Chapter 24: Feathers of the Condor's Shadow
|May 8th|Gold Laguna Hotel|16:40 pm|
The group had been floored by Noburo's new revelation. Teruko had come with him with a Gnosis of her own. Even though she didn't have a Persona quite yet, she still was able to cope with the Theio Kosmos' atmosphere, and clung passionately to her boyfriend's arm. A new Gnosis, so soon after Akari and Noburo obtained theirs.
"...How do you children keep getting these phones?" Hiroyuki asked, befuddled.
"That's what I want to know." Shigeru said, steely as ever. "Teruko. Do you understand the gravity of this situation? We are battling a group that seeks to undermine our city's government. Their actions are causing unrest, no matter what 'justice' they seem to bring."
"I'm not an idiot, you know!" Teruko snapped, to everyone's shock. Only a fool would talk back this way to a man with Shigeru's stature, Shintaro thought. Not that he could say this out loud. "I know exactly what sort of situation this is. These are real battles. But if I have the potential to help, then I will fight too! Bythos must pay for what they've done!"
"What do you think, Reia?" Netuno asked, drumming his fingers on the sofa. "This girl got what it takes?"
"Her getting a Gnosis seems a little convenient..." Reia muttered, curious. "Perhaps a test battle would help her awaken to her potential."
"...Fine. Hiroyuki, take her to the battle room downstairs. Reia, generate a weak opponent, one that an experienced fighter can fell in one hit." Shigeru ordered. "I just hope this works out for the best."
"It will, dad...I'll look after her when we're fighting for real." Noburo said, happily. "After all, we're..."
"Hmm?" Shigeru asked, raising an eyebrow sharply.
"...really in love. Yeah." Noburo said, blushing.
The battle room, unlike the rest of the hotel, was a plain square room with blue tiled floor and plain white walls, with bright lights overhead. An image of this room appeared on the suite's monitor, and they saw Teruko walk in with Hiroyuki by her side.
"Here we go. Our test elemental Shadows shouldn't give her too much trouble." Reia said, using her homebrew program on her laptop. With it, the Shadow 'Earthys', a being composed of the earth itself, appeared in front of Teruko. Dismayed by its frowning expression, she screamed in terror, running towards the door. However, it was locked for the duration of the trial.
"Help!" Teruko screamed, cowering in fear from the Shadow. Suddenly, her Gnosis lit up, and a strange aurora appeared around her. It wasn't blue, however, nor was it red like those of the Azure or Claret Squads. Instead, it seemed to be translucent, like water. Stunned, she watched, as a figure appeared from the mist. Yet, it too was hard to make out. It seemed vaguely humanoid, but its misty limbs were barely defined. It wielded a blade of some kind, but even that seemed to be transparent.
"What's...going on?" Shintaro asked, anxious.
"Her Persona - it's barely materialising." Novalie said, perplexed. "This has never happened before. Has it?"
"No, it hasn't!" Reia said. "What's causing this to happen? Is it her own psyche that's preventing her Persona from fully awakening? Can she even fight like this?"
"...What the hell are you?" Teruko asked, looking up at her Persona. She suddenly clutched her head in pain. "Oww!"
The Persona, name unknown, disappeared – only to appear right in front of the equally confused Shadow.
"What on earth are you?" Earthys uttered, unsure of its opponent. Suddenly, it was cut in two, and disappeared in a burst of black mist.
"The hell was that?!" Masato asked.
"My Gnosis helpfully registered that as '? Blade'." Reia said, frowning. She pushed a button, and the VR Battle sequence ended. "Hiroyuki, Teruko, come back up."
Later, the group were back in the suite. Noburo seemed delighted with how the battle had proceeded, yet no one seemed able to how genuine enthusiasm. Shintaro and Kohaku kept exchanging worried looked, and when they both excused themselves to go the bathroom down the hall, they could finally voice their fears.
"Her Gnosis feels really weird whenever I'm near it." Shintaro said. "You know what I mean?"
"Yes. It's black, sure, but it has a different look somehow. But it's hard to explain." Kohaku said. "...And that Persona of hers doesn't even have a name or Arcana. It's just like it appeared out of nowhere."
"Then what the hell should we do?" Shintaro asked. "We can't let Teruko fight with us. She's too weak. Sure, her Persona killed that Melchom, but not even the soldiers of Bythos are that weak. She might just get herself killed."
"I know. But Noburo's really excited about this. He's besotted with her, you know?" Kohaku said. "...Besides. She's so earnest about this. Nothing else matters to her but helping Noburo."
"There's just something not right about this. And I wish I knew what it was." Shintaro said. "...All we can do is see what happens, right?"
"It looks that way. But we'll do what we can to help those two." Kohaku said. "Teruko might just surprise us, and that Persona of hers might fully manifest. At least, it's more likely than convincing her not every other girl wants to take Noburo away from her."
Shintaro laughed, and the two eventually returned to the suite. Their new ally might be a temperamental one, but her conviction could be the weapon they needed to halt Bythos' conquest.
|Kansei High School – After School|15:32 pm|
"That about covers it for today. Keep in mind your mid-terms are coming up shortly." Michiko Suzuki said, shutting down the projector she had been using for the class. The lecture had been covering marine"Of course, being a teacher of Biology, I know of plenty foods that are great for helping your memory. Not that you two will need any."
Shintaro and Kohaku blushed. Although they certainly didn't mind praise from their teachers, it was a bit embarrassing when it was in front of other students, especially Akari.
"Suzuki-senei?" Kei asked, suddenly. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Oh? Of course. I'll see the rest of you tomorrow." Mrs. Suzuki said. The other students left the room. As they walked outside the room and down the hall, they saw Noburo and Teruko, waiting by the shoe lockers.
"Oh. Good afternoon." Teruko said, curtly.
"Hi guys!" Noburo greeted, cheerfully. "Is Kei not with you?"
"She had to talk to Suzuki-sensei about something. I don't know what, though..." Kohaku said, shrugging. "Things are getting crazy in Tarumi, aren't they?"
"Crazy? That's an understatement. Look at the amount of people rioting outside the theatre! And someone set fire to Yuchi's house!"
"Seriously?!" Akari asked. "I know he's a murdering scumbag, but..."
"It's what I was worried about. People are acting really crazy in Tarumi. It's like what happened in Mizuho last month. Support for Bythos is soaring there. Posters are appearing out of nowhere with their logo, and no matter how many get taken down, someone manages to put more back up. And then there's their website traffic. Their forum is getting tons of members, and the new ones are advocating for Yuchi's execution."
"Even worse, Noburo-kun, is how explicit they are with how they want him to be killed. It's horrifying..." Teruko said, frightened.
"If it's like Mizuho was, then we've got a good chance of getting a new Cognition Core." Kohaku said. "If we can seize it, we can help Tarumi regain some clarity, and avoid falling into ruin."
"Right! And we might as well start today. Let's get the twins involved." Shintaro said, grinning. "And Kei, of course. We can't leave without her."
"As if you'd ever leave me behind."
Shintaro leapt up with fright, and turned around. There, with a mischievous smile, was Kei.
"Hey Kei. What were you talking to Suzuki-sensei about?" Kohaku asked.
"I just had some questions about her lectures. Nothing to worry about." Kei said, yet she avoided eye contact. "Anyway, if we're going to Tarumi, we should tell Komatsu-san and the others."
"Sure...I'll drop my dad a message. C'mon, let's head to Tarumi! Teruko, don't worry. Your Persona will show its true face soon!" Noburo said. "And it'll be just as beautiful as you are!"
Please tell me that's not how I talk to Celestine.
|Theio Kosmos – Tarumi|16:32 pm|
With the increased amount of attention on Tarumi, the number and power of Shadows seemed to have spiked. Fiendish ones such as Orobas and Loa were prowling the streets, and from time to time, Shintaro kept hearing the voices of the real world, baying for Yuchi's blood.
Die for what you did to Kazuko!
Our Kazuko-sama was our goddess!
Your soul belongs in hell for all of time!
"This feels awful...I wish they'd shut up for five minutes!" Teruko said, looking pale. She held onto her Gnosis as tightly as she could, enough for Shintaro to panic it may crack. It seemed resilient, however. Despite her lack of power compared to the others, her Persona, immaterial as it was, was at least able to bring pain to these Shadows.
"Don't worry so much. You're stronger than you think. You and I can do this." Noburo said, arm around her shoulder. She leaned close to him, smiling, but she seemed somewhat faint.
"Let's get to the theatre. The Cognition Core is most likely to be there. Which means Bythos are gonna be congregating, too." Masato said.
"Asami again..." Natsumi muttered, frowning.
The team went forward. When they reached the theatre, they gasped. The entire building was almost pitch black, with ominous blood red colouring where once there had been bright, hopeful hues. The front path seemed to be splattered in blood. However, what Noburo saw to his right disturbed him even more.
"What? What is it?!" Akari asked, when he pointed in fear.
"That's...the car!" Noburo said, eyes wide with shock.
In the middle of what had once been lush grass was a huge icy pond. On top of the pond was a rusted, aged red car, that had skidded onto the pond. Within seconds, however, the ice cracked, and the car plunged into the freezing cold water.
Noburo fainted at the sight of it, much to Teruko's abject horror. She desperately tried to revive him, and the others came over, calling for him. Eventually, however, he opened his eyes, and colour returned to his face.
"...What just happened?" Noburo asked. "Why was that there?"
"It was an illusion, Noburo..." Kei said. "Perhaps more than that. A memory that you've never been able to forget. You and Toki."
"Toki...?" Noburo asked. "Is he here?!" He got back to his feet, just in time to see Shigeru and the other four arrive. "Dad! Everyone!"
"I'm sorry, we tried to get here first, but the density of Shadows here was difficult to get through." Novalie said. "...This theatre looks horrible."
"I dunno. Black and red isn't a bad look..." Reia said. "Maybe I need to move away from all this purple vibe sometime."
"What's going on here, then?" Hiroyuki asked. "I don't see anyone else outside. Not even any Bythos soldiers."
"We should go in." Kei said. "I suspect one of our Aeon Admin 'friends' is in there."
"Right. If it's...him, then I'm going to finish what we started last time." Shigeru said, cracking his knuckles. Noburo looked on, dismayed, but followed the party regardless.
|Kyutai Playhouse - Foyer|16:44 pm|
The foyer was just as bizarrely warped as it had been outside. Dark reds and black had replaced the pleasing colours the building usually had. All the posters had vanished, and in their place were bizarre images Shintaro could barely comprehend. One of them, however, seemed to be a pictograph of a car falling headfirst into a lake.
"...I don't know what to do. We can't get any further than this."
Standing by one of the pillars, which now seemed to have a transparent red fire swirling around it, were the Azure Squad, each one looking apprehensive.
"Oh! A-Aritomo...!" Fumika said, hiding behind her leader.
"What's going on here?" Kei asked.
"Well...um..." Aritomo mumbled, while Konomi held Fumika's trembling hand.
"You can tell us." Kei asked, gently. "Please."
"Okay. It's...well, Toki. You know him. Of course you do." Aritomo said, looking at Noburo. "We saw that Tarumi was getting really messed up, so we wanted to investigate. That was when we saw Toki go inside here. The minute he did, the entire place became like this."
"We ran after him..." Konomi said. "But he told us to go away. He said something like he didn't want to upset anyone anymore. Neither of us understand what that means. We knew he had some bad personal issues, but asking him about it didn't seem wise."
"He's never looked so scary before..." Fumika said, shaking. "All the doors we've tried are locked. I don't know what to do..."
"Curse that Hayashi!" Shigeru snapped, causing Fumika to cower in fright. "Whatever he's planning right now, I'm going to put a stop to it, immediately."
Just as he said this, the building shook, and Masato clung to Shintaro for protection – much to the bookworm's surprise. One of the chandeliers above started to shake, and eventually fell with a heavy crash, its glass pieces scattering all over the lobby. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but everyone's heart was racing.
"What was that?!" Natsumi asked.
"There's something here..." Akari said. "Something that's affecting the stability of this building. Both in terms of the architecture and the emotions around it. The longer we leave it like this, the more likely the Cognition Core will appear. If Bythos get their hands on it, they have Tarumi under their control.
"Then we must go forth." Hiroyuki said, calmly. "If Toki's further ahead, he might seize the core for himself."
"...Or it might seize him." Reia said, cautiously.
"Let's go already!" Noburo said.
"You three..." Kei said, to the Azure Squad, while the others went forward. "Please, don't get involved. Wait here. I'll make sure Toki's safe."
"...Thank you. Everyone, we'll stand guard here." Aritomo said. Kei soon rejoined her allies. However, the building had changed more than Shintaro had expected...
|Kyutai Playhouse - Grand Stage|16:45 pm|
The group made their way through the corridors, slaughtering whatever Shadows came their way. Kei did gain two new Personas, however, the X and A. The rooms were a strange mix – some where rather ostentatious dressing rooms or other facilities the theatre boasted, while others were strangely dark, featureless areas with bizarre blood-red sigils.
Teruko didn't seem to be enjoying her time as a Persona user, either. Each Shadow she faced freaked her out, as if it was the first time she had ever seen one. Even the more pleasant looking ones, such as Apsaras, managed to appal her. And when they were in the darker parts of their path to the main hall, her power seemed even weaker than before.
"Are you...alright?" Noburo asked. "Teruko-chan, we can stop to -"
"No, we can't! Not when that oaf Toki is trying to destroy all of Tarumi! If he does that...it'll ruin everything we love about this place. Tarumi is our place, Noburo-kun. I'm not going to let him take it away from us!"
Finally, after battling through the various strange rooms, they finally reached the many rows of seats. They heard Toki speaking, rather curtly. Yet the person he was talking to sounded oddly like his own voice.
"Toki Hayashi, you bastard! What are you doing here?!"
On the stage, there were two versions of Toki. One was in the 'ninja' type clothes he had via Bythos. The other, however, was in full Black Condor regalia from Featherman, with his helmet in his hands. Neither seemed to have heard Shigeru's cry, however.
"...Stop it. I don't want to see my life anymore!" Toki yelled, tears in his eyes. Somehow, he didn't seem aware of the others who had appeared.
"Wow. How many dads do you have, Noburo?" Masato asked, confused.
The other Toki laughed wickedly. His face seemed younger and fuller. His eyes, however, were a glowing orange.
"C'mon. Don't be like that. My life is such a sad story! It'd make a great stage production. In this world, we can have as many special effects as we fucking want! And no one has to tell me off for getting drunk on set. We don't even need any stuntmen, either! We can do all our own moves without anyone having to die."
"I said stop, okay? I know I've fucked up. Kaii's gone forever...and Noburo will never speak to me again."
"I'm right here!" Noburo cried out.
"Ah, there you are! My little baby boy...but not so little now, huh? You're taller than most of your teachers, I bet! And you've got a gorgeous girl on your arms. She's one for keeps, huh?" The other Toki said.
"Answer me, you piece of shit. Why are there two of you?" Shigeru demanded.
"I thought you government types were supposed to be smart?" 'Other' Toki said, cackling. "You sure you're that different from me? No wonder Kaiyo married you."
"What did you just say?!" Shigeru screamed, making the others back away.
"Ah, shut up for five seconds. Thing is...I'm the 'other' Toki. The real self. A 'Shadow'. But for a few months, he had me under control. He seemed to understand his feelings. I was called Shuten Doji at that point."
"...His Persona? You?!" Netuno asked. "That's crazy!"
"Not as crazy as your music, dipshit." Shadow Toki said. "Indeed. A Persona and a Shadow are one and the same. It just takes a strong will to control your Shadow, and turn that into a Persona you can accept is part of you. Losing that will, however, makes it revert. Like me..."
"What the hell -"
There was a flash of red light, and everyone was suddenly in the front row. Shintaro gasped. Between Masato and Kohaku, he saw a grimy looking kitchen, with rusty looking appliances. Cowering behind a table was a young boy, about nine, with bruises all over his arms. His clothes were tattered and stained. The two adults standing over him, with grim looks over their faces, didn't look much cleaner either. Before long, they started beating him, ignoring his cries for help.
"This...these are Toki's parents?!" Masato asked out loud.
"This can't be real..." Reia said, shocked. Novalie flinched, covering her eyes.
"...Of course it isn't. It's just an illusion to make us feel pity for the man." Shigeru scoffed. Noburo, shaking his head, looked up at his father's adult self, gazing in horror at his child self.
"Dad...is this really what you had to go through?" Noburo asked, shocked. "...Dad?"
"I..." Toki said, looking at his Shadow self. He nodded, albeit reluctantly.
"That's right. My parents were scum. I still got a scar on the back of my arm from my old man's cigar. They didn't give a shit if I didn't come home from school. I lost count of the times I ran away from home, and they didn't call the police once. Too busy getting high, drunk, or both."
"...Why did they even do that to you?!" Noburo asked, indignantly. "Why?!"
"God knows. They were both bastards. Guess it runs in the family...be glad you take after your mother more than me." Shadow Toki said, shaking his fists. "I left the house at 17 with all my belongings. I didn't come back, didn't get in touch, nothing. I found a friend that let me stay with them. And I never heard from them again, not even when they were in hospital on their deathbeds..."
"I can't believe it. People like that in Shinshuto...?!" Akari said tearfully, in disbelief.
"Damn you! I never heard either of you say 'I love you'!" Shadow Toki screamed at the two dishevelled adults. The illusionary figures of his parents vanished in a puff of smoke, as did the run-down kitchen. "...I knew that if I ever had a kid, I'd never let him end up like me. He'd want to come home. I'd tell him I loved him every single day, even if he got sick of it. I just wanted to be part of a family that cared about each other..."
"...That's so sad." Novalie said, tearfully.
"Then I got spotted by some talent scout. They saw me doing some exercises in the park one day, and thought I'd be good on some new show. One thing lead to another, and I ended up cast as Black Condor in Featherman. Soon after that, I met Reiko. She was beautiful, you know, but more than that, she was so sweet, she never had a bad word to say about anyone. I loved coming home to see her, cook something for her, doing whatever she wanted to do. Maybe, if I'd been able to control myself, she would have stayed with me. Then I'd have been able to see Kaii as a baby. That...would have been the best thing ever."
The stage changed to another home, a far cleaner one, but in the kitchen there were a disturbingly high amount of alcoholic bottles. There, Shintaro saw a woman that indeed had a deep beauty to her, with her curls of light brown hair and her lilac dress. Storming through the door was Toki, aged 28 years old. Yet he was very clearly inebriated, and in a very dark mood. It didn't take long for him to lose his temper, and fling a huge bottle of wine at the wall. Reiko gasped, and watched in horror as Toki stormed upstairs.
"Toki...won't you listen to what I have to tell you? When are you going to realise you have a problem? I want to help you, but...there's someone else that needs help too."
"Reiko..." Toki said, reaching out to her. "Reiko! Don't go! Kaii...he's my little boy too!" However, she faded away, and he gasped with deep sorrow.
"Kaii ended up with me as his dad. And he never even knew until he was twenty. Two decades we could have spent together, all gone..." Shadow Toki said. "I would have done anything he wanted with him. He probably played soccer. I'd have bought him all the dogs from the pound..."
"Kohaku, should we really let this continue?" Shintaro asked.
"Can we even stop this?" Kohaku asked, despondent. "This is so cruel..."
"It's not over yet. After Reiko, I met Kaiyo. I thought I had known true love before, but when she came around, I couldn't stop thinking about here. Like this..."
The scene changed again to the Featherman stage, and Shintaro actually vaguely recalled the set. Toki, in his Black Condor getup, took off his helmet, and gave everyone a huge hug. He seemed much happier than the previous memory. The whole cast was laughing together, and the crew seemed to join in their happiness too. In fact, one of their female members walked up closer, shyly.
"Huh?" The memory Toki asked, walking closer. "You alright, beautiful?"
"W-What? Oh, I'm alright, I just wanted to say...that was amazing, your performance." The one said. She had hair almost the same shade as Reiko's, but she was a meek looking young lady, dressed in a white shirt and black jeans. Toki smiled, and gave her his hand to shake.
"Thanks. Couldn't have done it without you guys. You're all pretty amazing behind the scenes. What's your name? Sorry, I should have asked before, but -"
"It's Kaiyo Kanai. Um...are you free tonight? If you don't have any plans, there's a great new French restaurant in Hiyashi. Would you like to come with me?"
The past Toki was stunned. His face was just as red as hers. But eventually, his smile returned.
"I'd love to! You're pretty gorgeous, by the way. Anyone ever tell you that?" He asked, with a playful lilt to his voice.
"Um...no, not until now. But...thank you. Shall I see you at seven o'clock? It's round the corner from..."
The two made their plans, before she had to leave quickly with the rest of her team to pack up their gear. When she was gone, Toki literally jumped for joy, whooping loudly. His modern self, however, looked on with a solemn expression, sighing deeply.
"So that's mum when she was young..." Noburo said, amazed.
"Kaiyo...I'm so sorry, I..." Toki said. "...I still..."
"Our first date was amazing, even if I hated the food. French stuff never agreed with me, no matter how pretty it looked. But Kaiyo and I were in love, more than me and Reiko were. Before long, we were married, and our son was born. Our beautiful Noburo... I finally had the chance to prove I was a better man than my father. My son wouldn't be left in squalor. With the money I was making from Featherman, I'd be able to provide for him even after I retired. Then came that accident..."
The stage changed to what appeared to be a top secret base from Featherman, with the camera crew setting up. Toki seemed somewhat inebriated during filming, which had left the others of his team rather concerned, but they continued regardless. Unfortunately, during one highly risky shoot, Toki stumbled quite badly against a ladder – one a stunt double was still climbing.
Shintaro flinched, knowing what was to come next. The cast and crew were simply too late – the stuntman's ladder fell to the ground with a huge thud. All Shintaro could hear was screaming, an ambulance, and he could distinctly smell alcohol. It was like the time his father came home from a work night out, only far more potent.
"...Oh my god." Akari said.
"Can't you stop this show?!" Novalie screamed at Toki.
"I...I can't. I can't stop...ruining my life..."
"Things after that got worse. Drinking, fights at home...and then I did something I never thought I'd end up doing. I terrified the living daylights out of my little boy...the one bright spot I still had." Shadow Toki said. "Kaiyo saw sense at last. She took Noburo away as far as she could. But...I didn't want to lose him. I found out where she was going – a friend's house. I broke in, snuck him out, and put him in the old car. I didn't have a plan. I just wanted to drive as fast as I could, somewhere far away..."
The 'stage' now was a car racing down a road outside the city limits, with other cars honking at him. Toki was driving incredibly over the limit – both speed and alcohol – and ignoring the sounds of his crying son.
"Daddy, I wanna go home! Why are you going so fast? I'm scared!" The young Noburo wailed. It was odd seeing him so small, and so utterly petrified. "DADDY! WHERE'S MOMMY?"
"Will you just fucking shut up for one moment?! We're gonna be okay, you and me. Against the world! Yeah, we don't need anyone else trying to tell us what we can or can't do. From now on, I make the rules! Kaiyo can't keep me from seeing you...she can see what it feels like to be cut off from her son! Yeah!"
There was a sudden turn, however, and the car drove off the road and through grass, leaving huge muddy skid marks through the field. Then there was an icy pond, one that Noburo had come to fear. Before Toki could stop, the car ended up on the hard ice, spinning and skidding to an abrupt halt. Everything was quiet, yet there was a heavy snow.
Then, the car sank, and Shintaro could barely see a five year old boy banging on the frosty windows, while his father remained unconscious, unable to rescue either himself or his son.
"Stop!" Toki screamed in unison with Noburo, gazing in horror at the scene. Shivering, he fell to his knees, banging his fist against the hard wooden floor. "Stop..."
"Stop, huh...?" Shadow Toki said, curious. "Yes. That's what I want! For all of this bullshit to just end. Think about it. No matter what I try and achieve, no matter what sort of 'happy ending' I think I've got, it all goes to shit sooner or later! Kaii, the son I never knew I had...he was right by our side, but now he's gone. Noburo, the son I've been dreaming about meeting again for so long...he doesn't need me anymore. Maybe he never did!"
"I know..." Toki said. "I couldn't stop Kaii from running away. And Noburo nearly died because of me. I thought joining Bythos would let me start all over again, but..."
"It's alright. It's just another 'new start, new me' that didn't go to plan, like all my others. But now I've got a way to end that damn vicious cycle." Shadow Toki said, with a dour look. He raised his hands, and one of Toki's swords appeared in his hand.
"What...?" Toki murmured, gazing at his sharp blade.
"When you live the life I have, it's pretty painful just getting out of bed in the morning. You wonder if you'll ever know what it means to smile again." Shadow Toki said. He pointed at the blade, nodding. "You made your name by using fake swords on TV to defeat whatever enemy there was that week, remember? But now you yourself at the enemy. And that sword is real. Defeat yourself. The honorable way."
Shintaro gasped, his heart skipping a beat. Toki was actually raising his sword, and held it very close to his neck.
"That's the way. With this, both of us can finally disappear, and stop ruining our boys' lives. No one will ever have to see any of us again. Bythos can easily replace us, anyway. No, do it!"
"NO!"
Noburo's scream surprised both of them, and suddenly, Aengus appeared – grabbing the blade of Toki's sword with his bare hand. With some incredible force, the blade shattered, and Toki let go.
"...Noburo?"
"You can't!" Noburo yelled. "Don't...don't do it!"
"What the hell, Noburo?!" Shadow Toki bellowed. "Isn't this what you wanted ever since you were told what happened?"
Noburo shook his head, his eyes flooding with tears.
"No...I never wanted this at all! This has gone too far...!"
"You're...defending this man?" Shigeru asked, genuinely shocked.
"Of course I am! I..." Noburo said, sadly. "He's still my dad!"
"...It's too late for me." Shadow Toki said, grinning wickedly. His body started to tremble, and with a spurt of 'blood', his body changed into a dark oni like being. It was similar to Shuten Doji, only the mask and face more closely resembled Toki, and the swords seemed to be fused into his arms, and far sharper and cruder.
"Argh!" Shintaro gasped. Emerging from the seats were a series of strange robotic birds with evil-looking red eyes. "What are those?!"
"The Avian Armada, an enemy army from years ago..." Masato said. "...Dammit. Some of us need to stop them from reaching the stage. Kei, it's up to you again!"
"Alright..." Kei said. "Noburo! I'm on your side. No matter what Teruko says, I'm not letting Toki die!"
"Thank you, Kei..." Noburo said, drawing his swords. "Dad..."
"...I'll do my best to stop these forces from interfering." Shigeru said. He looked on, seriously. "Don't worry about me. These enemies aren't going to get even one step closer. I guarantee it."
Kei and Noburo were joined by Shintaro and Akari. The others had decided to fend off the horde of bird robots, who while goofy as they had appeared on the TV show, would be a nuisance if left to their own devices.
"Teruko, are you okay? If you want to sit this one out -"
"Shut up, Kei! I won't leave Noburo to fight without me!" Teruko snarled. She grabbed her sword, and confidently held her Gnosis aloft. It might have a weak Persona, one that was formless like water, but her sheer willpower was strong.
"You're not gonna change me! For a life of sin, you need absolute punishment! But I can't destroy myself. You know what you have to do, right? I am you, after all. If you won't kill me, I'll kill you. Without one, the other can't exist! Then everything will finally be alright."
"No it won't. You won't have your way." Noburo said, coldly. "If I have to bring you down by force, I will!"
Aengus appeared, blasting the strong shadow with the blessed light of Kouha. It's dazzling flash was followed by some nimble swordplay, Noburo dashing in and out with his twin blades.
"Uzume!"
A Psi hit the Shadow as well, it's psychic energy reverberating around the theatre. Sounds of battle could be heard throughout the theatre, but for now, Kei and her team were focused on taking down this foe.
"Let me try!" Shintaro cried out. "Garula!"
Amazed by his own power, a mighty gust of wind flew from Ogma, crashing into the fearsome oni-like beast. It collapsed with a heavy thud, tearing through the famous red curtain.
"You kids are pretty tough!" Shadow Toki said. He disappeared in a flash – and reappeared in front of Shintaro, slashing him brutally. His blades were almost completely red as they flew at him, and each successive swing was progressively more violent.
"Ugh..." Shintaro said. He tried to stab at the Shadow, only for him to leap back with a hearty laugh. However, Akari wasn't as amused.
"Haven't you caused us enough pain already?!" She shouted. "Stop this fighting! Return to being a Persona!"
"You stupid girl! Didn't you understand anything? As long as I'm rejected, I can't be a Persona. Your Epona would be the same if you lost sight of yourself!" Shadow Toki said. "Just let it all end for me!"
"...Sorry, but there's no way Noburo would want that. Kaii too!" Akari said. "Epona! Soul Blade!"
Spiritual purple flames appeared, and Epona configured them into a grand lavender blade. With a flick of her wrist, it flew at Shadow Toki, striking him heavily with extremely potent psychic energy. The blade disappeared with the strike, and Akari added two swift tonfa hits to add to the pain.
"Not bad, I guess..." Teruko said, nervous. She tried to swing her sword, but missed – and was hit straight onto the floor. "Oww! You jerk! If you want to die that badly, don't try and take us with you!"
"I can't stop..." Shadow Toki, eyes glowing vividly.
What does he mean? Wait, is the Cognition Core of Tarumi affecting him in some way?
"Then take this!"
Teruko's Persona, still ethereal, appeared. Shadow Toki simply blinked, but was knocked away by a powerful, almost invisible, flash of energy. The Gnosis could only describe this attack as '?'. It didn't seem to have any actual affinity, either. What this attack was, Shintaro had no idea.
"You're all so strong...but I'm still the master here! You've got a long way to go to reach my strength! Nakishigure!"
As Shuten Doji had once down, the Shadow Toki flew in front of Kei, and stabbed at her rapidly with his dreaded blades. Despite the agonising pain, she countered with her own sword, and via her new Persona Archangel, was able to imbue it with the brilliance of blessed light.
"Argh! You...you're going to pay for that, girly!" Shadow Toki said.
"And you're going to pay for calling me girly." Kei said, smug.
To be honest, I'm more scared of you than Toki...
"Descend! Archangel!"
Kei had swapped out her regular Angel for an armoured, sword-wielding Archangel. It's steely expression appeared to be aggravating for Toki's Shadow self, enough for him to charge at her. But the light of Kouga stopped him in his tracks, sending him to his knees.
"His defences are down! Let's get him!" Akari said.
"Right!" Noburo said, swords ready. "If it helps him return to normal..."
The group advanced, attacking with their weapons. Teruko gripped her sword awkwardly, without finesse or power, and thus she lacked the intensity of her allies. Even so, she was clearly hurting her opponent, who eventually roared and jumped back to his feet, causing the entire theatre to tremble.
"You're all pissing me off so damn much!" Shadow Toki yelled. "There's nothing I can do to make things better. I'm nearly fifty years old, you know. Five decades of constantly screwing up and making life worse for everyone that means anything to me!"
"Haven't you learned anything from all your troubles?" Shintaro asked, without anger. Despite his previous ordeal, he felt something in him. Pity, and perhaps sorrow. "You've struggled with life for this long. There must be something you've gained through all your experiences that keeps you going."
Shadow Toki sighed, as the real one looked on, tearfully. "You're...a soft lad, aren't you? I wish there was some way I could find hope like you can. But right now, it's too late! I can't go back to being Black Condor anymore. In this world, though, I can pull off the old tricks. Watch! Kusanagi!"
Shintaro gasped. This was an attack he hadn't seen Toki pull off before. He slashed in a cross formation, the red flash from the swings lingering in the air – then attacking Shintaro a third time. Wincing from the sharp attacks, the bookish boy almost collapsed. In anger, he saw a strange energy build up in his opponent, fortifying him.
"Dammit!" Akari explained. "Making him harder to take down. This is going to take even longer!"
"Quit whining, you baby! I can help out!" Teruko cried. "...It's okay. Stay calm. I can do this. This is...Tarunda!"
Shadow Toki gulped – his swords seemed to have a duller edge now, thanks to the inhibitive spell he was under. Even so, he went in for the kill, utilising both blades and the bloody horns of his oni mask – only for Akari to roll away, narrowly avoiding a gory wound.
"That was scary..." She said, shuddering. "You'll never beat me by just swinging those creepy swords around. You're gonna have to use your brain! Like me-"
"Just attack him, Akari." Noburo said, stony faced.
"Aww, you're no fun. Epona!"
Her Persona had grown even more powerful, and managed to cast a stronger psychic spell of Psio. Shadow Toki groaned in pain, and there was a sudden sharp blast of jade wind in his direction. He couldn't quite dodge it – or the rapier stab from behind.
"Toki...both of you. Can't you see how pointless it is to just give up like that? Even after you lost custody of your son, you kept on going." Shintaro said. "You're always going to be Noburo's dad, no matter what happens. Isn't that what kept you going for all these years?"
"Kid, forget it. You aren't going to change my mind. I wanted to see my boy...I did! But there was no way I could just turn up, after what I did to him. Nisa Liat promised me she could help me undo my mistakes, but...in this very place, Noburo told me exactly what I needed to hear. That he doesn't need me anymore. That it's Shigeru who's his real father. I don't need to even be here! Can't you see that?!"
His entire body seemed to be glowing a deep red, and the theatre seemed even more lurid than it had a moment ago. Shintaro wondered – was this really how Toki felt? Or was the Cognition Core, even before it had started to manifest, causing this?
"Shintaro-senpai." Noburo said. "We're going to have to fight him. Words aren't enough to heal his broken heart."
"What about your own?" Shintaro asked, sadly.
"This...is for the both of us." Noburo said. "If there's no other way to end this, I'll have to beat my father. Aengus! Lion's Blade!"
Shadow Toki's swords clashed with the gilded Persona's, only for the deity's to break free and slash through the oni, like a lion's fangs. Warfare had erupted throughout the entire theatre, it seemed, as Shintaro saw an exploding robot bird land to his left.
"Shintaro! There's no end to these things..." Kohaku said, panting for breath. She had just cleaved a bird robot in two with her naginata, and another had been smothered via rocks.
"You've got to stop Toki..." Natsumi said. "Only then can we stop this flock of bots for good!" She dodged several eye beams at once, and with Brigidi's flames, she incinerated two more.
"Don't worry, we can hold out for a bit more." Masato said. "Hiyah!" He swung his bat at an advancing bird, hitting it straight towards one of the upper viewing balconies – causing it to exploded in a puff of black smoke.
"...Let's redouble our efforts." Kei said. "Failure is not an option. We have to help Toki find peace. Even if it is through battle. It's sad, but...we mustn't give up."
|Kyutai Playhouse - Outside|17:10 pm|
"...Dammit! It's already started?!"
Desperately running throughout the roads of Tarumi, a brown haired young man panted for breath, his blue thick coat flapping through the wind. It seemed everywhere he went, there was a new Shadow to punch out. But no matter how irritating it was to be beset by Cait Sith & Cu Sith, and especially the beguiling Leanan Sidhe, he would persevere.
"I've got to find him! I have to! Get out of my way, you dumb Shadows -"
He gasped. The theatre had completely changed to a dark and red ominous den of woe. Around him, he saw other Bythos soldiers, ones outside the Squads, in plain black outfits. All of them seemed to be clutching their heads in deep pain, however, and some of them were lying on the ground, in deep agony.
"Dammit!" The man yelled. "...Toki, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said all of those stupid things to you! Please, still be there...don't make it too late to apologise! Please!"
He forced the doors open, and gasped. There, incredibly weakened, were the Azure Squad, facing a multicoloured Greek god of wine and theatre. Dionysus himself had appeared, summoned by the sheer volume of energy this place was gathering. He tossed aside an empty wine bottle, which landed dangerously close to Fumika.
"...Kaii?!" She exclaimed, trying to raise herself up from the floor.
"Please...stop this Shadow!" Konomi pleaded, weakly.
"Such feeble opponents. Perhaps that strapping young lad over there will be more entertaining."
"What the hell are you doing to my Squad?!" Kaii demanded. "And what's going on in there?"
"Some sort of family matter, I think. Something to do with a washed-up retired actor and his estranged son. I only came here to have a look, but then these three were screeching at me to leave."
"No..." Kaii said. "I have to get in there!"
"Not so fast. Aren't you that dim-witted brawler from Bythos? You were supposed to have run off somewhere. Couldn't bring yourself to leave Shinshuto, could you? With a show like the one here, I can't blame you. But if you want to get in, you're gonna have to kill me!"
"Damn you! Get out of my way. My dad's in there!"
Grannus emerged, and Dionysus grinned wickedly. Whatever the outcome, the Shadow would no doubt enjoy the show. Even with Death By Moonlight cancelled, there was still drama to be had. Especially further in.
|Kyutai Playhouse - Grand Theatre|17:31 pm|
All around them, the theatre was slowly becoming ruined by the wreckage of battle. Seats were torn or completely blown to smithereens, and much of the stage was in disrepair. Shadow Toki's blood-coloured swords were fast and deadly, and Kei was struggling to keep up.
"Ugh..." She groaned, leaping aside from her foe's swings. They hit the floorboards hard enough to cause them to cave in, leaving a sizeable hole. "We're not getting very far..."
"Says you! I can handle this guy. Trust me!" Teruko said. "C'mon...Frei!"
A nuclear blast of blue power hit the formidable Shadow, but it didn't seem quite as potent as Teruko had hoped. Swept aside, she landed painfully next to an angry Noburo.
"Oww!" Teruko moaned. "Why is this Persona so lame compared to yours...?"
"It's not lame, Teruko-chan. You just need to believe in yourself." Noburo said. "I'll protect you. Shining Wall!"
Four giant glass walls appeared in front of the team, shimmering slightly. Shadow Toki, laughing wildly, took a leap of faith and stabbed at Kei – only for his sheer strength to be mirrored. Screaming in pain, he stumbled.
"Hold on, Shintaro..." Kei said. With Sarutahiko, she was able to give her friend a boost in the form of a Rakukaja.
"Thanks, Kei. Now then. Persona!" Shintaro, feeling less frail, launched Ogma via the Whirling Blade, carving into the Shadow's tenebrous body. He screamed in agony, and regained his footing. With a flash, he disappeared, only to reappear in front of Shintaro – and hit him with both swords, sending him spinning.
"Shintaro!" Akari yelled. "Don't worry, I've got this. Leigheas Forsa!"
Epona's healing force was always welcome – especially as, for Shintaro, it gave him more confidence in his blade. He deftly dodged his foe's flurry of sword swipes, and countered with some rapid-fire jabs.
"Not bad, I guess..." Teruko said, with a small smile.
"We're used to this by now, kind of." Akari said. "But we're still learning. C'mon, let's put an end to this!"
"Y-Yeah. I want this to stop..." Noburo said. "But not in the way he wants!"
"Son, I..." Shadow Toki grimaced. "You still hate me for that day you nearly drowned, don't you?! Then now is your chance to return the favour!"
"Stop it!" Teruko screamed. Her rage unleashed a Psi, which actually seemed to be quite strong. The Shadow was struggling to fight, rather fatigued from the punishment that had been dealt to him thus far. However, he still wasn't ready to give in.
"It's all over for you!"
A trio of jet black spheres appeared, each with a bright blue oni-like face floating within. They started to cackle evilly, causing the area to become misty. It then twisted suddenly, until all three were on the ceiling. Finally, gravity took over again, and they fell upon the spheres of darkness, fully succumbing to their corrupt power.
"No..." Teruko said, utterly defeated. She dropped her sword, and groaned in pain. "I can't...I'm sorry, Noburo-kun!"
"What do we do?" Shintaro asked.
"...We fight on." Kei said. "Toki Hiyashi may have made some terrible choices in his life, but in spite of the misery they caused him, he continued to survive and fight on, in hope of achieving happiness. Right now, his heart is clouded. But we can help him see the way!"
"You're right!" Shintaro said. His pain was soaring, but Kei's words seemed to inspire him. Noburo and Akari nodded. "Then...Ogma, appear!"
"Ostara, be strong!"
The goddess appeared in the centre of the stage, green petals fluttering around her. Ogma conjured a light breeze, that seemed to grow in intensity. The resulting tornado was glowing a bright emerald, overcoming the oppressive red and black hues the area had been corrupted with.
"Vernal Breeze!"
The tornado opened up, spreading its restorative energy throughout the theatre. Akari and Noburo felt their pain fade away. Not only that, the young actor seemed inspired and encouraged. Perhaps with Kei and Shintaro's help, he could face down his father's Shadow, and put a stop to the misery that had plagued his entire life.
"Thanks, you guys!" Akari said, cheerily. "Now its time for some pain! Psio!"
A lurid pulse of psychic power emanated around Shadow Toki, dizzying him - and thus, he was vulnerable. Noburo ran forward, and jumped as high as he could - landing strike after strike on his foe.
"I won't let it end this way!" He cheered. "Aengus! GO!"
The Persona, empowered by the boy's determination itself, charged up with supreme light. Birds could be seen flying around the Celtic god's head, the light shining brightly on them. With great valediction, a powerful Kouga was launched - breaking through the dark oni's form.
"Argh! Dammit...!"
Shadow Toki was done for. He drove his blood red swords into the dark wooden floor, and his body finally reverted to his 'human' form. Panting for breath, he almost toppled over completely, but something in him kept him from collapsing altogether.
"How do you like that?!" Teruko shouted, smugly. "You bastard! All of you Bythos can go to hell!"
"Teruko, stop!" Kohaku cried. The robotic birds had all been torn apart, electric circuits scattered all over the rows of seats. The battle was finally over for both sides, it seemed, and everyone was exhausted from their efforts.
"Why? Look what he's done! He's forced Noburo into another battle..." Teruko said. "Don't you get it? We should have just let him commit sepukku!"
"That is enough, Yoshikawa." Reia demanded. "Let your precious boyfriend handle this. You're doing nothing to help."
"...Toki. No. Dad." Noburo finally said, watching the Shadow of his father painfully look up at him. "It may be true that your life has been one mistake after another. After all you've been through, anyone might stop looking for that light at the end of the tunnel, and retreat into darkness. But..."
He looked to his comrades, who gave him a reassuring nod.
"...If you die here, what good does that do anyone? You'll have no more chances to rebuild your life. Even if you think no one will shed a tear...I'd spend the rest of my life grieving. Forever wondering what life would be like if you were still here. I don't...no, I can't bear that. I don't want to go on without my father."
"Noburo..." Toki finally said, as he stood up, still weary. "I thought you didn't have any fond memories of me...then why-"
"There is one day I remember...but not very well." Noburo said, smiling. "You were carrying me on your shoulders for a parade of some kind. I was crying because I was too small to see them and it hurt my neck to look up, so you lifted me up high. And I remember you and I laughing at some of the weird floats."
"...That's right. I remember!" Toki said, his face finally lighting up. "That was one of the best days we spent together, just you and me. I had just gotten a pay rise, so I wanted to treat you to whatever you wanted. Your mother wasn't so happy when she found out about all the candy we bought, though. But I promised I wouldn't let you eat it all in one go..."
"Don't you see? Even after your own terrible childhood, you made a new life for yourself. You might have lost it, but...humanity is one of life, death, and rebirth. I've thought about this long and hard, but..."
"Noburo, are you going to be alright?" Shintaro asked, worried.
"I'll be alright, Shintaro-senpai." Noburo said. "Dad. I can't...hate you. I did, I really did. But now, when I look at you, I still see the person you lost sight of. Toki Hayashi, the best Black Condor Featherman ever had. And...a loving father, too."
"...Heh. To think I'd end up getting lectured by my own kid." Toki said, trying to hide his tears. He turned to his weakened Shadow form, and walked over. "I've been trying to run from my fuck-ups for so damn long. It's time I stopped. I hated thinking about what I did to Kaiyo and Noburo, but that's never going to go away. But...he's always going to be my boy. The one I knew I'd love forever when I first held him in my arms. If he accepts me for who I am, I need to accept myself."
Shadow Toki, once full of rage, seemed elated. He floated up in the air, shedding its red aurora, and finally flashed with light – transforming back into its former Shuten Doji form. It disappeared in a burst of blue smoke, and Toki stumbled – only for Noburo to catch him.
"Dad!" Noburo exclaimed. "You're..."
"Just a little tired, kid. I just...didn't think my show was gonna get a happy ending." Toki said. "...You're so big now. I don't think you need me propping you up anymore."
"From now on, we're helping each other." Noburo said, excitedly. "You're always going to be my father, for better or worse. But I know now, it's for the better."
"...Thanks, son." Toki said, wrapping his arms around his boy. "I...I'm not going anywhere now. I'm staying here, with you. You and Kaii. We've all got a lot of catching up to do."
"But he left Shinshuto, didn't he?" Akari asked. "He said he wasn't coming back, so -"
Toki shook his head. "Don't worry. He hasn't gone far - I can feel it in my bones. He's got a little brother to come back for, if he doesn't want to see me."
"Dad..."
"Kaii's a good guy. I've seen him with his dog. Sure, he's not got a lot of people friends, but he looks out for all his subordinates in Bythos. He'll be a good big brother." Toki said. "Course, if he gives you the dog biscuits, he's doing it wrong..."
The two of them laughed, and so did the others. The joke itself wasn't the source of laughter, however, rather the atmosphere finally shifting from the dark horror of the past. The place felt brighter now. Yet it seemed rather dark in the back.
"Teruko-chan...thanks for being there for me tonight." Noburo said. "Don't worry. You'll get a chance to wow us with your Persona soon!"
However, Teruko did not share the happy mood of her new teammates. In fact, she didn't seem to be feeling anything, just staring straight into space. Her Gnosis, however, emitted a red glow.
"...Teruko?"
She suddenly screamed, clutching her head in pain, and the eerie smartphone began vibrating intensely.
"Help! Someone, help!"
"Teruko, what's wrong?!" Kohaku asked, running over with Akari.
"NOBURO! WHERE'S NOBURO?!" Teruko screamed at the top of her lungs, her veins popping.
"I'm right here!" Noburo yelled. "What's happening?"
"Let me take a look..." Akari said. She reached for Teruko's Gnosis, only for her hand to be slapped away. "Whoa! I'm just checking -"
"HELP! IT'S COMING TO GET ME! I CAN'T...GET AWAY! NOBURO, SAVE ME! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
She finally stopped screaming, however, and her head listlessly dropped to one side, her eyes now glazed over. Kohaku and Akari exchanged terrified looks.
"...Oh, god!" Toki yelled. "Her Gnosis! It's...infected!"
"Infected?!" Noburo asked. "With what?"
"Bro, do you think it's..." Natsumi began, looking to her brother. "...him?!"
A red burst of fiery red light emerged from Teruko's body, as she slowly stood up. However, her movements were not natural. Rather, it was as if she was being controlled via puppet strings. A dark sword appeared in her right hand, and just as Toki ran forward, she struck him hard across the chest, sending him flying back to the floor.
"You!" Shintaro said, looking up at a face he had hoped would never return. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
It was as the Yoshinaga twins had feared. Teruko's Gnosis had become host to the dreadful Shadow that had emerged twice last month. And here it was, as if it had never been slain even once. EX-NIHILO, a being Akari and Noburo had only heard about, brandishing its heavy black blade of nothingness. Disguising itself as an incomplete Persona was another mark of its duplicity...and now, it would descend into depravity.
"Initialising. Host 'Teruko Yoshikawa' extremely unstable compared to hosts 01 and 03, yet energy levels sustainable. Beginning BATTLE 03 procedure. Annihilation of human subjects must be fulfilled."