Hey there...
Been a while, hasn't it? I'm really sorry about that. The past years were not easy for me or my great partner and friend, Ohta-chan. Between pandemic, family concerns, mental and physical health problems and job issues for both of us, it was a struggle to get inspired. But we managed to pull through and we hope the chapter was worth the wait.
Disclairmers on Chapter one.
Enjoy, Read and Review!
Chapter 28: Clash of Persona – Part 02
There never was a moment in Sho's life that he could remember having this much fun. He never laughed this hard either. "Come on, pansy!" he yelled. "Let's make this a fight I'll never forget!"
Souji tried his hardest to avoid getting injured, but the headache caused by Izanagi's disobedience made it excruciatingly difficult.
Sho got even more excited whenever his swords drew blood, no matter how small the cut. Whenever Souji felt pain, the red-headed boy relished every moment of it. "Feel my wrath!" he crowed. "Izayoi!"
There was something different about his attacks this time. Souji couldn't pinpoint why, but dodging became an impossible task. It was as if the slashes had a mind of its own, its reach becoming longer and ended up cutting him whenever he thought he had a grasp of its distance. Another one just slashed his jacket, nicking the skin underneath.
Manic laughter continued to escape Sho's throat. "That's it! Show me more of your fighting spirit! I'll wipe out every single drop of it!"
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Souji called out Titan to give him an attack boost. "I've never even met you. What the hell did I ever do to you?!"
"You really wanna know why?" Sho paused his laughter. "For existing, that's why! Everything that happened to me… WAS ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!"
And then it came back. The head-splitting, soul-shattering headache. Souji held onto his head, too pained to hear himself scream. Bluish black smoke appeared at his feet.
Bloody Izanagi appeared and stopped Sho's swords in its tracks. His usually golden eyes had turned red, reflecting the moon's light eerily. He ignored his wielder's anguish as the silverette writhed on the floor, still holding his head.
Sho licked his lips, heart thrumming with excitement and adrenaline. "So you finally called him out. It's Sho Time!"
The fight was fast and furious. Sho's strength and speed in battle was on par with Bloody Izanagi's, which made no sense to Souji. The pain also made it very difficult for him to control his Persona, let alone try to call him back. If this kept up, Bloody Izanagi would exhaust him dry. He couldn't afford to pass out in front of Sho, knowing the probability that the red-haired psycho might murder him while unconscious.
A Persona running on its wielder's low energy supply could not last long either, no matter how powerful they were. Sho easily defeated Bloody Izanagi, piercing his mask with both blades for good measure. The original god disappeared, leaving a swirl of sparkling light which then flew to the top of the tower.
"Now then," Sho grinned as he made a slashing gesture that was used to remove excess blood from his blades. "I believe it's your turn." He marched towards the writhing mess on the ground, making sure that the sole of his boots made as much noise as possible.
Souji willed his body to move, but his limbs weren't listening. He was a sitting duck as Sho began swinging down his swords -
"Not so fast!"
Naoto, Kanji & Rise
Naoto dodge-rolled a Bufudyne, bringing up her gun to shoot at her assailant mid-roll.
Shadow Mitsuru was a tough opponent. Not only was she skilled in mid-range combat, her scanning abilities made it difficult for Naoto to get an upper hand at the element of surprise. Lucky for her, the Shadow didn't have any immunity to bullets. One shot grazed the Shadow's left arm, making it bleed out black ooze.
"If you are not Mitsuru-san's real Shadow, then someone else must have created you. Who is it?" the young detective questioned.
Flicking her hair back haughtily, Shadow Mitsuru ignored her injury and readied her rapier. "That is for me to know, and you to find out. Preferably for you to die trying."
Unamused, Naoto summoned Yamato Takeru to parry the slash attack. She aimed another bullet at the abdominal area, but it only managed to hit the side. "If you are adamant on not telling me, then let me present my own theory."
The Shadow summoned Reverse Artemisia. "Why bother? You're only delaying the inevitable."
"That may be so, but like you said, why not die trying?"
They fought some more, mostly with physical attacks. Naoto made sure to allocate a fine distance between them, never taking her eyes off her opponent. Outside the invisible barrier, Kanji crossed his arms, digging his fingernails into his skin to prevent himself from pounding on the walls. Rise had Kanzeon out, trying to communicate with Fuuka. But her worry for Naoto made it difficult to focus.
"You know what I think? This competition is just a ruse, trying to distract us from getting to the heart of the matter. Which is precisely what your creator wants, isn't it?" Naoto questioned, her tone cool and even. "Whatever it is that you're extracting from the townspeople and from us, your creator isn't powerful enough to initiate his or her plan without it."
"Hmph, impressive observation, but one an average police trainee can make on a normal day," Shadow Mitsuru retorted arrogantly. She summoned Reverse Artemisia and shot ice spears at Naoto. Fortunately, Yamato Takeru casted Makarakarn to counter. The ice spears bounced back to its caster, but did no harm.
Naoto used that time window to reload her gun. "Whoever is organizing this tournament, that is your true creator. Still, teaming up with Sho Minazuki does not make sense. What purpose do you hope to achieve by collaborating with a loose cannon like him?"
Shadow Mitsuru did not answer. She shot towards Naoto, rapier at the ready. The young detective released a few shots to disarm her, but all of them missed. Not discouraged, she used her short stature and slid easily enough under the Shadow's swipe, kicking the legs underneath her.
The two opponents did the same song and dance for a while, Naoto relentlessly pursuing her lead while Shadow Mitsuru was more inclined towards high class insults. Despite the many attempts to impale the Detective Prince, Naoto didn't mind… as long as her opponent kept talking.
As they battled, Naoto was starting to see a pattern in the Shadow's speech to certain questions. It was vague at best, but worth a try. "You seem awfully tight-lipped whenever I ask about Sho Minazuki. Why is that?" She dodged an ice spear. "Does he have something to do with the Kirijo Group?" She side-stepped another two, while Yamato Takeru parried another. "A black stain? Or a loose thread?"
"ENOUGH!" The gleam in Shadow Mitsuru's eyes grew brighter. "IT'S TIME FOR YOUR EXECUTION!"
Naoto released an exasperated breath. "Then I guess we're done here." There was no use trying to talk any longer. She switched her metaphorical thinking cap to battle mode. 'She is too nimble and quick for me to get a close range on her. Unless I trap her in one place, I won't stand a chance.'
Reverse Artemesia unleashed a wave of cold air, freezing the floor. Naoto almost lost her footing on the slippery ice.
Outside, Kanji was furiously pounding on the invisible barrier. He knew how much his girlfriend sucked at winter sports; last year's disastrous skiing lessons withstanding. Unable to move or hold a proper stance, she was a sitting duck! Beside him, Rise was frantically trying to get him to calm down.
Centering herself, Naoto took a deep breath and closely observed her opponent. She knew the Shadow was taunting her into attacking first, but she won't give her that satisfaction. Instead, she recalled her training with Amada. They both used Light magic. As useful as it was, it came with its own set of problems. Together with Koromaru, they tried to devise ways on how to properly utilise it in battle without relying on the random element that often frustrated them, but they finally managed to find a way around it.
"Come, Yamato Takeru!"
"So you've finally made your move," Shadow Mitsuru's hawk-like gaze narrowed even further. "This is the end. Périr!" She ordered her Persona to unleash Myriad Arrows made of ice.
Having thought ahead, Naoto casted Makarakarn on herself and evaded for good measure, careful of the floor's slippery property to gain more range. She almost slipped, but caught herself just in time after an icicle nearly impaled her. Luckily, the reflective spell activated and reversed course towards its caster. Quickly, she summoned her Persona again and concentrated. "Mahamaon! Mamudoon!"
A light seal appeared underneath their feet, covering the entire floor in runes. A burst of luminosity surrounded them and began to solidify. Under Naoto's command, the light beams began to dance around in a circular pattern, closing in on Shadow Mitsuru. Another set of dark runes appeared alongside the light, trapping her within a tight wall of solid, transparent prisms.
Because the Shadow could barely move, her distraction caused her attacks to cease. "How?!" she shrieked, furiously trying to hit the barrier. But there wasn't enough arm room to do so. "What did you do?!"
"That's for me to know - " Naoto refilled the barrel and cocked her gun. "And for you to find out." She shot the entire round, effectively silencing her adversary. She pulled her cap down as the body turned into black ooze and sparkles flew out the window. "Au revoir."
Once the barriers that held them back were down, she was tackled by Rise's suffocating hug. "Naoto~!" the former idol cried. "I'm so glad you're alright!" The girl began to weep on her shoulder.
"Dammit Naoto, you almost gave me a heart attack!" Kanji scolded. "That settles it! Once winter break's on, I'mma haul your ass to a ski resort and we'll practice ice skating!" Once he realized what he had just said, his face immediately began to heat up.
Ignoring her boyfriend, Naoto focused on Rise. Instead of pushing her away, she patted her friend on the back and reminded her of their mission. "Rise-san, please lead the way. We need to get to Fuuka-san as quickly as possible."
Souji & Sho
Souji recognised that voice. A semi-transparent shield surrounded him and deflected whatever attack that the other boy dished out.
"What the hell?!" Sho shouted. He turned his gaze towards the voice's direction and snarled. "How dare you, you bastard!"
A long, yellow scarf bellowed in the wind from the open windows. Crouching on the sill was Ryoji Mochizuki. "Sorry I'm late, Souji-kun," the young man grinned. "I hope you're not in too much trouble."
The silverette was too fatigued to answer.
"I said-" Sho took out another hunting knife from his right bootstrap. "Who the hell are you?!" He flung the weapon towards Ryoji.
The dark-haired man deflected it with another shield. "You're so rude," Ryoji chided casually. "Isn't it basic manners to introduce yourself first before asking for someone else's name?"
But Sho wasn't in the mood to play nice. He screamed a battle cry as he slashed the shield with more force. Unfortunately for him, it did not yield. Some of his attacks even bounced back and he ended up punching himself in the face.
Ryoji clicked his tongue, slightly amused at the red-headed boy's futile attempt to break through his Moonless Gown, but he couldn't keep it up for long if he wasn't in his complete state. That, and he already drained a large portion of his energy summoning a temporary Dark Hour earlier. He scooped Souji up in a fireman's carry, ignoring his groan of protest.
Sho only grew angrier. "Hey, where are you taking him?! Put him down, he's mine!"
"Sorry, no can do!" Ryoji answered, flashing him a winning smile. "I can't let him die, or else Marie-chan would kill me instead." Expecting a retort, he became suspicious when Sho remained quiet. Ryoji was about to jibe him just to get some sort of response when the boy began talking to himself.
"What?! You wanna deal with him instead? ….Don't joke around! …..Fine, have it your way!"
The former Avatar of Nyx could feel the shift in the atmosphere surrounding the boy. What surprised him even more was the change in his eye colour from glowing red to a furious light blue.
"You can't escape unless either one of us is defeated," the redhead said calmly. "This is a competition, after all."
Ryoji could tell something was different about this guy. His voice remained the same, but his speech pattern sounded more mature and dignified. 'How unusual…' Alas, he didn't have time to deal with his own curiosity. "He's already out of commission. You're already the victor, so why do you still need him?"
"What we do with him is none of your concern."
'We?' Ryoji's forehead creased. 'What does he mean by that?'
The other boy raised his right-handed sword. "Taking him away goes against Sho's wishes, thus going against mine. Last chance," he warned. "Leave him, or I will have to deal with you myself!"
Running out of strength and options, the only thing Ryoji could do was to keep his shield up while he tried to think of a way to escape with his friend. He decided to make a run for it.
"Very well. Don't say I didn't warn you. Come, Tsukiyomi!"
Bluish-black smoke appeared at the red-head's feet. From behind him, a masculine figure emerged. He wore a billowing robe of black and red, cut into several sections for physical mobility. Underneath the robe was a black and white striped bodysuit, accentuating his lean but strong body. A samurai helmet covered his entire head and face, with a strange-shaped horn that looked like flames or tree roots protruding the frontal cranium.
Ryoji couldn't help but compare this Persona to Izanagi. They looked almost similar, it was scary.
He didn't have time to dwell on that thought though, when Tsukiyomi slashed at his shield with a katana licked in black flames. It wavered slightly. 'Shit!' He sprinted into a run and dove out the window, summoning his wings. Luckily, the barrier went down immediately after Souji passed out, so he managed to safely exit without trouble.
Once he dropped his shield, Ryoji found it easier to focus on flying, flapping twice as hard to support their combined weight.
"Get back here!"
Ryoji didn't look back, ignoring the cries of anger and frustration that was left far behind. Now, he had to find Marie.
Yukiko, Chie & Metis
It was impossible for Yukiko to get any closer to her opponent. All she could do was evade and dodge any attack that was thrown her way. In the midst of combat, she could only afford to heal herself in small doses, just enough to cover any superficial injuries. But even so, her body was aching all over no thanks to the cuts and bruises inflicted by Shadow Yukari.
Landing on her feet gracefully, the Shadow let out a villainous cackle. "Why don't you give up right now? I'll go easier on you if you do."
Yukiko grit her teeth. "Not happening!"
"Oh well, don't say I didn't warn you." Shadow Yukari dashed forward to deliver a low swing kick, aiming for her legs again. Fortunately, Yukiko saw through this and successfully dodged, even if by a slight margin.
"Amaterasu!"
The sun goddess materialized in a flash of bright light, bombarding the Shadow with exploding fireballs.
Shadow Yukari casted Magaru to dissipate them. "Is that all you got?" she taunted.
Yukiko clenched her jaw tightly. She was aware of her disadvantages in this fight, the Shadow being her opposite. Just like the real Yukari, it emulated her athleticism, especially her strength, flexibility and speed.
None of which Yukiko was proficient in.
'What can I do that she can't?' she thought desperately. 'The only things I can do well are heal and fire…' Her eyes roamed around the room.
Shadow Yukari was beginning to lose patience. The wind around them picked up speed. "Phew, that wasn't much of a workout, but I think I'm done here."
Hot air swirled around them, swiping Yukiko's long hair back and forth. The high temperatures didn't bother her as much as her hair slapping against her face, but the whirling heat gave her an idea.
The Shadow smirked, pleased that she had the upper hand. She ordered Reverse Isis to increase the speed of the Garudyne, slicing surrounding objects and tightening its hold around her opponent.
But Yukiko was ready. Once the tornado was enclosed enough around her, she summoned Amaterasu once more to shield herself, and shoot large and concentrated amounts of explosive flames into the moving wind. It was strong enough to not only catch the tornado on fire, the wind was actually perpetuating it, making the flames stronger!
The blazing tornado was now under Yukiko's control.
Horrified, Shadow Yukari backed away and started shooting concentrated magic arrows into the fire. This only made the fire stronger.
Yukiko mercilessly commanded the flaming tornado to engulf the Shadow. It didn't stand a chance.
Outside the barrier, Chie had to shield herself behind Metis because of the melting heat, due to her Persona's weakness.
Once the inferno died down, the barrier dropped. In the middle stood Yukiko, out of breath but otherwise fine. She swayed in her spot, losing her balance in the process.
Metis caught her just in time before she hit the floor. "Are you alright, Yukiko-san? Goodness, your body temperature is higher than normal."
"Good thing I'm fire resistant then," the raven-haired beauty joked, still breathing heavily.
"That's not something to laugh about!" Chie shrilled, holding onto her other hand.
"Hang on. Perhaps this can help." Metis channeled a small degree of Psyche's ice powers into her hands to cool down Yukiko's skin. A breath of relief escaped her lips. "That was a bold move you pulled off there. If the fire didn't burn you, then the oxygen depletion would have killed you first."
"I didn't have a choice. It was either me or her," Yukiko lightly retorted. Her lightheadedness slowly ebbed away thanks to Metis cooling down her body temperature to normal levels. "Besides, finding Souji-kun is more important right now. I can't leave him out there to fight alone."
Chie helped her stand up. "Of course not. Come on, we gotta keep moving, or we'll never get anything done!"
"Thanks, Chie."
Akihiko & Mitsuru
The couple weren't sure if the warp space that took them to the Moonlight Bridge was an anomaly, but they never encountered anything like it again.
Akihiko was deemed fit to walk by himself after Mitsuru healed his injuries in stages. They encountered a stray Shadow or two, but only the weak ones.
They had to stop a few times so Mitsuru could scan a certain area, but no luck so far. She was starting to lose her patience. "Tch, this fog is making everything too elusive. I've had it! Akihiko!"
"Yes, Mitsuru?" If he was honest with himself, his girlfriend's frustrated expression excited him. There was something about her eyes and body language in this particular state that really turned him on… as long as her ire wasn't directed at him, that is. He could almost hear Shinjiro's sneer calling him a masochist.
"Please make as many shortcuts as you can. All these dead ends are driving me insane!"
The former boxing champ smirked, wrapping another layer of athletic tape around his knuckles. "As you wish." He didn't bother using his Evoker. Instead, he activated Caesar's passive ability, Fist Master, to enhance his punching power. He mixed in a bit of Ziodyne to add more damage potential. "Oryaaaaaah!" The hole he made was big enough for both of them to fit through. The thickness of the wall was a testament to how much the creator of this twisted tournament wanted to prevent anyone from cheating.
"Impressive," Mitsuru praised, flicking back stray strands of her red hair. "Let's see how long you can keep that up." Akihiko happily busted a few more walls. They passed through hallways, even more classrooms, and climbed a few stairways. He readied his fist to create more shortcuts as Mitsuru continued to scan their surroundings. Suddenly, she picked up on a familiar life signature. Two, in fact. "Akihiko, wait!"
Too late - the wall was busted through. Once it collapsed, the couple found themselves showered with bullets. Luckily, all of it missed thanks to the poor visibility offered by the fog and concrete dust flying around.
"Aigis, stop! It's just us!" Mitsuru shouted.
The shooting ceased immediately. "Mitsuru-san…? Akihiko-san…?"
Brushing off the debris and dust off himself, Akihiko grinned. "Aigis! I've never been so glad to see you." He then noticed the semi-limp girl the android was helping to support upright. "Minako! What happened to her?"
"Before I answer that, do either of you have any revival items?" Aigis asked. "She used much of her energy to finish off a Shadow when I found her."
"Whose appearance did it copy?" Mitsuru asked.
"Minato-san's."
"I see." The heiress rummaged through her pockets and pulled out a small jar of balm. "Thank goodness I purchased this before coming to the festival." She opened the jar and waved it under Minako's nose like smelling salts.
A few moments later, the auburn-headed girl began to stir. "Mmnh… Aigis…?"
"I am here, Minako-san," the faithful android answered. "You're alright. Mitsuru-san and Akihiko-san are currently with us."
"Senpai!" Minako straightened up, bright and energized. "I'm so glad to see you! I was trapped in the PA room, and then that weird announcement came on, and then-!"
"Whoa whoa, hold your horses..." Akihiko tried to slow her down, affectionately ruffling her hair. "Calm down, Minako. Aigis was just telling us that you fought with a Shadow that imitated your brother. Are you… okay?"
Minako scowled. "I knew he was a fake the moment he started insulting me! Even at his angriest, Aniki would never be so mean and say such awful things!" She crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks angrily. "That thing got what it deserved."
Akihiko chuckled. "Good point." His expression quickly turned serious. "Come on. We need to get to the top of this tower. Mitsuru suspects that whatever the hell is going on here, we'll be able to find something once we get there."
"Pardon me for asking, Minako," Mitsuru interjected. "But why are you carrying a microphone stand?"
"Oh, this?" Minako twirled it. "I couldn't find my naginata in all that chaos, and this was the only thing available. It's not the greatest, but it does the job."
"I… see..." Mitsuru sweatdropped, but let the matter drop. "We better get going, then. We can't afford to waste anymore time chit-chatting."
"Before you head off - " An elegant, feminine voice said behind them. Mitsuru, Aigis and Akihiko poised to attack, but Minako stopped them in time. After all, she recognised who the voice belonged to. "If you would kindly lend me some of your time, Minako-sama, we would like to have a word with you."
Minato & Marie
On their way upwards, the duo encountered very few Shadows, and those were only the weak ones. Seeing the damage trail left behind had Minato suspect that their friends made those prior to his arrival.
He was thankful, because it made climbing to the top a lot easier, like following breadcrumb trails.
"This way," Marie said as she led them. "I can feel a strong presence up ahead."
Minato trailed silently behind her, curious about her abilities. A being similar in nature to Ryoji, although currently not entirely whole, and able to traverse the worlds of human consciousness.
Once they finished climbing the staircase, Theodore stood waiting for them beside a glowing blue door. "Ah, Minato-sama. Kusumi-no-Okami. I have been waiting for quite some time," he greeted.
"Stop calling me that!" Marie shot back. She looked like she had more to say, but thought against it. "Anyway, we don't have much time! We need to get to the top. Inaba's future depends on it!"
Theodore bowed politely. "I understand. But we need to discuss some urgent matters with both of you."
Before Marie could retort, Minato placed a hand on her shoulder. "Igor has never sent an attendant to fetch any of us in person. This must be important," he told her. "Don't worry. You of all people should understand that time is irrelevant in the Velvet Room. Let's make this quick." Without a glance back, they followed Theo inside.
Whilst the Velvet Room had not changed in appearance, a familiar face beamed a flirtatious grin at both of them. A little too brightly, one might add.
"Marie-chan, you finally arrived! Let's go on a date!"
The girl didn't hesitate to jump forward and punch him in the jaw. "Shut up! For the last time, my answer is still no! And read the situation, you idiot!"
Minato wasn't sympathetic in the least. "You deserved that," he sighed. His lips twitched into a smile, happy to see an old friend once again. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Ryoji?"
"Minato-kun, that's not very nice," Ryoji pouted dramatically, holding his sore face. "Are you sure you're related to Minako-chan? She would have given me a hug."
The light, friendly aura surrounding Minato visibly darkened. "Anyway, what are you doing here? Only those who have a contract can enter this place." He didn't want to get into a fight with another friend today.
"He is only here because Master Igor gave him permission to enter," said a playful, female voice from behind him. "He saved a precious guest from certain doom, so it was a compromise Master was more than willing to make. I just finished patching him up. And a fine job I did, if I say so myself."
The blunette's eyes widened with worry for two reasons. "Oh god, Minako…!"
"No, it isn't your sister. But rather, the guest of my sister, the one you call Souji Seta."
...Flashback...
Theodore and Elizabeth battled with the Shadows during their own investigation.
"Hmm, a most peculiar phenomenon." Elizabeth mused as she casually threw a card at a stray Shadow, slicing it in two. "Shadows thrive here almost effortlessly, yet the atmosphere is most oppressive on humans. It's quite similar to Tartarus when you think about it."
"Indeed, Sister. It is mind-boggling how such a place can materialize in an area as big as a city in such a short amount of time." Theodore slammed his tome into another Shadow. "Perhaps we ought to return to the Velvet Room and report our findings to Master Igor and Margaret."
Elizabeth pondered for a few seconds. "No. You go on ahead, Theo. I want to investigate a little further."
Theodore was about to argue, but the determined gaze in his sister's eyes had him thinking otherwise. "Very well, do be careful on your way back." A glowing blue door appeared before him. It disappeared after he entered.
Elizabeth ventured forth. The sound of battle up ahead piqued her interest. "Oh dear, what is going on now? Master said we are not supposed to interfere, but I simply
cannot quell my curiosity."
Running towards the sound, the Velvet sister came across an unusual sight; dozens of large Shadows surrounding two humans. "What is this?" she pondered out loud. "How curious. Judging by the size and amount of Shadows that have gathered, are they attracted to their power? Or were they ordered to hunt them down?" She took a closer look. "Wait a minute, those are…!"
"Ugh, this definitely didn't come out as planned..." Ryoji muttered as he helped his companion stand. "Sorry Souji-kun, but I'm afraid we're not out of danger just yet."
The silverette let out an exhausted sigh. "No, it appears not."
"Were I not drained from the fight with that red-headed weirdo, I can easily take them out," Ryoji panted, emphasizing his point. "We might need a different game plan here."
The Shadows were closing in.
"Whatever we do, we better do it fast then." Souji narrowed his eyes as he clenched his sword tighter. "They won't simply let us walk away."
Just as the Shadows were about to strike, a familiar figure loomed above them - a man with long blue hair, clad in a gold and white haori hakama. His face was painted white with red markings akin to a kabuki mask. Beside his hip, a large katana gleamed menacingly. Unsheathing it slowly, floating purple orbs began forming in front of him, gathering energy.
Souji blinked. He recognized him immediately. "Masakado? What on earth…?!"
With a swift flick of Masakado's wrist, the katana was fully unsheathed and the orbs came crashing down onto the Shadow horde, resulting in a huge explosion that blew Souji and Ryoji backwards onto their rears.
The Shadows were reduced to piles of ash.
"Ow ow ow…!" the former Harbinger groaned, rubbing his head before taking in the sight in front of them. "Whoa! They're gone! Souji-kun, you did that?" He glanced at the barren landscape once more. "A little over the top, but hey, whatever works!"
"That wasn't me," Souji said as Ryoji helped him back on his feet.
"Wait, what?"
"I didn't summon Masakado," Souji repeated. "He is not a Persona that can normally use Megidolaon. Besides, that was way more powerful than anything I can cast. I don't think Aneki or Aniki could do that, either."
"Eh? Then who-?" Ryoji was cut off by the sound of footsteps.
"Dear me, it appears I arrived at a good time," Elizabeth said. "Souji-sama, Nyx Avatar, are you both unharmed?"
"Elizabeth-san, please. I told you not to call me that." Ryoji flashed her a bashful grin. "But am I glad to see you. Thank you so much for saving us!"
"Same here. I was really fearing the worst back there, but… Why are you here?" Souji asked.
"I was investigating this strange crimson phenomenon under Master Igor's orders, when I caught you two in peril. While we've been ordered not to directly interfere, as a Velvet Room attendant, it is my sworn duty to assist our guests in their time of need."
Souji bowed gratefully to her. "Thank you for your aid."
"Same here, Elizabeth-san!" Ryoji beamed. "That was such an amazing display of power and elegance!"
"By the by, I apologize if my attack knocked you over. As one that rules over power, I tend to go a little overboard sometimes. Or so my siblings tell me."
'A little?!' Souji was about to comment something about Margaret when he suddenly let out a groan of pain, clutching the side of his head. "Ngh..."
"Souji-kun? Is something the matter?" Ryoji asked.
"It's… it's nothing. I just need to catch my breath..."
"Oh my. Souji-sama, you look quite exhausted," Elizabeth commented. "This won't do. Come with me."
"Huh? Where are we going?" Ryoji asked.
"I'll lead you back to the Velvet Room. You can recover there. Once Master Igor hears about my findings-" her eyes started to shimmer, but quickly regained her composure. "I'm sure he'll request my siblings to look for Minato-sama and Minako-sama, so you can reconvene with them as well."
...End flashback...
Minato's heart sank. "Souji-kun's hurt? Where is he?!" Realizing that he said that more harshly than intended, he softened his tone. "S-sorry… May I know where he is?"
Elizabeth didn't take it to heart. "He is being watched over by my baby brother."
Minato sweatdropped. Only Elizabeth could sound so formal and polite, yet condescending at the same time. At least he knew his surrogate brother was safe.
As if on cue, Theodore appeared. "Sister, please stop referring to me as an infant. I am a grown man!" They began bickering like siblings normally do as Marie and Ryoji watched on, amused.
Minato took the opportunity to slip away to check up on Souji. Since the Velvet Room wasn't a large space, he easily found the silverette lying on a settee. "Souji-kun?"
Upon hearing his surrogate brother's voice, Souji slowly seated himself upright. "Aniki...you're okay."
"Baka, I should be asking you that. What happened?"
Before he could answer, a female voice interrupted. "Aniki! Souji-kun!"
Minako appeared through an outline of a blue door, Margaret right behind her. She tackled her twin for a hug, nearly toppling him over.
"If you two are here, then that must mean my siblings have also arrived," Margaret said. "Please wait here while I make the preparations." She gave the bickering pair a glare that had Theo quaking in his boots before they followed her to a closed-off section of the mysterious room, dragging Marie and Ryoji with them.
After they left, the trio realized that Igor wasn't there to greet them like he usually did. Where could he have gone?
Teddie & Labrys
Labrys was careful not to exert too much of her energy in order to subdue the gigantic monster that was Asterius, while being aware of her Shadow counterpart at the same time.
Teddie, meanwhile, battled with all his might against himself to hold back from healing Labrys, just as she instructed him to. He never took his eyes off her, although was forced to occasionally in order to avoid any flaming projectiles that could injure him.
"You should just give up!" Shadow Labrys taunted. "Even if you make it out of here alive, you'll still end up with nothing!"
"NEVER!" Labrys yelled. Despite the scorching flames threatening to overheat her systems, she stood her ground, trying to find a small window of opportunity to execute her plan.
The Shadow smirked. "Such passion. Too bad I'mma snuff it out!" The manic in her eyes glowed brighter. "Asterius, TITANOMACHIA!"
The fire blast was devastating to say the least. Asterius roared as hellfire erupted from his kiln-like mouth, the explosion quaking the ground beneath their feet. The sound drowned out Shadow Labrys' crazed laughter.
Labrys braced herself, holding Ariadne back before pulling out her trump card. "Teddie, NOW!"
Responding to the situation, Teddie's logical conclusion was to freeze everything in place. Focusing all of his spiritual energy into Kamui, he unleashed a powerful Mabufudyne to trap the Shadow and her reversed Persona. It was a lot stronger than what he ever conjured before. "Grrrrrhhhh!" Teddie growled as he held his ground, fighting off the heat and shakiness. Whatever remaining strength he had left was focused on keeping the ice blocks solid.
The temperature cooled down thanks to the ice, but the heat was still unbearable. "Ariadne!" Labrys called on her Persona, charging up her attack. She had to finish this, and fast. "Go all out! BEAST WEAVER!"
Red strings from Ariandne's wrist formed an even bigger bull's head. It smashed into the ice block holding Shadow Labrys with overwhelming force, so much so that the silhouette of Asterius wavered in and out of existence. Just to be safe, Labrys had Ariadne attack him as well.
The Shadow fell back, shocked and enraged that she had been defeated. But Labrys wasn't done with her yet. She grabbed the collar of the Shadow's school uniform with her rocket-punch hand and pulled her closer, further adding damage with her giant axe. Unable to maintain focus, Asterius vanished.
Teddie finally fell on his knees. It was over.
Labrys strengthened her grip on her Shadow counterpart. "Any last words?"
Shadow Labrys chuckled. "Heh, whad'ya know? Ya finally got me. I guess I'll quietly go back to where I came from."
"And how can I trust that you'll stay there?" Labrys growled.
"You don't. You bested me for today, but once you're weak again, I'll come out and take over. Easy as that."
"You won't be able to if I get rid of you here and now!"
The Shadow chuckled. "That won't work. Remember, I've always been a part of you since you were built. The only way to get rid of me is to get rid of your core." She smirked. "Without your heart, what else could you be but a mindless machine?"
Labrys let out a loud "Tch!" and released her grip. The damaged Shadow crumpled into a heap on the floor. "If you think I'm gonna stay weak, you're wrong! But if you're also thinking of hurting my friends, even the pits of Hell won't save you!" She clenched her fist, dismissing Ariadne back into her psyche. "Now get outta here before I change my mind."
Her Shadow counterpart let out a breathy, exhausted chuckle. "I can feel it in your resolve. Very well, I'll go. Be on your toes though, I won't make the same mistake twice," she warned. Her outline shimmered in and out of existence until she became a shower of sparkles. It floated around Labrys and disappeared into her being, settling inside her core.
"Labby-chan?" Teddie called out hesitantly. He approached her cautiously, unsure of her current state. "Are you… are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay." Her voice was a little shaky, but strong nonetheless. "Let's rest for a bit. You must be runnin' outta juice for helpin' me earlier. Thanks."
"I'll never let you fight alone, Labby-chan. That's what friends are for!"
Labrys' couldn't stop the fuzzy feelings from blossoming in her chest. Nor did she want to.
Yosuke & Shinjiro
Yosuke fell on one knee, still holding strong despite his injuries. "Damn, this kid is a pain in the ass!"
Shadow Ken smirked, yellow eyes gleaming with twisted delight. "That's rich, coming from someone who got beaten by a kid."
A vein throbbed on Yosuke's temple. Things were looking bad; not only was he outnumbered, but the Shadow possessed Zio skills - the only element that Susano-O was weak against. He had to do something quick or he was a goner.
"So, how do you want to end this?" Shadow Ken taunted. "Roasted on a stick, speared and electrocuted... it's your choice really."
"Heh, didn't your mom ever tell you not to play in the kitchen?" Yosuke bit back, standing up.
The Shadow charged his spear with Ziodyne, his pet sidekick growling beside him, knife gripped tightly in his jaws. They began to circle around him, gazes sharp like a hawk on the hunt.
Yosuke gulped. He watched his opponents closely, trying to find a way around that nasty weapon. It wouldn't bid well for him if he got hit by something like that.
Outside the barrier, Shinjiro completely annihilated the small fries. He crossed his arms as he stood there, watching his classmate's every move. He wanted to pound on the damned invisible wall and shout at him to hurry the hell up, but refrained himself. Wasting energy yelling at Hanamura, who probably couldn't hear him anyway, was pointless.
Back inside, Yosuke weighed his options. He couldn't rely on his speed, Koromaru was his equal in that. And Ken was smart and tactful, and would have bested him in intelligence. The potential damage of his electricity attacks was what worried him most. So the only things he could actually rely on to get an upper hand were his wind spells and wits.
Susano-O wasn't a legendary trickster god for nothing.
Yosuke grinned. "Let's do this!"
Junpei, Ken & Koromaru
During their ascension of the stairs, they were ambushed by another Shadow disguised as an ally. The barrier erected itself without any warning. And because Junpei was walking at the front of their small party, he was the one who had to do battle for this round.
Junpei panted heavily, sweat pouring into his eyes. He never had the need nor the desire to practice sparring with the non-Shadow counterpart of his current opponent during training, and he was beginning to regret it.
After all, she and her sister did kick his and Koromaru's butts in the Abyss of Time. This Shadow version of her didn't seem to have any problems doing it again.
"C'mon Aigis, can't we sort this out?" Junpei pleaded. He ducked a sucker punch just in time, and swung his bat to create more distance between them.
Shadow Aigis jumped back, cocking her fingers to shoot another round of bullets. She didn't even respond to his question.
Outside the barrier, Ken was beginning to get worried. He could see how much Junpei was at a disadvantage in terms of ability and fighting style. Even with his latent healing ability, Spring of Life, he wouldn't stand a chance if Shadow Aigis activated Orgia Mode.
Junpei had to constantly maintain his distance in order to land a hit on Shadow Aigis. If he was too far away, the probability of missing his shots were high. He could easily have let Trismegistus spam Maragidyne and Vorpal Blades all over the place, but it wasn't worth it for him to needlessly spend his stamina like that. He needed a plan.
Too bad Shadow Aigis moved faster than his thinking process.
The Velvet Room
As Nameless continued to accompany Belladonna's aria, the air continued to buzz with nervous energy. Whether the veteran attendants felt it or not, the Wild Cards could not be sure.
Elizabeth stepped out from the secluded room. What surprised the guests was that she was wearing a pink-colored version of her bellhop uniform. "What do you think?" She gave them a twirl so they could see her dress in all of its entirety. "I asked the Master if I could get the others to change their clothes, but sadly he rejected my request."
Minako smiled at her. "I think it suits you very well, Elizabeth-chan. Did you make it yourself? What was your inspiration when you made it?" she asked, trying to make small talk to distract herself from the tension in the room.
"Inspiration, you ask?" She struck a dramatic pose. "Why, it comes from everywhere, dearest guest! One cannot comprehend the ideas and sparks that are generated every time a person takes in a breath! The universe often bestows such an insight to us all, and we continue to feel it surrounding us, guiding our thoughts and actions!" She extended her arms upwards, as if reaching for the sky. "If it wasn't for the color of the chewed-up gum that was stuck under the sole of my shoe, I would never have thought to make this outfit! Speaking of which… Theodore! Theo!"
"Umm… Elizabeth-san?" Souji interjected before she could scream for her brother any louder. "What was it that you called us here for? And where is Igor?"
"That is precisely why I am calling Theo. He should be here any second now."
As if on cue, Theodore arrived at the door, out of breath. "Yes, Sister? Why have you called?"
"Theo! How dare you not appear in proper uniform!"
"Ehhh?!" He looked down at his attire front and back, a confused frown on his face. "Sister, what are you talking about? This is my uniform, as instructed by our Master while we are on duty."
"As the Master is not here, I am allowed to bend the rules!" Elizabeth proceeded to force a very pink, very frilly apron over her brother's head. It wasn't that different from the one Souji made Teddie wear not that long ago.
Before Elizabeth could kick up more fuss as Theo wrestled her to resist the apron, Minato quickly got straight to the point. "You haven't answered our question. Where is Igor?" He got no answer from the duo.
"He is not here at the moment. Be at ease, young ones. Master Igor will only leave the Velvet Room on rare occasions to consult with a higher power," the Demon Artist said, never looking up from his work on the canvas. "The other guests are with Margaret. They should be ready to brief you on what they found right about now."
As if on cue, Margaret appeared from the other room, silencing her siblings with a glare before addressing their guests. "This way please," she gestured. "While it is true that Master Igor is not present at the moment, we feel it important that we share everything we know up to this point." She ushered them to an empty spare room, likely conjured by the will of the Velvet Room's current residents, where Marie, Ryoji and Pharos sat at the table in the center.
Minako couldn't help but smile at the youngest, despite the current situation. "Pharos-kun!" She hugged the little boy affectionately.
Ryoji wasn't happy with this. "Minako-chan, I'm also here!" He gestured to himself for emphasis.
"But Pharos-kun is technically you, right? So I'm actually hugging you too!" She pulled Pharos into an even tighter embrace.
Behind them, Minato and Souji couldn't contain their snickers. "She's got you there, Ryoji," the blunette said.
Marie rolled her eyes. "Idiot…" she muttered.
A sharp clap resonated throughout the entire room. "Please pay attention, everyone!" Margaret commanded. "This is a serious matter that can no longer be ignored. Now, what have we learned so far?"
Everyone shuffled around and took a seat. As always, the Wild Cards sat together with Minako sandwiched in between.
"This red fog is very much the same as the fog inside the TV," Marie began. "But I'm not sure about the cause. It feels like… like someone or something similar to myself created it, though their intentions are unclear."
"I'm certain that red-headed psychopath is the culprit, or at least has something to do with it," Ryoji added. "He has an odd fascination with Souji-kun for some reason, though our last encounter didn't reveal much."
Minato's eyes opened wide, his eyebrows disappearing behind his bangs. "He fought Souji-kun… and Souji-kun lost?!"
Ryoji hummed in agreement. "When I arrived at Souji-kun's rescue, he was about to finish him off. I managed to push him back of course, but then he became all weird, like his personality changed or something."
"I fell unconscious for that part," Souji said. "How could you tell?"
"At first he gave me the impression of a battle-hungry dimwit and threw a fit when I refused to hand you over. Then something in him switched, like he became an entirely different person altogether. Even his eyes changed color. It was his Persona that shocked me though, because it looks similar to Izanagi."
Souji and Marie shot up from their seats.
"What?!"
"That's-!"
The twins stared at them. "Souji-kun, what's going on?" Minato asked.
"This is exactly like what happened with Adachi. His Persona was given to him by Izanami-no Okami, and according to her, is the reason why it looks almost identical to mine."
"There's no mistaking it now. Whoever or whatever is behind this, they originated in Inaba," Marie said. "And there's no way a high school student with a Persona could manage to pull all this off alone."
"They're likely the brains behind this entire mess," Minato said, holding his chin pensively. "That's one answer confirmed. In order to find his motive, we'll have to find Minazuki and get him to talk."
"We already know what he looks like, so it won't be a problem. But I don't think that's the issue here," Minako interjected. "Whatever entity is behind this, they most certainly aren't human. Like Marie-chan said, only something that possesses powers similar to hers could create this fog and control Shadows."
Her twin hissed a curse and pushed his bangs backwards. "You're right. And we gotta find their motive too. If that's the case, Minazuki is just a pawn in a much bigger plot. I'm getting a serious case of deja vu here."
Theodore cleared his throat. "If I may, dear guests. After a bout of reconnaissance with my sister, I'm afraid we have more bad news. We believe that this red fog is but a distraction to, as you just mentioned, a much bigger plot. But the longer it lingers, it will cling even stronger to this reality and will eventually become permanent unless the mastermind is stopped."
"What?!" the non-residents shouted.
"That is the reality that we are facing right now," Margaret said. "When this strange fog first appeared, Marie immediately recognized it as a threat and asked for my help in transporting the human residents of Inaba to an alternate space pocket with Ryoji-san's help. Unfortunately, it is only a temporary solution. I also couldn't help but notice that an aspect of their energy was missing, as if it were forcefully drained out."
"Yeah, we did notice something happened to them before everything went to hell," Minako said. "So what, this culprit is harvesting energy from people? How come we weren't affected by it?"
Elizabeth answered "Because you are Persona-users. You possess a greater ability to adapt between shifts in realities, be it the TV World or the Dark Hour. Did you, by any chance, notice anything different when you were fighting the Shadow replicas?"
The twins looked at each other, and made identical gestures of rubbing the back of their heads. "Now that you mention it, after I defeated the Shadow that looked like Aniki, whatever was left of it sparkled and then flew out the window," Minako answered. "Aigis said the same thing happened during her fight."
"Did you see where these sparkles went?"
Minako and Souji shook their heads.
"The top of the tower," Minato said, looking at Marie who nodded in agreement.
Elizabeth clapped. "Then you'll likely find your answer there. Isn't that where you're headed to in the first place?"
"We were, but now we have to work within a time limit," Souji groaned. "I just hope our friends are alright."
"I am sure they are. After all, your friends are clever and stubborn. They will eventually get together and find a way to overcome this," Pharos added.
Fuuka & Yukari
"This way, Yukari-chan!" Fuuka said excitedly. They turned a corner, the scanner picked up the pace, excited about something that Yukari couldn't sense.
"Fuuka-san!"
"Rise-chan!"
The two scanners collided into a hug, letting out sobs of relief and joy after what felt like an eternity of separation. The rest of their friends also did the same (to an extent) inquiring about their battles against their Shadow opponents.
"You fought Chie-senpai's Shadow? How are you still alive?!" Kanji asked Yukari incredulously.
"Moronji, focus!" Rise snapped. "This isn't the time to ask stupid questions. We have to find Senpai!"
"She's right. I'm worried about Minato-kun, and Minako-chan isn't the type you can leave to her own devices for too long…" Yukari said, voice wavering at the end.
Naoto pinched the bridge of her nose. "As much as I want to discuss my findings and theories, locating our leaders and finding a way to communicate with everyone holds higher priority at the moment." She held her chin, deep in thought. "And it would be preferable if the fake Teddie and Minazuki does not catch wind of it, just in case they wise up and start hijacking our communication lines."
"She's right," Fuuka agreed. "Now that we're both here, let's try combining our abilities, Rise-chan. We can reach out further that way."
Rise took in a deep breath and exhaled. "Okay, let's do this!"
Linking hands, they began focusing their energies into their respective Persona, and the bonds they shared with the rest of their comrades.
Once they synched up, the mental block that prevented them from sensing anything in the red fog lessened significantly. By combining their abilities, they managed to widen and vary their search parameters - Juno casted her 'net' on the ground while Kanzeon scanned anything above it.
The rest crossed their fingers and hoped for the best.
About five minutes later, the scanners let out excited yelps.
"We finally got through!" Rise cried. Her grip on Fuuka's hand tightened. "I can't locate our leaders though…"
"Everyone! Can you hear me?!" Fuuka said loudly. She usually didn't raise her voice when communicating with those in the field, but connecting with this many people all at once was a bit unusual, even for her.
Yukari, Kanji and Naoto remained silent, keeping a vigilant watch of their surroundings in case Shadows attacked. The scanners began talking to their other friends in much lower voices now, snippets of their conversation ranging from location, which classroom they were in, to whose Shadow duplicate they fought on their way. It was getting a bit messy to follow and they were running out of time.
"Tell them to meet us at the top of the tower," Naoto suggested. "If we wait around too long, we'll be making ourselves a target. It's best for all of us to keep moving towards a single destination. The chances of us bumping into each other will become significantly higher as well."
The scanner relayed the message to the rest of their friends. It took a little while with all the cacophony going on with what's happening with the rest of the team members' own unique situations, but the scanners managed to communicate Naoto's plan so that everyone understood what they needed to do.
The Velvet Room
"Now then, dear guests," Margaret stood up and strode towards the glowing blue door. "I believe it is time you return to your friends and make your way towards your destination."
"That's right! Aigis, Mitsuru-senpai and Akihiko-senpai must be getting anxious waiting for me," Minako said.
"At least you guys are making progress. Marie and I were just about to enter the tower before Theodore came to get us," Minato told them.
"And Ryoji and I were quite a ways away," Souji said. "If we weren't rescued by Elizabeth-san, I wouldn't even be here."
Marie lied back on the couch, looking tired and out of breath. "Sorry, Minato-kun. I don't think I can go with you this time. I need to reserve my strength to contain the red fog from spreading outside of Inaba."
Ryoji dropped to his knees, panting hard. "Brother!" Pharos was immediately by his side, big eyes shining and moist.
"I'm okay, Pharos. Just… very exhausted."
Theodore approached the young man and assisted him to sit on another couch. "I do believe Ryoji-sama is also not in the condition to engage in battle. He used the last of his remaining energy to rescue Souji-sama earlier. It is best that he and Marie remain here until the culprit is defeated."
Elizabeth gave the two male leaders a sly smile. "In that case, I don't see the harm for you to take a short cut and join your sister who is, for all we know, halfway towards your main destination. Time is of the essence, after all!"
Her eldest sister's mouth twisted in displeasure at the thought of bending the rules. However, she herself was in full agreement, and as assistants they were obliged to provide for their guests as long as it did not directly interfere with the real world. "It seems that my dear Elizabeth has twisted my arm in this matter." She opened one of the glowing doors and gestured for the Wild Cards to enter. "This will take you to Minako-sama's prior location. Do be careful on your way out."
Armed with crucial information and filled with hope, the field leaders took the challenge head on and stepped out the door.
Unknown Location...
"Hmm hmm hmm..." A certain cape-wearing bear stared down from his throne, looming over the scenes happening before him on the screens. He took a glance behind him at the crystal that was glowing brighter and brighter as time passed on. "Just a little more…"
TO BE CONTINUED
Phew... that was a wild ride and it's only gonna get wilder!