Disclaimer: Fate and Persona are owned by different companies and I hold no ownership and all that jazz.
7/6
"Impudent Beast!"
Cognitive Hakuno shot out of the room as purple light surrounded the sarcophagus the Treasure sped towards her as it shrank down to fit in her empty hand. Waves of fire slammed into the Sphinx as it flew backwards.
"BRATTTTTTSSSS!" The Sphinx cried, it had Wakaba's head. The wings were tattered, it was missing a paw but its eyes were bloodshot with rage… It was mad, spheres of purple energy beamed towards both the Thieves and the other Cognition.
"Magus, Skull, Panther! You three try to steal the Treasure! We will hold off the Sphinx!" Joker shouted.
"I'll drag her below!" Hakuno jumped down into the islands, parts of the staircases had shattered from the raining ceiling. Avenger used Terror Claw as he slashed at the Guardian who dodged barely but Avenger didn't let up, forcing her down and down below the battle with the Sphinx.
Avenger sprung forth cursed flame dancing in his hands as flaming light was thrown. "I Command thee H̴̨͆Ậ̶L̴̫͛T̴͙̑" Chains reappeared as Hakuno shuttered her magic circuits flaring as the chains shattered before making contact with her skin.
"Hack!" Digital energy ripped into her wing as lightning danced around her singing her. A familiar flash of green appeared as the wounds disappeared. The Monkey King flew forward his staff meeting her own before being knocked back.
"You shall not touch the Pharaoh's final resting place! I will fulfill my duty!"
"We will help Futaba!" Flames danced as they exploded into the Guardian.
Avenger threw himself forward as Hakuno braced herself against a pillar, Terror Claw was met by dozens of ghostly spirits appearing beside the Guardian.
Hakuno felt the rebounded pain from him being sent back.
The Spirit's grabbed Skull as his shotgun shells bounced off of the Guardian. Skull used the split second of distraction to get close, his mace smashing into one of the Ghostly Spirits turning it to dust. He was free falling though.
"Panther! Grab Skull!" Panther had a flicker of surprise across her face as her whip wrapped around the other blonde, yanking him back as ghosts stabbed into the area he was in.
Cerulean flames came forward again as Avenger clawed his way forward, "If this much isn't enough to get you to leave… Then I have no choice." Seven small motes of starlight condensed around her head as she spoke.
Akira narrowly dodged a claw swipe from the Sphinx's singular front paw before wing beat's shoved him back the beast now flying in the air.
Spheres of purple light came from her mouth.
"Scatter!" there was very little room to hide or dodge on their platform "Kurama Tengu!" The Persona appeared at his back as he jumped down a level on the outside of the pyramid.
Stones shattered as the purple beams tore into the area.
Akira jumped back up to the platform, everyone was still fine it seems…
The sphinx came in and it flapped its wings forcing the wind to roar "Zorro show your might!" The musketeer came forward with his own twister pushing back against the flapping of the wind.
"Johanna!" Nuclear energy washed over the Sphinx as it brought down its single front paw onto Queen. The Motorcycle based Persona shattered as Queen was pushed into the ground.
"Feel my blade!" Him and Fox jumped forward, dagger and katana leaving small gashes on the paw as Queen barely held the paw up.
"Setanta Rising Slash!" The Celtic hero sprung forth as his spear missed. The sphinx pushed off the ground at the last moment.
"Mona! Any information!?"
"Seems to be weak to physical attacks!" Blasts of wind came from the Sphinx's mouth causing each of the thieves to dodge.
"We can't keep dodging forever!" Queen shouted as they dashed from their dwindling supply of cover.
The sphinx came in close and gave them a smirk as it flew straight up at super speed.
"H-How far did it fly up? What's it gonna do!? Don't tell me!?" Mona's eyes grew wide, "Is it going to dive bomb us!?"
Cold stone was the first thing she encountered, green lines of code went as far as her eyes could see, "So this is inside my heart…I didn't think it would look like this…" She could faintly hear fighting happening above her.
A large mural slammed into the ground in front of her… was that her? In front of three owl men in suits? She knows what this represents…
"Do you remember?" The other her spoke. Her yellow eyes pierced into her head… forcing her to reply.
"This is the suicide note. The men in black suits kicked everyone out of the wake…"
"That's correct. Look at the next one." It was of her mom jumping in front of the car.
"This… This is when mom jumped in front of that car…" Why was she being forced to see this!?
"Does… this not look strange to you?" Her other self sighed as the world shook. "But… that is right. Now the next."
Futaba crouched onto the ground burying her face into her knees, "No…" Was this her punishment for following them? To be mocked by her other self?
"Don't run." The voice was calm… "I thought you made your mind up after talking to Hakuno? Are you going to disappoint her by not listening?"
"Okay…" She stood up slowly, "It's… when Mom scolded me for bothering her."
The Other Her nodded, "Yes."
"I knew it… It was me who killed Mom. I was a bad daughter… I weighed her down and she hated me for it… It's just like I remember…" She could feel the temperature rise in the tomb.
"Are you certain?"
"Huh?" What was she saying? Doesn't she remember it all? Didn't she agree that was what was happening?
"Remember everything… Don't avert your eyes. When did this happen?"
… "Two years before Mom died… Before me and Hakuno went to lunch…I whined about wanting to go on a family trip. But she scolded me and said no…"
Didn't she talk to Hakuno about this conversation? What did Hakuno say again!?
"Was that all she said? Do you not remember what you told your friend?"
That isn't all she said.
"I'm too busy right now… I need to finish my cognitive research as soon as possible…"
"And what did you do?"
"I threw a tantrum… Told her she thought her research was more important than I was… That was when she scolded me…"
"What did she say after? There was more."
… There was more, wasn't there? What did Hakuno say she said…. "Once it's finished… we can go wherever you like? All three of us? I'm thankful that the Kishinamis were able to help you… but I am sorry that I haven't been there for you… Please try to understand though? This research is really important? Even if it costs me my life?"
"Did she truly hate you?"
The battle was not going that well. "Avenger!" Cursed flames flew towards the vastly faster opponent as it used a floating sarcophagus as cover.
Skull had taken one of those motes to stop it from hitting Panther; it threw him into the wall and forced Panther to focus on healing him. Sounds of battle were still coming from above as Hakuno quickly returned Avenger into her mask as one of the motes screamed towards him.
"Hack!" The Guardian knew how to dodge the near instant explosion of digital energy as it countered with lightning. The Monkey King flew into the lightning as it washed harmlessly over it.
"Don't think I'm down yet!" Skull had climbed above as he slammed his mace onto the Guardian, a thin barrier formed around her as the attack was deflected. Spheres of flame erupted as Carmen appeared, her Agilao skill actually did damage.
"Gain_Con!" The defensive code-cast made it in a nick of time as the Guardian countered with a torrent of fire from her hands onto the male thief who was mostly fine.
"You pests…" She flickered as Hakuno lost sight of her… PAIN coursed through her as she was stabbed with a blade made of golden flames. Something wrapped around her as she flew backwards into the waiting arms of Panther.
"Diarama." Green light covered her, the hole in her gut stitching back together.
"T-Thanks…"
"This seriously sucks… Why do we keep fighting you Magus?"
"I hope the others are doing better…" Panther muttered. The trio had regrouped, the Guardian slowly flapped her wings as she stared down upon the three.
"We just want to help! If you are me then you know that I would never hurt Futaba!" Three motes of starlight blasted towards the group. The three scattered as each mote chased down each individual thief.
"I have my duty, you mortals will not touch a single strand of hair on her!… My flames will bring her back!"
Jumping behind a rock Hakuno's eyes widened in surprise as the Guardian appeared in front of her. "AVENGER!"
Avenger sprung forward cursed flames countered holy flames forcing the two back Hakuno smashed threw the rock she was using as shelter… She was pushed off the ledge.
"I Gotcha!" Momentarily weightless as Skull jumped from one island catching her as they landed roughly on another island.
Golden Flames covered the now ticked off Guardian. Panther had released her own torrent of fire and it did nothing.
The Guardian smirked as she pointed her staff dozens of lines of flame emerged from her staff and raced towards them.
"Damn that thing! When is it going to strike!?"
A loud crack occurred, "Everyone guard!" Akira mentally switching to Zouchouten resistance against physical strength should help!
The world went brown for a split second as the sphinx leaped off of them. It laughed at them. Mona and Queen are down. Fox survived Barely…Akira could barely feel his arms as he mentally switched to Phoenix.
The fluttering of wings signaled Recarm's revival on Mona who stood up shakily. "Fox Revivadrin! Mona! Heal!" Fox limped to Queen as he shoved the horrid tasting medicine into her mouth.
"Zorro!" The overly large Persona emerged, a wave of his rapier sent cooling magic covering him. Still injured…
"This isn't good…" Mona mumbled dodging another gust of wind. "I can't tell at all when it's going to attack!"
"Focus on range! Dodge anything!" They need Magus and Panther's firepower!
A flash of orange came from the staircase "Futaba!?" She had the Metanav!? "That's…?"
"You killed her!" Figures appeared around Futaba, see-through ghost like people surrounding her berating her!
"It's my fault…"
The sphinx flew close to them snarling, "That's right! You killlled me!"
That's her mom!? "Futaba's desires and guilt must've distorted her cognition of her! The wish that her mother was alive again as well as all those eerie jeers…"
"I WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN!"
"That's a lie!" Akira knew the mother from both Boss's story and Magus's! "Wakaba loved Futaba!"
Floating from nothing her Shadow came forward staring down at Futaba…
"Futaba Sakura! Remember! Why did you think it was suicide!?"
Futaba was on the ground, the Sphinx lifted its one good front paw, "I'll cut you down!" A flash of light Fox's blade countered the claws
"Because of the note…"
Kurama Tengu appeared blocking a blast of sphinx now was trying to hit Futaba no matter what!
"Exactly! The men in black read her suicide note to you, and what was written on it?"
"All of her complaints… about me."
"Yes the shock and pain led you to avert your eyes, run away from your dear friend. From your past. They cornered you and forced you to be with that vile man." The shadow's voice dripped with venom.
Nuclear energy smashed into the mouth of the Sphinx before another beam of purple could come forth. "FUTABBBBAAAAA!"
"Think hard. Was that suicide note real? Did the mother you love ever say such horrible things to you?"
A flash of understanding came across Futaba's face, a look of defiance spread across Futaba causing Akira to smirk "No! She scolded me when I had tantrums but she cared for me!"
"Guard!" Hakuno shouted as both Skull and Ann raised their weapons in a defensive stance, the lines of flame stabbing into each thief, including her.
Hakuno held her mind turn to static as her Magic Circuits screamed. "Carmen!" Blood red flames slammed into the lines of fire pushing them back.
"Recover." Her Mystic Code glowed green as her burns began to heal… as Skull bashed the Guardian's back with his mace, sending her screening towards the wall. She raised her hand as a wall of Flame erupted around her.
"Flames of Love and Hate!" Almighty magic pierced the flame wall that the Guardian had summoned, smashing her through the side of the Pyramid. A mote of Starlight slammed into Hakuno as she fell to the ground.
"I got you!" Panther was by her side in a moment. Green light came from Carmen as Hakuno felt her wounds recovering.
"Annoying Pest! JUST LEAVE SO I CAN FINISH! I will bring her back!"
Hakuno's eyes flashed, "Skull block!" Skull didn't hesitate as a beam of flame crashed into him.
Flames covered his body, "Thanks…" Hakuno mentally searched the Regalia as she brought out an orb that whisked the flames into it as it shattered.
"She keeps on healing…" The Guardian wasn't looking at them…almost like- The other thieves!
"We gotta go up!" Hakuno was tired but! She still had their ultimate ace up their sleeve.
"Futaba!?" Hakuno couldn't believe her eyes, Futaba was here… She had the Metanav!?
"You dare wear a mask of the Pharaoh!?" Flames rushed towards the injured thieves…
"Carmen!" the Femme Fatale appeared, golden flames were stopped by a torrent of red and orange. Panther stumbled as Skull gave her a hand.
"Whip 'em, Persona!" Son Goku's staff slammed into the Guardian knocking her back.
"Hakuuu" Futaba was clinging her head, Hakuno ran over Futaba's Shadow standing in her way.
"You were used! They forged her suicide note and laid the blame of her death upon you! They tramped all over your young heart! GET MAD! DON'T FORGIVE THOSE ROTTEN ADULTS!"
Hakuno could see green tint around the pair as Futaba's Shadow surged with power… far above the Guardian and Sphinx.
"You're mine!" Lightning danced around the Sphinx pushing it back, "We aren't done yet!"
"It's because I couldn't face myself, or Mom's death… Even then…" Hakuno could feel the raw emotion coming from Futaba and her Shadow.
Futaba has seen the truth…
"Spirit of Vengeance!" Cursed Flames swam towards the Guardian Hakuno's magic circuits burned as a tiny flicker of life came into the eyes of her Servant/Persona.
Claw met staff, Cursed flames covered Holy.
"You don't know when to give up!" The guardian smashed down as Avenger turned to dust. Queen jumped from her Persona, her fist making a satisfying crack onto the Guardian's face as she plummeted down the side of the Pyramid.
"I won't let those distorted lies deceive me anymore! And I won't be led astray by other's voices either! I'm going to trust my own eyes and heart to distinguish the truth from the lies! You are just a lie created by those horrid adults!" Futaba clenched her fists as she stared definitely at the Sphinx that wore her mother's face.
Futaba's Shadow smirked and waved slightly at Hakuno before turning into a bright light. A large green and blue UFO flew gently above Futaba as large silver tentacles slowly rose her into the spaceship.
Persona, her true self.
Hakuno fired her pulse gun at the Sphinx as it looked at them in confusion before screaming. "FUTABAAAAA!" The Sphinx soared into the air.
"Not this again!" Mona shouted as he scampered around.
"This is my heart's world right? Then Hacking into my distortion should be no problem for me!" Green sigils flew around the party. A thin green barrier covered the top of the pyramid as waves of flame came from the base. The Guardian was now fully enveloped in golden fire, her staff long gone and the Treasure missing...
The Sphinx crashed down her three sets of claws unable to penetrate the barrier.
"I won't let you! Now it's our turn-here goes!" Hakuno could see Futaba's smirk as a Ballista appeared behind them.
"Flames of Love and Hate!" The Almighty Magic was dodged by the Guardian as she flew, the Sphinx completely ignoring her in favor of targeting the rest of the thieves as they protected Futaba.
Hakuno could feel the steady drain as she forced Avenger to continue the chase. "Magus! Can you do it?"
Hakuno glanced at the Ballista, "Fox would be better!" Her aim was still terrible, firing something so new would end bad for them.
Joker nodded, "I'll shoot it!" Fox dashed towards the controls, his hands working them like he had practiced it for his entire life.
"Bullet rain, Queen magic on Guardian!" Everyone brought out their guns as they unloaded upon the Sphinx causing her to dodge.
Queen nodded, Hakuno guided The Guardian towards the group as Queen slammed nuclear fire down onto her doppelganger.
"All right! FIRE!" The sphinx crashed onto the pyramid, a giant bolt tore off its wing, its one paw unable to keep it on top as it failed to find purchase.
"If… only I HAD NEVER BIRTHED YOU!" The Sphinx cried as Hakuno ran forward her circuits flaring as she slammed her staff into the one paw causing it to shriek in pain and tumble down the pyramid.
"I see… the Beast has fallen…" The Guardian looked annoyed but was still confident?
"You are nothing more than a fake, a trick by the ones who wish for me to stop my ritual..." The guardian's form flickered.
"Give up! This is my heart! Even if you wear her face you can't compete with the real deal!" Futaba's Persona flickered green as red energy swirled around the Thieves. "Power Up!"
"Even if… you claim to be her! I will fulfill my sacred duty even if I must die! I shall burn it all away! Let the flames of rebirth become unchained!" Raw energy coursed through the Guardian as the flames on her body condensed into her palm a single drop of golden flame. The Sun flickered.
"Joker… Permission to use Noble Phantasm?" Hakuno felt the cry in the Guardian's voice, the raw power and the Guardian's chant could only mean that she would use a Fake Noble Phantasm of sorts… Futaba did enjoy the tales her Father did spin...
"Are you sure?" Joker asked, as Hakuno nodded, "Then… Fire away." Everyone was already tired, they didn't have much of a choice.
"Command Spell!" Torrents of Red Magical Energy erupted from Hakuno as her Metaverse outfit disappeared revealing her uniform.
"Ablaze with fury, burning ever bright, Roaring with the heat of a thousand suns!"
Avenger's eyes flickered with life, the blue tinge that all Personas shared had disappeared as he became fully solid. "Ahhhhh this familiar vessel! Child of Lunar Seraph, you are certainly an interesting being! To think you would be involved in this farce of a game!"
"This power level! Everyone hold on!" Green sigils appeared once more as Avenger cackled loudly.
"Devouring darkness, till all evil is undone! With divine fire, I purge!" The world grew dim, her body shone as it combusted a miniature sun appearing around her. Lashes made of golden fire smashed against the green tinted shield.
"Avenger! Defeat the Foe in front of us!"
"With Pleasure for… I HAVE GONE BEYOND LOVE AND HATE!" Avenger dashed forward, trails of blue flame coming off of his body.
"Panther! Focus on protecting Magus and Futaba! Everyone else try to slow them down! Sui-Ki! Mabufula!" Hakuno was in the center underneath Futaba's floating UFO. Hakuno had little she could do in this situation… Avenger was already out there with a Command Spell empowering him to use his Noble Phantasm.
"Enfer Château d'If!"
"Flames of Rebirth!"
Blue flames trailed behind Avenger as he split, from one to two, two to four as he kept splitting. Claws made of cursed flames slammed down the solar flares. Beams of Almighty magic smashed into the sun. The entire time, his laughter was echoing from each afterimage.
"Your Persona is a bit unhinged…" Panther muttered.
"Servant at the moment…" Hakuno felt the snip of connection between her and Avenger when the command spell went off, utilizing his power as a Servant disconnects him as a Persona…
Avenger's mad cackle became silent as explosions rocked the sun, the almighty energy cutting through the miniature sun. Golden embers fell down as the soul-burning flames snuffed the flames of rebirth.
"Futaba." Futaba's Persona had disappeared, she wore a green and black skin tight outfit with overly large goggles… As a ghost of Wakaba appeared? Hakuno was too tired to fight anymore.
"Child of the Moon." Avenger dashed through the Shield as if it weren't even there… A mental link formed between Master and Servant. "You must be prepared, your future is both dim and bright. Alas, this moment was short lived, but shine bright fallen star." Avenger turned to dust as Hakuno's mask reformed onto her face.
"Thank you for choosing to remember the real me." Wakaba's Spirit said, her voice calm…So a good ghost then…
"I'm… sorry for being so selfish. Mom…" Futaba reached for the near invisible person as Wakaba shook her head.
"Don't come over here. This isn't where you're supposed to be, is it?" Wakaba glanced at Hakuno, "You two have gotten so big…"
"But… I finally got to see you again." Futaba's voice cracked as Hakuno put an arm around Futaba, tears were spilling from her red goggles.
"Are you being selfish again?" Wakaba's voice was teasing and light.
"Um, I… I love you Mom…"
"I love you too, Futaba. Now… you should get going. Watch out for her Hakuno…" Wakaba disappeared.
The Palace shook as the pyramid began to collapse under the weight of the battle. The Personas all disappeared.
"Futaba herself was the Treasure!" Mona shouted, "The Guardian's goal was to revive her! With her Persona manifesting, of course this place would collapse!"
Futaba was already drifting to sleep. "A little help!" Fox swooped in, his long arms picking up the passed out girl in green. Hakuno forced a flash of her circuits as her outfit reappeared, the cognition aiding her as they dashed down the pyramid. Explosions rocked the pyramid, sending dust and falling stone after them.
Panther threw Mona into the air turning him into his car form as they all jumped in. Hakuno held onto Futaba as Queen drove with insane luck, dodging the falling stone. Familiar waves of Red and Black covered their vision.
Author's Note: Futaba Awakening! Command Spell Use! So to explain, Normal use Avenger is around 80% Persona 20% Servant. That's the reason Hakuno is able to use Flames of Love and Hate. When using a Command Spell, Avenger becomes 100% Servant meaning Hakuno is unable to have her Metaverse bonuses anymore or any direct control over Avenger.
If Hakuno was able to draw in a massive amount of Mana she could turn Avenger into Heroic Spirit mode without using a Command Spell, but we won't see it as it goes against the very nature of the world.
Futaba was told the same stories Hakuno and Ann were told, about the 'fake' grand orders. So her knowledge of 'Noble Phantasms' is limited to super strong attacks.
I got a few ideas for the next arc, and a summer time Palace will be needed... I don't want to move Space-Man Palace up, I do got a few ideas. Trying to decide between them is the fun part...
