I shattered the card before me, releasing Agumon from the card.
"What's the matter, Tai? Why are we still here," Agumon asked.
Before I could respond, Labrys swung her axe at us again. Agumon and I moved away from the blow.
"Why is Labrys attacking us? I thought we were friends," Agumon stated, confused.
"It's not her Agumon. Someone else is controlling her actions. Can you help me wake her up," I asked.
"Don't worry, Tai. I'll get the bad guy out of Labrys," Agumon replied.
Agumon digivolved to Greymon and held her down with his large hands. Labrys summoned her Persona, and it fired multiple constructed arrows at Greymon, forcing him to step back. Released from his grasp, Labrys swung her axe wildly at me.
"Labrys, come on, wake up. You are stronger than this," I said.
"Struggle as you might, she will never hear your plea," Labrys's controller said.
The Persona constructed metal gears and threw them at Greymon. Greymon spat fireballs at the gears, destroying them in the process. Through the smoke, Greymon charged at the Persona and swung his tail at it, knocking the Persona over to the side. Concerned about what was happening behind her, Labrys looked back for a second. Using this opportunity, I kicked the soccer ball multiple times at her. Eventually, Labrys stood her ground after slightly stumbling backward.
"Playtime is over," Labrys's controller said.
The Persona constructed spikes below Greymon, trapping him inside a makeshift cage. Seeing that he was in danger, I rushed over to Greymon. However, the Persona created similar spikes around me, barely allowing me to move my body freely.
"This ends now," Labrys's controller stated.
Labrys lifted her axe back and charged it to full power, preparing to swing it at me in full force. A strike with such momentum would surely cut me in half.
"Tai," Kari shouted.
"Izanagi," Yu yelled.
Yu shattered the card before him, summoning Izanagi. Izanagi dropped a lightning bolt on Labrys's Persona, breaking it in the process. Labrys flinched from the pain but released the energy of her axe anyway. With no control over the axe, Labrys spun around randomly, colliding into a stack of TV monitors. With the Persona gone, Greymon and I were free from the constructed cage.
"Thanks, Yu," I said.
"It's not over yet," Yu informed.
Greymon and Izanagi pinned Labrys down as we walked to her.
"Alright, you creep, you better let Labrys go right now," I said.
"I'm surprised how easy that was. I guess I didn't push this puppet far enough," Labrys's controller said.
"Stop treating Labrys like she's a toy. If you want to fight, why don't you reveal yourself," Yu demanded.
"As much as I enjoy entertaining the idea, I don't have the power to enter the TV, unlike the two of you: Tai Kamiya and Yu Narukami," Labrys's controller asked.
"He knows who we are," Rise questioned, concerned.
"Where did he get his information from," Izzy pondered.
"Labrys's Shadow was only in charge of the tournament. You were the one responsible for everything," Mitsuru stated.
"Indeed, it was I who kidnapped Labrys and threw her into the TV. Since Labrys had a partial Persona, I hoped her Shadow would run amok. However, this chain reaction yielded greater results than anticipated. I've had my share of fun for now. We will meet again in time," Labrys's controller replied.
"Hey, we are not done talking yet," I said.
Before Yu and I could do anything, Labrys shut down once more. We returned Greymon and Izanagi to cards to check up on Labrys, but Aigis was already by her side to analyze her.
"Don't worry. Labrys may have shut down, but her memory is intact. She will be okay," Aigis confirmed.
"Looks like this mission is bigger than we anticipated," Akihiko told Mitsuru.
"If he has this much information, he must be connected to us. I apologize, but I must ask all of you to leave this matter to us," Mitsuru told us.
"You can't ask us to leave after all this has happened. That perpetrator is still out there," TK replied.
"He's right. We've already come this far. We can't back out right now," Kanji added.
"We understand your concern, but you will be in danger if you get involved further," Akihiko stated.
"Please, trust us. We will confirm no harm comes to you or Labrys," Mitsuru confirmed.
"But," Chie said, dejected.
"I think we should let Mitsuru and her group take care of this," Yu suggested.
While members of our group were surprised by Yu's response, we ultimately obliged.
"Yu's right. At our current state, we wouldn't be of help. Our priority should be recovering our strength," Sora added.
"They also seem knowledgeable about the situation. We would be in their way," Matt stated.
"I know that, but it just feels wrong to let Labby-chan go like that," Teddie said, disheartened.
"Thank you for understanding. We'll make sure to keep everyone safe," Mitsuru said.
With mixed emotions, we left the TV World.
Episode 7
We rested at the food court when we returned from the TV World.
"I'm not sure why, but now that I'm out of the TV World, I feel exhausted," Kari said.
"At least you're still awake. Chie and Rise are napping right now," Yosuke replied, pointing at them resting on the table.
"Still, I'm surprised you arrived here, Naoto. Did your work bring you here somehow," Chie asked.
"That's correct. Although I can't dive into full detail about my work, I can tell you more about Mitsuru and her group," Naoto replied.
"She said she's in charge of those robot girls, Aigis and Labrys, right? She looks like the leader of this group," TK said.
"Indeed, she leads these individuals to tackle Shadow-related incidents. The police renewed their interest in them about two to three years ago," Naoto explained.
"I'm surprised these shadow incidents have been around for that long. We've only dealt with them last year," Sora said.
"I'm afraid that it's been going on for much longer. If I recall correctly, Shadows have appeared over the past twelve years after an unfortunate accident," Naoto continued.
"They've been around for that long? Then, why have we only noticed it now," Matt asked.
"I cannot say without giving away too much information, but Mitsuru and her group have been dealing with the incident since then and have kept their activities as quiet as possible until recently," Naoto replied.
"So, you're indirectly stating she's related to what started the shadow movement in the first place," Izzy said.
"She doesn't look that old. Maybe she feels guilty because her family did something while she was just a kid," Chie said.
"She's been cleaning up her family's mess this whole time. I can't imagine the burden she must carry as both the head of her group and the Kirijo Corporation as a whole," Joe replied.
"She's also been dealing with that shadow stuff all this time. That's hardcore. She must know more about this stuff than all of us combined. How can we compare to someone like that," Kanji said, downcast.
"In any event, given how tired everyone is, I suggest we call it a day for now," Yu said.
"I second that notion. I feel drained after all that fighting," Mimi replied.
"Come on, Rise. You'll catch a cold sleeping outside like this," Sora said.
"She lives near my place. I can take her home," Kanji said.
"It's fine. I can walk home by myself," Rise replied.
"What about you, Naoto? Do you have a place to stay," Chie asked.
"What are you talking about? Are you not from around here," Matt asked Naoto.
"I'm also from the city but moved here to investigate the Midnight Channel last year. I'm sure I can use my connections to find a place here temporarily," Naoto replied.
"If you want, you can stay at our place. We have space for you," Mimi said.
"I appreciate the offer, but I do have some private work that I need to take care of," Naoto replied.
"Is there no more room at the Amagi Inn," I asked Yukiko.
"Unfortunately, all of our rooms are filled for Golden Week. Your group took the last available space," Yukiko answered.
"It was worth a shot," TK said.
"I hope you guys are staying for tomorrow. We still have a welcoming party that we have not fully launched yet," Yosuke said.
"You're right. I was so distracted with what happened today that I completely forgot about it," Chie said.
"This time, everyone would be around to celebrate it," Rise said.
"You're more than happy to come too if you want," Yosuke informed us.
"But wouldn't we be intruding on your party? It was originally for Yu, after all," Sora questioned.
"Don't worry about it. We can also celebrate your arrival in Inaba as well. It can be one large group gathering," Yu replied.
"In that case, we'll take your offer," I said.
"Now there's something to look forward to tomorrow," Mimi cheered.
"We've all done great work, so let's focus on resting for the day," Yu said.
"See you all in Junes tomorrow," Chie said.
"We wouldn't miss it for the world," TK replied.
I was inside a familiar blue room where the eccentric elevator attendant greeted me.
"I was wondering when you might show up. Welcome to the Velvet Room. I must say I am starting to become like my master. I don't know how to feel about it," Elizabeth replied.
As usual, it was hard to understand the pacing of her words.
"Once again, I thank you for our illustrious battle. I even had the chance to evaluate my mettle on another boy. Both of you were quite strong. It had me on the edge of my seat," Elizabeth continued.
I was surprised there was someone else she challenged besides me. I did not envy the person who had to deal with Elizabeth's astounding might. I believe she wasn't at her full power when I fought her. I was afraid of what she was capable of at full strength.
"Back to the matter at hand, I don't believe I need to reaffirm this information, but I must facilitate the drama. I trust you understand that your current journey is far from over. As you have guessed, the malicious foe is still out loose, ready to deploy their grand scheme. I don't know what kind of adventure you had while you were with my older sister, but the road you are currently traveling is more dangerous than anything you can imagine, which makes me the better guide."
I cannot tell if the two sisters were rivals or if she was naturally competitive.
"However, it is imperative that you know this is not your story. The path you seek is that of the one with whom you've formed your newest bond. It is her journey that she must trek on her own one way or another. Of course, you are more than happy to guide her along the way but don't say I didn't warn you if you get caught in the crossfire. Are you sure you are ready to be her pillar of support when she needs it the most?"
Perhaps this was her way of showing her concern for me. This path will be difficult, but such adventures were nothing new for us.
"It seems you have already made up your mind. I figured as much. After all, I did evaluate your resolve, so I'm sure you'll find some way to see your path until the end. Go forth and fight as though your life depends on it. This time, you will be in a world unlike you have ever seen."
What does that mean? Did that ominous message have any deeper meaning to it?
"Perhaps I said too much. I must be a guide. I cannot make your decisions for you, but I'm sure you'll live to tell the tale. Well then, until we meet again."
The room's ringing phone woke us up the next day. Kari exited her room to answer the call. After a quick and straightforward conversation, she headed to the girl's room first to relay her conversation before knocking loudly in our room. Begrudgingly, I opened the door.
"Kari, it's early in the morning. What happened," I asked.
"There's no time to explain. Labrys called, and she said she wanted to see us," Kari replied.
"Was Labrys on the phone? Why didn't anyone wake me up earlier," TK said, quickly getting up.
"Of course, that's what got your attention," Matt said, slowly getting up.
"Where does she want us to meet," I asked Kari.
"She gave me directions to a gas station. She said we needed to meet," Kari continued.
"Okay, let's meet in front of the lobby and head out to the gas station together," I told her.
"Already ahead of you," Mimi said, heading out the door.
"That's not fair. You girls had a head start," TK said, trying to change quickly.
Once everyone was ready, we took a bus to the suggested gas station. To our surprise, Yu and the others were also waiting at the corner of the station.
"There they are," Chie said, waving at us.
"Looks like the whole gang is here," Kanji said, smiling.
"Chie, everyone, it's good to see you all again," Mimi said, giving everyone high fives.
"How is everyone feeling," Joe asked.
"Very well, thank you for asking," Yukiko replied.
"I know I slept like a log," Yosuke said.
"No one was asking," Chie replied.
"I'm guessing you also got a phone call from her, too," Izzy asked.
"That's right. It's almost close to our meeting time," Yu replied.
Around the corner, a long limousine drove towards us.
"That must be them," Naoto replied.
"A limousine," TK questioned.
"Well, we are dealing with the Kirijo group. I expected nothing less," Matt replied.
"It's so long," Chie said.
"I'm surprised it even made the corner," Yukiko added.
Once the limousine stopped, a familiar face walked towards us.
"Hello, everyone. Sorry for making you all worry," Labrys said.
"Labby-chan, it's great to see you again," Teddie said.
"How are you feeling," I asked.
"I'm doing a lot better now. I heard about what happened from Aigis and the others. I'm terribly sorry," Labrys replied.
"There's no need to apologize. What happened was out of your control," Sora reassured.
"So, what's going to happen to you now," Yosuke asked.
"I've decided to join Mitsuru in catching the culprit. You've all done so much for me. Now, it's my turn to do the same and keep you all safe," Labrys stated.
"I like your resolve. I can see you've thought hard about your decision," Yu informed her.
"It's good to know they're allowing you to do what you wish," Kari replied.
"Don't worry; this isn't goodbye. Once this whole thing is over, let's hang out properly this time," Labrys suggested.
"Of course, we'll all be waiting for you," Rise said.
"Come back soon, and don't be a stranger," Kanji added.
"If you ever come to Tokyo, be sure to visit us as well," Sora replied.
"Yeah, we'll welcome you with open arms and have a grand party," Mimi said.
"It's so sad to see a beauty leave before our eyes," Teddie cried.
"I know the feeling all too well," TK sympathized.
"You're both excruciating," Kari said.
"Here's to seeing each other again," I told Labrys.
I extended my hand to Labrys, and she shook it. I was expecting something sturdy. However, Labrys's hands were delicate, reminding me that the line between man and machine was solely in the eyes of the beholder.
"A handshake is too formal. Let me show you something cool," Mimi said.
Mimi raised Labrys's hand and gave her a high five. Soon, everyone was doing it with her in their own unique way. Once everyone finished, Labrys caught Mitsuru's gaze, who signaled to her that it was about time.
"This meeting meant a lot to me. I'm glad we're all friends. I hope to see you again soon," Labrys said.
Labrys swiftly headed inside the limousine before she started to tear up. Labrys stuck her body out the window to wave goodbye to us as the limousine drove off. We waved back until we were unable to see her.
"They're really gone, huh," Rise said.
"I'm going to miss them," Kari replied.
"I wish they could stay longer," Chie added.
"I'm sure they have their own tasks to deal with," Matt replied.
"Speaking of tasks, why don't we head over to Junes? We still have a certain party to hold after our little detour," Yosuke said.
"Now that everyone is here, this can be a proper welcoming party," Yukiko added.
"Thank you for inviting us once again," Joe said.
"Don't mention it. Besides, the more people we have, the merrier," Yu responded.
We headed to Junes, where we spent time together at the food court on the rooftop. We were greeted with various drinks, snacks, and small treats as we cheerily conversed with each other.
"Okay, everyone, listen up. I don't have time until my shift starts, so I want to make this fast," Yosuke said, mimicking the sound of a fork hitting a glass cup with a soda can.
"Do you have work today," Sora asked.
"It is the holiday week, so it means more work for us, especially Teddie. You better be ready to work all those missed hours," Yosuke informed.
"But I didn't do it on purpose. I was a good bear until the bad guy trapped me," Teddie retorted.
"Well then, here's to Yu returning to Inaba and Tai's group for their first Inaba visit," Chie announced.
"Cheers," everyone shouted.
"With that out of the way, it's time to announce the real reason why we've gathered," Yosuke continued.
"It wasn't just to hang out and party," TK questioned.
"It's about what transpired yesterday," Yu explained.
"You guys weren't satisfied with how things ended, right," Yosuke asked.
"That's true," Mimi sadly agreed.
"Then how about we investigate this case together," I jumped in response.
"Woah, it's like you read my mind," Yosuke said.
"Does that mean what I think it means," Rise asked.
"That's right; the Investigation Team is back," Yu declared.
"That's what I'm talking about," TK said.
"I'm so excited," Mimi replied.
"Honestly, I was surprised you came to the same conclusion as we did," Yosuke told me.
"It's like you said. Something about how everything ended didn't feel right. I want to figure out what is going on as much as everyone else," I explained.
"I thought we agreed to let Mitsuru's group take care of it," Naoto responded.
"That's what I've been trying to say," Joe restated.
"Yes, but I never said anything about not getting involved," Yu retorted.
"It's true that the perpetrator is still out there. Think of what else that person can do on a larger scale if they can manage Labrys easily," Matt said.
"With knowledge of the TV World, the Kirijo group, and us, this person must be clever. It won't be easy to find this kidnapper," Izzy added.
"That's all the more reason to be on our toes. The sooner we prepare for this mastermind, the better we will be at taking them down," Kanji replied.
"So, are you in," Yosuke asked Naoto.
"As if you have to ask," Naoto replied, smiling.
"Alright, let's catch this culprit and bring peace to this town once and for all," Mimi declared.
"Everyone put your hands in a circle," Chie said, sticking her hand out.
"Oh, I remember this," Teddie said, placing his hand on top.
Everyone gathered in a circle to place their hands in the middle.
"Alright, Yosuke, will you do the honors," Yu asked.
"Why me? The investigation was our idea," Yosuke said, surprised.
"Well, you were the one who brought up that idea out in the open first," Matt said.
"Don't chicken out on this now," TK goaded.
"Alright then, let's catch the real culprit," Yosuke announced.
"Yeah," everyone cheered, throwing their hands in the air.
Once Yosuke and Teddie returned to work, we stayed a little longer until we went our separate ways. First, we headed to the central shopping district to try local delicacies. After introducing ourselves to Kanji and Rise's family in their respective stores, we headed up a small shrine to offer a donation and express our prayers. Then, we took a scenic walk alongside the flood plain, making a quick stop to observe the high school Yu and the others go to. Afterward, we took the train to Okina City, where we spent time together at a cafe. Mimi wanted to buy clothes at an eccentric clothing store, but we confronted her not to. We spent the rest of the day watching a movie at the theatre before heading back to Inaba to relax after a long day of exploration.
The following day, we returned to Junes after getting a call from Yu. It seemed like they wanted to discuss further our investigation into Larbys's controller. The store was noticeably busier than when we last ventured in. We spotted children laughing and playing at the rooftop park when we headed to the foot court upstairs. Yu stated that they would be up here, but there were too many people in the crowd for us to notice. Eventually, we spotted Chie waving at us and headed over to them.
"Hey, you guys made it," Chie said.
"Good morning, everyone," Kari replied.
"Teddie, you're in your human form. I didn't recognize you for a second," Sora said.
"Well, I wouldn't want to have my fur all mangled up by all these people. The job of the store mascot can be tiring," Teddie responded.
"Where's Rise and Naoto," Mimi asked.
"They both had work and had to leave yesterday. They sent their regards," Yukiko answered.
"Man, you had no idea how difficult it was to find seats at this hour," Kanji groaned.
"I can imagine with all these people how difficult it might be. What's the occasion," Joe asked.
"That reminds me. I think today is Children's Day," Sora questioned.
"You're right. I should have brought Nanako to play with the children here," Yu stated.
"With what we're about to discuss, I think not bringing her was the right decision," Yosuke responded.
"Maybe I should buy you a gift," I told Kari.
"Don't even think about it," Kari quickly replied.
"Back to the topic, you guys wanted to discuss what happened a few days ago, so let's go over what we know," Matt stated.
"I guess we should start from the beginning. We know that the Midnight Channel aired before our arrival, meaning someone threw Labrys into the TV around that time," Sora started.
"Naoto told us she was there when they kidnapped Labrys. According to her, none of the people involved in the kidnapping had any recollection of what they had done," Yu explained.
"Are we sure those guys weren't lying during their testimony," Matt asked.
"I also read a couple of articles about that incident. After confirming with my sources, their statements appear genuine," Izzy confirmed.
"So, we're dealing with someone who has mind control powers or uses hypnotism? That sounds extremely excessive," Joe stated.
"Then, why would they go through all the trouble of gathering so many people just to steal Labrys," Chie questioned.
"At first, I thought his target was us because he took my identity and made us fight, but that wasn't the case," Teddie continued.
"Yeah, he wanted to turn our Personas back into Shadows and steal our Shadows. That's disturbing," Kanji questioned.
"The fact that this person not only knows about us, Mitsuru's group, Personas, and shadows means we're not dealing with just any normal person. This person is as cold-blooded as they are calculating," TK said.
"The question is why they would want to gather powerful Shadows in the first place," Yukiko stated.
"I would imagine that it is nothing good," Kari replied.
"By the way, how has the TV World been since our departure," Yu asked Teddie.
"It's still feeling the effects of the fighting tournament, so the shadows are still very restless. Also, there's something else inside, but I'm not sure what it is," Teddie answered.
"Could it be the culprit," Chie asked.
"That wouldn't make sense. Didn't the adversary say they weren't a Persona-user, which was why they threw Labrys in the TV in the first place? Why go through all the trouble with Labrys if they can willingly go in themselves," Matt responded.
"One thing is for certain. Now that the culprit failed their first plan in gaining our powers, they will stop at nothing with their second plan to make their goal bear fruit," Yu said.
"We must be prepared for whatever the wrongdoer throws at us. It would go against Mitsuru's desires, but their target is us. We need to show the mastermind we won't back down from a fight," I added.
"The culprit disrupted my peaceful world that all of you worked so hard to fix. I'm going to make sure they pay for that," Teddie said, fired up.
"Stuff seems to happen whenever you are around," Kanji told Yu.
"That bugged me quite a bit. The kidnapping happened near Inaba. Then, you all arrived in Inaba. Finally, the Midnight Channel appeared. It's as if the evildoer waited for everyone to show up before throwing Labrys inside the TV. It can't be a coincidence," Yosuke stated.
"When you put it like that, the culprit sounds like they planned all this way in advance. How can we catch someone who thinks that far ahead," Sora asked.
The sky quickly darkened while we pondered on this timed string of events.
"Was that thunder? How did those clouds come in so suddenly," Chie asked.
Like the rest of the crowd, we headed back inside Junes to shelter from the potential rain.
"The weather didn't say anything about rain. I wish I had my umbrella on me," Mimi said.
"We should probably start heading home before it gets bad. I'd hate to be out there if it rained the rest of the day," Kanji commented.
"Do you think it will rain all through the night? Won't that mean it will show tonight," Kari asked, concerned.
"We will cross that bridge once we get there. For now, let's come back here tomorrow to check on the TV World and see if we can do anything to fix it," Yu stated.
"Okay, I'll let Rise know about it," Yukiko said.
"I'll contact Naoto, but I don't know how busy she will be," Chie responded.
"We'll see you guys tomorrow then," I said.
We spent the rest of the day inside the inn as the rain poured through the night. Although it was dying down, the mood inside our room was tense.
"The rain hasn't let up yet," Kari said, concerned.
"I understand how you feel. Let's try not to think too hard about it and hope for the best," Sora informed Kari.
"Come on, I have some cards. Let's play a little," Mimi told Kari.
"Any luck on your end," I asked Izzy, who was on the computer.
"There haven't been any updates as of yet. I'm still monitoring the situation as we speak," Izzy replied.
"You brought your homework with you," Matt asked, looking over Joe's shoulder.
"Well, our project's deadline is coming close, so I wanted to check and make sure everything is ready for our presentation," Joe said, typing away on his computer.
TK was staring at the TV as the clock drew midnight. Right before it struck, the TV turned on.
"Everyone, come quick," TK shouted.
We rushed over to the TV to understand what was happening. The Midnight Channel showed another grandiose fighting tournament. This time, everyone was a part of the show. We were mixing it up with Yu's group, clashing with them back and forth with our special attire. Even Mitsuru, Akihiko, Aigis, and Labrys were a part of the promotional video. Teddie was also in the video, even though we saw General Teddie and Risette at the beginning of the video. After a final comment from General Teddie, the show ended. A countdown timer replaced the video.
"The P-1 Climax," TK said, confused.
"The tournament is still happening," Joe asked, concerned.
"What's with the timer," Kari questioned.
"Everyone, prepare for whatever happens," Sora said.
We waited for the timer to drop to zero. At first, nothing happened. Slowly, the world turned slightly red.
"That's odd. My computer suddenly stopped working," Izzy said, noticing that his monitor turned off.
"Wait, what about all my work? I don't know how far I saved," Joe said, rushing to his computer.
"My cellphone won't turn on," Mimi said, checking her phone.
"The TV won't turn on either," TK said, trying to power on the TV with a remote control.
"What does all of this mean," Matt questioned.
Soon, the TV turned on again. This time, a familiar face appeared on the screen.
"Hello, everyone! Did you miss me," General Teddie said, smiling.
"General Teddie," I said in a disgruntled tone.
"I should have known he was going to be back one way or another," Matt replied.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the time has come for the grandest tournament of them all! It's a fight to the death, where all the participants must battle until a true victor is determined. The world will end if we fail to find a clear winner within the next hour. How's that for an amazing stipulation," General Teddie smirked.
"What is he talking about? What does he mean the world would end," Sora asked, perplexed.
"I say we go inside the TV and teach that evil villain a lesson," Mimi stated.
"By the way, this tournament will not happen in the TV world, but in the Real World. As proof, here's a special sneak peek at what happens when the contestants try to stick their noses too deep into our business," General Teddie continued.
General Teddie showed a video of four people crucified next to each other at an unknown location.
"It's Mitsuru and her group," Kari said.
"Hey, what have you done to them? They don't deserve that kind of treatment," TK yelled at General Teddie.
"Well, I wonder what will happen to them if we don't find ourselves a champion sooner rather than later. Then again, if there is no winner, they'll be dead anyway, so they'll at least have company in the afterlife. Well then, enjoy the tournament, and don't fail me this time," General Teddie replied.
The TV broadcast stopped as we stared at the blank TV with concerned looks.
*To be continued*