Disclaimer: I do not own Persona or Fate or anything in the nasuverse, any resemblance to any other Persona 4/Fate fan fiction is coincidental and plagiarism is not intended. No flames please, constructive criticism only.
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[05/18 Dojima Residence, Inaba]
A little while later after finally losing Kanji and a day of not being able to catch the killer in hopes of spotting him trying to abduct Kanji the team had parted ways and gone home. However, when midnight rolled around, it was raining outside and sure enough the Midnight Channel came on clearly this time, as expected the shadow of one Kanji Tatsumi, who was naked save for a towel around his private areas.
"Hellloooo…dear viewers it's time for Bad, Bad Bathhouse!" The shadow displayed its muscles. " Tonight, I'll introduce a superb site for those searching for sublime love that surpasses the separation of the sexes! " H
Yu's mind went blank as he watched Kanji's shadow flaunting itself half-naked.
" I'm your host, Kanji Tatsumi, serving you this scandalously special sneak-in report! Goodness gracious, just imagine the things that might happen to me there! Ooooh! Well then, let's get this show on the road! Tootaloo!" Shadow Kanji turned around and ran towards the bathhouse entrance before the screen went black.
Yu looked stunned for a second before feeling something his phone vibrate. He withdrew it from his pocket and saw Chie's number on the screen.
"Hello?" he greeted her after taking a second regain his composure.
"Yu?"
"Yes?"
"What the hell was that?" Chie asked in a low voice clearly stunned.
"That was Kanji's shadow alright." The grey-haired boy sat back on his sofa. "It must be acting out because of whatever he's trying to repress. "
"Right… So, um… We are still going into the Midnight Channel, right?" Chie asked uncertainly.
"Of course we are." Yu stated "It was uncomfortable to watch but we can't let something like that stop us.
"Um… Well… I-I wasn't sure! Watching that really weirded me out…"
There was silence for a moment.
"Chie?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you want a copy?"
"What? NO!" Chie yelled flustered at Yu's question.
Yu chuckled as she hung up on him and causing him to put his phone away.
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[05/18 TV World Entrance]
The next day the team all gathered at Junes and entered into the TV World in hopes of finding kanji quickly.
"Amazing…" Yukiko gasped looking at the environment around her "We actually inside the Television."
"Oh, yeah this is the sort of the first time you been here." Chie realised "At least of your own free will."
"What?...are you really saying that you really have no idea where Kanji Tatsumi is?" Yosuke asked Teddie who was grumbling and holding his head nervously
"No" Teddie answered "I can smell that somebody new is here… but for the like of me I can't figure out where!"
"Why not?" Yosuke pressed.
"It must be because I have so much on my mind." Teddie replied "Like who am I? Where do I come from? These questions are tearing me up inside."
"Weird since your insides are filled with nothing but air." Yosuke commented.
"So what now? If Teddie can't find him then we're totally screwed." Chie sighed.
"Well I don't know what else to do. Maybe we should just call it quits this time?" Yosuke suggested.
"Quiting is not an option!" Chie yelled at Yosuke angrily.
"Wait I know, maybe I could find him if you gave me a hint." Teddie suggested perking up. Do you guys have any possession that might have his scent on it? I could sniff him out with something like that."
"Let's go look around town and see if we can find something like that." Yu said after a few moments. "It should be too hard to find something."
"But what if we can't?" Yukiko asked.
"Then Yosuke will just have to sneak into Kanji's bedroom and steal some underwear or something."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Sounds good to me."
"Hey wait why me?!" Yosuke demanded as they departed the TV World.
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[05/18 Tatsumi Textiles]
The team headed straight for Tatsumi textiles to ask Kanji's mother about him. Hoping to gain some sort of clue about Kanji to help Teddie track him down.
"I'm sorry." Mrs. Tatsumi frowned. "But he hasn't been back since yesterday. I told the police about it, I've been concerned since it's been so dangerous lately."
"I understand why you're worried." Yukiko said, giving a polite bow.
"Thank you." The old lady looked at the floor worry etched on her face. "It's normal for to leave without saying a word, but he's always come home before."
Chie tapped her chin in thought. "That's surprising. I'd think he'd be out fighting until dawn."
"Chie!" Yukiko scolded Chie.
"It's alright. I'll be admit that he's a little rough around the edges at times. A little while ago, he got in a fight with some biker kids."
"Yeah I heard about that." Yosuke stated "He and some masked guy called 'Space Samurai Y' or something took on an entire biker gang and destroyed 'em."
"It's partly my fault you see, I hadn't slept for days The noise was keeping me up at night… so he heard he got angry and fought them." Mrs Tatsumi explained sadly "To be honest, I was relieved when that Samurai fellow appeared to help him. I was worried that he might get hurt, but knowing that man was there to watch his back brought me some relief.
"Now that's one aggressively devoted son." Yosuke commented.
'I wonder what he wants.' Cu Chulainn said causing Yu to turn around and see a little boy standing outside the shop looking nervously at it.
"Excuse me?" the boy spoke up as Yu went out to him.
"What do you need?" Yu asked.
"Is that big guy here today?" The boy asked clearly wishing to speak with Kanji.
"You mean the guy who lives in this place?" Yu asked wishing to be sure that he was indeed talking about Kanji.
"He helped me with this." He held up a small pink bunny charm attached to a cell phone strap.
"Wait a sec…." Yu suddenly remembered it as the same one that Kanji had dropped at school.
"I was borrowing Sana's phone strap with a pink bunny on it. But then the little bunny fell off and I couldn't find it anywhere. So then…"
"Shut up! Crying isn't gonna bring back what you lost kid… Argh." Kanji got frustrated and crouched to speak to the boy. "What's it look like?"
"Wh-What?" the boy had stopped crying and looked at Kanji.
"I can't make an exact copy but I can make something that looks pretty close."
"Really?" The boy's eyes lit up with hope.
"I can, now when you give to her I want you ask her to forgive you and say that your sorry. I'll go with you to back you up."
"He even made me one too so I could match with Sana's bunny."
"Are you saying that Kanji Tatsumi made a cute little bunny charm for you from scratch?" Yosuke asked stepping forward.
The boy nodded.
"May I take a look at it?" Yukiko asked. The boy nodded and gave the charm to her She held it up and studied it. "Amazing you'd have no idea this was handmade."
"It-It's super cute…" Chie stated. "I don't know process the idea of Kanji making this thing."
"Yeah. It totally destroyed the image I have of him." Yosuke muttered.
"Everyone's got their thing." Yu said to Yosuke who sweat dropped.
"Hey can we borrow this for a bit?" Yukiko asked requested.
"Only of you promise that you won't lose it."
"We promise."
The team began headed away to Junes unaware that a detective with a penchant for slacking was watching them.
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[05/18 Junes entrance, Junes, Inaba]
"If Kanji made this then his scent should be on it." Yu stated holding the bunny charm in his hand as he and the others walking into Junes.
"Hey." Chie tapped Yosuke on the shoulder. "Did we see that kid yesterday? The one that was talking to Kanji?"
Just a she said the boy in blue who had been talking to Kanji stood by the Junes elevators. He turned around and looked at the group curiously. "So our paths cross again. Just so you know, my name is Naoto."
"Yeah. What a coincidence." Yosuke said.
"Did you hear?" the boy asked "It seems Kanji Tatsumi is hiding out somewhere."
"By the way what is it you two were talking about before?" Yosuke asked causing the rest fo the team to sweatdrop from his apparent nosiness.
"Why do you need to know?" the boy asked with a curious look on his face.
"Just curious is all."
"Fair enough. When we met up all I did was say hi and asked him what he'd been up to lately."
"Really, it was just small talk?" Chie questioned.
"Yup pretty much." The boy confirmed "He seemed to be acting pretty strange and not quite like himself."
"He was?" Yu asked.
"Yeah so I called him out on it. Then it got awkward and the colour drained from his face."
"That is weird, he doesn't seem like the type to care what people think about him."
"You can't judge a book by its cover." Naoto sighed. "It's possible that Kanji is suffering from some issues that we don't know about."
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After leaving Naoto the team finally made it back to the TV World.
"I wonder what issues Kanji has." Yukiko pondered while Teddie sniffed the phone strap.
"Man that bear acts like some sort of freaky talking dog." Yosuke commented.
"Got it!" Everyone jumped at Teddie's outburst. "I've got the scent down!" He began to sniff the air rapidly. "This way, everyone!"
Teddie led them to a bathhouse with steam pouring out of it.
BATH-HOUSE
MEN ONLY
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Yosuke asked stepped back.
"Abso-lutely!" Teddie confirmed
Jazz music emanated from the inside. It certainly wasn't a regular bath-house.
"Um… I don't think that's safe for men to enter." Yosuke gulped "I could see things I can't unsee."
"Well, you're just gonna have to suck it up." Chie said insistantly.
Diarmuid looked between the entrance and his master.
'This strange place gives me shivers, but I can enter this place with no problem and crush any foe within.' Diarmuid thought silently 'However if it is my masters wish not to enter then I must respect that…. however, leaving someone to die leaves bitter taste in my mouth.'
"We cannot back out now." Gawain stated appearing next to Yu. "So let's –HEY WHAT ARE DOING UNHAND ME DOG!" Gawain began yelled as the Hound of Ulster suddenly grabbed the knight and held him in a full nelson.
"Sorry, but you'll thank me for this later." Cu Chulainn said as he began dragging Gawain.
"This is childish, I will not..." Gawain was cut off and Cu Chulainn vanished along with him, dragging them both somewhere deep within Yu's soul.
"…What was that?" Chie asked after having watched the spectacle.
"Did they chicken out?" Yukiko asked sweat dropping at the sight.
"There is nothing to fear." Li Shuwen sighed. "You cannot let petty things like this distract us from our goal."
"Cowardly crewmates already." Francis Drake sighed taking a swig from a bottle of rum.
Yu stayed silent for a moment as Semiramis, Atalanta and Medusa appeared in spirit form at his sides.
"Men." Atalanta shook her head.
"We'll do it then." Semiramis sighed.
"Look I'm really not comfortable going in there." Yosuke griped. "And neither is Narukami."
Yu said nothing, he was still working up the courage to enter before Medusa whispered something in his ear.
"Include: Atalanta." Atalanta's bow materialised in his hand and Yu began walking inside. "Caution to the wind people let's go!"
Yu vanished into the entrance of the bathhouse, it took a few seconds for the others to all include and follow.
"Did anyone catch what she said to him?" Chie asked.
"I didn't catch all of it but I believe she said something along the lines of 'reincarnated as a mouse'." Li Shuwen answered.
"Why would being reincarnated as a mouse scare him?" Yukiko wondered. "Is he afraid of mice?"
"I doubt it." Yosuke said trailing behind the girls. "it's probably something we're not privy too."
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As they made their way inside the bathhouse with Yu taking the lead, his bow at the ready Yosuke was still complaining.
"It's hot this sucks. I can't believe that we're doing this!" Yosuke voiced his complaints to Yu "Hey I know, we should split up, Chie and Yukiko go ahead and charge in with full force, then we can go back outside and guard the entrance!"
"Denied" Yu answered quickly.
"What why?" Yosuke asked with a whiney tone "Come this place has to creep you out too right?"
"Yes it does, but I will not let that stop me and cause me to be reincarnated into a mouse, just because you can't man up." Yu replied sternly.
"Are you afraid of mice Narukami?" Yukiko asked as Francis Drake appeared in Spirit Form and looked at him with interest in the answer.
"Of course not." He replied firmly before reducing his voice to a fearful mumble "I'm afraid of what happens to them."
Medusa appeared walking alongside him in Spirit Form causing him to walk faster. The team all looked and saw the tiny smirk on her face as she looked after the boy who summoned her.
"I think Narukami might have issues about this mouse thing." Yosuke commented.
"Let's not get involved." Chie suggested as Francis Drake began snickering.
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After entering a large room on the first floor of the bathhouse. They spotted Kanji's Shadow, which was flexing while still wearing only that loincloth.
"OOOHHH-LA-LA! MY! MY! Thank you for NOTICING ME!"
Unfortunately, that just made Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko uncomfortable. Yu however had other things on his mind and was able to ignore the spectacle.
"I am KANJI!" Then the Shadow sexily winked.
Yosuke included Diarmuid and pointed his spear at the shadow while Yu prepared to shoot it with arrows.
"All right, all right! Just hold up a sec!" Chie sacried trying to stop the two boys from acting rashly.
"Screw that! I say we just get this over with, I'm not sure I can take another second in this freaky place."
"Well, well, well! We're airing LIVE from the Tropical Paradise Suspicious. All this steam is making my blood start to PUMP!"
"Chie! Not you, too!" Chie immediately included Li Shuwen and took a stance, leaving Yukiko and Teddie to try and hold the three back.
"I'm sorry but this guy bugs!" Chie replied.
"I think I can get him with a headshot." Yu stated preparing his arrow and taking aim.
"All right, SWEETIES! Since everyone is so HOT and BOTHERED, let's move on to our next segment!"
Then a neon sign came down and it read:
No girls allowed!
Take the plunge?!
It's the STEAMY Paradise of LOVE!
"This could get a little awkward…in more ways than one!" Yu said.
"Oh man, when we tried to rescue Yukiko it was this bad too," Chie said.
"No it wasn't! It wasn't ANYTHING like this!" Yukiko said. Then she retreated into her own small world of depression. "I swear it wasn't like this, I'm not the type of girl to do this, I couldn't really think of this, could I?"
"I really like to get my GROOOOOVE on…But I must continue my search for the BUMP and GRIIIINDDDDD!" Shadow Kanji had thrust his hips again with those final words, and left running deeper into the bath house. "Follow me if you DAAAARRRRREEEE!"
"Hey wait!" Yosuke said before there were some shadows, that looked like very fat police officers flying towards them, their stomachs were carved out as if they were part-donut with a key inside the gaps
"This is what it was like with my Shadow self...?" Yukiko asked, not to anyone in particular. "That…That really…TICKS ME OFF!" She screamed in anger including Francis Drake acquiring her pistols and immediately opened fire taking out one of the shadows leaving two.
Chie was quick to follow suit attacking the fuzz shadow with a flying kick. Unfortunately, it was surprisingly nimble for something of its size and dodged at the last second.
"I'm not done yet!" Chie cried as she kicked off the opposite wall that she'd landed on and jumped high above the shadow aiming a flying kick at the back of its head. "I've got ya this time." The meat loving girl was confident of her aim, however the shadow was far from stupid and moved aside again. "Ah crap!" Chie cried when she saw where she was going to crash and prepared to right herself.
Yosuke was holding back, preparing to include and fight…. he was just working up his courage. For now, he was content with watching Yukiko and Yu try to take out the other remaining shadow.
Yukiko was rapidly trying to shoot it but the shadow kept ducking and weaving the air as well as firing shots back, several of which hit near Yosuke's feet forcing him to dance to avoid getting shot in the foot unfortunately a single misstep sent him falling backwards.
As he was trying to regain his balance he felt an unimaginable pain as Chie with the force of her kick sunk her foot into his crotch, she corrected herself by planting her other foot firmly near the other and used to momentum and Yosuke's crown jewels as a springboard to leap at the shadow.
"AAAAAHHHHH WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" Yosuke cried as he went down holding his crotch painfully.
"Sorry!" Chie called as she destroyed the shadow with an angry punch while sounding anything but sorry.
"Yukiko drive it to the left." Yu commanded preparing his arrow.
"On it." Yukiko replied and began rapidly firing at the shadows right side, predictably it veered left and received an arrow in its forehead, destroying it.
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"Where the hell am I?" Kanji asked looking around at his surroundings.
He heard voices murmuring something.
"If someone's there come out already!"
"Tatsumi Kanji's nothing but a knuckle-dragging delinquent bum." A disembodied voice said.
"What was THAT?!" Kanji said, raising his fist to the roof.
"He takes out a biker gang, becomes their boss with some masked guy as his right hand man, and now he thinks he's king of the mountain?" A second voice asked.
"You don't know a freakin' thing! I didn't become their boss and that masked guy isn't my right hand man. That's CRAP!"
"Aren't you the one who steals the other kids' pocket money?" A third voice asked.
"NO, I don't steal things. And don't just assume it's me!" Kanji yelled.
"We all know Kanji did it. He's just that kind of guy."
"Shut the hell up, and don't go around spreading lies. Now come out so I can kill your ASS!"
"And that's why you put on this scary delinquent act. 'Come out so I can kill your ass.' Such a façade." A voice laughed derisively
"Who the hell's talking to me now?" Kanji asked a little calmer, but no less angry.
Kanji heard the sound of wet bare feet padding slowly across the floor.
"Kanji, the THREATENING thug. So TOUGH and MANLY! That's how you want people to see you, isn't it?"
Kanji could make out a figure heading towards him through the steam.
"But that's not who you ARRRREEEEE!" The voice said getting closer.
Kanji was stunned to see a himself emerge from the steam, wearing only a towel and with golden eyes.
"You're ME?!"
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"Kanji's right here! I know it!" Teddie jumped up and down. "He's right behind this bear-ry door!"
"Alright, then…" Yu looked at the other Investigation Team members. They weren't so enthusiastic. "Let's go, team!"
No response.
"Right?"
"Welcome to Tropical Paradise," The sign on the door said.
Unfortunately, Yu, Yosuke, and Chie were sweatdropping, and obviously didn't want to be welcomed.
As it was, though… the Shadows had not been that difficult on the lower floors.
"He's in here, isn't he?" Yu said with discomfort.
"Yeah, he's gotta be." Yosuke said.
"Okay, let's go in there and take this guy!" Chie said.
"Yeah! But, Keep your cool!" Yukiko said.
"You…may want to take your own advice!" Yosuke replied.
"Look, guys, no matter what happens in there we gotta stay focused on the mission! First, we gotta rescue Kanji, then once we've rescued him, then we gotta save him!" Chie said with determination.
"Snrk! Both of those objectives were the same thing, Chie!"
"Ummm, that was intentional…" Chie replied said blandly.
"Are you sure?" Yukiko asked.
"Yeah! Obviously!" Yosuke said. "You know Yukiko, I don't get you sometimes."
Teddie got back up and then everyone was facing the door. About to make the move to open the door.
Any moment now they'd open that door and go inside…
"Umm…why aren't you guys opening the door?" Teddie asked after a few seconds went past of no one doing anything
"Well, you see… we're just…" Chie trailed off.
"Do we really have to?" Yosuke whined. "I mean sometimes you can see things and they can be seared into your brain forever and ever and ever…"
"He does have a point," Yukiko said. "What do you think, Narukami?"
Before Yu could answer however Medusa appeared again leaning against wall looking at Yu.
"Mouse." Was the only word she spoke and the only one she needed too.
Yu went rigid for a moment and then suddenly raised his foot with all his might kicked the doors with such force that they flew off their hinges and fell inwards to the ground.
However when the team walked, they saw Kanji on top of his shadow threateningly.
"I SAID, CUT IT OUT!"
"Oh, wow! You're so GENTLE! It's so SUBLIME! I LOVE IT!" the two paused when they heard the door clatter to the ground.
"This is REALLY awkward," Yu, Yukiko, Yosuke, and Chie said.
"Huh? What are you guys doing here?" Kanji asked.
""Well, we came here…" Yosuke started.
"To save you…" Yu finished.
"Well, you sure as hell don't sound all that motivated!" Kanji yelled angrily.
"Oopsy-daisy!" The Shadow said pushing Kanji off of him, standing up and flexing its muscles, "I won't let you INTERFERE!" It said.
Then he did a forward flex and several coloured rose petals exploded outward and a liquid began flowing out from the baths.
"What the heck is this? Is this supposed to slow us down... uuh-uhhh?" Chie started to slip Yukiko grabbed Chie by her left hand trying to keep her steady "CHIE!" unfortunately Yukiko was taken down with Chie as fell into the slippery substances.
"Are you OK?" Yu asked.
"Why are you two crawling on the floor?"
"This stuff is slimy!" Chie said. Both girls were trying to get up.
"Narukami! You wouldn't happen to have a video camera, would you?" Yosuke said excitedly.
" No I don't." Yu said clenching his fist with a regretful tone.
"That isn't funn-yike!" Chie started to say before slipping again.
"You bastard!" Kanji said to his Shadow.
"Honey, why don't you just drop the charade?"
"Huh?"
"Isn't it about time you tell people how you really feel I'm everything that you wish you could be."
"YOU LIAR!" Kanji yelled.
"Don't listen to him! Go Diarmui-yuhhhh!" Yosuke said before he started to slip.
"YOSUKE!" Yu said, grabbing Yosuke before they both hit the ground.
"I'll help you, Sensei! Leave it to meeeeeeeeeee!" Teddie said before he slipped and was pushed back to the door.
"I really hate girls!" Shadow Kanji said. "They look at me and say, 'You like to sew?' or if I paint a pretty picture, they laugh at it and say wow that's really weird for a guy!"
"You prick! If you don't shut your mouth…!" Kanji was kneeling down, attempting to stand up but couldn't find the strength.
"You should be strong! You should be tough! You should be manly! What does that even mean?! Girls are so scary!"
"GIRLS. Aren't. Scary!" Kanji said gritting his teeth.
"Guys are much better! They never say those awful things! That's why I LIKE MEN!"
"That's not TRUE!"
"Oh, but it is…see, you're me and I am so you!"
"Like hell you are!" Kanji growled.
"No, Kanji!" Yu said. "Don't say it!"
"There's no freakin' way, you're a part of ME!"
"I'm sorry, but I am YOU!"
Then Flower petals had blown around the room.
Kanji's Shadow had changed. He was now embedded in a bed of cacti like spines attached to a large statuesque black body gripping a large stone axe like sword.
There were also two large Shadows which had half chalk-white faces and half black skinned faces.
"I am a Shadow…of your TRUE Inner Self."
"I have heard enough of this BULLSHIT you're slinging!"
"Ha-Ha-Ha…Don't INTEREFERE!" Kanji's Shadow used the axe to slash wildly at Kanji, aiming for the body, luckily the attack only nicked Kanji with the edge but even that was enough to hurt the boy and send him to the ground.
"Are you Ok?!" Chie asked.
"Hang in there, Man!" Yosuke said.
"I just wanna be honest with myself! And I'll get rid of anyone who tries to stop ME!" The Shadow said.
"I can't believe this is the way Kanji-kun feels…" Yukiko commented.
"It's not! It's just that his emotions have gone haywire!" Yosuke stated.
"Get him!" Yu said.
All four of them called their Personas, with Yu calling Nursery Rhyme, a Caster of the Priestess Arcana who took the form a little girl wearing a black and purple Victorian era dress with a mass of frills and a looped skirt. She looked like a child's doll come to life due to her porcelain-white skin.
"Bring it!" One of the two side Shadows said as Diarmuid, Li Shuwen and Francis Drake rushed them head on.
""Hey, Now…Come on, Baby!" The Tough Guy Shadow commented as Li Shuwen delivered a kick to its backside which barely had any affect.
"What the hell is THAT?!" Chie cried.
Francis Drake attacked with her pistols on the other big Shadow…
"OHHH! That feels GOOD!"
"OH NO!" Yukiko cried at the sight.
"This seems to get weirder!" Yu said.
"Hey Teddie! What the heck's going on?! We've got some major creeper's here!"
"I'm willing to bet that they're a part of Kanji's Shadow…" Teddie stated before Diarmuid was caught by Tough Guy.
"Nice…You're a stud!" Tough Guy said as Diarmuid struggled ot break his grip.
Suddenly Nice Guy dropped in behind the group.
"Heh-eh-eh-eh, you look YUMMY!" Nice Guy said as he squeezed Yu's butt. "You too!" He said as he did the same to Yosuke.
"I'm out…" Yosuke said, falling to the ground disheartened.
"That monster's toxic. He totally broke Yosuke's spirit in half!" Teddie said.
"I will not be reincarnated INTO A MOUSE!" Yu yelled abruptly as Nursery Rhyme suddenly summoned a huge red human looked beast with wing like appendages on its back and blue lines covering its skin except for the face which had soul-less yellow-white eyes.
It abruptly grabbed Nice Guy's wrist and tossed him into Tough Guy breaking his grip on Diarmuid. The giant creature promptly charged and began throwing punches at the two shadows trying to hold them at bay.
"You know she can't actually reincarnate you into a mouse right?" Nursery Rhyme asked with an innocent and child-like as she raised an eyebrow at Yu.
"Not taking the chance, Chie, Yukiko go now!" Yu ordered his reply causing Nursery Rhyme to giggle at him.
"Right." Both girls said in unison
Li Shuwen ran at Shadow Kanji dodging a wild swing of the axe-sword as he began punching at his body. However, his hail of fists did nothing to the giant, almost as if it were invincible but this did not deter the martial artist from trying.
"Alright, ready, aim…." Shadow Kanji looked up to see Drake materialise pair cannons out square shaped gaps in the air. "FIRE CULVERIN CANNONS!"
The ship cannons fired, peppering Shadow Kanji with cannon shots. Li Shuwen moved away just in time for them to impact the shadow. However, when the smoke cleared the shadow was clearly injured.
"Ok, I knew girls were the worst!" Shadow Kanji commented angrily swiping at Shuwen who moved out of range.
"How come Drake can hurt him but Li Shuwen can't?!" Chie cried annoyed by the unfairness of the situation.
"Again!" Yukiko ordered.
"Aye aye." Drake bombarded the shadow with another volley however this time the shadow was unaffected. "What the? Alright again!" The pirate fired more cannonballs at the shadow but it was still unaffected.
"Sorry but I won't fall for the same trick twi-YEEEOOOWWW!" Shadow Kanji screamed in pain as the master of the demon fist dug his fingers into the shadows chest and made a large gash in it wounding the shadow.
"You let your guard down abomination!" The Master of the Demon Fist yelled with a smirk.
"You are annoying!" Shadow Kanji yelled managing to catch Li Shuwen with the sword in mid-air, sending him crashing into Francis Drake.
Watching the scene Yu had a theory.
"Change Medea!" Yu called out changing Nursery Rhyme for the Princess of Colchis.
As the little girl and Jabberwocky vanished a woman wearing a hooded bluish-purple robe took her place.
"Chie go help out Yosuke, I'll help Yukiko."
"Ok, whatever you say. Let's go." Chie turned her Persona's assault to aiding Diarmuid with Tough Guy and Nice Guy who took the opportunity to beat down on him until Li Shuwen was able aid him and even the odds again.
"Ok Yukiko I have an idea, but I need you to attack first." Yu told the Amagi girl "Keep the attack up for as long as you can, I think I know how his weakness but you have to keep attacking no matter what until we're ready."
"Got it." Yukiko nodded "Go!"
The pirate mercenary nodded and began bombarding Shadow Kanji with cannon shots, as predicted they did no damage at all.
"How ridiculous." Medea commented surveying at the battle going on around her "How does such a bizarre situation becomes a fight for our lives."
"Will you help us?" Yu asked the Persona who gave him a strange look while Shadow Kanji attempting to attack again however he was stopped by Yukiko having her Persona bombard him with cannon shots to the face making him reflexively cover it with his arms.
"I can help you." Medea stated "But summoning me, you surely know my story and what I did, knowing this why would you trust an infamous betrayer like myself? How do you know I won't simply stab you in the back and leave?"
"I don't." Yu answered bluntly "I read your story, I know what happened to you."
"And?"
"And I don't see a woman who vilely betrayed her family and country. I see a victim who was taken advantage of for her skills and abandoned when she was no longer useful." Yu told her "I can't turn back time to right the wrong that was done you, and I know this Era isn't as impressive as the one you're from, but we do have something going for us that you might like. Here in this time the Gods cannot touch you, they and their Age is where it belongs….in the dustbin of history!"
As he finished his proclamation Medea noticed for just a moment Yu's eyes flashed crimson, only briefly before returning to normal.
Taken aback by the strange boy and his willingness to have faith in her, Medea felt a strange feeling bloom inside her, it wasn't love nor affection….no it was happiness.
"Αερο" she chanted waving her hand in the direction of Shadow Kanji, a part of his chest suddenly exploded, looking like it had been minced almost as if it were sent through an enormous fan, as this happened Drake stopped her bombardment.
"I see, so that's his trick eh?" the pirate said observing the shadow.
"So you wanted me to attack in order to confirm his ability." Medea observed analysing the situation. "By having her continuously bombard him with one type of attack which he became immune too he wouldn't be able to defend against a different type of attack when used at the same time."
"Yeah, I figured that magic was the best way to go if I wanted to hurt him." Yu replied. "I noticed the weakness when Yukiko hit him while Li Shuwen was attacking. The punches did nothing but the cannonballs hurt him."
"A decent observation." Medea said "I did like muscle-bound idiots maybe it won't so bad working with you after all…. we'll see I guess."
"Thank you for your trust."
"I don't trust you quite yet." Medea corrected him. "But I am willing to give you chance."
"That's all I ask."
"You are all so annoying!" The shadow yelled with annoyance as it began marching forward before spotting Kanji and heading for him "And you are an EYESORE!"
"It's going for Kanji!" Yukiko yelled "Stop him Drake!"
"Roger that lassie!" Drake gave a salute to the Amagi girl and began bombarding the shadow with cannon shots again.
"OK, do you have something that can finish him?" Yu asked the Caster.
"We'll see." Caster levitated and around her appeared several magic circles. "Fire!" The circles unleashed a rain of light directly at the shadow bombarding it relentlessly, it was having an effect if the screams of pain coming out the cloud of dust kicked up by the assault were anything to go by.
"Did we do it?" Yukiko asked as Medea and Drake ceased their respective assaults.
"That certainly hurt a lot." Shadow Kanji's voice stated gasping for breath as it stepped out of the cloud "But I'm not done yet."
"Oh come on, what does it take to kill this thing?!" Yukiko cried with frustration upon seeing Shadow Kanji trudge out with gaping wounds in his giant body, he was definitely highly damaged and was slower but it still hadn't stopped him.
"Come here you." Nice Guy said as the master of Demon Fist ducked under his grasp.
"No thank you, but here have this as a consolation prize!" Li Shuwen promptly drove his fingers into Nice Guy's right Eye and with a quick motion destroyed it, blinding the shadow.
"AAAAGHHH! Alright that's it eat this!" Nice guy threw a punch but the Martial Arts master easily dodged it, instead it hit Tough Guy in the stomach who doubled over.
"What are you hitting me for moron?!" Tough Guy demanded punching his counterpart in the face.
"You wanna go?"
"Have some of this."
The two shadows forgot their opponents and began fighting each other, a foolish mistake as Diarmuid and Li Shuwen nodded at each other and rushed to finish the battle.
"Never take your eyes off your opponent monster!" Diarmuid growled as he drove Gae Dearge through Tough Guy's skull through the back of his head.
"Indeed, it is a fatal mistake!" Shuwen agreed as he drove his hand into Nice Guy's chest and crushed his heart.
"Man they're finally gone." Yosuke sighed as the two shadows vanished.
"Yeah I'm glad that's over." Chie agreed equally out of breath. "Should we help Yukiko and Narukami now?"
"I would but…." Yosuek sank to his knees and Diarmuid suddenly vanished "I'm spent I don't think I have any more power left."
"Yeah me either." Chie agreed as Li Shuwen also vanished.
Shadow Kanji continued his advance stopping short of Yu who was standing in front of Kanji himself. It raised the axe-sword and brought it down, only for it bounce of a shield erected by Medea, even then she flinched at the strike.
"Darlings…. It's our last time to GET. OUR. GROOVE. ON!" The shadow struck the barrier again and again and again its wild strikes starting to pick up the pace, each strike mad Medea flinch more and more noticeably.
"I hope you have a plan." Medea gritted out barely managing to hang on as the Prana available to her began to run out.
Yu felt the drain and fell to his knees, the bunny charm he had used to track Kanji down earlier falling out of his pocket.
"Wait, isn't that…?" Kanji spotted the familiar charm.
"You made it right?" Yu said.
"So! You gotta problem with it? I can make it and still be tough…" Kanji said looking up at Yu.
"I know… I think it's cute."
"Huh?" Kanji looked surprised.
"I said it's cute," Yu said with a smile.
"CUTE?" Kanji Felt happy.
"You think it's cute? HELLO! it's super-duper cute!" Shadow Kanji bellowed as his strikes got stronger and faster, Medea was barely hanging on. "I LOVE EVERYTHING CUTE!"
Kanji picked up the charm, closing his fist around it. And then started walking towards his Shadow. Yu moved slightly out of the way to allow Kanji to pass.
"You're so persistent!" The Shadow stated pausing in its assault to look at Kanji, causing Medea to drop her barrier and sigh in relief.
"Yep, there's no denyin' it."
"Come again?!" the shadow said raising the Axe-sword to strike.
"I can't help it!" Kanji said picking up the charm and breaking into a run."I love stupid cute SHIT!"
He then punched his Shadow square in a large wound on its gut sending it onto the ground.
" Just accept me!" the shadow yelled as its large body disintegrated.
"I think he just beat his own Shadow!" Chie exclaimed panting in exhaustion.
Kanji looked at Yu, blushing. "Look, it made me happy when you called what I made cute.' You didn't make fun of me for it."
"He's back for more…This guy really is un-bear-able." Teddie yelled seeing that Shadow Kanji had returned to normal.
"Someone…anyone…PLEASE JUST ACCEPT ME!" The Shadow said running towards the team as if he needed a hug.
"I SAID… CUT THAT CRAP OUT!" Kanji yelled causing his shadow to stop.
"I hate that this guy's inside me," Kanji said in a low voice. "You have no freakin' idea how embarrassing it is."
"Kanji…"
"It's not about men or women. I'm just scared shitless about being made fun of! I'm nothin' but a big old coward who spends most his time pushing people away!" Kanji pressed on glaring at the shadow. "I already knew you existed…You're me and I'm you. That isn't some major revelation! Freakin' Moron!"
Kanji's Shadow chuckled and a summoning circle formed itself around him and from it appeared a large form not dissimilar from its monstrous form, except it was a complete body with a head and glowing red eyes staring down at them.
"That must be Kanji's Persona." Yukiko said dismissing Francis Drake.
"That's definitely one macho dude." Chie chuckled.
"Boy, in the Under the Arcana of the Emperor and in the Class of Berserker, I Hercules am now your Persona." The large being told him a rumbling voice before vanishing.
In his place floated a card with the image of a mad warrior wielding a huge sword. It the number four shining next to the word BERSEKER. The card turned into a blue light which settled within Kanji.
"Persona." Kanji mumbled the word before falling to his knees and staring at the charm in his hand.
[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]
[06/01 Samegawa Flood Plain, Inaba]
Nearly two weeks had passed since the battle with Kanji's shadow and his subsequent rescue. Yu was sitting under the pagoda waiting for Yosuke who had called him out here. It was currently overcast but with a chance of heavy rain so the flood plain was entirely deserted.
"Narukami!" Yu looked to see Yosuke dressed in a fancy white shirt, the kind one would wear for an important event, he ran up and standing under the Pagoda with Yu.
"So what did you call me out here for Yosuke?" Yu asked not eager to get wet when it could rain.
"I need something but first. Diarmuid." The persona appeared in spirit form dutifully in response to Yosuke's call.
"Yes my lord?"
"Look there's something I have to do, but I need you to not listen in and only come when I call you." Yosuke said "Can you do that? This is important it's something I have to do."
"As you order I will comply." With a respectful bow Diarmuid vanished going deep into Yosuke's soul. When he was sure his Persona was not listening Yosuke address Yu again. "Narukami can you call out Medea again? I need to ask her something. Please this is a big deal to me."
"Alright." Yu accepted his friend request and with no small amount of confusion called out the Princess of Colchis.
"What is it you want?" Medea asked as she was materialised into physical form. "I hope this isn't just a foolish waste of my time.
"No its not I swear." Yosuke said swallowing his nervousness "I wanted to ask you favour. I've read up on you and I know how powerful you are with magic….so can you remove Diarmuid's love spot?"
"What you are asking is not small favour." Medea told him "This is a large request; so say I was able to treat it how would you go about repaying me? Doing something for him…" she pointed at Yu "And doing something for me are not one and the same understand? I would expect your repayment when asked."
"I'll do whatever you want." Yosuke answered quickly and seriously "No matter what, no price is too much. I screwed up and you're only chance I have to make things right with him. So can you get rid of it?"
"No, I'm afraid not." Medea replied "If it were merely a spell or curse it would simple to break. But this is not the work of a Magus, it is the work of a spirit of some sort, and without the spirit itself removing the Love Spot is impossible even for one like me."
Yosuke looked down disheartened.
"However." The Hanamura boy looked at Medea hopefully "Because this is the work of Spirit and not a god." Medea spat the word out like it was a curse "I can create something like an amulet that could negate the Love Spot entirely so long as Diarmuid wears it, but If he removes it or if it is destroyed then the Love Spot's effects will return."
Yosuke looked thoughtful for a second before untucking his shirt and grabbing hold of the bottommost part of it. Before Yu could what he was doing Yosuke tore a strip of cloth out of the shirt. When it was made he removed the part containing the button and button hole leaving only a makeshift bandana.
"Here will this work?" Yosuke asked holding out the strip of cloth to the Magus.
"Yes that will do nicely." She said taking it from Yosuke and mumbling some words that Yu could not hear. The green cloth gave off a soft blue glow before it settled down. "Done, now remember I will expect payment for this."
"I understand and I'll do whatever you ask, thank you." Yosuke bowed to Medea as she dematerialised and returned to Yu's soul. "Diarmuid."
The Knight of Fianna dutifully answered the call in physical form this time. However, Yu could definitely see the sweat dripping down Yosuke's brow. He was having difficulty materialising Diarmuid and keeping him here outside of the TV World. Unlike himself and Chie who he knew had been trying to keep her Persona/ Sensei physical as part of her martial arts training regimen, Yosuke had not practicing materialisation, he hadn't even been speaking to Diarmuid since they rescued Yukiko so he was having a much harder time of it, and yet he was determined to do it even ignoring the concern plainly written on Diarmuid's face. "You called my lord?"
"Look, I'm not so good with words but" Yosuke paused before continuing "After seeing what happened to you in that dream, because of that Love Spot I realised just how much of an insensitive jackass I was towards you. It was wrong of me to be jealous of something that ruined your life like that so here I want you take this…." Yosuke held out the bandana to Diarmuid who looked confused.
"What is this?"
"This is a bandana it's like a symbol of courage." Yosuke explained "I got Medea to make it so that it could negate the power of the Love Spot as long as you wear it."
"….Truly?" Diarmuid was stunned this was almost too good to be true.
"Here." Yosuke quickly got behind Diarmuid and tied the bandana tightly around the Knight's forehead, it gave a soft glow as it took effect. "Ok time to test it out, if it doesn't work then we'll just book it. See that girl walking over there go say hi and see what happens."
Diarmuid looked towards a young woman walking past with an umbrella prepared for rain. At Yosuke's encouragement he walked up to the woman and took a deep breath.
"G-good day." Diarmuid greeted reluctantly, bracing for the inevitable reaction to his Love Spot.
"W-what do you want you weirdo?" The woman demanded nervously "Look I don't have time for cosplayers, I have to go." With that the woman walked right past Diarmuid even after looking upon his face.
"It worked!" Yosuke exclaimed running up to Diarmuid when the woman was gone.
Yu smiled as he watched the two celebrate Diarmuid's freedom from the Love Spot.
[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]
"I'm telling you, guys and girls would totally flip out if they knew you made this thing." Yosuke was holding a small stuffed bunny. "It's crazy!"
"Drop it!" Kanji yelled quickly snatching the bunny out of Yosuke's hand "I don't really care about that crap anymore!"
"That's good to hear." Yu said calmly acting as though nothing had happened at all.
"I owe you guys though." Kanji's voice softened up.
"You're being awfully polite to us." Chie commented looking at him from her usual spot by the school's air vents.
"Well you guys are the seniors here." Kanji replied before getting serious again "Look all, I really wanna know is who that jackass was that threw me in the TV in the first place!"as
"We don't know," Yukiko spoke up from her spot next to Chie. "But that's what we're trying to find out too."
"You're looking for this bastard?" Kanji asked "You guys mind if I tag along and help you with that? I owe this guy a major ass-kicking and then some."
"For real!? That's great! Our team could use some brawn!" Yosuke exclaimed excitedly.
"Sweet! What do you think Narukami?" Chie asked causing everyone to turn to their appointed leader.
"Yeah of course."
"Well kickass!" Kanji pumped his fists clearly ready to fight. "And if push comes to shove, I'm willing to lie my life down for you guys!"
Watching the scene, Yu felt Kanji's resolve and the new bond that had been forged. Deep within the felt another soul connect to him from Beyond, with the number IV representing Kanji.
"It is good that he knows his place." The haughty voice had returned "But laying his life down for his king is to be expected."
[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]
[Wizard Marshal Zelretchs office, Clock Tower, London]
"Pretty good show would you say?" the Wizard Marshal asked Waver who had watched the affair with him.
"I'm glad that Hanamura and Diarmuid have resolved their issue's but I am concerned."
"About what exactly?"
"The Heroic Spirit you chose for the one called 'Teddie'" Waver said "Are you sure it was wise to choose that one for endeavour? What if it ends up causing a disaster? If Izanami wins this Grail War then we're done for, there will be no second chances!"
"Relax Waver you're underestimating the Wild Card and his friends." Zelretch replied nonchalantly. "Just have a little faith for once and get a haircut while you're at it you look like a little girl."
A vein began throbbing in the forehead of Waver's rapidly reddening face.
[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]
Outside the office both Rin Tohsaka and Luvia Edelfelt suddenly stopped their entrance into the office when heard a loud voice.
"THAT'S IT EAT THIS YOU OLD VAMPIRE!" the voice Lord El Melloi the second yelled.
"Turn that magecraft off before you hurt yourself princess." Came the Wizard Marshals mocking voice.
The whole section suddenly shook as a loud explosion rocked the door nearly off its hinges.
"Maybe we should come back later." Luvia suggested to her rival.
"Yeah, I'm sure we don't need to get involved in this." Rin agreed before dashing away from the increasingly loud noises coming out of the office of the Wizard Marshal.
