Author's Notes: Ultra Sonic, thanks for bringing the lack of line breaks to my attention, and I'm a little surprised it took this long for someone to point it out. I write these chapters over in Google Drive and include the line breaks there, so I was a bit surprised when I saw your comment about line breaks, considering I pretty much copy-paste from there to here. I've gone back and added the lines to the chapters that needed them, so it should be clearer to read. That out of the way, enjoy the showdown with Mitsuyo!

Mitsuyo Togo was on the phone in her office. She still hadn't heard word from her agents at Yasoinaba that Dojima's case on her had been closed, only postponed because of two murders in the town. The little brat was taking his sweet time; Rise Kujikawa was going to arrive tomorrow, the final preparations were being made. It would be a shame to waste such a handsome specimen, but if he didn't do as he was told, then he'd have to pay the price. It was as simple as that. The man she was talking to hung up, and where one annoyance ended, another began. There was a knock on her door, and her assistant's head popped through the crack.

"Togo-san? Your daughter is here to see you."

"Really? Send her in."

The assistant nodded, opening the door completely and letting Hifumi in before closing the door behind her.

"Hello sweetheart. Is there something wrong? It must be serious if you came to visit me at work."

"It is mother."

It was then that Mitsuyo noticed the card Hifumi was holding. It was bright red and dark black, and on it was a logo of a top hat and a magnifying glass, making it look like an investigating detective.

"This arrived in the mail. It was addressed to you."

Mitsuyo grabbed the card and saw the words on it were cut out from newspapers and glued onto the card. But what concerned her the most was what was written on it.

To Mitsuyo Togo, the Shogun of Envy.

We know the truth of what you did to Ami Ito. We know that you were jealous of what she had, so you did everything to destroy her despite everything the two of you went through. We know that you didn't stop there; you have exploited and tortured people for no reason other than because you were jealous of what they achieved. We know that you see your husband and daughter as stepping stones for your vile empire, and you don't care how you manipulate them to make it happen. And we know you will continue to construct an empire of evil for your daughter to inherit, no matter who gets hurt along the way.

For this, we have decided to take your poisonous heart. We will steal your distorted desires without fail, and make you confess your sins with your own mouth.

Signed:

The Phantom Team.

Mitsuyo froze and for perhaps the first time in her life since she got married, felt fear wrap its cold fingers around her. Ami Ito was a name she hadn't heard in years, and now these people not only claimed to know the woman, but also what happened to her. And now, they just told Mitsuyo they were coming for her.

The world around Hifumi suddenly went dark, and instead of her mother, was her mother's Shadow. She was heaving with fear, but that fear quickly turned to rage. She stared at the card before looking up, her sickly golden eyes staring right at her daughter.

"So the fools wish to challenge me? FINE! Let them join the failures that have tried before! They can give Ami my regards."

The world returned to normal, and Mistuyo crushed the card in her hand. She was so focused on it that she didn't notice her daughter start to slip out. Once Hifumi was out of the room, she bolted through the building and out to the street. Waiting for her was the rest of the Team, but…

"What in the world happened to Yu's face?" Hifumi asked, dumbstruck.

"I got into a fight. Did you deliver it?"

"I did. I don't think I've ever seen Mother that furious before."

"Alright. Then let's get to it."

Music: Life Will Change

The world shifted and swirled, and before long, they were back inside Mitsuyo's Palace, the place pulsing like a heavy heartbeat. The first thing Yu did was have Morgana patch him up, and after that, Yu quickly teleported the group into the Throne Room Safe Room. He could tell that all of them were ready and eager for action. They may have done this before, but that was no excuse to get cocky. As the five exited and arrived at the ornate doors that blocked them from their target, Hifumi cried out to them.

"Guys wait!"

"What is it Venus?" Yu replied.

"The Treasure! It's… it's not in there!"

"WHAT?!"

They opened the doors, and found that it completely lacked all the Shadows that were present before. Not only that, but Hifumi was correct; the only thing in the throne room was the throne itself, vacant.

"Where is it?!" Yu asked as Hifumi began to examine the board and book in Fu Hao's hands.

"It's… in the courtyard!"

"Quick, back to the Safe Room!" Yu ordered.

The Team quickly complied, and their leader teleported them back to the Safe Room that was closest to the courtyard. Sprinting out once again, Hifumi was proven correct once more, as standing in the middle of the snow covered land was Mitsuyo's Shadow, kneeling with a golden mask in front of her. Their footsteps crunched in the snow, and Shadow Mitsuyo grabbed the sword. She stood and turned to face the intruders. Her voice was laced with bile and disgust.

"You damn pigs have given me quite a bit of trouble. Uncovering Ami Ito's connection to me, threatening to expose how I founded my empire, even turning my daughter against me. You thieves have much to answer for."

"You deserve it. How many innocent people lie rotting in jail or have died because of your actions?" Yu asked.

"Have you ever stopped to think that you don't deserve what you have?" Akechi questioned.

"Did you ever, even once, give a single thought to anyone besides yourself?" Morgana accused.

"All the pain you spread, the coffins you filled… was it worth it?" Shiho wondered.

"Did you ever love father? Did you ever love me?" Hifumi finished with pain in her voice.

"Oh… you're a group of those kinds of people; self-righteous, holier-than-thou buffoons who think that everything's black and white. That's probably how he was able to talk you into doing this. I must admit, I'm disappointed. For a moment I thought you were perhaps family of Ami's out for revenge, but now I know the actual reason. You're only doing this because it makes you feel good. Like you actually matter." Shadow Mitsuyo retorted, trying to disguise her anger with boredom.

"We're doing this for justice! You've committed many terrible crimes, and you have to be held accountable!" Akechi retorted.

Shadow Mitsuyo simply rolled her eyes, unimpressed. She turned to Hifumi and tried to give a sweet smile, but it came off as a pained grimace.

"Hifumi, my sweet daughter. Come over to my side, help me destroy these foolish peasants. It's not too late." She cooed.

"Oh, but it is, mother. You have forfeited all rights to call me daughter and you have forfeited your place in my heart. I'm going to destroy you, just like you destroyed Aunt Ami. But no one will shed a tear for you." Hifumi replied, bile and venom in her every word.

Shadow Mitsuyo narrowed her eyes, and her mouth turned into a snarl.

"You useless, ungrateful BITCH! I gave birth to you. I created a kingdom for you to inherit. And this is the thanks I get? I should've stuck to my first plan and aborted you when I had the chance. No matter. I will relish the opportunity of putting you in your place, right after I've killed your miserable friends! And then I'll come for your master!"

"Master?" Akechi questioned.

"Venus, get to the Safe Room. You can support us just fine from there." Yu ordered.

With her final burst, Shadow Mitsuyo's skin began to change to tar, her form melting down into a puddle. Yu and the others summoned their Personas, ready this time for whatever may come. The puddle began to swirl in a violent tempest, giving new life to where Shadow Mitsuyo once stood. The shogun was now riding on top of a black steel bull with flaming horns. Shadow Mitsuyo herself was covered in samurai armor made out of black steel, a red cape billowing in the wind, and the mask of a demon covering her face while crimson lanterns dangled from a straw hat. Given that she lacked weapons, it was obvious that her mount was all she thought she needed to end their lives. The bull reared on its hind legs like a horse and bellowed a roar.

"You talk of bringing me to justice?! Of making me accountable for my actions?! Pick a time and place where you want to try to be true to those words. That place will be your tomb."

"Right here! Right now!" Yu retorted.

Music: Blooming Villian

The bull charged at the group, but at Narukami in particular. While everyone else went to get out of the way, Yu instead jumped up and landed on the bull's back, determined to duel and defeat Mitsuyo. But the Shadow was more than ready for him. Bringing her arms up to shield her, Mitsuyo remained seated while her armor and Yu's blade clashed. The Wild Card found himself surprised; the woman was able to parry, block, and redirect his strikes with relative ease, but because of how fast he was, she wasn't able to make good on any opportunities. But the bull was not idle while Yu and its master fought. It began to jump around, desperately trying to buck the intruder. Yu had to regain his footing, but Mitsuyo didn't seem to notice her mount's actions, appearing to be as attached to the bull as a beard would be attached to a face.

Finally, Yu decided to try and gain an advantage.

"Izanagi! Stop this bull!"

The god emerged and threw lightning at the metal monster. As he expected, the lightning stopped the beast, and thanks to the fact that it was made out of metal, it was also conducted to Mitsuyo herself, while Yu himself enjoyed immunity. It was enough to stop them, and Yu raised his blade to strike. But what came next was a surprise. Not only did Mitsuyo recover much faster than Yu thought she would, but when she brought her arm up to block him, electricity coated her armor. Thanks to Izanagi, Yu was immune to any damage, but he was put off just enough for the bull to finally buck him off. Skidding across the ground, the bull charged to gore the student, but Izanagi was faster.

"Alright, let's try this again." Yu muttered as he repositioned himself onto Izanagi's back.

Once again, Izanagi unleashed a powerful lightning bolt, but this time, the bull seemed to absorb the attack, not acknowledging it got hit in any way. Narrowing his eyes at Yu, the fire on the bull's horns flared up. Without warning, dozens of fireballs flew at him, and it took everything Izanagi had to dodge as many as he did. But a few managed to land, sending Izanagi to the ground. Luckily, Boudica was there to catch him. After setting her leader down gently, Shiho turned her Persona's power on her enemy. A fireball was unleashed, and a blistering inferno engulfed Mitsuyo's mount. But Mitsuyo recovered with ease, and attacked with a blast of curse magic, which caused Shiho to scream in pain. But the volleyball player was made of stronger stuff, and launched another fireball at the bull. This time, Mitsuyo didn't even have to recover; the flames seemed to get absorbed and fused with the metal bull's skin. Yu saw that Akechi and Morgana were moving to attack, and he called out to them.

"Guys wait! Whatever attacks her, she becomes immune to!" He informed them, causing them to stop in their tracks. But then he heard Hifumi's voice.

"No she doesn't!"

"What are you talking about? Pariah and I just hit her, and now our attacks aren't having any effect on her."

"That's not true. She gets immunity to whatever hit her last, but she can only hold one immunity at a time."

"Wait really?"

"I'm positive. After you hit her with Izanagi, her immunity was to lightning, and after Boudicca's attack, it went to fire. There's something else too, but I haven't been able to figure it out yet. Buy me some time."

"Interesting. I wonder if…"

Yu issued commands to his team members.

"Carmen, hit her with your weakest wind attack then get ready for an All-Out Attack! Everyone else get ready too!"

Morgana summoned Lady Trieu and as she was told. As expected, the attack had little effect, but that wasn't what he was interested in. Instead, he called upon Izanagi once more and ordered him to attack. And what happened next made the Wild Card smile. Mitsuyo was completely off guard, and the rampaging bull was finally stopped, lying helpless on the ground. As Yu suspected; when she got immunity to one element, she got weak to another. This was their chance, and they knew it. The team launched up into the air, weapons and Persona at the ready. Before Mitsuyo could register what was happening, the group unleashed a merciless barrage of attacks. When the dust settled, the bull was covered in scratches and dents. Mitsuyo let out a groan as her mount got back up, and the glare she gave the team was almost enough to rival Sae's. Almost.

"Alright you little runts. Now you've really gone and pissed me off."

All of the armor suddenly exploded off the bull, revealing its skeleton, as black as the outer shell with one exception; its heart, which glowed an angry red. Robin Hood launched an arrow at it, but the bull proved to be much faster now. So much so that when it moved, the Team only saw a blur in its place. Akechi didn't even have the chance to register it was coming for him before getting hit. The two steel horns successfully gored him, spilling his intestines everywhere and sending the body flying. Before Yu could even make the order, Morgana was already casting Dia on him, saving his life. Mitsuyo turned to Yu, and charged, aiming for the leader's heart.

"Shiisaa!" Yu cried, summoning a creature that looked like a mix between a dog and a lion. When the bull hit, the Persona allowed Yu to actually withstand the attack, sending him back like he had been shoved. He still felt hurt from the damage done, but now it was like hitting a brick wall rather than a person.

The bull, seeing this, hit Yu's Persona again and again, like a battering ram. Yu could feel his concentration begin to crack and Mitsuyo's pet wailed on him without mercy. Suddenly, an arrow flew by, slicing through the horns like a hot knife through butter. The mechanical beast was suddenly left without weapons, and it turned to a still recovering Akechi in fury. But before it could charge to attack the teenage detective and Morgana, Yu grabbed Mitsuyo and pulled, hoping the steel beast wasn't a part of the Shadow. In the end his hope was not in vain, as he was able to successfully pull Mitsuyo off from her mount. The bull stopped dead in its tracks, unsure of what to do without its mistress. Shiho took advantage, summoning Boudicca and letting loose a fireball, this time hitting the generator that was where its heart was supposed to be. The monster spazzed and sparks flew from the impact before it glowed a bright hot red.

"TAKE COVER!" Akechi yelled, he and Morgana turning and running as fast as they could.

A small nuclear explosion went off in the middle of the courtyard, sending everyone flying. A good few minutes went by before Yu opened his eyes and started to force himself to stand up.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked

"Everyone's pieces are still on the board Seeker. Though in what condition, I don't know." Hifumi answered.

Yu began to hear groans of pain. The air was arid, the ground was as black as oil, and ash was starting to fall. As his vision started to come into focus, he saw his other teammates start to get up, but he found Mitsuyo's form was absent. He began to look around, and a sense of dread began to envelop him when his search proved fruitless.

"Everyone form up on me! This isn't over yet."

The others slowly made their way to him, where he brought out Oyamada's meds. The Tricksters took one each and each of them gagged as they swallowed, but the pills did their job nonetheless. Out of the corner of his eye, Yu saw movement. He gestured to everyone to form a circle, and they obeyed just as Mitsuyo spoke.

"Never, in all my years have I met children as stubborn and annoying as you brats. I've managed to deal with each and every opponent of mine with swift and brutal efficiency. But you four have somehow managed to irritate me more than every other person I've fought combined. Though, in the end, I suppose it will make my victory all the sweeter."

Suddenly, a figure landed in front of Yu. No one had any doubt it was Mitsuyo, but how she looked now was far different before. In place of her splendid and highly decorated armor were grey and tattered rags. Her Treasure, which was once proudly displayed, was now sheathed and concealed behind her back. Her hands, once delicate and smooth, were now covered with puss, warts, and nails long enough to scrape the floor. But the biggest change of all, was her face. Her once beautiful eyes and nose were gone completely, replaced by a mouth that stretched from her forehead to her chin. The maw that was now almost entirely her face was far from pleasant. Her teeth were rows of needles, each one yellowed by neglect, while her gums were blackened, and her tongue was forked and long like a snake's.

"Enough talk Mitsuyo. It's time to end this." Yu declared, calling upon Izanagi.

"Yes. It is."

Mitsuyo clapped her hands, and suddenly smoke erupted on three different points in the ground. And when it cleared, the Team found itself facing three more Mitsuyos, each clone an exact replica of the original. Izanagi fired a bolt of lightning at the first Mitsuyo, but it passed right through her, leaving only a gap of air in her, like she was made of smoke. The "wound" quickly healed, and the first Mitsuyo raised her hand

"You can't hit us. But we can surely hit you."

Shortly after she said that, a cluster of ice launched from her hand, which knocked Yu back. The other three began to advance, and the Team began to back up, and Yu called out to them.

"Can anyone see any difference between these four?" Yu asked as he got back up.

"None. They're all completely identical to the real one." Akechi replied. Another Mitsuyo fired a burst of pink orbs at Akechi, while Shiho got hit by thunder from a second Mitsuyo, and Morgana was hit with fire by a third.

"Venus, can you find out which one's the real deal?" Yu asked as the fourth Mitsuyo began to attack with physical attacks.

"None of them. They're all fake. I've been trying to find the real one. Give me time, I can find her."

Yu began to launch a counter attack, but just like before, it was like he was hitting air.

Alright, let's shake things up

"Succubus!" Yu cried out, calling forth the scantily dressed demon

"Mudo!"

A straw doll appeared in front of the Mitsuyo that was currently fighting Akechi. The clone looked down in confusion as the needle poked the doll.

"Ace, get up to the rooftop and wait for Venus to tell you where Mitsuyo is."

"Is this thing supposed to kill me?" It asked right before the doll exploded, destroying it for a brief moment before it managed to reform itself. But in that moment, Akechi did exactly what Yu told him to do.

The detective sprinted away from the battlefield, and his Mitsuyo faced Yu, ready for some payback. Creating holes in the walls with Robin Hood, Akechi scaled the walls easily. Like a sniper waiting for the target to get in just the right position, he stayed where he was as the Team tried in vain to hold their ground from the fake Mitsuyos' onslaught. Finally, he heard Hifumi's voice.

"Found her! She's in the center of the courtyard, behind the others!"

Akechi looked where Hifumi told him to look. After a few moments, he saw a small spot that seemed… off, like a mirror designed to distort whatever it reflected. He called upon his Persona.

"Aim true Robin!"

The archer let loose another arrow, and Akechi's observations proved correct. The invisibility faded instantly, and the real Mitsuyo let out a blood-curdling shriek. The fake Mitsuyos suddenly melted like wax, and Yu looked at the owner of the Palace. Mitsuyo was on her knees, her massive maw taking deep, haggard breaths.

"Damn you. Damn all of you, you worthless brats."

She forced herself to get back up, stubborn to the very end. Opening her maw in a way that shouldn't have even been possible, the monster spewed an incredibly thick smog that expanded much faster than normal smoke could've. It wasn't long until no one in the courtyard could see anything that wasn't right in front of their faces. She turned towards Yu and before anyone could do anything, the woman dashed forward, her long claws sinking into Yu's chest, but able to do minimal damage on account of Shiisaa. But then she went after Shiho, who had no such protection. Despite the armor of her outfit, the razor sharp nails were just as dangerous as the bull. As Shiho screamed, Morgana quickly felt agony as her torso's skin was ripped next by Mitsuyo.

"Hang on! I'm coming down there!" Akechi informed, jumping down. Shortly after, he himself felt the stinging pain of Mitsuyo's talons tearing his flesh. Yu was attacked next, followed by Morgana, then Akechi, then Shiho, then Shiho again, then Morgana, then Akechi, then Yu.

"Venus, can't you tell us where she is?" Shiho asked.

"I'm trying, but whatever she's done has obscured her from Fu Hao too. I can only detect her when she hits one of you!"

The leader tried to formulate a plan, but Mitsuyo's constant attacks kept him too occupied to think of one. The smoke completely obscured his vision, and with each attack his teammates were slowly being pushed away from each other, Morgana trying her best to keep everyone healed. But she couldn't keep it up forever, and Yu knew it.

"Guys, there's a pattern to her attack!" Hifumi quickly informed.

"Really?" Yu asked.

"She's coming for Ace next!"

Akechi turned his head around, and just like Hifumi said, Mitsuyo was charging right at him. Before she had the chance to cleave him with her nails, Akechi struck first, slashing her twice with his laser sword before hitting her with a thrust. The Shadow let out a cry of pain, and this time, the Team followed. Shiho called upon Boudicca, who unleashed a fireball like she was a baseball pitcher. The flame streaked across the courtyard, acting as a beacon for the others. Mitsuyo narrowly dodged it, but everyone saw where she was. Yu unleashed Shiisaa, and the Persona bounded forth to its target, sinking its double fangs into the Shadow, an attack that also doubled as a critical hit. By now, the whole Phantom Team had assembled, and awaited Yu's word to finish this.

"Everyone! All-Out Attack!"

The four jumped into the air and attacked on all sides, unleashing the full power of their Personas upon the defenseless Shadow. When they were done, Mitsuyo let out a pitiful groan and fell to the floor, defeated at last, the thick smoke disappearing altogether as her power waned. Her form vanished, leaving her and before long, only Mitsuyo's original Shadow self remained. The woman was still breathing, and her yukata, face, and hair showed no sign of damage at all.

"Venus, it's safe to come out now. If you have any final words, now's the time." Yu told his teammate as he picked up the Treasure. Hifumi bolted out of the building, running to her mother, who forced herself to get to her knees.

"Mother!" Hifumi cried out, worried that Mitsuyo would try something, but when the Shadow opened her mouth, it sounded like it was a strain to even breathe.

"Hifumi… why? What did the… Puppet Master… offer to turn you… against your own mother? Mitsuyo mewled weakly, laboring to even breathe.

"The Puppet Master? Who's that?" Morgana asked, speaking the question on everyone's minds.

"Oh please. I was… his loyal servant. I know he's behind… the mental shutdowns, you don't have to… cover for him. Before you do to me… what you did to those people, I want to know… why."

"The mental shutdowns?!" Akechi gasped, and Mitsuyo looked at him like he grew three heads.

"Yes, the mental shutdowns! Stop playing coy, and!…" Mitsuyo stopped whatever she was saying, and her eyes widened. Suddenly, she spoke with power in her words, as if something had miraculously rejuvenated her.

"You… you five really don't know who the Puppet Master is. Oh, you poor, unfortunate children."

Mitsuyo turned to Hifumi, her face looking genuinely apologetic. The Shadow looked at the ground, unable to look her child in the eyes.

"Hifumi. I'm so sorry. For how I've treated you and your father. For what I did to Ami. But I'm even more sorry that I won't be able to protect you from what he's going to do to you."

She then turned to Yu, her sickly yellow orbs staring right at his own grey ones.

"As for you, I'd tell you to run as far and as fast as you can, but you've already stepped into the Puppet Master's web. You'll be gobbled up by all the spiders before you even realize how hopeless your situation is."

"Mother…" Hifumi whispered, but there was no hatred in the word. Not any more.

"Enjoy time with your father while you can Hifumi. As for the rest of you… I wish you luck in surviving the hell you're about to walk into."

And with those final, haunting words, Shadow Mitsuyo Togo faded. And shortly after, the ground began to rumble. Morgana pointed upwards, and everyone gasped at what they saw. The mountain was beginning to shake, and an avalanche had begun. And it was getting close to them very quickly.

"Everyone, back to the entrance, NOW!" Yu ordered, having Izanagi break down the two front doors. As quickly as they could, the group ran across the narrow bridge in single-file. But they weren't fast enough. The fortress behind them was flattened by the avalanche, and the rock it was built on began to fracture. Once that happened, it wasn't long until the bridge broke, the ropes only being held up on one side. The bridge quickly became a ladder, and, much to Yu's relief, everyone was able to hang on. The rumbling continued, so the Tricksters climbed with all of their strength, with Yu being the first one to reach the top.

But the shaking continued, and when he looked up, and saw the mountain that they were now scaling was also having an avalanche. Summoning Izanagi, Yu had the god grab and haul up the others as fast as possible. Shiho and Akechi were brought up when the avalanche was halfway there. When Morgana was brought up, it would hit them in a matter of seconds. Finally, Hifumi was brought up, and Yu saw the snow descend upon them as they just barely managed to reach the entrance of the Palace.