Hey all, I'm finally back. I went for a cruise in the Baltic (which was absolutely fantastic) and besides doing all the stuff tourists do, I did have some time to write this chapter. So here it is, as promised, the Priestess Shadow Operation. Hope the length of it makes up for the lack of updates.
Mitsuru focused.
It was once again the Dark Hour and she was in the dorm's command room, sitting in front of the monitor. The screen displayed a map of Iwatodai and with the help of her Persona, Penthesilea, she analysed and scanned for any readings of Shadows. The activity was something she had made a daily habit of and while most nights produced little to no results, knowing that even the dorm could be breached by Shadows spurred her to keep at it anyway. She would not take any more chances. Not after the incident involving the injury of a certain stubborn and overconfident boxer, and the violent invocation of S.E.E.S.'s enigma.
Minato's abilities were puzzling, and his words regarding how his Personas spoke to him and raged in his psyche were even more so. Mitsuru should have been worried because the last time she had heard of restless Personas, it led to an operation gone awry, the death of an innocent bystander, and the temporary disbandment of S.E.E.S. But instead, she was intrigued by him; the feeling reminding her of when they first met in that school on that very day. She smiled at those memories and continued to do so when Akihiko entered the room.
"You're still at it?" he asked as he approached.
"Yeah," she replied. "You never know when the enemy might appear and besides, we'll be more prepared if something does happen."
"Makes sense I suppose. But, I thought you couldn't scan outside of Tartarus?"
Mitsuru leaned back in her seat and looked at him. "To be honest, I lack the power. Maybe this is the best Penthesilea can do in terms of data gathering." She sighed. "Although, the power of Persona seems to be much broader than I thought. Possessing more than one, simultaneously summoning more than one. There's something special about Arisato. Speaking of which, have you any new thoughts on what he told me?"
"I suppose the only thing that comes to me is his stability since it hasn't been that long since his awakening," Akihiko said, folding his arms. His brow creased as he thought hard. "Though that can't be right since he had no issues following that night or in our visits to Tartarus. If I remember, I don't think I had any issues after summoning Polydeuces for the first time either. And neither did you."
"Then I guess all that's left to consider is..."
"How similar all this is to Shinji's problem?" Akihiko finished for her and Mitsuru nodded. "Yeah I thought about that too." He chuckled. "Perhaps I should ask him what he thinks the next time I see him."
Mitsuru resisted a sigh. "Perhaps. Just try not to persuade him into rejoining. You already know how he feels about all this."
"You know there's no guarantee of me not asking him right?"
Mitsuru shot Akihiko a look that was somewhere between stern and playful before reverting her attention to the monitor. Even with her warnings, she knew her partner in crime would ask Shinji anyway. She had seen the disappointed face of his every time he returned from meeting with Shinji enough times to know that their meeting included more than just common pleasantries and idle chitchat. But she guessed it was understandable. Another member on the team was always welcome, especially someone who had prior experience with Personas and Shadows. And maybe, just maybe, he would after hearing about Minato's capabilities.
The thought of having Shinji back made her reminisce about the early days of S.E.E.S. when hunting Shadows was more of a competition (usually to see who could slay the most in ten minutes), than a fight for survival. The memories were warm but before her mind could be flooded by them, she felt something obstruct her scanning. Mitsuru pushed outwards with her mind, which was linked to her Persona's, at that area on the map again, and once more ran into the invisible barrier. She tried again and again, and as every prod ended the same way, her heart sank.
"I've found a Shadow," she announced grimly.
"Outside of Tartarus?" Akihiko asked.
Mitsuru nodded. "But something's not right. The reading is far too big for it to be just a regular Shadow."
"Well then, this is going to be fun," he said, crossing over to the control panel and pressing a switch. A blaring alarm sounded through the dorm and it was not long before Minato, Junpei and Yukari assembled in the room.
Mitsuru was not surprised to see the latter two looking sleepy and somewhat annoyed (who wouldn't at this hour) but she was surprised to see Minato's sharp and alert face. It was as if he knew something would happen tonight and ensured to preserve as much stamina for it.
Just as well I made him field leader.
"Somethin' the matter senpai?" Junpei asked, stifling a yawn.
"Yes. We've detected a Shadow near Iwatodai Station," Mitsuru said. "We don't know for sure but we think it's another big one."
"You mean, like the one that attacked the dorm?" Yukari asked.
"Possibly," Mitsuru said, eyeing Minato's pensive look. She found it odd that he hadn't spoken since when it came to topics such as these, he was always one to take charge. Did he know that this would happen? Or is he just trying to get in the right state of mind? She shook the thought aside. Whatever it was, it would have to wait. "Most people don't know that the Dark Hour exists but if the Shadow does try something and half the city is destroyed, there will be panic. We must avoid that all costs." She then turned to address the juniors. "It'll take me a short while to get the equipment ready so you three should head to the station first."
"How about me?" Akihiko asked, a slight grin on his face as he watched Minato and the others head into the armory.
Mitsuru pursed her lips. "You should stay here and wait for the Chairman. You're still in no condition to–"
"Are you kidding?!" Akihiko blurted. "I'm going. I know I still need to recover but that doesn't mean I can't use my Persona. Better that I'm there just in case something happens to you."
"If you so insist," Mitsuru said, sighing. As much as she knew how much of a hindrance Akihiko would be on the battlefield in his current state, arguing with him would be wasting precious time. "In that case, take them to the station and wait for me there. Once I'm ready, I'll be there as soon as I can."
The cold wind scratched at Minato's cheeks as he stood at the base of the steps leading to Iwatodai Station with Akihiko and the others. The boy's prediction was correct (Minato really wish it wasn't as things were strange enough already) and the full moon was right there in the hazy sky above, displaying itself as a sphere of expired cheese. He had some idea of what it symbolized but decided to keep his assumptions to himself until the actual day. After all, who would believe his story of a Shadow appearing in three days time? Perhaps Mitsuru and Akihiko would 'think about it' but certainly not Yukari or Junpei. No. The latter would think he had become some creepy fortune teller.
Minato shifted into a more comfortable stance and loosened his saber from its scabbard in an attempt to quell his boredom. At least fifteen minutes had passed since they arrived at the designated rendezvous point and Mitsuru was still nowhere to be seen. Time seemed to have slowed after their mild discussion on how eerie the moon looked and now his patience was running thin. His classmates did not fare any better at the waiting game either; Yukari was tapping her arm while Junpei looked as if he would doze off any minute, even after emptying two cans of energy drinks. Akihiko on the other hand, did not seem to be particularly bothered by the fact that Mitsuru was late.
"Where is she?" Yukari grumbled.
"She'll be here soon," Akihiko replied. "It does take a short while for her to get ready."
"What exactly does that mean?" Minato asked.
Akihiko opened his mouth but instead of replying, his answer came in the form of a low approaching growl. The noise was loud, purging any sense of sleepiness that remained in him, and even though the Dark Hour messed with one's senses, Minato knew what the sound belonged to. He turned in the direction it was coming from (his left) and as he had expected, he was greeted by a single glaring headlight. Looking directly at it was like looking at the sun with a telescope, given the encompassing black-green tinge of the Dark Hour, and when the kickstand snapped into place as the rider dismounted, and the hum of the engine faded away, so did the specks of color in Minato's eyes.
A white Japanese motorcycle with a pair of metal cases attached to its rear stood in front of him. Its aerodynamic curves and shiny, polished exterior made it far from something that was bought from a second hand yard – it oozed quality and class of the highest order.
But it was not alone in that regard.
While Junpei had immediately rushed forward to inspect the vehicle, admiring it as a child would admire, Minato had his attention captured by something else.
Long, slender legs standing in a pair of black heeled boots. A shapely set of hips. And a body so voluptuous that the hugging, dark leather riding one-piece only accentuated the curves which Minato could not take his eyes off. He was not surprised when the removal of the matching colored helmet revealed a wave of long red hair. There was no one else who could afford to maintain a bike like that, let alone possess one in the first place. There was no one else who could pull off that outfit, and knock him off his feet in such fashion.
There was no one else like Kirijo Mitsuru.
His eyes were held by her and for what seemed like a minute, or maybe two, or maybe three, he did nothing but let himself be absorbed by her beauty. He admired her crimson hair that gleamed like an incandescent flame on a cold winter's night, her complexion that was too pale, too natural, too perfect to be makeup, and the figure she cut in that classy yet practical outfit. Any sort of impatience he had had while waiting for her evaporated and suddenly, it seemed that everything they were supposed to do tonight became meaningless and secondary.
Somehow, Minato managed to pull his eyes off her for a moment and glanced at Junpei and Akihiko. The former had looked up from admiring the motorcycle and although he looked a trifle confused as to which of the two had finer curves, Minato knew that Junpei was also smitten. The latter met his gaze from the corner of his eyes and gave him a smirk. Did Akihiko know she was going to do that? Minato could only speculate at what the boxer knew and what he did not but as his eyes drifted back to the rider in black, he realized that right now, nothing else mattered.
Except her.
He once again engaged in another session of 'just looking', tightening the grip on his saber every few seconds to remind himself that there was more to tonight than this. But it was not working. He could feel himself being drawn deeper and deeper into her simple spell of just looking so good and for the first time since meeting her, he was frightened. Of the thoughts that zoomed across his mind. Of the images of her that would now never leave him. Of the fact that he would never be free from this euphoric torture. He wanted something to break the illusion but he knew nothing could, nothing could possibly–
"So where's the Shadow?" Yukari asked, adjusting her quiver as she took a step forward.
Well that did it.
"The Shadow is currently located inside a monorail not far from the station," Mitsuru answered, unaware of all the attention she had drawn. "To get there, you'll have to walk on the tracks."
"I-Isn't that dangerous?" Junpei asked, still speechless (and dazed) by the bike. And her.
"Don't worry," Akihiko said, folding his arms. "The Dark Hour makes all electronics useless, monorails included."
Junpei cocked his head and turned to Mitsuru. "Well if that's the case, then how does your bike work? Or all the other stuff in the dorm?"
"It's special," Mitsuru said as she hung her helmet on the handlebars and shook her hair out.
Minato let his eyes follow the motion, watching her hair settle in its usual, elegant position, and couldn't help but think about where his mind went with her words. And it has returned. Shit. Perhaps it was inappropriate to be having such thoughts of her, the daughter of the Kirijo chairman and heiress to the Group no less, race in his mind.
But it was impossible not to.
Not when the image of her leaning on the motorcycle, so sexy and so confident, slowly burned itself into his memory. In his restless adolescent mind, it soon became the sole focus of his thoughts and if there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that he wanted her even more than before. No matter how forbidden or 'out of his league' she was.
"In any case, let's get started before the Dark Hour is over. Akihiko and l will be backing you up from here and should be in range at all times," Mitsuru said, pacing over to the bike's rear and tending to the metal cases, which looked to be some sort of scanning apparatus. "It's probably too optimistic to say that the Shadow will remain where it is and do nothing so make sure to be ready for anything. And don't let your guard down."
"Don't worry senpai," Junpei said shouldering his katana, "we'll be fine. Ain't that right Minato?"
Junpei's words pushed Minato out of his trance and he nodded, afraid that speaking would do something to cure the feeling, that felt like sickness, he didn't want cured.
Focus Minato! This is no time for such foolishness. She's your comrade. Focus!
Minato tried, succeeding to some degree as he followed Yukari and Junpei up the stairs and to the escalator leading to the platform, and knew he would be utterly lost the next time he looked at her. Or the next time she looked at him. Whichever way it ended up being, he just hoped that he would not be a bumbling idiot when it did. The thought of that scenario occurring bounced around in his mind until he reached the base of the escalator. He could hear them again. And they worried him. Maybe even more than looking at her.
"Something wrong Arisato?" Mitsuru asked, starting to make her way towards him.
Ensuring that the others had gone ahead, Minato pivoted and met her concerned gaze. And as he had predicted earlier, he was lost for words. Anything that he conjured to say just tumbled out of his mouth when he tried to speak and it was only when Akihiko shot him a quizzical look that Minato was able to regain some composure.
"I, uh... It's nothing," he replied, feeling warmth in his cheeks and hoping his face did not give away the fact that his heart was pounding. "I'll be on my way now."
Minato then turned around and ran up the stairs to the platform, knowing full well that Mitsuru, and probably Akihiko too, saw through his lie. It did not matter though. There was no more time for discussion. No more time to admire the image that burned brightly in his mind. There was only time to focus on the enemy they had to fight.
His focus on battle finally arrived as he joined up with the others and led them to the train that hosted the Shadow. Moving into their usual formation had helped take his mind off her somewhat but Minato knew that he would need her out of his mind completely if he wanted to survive tonight. Thinking of how gorgeous she looked wrapped in leather, regardless of how inspiring it was, would only bring him closer to the brink of a mistake.
As would their current formation. The thought occurred to him as they approached the train and he turned to face Yukari and Junpei.
"We're going to need a different formation," Minato said, placing his hand on the ladder on the side of the monorail.
"What, ya mean this whole thing we've got going ain't gonna work?" Junpei asked, a little irritated that they had to adjust their battle plans.
Minato shook his head. "Don't get me wrong, it still will. But being in a train means we'll be fighting in closer quarters than usual. So we have to be careful of our swings."
"He's right Junpei," Yukari said. "How about I'll stay in the middle this time? That way, you'll both have enough room to not hit each other."
"That sounds good," Minato said, nodding. He turned to Junpei. "You okay with that?"
"Sure, whatever you say man. I'm just following ya," he replied, beckoning for Yukari to ascend the ladder. "Ladies first."
Yukari rolled her eyes before slinging her bow across her shoulder and moving to climb the ladder. Before she ascended, she placed her free hand over the back of her skirt and turned her gaze, which looked to be more of a glare, on both Minato and Junpei.
"Don't look up," she said.
"Geez Yuka-tan, you really think I'm that kinda guy?" Junpei said. He then slumped his shoulders and raised his hand. "You know what, don't answer that."
Yukari scoffed and a little paranoid, hurried up the ladder. Minato spied Junpei subtly (but quite obviously) trying to catch a glimpse of her backside, and watching him do so was enough to remind himself of what he was doing a couple of minutes earlier to a certain someone.
It's special...
Her words echoed in his brain and the image of her shaking her hair out returned to take center stage. Minato severed the thought the moment it came but another, this time the sweet tick-tock of her hips as she strode to her bike's rear, took its place. The two images circled like a carousel before finally dissipating as Junpei called out to him.
"Hey dude, you okay?"
Minato turned to see him halfway up the ladder with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm fine," Minato replied, though he knew he really wasn't. And probably never again.
"Alright man. Just don't space out. You're our leader after all."
That was right. He was their leader. With a job to do. Minato shot one last glance to where she was before pivoting and ascending the ladder into the train. The interior was more spacious than he had presumed and if it weren't for the several upright coffins scattered around the compartment, it would have just been like fighting in the hallways of Tartarus.
"Can you all hear me?" Mitsuru's voice spoke in his mind.
"Loud and clear," Minato responded, the sense of battle just overtaking the image that her voice reminded him of. "We've just entered the train and–"
SLAM.
The doors shut, the lights flickered and he cut off, staggering for balance as the train jerked beneath them and started moving.
Great, should've expected that.
"Are you all okay?" Mitsuru asked.
"We're fine," Minato replied, helping Yukari to her feet. "Although, the train's moving and we're trapped inside."
"It must be the Shadow. It knows you're there. Be ready for anything!"
Not a second later after her warning, the first few Shadows materialized in front of them. They were a different breed to the usual masses of goo Minato was accustomed to fighting, gliding across the compartment instead of dragging themselves. Yukari was first to notice their hungry groans and in a flash, she nocked an arrow to her longbow and let it loose.
Hearing the thrum of her bowstring, Minato drew his saber and flicked it in a backhand slash, feeling his sword connect into a soft gooey substance. Ignoring the black blood that sprayed onto him, he shifted into an uppercut, slicing another Shadow clean in half before bringing the blade back in a downward motion to cut another.
And another.
And another.
The train's confined space hardly hindered his fluid movements as he worked his way through the sea of black. It was like watching choreography that came out of a movie; thrusting, dodging, slashing, Shadows exploding in bursts of black goo. The end of the scene arrived faster than Minato had hoped, the remains of the final Shadow a bubbling black puddle. Looking around, he saw that Shadow muck was everywhere. It stuck to his weapon and uniform, the floor, and even dripped from the ceiling lights. When he turned to face Junpei and Yukari, who were equally as drenched in the Shadow blood, their faces were lined with astonishment.
"I got carried away didn't I?" Minato asked.
"Damn straight you did," Junpei replied, adjusting his cap. "Dude, next time save some for the rest of us."
"I'll try. But I can't make any promises."
Junpei shouldered his katana and sighed, unable to fathom how one could get so worked up in wanting to kill Shadows. It was not to say he hadn't any appetite for fighting (he had plenty), but he knew when enough was enough.
Minato supposed he had Akihiko to blame for his insatiable hunger. Exercising with the boxer had taught him more than just proper school etiquette. It had also transferred over the boxer's urge for fighting. Whether that was good or bad however, was irrelevant. He had agreed with Akihiko that once the adrenaline kicked in, its sweetness was too addicting to give up.
"Why do they always have to explode?" Yukari commented, trying to wipe Shadow blood off her pink cardigan. "At this rate, I'm going to have no uniform to wear."
"Come on Yuka-tan, a little Shadow muck can't be that bad," Junpei said with a smirk. "Who knows, it might even be good for your skin."
"Are you stupid or something? There is no way that this is going to make my skin look any better!"
Minato groaned as their bickering unfolded. The topic at hand however, did make him curious. Not at whether Shadow muck made for good skin cream but its potential for affecting battle performance. His saber had been able to do the job perfectly despite the extra weight of the muck that stuck to it but, in an extended fight, he wondered how much more his saber could take before it became as dangerous as a feather duster. He dismissed the thought. Even if it was out of commission, he still had his Personas. And his fists. Making a mental note to ask Akihiko about boxing, he proceeded to walk in between Yukari and Junpei, who were now arguing about potential substitutes for Yukari's ruined uniform.
"In what way does me wearing a maid outfit help in battle?"
"I didn't say you have to wear it, I was just suggesting."
"Ugh, you're unbelievable."
A maid outfit eh? You really are unbelievable, asking her to wear something like that. It was not surprising, given the way Junpei was, and it probably would have an interesting effect on the team if Yukari played her role, but Minato thought that it was going a little too far. What made it even worse was something that flickered in his mind for a brief moment. He'd not dare think of it again as it would just bring him back into his hypnotic state, but now that the subject had been brought up, he could feel his resistance crumbling.
"If you two are quite done, we should keep going," Minato said, hoping that speaking of the task at hand would distract him. It did. Barely. Yukari and Junpei turned their attention on him and nodded, before shooting a glance at each other as if to bookmark their conversation.
Minato resisted a sigh and as he turned to approach the door leading to the next car, another Shadow dropped from the ceiling. Its sudden appearance startled him and in his hesitation, it had opened the door to the next car and dashed through. He saw the others reach their weapons upon seeing the Shadow but before they could follow it, he raised a hand to stop them.
"What now? If we don't go after it, we're gonna lose it!" Junpei protested, raising his katana.
"Something's not right. What's the point of revealing yourself and then running away? It makes no sense," Minato replied.
"You know what makes no sense? The fact that we're standing here and letting that piece of crap get away!"
Minato bit his tongue. Of course the time for people to become temperamental had to be now.
"Junpei, we should be careful," Yukari said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It could be another ambush and blindly chasing after it would be foolish."
"Screw your advice!" Junpei snapped, brushing Yukari's hand off. "That thing and the Shadow at the front are going down. Hell, I'll do it myself!"
He then pushed past Minato and Yukari, yanked open the connecting door, and ran after the Shadow in hot pursuit.
Idiot!
Minato knew that Junpei had some skill with the katana but his technique was still far from perfect and he had this tendency to swing too wide. There was no doubt that he could put a huge dent into anything that was unlucky enough to be in the katana's path, but it would also leave him exposed for a few seconds. And in battle, where seconds were minutes and minutes were hours, being vulnerable for that long meant you were either dead or close to it.
"That idiot–" Yukari started before Minato seized her arm. "Hey, what are you doing?"
"Isn't it obvious? We have to go after him!" he responded.
Minato dashed to the next car, dragging Yukari along by the arm. As soon as he stepped through, he felt something large tackle him from the right, sending him crashing into the nearby seats. His right arm went numb, his back flared with pain, and he dropped his saber, the blade clanging on the floor. Although his vision was fuzzy, he could still see his attacker approaching, its glare unrelenting and its claw raised.
Then it exploded in a burst of goo as Yukari's arrow hit it square in the head at point blank range. Minato raised his left arm to avoid the muck splashing onto his face, then looked up to see Yukari standing over him with her hand out. He took it, wincing at the pain in his side as he stood up.
"Are you alright?" Yukari said.
"I'm fine," Minato replied, inhaling deeply. He tried to push forward but Yukari kept her hold on him. "Yukari..."
"You won't be of much help to anyone in this state. Please, let me heal you."
"Save yourself the hassle. We need to get to Junpei." He shook her off and took another step but the stabbing pain in his side was too much. His legs gave way and if it were not for Yukari holding him back, he would have fell face first.
"See, you're not fine. Don't worry, it'll only take a second," Yukari said, reaching for her Evoker. She placed it against her temple and concentrated. "Io!"
Minato looked up to see a blonde haired maiden on a seat that was carved into the head of an Egyptian jackal. The Persona, Io, gently cupped her hands on his head and a shimmering glow enveloped them. He felt a cooling sensation ripple through his body, erasing the pain and numbness. It was so relaxing that he was disappointed when it was all over.
"Feel better now?" Yukari asked, holstering her Evoker.
"I guess," Minato said, avoiding her gaze. Damn, she's right. I do feel better. "If I had known you could do that, I would've gotten out of that hospital a lot sooner.
"Well I was told not to. Mitsuru-senpai's orders."
Thought so. Though he wondered why that was the case. It certainly would have made his week absence from school that much easier to explain. Perhaps the healing only worked on physical injuries? Whatever the case, a distinct shout from up ahead pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Arisato!" Mitsuru's voice chimed in his mind. "Iori is already at the front car. You need to assist him immediately!"
"Understood," Minato replied, collecting his saber from the floor. He shared a quick look with Yukari, who must have also heard the instruction, and they pushed forward to the front car.
Upon arrival, they saw it. A waxy black-white body hunched against the train's dashboard, its legs spread out shamelessly. Its hair that was a collection of scrolls, fluttering in the air. The glare it gave through its magenta butterfly mask. The aura of power around the Shadow brought a sense of familiarity in Minato that reminded him of the night he was on the dorm's rooftop. He did not know how or why seeing the Shadow was like seeing a long lost sibling but he did not care. The Shadow was a threat and it had to die.
But before he could engage or even take a step forward, Junpei crashed into him, the katana flying out of his grip and narrowly missing Yukari. The collision had knocked them back into the previous car in a tangled mess and he heard the Shadow cackle in amusement.
"Damn thing," Junpei grumbled, standing and reaching for his katana. "I'll get you this time!"
"Wait!" Minato said, seizing Junpei's arm. "We need to do this as a team."
"Fine! But I'm taking the lead."
Minato nodded and letting go of his arm, they rushed back to join Yukari at the front car. Might as well let him be leader just this once. He drew his saber and stared at his opponent, feeling the drive of adrenaline heighten his senses and clear the remnants of any distractions that lingered. He tightened his grip on his saber, waiting for Junpei's signal.
"Hermes!" Junpei yelled, squeezing the trigger.
A mechanical humanoid with a winged helmet materialized behind Junpei and lashed out at the Shadow, using its pair of golden wings that were ablaze as blades. The Shadow easily parried the attack using a strand of its scroll-like hair, causing the air to sizzle, before launching a shard of jagged ice at the Persona. Hermes dissipated, but the moment he did was when Minato and Yukari attacked. Orpheus and Io were summoned and together, they struck the Shadow with a combination of fire and wind. Smoke filled the cabin as the Shadow was hit and as it screeched in pain, it seemed as though the battle was over.
It was not.
The feeling of victory faded completely when they felt the train speed up even faster than before. Being accustomed to the constant motion, the change in speed felt unnatural and the sudden jerk made them stagger for balance.
It also left them wide open.
The Shadow swiped at them with its hair, knocking all into the sides of the cabin. The pain Minato had felt earlier shot back into his body and as he looked across the room to see both Yukari and Junpei unconscious, he knew this fight had to end now. But what could he do? His was too drained of energy to grip his saber, let alone wield it in a fighting stance, and his Personas...
My Personas. They're calling again. But, it feels different this time. It's almost as if...
Minato pushed himself to his feet and using his saber to steady himself, faced the Shadow. Staring at its haughty smile, he raised his left hand, spinning the Evoker in his fingers.
Once.
Twice.
Then he placed the cold barrel to the side of his head and squeezed.
No hesitation. No resistance. He allowed them to take control, to do whatever they wanted to do.
He felt the surge of two different Personas rise from within him and upon materializing, they merged in a white flash to create another. One that was a small, floating Halloween pumpkin head covered in a wizard's cloak and hat, and carrying a lantern.
Ignoring the Shadow's laugh at its feeble appearance, the new Persona cloaked itself in a fiery shield, melting the shards of ice that the Shadow charged and sent. The Persona then transferred the shield's energy into spears of fire that flew across the room.
Hungry flames seared the Shadow's flesh and Minato watched as its body hissed and wavered. It then exploded, and the raw energy that was hurled outwards pushed Minato to his feet. He was not given a second to recover as the train then lurched forward and sent him stumbling into the hands of Yukari and Junpei, who had managed to recuperate. Minato was about to utter a word of thanks but stopped when he noticed their faces pale. He pivoted and looking out the cabin's windshield, he spied a small white blip that was growing larger by the second.
They had thought that killing the Shadow would be the end of it. But their enemy had one final trick up its sleeve. To keep the train accelerating.