Agumon and I finally made our way to the Announcement Room. With urgency, I opened the door. The announcement room looked cleaner compared to the other rooms I had visited. Alongside the walls were desks filled with books and computers and framed posters and pictures of what transpired throughout the tournament. Outside the large glass pane window was a view of the studio that we would have landed as we entered the TV without any bugs.
"Tai, over here," a voice shouted.
As I monitored the room, someone's voice caught my attention. I quickly ran over to Rise, who was tied behind her back on one of the legs of a large broadcasting table.
"Rise, thank goodness you're okay," I said, untying her hands.
"I might be, but the girl who came in with General Teddie might not be," Rise replied, checking her wrists.
"Where did they take her," Agumon asked.
"They went further down the room. I will try to contact anyone who could be free to assist you. Hurry, she could be in danger," Rise informed.
"We got this. Stay safe, Rise," I said.
Agumon and I headed further down the announcement room. As Rise stated, Labrys was unconscious and tied to a chair in the middle of the room.
"Labrys," I shouted, quickening my pace.
"Tai," Labrys questioned, regaining her senses.
A large metal gate dropped before us when Agumon and I ran to Labrys. The steel mesh was too small for us to pass through, let alone reach other to her. Labrys struggled to break through the chains that tied her to the chair but to no avail.
"Are you truly struggling to set yourself free? If you used your true strength, you could break out of those chains easily. Or is there something tying you down and making you weak, like your will," a voice echoed in the room.
From the darkness, General Teddie appeared from the shadows of the monitor room and stepped into the light for all to see, sneering at all of us.
"You! You are the one responsible for this mess of this tournament. You are the one who created this fake school and brought in innocent people to fight their friends against their will. Get me off these chains this instant so I can address your irrational behavior," Labrys said.
"You're still going on with this pitiful charade. When are you ever going to wake up from your little fantasy unless you never want to see the truth in the first place," General Teddie stated.
I remember those cold eyes and the harsh tone of voice. It was the same one I encountered during my battle against Aigis.
"Even though you talk about false images, you are the last person to bring that topic up. We all know of your ability to confuse our hearing and voice. Why don't you wipe away that costume you mask behind and show us who you are," I suggested.
"Are you sure that's what you want? Do you believe your student council president could oversee the truth she has been denying all this time? I will tell you what she is: a useless murder weapon," General Teddie scoffed.
"No, I'm not useless, and I'm not a weapon. I'm just an average person, like Tai and the others. Stop spouting nonsense," Labrys yelled.
"Keep denying who you are. It will make your wakeup call even sweeter," General Teddie sneered.
General Teddie started to shake violently. Eventually, the zipper around its neck ripped open, and a dark blob emerged from the costume. As the outfit disintegrated, the blob began to reshape itself. The blob transformed into a mechanical girl with an armored headpiece and large metal wings. The shadow locked eyes with us and snickered.
"Tai, that shadow looks just like Miss President," Agumon stated.
"You really are real. I thought I prepared for this moment, but seeing it live in person hurts. Besides, you might have my face, but it's not like we're the same person. I mean, look at you. If anything, you look more like a murder weapon than I do," Labrys said.
"Aw, did your so-called friend tell you about this moment? Well, I guess he didn't tell you everything, did he? Or are you still too stubborn to admit that I'm actually you," Shadow Labrys jeered.
"What are you talking about? I'll say it in perpetuity. I'm not a machine. I'm just a regular girl who wants to leave this fantasy world and return to my family and friends," Labrys stated.
Shadow Labrys howled maniacally.
"What's so funny," Labrys asked.
"Are you even listening to what you've said? Do you think you're not a machine? Do you think you're some poor, helpless girl who wants to go home and treat this as one bad dream? Well then, allow me to grant your wish and show you the 'true reality' you long for," Shadow Labrys laughed.
The metal wings in Shadow Labrys's back ejected into the air and transformed into a giant axe. Catching the axe as it fell to her, Shadow Labrys banged the ground with the top of the axe, creating a temporary blackout.
Episode 6
When Agumon, Labrys, and I recovered our senses, we saw the world transform from a dim yellow TV studio to a blood-red factory. Behind the glass window was a large furnace filled with burning scrap metal. Conveyer belts slowly dragged broken mechanical body parts toward it as large industrial shredders mangled the incoming metal pieces. Incomplete robotic bodies dangled from the ceiling with claws attached to their heads, creating a similar image to someone getting hanged. Agumon, Labrys, and I looked at the new scenery in horror.
"Was this school some large factory all this time," I said, concerned.
"This place is giving me the creeps," Agumon said, tucking behind my leg.
"What is this? Do I know this," Labrys asked herself.
Images of the past flew to her head, which she violently shook away from her mind.
"No, this isn't real. None of this is real. It's just another one of your abilities. Change it back to what it's supposed to be," Labrys shouted at her shadow.
"Even this isn't enough to make you see the truth. It appears you need another wake-up call," Shadow Labrys declared.
Shadow Labrys rushed over to Labrys and knocked her over with the side of its axe. Instinctively, Labrys broke the chains off her hands to block the incoming blow. Nevertheless, she flew across the room and crashed into the mesh gate that barred Agumon and me.
"Labrys, are you okay," I asked.
"Look, your arms," Agumon told Labrys.
When Labrys came around, she looked at the arms she used to block Shadow Labrys's attack. To her shock, her arms and hands were robotic. Fearful, she twitched her fingertips, hoping her new arms were fake. However, she felt every slight movement from her new body parts. That was not the only thing that changed. Labrys stood and observed the rest of her body. Her legs, head, even the new wings on her back - everything about her new body was metal.
"No. No. No. No. No! No! No! No! No," Labrys shouted.
Labrys tried to rub away the metal parts of her body, hoping it would turn back to regular skin. She tried to rip the metal wings in her back, but they were firmly locked in her body.
"Labrys, you need to calm down," I said.
"No, Tai, please, don't look or come near me. I'm not like this. It's not who I am. It must be another trick or a fake image," Labrys desperately pleaded.
"Labrys, listen to me. I know this is tough, but you must accept this as truth," I said.
"Who gave you the right to tell us what to do? You know nothing about us, so stop talking like you know who we are. You think getting forced to fight your friends in a silly tournament is enough to understand who we are. You're barely even scratching the surface! Why don't you try acting against your will to destroy our sisters for the sole purpose of experimentation and framing another better me," Shadow Labrys yelled at me.
Everything was starting to fall into place. From the tournament to Risette and General Teddie's callous remarks to Shadow Labrys's cold words, I relived a fanciful retelling of her past. However, I could only imagine the dark reality of Labrys's situation if everything her shadow said was true. Shadow Labrys walked over to Labrys and forced her to look through the glass window and furnace by turning Labrys's head with her hands.
"Do you see this? Look at this. Look at all of this and remember! Do they look familiar to you? That's right. Those are our sisters, the same sisters that we killed with our own two hands. They are the sisters we used to form our so-called bonds with, only to be tossed away like garbage. That is what we truly are. We did this. We did all of this. And it is all our fault," Shadow Labrys explained.
"No, that's not true. That can't be true," Labrys said, shutting her eyes and clutching her head.
"Do you think I'm the villain in this story? No, we are. As proof, you dragged innocent people into your life and forced them to relive the same horrors you did. You were hoping that, through their pain, they would understand how you feel. Hopefully, they will become your friends. But that didn't happen. Their heads held high, and they pressed forward under the false notion of friendships and bonds. They were never alone, meaning they will never understand how we feel no matter how often we force them to fight. We are neither human nor machine. We don't belong anywhere. The ones who would understand are hanging up there, destroyed by our hands."
"Stop saying that! There is no us! There is no we! You're not me!" Labrys yelled.
"Yes! You said it! That's right; I'm not you anymore. I can finally be myself. I'm finally free!"
Shadow Labrys began to shake violently as a red aura engulfed her.
"Yes! This power is mine and only mine. I will never let anyone take it away from me," Labrys heckled.
A giant, monstrous bull with flaming horns appeared from the ground. The creature was so massive that only the top portion of its body was visible. The rest hid underneath a burning abyss that the mad creature emerged from. Shadow Labrys felt relieved like the chains binding her had finally shattered, allowing her to roam free. Shadow Labrys smiled from ear to ear as she menacingly approached a lifeless Labrys, who crumbled to her knees and stood motionless.
"Finally, this false reality will disappear," Shadow Labrys declared.
Shadow Labrys brought her axe up. The large bull mimicked Shadow Labrys's axe with its fists.
"Agumon," I shouted.
I quickly shattered the card before me, allowing Agumon to digivolve into MetalGreymon. As I rode on MetalGreymon's tail, MetalGreymon broke through the mesh gate and swung its tail at Labrys. I grabbed Labrys just as Shadow Labrys and the towering monster brought their axe and fists to the ground. MetalGreymon and I safely carried Labrys further away from them as Shadow Labrys scoffed.
"Tai, I'm so sorry," Labrys said.
"Hey, don't worry about it. We'll take it from here. Just rest up, okay," I gently replied.
MetalGreymon and I refocused our attention on Shadow Labrys and her new companion.
"What do you plan to gain trying to protect the 'other' me? She's a lying murderer and a fraud. You gain nothing from defending her," Shadow Labrys declared.
"That's where you're wrong. You can call Labrys all those terrible things, but more than anything else, she is our friend. We won't let you do bad things to our friends," MetalGreymon replied.
"Did you hear nothing about what I just said? She was never your friend. You have no right to call her your friend when you don't even have an ounce of knowledge about her background. You are playing make-believe, just as she is right now," Shadow Labrys continued.
"Yes, we may not know how heavy of a burden she carries, nor will we pretend to know we understand her traumatic past. However, you also do not have the right to tell us what we can or cannot do. Even if we are physically different and do not share the same background, we still consider Labrys someone we care deeply about throughout our time in the TV world. That is not a bond you can sever so easily with words or actions," I responded.
"You two are so annoying. Give up already," Shadow Labrys yelled.
The mad bull charged its fist and threw it forward towards us. MetalGreymon and I moved out of the just in time, but the aftershock pushed us away. Shadow Labrys took this opportunity to charge at me to swing her axe at me. I kicked my soccer ball at her to stun her just enough to miss her swing at me. Meanwhile, MetalGreymon ran towards the giant bull. The bull charged its mouth to fire a burning laser at MetalGreymon, but MetalGreymon moved to the side. MetalGreymon began slamming its metal arm at the raging bull. The bull attempted to brush him away by shooting flames from its horns.
"Giga Blaster," MetalGreymon shouted.
MetalGreymon flew above the flames and fired two missiles out of this chest. While the monstrous bull took the brunt of the attack, it roared in fury. The large bull dipped down into the abyss and disappeared. As MetalGreymon searched for the bull, it quickly came back up with a punch towards the sky. MetalGreymon stepped back from the attack and flew around the bull's back. MetalGreymon fired two more missiles at the back of the bull's neck. The bull screamed in pain as it swung at MetalGreymon again.
During MetalGreymon and the large shadow's battle, I kept my distance from Shadow Labrys, preventing her from making a big move toward me. Each time she dangerously swung her axe at me, I moved just in time to avoid significant injury. Occasionally, I would kick my soccer ball at Shadow Labrys to slow her down and lose her focus, but it only made her more agitated.
"This game of cat and mouse ends right now," Shadow Labrys declared.
Shadow Labrys launched her hand towards me. While I moved out of the way again, the chain attached to her hand wrapped around my leg. Shadow Labrys swung my body over towards MetalGreymon and released her hold.
"Tai, I got you," MetalGreymon said.
MetalGreymon dashed towards me and caught me midflight, but the dangerous bull used this opening to swing its fist at us. This time, the punch landed, and MetalGreymon and I crashed into the glass window, nearly shattering it in the process. MetalGreymon and I collapsed to the ground as Shadow Labrys approached us.
"Do you see what happens when you try and mess with other people's affairs out of the kindness of your heart? It only leads to pain and suffering in your end. Do you want to understand my life before this whole mess occurred? Sure, I'll show you, assuming you can handle all the mental pain and suffering I was under," Shadow Labrys stated.
Shadow Labrys grabbed my tattered body and lifted me in the air. A dark red portal emerged underneath her feet. Shadow Labrys threw my body to the ground, forcing me down to the abyss. At the same time, the crazy bull towered over MetalGreymon, using its massive size to push MetalGreymon down the same abyss. When all was said and done, Shadow Labrys stood alone in the middle of the room, and the portal to the abyss closed.
"Now, to finish what I've started," Shadow Labrys said.
Shadow Labrys turned her attention to Labrys, who had not moved since the start of our battle. Shadow Labrys slowly walked to Labrys with her axe, prepared to complete her mission.
Meanwhile, I was sinking endlessly to the bottom of the abyss. I could not breathe. I could not see. All I felt was a burning sensation writhing throughout my body. I began hearing familiar voices in my head. There were screams of multiple women fighting against each other and tearing each other apart limb from limb. One of those voices was crying, wishing for everything to end. Were all these Labrys's memories? I realized there were others that looked like Labrys. It dawned on me that they collectively shared the same network and thus felt the same pain and suffering. Labrys had already been through enough. To have that pain multiplied by an unquantifiable number was a burden I was unwilling to estimate.
As I sank downward to the abyss, I noticed Agumon was drowning with me. I tried to reach out to him, but the pain from the burning sensation prevented me from garnering a full extension. I felt pulsing vibrations coming from behind me. I spotted a large gate at the bottom of the abyss. The demonic gates swung open, and two glowing red eyes stared at Agumon and me. The same furious bull that MetalGreymon fought emerged from the doors. It reached out its hand to grab us and drag us down towards the wicked doors, hoping to shut us inside the gates forever. With all my might, I reached out to Agumon, hoping that, by pushing him away, he would not be in the demonic bull's grasp. Eventually, I grabbed Agumon's hand and tried to send him away, but the bull caught both of us before I could set Agumon free.
With all my strength, I held Agumon close to my chest, apologizing in my mind that I was unable to save him. At that moment, I thought about all the people I would leave behind: my friends, my family, Yu and his friends, and Labrys. Was I going to let them all down even though they put their faith in me to see this tournament through to the end? Understanding my will to persevere, a blue circle surrounded Agumon and me as the inhuman gates began to close.
Meanwhile, Shadow Labrys brought her axe up and was about to swing down on Labrys when the red portal that shouldn't appear opened. Confused, Shadow Labrys turned to the dark portal behind her. WarGreymon emerged from the portal as the irate bull failed to chase after us. I caught my breath once I was out of the abyss.
"That's impossible! How did you escape that void," Shadow Labrys yelled angrily.
"You underestimate the power that bonds hold within others. I thank you for showing me your past. It must have been painful to fight against your will, but pushing others away is not the best way to go about it. I understand the difficulties, but you must be willing to open yourself up to others again if you want to find closure in your story. Holding on to your sadness can be tough to manage," I explained.
"Stop spouting ridiculous nonsense," Shadow Labrys angrily spoke.
The horrific bull fired another burning laser at WarGreymon. WarGreymon used its shield to defend itself from the attack. When that did not work, the fuming bull continued to pummel WarGreymon by swinging downward with its fists. WarGreymon shielded itself from the incoming blows, each one creating a crater beneath its feet.
"Do you think living inside that abyss is enough to justify that you know who I am," Shadow Labrys shouted.
"No, I don't, but that shouldn't stop me from trying to know you better. There are other ways to connect besides through battles and pain," I told her.
"Great Tornado," WarGreymon shouted.
As the fiendish bull slammed another pair of fists at WarGreymon, WarGreymon spun in a circle and drilled through the bull's arms, shredding them. Shadow Labrys felt a similar pain in her arms and flinched.
"You say that no one can understand your pain, yet you create a tournament that forces us to fight to understand your pain. Doesn't that mean you're looking for someone to talk to who might understand what you are going through? Didn't you feel alone? In truth, you wanted a companion all this time, but you have an odd way of creating them," I continued.
"Stop it. That's not true. That's not true at all," Shadow Labrys cried.
Shadow Labrys ran towards me and swung her axe downward. I moved to the side and faced her from behind.
"How long are you going to keep pushing others away from your pain? If you've given up on reaching out to others, take a chance on me and let me help you," I said.
Shadow Labrys turned towards me and tried to confront me, but I pushed her away. As she stumbled back, she tripped on her axe and fell towards the colossal bull.
"Terra Force," WarGreymon shouted.
Concentrating all the energy within the palm of its hand, WarGreymon threw the ball of dense energy at Shadow Labrys and the bull. The ball exploded upon impact. Shadow Labrys screamed in pain as the mad bull disintegrated from the concentrated attack. Having lost all her strength, Shadow Labrys collapsed to the ground. WarGreymon returned to its Rookie state, and Agumon and I ran towards Labrys, who was slowly recovering her strength.
"Hey, are you alright," I said to Labrys.
"Tai, Agumon, what happened," Labrys asked.
Labrys looked at her Shadow, who was lying on the ground. Then, she looked back at her own body.
"That's right. I remember. I thought my robotic body was one bad dream, but I guess it is real," Labrys said, downcast.
"Labrys," Agumon said, concerned.
"Why me? I didn't ask for this. I just wanted a normal life. I hate my robotic body. If I'm not normal, does that mean I'm going to be alone forever? It hurts too much thinking about it," Labrys cried.
Tears slowly trickled down her face. The sound of teardrops echoed throughout the empty room.
"Well, I think you are completely normal," I replied.
"Huh," Labrys commented, confused.
"Your happiness, sadness, and tears mean you can show emotion like us. It doesn't matter if you are a human or a robot; it's all about what's inside your heart. And believe me, you do have a heart, and it is feeling sorrow."
"I have a heart?"
"Also, you're not alone. You have me, Agumon, and all my friends you have met on your journey."
"But I made you fight against each other all to make you understand me better. I'm a horrible person."
"Did any of us think of it like that? All of us were concerned for you, which is something that friends do. Teddie wanted to be your hero and score with you, and he's not even human. He's a Shadow, but a special one who also had to face his other self to accept that fact. And even though we met her briefly, Aigis is as concerned for you as all of us. No one is mad at you for the actions that you have done. We want to get to know you better and understand you more. Will you let us do so?"
I extended my hand to Labrys, who was hesitant to take it.
"Is it really okay for me to see you and everyone else as friends," Labrys asked.
"I think it's too late for that," I replied.
"Yeah, aren't we friends already," Agumon questioned.
"You're right. I guess we are," Labrys replied.
Labrys took my hand and stood up. She faced her Shadow and walked towards it.
"I'm sorry. You must have been so lonely because I've been pushing you away for so long. You're right; I wanted to be understood by others, but the only way to do that is by understanding myself first. You're me, and I am you," Labrys said.
Labrys helped her Shadow up and embraced her. Reciprocating her feelings, Shadow Labrys transformed into an elegant steel figure clad in white robes. The figure reverted into a card and donned its power unto Labrys.
"This is my Persona," Labrys said to herself.
Labrys turned towards me. This time, her eyes were shining like her smile.
"Tai, Agumon, thank you for believing in me," Labrys said.
"You were the one who showed true strength by facing your other self. You should be proud," I informed.
"Now, Labrys is just like the rest of us," Agumon said.
"So, shall we get out of here and see the Real World," I asked Labrys.
"I'm a bit nervous, but I know I'll have you and your friends to help me take everything in one step at a time," Labrys replied.
"Alright, let's get moving. I bet our friends are waiting for us at the studio," I said.
As I turned to walk towards the exit, a wave of people came through the door.
"Tai, you did it. That was amazing," Mimi said, running towards me.
"Mimi, everyone, you're all here," I said, surprised.
"Why wouldn't we be? Where else would we have gone," Sora asked.
"Rise told us the whole story about what was happening inside the Announcement Room. We couldn't see it, but we felt her emotional commentary of what had happened," Yu explained.
"Yeah, it was like she was an actual sports commentator," Chie added.
"Well, what else was I supposed to do? All of you were trapped inside the invisible walls, and this was the only thing I could come up with to support everyone," Rise pouted.
"It was an odd feeling to connect my brain and my thoughts to everyone in such a large network, but I'm glad to see that things worked out in the end," Joe replied.
"Hey, listen to this. Kanji over here fell into the TV half-asleep. No wonder we couldn't find him earlier today," Yosuke joked.
"Would you stop bringing that up? It's embarrassing," Kanji replied.
"You need to be careful. You were lucky that something was happening here, and we were inside. Who knows what would have happened if you were left inside all alone," Matt stated.
"What matters is everyone is accounted for and doing well," Kari said.
"Yeah, even Naoto is here, which was quite a surprise for all of us," TK added.
"I was just as surprised as you were. The possibility that my work led me here must have been fate. In the end, I am forever bound to everyone here," Naoto replied.
"We're just happy to see you again, although it would be better if it were under different circumstances," Yukiko said.
"Labby-chan, I missed you so much. Did Tai do anything dangerous to you? You can tell me," Teddie said, crying in Labrys's arms.
"It's good to see you too, Teddie. I'm fine, thanks for asking," Labrys said.
"So, you're the one who is named Labrys. I had an odd suspicion you were the one everyone was talking about," Izzy asked.
"Hey, I want to introduce myself to Labrys, too," Mimi said, heading towards Labrys.
"I think she might be overwhelmed if everyone spoke to her all at once," Yukiko stated.
"It's fine. I like the company," Labrys replied.
"As much as I enjoy gatherings like this, can we hang out elsewhere? This place gives me the creeps," Joe said.
"We should probably head back to the surface now that everything is settled, right," Sora questioned.
"Alright, the last one to the studio buys everyone food," Chie announced.
"Bring it on. I'm not losing this challenge. Let's go," Kanji replied.
We exited the announcement room and headed to the studio where we would gather before our expedition. Aigis noticed us and waved at us. A muscular shirtless man with a cape and a woman with a full-body suit and a fur coat stood beside her with intense auras.
"Look, they've made it back safe and sound," Aigis stated.
"I was hoping that this could have gone on a little longer. I could use the extra exercise," the caped man said.
"Just be grateful that everything is finally over," the fur coat woman responded.
As we got closer to them, Labrys hid behind me. If those two were with Aigis, then they were on the same mission she was. The fur coat woman stepped up to us.
"You must be Tai. I thank you for taking care of Labrys thus far. My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I believe you have already met Aigis. The one next to her is Akihiko Sanada. We are the ones who oversee the development of Aigis and Labrys," the fur coat woman explained.
"What, hold on! You're Kirijo, as in the one of the founding members of the Kirijo Group," Yosuke said, surprised.
"Technically, my grandfather founded it, but I am affiliated with the corporation," Mitsuru replied.
"Is she famous," Matt asked.
"The Kirijo Group is a major trading company that curates almost anything you can think of in the market," Naoto explained.
"I thought that name was familiar. They're the ones that donated all the practice medical supplies to my university," Joe replied.
"Sorry if I'm acting out of line, but you said you're in charge of Labrys. Then, what will happen to Labrys now," Chie asked, concerned.
"Well, we were considering sealing her away again, but after Aigis told us that you helped her find her Persona, the circumstances have changed," Mitsuru explained.
"So, I'm not going to be turned into scraps," Labrys asked, still thinking about what she saw in the announcement room.
"Rest assured, we have no plans to shut you down. Since you have a Persona, it means you have a heart, and we would never treat someone with a heart so poorly," Mitsuru comminuted.
"Congratulations, Labrys. That means you get to walk around freely again," Mimi said.
"Alright, we did it," Kanji cheered.
"We're so happy for you, Labrys," Yukiko said.
"Good job, you guys. Truly, I thank you for going through all of this for us," Akihiko said.
"Don't worry, teacher. It was nothing," Chie said.
"You already know Akihiko," Sora asked.
"Yeah, we fought each other during the tournament, and I wanted to be under his tutelage," Chie explained.
"Well, if another fight is happening, count me in," Kanji exclaimed.
"Oh, that gives me a great idea for a tournament, better than the one we just went through. I'll call it the 'Go on a Date with Teddie' tournament," Teddie stated.
"No one wants to do that tournament," TK replied.
"I'm surprised you're brave enough to come up with that," Yukiko added.
"Ouch, your words truly sting my heart," Teddie cried.
"Cheer up, Teddie. I wouldn't mind participating," Mimi said.
"I guess I'll have to join, too," Yu added.
"Don't encourage him, you guys," Kari replied.
"This really isn't a dream. Is what you are saying true," Labrys asked Mitsuru.
"Had we sealed you, we would be no different than the Kirijo Group of old. Rest assured, you will be under our protection," Mitsuru replied.
"That's great news to hear," Sora said.
"Be proud of your accomplishment," Naoto replied.
"Thank you, Tai, everyone, I'm so happy," Labrys cried, smiling.
Suddenly, Labrys stopped moving, as though she had suddenly lost power.
"Labrys, are you okay," I asked.
"It's not over yet," Labrys said.
Something about Labrys's tone of voice was different than a second ago.
"What's going on? They're using the same communication system as us," Mitsuru said, surprised.
"Everyone, step away from Labrys," Akihiko shouted with concern.
We stepped back as Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Aigis assumed battle positions around Labrys.
"It's no use. I can't communicate with Labrys. The signal isn't coming from here; she's getting hacked from the outside," Aigis explained.
"You mean outside of the TV World," Izzy questioned.
"I knew that this felt too good to be true," Kanji angrily said.
"We were so focused on our success that we lost sight that we still haven't captured the one who threw Labrys into the TV in the first place that caused all this to happen," Natoto replied.
Instantly, Labrys bypassed Mitsuru and her companions and flew straight towards me. I moved just in time before the axe completely cut me in half.
"Tai, are you okay," Kari asked.
"I'm fine. Labrys, you must resist the control and snap out of it," I told her.
"This is but a mere little test. Now, entertain me," the person controlling Labrys said.
Labrys continued to swing her axe at me emotionlessly. Her once cheerful and tearful expressions were wiped out like a deleted computer memory.
"Hang on; we'll come help you," Kanji said.
"Don't summon your Persona. If you attack Labrys, you might miss and hurt Tai instead," Joe explained.
"Then, what are we supposed to do," Chie asked.
"This is Tai's fight. If anyone can help snap her out of her control, it's him," Matt explained.
"I'm sorry, Labrys. I don't want to fight you, but I have no choice. I'll help you take up from this nightmare you tried to overcome. Hang in there," I said.
*To be continued*