"She's definitely right through that door." Teddie stated confidently.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Chie questioned as she kicked open the door revealing Shadow Yukiko standing in front of a throne as Yukiko was in a pink kimono at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the throne. "Yukiko!"
"There it is, her shadow." Yosuke frowned before wincing. "This is bad, I don't know if we can handle this you guys."
"We don't have any choice." Yu reminded him before walking up to Yukiko and her shadow.
"Huh, Yu?" Yukiko asked noticing him. "Wait, Yosuke and Chie too?"
"I knew you were my princes, you can finally take me away from this place." Shadow Yukiko smiled before turning to Yukiko. "Shall we head out me?"
Yukiko turned to her shadow in confusion. "Me, what are you talking about? What princes?"
"Just ignore her Yukiko, we're here to take you back home." Chie told her.
"She shouldn't ignore me Chie, after all I know her better than anyone. Just like I always knew you were my prince. You're so strong and kind." Shadow Yukiko smiled only to suddenly frown. "Or at least you were."
"She isn't anymore?" Yu questioned. "What do you mean by that?"
"Chie can't take me away from here, she can't save me." Shadow Yukiko stated angrily. "Historic Inn, Manager Training, I'm sick of people telling me what to do with my life."
"No, I love the inn and…" Yukiko started weakly.
"Yukiko save your strength." Yosuke told her. "We'll get you out of here in no time."
"Did you hear that me, he's going to be our prince and get us away from this dreadful inn." Shadow Yukiko smiled.
"You're wrong, I love the inn and helping everyone there and… and…" Yukiko started as she turned to her Shadow.
"Wait, Yukiko don't!" Chie cried desperately.
"You're not me!" Yukiko screamed at her shadow only for it to start laughing.
"Great, she had to say it." Yu frowned as shadows began gathering around Shadow Yukiko.
"You're right, I'm not you anymore." Shadow Yukiko stated as the shadows enveloped her knocking Yukiko out cold before she was revealed to have transformed into a large red bird in a cage with Yukiko's head. "I am a shadow, the true self. Come my prince, let us escape from this place."
"Don't worry Yukiko, we'll beat this thing and get out safely." Chie promised.
"Oh really, then I'll be sure to give you plenty to deal with." Shadow Yukiko replied.
"This is bad, she's a lot stronger." Teddie mentioned nervously.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Yu questioned as Ukobach appeared and struck Shadow Yukiko with flames only for her to just smirk. "What the?"
"Fire won't work on her sensei." Teddie explained quickly. "You have to try something else."
"Ok, well can you sniff out any weaknesses Ted?" Yosuke questioned only to jump to the side as Shadow Yukiko created a pillar of flame where he had been standing moments before.
"Wait a moment, you're no prince. You might as well die then." Shadow Yukiko stated coldly glaring at Yosuke.
"So Yosuke is no prince, and Chie isn't strong enough to get you out of Inaba. Where does that leave me?" Yu inquired curiously.
"Hold on, why are you asking her Shadow that of all things?" Yosuke questioned. "I mean, you aren't exactly a prince either."
The moment Yosuke said that Tomoe appeared and tried striking Shadow Yukiko with a shard of ice causing her to wince in pain before glaring at Chie.
"Oh, and what exactly are you trying to do?" Shadow Yukiko questioned only for Chie to jump to the side just as flames appeared below her.
"What I'm doing is taking you down and saving my friend Yukiko." Chie answered before turning to Yu and Yosuke. "You guys mind giving me a boost?"
Yu shrugged before Ukobach vanished only to be replaced with Izanagi as Jiraya appeared above Yosuke.
"Be careful, she's planning something." Teddie warned fearfully moments before the entire room erupted into flames causing the three Persona Users to wince in pain as Chie cried out and collapsed.
"Great, Izanagi!" Yu called as his original persona appeared and struck Shadow Yukiko with a bolt of lightning. "Yosuke, don't let her do that again!"
"Right." Yosuke nodded as Jiraiya appeared and created a gust of wind that struck Shadow Yukiko knocking her off balance as Chie stumbled back to her feet. "Are you arlight?"
"I'll be fine." Chie mentioned. "Ok Tomoe, take her down!"
The moment Chie said that her Persona appeared and struck Shadow Yukiko's cage causing it to crash to the ground.
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"Every day's great at your Junes." Nanako sang cheerfully before she picked up a package of sushi. "What about this one dad?"
Dojima took the package from her before looking at it. "This looks like it might be tasty. Oh, but there's wasabi."
"Really?" Nanako asked before looking down sadly only for Dojima to smile.
"Well, it shouldn't be too hard to take it off your pieces and who knows. Maybe one of his friends likes wasabi." Dojima mentioned. "Still, we have the three of us and his friends. This is going to be a pretty large celebration."
"Do you really think it'll help him dad?" Nanako asked nervously.
"I think it might." Dojima answered. "The fact that we haven't seen him makes me think he's spending some time with his friends to try and get his mind off of things though."
Nanako nodded before looking down sadly.
"Hey, it'll be ok Nanako." Dojima smiled. "With Adachi, Shirogane, and me all working together to catch the bad guy we'll definitely find him and everything will be ok."
Nanako looked uncertain for a few seconds before nodding with a smile. "Ok, oh, should we let them have dinner with us too?"
"Well, I don't know when Shirogane is going to get here so he might not make it this time but I'll invite him when he does." Dojima replied.
"Ok." Nanako nodded with a smile.
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"This is bad, she's way too tough for us to take down." Yosuke mentioned nervously just before jumping back as Shadow Yukiko tried to drop her cage on him. "We can't keep this up."
"We're not giving up!" Chie snapped before running and kicking Shadow Yukiko's cage causing the Shadow to lose its balance and crash into the cage's wall.
"You worthless commoners, what do you think you're doing?" Shadow Yukiko questioned angrily.
"She's trying to help her friend." Yu answered. "Izanagi!"
"He's right, help him out Jiraiya!" Yosuke added as the two Personas appeared.
"That's enough, come my prince." Shadow Yukiko called as a small humanoid shadow looking rather regal emerged from the shadows.
"Hold on, you always had a prince? Then what did you need us for?" Yu asked.
"It's probably the prince of this castle." Yosuke guessed.
"Well either way we have two things to worry about now so does anyone have any bright ideas?" Chie inquired nervously before the prince Shadow approached her and tried to attack her only for Yosuke to throw one of his kunai at it knocking it off balance.
"Trying to keep these things from hitting us." Yosuke answered running to the shadow. "Jiraiya, send him flying!"
The moment Yosuke said that his Persona appeared and a blast of wind sent the shadow flying into Shadow Yukiko only for it to raise its sword as she started glowing.
"Please tell me that doesn't mean what I think it does." Chie mentioned nervously.
"I think it does." Yu frowned as Shadow Yukiko spread her wings and flames struck him.
"Oh no, sense!" Teddie cried fearfully.
"That's it, no more playing around." Chie mentioned in frustration. "Give me a boost you guys."
Yu and Yosuke both turned and nodded as Jiraiya and Izanagi appeared above them.
"Did you already forget what happened the last time you tried…" Shadow Yukiko started only to have Tomoe appear and throw the prince shadow into her face. "What are you doing you worthless commoners?"
"Not making the same mistake as last time." Chie answered before grinning. "Alright, leave everything to me."
"No problem Chie." Yosuke smiled just before she ran to the prince Shadow and kicked it into the ceiling where it crash back to the ground clearly badly injured before it got up fearfully and ran before disappearing.
"Wait my prince, where are you going?" Shadow Yukiko asked in shock.
"Note to self, Chie's kicks can hurt." Yu mentioned.
"Yeah, I could have told you that one." Yosuke agreed before turning to Shadow Yukiko. "One down, and one to go."
"Yeah, can you guys keep it up?" Yu asked them.
"We don't have a choice." Chie told him. "We're getting Yukiko out of here."
"Chie's right, no matter what it takes we're taking this thing down." Yosuke agreed as the three Persona Users turned towards Shadow Yukiko.
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"Dad, do you think you'll be able to catch the bad guy?" Nanako asked suddenly.
"It won't be easy, but Adachi and I are working really hard to catch the bad guy and when Shirogane gets here he'll be a big help." Dojima answered. "He's supposed to be a really smart detective and the more people trying to solve the case the easier it'll be to solve."
Nanako nodded hearing that before looking down. "Do you think he'll make a lot of friends while he's here?"
"I hope so, but I can't say for sure who he'll make friends with or not." Dojima admitted. "We can hope he makes a lot of good friends though, and hopefully the three of us become a close family too."
"Yeah, I want to help him feel better too." Nanako smiled. "Spending time with your friends is always good."
Dojima smiled back. "Yeah, it always is."
"Huh, is that you Dojima-san?" inquired a familiar voice. "I guess you took my suggestion then?"
Dojima and Nanako both turned to see a smiling Adachi.
"Yeah, you could say we did." Dojima chuckled. "We're picking up a few things and then we might go see about inviting that Satonaka girl who was with Yu over. I'd say we could invite Yukiko Amagi but…"
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Adachi frowned. "We'll find her, I know we will."
"Well actually why don't you join us?" Dojima offered. "It was your idea after all."
"Yeah, you're dad's friend so you get to have dinner with us too." Nanako smiled.
Adachi smiled. "I really appreciate the offer, but I think I'll have to pass this time."
"I see, well the invitation is open if you want to stop by." Dojima mentioned calmly. "Just try to give a little bit of notice before just showing up if you can."
"I'll try." Adachi chuckled. "Well, it was really nice to see you both."
Dojima and Nanako nodded as Adachi walked off.
"He's a good person." Nanako smiled. "He wants to help."
"Yeah, he does." Dojima nodded in agreement. "Well, I think we should have enough for everyone so you ready to head home?"
"Ok." Nanako nodded before pausing. "How are we going to let his friends know they can come over dad?"
Dojima paused before smiling. "I can take care of that. Though it might have to be tomorrow when we invite them over. So why don't we pick up a bit more for the three of us tonight."
"Ok." Nanako smiled as the two of them walked to find more sushi for dinner.
(The members of the Investigation Team have engaged Shadow Yukiko in a battle but she is proving to be a difficult opponent for them, and meanwhile Dojima and Nanako are trying to set up a relaxing meal for Yu and his friends to try and help him get his mind off the murders. Next chapter the battle will reach its conclusion and Naoto Shirogane will arrive. As always any reviews or critique is appreciated.)
