behind you!"
"Yes!"
The three rushed off to the castle. As they crossed the bridge they saw Ann struggling with a few Shadows.
"Get your hands off me you creeps!" Ann said.
"Ann!" Shiho called out.
The Shadows turned to Shiho. Ann did the same.
"S-Shiho?!" Ann asked.
"P-Princess Shiho as well?! Quick, take them both to—"
Kazuya pulled out his cane sword and slashed at the Shadow. The Shadow split into a two-horned beast and a beguiling girl. Ann began to really struggle by that point. Shiho was absolutely shocked by what she just saw.
"Get away from me, you damn monster!" Ann said.
"What just—? That knight… he…"
"That's no knight." Kazuya said, "We call them Shadows."
"Shadows?" Shiho asked.
"They are manifestations of a person's psyche. You have what is called a Shadow Self." Sophia said, "It is your Shadow, so to speak."
"But why did it—?"
"You'll understand." Kazuya said.
The Shadow tugged Ann and took her into the castle.
"Ann!" Shiho said.
"Stay back!" Kazuya said, "Sherlock! Come to me!"
He took off his mask and out came Sherlock. Sophia took off her mask and summoned Pithos. Sherlock spreads out his wings. They were white feathered wings. Kazuya turned to Shiho.
"Kazu-kun?" Shiho asked.
"This is what happens when you and your Shadow become one." Kazuya said, "When one faces his or her feelings and accepts them, they become a Persona, a reflection of who you truly are, and who you will always be in the eyes of others. They are the facade that deals with life's hardships, the masks we wear in front of the world to shield our hearts. Once you gain this power, no one, not even Kamoshida will be able to take everything from you. You'll be free from his grasp at long last, but only if you're willing to rebel against him and defy the fate put in front of you."
"Kazu-kun…"
"Just look deep inside and think for yourself. Don't let him do what he wants you to do." Kazuya said, "Do what you want to do. Be yourself. Never lose sight of who you truly are. Only then will you gain this power."
"Well said, my real self. Now let us rid ourselves of these ruffians at once!" Sherlock said.
"Let's do it, Sherlock." Kazuya said.