NOTE: Sorry, this took so long guys! But here's the big climatic battle of the Christmas special!
Enjoy and Review!
Chapter 10: Our Burden
Carl and Sandra Tennyson trekked through the snowy street to join up with the others at the beaten-up supermarket. As silence filled the air, Sandra slowed down her pace until she came to a complete stop. Her husband turned around to question her actions. "Sandra, is everything okay? Are you tired?"
Sandra's eyes found his, a confused look present within her irises. "Carl, Ben's a good kid, right?"
"Uh…why are you asking this now?" Carl asked.
"He's always wanted to be a hero. Ben would run around the house with a blanket tied around his shoulders, shouting cheesy hero lines he heard from his favorite cartoons. Nobody, not even us, took him seriously back then. Ben was just a child spouting childish dreams that he'd grow out of one day." Her hands clenched against her chest. "But now, after learning about what really happened on that summer vacation, Ben really has become a hero, hasn't he?"
"Sandra…" Carl muttered, moving closer to her.
"I-I don't know if I should be proud, terrified, or furious that our little boy was doing such dangerous things daily. I think that even if Max tried to stop him, Ben would've done his best to help people regardless. He's not the brightest, but his heart has always been in the right place, and sometimes he just needs a little push to keep him on the right track." Sandra felt tears slipping down her cheeks, her husband's arms wrapping around her. "And now he and the others are fighting to save Yukiko, putting their lives on the line again while we adults can't do anything about it."
"Then let's do something."
Carl and Sandra turned to the familiar voice; their eyes widened at their family hurrying over to them. The Amagis, Natalie, and Frank were coming towards their direction, clearly heading towards Junes as well. Yuki's eyes were burning with righteous anger, an expression that neither of them was used to seeing from her. "Everyone…?!" Carl exclaimed.
Yuki stared her sister-in-law down. "You're upset about your inability to help, right? I agree; it's infuriating that we adults have proven to be useless in a time like this. My daughter is crying out in pain and I'm part of the reason it's happening." Marcus visibly flinched, knowing he was largely responsible. "Children are putting their lives at risk to save her, so no matter how dangerous that TV World happens to be, I'm going to help in any way I can."
"She's right." Frank said. "I know we're all jumbled up because of the secrets revealed, but none of that matters right now. What's most important is making sure our children are okay, and that everyone comes home safe and sound."
Sandra dried her tears, nodding her head. "Y-you're right. This isn't the time to be thinking so hard about all of this. We need to focus on bringing Yukiko back home." The others nodded their heads and continued their way towards Junes.
The mother of Ben Tennyson turned her gaze to the sky. "Ben, I know things are hard right now, and you're probably fighting hard right now to save your big sister. But please, let your Mother worry about you too. Whatever happens, please stay safe."
FWOOOSH!
"WOAH!" Heatblast shouted as he leaped through the field of flames. "Oh man, I almost became barbecue!" He looked down at his hands. "Oh man, I am barbecue!"
Shadow Yukiko laughed mockingly at her little brother. "And of course, as always, you manage to screw up the transformation. Who were you going for exactly? Four Arms? Feedback? Diamondhead?"
Well, he did intend for at least two of those three but now that he thought about it, Arctiguana would've been better for a situation like this. Heatblast glared at the flaming phoenix with determination. "Doesn't matter, bird brain! I'm gonna fry your butt and save Yukiko!" He charged up a fireball and launched it at her. Shadow Yukiko did nothing to stop the attack and allowed it to harmlessly flow through her feathers. "What the heck?!"
She snarled at him. "Foolish, little brother! Did you forget that flames can't hurt me?! You had only one chance to pick a form that could stop me, but you wasted it!" She flapped her wings, generating a strong gust of blazing wind. "I'm going to beat you to death, and even if you manage to survive that, your watch will time out soon enough! The moment it does, I'll melt the skin off your bones!"
"Oh yeah?! Well, it doesn't matter if my flames can't hurt you! You should know better than anyone the odds have been stacked against me before, and I've still managed to come out on top!" Heatblast charged forward, boosting himself with his flames. As he soared through the air, a massive wing swiftly collided with him, knocking him into the wall. Shadow Yukiko pulled back her head and spat out several blinking fireballs. Each one rolled across the ground in front of him. The Pyronite was confused until the first one exploded. Sharpened burning bones emerged from the exploding balls, stabbing into the Pyronite. Heatblast felt himself getting jostled around by each painful explosion all while listening to the sadistic laughter of the phoenix.
"Foolish little brother, of course I know about your accomplishments! I've been there for each and every one of your battles!" Shadow Yukiko declared as she loomed over the downed hero. "Coming here by yourself was an irreversible mistake! You should've sent Yu-kun or Chie-chan, they at least would've stood a better chance against me! However, for you, this will be the end of your story, Ben Tennyson!"
Heatblast released a burst to blow away the bones protruding from his body. He climbed back to his feet, his flames still burning bright. "I'm not giving up here! I'm definitely going to stop you!"
Shadow Yukiko screeched loudly. "Just try it, little brother! I'll never let anyone hurt her again! And I'll start by ridding her of such an annoying little nuisance!"
While the two did battle, Yukiko continued to sleep on the throne. Unknown to them both, her fingers started to twitch.
Just like the battle going on inside of the throne room, the one taking place in the outer chamber was just as boisterous. With two powerful Shadows to divert their attention to, the Persona users split to keep the Shadows from combining their strength. Yu, Chie, and Teddie focused on the horse-riding knight, while Kanji and Naoto took on the broadsword wielding knight. Rise kept to the back to provide support with the Tennysons standing guard to shield her from any surprise attacks.
Kanji ducked under a wide swing that would've split him in half, then smashed her tarot card. "Let's do this, Rokuten Maoh!" His mighty Persona flashed to life behind him. The Persona swung his massive sword down against the flat side of the broadsword. Electricity surged through Rokuten Maoh. "Zionga!" The Shadow barely flinched as he was pushed back by the attack.
"Careful, Kanji! That one is resistant to electricity!" Rise called out.
Hissing through his teeth, Kanji jumped back to avoid a downward strike from the sword. "Then I'll just stick to physical attacks!" As the Shadow charged back in to try and run him through, a bullet whizzed past his head to dent the silver armor.
"Go, Yamato-Takeru! Megidola!" The silvery Persona struck with his sword, generating a nuclear-like energy that blew the Shadow away from Kanji. Naoto readjusted her hat as she glared at the Shadow. "Careful, Kanji! Use too many and you'll tire out before the battle's over! Only strike once an opening is created!"
"Gotcha!" Kanji responded.
Without any words, the Shadow's attention shifted over to the blueberry detective. A white light shined in its hand, then it thrusted forward at Naoto.
"Naoto-kun, watch out! It's a stun spell!"
The detective rolled out of the way of the attack, then gasped when a large shadow loomed over her. Looking up, she saw the knight had leaped into the air with his blade raised to slice her in the half. Naoto moved to try and intercept the attack, but another figure jumped into the way.
"Like hell! Mighty Swing!" Kanji roared as he got between the two. Rokuten Maoh clashed against the silver blade, their clash created a shockwave that blew all three of them back.
On the other side of the chamber, Chie slid across the frozen floor to keep her distance from the rampaging horse. She backflipped into the air, then crushed her tarot card. "Let's kick some ass, Suzuka Gongen! Mabufu!" The martial-arts Persona flared to life, swinging her bladed staff into the knight's sword. Streaks of frigid ice spread across the armor's surface, but failed to break through its defense. The horse opened its mouth, releasing a blast of white that blew the kung-fu girl back.
Teddie caught Chie in his arms and looked her over. "Chie-chan?! Are you okay?!"
"Yeah! But what the hell was that?! That horse can attack too?!" Chie cried.
Rise scanned over the horseman. "Looks like they really are a combo! Be careful, you three! The knight focuses on physical attacks and ability boosting abilities, while the horse shoots out almighty attacks!"
To prove her point, the knight used a spell to increase its defense and attacks, which also benefited the horse.
"Ugh…! Of course we had to get the annoying one!" Chie cursed.
Their leader stepped forward. "Doesn't matter! We don't need to win the fight! Come forth, Nebiros! Mind Charge!" A necromancer-like Persona sprung to life, releasing a ball of energy to strengthen the Wild Card's magical abilities. Yu switched his Persona once more, crushing his tarot card to invoke another spell. "Come, Shiva! Spell Master, and then Ziodyne!" A deity-like Persona appeared next, halving the energy he needed to fuel the electrical spell striking the knight, lightning coursing through the Shadow's body as its metallic armor clanged like a bell.
The horse cried out as it was stunned by the electricity, but the knight seemed unfazed, moving without much issue.
"Teddie!"
"Right, Sensei! Here we go, Kamui! Matarukaja!" His Persona flexed its arms, illuminating the three users in a bright red light to boost their attacks. "Chie-chan!"
Chie was already sprinting forward to deal a powerful blow. "Nothing is gonna get in our way! We're gonna save Yukiko-chan! Eat this! Black Spot!" Suzuka Gongen struck the Shadow, her weapon blackened at the tip as it connected with the knight's chest. An explosion occurred from the impact as Chie bounced back towards her allies.
"That was a bear-utiful attack, Chie-chan!" Teddie complimented.
"Heh! As if you'd expect anything less from me!" Chie puffed her chest.
Yu grew serious. "Pay attention, you two! We're not done yet!"
His words proved true as a huge bright light shined through the smoke. The Fool's eyes widened as he realized what was coming their way, shoving his friends away from the devastating attack. The team's leader soon realized his error when he saw the beam was going straight towards the ones in the back.
Thankfully, Gwen acted quickly, conjuring a glowing shield of pink mana which reflected the beam into the ceiling. She grunted slightly from the force but held strong until the attack dissipated. "A little heads-up would be nice!"
"Sorry about that, guys!" Yu yelled back.
"It's all good, bro! Just focus on kicking that thing's butt!" Kenny yelled.
Slowly marching out of the smoke, the Shadow appeared unharmed from Chie's attack earlier. The horse had also recovered from getting stunned, roaring loudly at the heroes. A shining light came from the knight's sword, using yet another spell to boost its attack and critical rate. The knight swung his sword, creating a shockwave that smashed into the Investigation Team members, knocking all of them back.
"Guys!" Rise cried.
"We're fine!" Yu responded as he rose back to his feet.
"We'll bear through it!" Teddie exclaimed.
"This pain is nothing compared to what Yukiko-chan is going through right now! No matter how hard this thing hits, we'll just have to hit it harder!" Chie declared.
Kenny gripped his weapon tighter as he watched the battles wage on. His eyes trailed to the massive door at the end of the chamber, where Ben was battling on his own against Yukiko's Shadow. "Did we make the right choice?"
"What do you mean?" Gwen asked.
"Leaving Ben on his own. Are we sure that was the right decision? Maybe you should've gone with him, Gwen." Kenny said.
Gwen scoffed. "He can do it."
"But-"
"Look! Yu made a choice to let Ben handle Yukiko's Shadow, and we all trust his judgment. More often than not, when his back is against the wall, Ben has managed to pull off miracle after miracle. If anyone can reach Yukiko, it's him. Right here, right now, we all have our own parts to play." Gwen declared.
Kenny nodded his head a bit hesitantly. "Right…our own parts to play." He didn't see the way Rise's eyes had shifted to his direction. The idol had noticed the way his words failed to convey confidence, something clearly burning at the back of his mind.
"What's taking them so long?" Max asked as he looked down the street. His family had been informed of Yukiko's location a while ago. If they didn't hurry now, then he'd miss his chance to truly show them what these kids are capable of.
"Considering how spread out through the town they might have been, I can understand it taking a while. It's likely they're also moving by foot instead of a vehicle, which would've been much faster." Dojima said.
Nanako looked up from the ground to see a familiar motorbike driving towards them. She gasped loudly, getting the adults' attention. "Dad, look! It's Yosuke!"
True to her words, the Magician was driving fast towards them and stopped his bike near the curve. Yosuke wasted no time in jumping off his bike and tossing his helmet to the ground. As he stomped through the snow, a desperate look crossed his features. "A-am I too late?! Is everyone already inside?!"
Dojima shook his head. "No, kid; I think you're right on time."
"Everyone has already gone inside to save big sis, Yosuke! You have to hurry!" Nanako exclaimed.
His face grew serious after hearing that. "Right! Thanks, you guys." Before heading into Junes, he looked over to Max. "A-and... Tennyson-san, I just want to say that I'm sorry for everything that's happened."
"It's not your fault."
"No, it really is, but now isn't the time to worry about that. I saw your family on the way here, and they're coming here as well! I just wanted to let you know!" Yosuke explained.
Though he was slightly confused by the boy's words, Max nodded. "Thanks, Yosuke."
"No problem!" He said before dashing through the store to enter the TV World.
Just as Yosuke said, Yuki and the others finally arrived at Junes. Carl turned to his father with a worried look. "Dad, I know things are weird right now, but we need to-"
"I know." Max tossed several pairs of glasses to them.
"What are these for?" Natalie asked.
"To be able to see the things inside of there, you're going to need these glasses. I know I haven't been truthful, and you're all upset with me, but you need to see it for yourselves. The feelings and desires of those kids as they risk their lives to save the people they love. Seeing it will be the only way you'll ever get your answers." Max explained.
Sandra put her glasses on. "It's going to be dangerous, right?"
"Apparently, those Shadow things only ever come out inside of the dungeons, especially after Yukiko and her friends defeated the ruler a year ago. But just to be safe, here." Max tossed three Plumber weapons to his sons. "I may not have been the best Father, but I did teach all of my sons how to use a weapon."
Frank nodded his head. "A lesson that's never left me, that's for sure." Both Carl and Marcus wordlessly agreed with their brother.
"So, are you all ready?" Max asked. A bit of hesitation passed through the adults, clear uncertainty at the danger they were potentially walking into. But the first one to step forward surprised him a bit.
Marcus looked his father in the eyes, both regret and guilt present within his own. "Yeah, Dad… I need to be there. Even if I can't be the one to save her, I need to talk to my daughter again." Yuki stepped forward next to her husband, agreeing with him.
"Us too." Carl, Sandra, Frank, and Natalie stepped forward. They needed to be there for their own children, even if they couldn't help them in this fight.
Dojima looked at them. "Nanako and I will keep watch to keep people from getting too curious. You guys make sure to bring her back, okay?"
"Right." Max nodded. "I know the TV they use, so we'll head out now."
Flames scorched the walls, blazing forth a merciless path behind the Pyronite as he flew through the air to avoid getting blasted. He twirled around and changed trajectory, heading towards the ceiling. Two fireballs attempted to nail him, but he turned slightly to squeeze right past them. "C'mon, what's with the cruddy aim?! Yukiko's taken down enemies far faster than this!"
"Watch your mouth, boy!" Shadow Yukiko flapped her wings, launching several flaming feathers at the hero. Heatblast deflected the projectiles, then fired off several fireballs at the phoenix. "Didn't I already tell you that fire doesn't work?!" She yelled.
"Who said I was aiming for you, burnhead?!" Heatblast pointed upwards.
Shadow Yukiko gasped when the chandelier from above fell around her neck, as Heatblast's fireballs had melted the ropes keeping it tethered. As she struggled to remove the gilded furniture, the Pyronite sailed towards her in a blazing burst of heat. "Sure, my flames can't hurt you, but I'm more than just fire!" He bashed into the phoenix, knocking the wind out of her lungs. The two went crashing into the floor, shaking the castle from the impact.
As the huge bird struggled to get back up, Heatblast melted the metal into the floor to keep her pinned down. The Shadow thrashed around as her little brother stood above her, cracking his knuckles. "Now, you can say 'uncle' or I'll just beat ya down to get Yukiko back!"
Shadow Yukiko's eyes burned with raw unbridled anger. "Little brother, you continue to prove your incompetence with every instance!"
"Eh?"
"This is my dungeon, my domain! Not once since entering this castle did you hold the advantage!" With a mighty screech, Heatblast was blown back into the ceiling. Shadow Yukiko broke free of her bindings and released another screech. Suddenly, the fallen feathers from before returned and stabbed themselves into Heatblast, binding him to the ceiling.
"Gah! Hey, that stings!"
"If that stings, then this will surely hurt!" Shadow Yukiko flapped her wings, summoning another broadsword knight to her side. However, she didn't need the knight himself, just his weapon. Flames illuminated the blade as it floated into the air, the tip pointed right at Heatblast's skull. "I would aim for the chest, but I know from experience how much of a pain in the ass that watch is, so removing your head will have to suffice."
"Oh man…!" Heatblast tried to break free with his own flames, but the feathers held strong against his power. The hero could only watch in terror as the sword sailed right towards him with deadly intent.
"S-stop…"
The sword stopped mere centimeters from his face. Both Heatblast and Shadow Yukiko turned towards the throne to see Yukiko struggling to stand on her feet. Her arms and legs wobbled as if they were fighting off a pressure of dreariness. "S-stop…"
"Princess!" Shadow Yukiko gasped. Her loss of focus caused the sword and feathers to disappear, allowing Heatblast to fall back to the floor. The phoenix swooped down to her master; worry etched across her nightmarish features. "Princess, you should be resting! Let me handle this riffraff that dare to-" Yukiko ignored her Shadow as she slowly walked towards the edge of the steps. "Princess?"
"Yukiko?" Heatblast muttered.
"Ben…please…leave…" Yukiko's voice was soft, but the plea was loud and clear. She fell to a knee, which caused her Shadow to quickly catch her with a wing.
"Leave?! As if I'm gonna leave!" Heatblast yelled.
"...Please…just leave…my heart can't bear it anymore…" Yukiko said slowly. "I don't want to be hurt anymore…" Tears started falling from her eyes. "Please…stop."
Heatblast didn't move a muscle, he just stared at his older sister with wide eyes.
The battle within the chamber wasn't going so well either. Their plan to simply stall the Shadows while Ben fought Shadow Yukiko had led to the entire team growing exhausted. With no items to help replenish their energy, they were struggling on how to proceed with the battle of attrition.
"Kanji! Look out!" Naoto shouted towards her partner. The ex-delinquent jumped back quick enough to avoid getting sliced in half. However, the swing shook the ground, causing it to explode against him. Kanji went flying across the chamber as a result, his coat tearing open as well. "Kanji!"
"I-I'm fine!" He shouted, climbing back to his feet. "It's going to take more than that to take me down!"
"Idiot…!" Naoto rushed to his side. "Getting ourselves killed here won't benefit anyone!"
"We're not gonna die! Not until we've saved Yukiko-senpai!" Kanji declared.
The knight charged forward and swung his sword at the two. Neither were able to react in time as the sword's slash seemed to have doubled its speed. Kanji and Naoto cried out as they went flying into the wall.
"Naoto-kun! Kanji!" Rise cried out to them.
"Are they…?!"
"No! They're still alive, but they don't have the means to beat that thing! It's weak to wind but neither of them have spells for it!" Rise explained. She snapped over to the other fight. "Senpai! Naoto-kun and Kanji need wind!"
"A little busy here!" Yu grunted as he crossed blades with the horseman. He was pushed back by its increased attack power, then felt a double-slash attack slice against his chest. The Fool went flying back from the impact.
"Sensei!" Teddie hurried over to their team's leader. "Diarahan!" He used a healing spell to restore the teen's body back to normal.
"Thanks, Teddie." Yu said as he stood back up to his feet. He watched Chie jump out of the way of a blast of energy, which left her open for the knight to strike against her. The Shadow slammed her across the ground, a 'X' slash sliced across her jacket. She was struggling to get up from the floor. "Go heal her, Teddie!"
"Sensei… I don't have beary much energy left." Teddie's suit was seemingly losing color to signify his exhaustion.
"I know but we don't have a lot of options left! We need to keep fighting!" Yu exclaimed. "Go get Chie back up, while I hold them off!"
"Yes, Sensei!" Teddie rolled across the ground towards his teammate.
Kenny watched the deteriorating battle with a sense of fear. "T-this isn't looking good! Where's Ben?! Hasn't he won already yet?!"
"No! If he won, then these two would have vanished already! He's still fighting!" Rise answered. She was also growing worried with the way the battle was going.
"C'mon, doofus! What's taking you so long?!" Gwen growled. She felt something in the air change and turned to see the broadsword knight looking in their direction. With Kanji and Naoto down, the knight was ready to move onto a new target. "Guys, looks like the compensating ego wants to tangle with us next!"
A mighty stomp propelled the knight towards them, his sword brought forth in a wide swing. Gwen pushed forward a mana shield to block the attack, however, she was unprepared for the strength behind the attack. The bright pink barrier easily shattered to pieces as the young sorceress was knocked back away from her brother and Rise. "Gwen!" Kenny shouted.
"Kenny!" Before the boy could do anything, he felt someone tackle him out of the way. The knight's sword sliced through flesh, a spray of blood coating the carpets beneath them. Kenny's eyes widened when he realized that it was Rise who had protected him from the attack.
"RISE!" Kenny screamed as he stared down at her injured body.
Uncaring for their state of being, the knight raised his sword once again to finish the job. A surge of anger and fury swelled through the older brother. He picked up his sword and clashed against the Shadow's broadsword, ignoring his shock at his ability to block the attack. With each step he took, Kenny pushed the knight away from the injured idol. "You're not going to get away with that!"
CLING!
Kenny smacked the broadsword away. "If I wasn't here, then that wouldn't have happened!" He blocked a strike. "But I am here, and my sister and friend got hurt!" Kenny clashed once more. "My cousin is fighting to save his big sister figure, and everyone else is giving it everything they've got to win!" Kenny pushed upwards, knocking away the knight's guard. "So, I'm going to give my all too!" He pushed forward to pierce through the knight's armor, a warrior's cry echoing from his mouth.
Unfortunately, the knight's defense was far too strong. Kenny's sword broke upon contact with the armor, shocking the teen. His growing bravado shattered alongside his weapon, leaving him defenseless against the Shadow. As the knight brought his sword down to cut him in half, time seemed to have slowed down. Yu and the others couldn't do a thing with their own opponent on top of them, all of them screaming out his name. Kenny shut his eyes, apologizing to his parents and the others for failing to be helpful.
"GARUDYNE!"
A powerful burst of wind slammed into the Shadow, knocking him away from Kenny. The battle paused for a moment for everyone to see who it was that saved the older Tennyson. Standing by the shortcut, where the barrier blocking it had been broken, was Yosuke. The Magician let out a breath of relief as he twirled his knives. "Phew! Looks like I made it!"
"YOSUKE!" Yu and the others shouted.
Yosuke took in the damage, noting his friends who were unconscious and hurt. He didn't see Ben anywhere, but the noises going on past the doors to the throne room answered that question. He glared at the Shadow as he climbed back to its feet. "Alright, pal, that's enough of hurting my friends! Your fight is with me now!"
Before the Shadow could charge at him, a pink tendril wrapped around him, lifted him up, and smashed him hard into the floor. This process was repeated before the creature was thrown into the back wall. Looking back, Gwen was floating in the air, her pink eyes glowing with rage. "Nobody gets away with hurting my brother! NOBODY!"
"Gwen!" Kenny exclaimed.
She charged forward and pressed harder against the Shadow with a solid mana construct. The creature powered itself up, breaking free from her hold. Gwen stood against the creature with bright pink mana surging around her fists. Yosuke hurried to her side to join the fight, giving her a hesitant look. "Hey, look-"
"Fight now, talk later!" She hissed dangerously, warning him to watch it. Yosuke gulped and nodded his head. However, they weren't the only ones, as matching bolts of electricity and nuclear energy exploded against the Shadow's back.
"We're not done yet, you bastard!" Kanji, with Naoto's arm draped over his shoulder, stood back to his feet. The blueberry detective was using him as a crutch to stand back up.
"This isn't a fight you're going to win!" Naoto pointed her gun at the Shadow. "You're going down, now!"
Seeing that his friends were back in the fight and that Yosuke was here, Yu felt the situation reaching a turnaround. He looked back to see Kenny cradling Rise, and turned to Teddie. "Teddie, do you still have some juice left in you?"
"Yes, Sensei!"
"Good! Go heal up Rise!" Yu ordered.
"Understood, Sensei!"
Yu and Chie stood against the horseman. The Fool raised his sword with a smirk. "You know that earlier display of mine was pathetic. As a leader, I can't let you guys get away with hurting my friends!"
"We're kicking your butt this time, you medieval reject!" Chie declared.
"So, this is the TV World…huh?" Natalie spoke first after they all traveled through the television. It wasn't exactly what she imagined. Honestly, the place looked like some kind of utopia if anything. However, this was likely due to Yukiko and her friends solving the issues here a year ago that caused this.
"Do you know where to go, Dad?" Carl asked.
"I know what her dungeon looks like, so we just have to find a medieval looking castle." Max responded.
"So, we don't even know where we're going? Great." Natalie huffed.
"Doesn't matter. I'm finding my daughter no matter what." Yuki said to her sister-in-law.
"Then, you're in luck." An unfamiliar voice spoke to the Tennysons. The group turned around to see a woman with silvery hair, dressed in a dark blue outfit standing next to the TVs. For those unfamiliar with her, they were immediately on guard. The only reason the men didn't shoot at her was because of Max raising his arm as a warning.
"Margaret, right?" Max asked.
"I'm glad to see you do remember me, Maxwell." Margaret responded.
"Uh? Dad, who is this?" Frank asked.
The attendant bowed respectfully to the group. "My name is Margaret, I'm an attendant of the Velvet Room. I am one of the people responsible for guiding our guests on their quests."
"Guests."
"The one you all know as Narukami Yu was one of those guests. He completed his journey almost a year ago, when he saved the town of Inaba and cleared the fog trapping this world." She explained.
"Narukami did all of that…?" Yuki muttered.
"That boy really is remarkable. Just like Yukiko has said." Marcus thought back to all of the times Yukiko would go on and on about the new transfer student last year. "So, are you showing yourself to us because of him?"
"Not exactly. My master has had his eyes on the Tennyson family for quite some time now." Margaret revealed.
"U-us?!" Sandra exclaimed.
"Or more specifically, Ben Tennyson."
"BEN?!"
"I-is Ben going to be one of your guests?!" Carl asked, clearly worried.
Margaret shook her head. "No, not a guest, he doesn't meet the requirements for it. However, his destiny is tied to the guests of the past and future. But that is all I can say on that." She walked through the group towards one of the many paths available. "There are more important matters to attend to. Follow me."
With no other choice, the Tennysons quickly followed Margaret to Yukiko's dungeon. All of them marveled at the ancient looking castle, disbelief filled their minds that something like this was actually possible. "T-this is Yukiko's dungeon…?" Marcus gasped.
"Yes, the place that represents all of her repressed fear, self-loathing, regrets, and hatred. The place that she escaped to when her world rejected her love." Margaret's words caused Yuki and Marcus to both flinch, knowing her words were aimed towards them both.
"Are we going to go in there?" Sandra asked, clearly scared.
"No. You would all get ripped apart and even get in the way. Even Maxwell's Plumber experience wouldn't protect him for long." Margaret's realistic answer unsettled them all. She opened her palm and conjured a television big enough for them to all see. "Instead, you'll see the truth of the battle going on to save Amagi." The television screen clicked on with a bit of static, showcasing the ongoing battle.
When the screen showed Ben facing off against Shadow Yukiko, the Tennysons were confused by the second heiress with yellow eyes.
"Why are there two Yukikos?" Marcus asked.
"That must be Yukiko's Shadow, right? But I thought it wouldn't appear again after Yukiko had accepted herself." Max said.
"That is true, but Amagi's heart has wavered once more. She has lost sight of her truth; thus her Shadow has been reborn to protect the broken princess that can no longer stand on her own." Margaret answered.
"She can't hear you; she doesn't wish to hear you. If the world doesn't hear her voice, then she'll tune it out in return."
"You're wrong! I know Yukiko can hear me! I know that she's been hurt by our actions! My own actions have hurt her a lot in the past! But that's why… That's why I'm gonna reach out to her now! It's time I finally paid you back for all the times you've helped me!"
"Yukiko-chan…" Yuki whispered with a pained tone.
Confusion and horror increased as they witnessed the Shadow transform into her true form, the phoenix unleashing a horrifying amount of fire at Ben.
"Ben!" His parents cried.
The boy soon emerged from the flames as Heatblast, amazing his parents with his transformation. The battle between surrogate siblings ensued in a dazzling spectacle of flames that left them speechless. It shocked Carl and Sandra to see their son fighting like this without even a hint of fear. They weren't certain if they'd be able to do the same as him.
Soon the television switched to the other battle going on. The Tennysons watched the Investigation Team members battle against the two Shadows with clear experience. Gwen and Kenny were standing in the back in front of Rise.
"Gwen! Kenny!" Frank exclaimed.
"What is Kujikawa-chan doing?" Yuki asked.
Max decided to answer this question. "She's a support type, so she sticks to the back to provide the others information and assistance in battle. Gwen and Kenny must be tasked with protecting her to ensure she doesn't get targeted."
Unfortunately, it seems like the battle wasn't going the team's way at all. Max figured the plan was to distract the Shadows long enough for Ben to save Yukiko but he was taking too long to do so. They were running out of stamina quickly and were being overwhelmed. The Tennysons grew insanely concerned when Naoto and Kanji were knocked away, leaving the broadsword Shadow to target the three in the back. Gwen was sent flying and Rise shielded Kenny from an attack, leaving herself to get injured.
Kenny, in a surprising show of strength, fought back against the Shadow. His parents were left stunned by their son's anger and strength. Kenny wasn't a weak boy by any means but to see him fight off a creature that even the superpowered teens were struggling with was amazing.
"If I wasn't here, then that wouldn't have happened! But I am here, and my sister and friend got hurt! My cousin is fighting to save his big sister figure, and everyone else is giving it everything they've got to win! So, I'm going to give my all too!"
"Kenny!" Natalie reached towards the screen. She didn't like seeing her children in so much danger but she was useless to do anything about it. All the strict mother could do was pray that her children would come out okay.
Suddenly, Yosuke appeared and saved Kenny from getting killed. Gwen, Naoto, and Kanji also rejoined the fight to continue holding off the Shadow.
The television switched back to the main battle, where Heatblast managed to outmaneuver the phoenix to pin her to the ground. Noises of celebration were halted when the Shadow suddenly turned the tables against Ben, pinning him to the ceiling. The Tennyons' fear grew when she launched a sword towards the boy's head to kill him.
"BEN!" Sandra screamed.
Luckily for the boy, Yukiko awoke and intervened. There were breaths of hope from the heiress' parents as they watched her struggle to her feet. At least, that was until Yukiko started to speak.
"...Please…just leave…my heart can't bear it anymore… I don't want to be hurt anymore… Please…stop."
Yuki fell to her knees, tears raining down like a downpour as she listened to her daughter's weakened pleas. Marcus dropped down to wrap her in his arms, holding his wife close to his chest. He looked back at the screen with a pained look of his own. "I'm sorry, Yukiko. I'm so sorry."
Max tightened his fist, trying to ignore his own pain. He looked at the shocked Heatblast. "Ben…what are you going to do?"
"Please…just leave me alone." Yukiko pleaded.
"Yukiko…you can't really mean that." Heatblast trembled.
Shadow Yukiko whipped out her wings, smacking the Pyronite away back towards the other end of the chamber. "You heard my princess loud and clear, Benjamin! She doesn't wish to be saved, she doesn't want to go back there, and she doesn't need you!"
Heatblast slowly pulled himself back to his feet. His thoughts drifted back to everyone else who was fighting, to his family who were insanely worried, and his own feelings for his sister. Her words repeated within his mind, and as he stared at the two across from him, Heatblast came to a realization. "I think I get it now, Yukiko."
Shadow Yukiko sneered at him. "Do you now?! Then leave and-"
"I'm sorry for not doing my part." Heatblast interrupted her. "Not just me, but all of us should've been doing our part to help you. All this time, you've been trying to fix this mess our family found ourselves in, and you've never asked for anything in return. It wasn't fair to let you face this alone."
Yukiko's eyes slowly reopened as she listened to his words.
The phoenix gently laid her princess down to take to the air, floating above Heatblast. "You can say all the pretty words you want, boy! But it changes nothing! Her heart is still broken!" Flames emerged from her body and were shot at the young hero. When they swallowed him whole, she let out a gasp as they swirled around. The fire was sucked into Heatblast's body, leaving him completely unharmed.
"Then I'll fix it! Not just me, but all of us together! We won't let Yukiko carry this burden by herself anymore!" Heatblast pushed out his hands. Shadow Yukiko flinched back, expecting him to try and attack her. However, instead of fire coming at her, the fire was being pulled out of her body. All of her flames were being absorbed by the Pyronite.
"M-my fire?! You're absorbing my fire!" Shadow Yukiko panicked.
Heatblast smirked. "Duh! I bet you didn't see this coming, did you?!" With each ember stolen from her, the phoenix felt her body grow weaker. She fell down to the floor with a loud thud, breathing heavily from a lack of strength. Her eyes stayed glued to the pyronite as her fire continued to fuel him, making him stronger than before.
"Y-you…can't do this!" Shadow Yukiko cried.
"Of course I can! I'm Ben Tennyson! I can do anything!" Heatblast declared. His body's temperature increased with each second, to the point the throne room started melting from the sizzling pressure.
As Teddie continued healing her, Rise allowed herself to enjoy being in the arms of her crush. "F-funny, isn't it?"
Kenny looked confused. "W-what can you possibly find funny about this?!"
"It's a role reversal." She smiled carefully. "Back at Mount Rushmore, you had done this for me and… Cooper."
He remembered the fight against the Forever Ninja, where he had thrown himself in harm's way in order to protect her and Cooper. At that time, he hadn't thought much about his own life as long as the people he cared about were okay. Rise had been in danger, so he moved in the way to protect her. "W-why would you do that? Why throw yourself in the way like that?"
"I-I saw that you were in danger, so my body just…moved. Senpai always said that when it comes to someone you really like, you'll do…anything to protect them." She looked into his emerald orbs with all of the energy she could muster. "I really like you, Kenny."
"W-w-w-what?!" Kenny exclaimed, blushing madly.
"Sucks t-that it t-took almost dying…for me to tell you. I never figured out what kind of gift to give you. I-I hope this constitutes as one-MMFGH!" Rise's mouth was snapped shut by the sudden kiss pressed along her lips. It took her a moment but she realized that Kenny was kissing her on the mouth. She ignored Teddie's shocked gasp and just focused on melting into the kiss with Kenny.
When their lips broke contact, Kenny gave a nervous smile. "S-sorry about that! I-uh-really like you too. S-sorry about kissing you so suddenly."
Rise chuckled a bit. "An idol's first kiss is a sacred treasure, okay? Treat me well, Kenny Tennyson."
"I will." Kenny replied.
RUMBLE!
"W-what's happening?!" The older brother pulled Rise closer to protect her. Teddie also grabbed onto him, weirding Kenny out a bit.
The Chie broke her stalemate with the horseman and noticed the increased temperature. "It's getting hot in here! Like, really hot!"
Rise quickly activated her Persona to check the situation. She noticed a lot of energy was accumulating inside of the throne room and only one person was currently responsible. "I-it's Ben! He's generating so much energy right now that it's disrupting the dungeon!"
"Really?! How the hell is something like that possible?!" Yosuke exclaimed.
"It's Ben! If anyone can figure out how to bust down something like this, then it's totally him!" Gwen yelled.
Yu released a blast of energy to knock their enemy back. "If that's the case, then it's about time for us to get out of here! We don't want to be anywhere near the center when Ben unleashes that attack!"
"But how are we supposed to get out of here in time?!" Kenny asked. His question was answered by Teddie reaching into his suit to pull out a weird shiny looking item.
"With this! A Goho-M!" Teddie announced to his team.
"A Goho-M?! Where did you even find that, Teddie?!" Naoto asked before dodging an attack, then firing a few shots herself at the knight.
"Sensei had me keep this one safe after finding it on a lower floor! Are you proud of me for keeping this safe, Nao-chan?! Will you give me a kiss for my efforts?!"
"Now is NOT the time for this!" Gwen shouted.
"Gwen's right! Everyone converges near Teddie, and we'll teleport back to the entrance of the dungeon! We need to run now!" Yu ordered. He turned back to the horseman and smashed his tarot card. His trusty other-half, Izanagi, came to life. "Izanagi! Ziodyne!" Electricity exploded in front of the two, knocking them off balance.
Gwen created a blast of wind that merged with Yosuke's Garu spell, the two attacks smashing into the knight, sending him flying through the air.
Now that their enemies were down, the heroes ran as fast as they could towards the three in the back. Suddenly, a massive explosion occurred from behind them, propelling the entire group right into Teddie. The Goho-M fell from his grasp due to the unexpected collison, but thankfully Gwen managed to grab it with a quick mana construct before the floor below them exploded into fiery debris.
BOOM!
Natalie had to hold onto her husband to avoid falling from the tremors. The top of the castle started exploding much to their surprise. "W-what's going on?!"
Margaret's own eyes were as wide as theirs, showing that she was just as surprised by this phenomenon as them. "I think Benjamin is, as you would call it, 'bringing down the house'!"
FLASH!
The Tennysons were surprised to see the team suddenly flash in front of them, colliding with the ground in a mangled heap of limbs. Max stepped forward, a happy look upon his features. "Everyone! You're all okay!"
Not even bothering to ask why they were all inside of the TV, Yu yelled at them. "We need to get out of here! Ben is going to-"
"There's no time!" Margaret opened the nomicon in her hands. There wouldn't be enough time to avoid getting caught in the explosion, so it would be up to her to protect the group. She summoned the mightiest recorded Person that can block fire attacks, the attendant ordering it to create a barrier to shield everyone from the explosion.
A supernova. That's what Heatblast felt comparable to now. All of the fire he had consumed from the Shadow's body had transformed the Pyronite into a being of pure literal fire. Even Yukiko had to shield herself from the intensity of the heat. The older sister's eyes stared astonished at her little brother's form. "Ben…?"
Shadow Yukiko growled fiercely. "It's pointless, little brother! Even if you hit me with that, the attack won't do any damage!"
Heatblast smirked. "Who said I was aiming for you?"
"What?!"
Heatblast turned to Yukiko. "Even though you escaped that cage, this place still has a hold on you, right?"
Yukiko didn't say anything, too stunned to answer. But in her heart, she knew that her little brother was right.
"If this castle, which has captured your heart, still has a hold on you, then I'll break it! You don't need this place anymore! You've got us, Yukiko! We'll protect your heart for as long as you need!" Heatblast declared.
Tears streamed down her face, the heiress' emotions were bowling over once again. An indisputable wave of love from Ben slammed into her heart like a jackhammer. "Ben…! You…!"
"I WON'T LET YOU!" Shadow Yukiko screeched. She used whatever power she had left to charge at the Pyronite. "I WON'T LET YOU HURT HER AGAIN! SHE'LL NEVER FEEL PAIN AGAIN!"
"THAT'S NOT FOR YOU TO DECIDE!" Heatblast's speed was inconceivable, his form smashing into the phoenix's chest. A strangled cry escaped the Shadow's beak as a massive dome of fire surrounded the two. "WE ALL GET HURT, BUT IT'S WITH EACH OTHER THAT WE'LL RECOVER FROM IT! THAT'S SOMETHING YUKIKO TAUGHT ME! SO GET LOST, BIRD BRAIN!"
Yukiko closed her eyes as a bright flash erupted right in front of her. The explosion that Ben generated destroyed everything in its path, leaving nothing left. Shadow Yukiko screamed, beyond baffled that she could even feel this kind of pain. When she trailed her eyes to the one responsible, she felt them widen at the sight.
Ben Tennyson, not as Heatblast, was glaring into her very soul. As if promising her that he'll never let Yukiko be harmed in such a way again. As her form melted away, returning back into that of the heiress, Shadow Yukiko smiled softly. "Fine…you win, Ben Tennyson."
Yukiko's eyes snapped open, nothing but white visible to her. She slowly sat up onto her rear, confused by the white void she found herself in. That was until she saw Ben standing in front of her, and it wasn't just him either. Gwen, Max, Kenny, Yu-kun, Chie, the rest of the team, her aunts and uncles, and…her parents too. They were all standing there as if they were waiting for her to join them. "What are-"
"Our heart."
"What?!" Yukiko turned around to see her Shadow standing behind her. "Wait! You're my-"
"Yes, I am. But that's not what's important. Right now, we're looking deep inside of our heart right now." Shadow Yukiko raised two fingers. "You have two choices, Yukiko. You can either come back to me, to the one who wishes to protect you from all the pain in the world…"
On that side, there was nothing but a void, one filled with loneliness. If she picked that path, then she'd shut herself off from everything. It would be a life without pain, the life she wished for after everything that happened.
"Or you can go to the other side, where the ones who hurt you reside. A life of strife, challenges, and pain await you on that one. There's no guarantee that the future you'll live in will be a happy one. The wounds inflicted onto our heart may never heal to make things the same as they were before."
"But if I were to choose you, then those wounds would never heal." Yukiko pointed out.
"That is true, but the wounds would be forgotten in time. You'll never have to think of them again." Shadow Yukiko countered.
She silently agreed with her Shadow; she didn't want to think of these wounds anymore. She hated the pain they caused and how they tainted her feelings on the people she loved. Yukiko stood to face her Shadow and took a step in her direction. The shadows crept towards the heiress, prepared to swallow her whole with every step.
Yukiko remembered meeting Chie all those years ago by the river. This girl who easily slipped past her walls to see the real her.
The heiress remembered the tender moment she shared with Yu at the shrine. The kiss that solidified their relationship warmed her heart like no other.
The day the Investigation Team defeated Adachi and completed their quest echoes in her heart.
Yukiko recalled the day she met the Tennysons, and all of the adventures they shared on that summer vacation. All the heroics, the tears, the pain, and the heartwarming times were a treasured part of her life.
Yukiko could remember going to a festival with her parents. All of the laughs shared between them, and the way her father lifted her up to see the fireworks was a sacred memory.
She stopped in her steps, which caused the shadows to stop their encroaching of her body. Without even uttering another word, Yukiko spun on her heels and sprinted towards the other direction. Shadow Yukiko did nothing to stop her, as if she knew the heiress would make this decision.
Yukiko continued forward without even looking back. "Even if it hurts, even if the pain makes me want to give up, I'll never be able to throw away these bonds that I've made! These wounds may never go away, but they'll remain as a reminder of our past, of our mistakes, and together, we'll learn to never make them again!" Yukiko stomped her foot down on the space between Ben and Yu. She turned around to smile brightly at her Shadow. "I love them, pain and all! We'll create a future, one where we'll all be together! And I'll do it with them all by my side!"
Shadow Yukiko smiled, engraving this sight into her heart. "Fine, okay. Go live your life, princess. I'll always be with you." Her form shined brightly before transforming into Sumeo-Okami once more.
Yukiko cried softly. "Thank you, for protecting me."
The void erupted in a bright light, one blinding and warm, a feeling that Yukiko will never forget for as long as she lives.
As the dust settled, Margaret lowered the barrier to survey the damage Ben had caused. She was still beyond blown away by the feat. "To think…a boy like him would be capable of outright destroying a dungeon."
To confirm her words, the smoke disappeared to show that Yukiko's castle no longer stood tall. The entire dungeon, along with the monstrous creatures inside, had been utterly eradicated by Ben's final attack.
"B-but what about Ben?! Is Ben okay?!" Sandra exclaimed.
"And Yukiko?! Where are they both?!" Yuki added.
Rise activated her Persona to search for them. "I-I think I see them! They're in the rubble!"
"Then let's hurry!" Yu ordered.
The entire group rushed towards the destroyed castle to check the debris. It didn't take long for the group to find the two, and when they did, smiles and ease filled the air.
Lying peacefully on the ground, ignorant to the people around them, were Ben and Yukiko. Their hands were intertwined tightly, as if refusing to let go. Each one held their own smile that showed their satisfied emotions.
Chapter End
NOTE: Yukiko has been saved! Yeah, Ben managed to get so dangerously hot that he utterly destroyed the dungeon. This is likely his strongest feat yet so far in P10 (He'll get bigger ones later on).
Kenny and Rise finally tell each other about their feelings with a sweet kiss. Surely there will be teasing later on.
Yosuke arrives to help in the nick of time.
The parents all got to see the kids in action. How will this develop? You'll have to see in the next chapter.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and the character growth.
Next chapter will be the last one.