Just a Delinquent Chapter 45: The Final Temptation, a persona series fanfic

The Final Temptation

When Yu Narukami woke up that Tuesday morning, he was surprised about how normal the day seemed. It felt just like yesterday, and the day before that, but Yu knew that today was his last day in Inaba. Tomorrow he would go back to his parents, leaving his friends behind…

Yu stood along in his room, just staring out the window. The sky was cloudy and grey, yet the small town still seemed so serene and beautiful. He chuckled as he placed a hand on the cold glass.

He had come to love this small town, as strange as it was to imagine. He didn't want to leave it, or his friends. If he had the chance, he'd sacrifice every cent he had to his name, just for another day with his family…

"Yu." His uncle's voice echoed from below his feet. "It's time to wake up."

Yu walked through the rain, his friends following by his side. Raindrops fell on their heads as Yu held his hand up to shield his face. The rest of the Investigation Team stood on each side of him, with Naoto on his right right. Each of them followed him as he marched to their destination.

The gas station was just a few feet away. Through the haze of rain and fog, they saw someone standing outside the station, arms open to bask in the rain.

"Guys, look!" He shouted. "I think that's them…"

"Everyone, be on your guard. We don't know what they are capable of," Naoto warned.

"Rise, you feel anything?" Yu asked, looking at the idol.

She looked at him through the falling rain, a frown on her face. "Just a bad feeling…"

Yu nodded his head. He moved forward with the others as the attendant's voice called out to them. Despite the pouring rain, the voice was clear, almost as if it was right in their ear.

"Hi there. Do you need something?" The voice was light. Weightless. Almost amused.

"Who are you?" Yu asked. The attendant's voice quiet, yet loud enough for all eight members of the team to hear clearly.

"Me? I'm just a gas station attendant. Who are you?"

Yu grit his teeth as the rain and wind blew even harder. His jacket was bellowing in the wind. He almost felt like he was in a typhoon. The silhouette of the attendant became more defined until he could almost see their face.

"Did you know Taro Namatame and Tohru Adachi?" Naoto shouted through the storm. The pelting rain was so heavy, so violent that she had to shout for her voice to be heard.

But the attendant's voice was uncannily clear. Crisp, and smooth like her voice was on another wavelength.

"That's a weird question to ask someone… I might have met them once. I tend to meet a lot of people, though. Been in this town long enough that there's a good chance I met them." A pair of hands parted the rain, almost like it was a curtain and Yu stepped back as the pale-faced attendant walked forward, almost bumping into him. The attendant was smiling wryly. "If that's all you wanted to know, do you mind leaving me alone?"

Yu scowled at that look. He was mocking them. The attendant knew what they meant, he knew what they were looking for.

"Stop screwing around! I want answers! I know you did something to the three of us!"

"Did something? All I did was say 'hello' and shake their hand, just like I did with you." The attendant stepped closer to Yu, only for Kanji to step in between them.

"That's a load of shit, and you know it! What the hell are you trying to pull?!" Kanji tried to push the person back, only to find the attendant to be immovable. The uniformed man didn't even seemed phased, even as Kanji visibly strained to force him back.

The attendant chuckled, before raising a hand and placing it on Kanji's shoulder. Even in the rain, Yu could tell Kanji was trying to stand his ground, and he was able to for a moment, before he was callously shoved aside. Yosuke caught the blond as the attendant looked at Yu.

"Why all these questions…? Something bothering you about when we first met?"

The smug bastard was acting so god damn coy… Yu reached forward, his hand grabbing the attendant's collar and digging into the fabric. Naoto tried to calm him down as Yu pulled the white-haired boy close, glaring into his eyes as rain pelted down on them.

"We know it was you! You're the one who gave me the power to enter the TV, and you did the same thing to Adachi and Taro! What happened was your fault!"

The rain stopped, as if a giant blanket was swept over the city. Not a single drop fell on the nine as Yu held the attendant by their collar. There was rage in the silverette's eyes, but it vanished in a moment as the attendant lost their surprised expression and began to laugh.

"W-what's wrong with him?" Chie wondered as the attendant cackled.

"Amazing. You've reached me at last. To be honest, I almost gave up hope you would ever come. How long I waited for one of you to find me." The man shook his head, walking away from the group, their feet creating ripples in the puddles below. "Having said that, I'm actually surprised you're here after everything that has happened."

He turned to the eight, a coy smirk on their face. "Were you not given the ending you've always wanted? Did the final battle not satisfy you?"

"What?" Yu's brow furrowed as he walked forward, reaching to grab the attendant's shoulder, but he sidestepped Yu without even looking. The silverette scowled."I don't understand. Why pick me? Why pick them?!" The attendant just chuckled again, clearly amused by his and the others' confusion and shock.

"For your potential, of course. You had a gift, just like the others. The ability to draw out the hearts of others, to fool them, to forge bonds with them. That is why you stand before me now, with them at your side." He raised a finger, gesturing to the others by Yu's side.

"Still, I didn't think you'd make it all the way to me…" He dropped his arm, chuckling with that damn smirk again. "Indeed, I never expected this at all. You're really something."

"But why do all this up?" Naoto asked, grabbing Yu's arm to hold back. "Why give them this power in the first place?"

"A handful of strangers were more than sufficient to stimulate a small place like this," the attendant explained, lifting a hand to gesture to the small town. "But it seems the stimulus was stronger than I imagined. Enough to envelop this town with fog, and later lift it…" He looked at the group, and Yu felt those red eyes staring right at him.

"But allow me a question. You stand before me as if your assigned part wasn't enough. Why?"

"You know why," Yu declared. "To learn the truth." He stepped forward again to grab the attendant, only to suddenly stumble. He fell onto his knee, holding his head as the ground tilted under his feet. His eyes widened as he struggled to breathe, holding his head. "Ahh!"

"Yu!" Naoto ran to his side as Chie and Yosuke ran between their friends and the mastermind of the case.

The attendant laughed as the other members of the Investigation Team surrounded him. "What will grasping the truth do for you? Why such greed?" He closed his eyes as Kanji and Chie tried to grab his arms. "I guess it's the foolish nature of being mortal..."

The two tried to grab him, only to fall back. An invisible force went through the air, pushing all members of the Investigation Team to the ground. Yu and Naoto held onto one another as they glared at the man, only for their eyes to widen as the attendant began to ascend, floating up, hovering above them.

"Okay… Didn't see that coming," Yu confessed.

"I'm not sure any of us did," Naoto muttered.

The attendant's clothes seemed to come apart as he hovered in the air. The clothes turned white and reformed around his body as his hat evaporated from his head. White hair hung down to his shoulders as his figure changed, now draped in white robes. They spoke once more, their voice now clearly feminine.

"I am Izanami."

"The goddess of creation and death?" Naoto blinked, before looking at Yu.

"Okay, I really didn't see that coming," the silverette sighed.

"Ameno-sagiri, ruler of the fog, is merely an aspect of myself that I birthed long ago. You surprised me, Yu Narukami. You awakened to a power I had not imagined, and now you face me with it..."

Yu growled, glaring into Izanami's eyes. The goddess laughed at his piteous rage. "I can no longer ignore this situation as mere foolishness. If you want the truth, if you want to stop this from ever happening again, find me. This time, I shall pit my full strength against you." She smiled, and that made Yu's skin crawl.

"In return... you must come prepared to follow through with your futile resistance." She began to fade, vanishing from the very air. She looked down at them with a smirk, challenging them, daring them to try and fight her. Izanami's damn smile looked so familiar to Yu and Naoto. They scowled at her as she whispered in their ears.

"I'll be waiting for you there."

She was gone, and the Investigation Team looked at one another. Yu took a deep breath, his dizzy spell finally ending. Naoto helped him up as the team regrouped.

"So… Was that actually… a god?" Yosuke asked.

"God, or something that thinks it's a god. Either or, we need to stop her."

"So it wasn't over after all…" Yukiko sighed, rubbing her head.

"Yeah, but it sounds like she's the last boss," Kanji grumbled. He crossed his arms, shaking his head. "No way she's a god… Right?" He looked at Rise, but his girlfriend wasn't as confident as he was.

"I could feel her power, guys. Even here. She felt… unreal. Like that Ameno-sagiri thing, but worse…"

"I felt it too," Teddie nodded. "Like it was two Ameno-sagiri! O-or five of them combined like a giant robot!"

"Doesn't matter," Yu declared. "It doesn't matter how powerful she is. We can beat her if we work together."

"Heck yeah!" Chie beamed.

"Go team!" Teddie cheered.

It felt strange preparing for battle again. It had been months since anyone on the team had ever touched their weapons, save for Naoto, who cleaned and inspected her gun periodically. The others left to get their things together as Yu and Naoto walked out of Daidara's store.

Yu glanced at the weapon he had bought. Daidara said it was one of his best, and Yu hoped it was enough for their next battle. He held the box it came in as he looked at Naoto.

She noticed his eyes on her, and she looked at him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He nodded his head. "Just thinking." She lifted her brow, and he leaned forward to kiss her cheek. "This could be our toughest battle yet. The most dangerous fight we've ever had."

"If you're asking me to stay back-"

"No. I know how pointless that would be, and besides, there's not a person in the world I trust more than you. I just want you to know I love you." His hand caught hers, and he gently stroked her fingers with his. "I hope you know that..."

"Don't talk like that," she begged. "Like this will be our last moment together." Naoto pulled him into a tight hug, kissing his cheek as her breasts pressed against his body. "We'll win this battle, you'll leave tomorrow, and we will find our way back to one another. Do you understand me?"

He pressed his forehead against hers, and the couple smiled at one another. Yu kissed her lips, and the couple held one another, joining together into a tight hug.

Neither said anything, but Naoto's mind whispered to herself. Please, let this not be our last moments together. Thoughts of her parents bubbled in her mind. She never had a chance to say goodbye to them, but she refused to utter those words now.

She still had to give him her answer…

Kanji held his shield in his hand, gently tapping it with his knuckle. He sat in his room, staring at the piece of metal as if he was waiting for it to speak. He stood up and walked downstairs. Ma was at the party still, probably wondering where the hell he was…

The blond came to a stop in the kitchen, staring at a picture sitting on the counter. He took a deep breath, straightening himself as he carried on the tradition he had made since getting his Persona.

"Hey, dad." The picture didn't answer back, but Kanji never expected it too. "So it sounds like the case wasn't as finished as I thought it was… Got some so-called goddess to fight." He put on a grin, smiling at his father. "I ain't scared. I'll kick her ass, and I'll tell you all about it when I get back."

"Don't you mean we'll kick her ass?" Kanji blinked, before turning his head around to see Rise standing in the doorway. She smiled at him, walking towards the young man and his father.

"Huh? Rise? Thought you were picking stuff up at home…?"

"I was. I got what I needed." She motioned to her left hand, and Kanji realized just what she had. It looked like a baton, made out of silver metal. Rise clicked on a small button that Kanji couldn't see, and she pulled on the baton, and it began to open up like a telescope, becoming a long staff.

"Pretty cool, huh? Yu told me about the blacksmith, and I asked him to make me something like this in case I'd ever need it. Helps me practice my baton acts, and works as a weapon!" Rise beamed. She grinned as she held the weapon in her hands, but Kanji shook his head side to side.

"No. No way. You're not fighting."

"Why not?" Rise questioned, frowning. "I helped fight Adachi."

"That was different. You were backing me up."

"And that's what I'm going to do now. I'll still support you and the others, but now I'm going to fight by your side."

She turned her staff back into a small baton. She tossed it into the air, catching it with ease, but Kanji was clearly unwavered. "No way."

"Kanji-"

"No, Rise, listen." He grabbed her shoulder with his free hand, gently squeezing it. Her eyes widened as he begged her. "I can't lose you. You said that thing was stronger than anything else we've gone up against. I… I don't want to lose you. You'll be safer supporting us from the back…"

Her eyes blinked. She tilted her head slightly, catching the corner of the portrait of Kanji's feather. She placed her hand on his on her shoulder. She moved forward, kissing his lips. "That's why I have to fight… I can't lose you, Kanji. I love you… If I can help you, if I can save you, then that's worth the risk."

Kanji tried to pull his hand away, but she held onto him. "That's how love works. We both take risks. We both fight." She released his hand and embraced him in a tight hug. He didn't hug back, but he didn't pull her off. "All those times I saw you nearly die against all the monsters we've fought… Seeing my friends risk their lives… I want to be there. I want to stand by your side, not behind you."

She lifted her head to stare into his eyes. He stared back, his blue eyes heavy with fear. She saw through his facade better than anyone. She kissed his lips once more, and smiled.

"Let's fight together, Kanji-kun. Then we'll live out our lives the same way. Together."

He lifted up his arms and hugged her, squeezing her small frame against his chest. He nuzzled his face into her neck, taking in her sweet, strawberry scent. When he pulled away, his face was calmer, devoid of the melancholy he had before.

Kanji nodded his head, a small, faint smile on his face. "You are so damn stubborn." She kissed his lips, and he kissed back.

"Love you too," she whispered back, a grin on her face.

The group soon reassembled at Junes, standing in front of the TV that had been their gateway to another world. The store was empty, closed for renovations, but Yosuke had gotten the group inside with little problem. The teens waited until everyone was there, and once they were, six of them looked at Yu and Naoto.

"What?" He asked, looking at the others.

"Guess we were just waiting for some great speech," Yosuke chuckled.

"Well, sorry for not preparing one," the silverette chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I didn't even write a going away speech for the party."

"Aw, come on. Speech, speech, speech," Chie cheered, clapping her hands.

"Yeah, go Yu!" Teddie beamed.

"We want to hear a speech!" Yukiko laughed, urging the silverette.

"It sounds like you don't have a choice," Naoto commented, amusement heavy on her voice.

"You guys suck," Yu huffed, before grinning. He nodded his head, walking towards the screen and placing his hand on it. The screen rippled like a puddle as he tapped it.

"None of us are who we are when this journey started. We've seen terrible things…" He turned to face the others, a grin on his face. "And we're still standing. We've faced monsters, and killers, and even ourselves, and we're still standing. That hasn't changed. That will never change."

Yu took a deep breath, staring at his friends. "Izanami thinks humans are her playthings. She thinks she can just mess with our world like we're lab rats. Well, she's wrong. I intend to go and tell her that personally. Who's with me?"

Rather than a loud applause, the other teens just stared at the silver-haired teen. He blinked, staring back at them, confused at the lack of fanfare.

"Was that it?" Chie finally asked.

"What? Yeah. That was it. I'd like to see you guys come up with a cool, inspiring speech on the fly!" The young man scowled at the others, crossing his arms.

"I dunno, it was just kinda… underwhelming?" Kanji commented.

"I liked it!" Teddie beamed.

"Thank you, Teddie." Yu looked at his girlfriend, who avoided his gaze. "Really? No support from my one true love? That hurts me, Naoto."

"It was a good effort," she replied, offering a sympathetic smile.

Yu had a snarky response ready, only for Chie to run in front of him and turn to the ground. She punched the air, loudly shouting out to the others, "Alright, guys! We're the heroes of justice! The champions of righteous heroism! The coolest, karate masters ever! Let's go save the world again!"

The others threw their own fists into the air, save for Naoto and Yu. The blue-haired detective watched her friends with an amused grin. Yu, on the other hand, stared in shock.

"You guys can't be serious? That inspired you?" He laughed, combing his fingers through his hair. "I cannot believe you guys are my best friends…" Chie just grinned, patting Yu's shoulder, before leading the group into the TV.

One by one they vanished into the television screen, until only Yu and Naoto were left. Naoto watched as her boyfriend's shoulders fell slightly, and he took in a deep breath. She raised her brow, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We couldn't ask for a better group of friends."

"Yeah…" Yu nodded his head, and he pulled his lips into a smile. "Let's go finish this." She nodded with him, and the two touched the TV screen together, fading into the other world.

"Here, let me help you that." The three turned to see Yu walking towards them. The silverette smiled as grabbed the other side of the box Teddie was holding, taking it from the blond. "Good timing, guys. We were wondering where you were."

"What…? Dude, what are you doing here?" Yosuke asked.

"Helping set up the party."

"Helping set up your own going-away party…?" Kanji slowly asked.

"Yep."

"Yu." Teddie looked at his friend with pleading eyes. "Please, you need to wake up."

That was the third time someone had told Yu that. He hadn't gave the first two times much thought. He just ignored them. He wanted to do the same to Teddie, but then he realized Kanji and Yosuke were staring at him the same way. They looked desperate. Scared. Yu didn't know what to say, blinking slowly.

Yu shook his head, and smiled. "Where's Rise? She didn't want to help carry stuff?" He begged for them to go along with it, unnerved by those tearful looks in their eyes.

And just like that, their eyes lit up and hooks pulled on the corners of their lips, until they were smiling. "Nah," Kanji replied. "She said Naoto needed her help."

The distance between their arrival point and where Izanami hid was shorter than Yu would have liked. Rise and Teddie led the group, with Yu close behind them to watch out for danger. It took just a short walk until the eight were face to face with a woman, standing in a dense fog. Even with their glasses, Yu and the others struggled to see one another through the thick haze.

"You came," she laughed, her voice echoing in their ears. "Is that bravery I see in you? Or ignorance?" The group didn't answer, and she walked towards them, a gentle smile on her lips as she looked the eight over. "Ignorance, I see… Do you not realize you have only come to prolong your own pain? Why?"

"To put an end to your game," Yu replied.

And Izanami laughed at that, shaking her head. She walked towards the group, her feet covered by her white robes. "One had not the eyes to see things as they were, and failed to awaken to his power…"

Taro Namatame, Naoto thought to herself.

"One chose to avert his eyes from the truth, and allowed evil to taint his awakened power."

Adachi… The detective's eyes glanced at her boyfriend as a question plagued her mind. Her boyfriend. Her best friend. Yu Narukami… She never could have imagined his fate. Picked by some so-called god for a game, where the fate of humanity was at stake…

"Why did you pick him?" Naoto asked, glaring at Izanami.

The white-haired woman stopped walking, and her eyes turned to the detective. Yu and Naoto saw something in the goddess' eyes. Curiosity. Confusion. Perhaps even amusement. She smiled at Naoto, a laugh quietly falling from her mouth. "You have come this far, yet still yearn for the truth. You still fight… How amusing."

"You're not gonna think it's so funny when we kick your teeth in!" Kanji snarled.

She ignored the blond, and continued, watching Yu and Naoto with eyes liked blood-soaked steel. "I did not choose three pawns in jest… It was all to ascertain what mankind wished for, and do you know what I learned?"

Naoto felt her skill crawl at the question…

"I learned that man gladly favors falsehood over truth. Look at the three avatars of humanity. Each of them lied to themselves as well as others. Either to hide who they truly were from those who would persecute them, to justify their own actions…" Her eyes smiled at Yu, and he felt his skin crawl. "To fill a void in the pits of their heart. Each of the three are a reflection of humanity… Liars. Deceivers. False prophets. Thus, I sought to fulfill their, and humanity's desires by shrouding the world in fog."

Naoto looked at her boyfriend, and she could see the shame in his eyes. There was a tinge of dull grey in them as he glared at the ground. Izanami was getting into his head, but he was far from alone.

"You're wrong! Humanity may stumble at times, and perhaps many do embrace lies, but you can't hide from the truth. You can't stop it. Humanity is more than the lies we tell ourselves, and your last avatar is proof of that!"

Yu blinked, light returning to his eyes as he shook his head. "That's right… You're wrong about humanity, and about me!"

Izanami laughed at that, floating into the air, out of reach from the eight. "Is that so? Each of you lied to yourselves, each of you only embraced the truth when faced with death. How can you say humanity does not prefer lies when you yourselves embraced them? Whether it was a false identity, a false smile, or a false promise… Each-"

"Enough crap!" Kanji roared, glaring at her.

"Yeah! You're just trying to justify all the terrible things you've done! It's not our fault! You're the one who gave Adachi his powers!" Rise added.

"Yes. And if I hadn't given those three their gifts, could you see yourselves standing by his side?" Izanami lifted up a hand, and aimed it at the center of the group, where Yu stood. The others followed her finger as she chuckled. Perhaps it doesn't matter… I see you still intend on fighting me. Then I shall fight for the 'good of mankind' with all my strength."

A dark glow surrounded the woman as her pupils shank to tiny, bloody drips in a white sea. Her white robes seemed to come alive, stretching down, lower and lower as it tightened around her arms. "You are but a few pitted against the wishes of many. Your strength is truly astonishing, but you are the exceptions."

The white fabric encircled her head, masking her. Long, black hair slithered out from between the white cloth as she reached her full height, towering over the group. Despite the mask covering her mouth, her voice rang clear. "Despair, emptiness, and hope… Those are the three qualities by which I selected those coming from outside…"

"Despair fell before he could even awaken his true power. Then Emptiness was vanquished. Now it falls to me to put an end to Hope," she declared as the fog evaporated around the group, revealing the long, red platform they were on. The platform went around Izanami's masked form, encircling her.

"Whoa! She's huge!" Chie gasped.

"We've faced off against worse!" Yu shouted. "Come on, team! It's time for the grand finale!"

"Then come, sinful sons of man! Learn for yourselves whose wrath you have brought down!" she roared.

Yu's eyes narrowed, and he held out his hand, crushing the light, blue card in his hand. "Izanagi!" he roared, releasing his Persona. The others followed as bolts of lightning shot down at them.

Izanagi and Rokuten Maou defended the group, blocking the electric attacks. While they protected the group, the others attacked.

"Susano-o!" Yosuke shouted, unleashing powerful gusts of wind at the monster. The wind hit Izanami, and her body bent back, only to straighten out again.

"Suzuka Gongen!" Chie's Persona flew forward, smashing her leg into Izanami's skull. Her head was bent at an unnatural level, before cracking back into place.

"Amaterasu!"

"Kanzeon!" Rise's Persona fired multiple lasers as Yukiko rained fire down the goddess. The shots all hit their mark, burning and searing the creature's body, but none of the attacks left a mark.

"Kamui!" Izanami's body was still smoking from the attacks when Teddie brought down chunks of ice to hit her body. A cold breeze blew over her, coating her body in a shell of ice. She stood, frozen for a moment…. Before she moved, shattering the ice with ease.

"Kanji! With me!" Yu commanded, looking at the blond. The younger man nodded his head as the two held their hands out to Izanami.

"Ziodyne!" Their Personas fired twin beams of electricity. The blasts hit Izanami, and her body convulsed and twitched from the attack. Her muscles spasmed as her entire body was electrocuted to a smoking crisp. It was like some kind of horrifying dance, shaking and twisting unnaturally.

Once the attack was done, Izanami's body straightened out and stared down at the group. "My turn," her voice whispered, and Yu could practically hear her arrogance.

Her body twitched, neck twisting for a moment as a blue sphere formed in front of her. The beam rippled, sparking with energy, before it fired a powerful laser. The beam hit Izanami, sending him crashing into the ground as the very ground shook.

Explosions rocked the area around the eight, each one feeling like a car slamming into their bodies. They held onto each other the hot air burned their skin.

When the light finally faded, the eight were either on their knees or on the ground. Their clothes and skin smoked from the attack as they breathed in the hot, almost electrified air.

Izanami quietly scoffed at the eight, before she turned her head upward. Huge spheres of fire, rivers of lightning, and hail the size of the teens rained downed at the group.

"Incoming!" Yu shouted, holding up his hand. Izanagi flew up to block the lightning, taking the blow as Yukiko melted the ice, and Yosuke blew the fire away.

"Yamato Takeru!" Naoto's Persona flew forward, sword in hand. While the others protected the group, the small Persona flew at Izanagi and slashed at her masked face.

The blade hit its target, but it couldn't cut through the fabric, only smashing into it again and again. This attack did earn a reaction from the goddess.

Laughter.

Another beam was powering up in front of Izanami's head, only for Rokuten Maou to suddenly slam his fist into the goddess' head, making her fire the beam to the side, missing the teens.

"Hit her at once! We can't hold back!" Naoto commanded. The others followed her lead as the group began to try and counter Izanami.

Rokuten Maou's fists flew as fast as he could throw them, hitting every part of Izanami he could reach. Suzuka Gongen did the same, attacking with a flurry of kicks too fast for the eye to see. Susano-o and Amaterasu held their hands up, before unleashing powerful winds and hot, burning fires. The flames consumed her body in a whirlwind of fire, before Rise and Teddie followed with their own attacks.

When the flames dissipated, Kamui made sharp icicles in the air, while Kanzeon fired several laser beams, each one aimed directly at Izanami's head. The beams hit, and smoke rose from where they made contact, and the white cloth even darkened slightly. Rise fell to her knees, exhausted from the attack as Teddie fired each icicle, stabbing into Izanami's body, including stabbing her where her eye would be.

Finally, Yu and Naoto made their move. Their Personas flew forward, weapons in hand, and both struck the same spot. Izanami's eye was attacked by two bladed weapons, Izanagi's spear and Yamato Takeru's sword. They slashed across her face as white fabric gently fell to the ground.

Izanami stared at the group with a single, crimson eye that glowed like a star. The tattered remains of her mask either clung to her face or gently billowed in the wind. No one in the group could see what was under her mask, save for that single, radiant eye.

"You have defeated me."

Yu blinked, before his eyes widened. A proud grin spread across his face as Izanami bowed.

"You have won. Yu Narukami. Congrats."

The silverette was panting, but nothing stopped his beaming grin. He looked at his lover, and Naoto smiled back at him. Their hands found one another as she whispered, her breath brushing against his lips.

"You need to wake up."

Tomorrow he would go back to his parents, leaving his friends behind…

"Yu."

Friends behind...

"Time to wake up, Yu."

Something slammed into Yu's stomach, and he gasped for air as the wind was knocked out of him. His eyes shot open as his body twitched and seized like his muscles were out of control. He laid on the ground, sore when his body finally stopped convulsing, and he looked at his surroundings.

This place… He didn't know what it was, but there was an air of familiarity to it. The place reeked of something bitter in the air as he coughed. "Hello…?"

He was answered by a bright light. It blinded him, and he grunted as he shielded his eyes from it. Yu stumbled back and bumped into something solid, but flimsy. He turned around and he was shocked to find Rise behind him, only to realize it wasn't the real thing.

The thing's skin was made up a dark wood, with coats of paint applied throughout her body to resemble clothes, hair, and facial features. It was a large, wooden puppet of his friend.

"Oh, Senpai! You're my hero! I love you!" Long, white string pulled on her arms and head, making the puppet swoon for her hero as her high-pitched voice giggled.

"I'm a man! A big, strong man! Grr! Manly man! Just like Senpai!" Another light appeared, illuminating a similar Kanji doll that flexed and posed.

Yu realized that he had woken up on a stage. Wooden floor under him, red curtains in front of him, rows of chairs behind him, and spotlights aimed at him and the other 'actors.'

"I love you! I love you! Hehehehe! Love, love, love you!" Yukiko's puppet cackled, her head hanging off her neck as her wooden eyes rotated towards him.

"You're really the best partner I could ever ask for! You're the best, partner!" Yosuke shouted, his puppet pointing a round hand to the audience.

"Let's try together! We're gonna be heroes of justice!" Chie's puppet swung her leg in the air, before she clumsily chopped at the air.

"Yu! You're my hero! I believe in you! You're the nicest guy I know!" Teddie's puppet resembled his bear form, with his human form hanging out of the mouth, like a half-eaten snack.

"I love you." Finally there was Naoto's. She was on the center of the stage, staring at Yu with big, blue eyes. The coat of paint for her pupils was chipping away, as if she was years old. Yu watched as the wooden puppet smiled at him. "I will always love you."

"Quite the show." Someone was clapping, and Yu turned around to face the audience. The spotlights turned off, one by one, until only Naoto was illuminated. Yu could see a lone figure in the seats, clapping their hands together. "Quite the show, indeed. Love it. Riveting. A bit long at parts, but still, very enjoyable." There was a strangeness to the voice. Almost like an echo.

"Who are you?!" His mind raced. He reached for his sword, but he found nothing at his side.

"Oh, come on, Yu. I know, that you know who I am." The figure stood up, and he walked towards Yu. The silverette felt his throat tightened as he watched the figure step onto the stage, a wide smirk on his familiar face.

Yu stared at his reflection, his Shadow, a perfect copy of himself, save for those damn, golden eyes.

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts…" The Shadow held his hands in the air, dramatically posturing as he chuckled. "William Shakespeare's 'As You Like It.' God, do you remember the hottie we seduced with that line? Mmm."

Shadow Yu looked at his counterpart, and the wide smirk was replaced with a fake expression of concern. "Are you okay? You look surprised to see me." His voice was light, airy, like whenever he tried to be sympathetic or friendly. "You knew that this was going to happen one day. Well, today's the day."

"What are you trying to prove?" Yu stood his ground. He stood up straight as he glared at his other self. "That I lied to my friends? Manipulated them? Well, guess what, we've heard it before! You're not going to break my bonds with them!"

The Shadow laughed, placing a hand to his head as he chortled. "You think we're back to that old song and dance? Wrong. I'm not trying to break your bonds with them. You're already doing that yourself."

More spotlights turned on, and Yu stared at what they were aiming at. There was long, white thread connected to each puppet's hands, just like the string gold keeping each puppet up. Each of the puppets began to rotate their hands, and Yu heard a quiet crash from behind the crimson curtain. Then he heard something being scraping against the ground..

Another puppet, this one with hair painted grey and a toothy grin on its face. Yu knew who it was as soon as he saw those grey, chipped eyes.

"I love you guys. You're my family," the puppet recited, his voice on the edge of breaking. "You're my family." Yosuke pulled on his arm, making Puppet Yu lift his own up. Chie did the same for his other arm. Naoto pulled on his head, making him look the real Yu in the eyes. "I don't know who I'd be without you…"

"But you do know, don't you?" the Shadow hissed, his voice going low as he walked towards Yu. "You really do love your friends… But that's the problem. You need them. Deep down, you know you need them, and without them, you're worse than nothing."

Yu shook his head. "Enough. I don't have time for this, we need to stop-" The Shadow moved forward with unnatural speed, and he grabbed Yu's throat. In one swift move, he slammed his reflection into the ground.

"Remember." Shadow Yu whispered, rage dripping from his voice. "What you did to my family…"

There was no laugh. Only that single eye glaring at them."Your strength exceeds what I had predicted…"

The battle continued, and worse than that, it escalated. Fire, ice, lightning all fell from the sky to strike at our heroes. The wind picked up. Beams of energy shot back and forth. Izanami fought with the powers of a goddess, but the eight fought with unbreakable spirits.

Every time she knocked them down, they were picked back up. Whether by their own power, or that of their friends.

"Ahh!" Rise slammed her staff against Izanami's body, before leaping back to safety. The goddess turned her attention to aim her attack at the idol, only for Kanzeon and Rokuten Maou to attack her.

Hot beams of light scorched Izanami, before Rokuten Maou slashed her across her chest. The goddess didn't scream, but she did flinch as Susano-o darted down to slam his foot into her face.

"Keep hitting her!" Yu ordered. He changed his Persona, before holding a hand out to Teddie and Chie, increasing their raw power. "Ice her."

Both nodded, before they attacked the goddess simultaneously. In a moment, Izanami's body was flash frozen, and she struggled to escape her cold looked at Naoto, and the two nodded their heads. He summoned Izanagi back to his size as the two Personas charged forward, only to be knocked back as Izanami shattered her prison.

Fire rained down, blasting the two Personas to the ground as their wielders cried out in pain. Yukiko held out her hand to them, healing their wounds as quickly as they appeared as the group stared at the giant.

"We're winning," Yu panted; his voice low, almost quiet.

"How can you tell?" Yosuke asked.

"She's getting desperate. We're overwhelming her. Too many of us. Too well-coordinated. We're winning," he repeated.

"We musn't let our guard down. We have to keep her off balance!" Naoto led the charge once more, and Yamato Takeru darted forward, slashing at Izanami's body.

The others followed, attacking and dodging her counters. Izanami said nothing as they shot, slashed, and attacked her. A sign that Yu was correct, perhaps… Her movements were getting slower, and the hits were beginning to accumulate.

Yu grinned, a smirk on his face as Izanagi slashed Izanami with Yamato Takeru. His silver eyes picked on all of the little details. Izanami wasn't able to keep up with the eight as their Personas darted all around her. They were attacking with bee stings, but with enough stings, they'd bring this beast down…

But sadly, that was simply not meant to be.

"Silence!" Izanami roared, shaking the earth as her voice rang clear. Yu's eyes widened as Izanagi and the other Persona vanished from the air, evaporating before the group's eyes.

"What…?" Yu focused his mind, trying to summon Izanagi, but it was as if that power was… locked.

"She's made it so we can't summon our Persona!" Rise explained. "I…" She held a hand to her head, trying to gather info without the help of her Persona. "I...It's temporary, I think. It's already starting to wear off."

Yu tried to summon Izanagi again, and while he still failed, he felt closer to his Persona's powers this time. Closer than last time, at least.

"Alright, everyone stay light on your feet. We need to dodge her attacks," Yu advised.

"The time has come to end this," Izanami growled. "Accept the reality of your death! Feel the strength of all those who embrace deceptions!"

The ground turned black under the group's eyes, and Yukiko gasped as hands sprung out, reaching for the group. Rise smacked one of the hands with her staff, only for more to spring up. The group tried to keep away from them, looking out for each other as best as they could...

"Let go of me, damn it!" Kanji roared, smacking the hands around him. He swung his shield, shattering the wrist of one hand, before nearly slicing another off at the elbow. As he struck the black hands away, he didn't notice the several rise up from behind him.

"Kanji! Watch your back!" Rise slammed the metal staff against another hand, only to gasp as they lunged at her. She tore her arm from one, but three more caught her other hand. Two more hands grabbed her weapon, prying it from her hand as Rise screamed. Another hand grabbed her head, digging into her scalp as she tried to break free. "Let go!"

"Rise?! RISE!" Kanji's eyes widened, and he fought to get to his girlfriend. He reached his hand out to her, but all he caught was air as Rise was pulled to the ground. She fell onto her back, before sinking into the shadow-covered floor.

"No!" Yu shouted, fighting to reach his sister's side, only to stop as a hand grabbed his. The shadow pulled on his arm, digging its sharp fingers into his wrist almost puncturing the skin.

"Rise!" Kanji's eyes were wide with panic and rage as he watched Rise sinking into the ground.

Her eyes looked at him as head was almost completely consumed by the darkness. Her eyes were begging, wet with terror and regret. She stared into his blue eyes as she opened her mouth. "Kanji, I-" The dark hands pulled her head down, and her muffled screams echoed as all trace of her was gone.

"No...No!" Kanji was crying. Tears falling from his eyes as he held his shield with both hands. He lifted it over his head and brought it down onto the ground. The group could hear stone shattered as Kanji dug into the ground, trying to reach his girlfriend. "Rise!"

He had tunnel vision. All he could see were was his weapon denting against the ground. He didn't care if his weapon broke. He didn't care about the hands clawing at his body. He didn't care as he sank into the ground.

Only when his hands had sunk into the ground did realization hit him. His eyes glazed over as tears trickled down his face. He looked at Yu, and Yu stared back at Kanji.

"I'm sorry," the younger man whispered, before he was pulled under.

"No!" Yu had tears in his eyes, but he brushed them away. "Damn it!" He held out his hand, screaming for Izanagi.

But nothing appeared, and he turned his head away from Izanami as Yukiko's voice screamed out.

"Chie!" The brunette had had legs caught by the shadowy hands, and she was being dragged down. Yosuke and Yukiko each had one of Chie's hands in theirs. They pulled on the brunette's arms, keeping her upper half above ground as more shadows rose up to claim them.

"We've got you!" Yosuke grunted.

But Chie saw the hands crawling up her friends' bodies. Her eyes widened, before she clenched her jaw and made her choice. She tore her hand from Yosuke's, before grabbing Yukiko's and pulling at it.

"C-Chie! Stop!" Yukiko gasped.

"Let go of me! Stay back!" She pried Yukiko's hand from hers. Her two closest friends watched her die with looks of paralyzed terror, begging for it all to stop. All Chie could do was give her friends a small smile. She wanted to comfort them, but she had already been pulled down into the darkness below.

"God damn it!" Yousuke screamed. He fell to his knees, shaking as Yukiko sobbed beside him.

"Ahh!" Meanwhile, Teddie fell onto his back, kicking at the long, tentacle-like arms that were scratching at his legs. Naoto ran to his side and helped him stand up as more hands lunged at the group.

"We have to get out of here!" Naoto declared.

"Mankind embraces the fog. They desire the safety and peace of deceit. They will not allow any of you to escape!" Izanami watched as the group fell, one by one, a spark of amusement in her eye.

"We can't run! What about Chie and the others!?" Yosuke growled, before he suddenly stumbled to the ground. A hand had caught his foot, and his eyes widened as he pushed Yukiko away from him. "Shit…!" He tugged on his leg, trying to free it as more arms sprouted out of the ground.

"Yosuke!" Yu and Yukiko ran to their friend's side as more hands erupted from the ground. They blanketed over him as he cried out like a caged animal, but for all his rage, Yu could see the fear in Yosuke's eyes.

"Let go of me! Let go of me, damn it!" The darkness dragged him down, and the last thing Yosuke saw was his friends struggling to save him. His eyes begged for forgiveness, for a second chance, before he was gone.

Naoto was the farthest from the group. She had tears falling down her face. Her throat felt tight. Her eyes were red as she struggled to come up with a plan, a strategy to end this nightmare. She tried to reach her boyfriend's side, only to stop as more hands sprouted up in front of her. They lunged at her, only to be struck down by Teddie's clawed hand.

"Teddie!?"

The blond smiled at her, grinning through the tear. "Get to him," he begged. "You two are the smartest people I know. If anyone can can save the day, it's you two." A hand grabbed his shoulder, and he smacked it away, only for three more to replace it.

Naoto ran to help Teddie, only to stop as his hand shot towards her. "Go! Please..." He was fighting back tears as he was forced onto his knees, and then brought down into the abyss.

The blue-haired detective didn't have a choice. She ran to her friends, trying not to look back.

Meanwhile, Yu and Yukiko were back to back, trying to protect themselves. Yukiko's fan laid crumbled on the ground as the tendrils tore Yu's sword from his hands. The raven-haired woman was pulled down, black fingers wrapped around her feet as she was dragged.

Yu caught her hand, pulling on her as more hands crawled up his body.

"Please… Please, help me," Yukiko whimpered, terror squeezing down on her throat. "I don't…" Her dark eyes widened as she saw her fear reflected in Yu's eyes. They both knew there was no saving her. It was too late for her. Her pleas only twisted the knife in his chest.

"It's okay," she lied, sniffling back tears. "I-it's okay…" Her hand tried to pull Yu's off of hers, but her strength was sapped away by her racing heart. "It's okay," she uttered, as the shadows pulled her hand from his, and she sank into the ground.

"Yukiko!" Yu's arms were held by what felt like dozens of people. He was pulled onto his knees, but he wasn't dragged down. He watched as Naoto was surrounded, kept a few feet away from him. "Please…" His voice was quiet, almost impossible to hear. Yu wanted to look at Izanami, but he couldn't look away from Naoto, too scared he'd never see his love again. "Not her…"

"Yu!" Naoto struggled against the dark binds, trying to break through, but every time she fought one off, eight more took its place.

"Stop! Please!"

Naoto had never felt so scared in her entire life. She didn't know what to do. She had no answer, no advice, nothing to give to the man she loved as he watched her die. All she wanted was to feel his hands on her skin one last time. To kiss him, to tell him how she loved him.

The life they could have had rushed through Naoto's eyes. They would have been good together, no… They would have been perfect. And she blamed herself for ruining everything they could have had…

Grandfather would have approved. She would become a great detective with Yu Narukami by her side. They would have visited her parents' grave to ask for their approval. She would have done everything in her power to support him… Naoto loved Yu. She needed him, and that love made her tears fall down her face.

The hands pulled her to the ground as she gave up fighting. She looked at Yu, and she saw the what-ifs, and the could-have-beens, and the life they should have had. They were supposed to grow old together. They were supposed to have a child, maybe two, maybe even three. Despite everything, she took a deep breath and she smiled at him.

"I love you." Her voice did not shake. There was nothing else in the world she believed in as strongly as this. This simple truth… "I will always love you."

"Please, stop," he begged. He tried to turn his head away, only for a single hand to land on top of his head. It dug its long, sharp fingers into his forehead, almost ripping into his skin, as it forced him to watch Naoto die. Two more hands fell on each side of his face, holding him with the same needle-like touch, almost piercing each of his eyes as they forced his eyes open.

"Naoto!" Yu screamed out her name as she sank into the black abyss. Her head was almost consumed as she, even now, smiled.

She sank into the darkness, proclaiming her love for him one last time. There were no more screams. No more cries. Nothing but Yu Narukami, and the goddess that chose him. Silence blended with the fog as he laid on his knees. The shadows released him, knowing the fight in him had been killed.

"Now do you understand?" There was no sympathy in Izanami's voice. Only arrogance. "All that awaits if you pursue the truth is anguish and agony. Wouldn't you prefer to spend eternity in a world fashioned by your own desires? Wouldn't that bring you far greater happiness?"

Yu lifted his head up, his arms shaking as they held his body off of the ground. He looked up at the goddess with broken, grey eyes, and he begged for salvation.

Silver eyes opened as the memories flooded back and Yu gasped for air. His Shadow glared down at him. The rage that brewed inside the golden-eyed man was burning hotter with every second.

"Our friends, our family died because of us! And you think you can just live in a dream world?! You think you deserve any kind of happiness after what you've done?!"

Yu stepped back, legs trembling as he tried to make sense of what he had just learned. None of it made sense, yet the pieces fell perfectly into his mind. Had he really…?

"Let me ask you a question. Who are you?" Yu flinched. His Shadow's grimace finally turned into a crooked grin, and he laughed. "Been asking yourself that a lot lately, haven't you? Well? Do you have an answer?"

His Shadow forced Yu onto his feet, before he threw a punch. Yu stumbled back from being decked across the face. His glasses fell to the ground. He almost hit the ground, but his Shadow grabbed Yu's collar and held him up.

"Are you a liar? A pervert who wants nothing more than to feed your own depraved desires?" Shadow Yu slammed a knee into his counterpart's stomach, making Yu cry out in pain. "Are you a hero? An inspiration to those around you?"

The Shadow spun around, and he threw Yu to the floor, letting the silverette slide across the stage. "Are you just a delinquent? Are you still a bad guy? Have you even changed? Do you even know?!" Shadow Yu marched forward, the floorboards creaking under his feet. "Who are you?!"

The silverette tried to stand up, only to cry out in pain as his Shadow's foot shot into his ribs. "Maybe…" The Shadow's voice was low, almost methodical. "You're a reflection of your friends?" For a moment, the entity's face fell. He looked almost heartbroken, a crude reflection of Yu's own eyes. "Maybe who we are depends on them…"

A disgusting scowl pulled on the Shadow's lips. He kicked Yu again, before forcing the silver-eyed teen onto his feet. "And we both know that means... We were going to move away. Leave everything we loved behind!" The Shadow smashed his fist into Yu's stomach, savoring the sound of pain Yu made...

"And do you know what would have happened without them? We would have fallen back down. Like climbing up a mountain, so close to the top, we would just let go…. Because we can't do this without them."

The Shadow hit Yu again and again, and any attempt at defending himself was met with a brutal counterattack. The man's face was bruised, and blood coursed down his lip as he let out haggard breaths.

The physical attack hurt like hell, but the mental one was where Yu was crumbling. This Shadow knew him better than anyone else. It was him, no matter how much he wanted to reject it. It knew just what to say to make the young man unravel. It knew what had been plaguing the young man for months…

"Y-you're me," Yu tried to keep his distance, but the Shadow was much faster than he was. He shot forward, grabbing Yu by his shoulder and slamming him into the ground.

"You have to mean it," the Shadow laughed, standing up as Yu laid on the ground. The Shadow lifted up his foot and he brought it down, stomping on Yu, kicking him, savoring the red blood that spilled on the floor.

The Shadow held his hand out towards the audience, and darkness swirled on his palm, before a long, black blade stretched out. Shadow Yu held the sword tightly as he voiced his other half's hidden thoughts.

"I'm not strong enough to be good, to be honest around people. A month alone, without Naoto, and I'll be back to pushing girls over the edge… Deep down inside, I know who I am. I'm nothing. Nothing without my friends…They make me strong. They make me kind. They made me who I am today. I don't want to be alone again... I'd rather die."

The Shadow lifted the sword up, holding it over his head as Yu stared into those golden eyes. They were burning with contempt and hate. This dark reflection of himself was born from his self-loathing. Born from what Yu, deep in his own mind, thought was inevitable...

"You know that this is the right thing to do. Spare your friends the heartbreak... That's what you told yourself night, after night… Spare them the pain of watching you fall." All Yu's thoughts. All his darkest secrets. Shame burned inside of Yu as he croaked out stuttered plea.

His friends had died because of him, and even if he could save them, what waited for them? For him? He would fall back into his being a manipulative snake, and his friends would be forced to see what a monster he was… Who he really was... They would try to save him, only to inevitably fail…

He couldn't do that to his friends. He had to do the right thing. He laid on the ground, refusing to get up as the Shadow aimed his sword. Yu's heart pounded in his chest. His mind told him to move. His mind told him to accept the truth.

Yu Narukami had failed. Both as a person, and as a hero. He couldn't stop Izanami. He couldn't even change what he was…

He had to die.

Naoto Shirogane blinked. She lifted her head up, slowly taking in her surroundings. She was in a car. A limousine, considering the upholstery and size. She tried to stand, only to cringe as her body ached from the slight movement. She took a deep breath, only to become tense as she realized she wasn't alone.

There was a woman, with pale skin and platinum blonde hair. She wore a blue dress, and she smiled at Naoto with bright, ruby lips. Then there was the man sitting next to her, a tall man with wide, almost bug-like eyes and a nose that was disproportionately big compared to the rest of his face.

The man gave her a toothy grin, holding his hand out to her with a smile.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room."

END

Early update! YAY!

Well, folks. This is it. One last chapter, and an epilogue, and... I think that's it. We're done. This story is coming to an end.

I'm scared, not gonna lie.

I've been trying to set up this chapter for a while. In the last few chapters, Yu's needed his friend to help him, to keep him going. In a way, Yu's final temptation is about fearing he'll turn back into his more manipulative self if he doesn't have his friends. Terrified of who he is when he's alone. Sort of like the anime's portrayal of Yu. He was afraid to leave his friends. So is this Yu.

Plus, Naoto's in the Velvet Room! Been planning that for a while!

I'll see you next time, folks. For the final battle, and for Yu to realize who he really is. Don't miss out on the action packed, heart racing end. Love you! And remember, if you want to support me, and Just a Delinquent, I have a Pat-reon. I'd love to see you there. Stay safe, and remember, you are loved!

Next time: Yu - A Remarkable Guest. December 6th, 2018