5/9
Mitsuru Kirijo stared silently out the window of the control room, deep in thought as she watched the world become bathed in a sinister darkness illuminated only by unearthly green light of an imposing full moon, the controls beeping away but nothing out of the ordinary. Mukuro and the others' hunches the other day were swimming about in her mind, though, with it being a full moon, it was very possible something was going to happen at any given time, and there was no telling where it would.
"Sup? Still at it?"
Mitsuru turned at the sound of Akihiko's voice, seeing the young man standing at the door. "I am," she said with a sigh. "You never know when the enemy might appear. I had the others go to bed early so they got some rest beforehand... but what they mentioned..."
"I thought your Persona could barely scan outside Tartarus," Akihiko said.
"True, I lack that sort of power, even with my equipment. It'd take major spikes for any luck, there," replied Mitsuru. "...Maybe this is the best Penthesilia can do in terms of data gathering." The redhead folded her arms pensively, glancing back at the window at the eerie moon outside. "...Still, the power of Persona seems to be much broader then I thought."
"Whaddya mean?" asked Akihiko.
Mitsuru sat down at the table, staring at the radio positioned before her that continued to beep steadily as well. "I was thinking of Mukuro's abilities. She can carry multiple Personas, and can call upon any one of them at will in the middle of battle. There's something very special about that, and it's only been about a month since her awakening, as well."
Akihiko chuckled to himself, approaching and sitting down with her. "...I admit, I was pretty surprised, too. Girl's got quite an eventful history, alright. Still, seasoned fighter or not, when it comes to using a Persona it's up to her to reach her full potential."
Mitsuru nodded. "...To be honest, my own life had its... difficulties, but I can't imagine living the life she has... Losing her whole family when she was only six," she said, recalling the old photos of Mukuro's parents and sister from the file. "...Spending years in the foster system, then just running away and fighting in actual battlefields in dangerous parts of the world, like she's just waiting for death to come to her and finish what it started somewhere it'd have an easier time doing so?"
"I can't imagine it, either," Akihiko said, frowning. "...But I can imagine how it feels after."
Mitsuru glanced over at him, but didn't respond. She didn't have a chance to, either, as an alarm suddenly went off from the radio, prompting her and Akihiko's attention.
"What's going on? Shadows?" Akihiko asked.
"Something's not right!" she said, staring in shock at the wavelengths. "The reading, it's way too big! We've never encountered anything like..."
Mitsuru and Akihiko's eyes went wide as memories of the last full moon came to mind.
"Their hunch was right," said Mitsuru, feeling a growing sense of dread. "...It's another one of THEM! It has to be!"
Akihiko, however, smirked in response. "This'll be fun! I'll wake the others!"
In a matter of moments, Mukuro, Junpei, and Yukari had arrived in the command room lounge fully dressed and armed with their Evokers.
"What's going on? Were we correct?" Mukuro asked, folding her arms.
"You were," Mitsuru said with a nod. "It's outside Tartarus, its reading is very strong, probably another big one like the one that attacked the dorm. It's likely already on a rampage, so we need to eliminate it before it causes too much damage, as then there'd be panic if people wake after the Dark Hour passes to find half the city in ruins."
"What's the plan?" Mukuro asked.
"You, Iori, and Takeba will be offense, your task will be to find and destroy the target. I will be going with you to provide support with my Persona."
"Understood," Mukuro said with a nod.
"Find it and kick it's ass? Count me in!" Junpei said with a gleeful smile, earning an irritated sigh from Yukari.
"As for you, Akihiko," Mitsuru said, looking over at him. "...You're not recovered yet, so you'll remain here at the command room and wait until the Chairman arrives. Assist him if he needs you to."
"You kidding?! I'm going with them!" Akihiko protested.
"We talked about this," Mitsuru said. "Have faith in them."
Akihiko sighed, nodding in defeat. "Fine," he said, managing a smile as he looked over at Mukuro. "I guess if you're leading, they'll be alright?"
"You sure about this? I mean I know she's got a lotta fighting experience but I can't just let-" Junpei started.
"Man or woman, the responsibility falls on who has the gift for it," Mitsuru said sharply. "This is no time to be condescending, Iori."
"I'm not!" Junpei protested. "It just doesn't feel right, just letting her throw herself on the front like when a man should be willing to take the worst of it first."
"Are you doubting my skills, Junpei?" Mukuro asked.
"Mukuro I just... don't want you gettin' hurt because I stayed on the sidelines," Junpei said softly. "If I can't show I'm willing to take a hit for you, the hell's it say about me? I'm no coward!"
"I don't need it," Mukuro said, heading over to the armory and taking a combat machete. "We can discuss it later if you want, right now, we have a mission to do."
"That's right, save the bickering for another time," Mitsuru said. "The reading's coming from the monorail station."
"Where all those Lost were gathering," said Junpei, recalling the past several days.
"You three head on over right now," Akihiko said. "Mitsuru, you still need to get ready, right?"
"I do, yes," she said. "Go on ahead. I'll meet you there."
"Got it," Yukari said, taking up her bow and a quiver of arrows while Junpei collected his broadsword. "Let's go, everyone!"
"Where is she?" Yukari asked anxiously looking around the monorail station in front of the stairs, Mukuro standing at the top of the steps looking around as well for any Shadows while Junpei sat on the lowest step.
"Relax, she'll be here, soon!" Junpei said. "Hey, Mukuro, you see anything up there?"
"Aside from them, no," Mukuro said, gesturing to several upright coffins nearby with a sharp scowl on her face and her hand twitching slightly as she gripped her combat machete tightly. The deathly still silence and no sign of anything, even Shadows, was leaving her on high alert for something, anything to come out at them.
"...You think she ran into any Shadows?" Yukari asked.
"I imagine she'd have given us some kind of signal if she did," Mukuro said.
"That full moon, though... it's so creepy here in the Dark Hour," Yukari gasped as she glanced up at the sky.
"Shh! I hear something!" Mukuro whispered sharply, prompting the others to take up their weapons.
A rippling sound could be heard down the street, but as it rapidly grew louder and closer it was clearly that of a motorcycle, which promptly sped towards the small group, startling Junpei nearly off his feet as it skidded sharply to a halt right in front of him.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," the rider, Mitsuru, said as she dismounted and removed her helmet and the group noticing it looked similar to the motorcycle she kept in the main lobby of Tartarus. "I'll be providing support from here. I was able to pinpoint the target's location."
"Where is it?" Mukuro asked, coming down the stairs.
"It's inside the monorail, not far from the station. You'll be able to get aboard by walking the tracks," the older girl explained.
"What?! Won't we get electrocuted?" Junpei asked.
"Normal electronic equipment ceases function during the Dark Hour," said Mitsuru. "...So the tracks will be safe to walk on but you'll need to hurry."
"How's that functioning, then?" Junpei asked, looking at Mitsuru's motorcycle.
"It's special," Mitsuru replied matter-of-factly before looking over at Mukuro. "Your orders are the same. Lead the team in, find and eliminate the Shadow. Use whatever tactics you feel will work. I'll notify you immediately if circumstances change, understood?"
"Understood," the dark-haired girl replied.
"Excellent. I'll be expecting a sterling outcome, then," Mitsuru replied, checking her screen. "The monorail is about 200 meters down that direction stopped on the bridge, and I'm detecting other Shadows there as well, now. Hurry and get aboard before they harm the passengers!"
With a nod, Mukuro rushed up the stairs and leaped on to the tracks and soon on the move.
"Mukuro, hey, slow down!" Junpei called out.
"I can't run that fast!" Yukari protested.
Mukuro paused, sighing. Right. she thought. She promised herself she'd have to schedule days to make them do laps in the morning when this was over.
"I won't leave you behind but just keep up, we're on a time limit after all," she said.
"Yeah, I haven't jumped through tires like you have, either" Junpei said, looking down at the track bars with concern.
"Fair point," Mukuro said, looking at her companions. "Just move quickly but don't wear yourselves out. We've still got a fight ahead of us..."
As the group ran across the bridge, the frozen monorail up ahead getting closer, Mukuro paused once more, looking off to the left side of the bridge. There, off in the distance on Port Island, loomed Tartarus.
"Mukuro?" she heard Yukari speak to her. For a instant, the young solder trembled, the full moon, a sea of blood, a bridge, it was like...
"Mukuro! What's wrong?" Mitsuru's voice suddenly shouted from her communicator, shaking her from her thoughts.
"Sorry, I got... sidetracked," the young soldier said, turning and noticing Yukari and Junpei's concerned looks.
"Yeah, it's pretty freaky even from a distance, but we got a Shadow to take down!" Junpei said.
"Let's go," Mukuro said, choosing not to go into what had made her briefly go still, but giving one last look at the hideous tower that stretched into the clouds, the sinister moon shining behind it, now, as she pressed onward to the waiting cars of the monorail.
Approaching, Mukuro pressed her communicator. "Ikusaba to Kirijo, we've reached the monorail."
"Excellent. What's your situation?" Mitsuru's voice asked.
"I don't see anything out of the ordinary, senpai," Yukari said, looking around.
"Be ready, the readings are definitely coming from that monorail. Enter and proceed with caution and stay together, understood?" Mitsuru ordered.
"Roger," Mukuro replied, her brow furrowing in determination.
"You got it!" Junpei said with a chuckle. "My Persona's just begging to be used!"
Circling the back car, the small group came across an emergency foothold leading up to a door at the end.
"Well, let's head on in!" Yukari said, approaching it, only for Mukuro to hold her arm out blocking her.
"I'll go in first," she said, walking up to the foothold herself and beginning to climb, followed by Yukari and then Junpei (Mukuro sighing in annoyance at the small argument that broke out behind her when the former told the latter not to try and look up her skirt as she ascended), and entered. To the young soldier's relief there did not appear to be any Shadows laying in wait to ambush them, but the seats had several upright coffins occupying them. The inside of the train was dark, the sickly green glow pouring through the windows from the massive full moon outside providing the only illumination.
"Poor stiffs, they must be passengers," Junpei said as he looked at them. "Stuck inside coffins... so they don't remember a thing about the Dark Hour, right?"
"As I understand it, yes," Yukari said.
"Honestly, it's probably better that way," Mukuro said, looking about. "Otherwise this car seems clear of enemies."
"Uh, Mukuro?" Yukari asked nervously, looking past her. "I just realized..."
"What?" the young solder asked, turning to her and noticing the other girl's alarm.
Yukari's eyes grew wide. "...We're not at a station, but the door we came in was open... they all are..."
Dread came upon Junpei's face as well. "...You're saying this thing was at the station when the Dark Hour hit?"
As if on cue, or perhaps if something were watching and waiting for them to notice before springing its trap, the doors leading into the monorail cars instantly slammed shut.
Mukuro cursed, looking around frantically. Junpei rushed over to one of the doors to pry it open, but to no avail.
"Something changed on the readings! What's wrong?" Mitsuru's voice suddenly cut in on the communicators.
"We're trapped inside!" Yukari cried out.
"Whatever's in here, it was expecting us!" Mukuro hissed.
"I don't see any Shadows, though!" Junpei said.
"If I had to guess, wherever it is on this train, it's waiting for us to come to it," Mukuro replied.
"Well if it ain't gonna come to us, we'll just have to do that, then, won't we?" Junpei asked, brandishing his broadsword.
"If there's Shadows and it knows we're here, there's bound to be an ambush waiting ahead," the young soldier said.
"You're right, we have no choice but we need to be careful," replied Yukari.
"Proceed with caution and keep an eye out for any enemies. My readings are telling me our target isn't alone," Mitsuru said.
Leading the way, Mukuro held her combat machete in position to ensure an easy strike, ice-blue eyes examining every seat as they proceeded through the car beyond where they'd entered. The door leading to the next was open as well, Mukuro eyeing it with suspicion.
"I don't like this," she said softly.
"I don't see anything," Yukari whispered, her bow and arrow ready.
"That's what bothers me," Mukuro whispered back. "It's too quiet, something's got to be lying in-!"
In a burst of smoke, three beings materialized before the group, resembling hovering red theater masks with long black tendrils trailing below them resembling hair, and large gold crowns on their heads making them look like some kind of otherworldly jellyfish
"My signal just spiked! Shadow activity in your location!" Mitsuru shouted.
"You don't say!" Junpei quipped, readying his Evoker. "HERMES!"
In a flash of light, the golden Persona rose above him, swinging its bladed wings at the creatures and sending them tumbling backward. Yukari let her arrow fly, striking one of the Shadows right between the eyes of its mask, causing it to explode in a puff of smoke and ash.
Mukuro brought her own Evoker up with her free hand. "OMOIKANE!"
A Persona resembling a disembodied brain with eyes and trailing tendrils rose up behind her, unleashing blasts of lightning at the remaining Shadows and knocking them to the ground.
"HEEEE-YA!" Junpei let out a battlecry as he leaped forward, swinging his broadsword down on one and chopping it cleanly in two. Mukuro raised her combat machete, preparing to take out the survivor.
"MUKURO! BEHIND YOU!" Yukari cried out, causing the young soldier to turn, flinging her machete at another of the jellyfish-like Shadows that'd materialized behind the group. The blade embedding itself in the Shadow's mask between the eyes and causing it to dissolve.
"GOTCHA!" Junpei cleaved the remaining Shadow in two behind her as Mukuro picked up her weapon.
"I'm detecting another, straight ahead!" Mitsuru's voice spoke once more, another Shadow identical to the others appearing at the doorway ahead. Mukuro raised her machete, pointing it at their foe while Yukari drew out another arrow.
Unexpectedly, however, the Shadow simply turned and fled, disappearing into the darkness ahead.
"Hey, come back here you little bastard!" Junpei shouted, sprinting after it through the door.
"JUNPEI! GET BACK HERE!" Mukuro cried out, rushing after him, only for three more Shadows to promptly materialize right in her path before she could reach the door. The young soldier froze in surprise, she'd expected an ambush ahead, but not this, barely having time to register as the Shadows as one circled around her at incredible speeds, striking at her with their tendrils before she could react, knocking her to the ground.
"Mukuro!" Yukari fired an arrow at one, striking it dead and rushing to her friend's side. Mukuro recovered quickly, grabbing her Evoker she'd dropped when she'd been attacked and triggering it again.
"ARA MITAMA!"
Yukari was bathed in light, feeling her senses sharpened as she swiftly took out another arrow and fired, striking another dead as Mukuro grabbed her blade with her other hand and swung it, chopping through the remaining Shadow's tendrils before swinging across again, sending it crashing into the wall. Yukari already had another arrow ready, firing the finishing shot.
"Thanks, Mukuro," Yukari said with a smile, taking a moment to catch her breath, getting a nod from the young soldier in response. "Where's that idiot? We need to find him!"
"Seems the Shadows' goal is to separate us and pick us off then," the young soldier said, glaring at the narrow path ahead. "We better hurry, say close!"
"I found him. Junpei is several cars ahead, several Shadows have surrounded him. Move fast, avoid conflict with any that try to impede you, our real target's still further ahead!" Mitsuru's voice ordered from their communicators.
"Understood," said Mukuro as she summoned Ara Mitama again, casting its spell on herself as well as she rushed forward, moving at a quick pace but leaving it enough of a jog that Yukari would not risk being left behind and allow their enemies to separate them as well. Sure enough, more Shadows suddenly appeared in droves, mobbing the two girls to overwhelm them. Mukuro swiftly cleaved through two that came in her path providing a window of escape and rushed past them, Yukari right behind her until finally, they found Junpei.
Surprisingly he was still in one piece and managing to defend himself, though by Mukuro's observation he was still noticeably outnumbered and likely didn't have long as he swung wildly in frustration at the jellyfish-like Shadows hovering around him attempting to get close.
"JUNPEI!" Yukari cried out to him.
"Stay back! I got this!" Junpei shouted back, glaring lividly as he swung again, finally downing one.
"The hell you do!" Mukuro snapped, taking out her Evoker. "OMOIKANE!"
The brainlike Persona materialized above the young soldier, sending off a blast of lightning this time destroying the others with Mukuro's power boost from Ara Mitama.
"Damnit! I said I had this!" Junpei protested, only to hear the sound of inhuman gurgling up ahead, prompting him to sprint off again, blade ready and screaming in a rage.
Yukari let out an exasperated groan as she facepalmed angrily while Mukuro simply dashed off ahead, this time unimpeded and closing the distance between her and Junpei as she let go of her blade and tackled him to the ground. Yukari rushing over behind her.
"Mukuro goddamnit! I can do this!" Junpei snapped, struggling against her iron grip.
"Stupei, what the hell were you thinking?!" Yukari protested, glaring down at him.
"I gotta prove I can do this stuff, that's what! No one asked you to jump in!" Junpei hissed indignantly, only for Mukuro to grab him roughly by the collar.
"You almost got yourself killed, idiot! Our enemy's still up ahead, they're TRYING to separate us and then pick us off one by one!" the young soldier hissed back lividly through grit teeth, her face inches from his, yet Junpei held his resolve.
"The hell's it matter, Mukuro? You totally do this the same reason I am! Plus you're a trained soldier, what's that make ME?! I gotta prove I can do SOMETHING!" the boy protested, his voice breaking.
Mukuro's jaw clenched tighter with her rising anger, as she let out a furious snarl, Junpei recoiling as she raised her hand back with its palm open, only for Yukari to grab her wrist quickly with both her hands.
"Mukuro, no! We don't have time for this!" Yukari pleaded, struggling against the other girl's strength as she attempted to resist and finish what she intended.
My GOD she's strong! Yukari thought to herself as she pulled back hard to keep her friend from striking Junpei, which for all she knew, may have seriously hurt him if she succeeded. "Mukuro... PLEASE!"
Mukuro's tension faded at Yukari's words as she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and her hand relaxing as she stood, gazing down at Junpei as she extended her hand. She looked far from happy, but she no longer looked like she wanted to beat him to a paste for his recklessness.
"...We'll talk about this later," she said, her tone carrying a hint of sharpness despite slowly calming down. Junpei remained frozen in place as he slowly accepted her hand, letting her pull him back up on his feet. "...Are you alright, otherwise?" she asked, her tone softer now as Junpei looked away, frowning.
"O-Of course I am," he stammered, fear and embarrassment on his face. "I..."
"I said we'll talk about this later," repeated Mukuro, picking up her weapon and Junpei's, handing the boy his. "Mitsuru, are you detecting more Shadows?"
"Negative," Mitsuru's voice replied. "I detect no movement near you, but stay alert!"
"Don't run off again," Yukari said, looking over at Junpei. "We need to be-!"
Her words were cut off as the monorail itself suddenly groaned loudly with the grinding of machinery below, sending a tremor through the car. The group also quickly noticed their surroundings outside the window were beginning to scroll past them, with increasing velocity as the ground hummed beneath them.
"What the!? We're MOVING?!" cried Junpei, eyes wide in shock. "WHY ARE WE MOVING?!"
"It seems the monorail is under enemy control somehow!" Mitsuru's voice replied.
"..."Seems" to be?!" Mukuro muttered.
"Hurry to the engine!" Mitsuru's voice suddenly shouted urgently. "If it keeps accelerating it'll crash into another train!"
"THAT AIN'T GOOD!" Junpei protested. "What're we supposed to do?!"
"Mitsuru, is the main target still on the train?" Mukuro asked.
"It is, yes! I'm sensing it in the front car!" Mitsuru's voice answered. "Get there immediately and eliminate it! With any luck that'll stop the train if it's controlling it!"
"Understood!" Mukuro said, taking lead, the others following behind as they passed through the car ahead.
"Hurry! By my calculations you have maybe seven minutes right now to stop it!"
Almost on cue, a hoard of Shadows, from the masked masses of sludge she'd first been introduced to, to the walking gloves, to more of the jellyfish-like entities they'd just destroyed, all appeared in their path spanning down to the cars ahead.
"Dammit! Where'd all these guys come from?!" Junpei protested.
"The target is doing everything in its power to delay us!" Mukuro said.
"They're weaker ones but we don't have time for them all!" Yukari cried out, firing an arrow at one of the Shadows, it letting out a shriek as the arrow embedded in its forehead and dissolved away.
Mukuro took a few deep breaths, gazing at the small army before them. The situation was very dire, and in this enclosed area and an adversary of unknown power still awaiting them ahead, it was a risk to do this desperate maneuver, but if she didn't, they'd have absolutely no chance of getting to the engine in time.
"Stay back but follow," she said, glancing back at her teammates as she gripped her machete tight. Taking a deep breath, the young soldier closed her eyes and adopted a battle stance, and then immediately lunged forward at her foes.
One by one, Mukuro slashed them apart, her blade swinging, stabbing, and swishing as it cleaved apart Shadows left and right as time itself seemed to have slowed down before her eyes, her face locked in a cold, ruthless glare as she slashed her foes to pieces that quickly dissolved in bursts of smoke. Yukari and Junpei stared in shock, Mukuro was moving so fast, her moves inhumanly precise as she proceeded further and further ahead through each car, leaving nothing behind.
"...C'mon!" Yukari shouted, finding her voice first and pulling the stunned Junpei along in pursuit, not risking the chance of more appearing and them getting separated again.
Mukuro continued to dash ahead, hacking apart every Shadow till there were none left and finally coming to a stop with Junpei and Yukari close behind upon reaching the car marked with a number 2, the front car just ahead behind a closed door.
"Mukuro...?" Junpei asked, stepping forward, the young soldier turning sharply with her piercing glare as she stood up and causing him to step back nervously.
Noting the shock and fear, Mukuro paused, her features softening as she lowered her machete, and a feeling of fatigue and dizziness suddenly overcoming her as she got wobbly and leaned against one of the seats.
"Mukuro! You alright?" Yukari asked, rushing over and helping her teammate up.
"...Strange... I've haven't felt like this from battle trance in a while," the dark-haired girl muttered weakly.
"It's gotta be the Dark Hour! Junpei, do you have the medicine she got us?" Yukari asked, looking over at the boy still getting over his shock. "Junpei! Hey!"
"Uhh... oh! Right!" Junpei hastily took out a small container of Seiko Kimura's medicines Mukuro had brought along and had him carry in his jacket, handing it to Yukari who quickly opened it for Mukuro to drink down, the latter collapsing to her knees momentarily before taking a breath and standing back up.
"Thank you," she said softly, feeling all the fatigue wash off of her. She'd made a mental note to make sure Mitsuru got the chance to meet the young apothecary as soon as possible. "I'm okay, now. Let's go."
"Mukuro, the hell was-" Junpei started, only to suddenly be interrupted by another grinding beneath their feet, the noises below becoming louder.
"W-We're gaining speed!" Yukari stammered.
"Five minutes, now, at this rate! The Shadow's just in the car ahead!" Mitsuru declared urgently.
"Well, let's go in and say hello, then!" Junpei announced, Mukuro nodding, all of them moving to the side to avoid any surprise attacks possibly laying in wait before sliding open the door.
Immediately, a massive icicle launched through the door like a frozen missile, rocketing past the three teens as it sailed through the open door in the back, a glasslike shattering heard further down.
"Seems it knows we're here. Let's go," Mukuro said, readying her machete as she lead the group in, met with a chilly breeze soon as they entered.
"Holy shit! Is this the friggin' boss monster?" Junpei asked, stunned by what awaited them inside.
Ice coated the walls, several small icicles hanging from the ceiling as well and frost creeping across the windows, and seated at the end of the car, blocking the way to the door leading to the controls, was a towering, otherworldly feminine humanoid. Despite its seated position, it was clearly very tall, maybe nine feet high or so were it to stand. The entire left half of its body was black with a white letter B covering its breast, its right half white with a black letter J, the creature was reclining back, its legs spread out and its arms positioned behind it, its lower body clothed in a silvery-white, long skirt. The upper portion of the Shadow's face was covered in a red opera mask with feathered ends and the Roman numeral for 2 on the left side, though empty black was all that peered through the eyeholes. Its blood-red lips smirked deviously and in place of hair it had long, unfurled, frost-lined paper scrolls rolled out along the walls of the train car like tendrils, feeding into a pair of long, curled sidelocks framing its face.
"Target found," Mukuro said, taking a battle stance, followed by the others.
"Hurry! You don't have much time!" Mitsuru's voice cried out.
"Understood!" Mukuro said, drawing her Evoker. "It uses ice so let's try fire! ARA MITAMA!"
The scowling, crimson inverted tear-drop Persona appeared above her, blowing a burst of flame at the creature, only for its scroll-like paper tresses rippled in its path, protecting the creature's body.
"Damnit! HERMES!" Junpei cried out, his Persona appearing with a firing of his Evoker as it glided forward at their foe, only for the frigid scroll tresses to lash out at it, striking it repeatedly. Junpei cried out in pain, feeling the creature's attack as though it were on him as ice rapidly spread over his Persona's body where it'd been struck before it vanished.
"IO!" Yukari's Persona appeared in a bright flash, bathing Junpei in a green light as he felt the pain fade.
The Shadow's smirk spread, a suddenly whirlwind of frigid cold and snow erupted in front of it, building up strength as the whole room grew increasingly chilly, the snow and frost spreading rapidly.
"FORNEUS!" Mukuro cried out, firing her Evoker as the stingray-like Persona appeared before her, fanning out its long wing-like fins in front of her and the others, the intense cold feeling less brutal and unforgiving, now until it slowly petered out.
"OMOIKANE!" The brain Persona appeared next, unleashing a mighty blast of lightning at the massive Shadow and causing it to recoil from the attack.
"HERMES!" Junpei, recovered and now beside her and fired his own Evoker, his gold armored Persona once more appearing with him and breathing a fearsome blast of fire at the Shadow before it could recover.
"NAILED IT!" the boy cheered.
"Please hit...!" Yukari trembled from the cold, focusing as hard as she could as she fired her arrow at their foe. Her aim was off, but managed to successfully tear through one of its long tresses and severing it. The Shadow let out a low moan as its remaining scrolls tore themselves free of the walls, now billowing over them like a kraken preparing to ensnare and consume a ship.
Mukuro reacted quickly, rushing forward and narrowly dodging the scrolls as they lashed out at her like hungry, frigid vipers and swinging her machete, neatly slashing through another scroll. Her eyes widened in surprise, however, as ice very rapidly began to coat and spread down her blade, swiftly creeping down to where her hand was and coating it as well almost instantly before she could even release it. Mukuro was trained to handle cold weather and harsh environments but this cold was beyond that, it absolutely bit into her, causing her to cry out in pain.
"Mukuro! I gotcha!" Junpei shouted, tearing off his jacket and flinging it over her hand as she fell to her knees. The young soldier grit her teeth as she felt the ice quickly melt under the boy's coat, her eyes flickering to their enemy as she promptly released her weapon, throwing her arms around Junpei and rolling them both out of the way of several sharp icicles that formed above the Shadow and fired at them like projectiles, the shards shattering on impact.
"C'mon!" Yukari cried out, firing another arrow, but this time the Shadow was ready, the rolled portion of one of its scroll tresses sweeping in front of it to swat the arrow away. "Damnit! What do we do?! We won't beat it in time!"
Mukuro cringed in pain, the abuse her right hand had taken from the Shadow's unexpected ability had caused pain that was new to her, and taking notice of in the far distance of the tracks out the window, another train was parked.
"We don't HAVE time!" Junpei shouted, readying his broadsword to charge the enemy head-on.
Mukuro's eyes widened, the world again slowing down before her but for an entirely different reason as she knew exactly what was going to happen next, as she saw the ice on the ceiling shape into deadly shards again aimed for Junpei that'd render him a human pincushion if she didn't act. However she felt about her own life and what being a soldier had entailed, she wouldn't let Junpei lose his if she could help it.
Her leg swept out, striking the boy's leg and sending him tumbling to the floor flat on his face, the ice shards sailing harmlessly over him and striking the wall behind them.
"Mukuro, why'd you-" Junpei protested, before noticing the broken ice shards. "...Oh."
"Whatever you're going to do, do it fast and don't let it touch you!" Mitsuru's voice warned. "That earlier move seemed to work, breach its defenses then hit it with fire skills!"
As if in response, another fierce, arctic wind began to build up in front of their foe, its scrolls billowing in front of it.
"Yukari, use a wind spell to counter!" Mitsuru's voice ordered.
"...It's worth a shot," the young soldier said, gritting her teeth as she stood back up and drew out her Evoker.
"R-Right!" Yukari swiftly drew out her own Evoker as well. "IO!"
Her Persona once more appeared, now materializing before her as Mukuro and Junpei quickly moved out of the way before it unleashed a mighty cyclone that collided with the blizzard before both fizzled out.
"Mukuro! Junpei! Now!" Mitsuru shouted.
Junpei looked over at Mukuro, a cocky, but more genuine and trusting smile on his face now as he nodded at her, drawing out his Evoker.
Mukuro raised her Evoker, ignoring the lingering pain in her hand best she could. "ARA MITAMA!"
"HERMES!" Junpei fired his own, and both Personas appeared, twin blasts of flame erupting from both and striking the Shadow at the same time, setting it ablaze.
"Brilliant! Yukari! Another wind spell while it's burning!" Mitsuru ordered.
"IO!" Another powerful blast of wind was conjured by Yukari's Persona, the Shadow let out a shriek of pain as the flames suddenly exploded, immolating it entirely. The Shadow reared back, letting out an agonized moan as it collapsed against the wall behind it, its form and the snow and frost covering the walls dissolving away into smoke.
"Phew..." Junpei let out a loud sigh of relief. "...Did we make it in time? Wait, why are we still moving?!"
"There's a train up ahead! We gotta hit the breaks fast or we're gonna crash!" Yukari cried out as she looked out the window. Up ahead, on the bridge past a curve in the tracks, the train was getting much closer very quickly.
Turning her attention to the door ahead that was no longer blocked, Mukuro rushed over, a determined glare on her face as she stopped in front of the controls. Two levers were in front of her, the train ahead would kill them all if she didn't pull one right now. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, Mukuro grabbed the first lever her hand found and pulled it down quickly.
Fortune smiled as she heard something move underneath, followed by a screeching noise as the train began to slow down. Mukuro stared ahead, drawing in another breath as the back of the train ahead was closing in more and more, she heard Yukari and Junpei scream in terror behind her, throwing their hands in front of themselves defensively as the train finally came to a stop inches away from the one in front of it with a loud hiss.
"D...Did we stop?!" Junpei whimpered, cracking one eye open cautiously.
"I think so," Yukari gasped.
"Is everyone alright?" Mitsuru's voice cut on through their communicators.
"Yeah, we're okay," Yukari said, letting out a sigh of relief and relaxing her arms. "M-My knees are shaking, though!"
"Dude, I'm... like... drenched in sweat," Junpei uttered, slumping over and resting his hands on the dashboard. "Mukuro, how are you so-"
The dark-haired girl staggered back, leaning against the wall of the booth and closing her eyes as she let out her own sigh, her arms hanging limply by her sides.
"I'm glad you're all okay," Mitsuru's voice replied. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more on my end. I don't detect any more Shadows. Well done, all of you, you can return home, now."
"Mukuro...?" The young soldier slowly opened her eyes and looked over at Yukari who'd addressed her. "How'd you know what lever to push?"
"...Lucky guess," Mukuro replied, giving a faint smile.
"You seriously just...!" Yukari sighed, giving a small smile back. "Still, it did save us... you saved me again, you saved us all, so... thanks."
Mukuro gave a small nod, her faint smile still present as she heard the sound of glass shattering, though not from any windows but rather, within her own mind in her relief at the mission's success and having kept her teammates... her friends... alive.
"We should probably head back," Yukari said.
"How're we gonna do that? We were speeding down the tracks a few minutes ago it's gonna be a long hike back!" Junpei protested.
"We barely survived a train cash, Junpei! No complaining!" Yukari said sharply.
"You should still have plenty of time left in the Dark Hour to backtrack before the trains switch back on. I'll meet you back at the dorm. Over." Mitsuru said, her voice cutting out.
Junpei let out a sigh as his stomach growled. "That fight's built up an appetite, though. Let's grab a bite to eat once the Dark Hour's over 'fore we head back!"
Mukuro sighed as she felt her own stomach express its agreement.
"You, too, Mukuro? I've never known girls to get hungry in the middle of the-!" Yukari's diatribe was interrupted by her own feelings of need for sustenance, causing her to blush. "...Fine, I'm sure there'll be a corner store open on the way back."
"Hey, Akihiko here!" Akihiko spoke into the control panel's microphone as he stood in the command room, Ikutsuki standing beside him as he watched the monitors. "How'd the mission go?"
"It was a success," Mitsuru's voice responded through the speakers. "The target was eliminated and the monorail didn't suffer any noticeable damage."
"Thank you, Mitsuru. When I'd heard they hijacked a monorail, I feared the worst. Well done!" said Ikutsuki with an approving smile. "Now I don't need to worry about tomorrow's headlines!"
"Despite minor setbacks, overall the team did a great job and overcame them very quickly to win in the end," Mitsuru explained. "Ikusaba's prior training continues to serve her well and the others are learning quickly as well."
"Still, it's strange... Shadows taking over a monorail? This is getting out of hand," said Akihiko.
"I'll be looking into it as well," Ikutsuki said.
"Chairman, it's been ten years and now these powerful Shadows are appearing, so far every time there's a full moon," Mitsuru answered through the speakers. "...First the one that followed Akihiko to the dorm, now this. Do you think this means... it's begun?"
Ikutsuki folded his arms, his hand at his chin in thought. "Hmm, so far it's only been two incidents. Odd as this may be, we needn't jump to conclusions just yet, so for now let us study their behavior for patterns and clues," he said. "We cannot afford to always wait for them to make the first move, after all."
His thoughts were interrupted, however, by a sigh from the speakers by Mitsuru.
"...If I had more power, I wouldn't have to put so much on Ikusaba with keeping track of the other two. They're improving but they don't have the combat experience she does," said Mitsuru. "...I feel bad putting such a responsibility on her, as she's also facing enemies that are very unlike the kind she's used to."
Ikutsuki let out a soft chuckle. "Shadows are certainly an entirely different opponent then humans. A normal human without a Persona's power protecting them would be no match for them at all, even at her skill level," he mused. "...That said, she and the others accomplished their mission regardless, Mitsuru, you needn't be hard on yourself. You're doing fine."
"Thank you, Chairman," Mitsuru replied, though she still sounded a little uneasy as her signal switched off.
"Hmmm," Ikutsuki turned away, deep in thought.
"Chairman?" Akihiko asked, looking over in concern.
"...Might you have anything to drink, Akihiko?" the chairman asked, turning to him with a forlorn look on his face.
"Huh?" Akihiko raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Hey, why did you look so tired when you got here, anyway?"
"Well, I did come as fast as I could, and then there were those Shadows," Ikutsuki remarked.
Realization hit the younger man leading to a stunned look coming upon his face. "...Wait, don't tell me that bicycle out front is yours!"
"Ohhhh, I am going to be sore, tomorrow!" Ikutsuki sighed mournfully.
The Dark Hour had passed, and activity had since resumed when the group had reached a corner store and picked up some food before heading back to the dorm. Yukari had gone straight to bed, exhausted from the evening, while Mitsuru and Akihiko were in a discussion with the Chairman upstairs, allowing Mukuro and Junpei privacy in the lounge downstairs.
Both had sat silently for a few moments, Mukuro sat on the couch, looking at her hand, now healed thanks to Yukari's Persona's skills before the Dark Hour had concluded and a warm towel after they'd gotten back. Junpei had sat on the other end, eating some chips.
"You shouldn't eat things like that before you go to bed," Mukuro uttered.
"Hm," Junpei's mouth was too full to give a proper response. The adrenaline of the fight was long past, they had since processed all that'd happened, neither entirely sure how to break the ice over it, but Junpei finally found the words now that they were talking again.
"Mukuro... I was an ass back there," he muttered softly, looking down at the floor, then over at Mukuro, who was glancing back at him with an unreadable expression. The boy laughed a little, embarrassed. "...This is kinda the part where you say something to that. Say "it's alright, we survived" or "Yeah, you were". Y'know... something...?"
Mukuro leaned back on the sofa, closing her eyes as she drew in a deep breath, but no words came out, she instead looked pensive as she gazed up at the ceiling. "...You're thinking about how I reacted, aren't you?" she finally asked softly.
"Uh, Mukuro, that's..." Mukuro gently raised her hand in response.
"I was... scared. Me, a trained soldier, a member of Fenrir who's seen more then my share of death before and after I joined. All I thought about was what happened ten years ago where I couldn't do a thing, seeing you act so reckless and go off without us alone, those Shadows trying to separate us from eachother, the thought of you dying and talking back like it didn't matter against some bruised ego..." Mukuro sighed. "...Even still, I shouldn't have reacted how I did."
"It was pretty scary, I'll admit," Junpei said, looking down at the floor again. "You looked like you were about to-" He stopped himself. "...Sorry, not gonna let my big mouth ruin this."
Mukuro sighed again, looking over at him. "...Junpei, I... don't want to give you reason to think I'd do that for upsetting me. You are right that I had a reason to be so angry, but acting how I did was uncalled for and unprofessional of me as a soldier and as a leader. If Yukari hadn't stopped me..."
"Aha! So ya do care about me!" Junpei said with a chuckle and his familiar silly grin spreading on his face.
Mukuro looked downcast, though her brow furrowed a little. "...You're missing the point, Junpei."
"Sorry, guess it's kinda... my way of dealing with things," Junpei said sheepishly. "I just wanted to show I'm pullin' my weight for the team and belong on it. You're more used to this then I am and I don't wanna be worthless or dragging you down... guess that got the better of me, huh?"
"It did, yes," Mukuro said bluntly. "...But you came through in the end."
"I guess I did, huh?" Junpei said with a laugh. "I think I earned back my Man Card in the process, too, saving you!"
"Don't let it go to your head,"
"Heh, I won't," Junpei said, smirking a little. "Mukuro, I forgive ya for losing your cool. And I'm sorry I was such an dumbass back there."
Mukuro gave a faint blush. "...Thank you. I forgive you, too... I don't ever want to make you... scared of me, again," she said softly, looking at her lap. "I want you to count on me, too, and know I'd protect you just like I would Yukari."
"That the soldier talking?" Junpei joked. "...Sorry, I guess I was still... kinda jealous, too, and me tryin' to compensate... it's a personal matter, but... I wanna be useful."
Mukuro slid off her glove, looking at the Fenrir tattoo adorning her now healed right hand. "I..." she started, but paused. "I... guess I understand that." Maybe Junpei wasn't wrong that they did this for similar reasons, she thought. "...If I can't do this, what else am I good for? I'd be useless, otherwise."
"Hey, that's wrong!" Junpei said quickly and sharply as he rose from his seat. "Even if you weren't a badass merc, you're not useless!" His expression softened, though, as he noticed his words had no effect on the girl seated before him. "...This gotta do with... what happened ten years ago?"
Mukuro shook her head. "...Not entirely," she said, looking a little flushed and making Junpei curious, but he chose not to push on it.
"...Look, if anyone's a joke, it's me," the boy said, glancing away. "Trying to prove myself, going into the lion's den thinking I could handle 'em... looking back, I don't even know if I really believed I could, but if I did pull it off I'd feel better, but I may as well have jumped off a cliff thinking if I survived unharmed it'd impress you."
"...I admit, it probably would," Mukuro said dryly, getting a laugh from Junpei.
"Yeah, I guess that would be pretty miraculous if I pulled a stunt like that off!" Junpei said. "But it's beside the point. I give ya my word, Mukuro, I won't go doing dumb shit like that again anymore! I wanna fight these Shadows alongside you long as I can and have you know you can count on me to have your back, too!"
Mukuro looked over at Junpei following his grandiose statement, blinking in disbelief. "You sure?"
"Totally!" Junpei said with a grin. "Not to mention we still won the battle, got out all in one piece, and saved the city like bona fide heroes! How sweet is that?"
Mukuro raised an eyebrow, about to respond she's won many battles in her life, but the words didn't leave her mouth. This victory, it did actually feel better then any of those had, she silently admitted to herself. Still, she felt a lingering sense of guilt from her outburst toward him. "...You're not useless either, Junpei," she said.
"Eh, don't flatter me, Mukuro! I got my Persona and a place in SEES, after all!" Junpei said, his smile more forced, now, despite his chuckling. "Also... that thing you did where you just went full Terminator on those Shadows, that was pretty..."
"...Scary?" Mukuro asked, recalling his reaction before she'd fully broken out of it.
"...Was gonna say badass, actually," Junpei said. "Seriously, I dunno what Fenrir's training program's like but still..."
"It's called Battle Trance Mode," Mukuro explained. "Fenrir units normally operate alone, and there's always the chance of facing an ambush or a whole hoard of hostiles by yourself with no backup. It takes very extensive training and meditative practices to properly learn. It's... like an adrenaline shot and hyper-focusing on certain senses. If I were to describe how it feels, it's like if time temporarily slowed down around me. For some reason I could master it quicker and more naturally then others... but it also exhausts me if I go into it for too long."
"Ah, so kind of a desperation move or something?" Junpei asked, before noting Mukuro's confused look. "It's a video game term. Usually for fighting games or turn-based ones, it's like a special move a character can do when they take a lotta hits this meter fills and when..." the boy laughed in embarrassment. "Sorry, a bit to explain, but you get the idea, right?"
"I think so," Mukuro said. "It's something like that, but I burned out a lot faster back there, like I was ready to pass out if we hadn't brought that medicine along."
"Yukari said she thought it was the Dark Hour," Junpei said. "But hey, I guess ol' Junpei came through carryin' the meds, right?"
"I... didn't mean to scare you, then, either," Mukuro replied. "Don't count on that too much, though, with the effect the Dark Hour and using Personas has."
"I said don't worry about it," Junpei said with a small smile. "And I get it, kinda like debuff stacking... eh, term from online games, when you have several things affecting you badly all at once..."
A big yawn escaped him as he looked at the clock on the wall. "...Why don't we hit the hay, now? It's getting way late and I know tomorrow's Sunday but don't wanna waste it, right?"
Mukuro looked at the boy quizzically, unsure what his definition of what not wasting a day off was. Deciding it was getting late, though, she conceded and gave a quiet nod. Whatever was going on in his head that he'd chosen not to share was his business, just as her own matters were hers, but a part of her hoped maybe they'd be more open with eachother another time as they headed upstairs and parted ways.
Stepping into her dorm room and getting ready to change for bed, feeling the fatigue from the battle and the Dark Hour's effect catching up to her. They'd succeeded in their mission and kept the monorail from being destroyed and the people who'd been aboard were saved as well.
Her sleepwear on, Mukuro ran her fingers through her hair as she stood before the mirror, only to sigh at her reflection this time. She'd been trained to practice a "war face" in Fenrir, and she could only imagine how much she'd scared her teammate, her friend, when he'd ended up on the receiving end of it and a hint of what she was capable of when she'd gone into battle trance... and it made her feel worse.
"Who am I?" she asked herself aloud softly, the thing she'd wondered after losing her family, the thing she'd wondered more and more. Fenrir was a ferocious beast held back by chains to prevent him from harming anyone, and it made her wonder if she was so different. Even a domestic wolf had the reputation of instinct driving it to eventually maul its owners. If Yukari hadn't intervened...
Having discussed her battle trance with Junpei had made her wonder for the first time in a while as well, why she'd mastered it almost naturally when she'd trained in it. As those thoughts crossed her mind, for some reason, the memory of that skull-masked Persona that had torn apart that spider-like Shadow on the dorm roof so long ago passed through them.
The teen ran her hand through her short hair again as she turned and walked over to her bed, instinctively checking briefly under her pillow to make sure her knife was there before pulling open the covers. She tried focusing instead on the strange child from her dream's words how an ordeal, a fight with one of "them" was to have occurred this evening, and indeed it had as he'd predicted.
Laying down and pulling the covers back over herself, the young soldier rested one arm behind her head, the other draped over her chest as she stared quietly at the ceiling, pondering if this meant the next full moon, whenever that was, would bring another such threat, and if so, what would it be and where...
A/N: At long last, the latest chapter and SEES have taken down the second Full Moon Shadow! A huge thank you to my readers for your patience and hope this chapter was worth the wait!
0 - The Fool - SEES: Rank 3
I - The Magician - Junpei Iori: Rank 3
IV - The Emperor - Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Rank 1
V - The Hierophant - Bookstore Owners: Rank 2
VI - The Lovers - Yukari Takeba: Rank 1
VII - The Chariot - Aoi Asahina: Rank 2
IX - The Hermit - "MARY": Rank 1
XII - The Hanged Man - Seiko Kimura: Rank 2
XVI - The Tower - Natsumi Kuzuryu: Rank 1
Mukuro's Personas: Alp, Nekomata, Forneus, Omoikane, Ara Mitama