Shibutani advances on the Yatabuya and their Personas, and drops into a bracing stance with his fists at his hips.

"Now, I want your best shot."

A smug grin plays across Taishi's lips as he looks past Shibutani to you. "And you're all just going to let him do this? My word, Shibutani, you really never learned how to pick your friends, did you?"

Shibutani doesn't budge.

"You've no idea what you're talking about - they're doing me quite the favor. You think I'm not eager to get this opportunity? I've thought about this moment quite a bit, you know."

"Oh, I'm certain you have. Can't say the same, however," Taishi says.

"Of course you wouldn't. You wouldn't know the slightest thing abou-GHHH!"

Chikara loses her patience, and Aggravain's colossal fist smashes into Shibutani's nose with a sickening crunch. He reels backwards, but somehow keeps his footing. Blood trickles from his nostrils, pooling on his upper lip. And still, he smiles.

"Now we're getting somewhere. Why don't you try this time?"

WHAM. WHAM.

The next two punches sink deep into his gut, and his ribs audibly groan and crack from the impact. The indomitable mountain doubles over, and vomits at his feet. You and Koharu blanch and look away.

"God…shouldn't we, you know, do something? This is awful," Koharu breathes.

"No, no. He's handling it like a champ," says Rin. She hasn't taken her eyes off of the scene for a second. "Those hits would've killed anyone else. He's really going for it…what a madman."

Shibutani wipes a dribble of bile from the corner of his lip and straightens back up.

"…Three. Two more…two more and I'll have made it. Do you remember them?" he says.

Taishi smirks. "Don't tell me that's what this is all about? Feeling the weight of your cowardice?"

Chikara delivers a vicious uppercut, and Shibutani's jaw falls open as it pops out of its socket.

"We've dealt with a lot of punks since then. After a while, they tend to run together. Your friends weren't anything special. I doubt I could even put a face to a name at this point. You would have been something else, though. It really was a pity to lose your Shadow so quickly, especially after we missed out in the beginning."

Shibutani reaches up, and with a guttural grunt of pain, pops his jaw back into place with his bare hands.

"Of course. A stupid question. My boys were just tools to you. I could tell from just one look at your face. And yet, I still left them, right when they needed me the most. I was never cut out to be their boss, leaving the Yatabuya to villains like you."

"What?" The exclamation drops from your mouth despite yourself. The Yatabuya started with him?

WHAM.

Aggravain's next blow lands squarely in Shibutani's solar plexus, but this time, the giant does not flinch. He clutches at his shirt over his heart, and turns his eyes skyward.

"Five. One for each of you, my friends. Kenta. Masa. Daisuke. Shigeru. Hisao. My penance is paid. Wherever you are, I hope this satisfies you."

Chikara growls. "Enougha this. Quit pissin' me off and die already!"

Aggravain thrusts both of its thick arms towards Shibutani's skull, and this time, he moves. Catching the titanic Persona by the wrists, he pulls his face in close. There's something wild in his eyes now, those tiny beetle-black pupils shrunken to pinpricks, teeth gnashed together in a manic grimace.

He whips his head back, then bashes it against Aggravain's, sending the Persona flying backwards into its summoner. Taishi and Meliagaunt dart forward, but you, Koharu, and Rin advance with your Personas and force him to back off.

"Like I said, I've been thinking about this for a long time. I cleaned myself up, and started over. I wanted to make a difference playing by the rules." Shibutani wipes a fresh stream of blood from under his nose onto his sleeve. "And really, it's not so bad. But when you get an opportunity like this…well, there's no room for restraint."

He glances over his shoulder towards you, and for a moment, some of his usual personality returns.

"Again, I'm deeply sorry for resorting to such tactics. But without a Persona, I'm quite useless to you all. This seemed the best way to rectify the situation…and exorcise some demons at the same time."

"You let them beat you within an inch of your life for that? Senpai, I don't even…" you say, but your words end up failing you.

"What can I say? Sometimes you need be a little batshit. So, no matter what happens next, promise you won't think less of me."

Shibutani turns back to the two gangsters, pulling his body back into a fighting stance with a chorus of grinding bones and popping joints.

"I'm gonna enjoy turning you bastards inside-out! Now gimme that power! PERSONA!"

Shibutani's body is awash in blue flame. Two beams of searing light cross behind him, and a massive card bearing the scales of Justice appears.

"Time to wreck these little shits! To me – BORS!"

The card dissipates in a wave of photons and reassembles itself into a Persona – a massive knight wearing thick, angular armor riding a jet-powered chariot, a jousting lance as thick as a tree trunk clutched in one of its mailed hands. Shibutani throws his head back, howling with mad laughter.

"Gyahaha! So this is the kinda power you guys've been throwin' around this whole time? Incredible! I'm feelin' like a million yen here! Bors! Trash 'em!"

"You gotta be kiddin' me. Another one of these? Kill 'im, Aggravain!" Chikara shouts.

Aggravain lunges at Shibutani's Persona, but its lumbering stride easily gets outmaneuvered. Bors circles around behind it and plunges his lance into Aggravain's back at full throttle. You and others duck aside as Bors drives Aggravain right into the wall of the building behind you.

"Yeah! Now give it to 'em again!" screams Shibutani.

Koharu pulls herself up off the street and gives you a concerned look. "…Is he gonna be all right?"

"Yeah, I think ol' 'senpai' here might be getting a bad case of tunnel vision," says Rin, looking back towards Taishi and Chikara. Taishi whispers something to Meliagaunt, who darts towards Shibutani's back. "Might be time for us to step in. I was getting tired of waiting, anyways."

Meliagaunt raises its gaunt, shriveled arms towards Shibutani, and you're reminded of what almost happened to you back in Cloud Three.

"Koharu! Cover him!" you shout.

"Got it! Le Fay!"

Le Fay positions herself between Shibutani and Meliagaunt, and the crimson sigil beneath Shibutani's feet evaporates into glittering, red dust. For a moment, he snaps his attention away from the pummeling Bors is giving Aggravain, and some of the bloodlust recedes.

"Ah! What just – thank you, Shimizu-kun," he says as he realizes what almost happened. "I lost sight of myself for a moment."

"Yeah, well don't! I don't wanna start making a habit out of this!" She points at Taishi, and Le Fay sprays a cloud of pink mist in his face. "I'm your kohai; you're the one that's supposed to be looking out for me!"

Taishi begins stumbling back and forth clutching his head. Le Fay wags her finger enticingly in his direction, and nods towards Aggravain. Consumed by the sheer power of her charm, Taishi sets Meliagaunt on Chikara's Persona, casting a spell that locks Aggravain's limbs together and sends him crashing to the ground. Despite her Persona being stunned, Chikara laboriously pulls herself to her feet and lurches towards her partner.

"The hell are you doin' dumbass?" she yells, and strikes him soundly across the face. "Get your shit together and help me out! This is embarrassin'!"

Taishi shakes his head like he's just been rousted from a deep sleep and gingerly rubs his newly bruised cheek. Swatting Chikara away, he shouts, "Don't you touch me, idiot! They just caught me unaware!"

He turns his gaze on Koharu. "I won't let myself fall victim to such a crass tactic again. Although…" Taishi considers the four Persona users in front of him. "…it would appear that the situation's gotten somewhat out of hand. Again. Perhaps it's time for us to employ a little trickery of our own in order to even the odds."

Chikara recalls Aggravain, then resummons him at her side. "You talkin' about that thing you were tryin' out on me? I dunno, it makes me feel sick afterwards…"

"Ah, but my dear Chikara, with this, you become our win condition. And I know there's nothing you love more than solving problems with a little brutality."

Shibutani frowns. "You think I'm just gonna stand by while you talk? Bors, get 'em!"

But before Shibutani's Persona can reach your enemies, Galahad materializes and pulls him back with his psychic energy.

"J-Jidou! What're you doing?" Shibutani sputters. Frankly, you're thinking the same thing - why give them the opportunity?

But now Rin's acting strangely. Without taking her eyes off of the Yatabuya, she says, "It's too boring to just keep beating them down like this. I wanna see what they'll do with their backs up against the wall. Let them make it interesting."

"I don't want this to be interesting, I want it to be over!" Koharu pleads. "Do you have a death wish or something?!"

However, her words fall on deaf ears. Rin tightens her grip on Bors, cracking a wide, toothy grin.

"Come on! Do it!" she cries out.

Taishi cackles softly to himself. "Well, with friends like that, who needs enemies, right? Now, Meliagaunt, unleash the Beast Eye!"

Meliagaunt spreads its limbs wide and utters a deafening shriek from its mouthless face that causes you to flinch and bring your hands to your ears. Four glowing orbs like tiny stars appear in front of Chikara, igniting currents of energy between them in the shape of a cross. The image of a bloodshot eye flashes before you, then reappears on Chikara and Aggravain's foreheads, red and pulsing as if it had been freshly carved into their flesh. Chikara and her Persona double over, howling as if they're experiencing incredible pain.

"H-Heads up!" shouts Nisekao, but before he can even finish, Chikara is upon you. Hoisting you up by your collar, she flings you across the street like a ragdoll. There's a blinding pain as your back slams into a wall, followed by another as you hit the pavement after a two-story drop. You hadn't even blinked – she'd closed the gap between you instantly.

Through a haze of pain, you can make out Aggravain laying into Bors's armor with a flurry of punches are too fast to follow. With no openings it can use to counter or defend itself, Shibutani's Persona can do little but sit there and absorb blow after blow. Not far away, Chikara herself is practically teleporting around Rin, throwing out punch after punch at a speed that ought to be impossible for a person of her size. Rin's face is slick with sweat from the effort it takes to dodge and block her attacks, even with Galahad throwing up barriers to help. Yet her expression is one of pure elation, even as one of Chikara's strikes slips past her defenses into her ribs.

"Rin!" you cry out, pushing through the dull ache in your back and hauling yourself to your feet. You've got to do something. You look to Koharu for help, but she has her hands full parrying an onslaught of Meliagaunt's curses. How can you get Chikara and Aggravain to stop? Then, an idea strikes you.

"Yaksini! I need you to get their attention!"

Yaksini appears in flash of blue flames and begins to perform the same gyrating dance that had worked so well to enrage Shibutani's Dreamweaver. Immediately, Chikara and Aggravain's attention snaps towards you. Perfect – as long as Shibutani and Rin get a chance to breathe –

In an instant, Aggravain's knuckles sink deep into your chest, sending you hurtling through the air. At the apex of your ascent, Chikara leaps up to meet you with cat-like agility. For a moment, you're able to focus on her face, the whites of her eyes blood-red, her expression wild and mindless with intoxicating power. Then, she drives both her fists into your stomach and sends you careening back to the ground in shower of asphalt. The sheer force expels every last bit of air from your lungs, and a choked gurgle escapes your lips. The lights…the streetlights are positively swimming in your vision…

"Get away from him!"

A voice…Rin's. A violet aura envelops the hulking shape looming over you, tossing it to the side, and another shape appears, extending a hand. As you wrap your fingers around hers, the world begins to resolve itself into distinct shapes again.

"C'mon, up and at 'em. Are you good?" she asks.

"Aghhh…forget about me, what about you?" you reply, massaging your chest.

"Me? No, that's not – don't worry about me. I'll handle it one way or another. Just…don't try anything stupid like that because of me, okay?"

"That's not really a fair thing to ask-" you say, but Nisekao's voice cuts you off.

"L-Look out! Here she comes again!"

"Right! Launcelot!"

Shibutani and Rin form up next to you shoulder to shoulder, summoning your Personas in front of you to brace against the impact. Chikara and Aggravain slam up against Launcelot and Bors, and their combined force would have taken you off your feet had Galahad not been pushing back with his powers as well.

"You guys c-can't keep this up forever. Getting rid of T-Taishi might be the only way – maybe if you can defeat his Persona, the Beast Eye will wear off," says Nisekao in your ear. It makes sense, but Koharu hasn't been able to do anything but fight Taishi to a stalemate so far. She'll need help.

"Shibutani," you growl, digging your feet in and willing Launcelot to push back a little harder, "you need to go and help Koharu take out Taishi."

"What? You think you and Jidou can hold 'em back without me?"

"We'll manage, but I don't know for how long. But if you're fast, we should be able to handle it. Back in Cloud Four, your Enforcer took out Koharu's Persona in one shot. Taishi's is the same type. I think you might be the only one who can do it."

He cracks a smile. "Well shit. When you put it that way, it's not like I got a choice, huh? Keep 'er busy for me!"

Shibutani and Bors break away from you, leaving only Launcelot and Galahad left to restrain Chikara and Aggravain. You can feel Launcelot's legs buckle, unable to resist for much longer. In a few seconds, they'll plow right through your Personas and beat you into a fine red mist.

[Hey, uh, not to be pushy or nothing, but I might actually have something for you here,] says Baphomet. [Fire's more my thing, but any good devil knows his way around a little ice magic, if you catch my drift. Whaddya think?]

"Brilliant," you mutter under your breath, understanding exactly what he means. "Rin! Let go!"

She does so immediately and without question, which catches you by surprise as the full force of your enemies' charge hits Launcelot, breaking his guard. Without hesitating, you recall Launcelot and summon Baphomet as Chikara and her Persona charge towards you. Baphomet raises one of its hands high, and a thick coating of ice races across the pavement. Robbed of their traction and unable to stop, Chikara and Aggravain end up sliding helplessly down the street away from you and Rin, eventually losing their balance and crashing to the ground.

"Now, Shibutani!" you shout.

"Shimizu! Gimme a hand!" Shibutani shouts, as Taishi, noticing his intervention, begins to refocus Meliagaunt's attacks in his direction. However, Le Fay sticks to the enemy Persona like a leech, warping about in puffs of black smoke and dispelling Meliagaunt's sigils as they appear.

Bors leans back in his chariot, adopting a bracing position as he aims his lance at Meliagaunt. Dazzling rays of light begin to gather at its base, coalescing into a ball of searing hot photons. Bors's lance unfurls, twisting itself open until a wide aperture forms at the tip of lance, transforming it into a massive cannon.

"Now, Shimizu! Hold 'im down!"

Le Fay utters a quick curse, and a large, wooden stake pierces Meliagaunt through the chest, pinning him to the pavement. You know from experience that that curse won't harm Meliagaunt, but it doesn't have to.

"Get a good look, you smug bastard."

Bors lines up the shot, and fires. The bullet of light hits its target dead on, and explodes into a flurry of shrine tags that surround the Persona like a cage. Each one pierces Meliagaunt with a beam of light, and it explodes in a flash of blue flame.

"Ghh!"

Taishi's eyes go wide, rolling up into the back of his head, and he collapses into a heap on the ground. Chikara, who's pulled herself back up and has been trying to awkwardly slide back towards you across the ice, falls to her knees and begins to dry heave, the crimson eye on her forehead gone.

"Hrrk! My head…" she grunts, crawling towards her partner and falling over several times in the process. Rin twirls her bat anxiously, but doesn't make a move. Whatever the Beast Eye's done to Chikara's body, it appears obvious that the will to fight has abandoned her. Nevertheless, in a genuinely impressive effort, she manages to lift Taishi's limp body onto her shoulders and stand up straight.

For a moment, it's looks like she's going to leave, but then she rounds on you and points.

"You…you…you're not gonna…one of these days, I'llman, fuck you guys."

And with that lovely sentiment, she jogs away back towards the exit, huffing and wheezing the whole way.

"Holy crap, we actually did it," breathes Koharu, her eyes wide. "Maybe next time, we don't let the enemy use their secret weapon."

Shibutani recalls his Persona and sits down heavily on the curb. He stares vacantly into the distance, like he's in a trance.

"Uh, hey? Senpai? Everything all right?" you ask, waving a hand in front of his face. He gives his head a quick shake.

"Ah, Tetsuo," he says, blinking. "I…I…it's over. My God, I was positively unhinged! My sincerest apologies for my behavior – it seems that when my blood gets pumping, some of my old tendencies resurface. I would very much appreciate it if you would forget all about it."

"Dunno what you're apologizing for. No offense, but I almost like you better that way," says Rin. She rummages around in her bag and takes out a couple of the marble-like things she'd given you in Cloud Three, pressing them into you and Shibutani's palms.

"I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure you still have a ton of broken bones after the pummeling you took. Better choke those down, otherwise you're gonna pass out once the adrenaline wears off. Trust me on that one."

After swallowing his, Shibutani pats himself up and down, marvelling at the medicine's healing powers. You can't blame him – they'd probably be worth a fortune in the real world.

"Incredible…how does it even mend bones? What are those things?" he asks.

"Yeah, good question," adds Koharu.

However, Rin just shrugs and hoists her bag back over her shoulders.

"I dunno, but they only work in the Clouds for some reason. Maybe because they come from Shadows? If you get lucky, sometimes they leave 'em behind when they die."

Your gag reflex activates, and a retching noise rises from your throat. Beside you, Shibutani coughs and stares at his stomach. As Koharu snickers, Rin says, "Well, you asked. Those were my last ones, though, so I guess you don't have to worry about taking any more."

"Yeah, probably better not to think about it. Anyways, we made it through in one piece. Nisekao, can you take us to Gin and the others?"

"S-Sure. Are you all good to walk?"

"Good as we'll ever be," you say, although privately you're wondering whether or not you've got enough energy to fight the Dreamweaver right after a bout like that.

"A-All right. Then follow me."