A/N: Hello Everyone! Is everybody alright?! Anyway, I made some minor changes to the seventh chapter, so go check it out first before reading this chapter… Thanks
We arrived at what was supposed to be the rooftop.
There I see Hanamura-san talking with Narukami-san and Kujikawa-san.
I see Satonaka-san talking to a girl with black hair who is wearing a red colored version of the normal Yasogami High uniform, along with a short boy with blue hair, maybe a few meters taller than me.
The three of them were sitting on three sets of piled Televisions
I also see a well-built high school boy talking to a mascot, which is similar to General Teddie's appearance.
I am also seeing Akihiko-san, Aigis-san and Mitsuru-san talking with each other as Akihiko-san unceremoniously stretched his arms, as if it was a natural thing to do.
As we entered the small entrance the group outside notices us.
"Ah, Labrys and Amada-kun" Kujikawa greeted
"Welcome back, you guys!" Hanamura-san said
So that beautiful voice earlier was Amagi-san, the gruff voice was Tatsumi-san and that boy's voice is owned by Shirogane-san.
"Whoa, you really are a robot! Hey, uh… can I touch you?" Satonaka-san looks at Labrys with excitement, probably seeing a robot for the first time.
Even though Aigis-san was already with them earlier.
"Chie-san, that's a bit impolite, it's hard enough restraining myself already…" Shirogane-san rebuked the girl wearing a green jacket.
Which is surprising on my part since, he has a mature aura around him and to see him act that way…
"pfft…. Ahahahahahah! You said restrain yourself… ahahahahah!" Amagi-san laughs, as if Shirogane-san told the funniest joke that ever existed on earth.
"um… well…" Labrys-san starts
I gave Labrys-san an encouraging smile
She needn't be afraid to enter their circle
None of them are rejecting her after all
"I'm sorry I caused you guys trouble. I, um"
"Yeah, I wanna talk to you about that." Tatsumi-san starts
I hope Tatsumi-san does not reject Labrys-san
"That Grand Prix was you, right?"
"Y-yeah" Labrys stutters as I gulped in nervousness
"It wasn't a half bad idea! Fighting to see who's the strongest man was awesome!" Tatsumi-san finished
"eh?" was all I managed to say
"uh… what?" see? Even Labrys-san was dumbfounded
"Kanji's right! But you should have invited me, too!" General, no, Teddie-san quipped
"s-sorry?" Labrys said, still unable to recover from the series of events that unfolded
"ah ah ah! I won't forgive you until you say, 'I reeeeaaally like you, you big bear of a man', all sexy like that"
Now Teddie-san is flirting with Labrys-san
"Guys! Stop making it even worse! Sorry we're starting off like this…" Hanamura-san stopped the bear from flirting any further.
"In any case, I'm really glad you're alright" Narukami-san said
"I got you to thank for that" Labrys-san revealed
They seem to accept someone who isn't human into their circle, like they experienced it before
"Great job Ken!" Akihiko-san complimented me
The three adults I know so well approached me
"I agree, that was job well done Amada" Mitsuru-san said
"But man… talk about a rowdy bunch of students." Akihiko described the students of Yasogami High
"Still… they are kind" Aigis-san supplies
I turned a look at Labrys-san who also looked at me
I get the feeling that she didn't trust the words I said earlier
So I nod at her, then she excused herself from her new found friends
Labry-san then approached our group
"What is it Labrys?" Mitsuru-san asked
"I-I don't want to go back in that box or to that lab…"
Mitsuru-san was caught off guard by the eldest robot's statement
"Mitsuru-san, I'd like to ask that you consider her request" Aigis-san pleaded
"Labrys' my sister's abilities will surely be useful to us. Please" Aigis-san is practically begging now
"Can't we enlist her on a trial basis and see what happens?" Aigis-san continued
Surprised by the term used to refer her, Labrys-san looks at the her 'sister'
Completely forgetting that Aigis-san referred to her as Sister earlier
"You're a robot too" Labrys-san connected the dots herself
This revelation also made the Yasogami High students to look at Aigis which can be translated to
"is this for real?!"
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Aigis, the seventh generation Anti-Shadow Suppression weapon"
"I'm your successor… Sister" Aigis continued
"We're sisters?" Labrys asks
Aigis' only answer is a smile
As expected of the Kirijo Ergonomics laboratory, Labrys-san's and Aigis-san's expressions are all so human
"I'd also like it if you could consider it, Mitsuru-san" I voiced out
Kirijo-san's reaction on all three pleas wasn't anything but a smile.
"Haha, I'm starting to feel like the bad guy." Mitsuru-san said
"There's no need to worry. I wasn't thinking of sealing you away again."
"R-really?" Labrys asked for confirmation
"You've awakened to your Persona and gained control over it. True, I don't know for sure that the danger is past, but I don't feel that you need to be sealed off from humanity. Particularly since it's obvious that you have a heart."
"Mitsuru-san" I sighed in relief as did the others with us.
"Labby-chan doesn't need to be all alone anywhere! Yaay!" Teddie shared his excitement over the news.
The bear then dragged Labrys-san away from us.
Everyone from Inaba resumed their talks from earlier, which was halted when Labrys excused herself from the group.
"Amada, I heard from Akihiko that you're staying here for the moment" Mitsuru-san said
"Yes, it was for an assignment" I confirmed
"What assignment requires a middle schooler to go to other places?" Mitsuru-san once again asks, as if she doubts my reason.
"Our teacher made us identify the different tourist spots in an old country town like Inaba"
"Aigis?" Mitsuru-san asked Aigis-san for confirmation.
"It is true, Gekkoukan Middle School has a long tradition that makes teachers give special assignments to students. This time a certain Harasaka-san was assigned to make the certain special assignment.
"That's strange. I don't recall such events when I was still in Middle School" Mitsuru pondered, "How about you Akihiko?"
"Hmm? Yeah I remember these kinds of Assignments, mine's was think of a sport that would best fit your partner. I was partnered with Shinji at that time" Akihiko-san replied
"Although, Ken-san wasn't supposed to be assigned in Inaba" Aigis-san revealed, "because of the serial murders last year"
My eyes widen as I heard Aigis-san's revelation
"What?" was all I could manage to say, without getting the attention of the other students.
"There was a teacher who convinced everyone to send Ken here, a certain Okazaki-san did"
"I see, I'll have a word with Okazaki-san once everything here is finished" Mitsuru-san declared as she fixed her white fur coat
"Labrys? What's wrong?" I heard Hanamura-san question as we, the former members of S.E.E.S, turned towards the students.
As soon as we turned, Labrys' eyes, which were red in hue before, turned gray and only a second later, she got the wing-axe from her back and slammed it on the ground.
"Everyone get away from Labrys!" Akihiko-san's immediate order came, which everyone complied
"It's not over yet!" words coming out of Labrys-san's mouth, but it wasn't Labrys-san's voice.
Well it is Labrys-san's voice, but a distorted one, as if she recorded her voice and auto-tuned it.
"is this the same communication system we use?" Mitsuru-san voiced her question
"I can't gain access! It's like she's being hacked!" Aigis-san's voiced out her findings
"It isn't coming from inside this facility… The signal originates elsewhere!"
"You mean…" Akihiko-san trailed off
"Outside the TV?" I shouted
"This is just a little extra resistance. Now, entertain me!" Hacked Labrys started
"I see, the perfect opponent would be the kid I pushed inside" the hacker revealed
"What!" Aigis-san, Mitsuru-san and Akihiko-san widened their eyes in rage.
In fact, I am angry no angry is an understatement, I am enraged at the hacker's revelation
"You!" Akihiko-san prepared to charge at Labrys-san's controlled form
"Before I will allow this fight to happen." Mitsuru-san withdrew her sword from its sheath and pointed it at the possessed Labrys. "What could can you possibly gain by involving a child who should be enjoying a normal childhood!"
"Nothing, nothing at all, I pushed the kid on a whim, but alas, the decision I made was correct"
Everyone's eyes, I mean everyone clenched their fists, in Mitsuru-san's case held her sword tighter at the revelation.
"Let's have you fight friend against friend once more"
Labrys-san, while being possessed by the hacker, pulled her axe away from us, and a moment later she swing her axe towards the floor.
Making Kujikawa-san drop to her knees as a result.
She did the action once more, intending to strike Kujikawa-san this time.
Before anyone else could move, as idiotic as my actions may be, I run towards the pigtailed girl's vulnerable form and raised my spear, intending to defend her.
The axe strike down towards my spear
Got to admit, my strength is running only on adrenaline this time.
Man that is a heavy axe.
"Aigis-san, get Kujikawa-san to safety!" I shouted as I continued to hold my position, under that very heavy axe.
Narukami-san, Hanamura-san and Aigis-san responded quickly to my request, they quickly ran towards Kujikawa-san and got her to safety.
"Labrys-san! Please snap out of it!" I practically shouted
"tch! She can't hear us!" Mitsuru-san clicked her tongue.
"You had to come and possess her when she just found someone to confide to!" I shouted as I bend my knees a little, then as quickly as I can, I straightened my knees, throwing her axe out of the way in the process.
"Now entertain me!" the hacker said in Labrys-san's voice.
Labrys-san summoned Ariadne and had her make throw thread like shaped into the ground.
I dashed towards her as I performed a series of pierces and kicks.
Before I could finish my combination of attacks, she summoned her Persona and blew me towards a set of triangularly stacked TVs.
I recovered my footing and summoned Kala-Nemi and had him materialize a thousand of electrically charged arrows, which rained down on the robot I am fighting.
She recovered quite quickly and summoned her Persona once again, she once again had Ariadne throw thread like shape on the ground.
A single spike comprised of red threads sprout from the ground I'm standing at, which pierced and lifted me off the ground, a second later four similarly shaped threads sprout from the ground and pierced me once again.
While in mid-air, I immediately recovered, after landing to the ground, I immediately dashed towards her and performed another series of attacks.
As a combo finisher, I grabbed the collar of the robot's school uniform, summoned my Persona who threw her in the opposite direction of where I was facing.
The robot once again stood up. Thinking fast, I dashed immediately towards my opponent, and performed a sweep.
Boxing bells rang, signifying the end of the match.
"My, she was easily defeated. Evidently I didn't push her far enough. Well she is a test unit, so this is as far as my little game goes" Labrys-san's hacker's voice said as the body remained motionless, aside from the mouth.
"And here I thought I was the coward" I said in between breaths, "and here you are proving me wrong"
"Ah, yes. I should thank you all. You did stay here until the end" Well, I think this guy here is better than that traitor. Though the way this guy used Labrys-san still infuriates me.
"Labrys' shadow was only the mastermind of the tournament… I see now you're the culprit behind the whole thing." Mitsuru-san deduced angrily
"Indeed. It was I who stole Labrys away. Since I don't have a Persona and can't enter the TV, I needed a puppet that could run amok for me."
This time Labrys-san's body stood up
"Labrys' Persona was only partially awakened, so I had the feeling her Shadow would appear if she underwent a little suffering." The nonchalance of his voice is really ticking me off. The only thing holding me back is Akihiko-san's hand on my shoulder.
"You got the better of me this time; you deserve to know at least that much."
"hmma ahahah ahaha aha" an creepily familiar voice fills the whole TV studio
"I'll take over from here"
"That voice!" so everyone notices
"As you wi-" The hacker left Labrys-san alone as the body dropped down as if puppet strings were cut.
Aigis-san left Kujikawa-san's side and sprinted towards Labrys-san's lying body
"Sister! Are you alright?" was the thought of the younger robot
"To think that she'd fall so easily" Everyone's eyes are on me, sans Labrys who is still unconscious.
Can't blame them, after all the voice we all heard was mine.
"I had hoped that foolish human and her would provide more entertainment. What a disappointment" the same voice said.
Then the darkness in the center of the ring twists and squirms like gel.
A face forms on its surface, and it hardens into limbs and a humanoid body. It stands up.
The thing standing before all of us was… me
No.., just taking my shape.
I know that because my heart is calm and…
"Amada-kun's shadow?"
I decided to bite on the bait.
"H-huh! W-who a-are you!" Maybe I should be taking acting lessons after all this is over?
"how cold… Do you not recognize your own face? I am you"
"R-really? T-then pr-prove it!" I managed to act frightened.
"you try to act all mature when in fact you just want mommy to baby you for the rest of your life!" I then noticed that the older members of S.E.E.S looked down.
"and when she was killed! You vowed for vengeance! Isn't that right? Murderer?"
I guess, it is time for the punch-line.
"N-no! that's not true! No! you… Are… not…" I shouted at the top of my lungs
"Amada-kun no!" Satonaka-san shouted trying to attempt and stop me from the denying of what they believe is my Shadow.
"Don't say it!" Kujikawa-san joined in
"That can't be right" I heard Hanamura-san mutter to himself, well he is standing beside me now.
"Not me" I said in my normal volume.
"That's right! Amada-kun just used his Persona in that earlier fight!" Hanamura-san realized it.
"Yes, that is correct, if you really are my shadow. Why didn't you mention my distrust towards adults, add in the fact that you collaborated with that hacker earlier. If you were my Shadow, you wouldn't have collaborated with any person" I narrated
"Very Good. No wonder you managed to drive back a god once" my doppelganger, who is not my Shadow, complimented my reasoning
"Haha. Yes, I want them even more now!" my doppelganger said
"I see, you are after the Personas we Persona-users have. By trying to weaken our hearts that will eventually relinquish our Personas" I deduced.
"Yes, but how did you know?"
"As far as I know, Mitsuru-san, Akihiko-san and Aigis-san did not know of this school and the other Persona-users here. So the only thing that would make sense would be someone tampered with Labrys-san's memory before putting her inside this world."
"Yes, Amada is correct. I see now. You are the true mastermind behind this case" Mitsuru-san stepped forward.
"And after collaborating with the hacker, you hoped to weaken our hearts. Obtaining what you wanted from the very start" I finished
"In that case… You want to turn our Personas back to Shadows?" Hanamura-san voiced out
"The heart is frail. Its weaknesses are never fully vanquished. Given the opportunity, it can betray you and return to darkness"
"That one's desire to make people suffer was perfectly suited for such a plan." My double pointed at Labrys-san.
"You caused all this to gather strong shadows?" Hanamura-san voiced another question
"Who are you?!" Narukami-san's voice asked
"Yes! Now stand my puppet!" LAbrys-san stood up, although she seems to stagger.
"Sister! No!" Aigis shouted
"Poor thing, it's all worn out because of you"
So now this imposter is blaming me, this imposter, who probably brainwashed that hacker earlier, forced the two of us to fight each other?
"It shouldn't have much strength left to fight. But unless you destroy it, it will keep rising up and attacking you all… What will you do?"
"What!" I managed to say as Labrys-san quickly dashed towards me and grabbed hold of my neck, choking me and suspending me as a result.
Instead of fear I felt sympathy.
The forced "killing of comrades", against one's will.
I see now
This is the past that her shadow had talked about earlier.
"Amada!" Mitsuru-san shouted in alarm as I began to cough, desperate of air
As quick as lightning, Akihiko-san grabbed hold of Labrys-san's shoulder and forced her hand to loosen the grip she had on my neck.
And the next thing I knew is Hanamura-san catching me.
Amagi-san casting a Diarahan on my, no doubt, pretty beat up body.
I then saw Akihiko-san dodging an axe swing and Mitsuru-san parrying another axe swing.
"Mitsuru-san! Wait!" I manage to shout
I stand up as Hanamura-san stood up as well.
The Kirijo group's founder's daughter looked at me.
"If all of us will attack Labrys-san, we might end up destroying her!"
"Bu-" Mitsuru-san managed to shout back.
"Mitsuru!" Akihiko-san shouted as another axe swings her way.
As fast as the wind, Narukami-san managed to reach Mitsuru-san and defended her from Labrys' attack, and Hanamura-san managed to carry her out of harm's way. Well he dropped her off beside me.
"Sorry about that, but we may end up destroying Labrys-san. She's just under my imposter's control. If we can release her, she should stop attacking"
Shirogane-san, who overheard my statement, glanced as Kujikawa-san.
"Rise-san! Can you give it a try?"
"huh? Is that possible? All right, I'll give it a try"
"Even Kujikawa-san is doing her best to save Labry-san, despite her lack of battle prowess.
I helplessly glance at the people defending from Labrys-san's controlled assaults.
Tatsumi-san's chair got knocked away, Amagi-san's fans got swatted, even Satonaka-san is having a hard time dodging the hacked robot's attacks.
I glanced at Kujikawa-san who already closed her eyes in concentration,
I then looked at Teddie-san who is about to get hacked by an axe.
Fortunately Hanamura-san and Mitsuru-san managed to avoid having a destroyed mascot with Mitsuru-san's parry and Hanamura-san's speed.
"Ngn… it's no use! What is that thing?! It's not a Shadow… its way too strong!" Kujikawa-san ranted, still having her eyes closed.
It ain't gonna be easy eh?
"Aigis, prepare for the worst" were Mitsuru-san's only words in response.
Aigis, understandably, widened her eyes in shock, but a second later she managed to regain her composure.
She aimed her finger-guns at her controlled elder sister.
"No, wait! Let me try it again!" Kujikawa-san shouted in determination
Aigis-san ignores the idol and her elder sister is in her sights, ready to gun her down.
She has a calm face in doing so, but it just hurt to see her expression.
Aigis-san already lost a big deal, she must've fulfilled that quota already!
"Good… may you suffer and curse your fate! Relinquish your Personas!" my imposter said as he has an arrogant face plastered on my face, which does not really fit.
At that very moment… Mitsuru-san glances upward and the next second, she glares at my imposter.
She then suddenly barked new orders.
"Everyone don't listen and concentrate on avoiding her attacks!"
"But we can't do that forever!" Amagi-san replied as she dodged the axe that almost beheaded her.
"Just try and hang in there!" Mitsuru-san replied, "Trust me, I trust in you!"
I looked at Mitsuru-san in confusion, she surely knows that she is asking such an impossible demand.
Everyone is already exhausted from their battles.
But before I could even respond to Mitsuru-san's request, someone beat me to it.
Instead of Akihiko-san or Aigis-san responding first it was from someone from the new group.
"Everyone… we can take this much! Yosuke, you ready?" Narukami-san nodded
"Hell yeah, partner! Let's let Mitsuru-san do her thing!" Hanamura-san replied
Amagi-san and the others followed their leader's lead and were able to avoid Labrys-san's attacks with more.
Interesting, they all recovered from confusion when Narukami-san spoke, he really just like him, a charismatic leader.
"Akihiko, Aigis, Amada Back them up!"
"You got it!" Akihiko-san replied
No one will force my sister to hurt others, ever again!" Aigis-san replied
"On it!" I replied as I summoned my Persona and casted Mediarahan on everyone, sans my double and Labrys-san, around me.
Aigis-san activated her orgia mode and helped Amagi-san dodge a chained fist coming her way.
"Haha, you better decide fast. Who will be destroyed your petty little group or this shell?" My double taunted all of us once more.
Akihiko-san dashed towards Shirogane-san and pushed her down from an incoming sideward swing of an axe.
Narukami-san and Hanamura-san are standing side by side in front of a downed Tatsumi-san, giving him time to recover.
The shadow laughs triumphantly to see us driven into a corner.
He's acting like a god… but he's much too short-sighted for that.
Mitsuru-san then opened her eyes.
"Sorry but this show's over!" Mitsuru-san shouted
And in that instant, the aura that was around Labrys-san is dispelled like magic
"What…!?" the imposter said in surprise
Freed from the spell. Labrys-san falls to the ground like puppet strings were cut the second time around.
"Sister!" Aigis-san shouted as she dashed towards her heavily damaged sister
Shirogane-san looks at Kijikawa-san with a questioning look that could be translated as "what was happening."
"What the heck was that?!" I heard Hanamura-san said as his guard relaxed
"I don't know… I was getting desperate, too. It seemed like something far away stepped in." Kujikawa-san narrated her experience
"Looks like you made it in the nick of time… You saved us, Yamagishi"
A familiar voice speaks in my head
"Are you all okay?" Fuuka-san said
"Fuuka-san?" I questioned
Fuuka Yamagishi-san.
One of the allies we had the in the past
I cannot help but smile in excitement, surprise and joy upon hearing her voice.
"Ha, so you had a third assistant" Akihiko-san stated the obvious
"oooh! What a soothing voice! My Teddie senses are telling me that this is a real cutie pie" Teddie joyfully shared us his opinion
"Is this like Rise-chan's Persona?" Wait, where is she?" Satonaka-san questioned
"This feeling, what the?!" Rise-san began as she closed her eyes and opened them a moment later.
"This voice… it's not coming from in here. Whoever it is is out there!"
"Seriously!? She can use hers in the real world!? T-that's amazing!" Hanamura-san voiced his excitement
Even before I can ask, Fuuka-san tells me what I want to know
"Ken-kun, the enemy is just mimicking your appearance. It's not actually a part of you."
"Very impressive to guess correctly from such a long distance away." My double complimented Fuuka-san
Mitsuru-san glares at the enemy, once again, this time in shock.
We hear Fuuka-san's voice but in technicality there is no sound at all
She transmits her voice directly into people's minds, other people should not be able to hear anything. Same is true on how Kujikawa-san's and Mitsuru-san's Personas operate,
Yet the enemy is responding to her.
"So these are the limits of a half-broken puppet… well, no matter. This was only ever for my enjoyment."
"Amada, this monster has no connection to you whatsoever. Feel free to cut loose" Mitsuru-san urged me to fight the shadow mimicking my appearance, and if I had to guess, also my Persona.
"My pleasure"
Time for some explanation...
Does anyone remember 'the server' that Aigis accessed in Yosuke's story mode?
that is the same server that Aigis accessed to know whether Ken was telling Mitsuru the truth about his special assignment.
This time it has more credibility since the Gekkoukan Schools (Elementary, Middle School and High School) is owned by the Kirijo Group. In turn the Kirijo group has access on the files and security cam footage in the school.