NOTE: Sorry for the long wait! Here's the next chapter! It's a big one!

Enjoy and Review!

Chapter 3: A Fool No More

Aigis sat as still as a statue on the comfy sofas provided by the staff of the Amagi Inn. Her optics scanned over the shadow-boxing Akihiko and the silent Mitsuru. Then she focused on the noisy static of the television. The cyborg's memory banks replayed the televised message of the Investigation Team's Shadows challenging the vigilante teens to a battle for Ben's safety. "It would seem we have stumbled upon something unprecedented."

"Not unprecedented, simply unexpected." Mitsuru opened her eyes, commanding their attention. "I hadn't expected for something like this to occur, but it outright confirms our suspicions on Amagi-san possessing a Persona of her own."

"Along with the rest of her friends too." Akihiko added. He stops his practicing to turn and cross his arms, frowning in thought. "Two years ago, this town had some kind of murder case, yeah?"

"According to the files the Kirijo Group had managed to acquire, yes. The culprit, Adachi Tohru, was apprehended by the Inaba Police after turning himself in. Nothing out of the ordinary besides a man seemingly having gone insane. However, the names Amagi Yukiko and Tatsumi Kanji were on the reports as recorded victims of his." Mitsuru explained.

"There were a few other victims recorded, but none of them are among Amagi's group of friends. Each murder had something to do with a TV as well." Aigis added.

"Correct." Mitsuru uncrossed her legs and stood up from the sofa. "It's clear that these teens were greatly involved with the case, and if I had to guess based on what we just saw…"

"That murder case was far from what you'd normally see. It had to be similar to what we went through with the Dark Hour; where the power of a Persona was necessary to solve it." Akihiko realized.

Grabbing her Evoker and sword, Mitsuru threw her white fur-coat back over her shoulders. "Change of plans. Interrogating Amagi-san will have to wait until this matter has concluded. Though we weren't the intended target of that message, we were shown it for a reason." Mitsuru glared out the window, her mere gaze freezing it ice-cold. "I am inclined to discover that reason."

Akihiko punched his palm. "Finally! Time for some action!"

As she stood up, Aigis checked her systems to ensure they were prepared for combat. "Mitsuru, do we have any method of following after them?"

"Only one. By starting at the location Amagi-san and her friends are known to gather: the supermarket Junes."

While her comrades hurried out of the room, the cyborg's optics were drawn back to the television. She could feel a connection to it, or perhaps... it would be better to say that she felt something inside of it was connected to her. Whatever this feeling was would soon be answered once their team got inside the TV.

Inside the TV World, on the rooftop of the twisted Yasogami High, Narukami Yu clashed fiercely against the malevolent Minazuki Sho! The red head cackled madly as his twin blades struck the Fool's sword, sizzling sparks dancing between them. "What's wrong, Wild Card?!" Sho kicked Yu in the stomach, knocking him back. His blades charged up with harsh crimson energy before releasing it in a dual flying slash attack.

"Guh!" Bright electricity surged forth, countering the crimson energy. The Investigation Team's leader could feel himself getting pushed back. "G-gah! Izanagi!" His Persona flashed forward to assist his user, their combined strength dispelling Sho's attack into red mist. The Fool glimpsed a pair of blue flashes briefly through the mist, his only warning to raise his blade and defend himself against the vicious slash strike. Yu skidded back, coming to the edge of the rooftop, gritting his teeth as Sho put pressure back on him in an attempt to send him falling to his death. But the Wild Card holds on as much as he could, his willpower remaining ever steadfast.

"Come on! Make this entertaining!" Sho taunted. "Where's all that power you had when you defeated Adachi, Ameno-Sagiri, or Izanami?!"

Yu's eyes widened. "How do you-Guh!" He was interrupted by a kick to the ribs sending him sprawling across the rough concrete of the rooftop. He flips up, ignoring the aching pain coming from his sides. Narukami glared confusingly at his malicious opponent. "How do you know about Adachi and the rest?! Just who are you?!"

"I already told you; I'm something far worse than you can ever imagine." Sho chuckled darkly.

"That doesn't answer the question!" Yu shouted. "Quit avoiding it before I force it out of you!"

Rolling his eyes, Sho shook his head. "Fine. But I'll make a spectacle of it first."

"What are you-" The Fool gasped loudly when a blood-red tarot card shimmered to life in front of the twisted teen. "No…"

"Heh! Don't blink or you might just miss it!" Sho brought down his left sword, slicing through the tarot card. "Descend with the light of a blood moon! Come forth… Tsukuyomi!"

SHINE!

A devastating blast of black and red energy exploded around Sho, the shockwave almost knocking Yu off his feet. He stabbed his sword into the rooftop to keep himself steady, his eyes staring intensely at the massive levels of energy spiraling around them. The clouds above them parted, revealing the blood moon floating in the sky. A single light descended down, spinning around Sho like a tornado before coming to a stop above him. It started taking shape, one all too familiar to the Wild Card.

"Magatsu Izanagi?!" Yu assumed with shock. But a closer look at the new Persona revealed that it was a completely different entity, though with a similar enough appearance to Adachi's Persona. Tsukuyomi's outfit was primarily black and white, five cape-like coattails fluttering in the wind. His helmet was black with a gold faceplate and had a protruding black horn stemming out with white cracks filling the space. Streaks of red cascaded down the chest area of his outfit, connecting to the zipper of the coat. In his right hand, a long blade of dark energy oozed nothing but starving malice. Tsukuyomi's eyes glowed a wicked crimson as he stared down at his user's enemy.

"I'll admit that Magatsu and Tsukuyomi share some physical appearances, but that's where the similarities end." Sho's freaky smile left Narukami even more unsettled. When his tarot card reappeared, Sho started laughing. "Now let's get this show back on the road! Infernal Wings!"

Black wings sprouted out of Tsukuyomi's back, and he dashed towards Yu with his sword raised. "Psycho Blast!"

"GYAAAH!" A burst of violent energy destroyed the space in front of Yu, sending him flying through the air, only stopping when he rolled into Ben's throne. Pain stung his whole body, forcing the Wild Card to heal himself to avoid permanent damage.

"No time to lick your wounds!" Sho's voice echoed above. Yu turned his head to see Tsukuyomi was descending for another powerful attack. "Better stop holding back unless you want to die pitifully, Narukami! Psycho Blast!"

Yu was going to dodge out of the way until he remembered that Ben was right behind him. Gritting his teeth, Yu shattered his tarot card and pushed out his energy. "THOR! THUNDER REIGN!"

BOOM!

SLASH!

Yukiko's body tumbled into the wall, her scream echoing off the walls. She held her face as blood poured through the gaps of her fingers. "Diaraham!" Yukiko hissed through her pain, healing the damage done to her face. When she removed her hand, the heiress came to a realization.

Her sight was barely registering in her left eye, blurry like looking through an unfocused camera lens. Yukiko traced along the left side of her face, feeling the scarring left from the attack. A permanent mark that would likely remain for the rest of her life.

"I'm surprised." The soft, yet cold voice called her attention. Yukiko looked ahead to see Labrys slowly marching forth, dragging her giant axe along the floor. "If you hadn't dodged that at the last second, then the entire left side of your head would have been cleaved off. You'd be dead."

The heiress used one of the desks to get back on her feet. "I can't die, not yet. Not until I've saved Ben."

"Give up. You'll never reach him." Labrys narrowed her eyes.

"And why is that? Does it have to do with what you said before? About being his true sister?" Yukiko glared angrily. With her good eye, the heiress could see her fan lying next to some fallen desks. "I don't even know who you are, and neither does he!"

"You're wrong! Ben does know me! The months we've spent connecting and creating a bond have allowed me to grow beyond my original purpose!" Labrys countered.

"The only thing you are is a kidnapper!" Yukiko's accusation caused a brief look of hurt to cross Labrys's face. "Anyone who hurts my family is an enemy of mine!" The heiress crushed her tarot card to summon her Persona. "Sumeo-Okami, Maragidyne!" A massive wall of flames crashed into the cyborg. Using this chance, Yukiko rushed towards her weapon and picked it up.

Right as she grabbed it, a metal leg shot through the smoke and collided with her ribs. Blood splurged from her throat, the painful sound of her ribs cracking filling her ears. Yukiko crashed into the opposite wall, gasping for breath as Labrys returned mostly unscathed.

"I've been told plenty about your fighting style. A long-ranged pyromaniac with no experience in hand-to-hand combat." Labrys raised her axe. "You've hit me with that move twice now, and it's done absolutely nothing."

Black met red, the cyborg felt her sensors picking up a rapid increase in the surrounding temperature. Yukiko pushed herself back to her feet, snarling through her black hair strands. "Did you really think that was everything I could do?!"

Labrys' eyes widened as the tip of Sumeo-Okami's sword was placed right between her eyes. The fiery passion of wrath burned within Yukiko's eyes, almost as if her gaze was filled with infernal vengeance as she desperately slammed her card between her palms. "MELTDOWN!"

There was nothing Labrys could do as the entire classroom erupted in flames. The fire consumed everything, refusing to leave anything untouched. Labrys' screams echoed throughout the burning room as her body was continuously incinerated by the attack, vanishing within the monstrous tidal wave of flames.

When everything ceased, an exhausted breath left Yukiko's lips. She slid down the wall, observing the destruction left in her wake with her remaining good eye.

From what she could see, there were no signs of Labrys anywhere. "I got her…" As much as she wanted to rest, Yukiko knew she needed to hurry. Ben was still in danger, and as long as she could still walk, she could keep going. It took more effort than she liked to admit getting back up, but the priestess did. Using the wall as support, Yukiko slowly walked towards the exit. "I'm coming, Ben… just wait for me."

"Per…"

Yukiko stopped.

"...so…"

With a horror-stricken face, the heiress turned to see a figure crawling out of the hole in the wall. A burnt, silvery hand gripped the edges of the wall, artificial yellow eyes burning through the darkness to lock onto Yukiko.

Another hand reached out, revealing a shimmering red tarot card of the Fortune Arcana.

"NA!"

CRASH!

"Come forth, Asterius!"

The floor beneath them was shattered by the arrival of something demonic. Its large black hands reached out of the huge hole, pulling itself up to reveal its true form. The cyborg's Persona was a large humanoid creature only partially coming out of the ground, surrounded by flames, with a bull's skull for a head, and several chains restraining it to the ground.

Stepping fully out of the shadows was Labrys, her uniform now burnt and torn, revealing more of the robotic body hidden underneath. Anger and fear etched itself along her scorched face, her axe dragging loudly behind her. "Not yet! I won't let you take him away!"

Yukiko matched the cyborg's emotions. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Why are you so obsessed with Ben?!"

"I'm not obsessed!" She screamed. "I have to win! I have to kill you! It's the only way I'll be free; the only way I'll be able to find my truth! As long as you stay connected to him with your bond, then I can never be free!"

"You want to tear our bond apart…?" A fierce gaze hardens on the heiress. "I'll never let that happen! The bond between Ben and I is one forged together by so many moments and love! Even if you defeat me, it'll never disappear!"

"You're wrong!" Labrys' handle on her axe tightens. "I just need to win, and he'll make it happen! Fate is on my side, and I'll prove it right here and now!" Her tarot card flashed to life in front of her as she raised her axe to make the decisive swing.

Yukiko knew she couldn't stand and allow her opponent to attack her. She was exhausted with only so much strength left. But that didn't mean she'd give up when Ben's life was on the line. So many times, in the past, her little brother came through to rescue them when they needed him the most. And it was finally time she paid him back by saving him! As if answering the call of her determination, the Priestess card flashed in front of her!

Two women, one human and the other cybernetic, released a furious roar as they summoned their strongest attacks to end this battle!

"TITANOMACHIA!"

"BURNING PETALS!"

A gargantuan pillar of fire clashed against an equally sized typhoon of exploding sakura petals. Both women continued to roar, calling forth more and more strength to overpower the other. Shockwaves shook throughout the entire dungeon, devastating most of the structure mercilessly.

Chie kicked away from her Shadow, then nearly stumbled when the entire gym started shaking like crazy. Her eyes turned to the direction, her heart reacting to the massive power surge going on. "Yukiko-chan…!"

"Don't look away from me!" Shadow Chie kicked her in the sternum, knocking the air from her lungs. The Shadow raised her other leg, generating a burst of energy, and axe-kicked the kung-fu lover into the floor.

Kanji and Naoto were struggling against their opponents as well but then lost focus as they felt Yukiko's struggle going on. "Yukiko-senpai!"

"Not so fast~!" Shadow Kanji descended, smashing his original into the floor. Naoto was about to shoot him, but a few bullets nailed her shoulder, causing her to fall to her knees.

Both Rises were supporting their Teddies as the bears engaged in a cartoonish boxing match for the right to marry both idols. Right as Teddie was going to land a decisive blow, his and Rise's attention were taken by Yukiko and Labrys' clash. "Yuki-chan/Yukiko-senpai!"

That was all Shadow Teddie needed to receive a boost from his swimsuit idol and prepared his super attack. "Dempsey Roll!"

"Eh-GWAAH!" Teddie blubbered as his dark counterpart unleashed a devastating combination of blows that utterly rocked his shit.

"Teddie!" Rise cried.

Yosuke punched his Shadow across the face before knocking him back with a Garu spell. When he felt the shockwaves coming from Yukiko's fight, his attention shifted. "Yukiko…!"

"Moron!" Shadow Yosuke fired off a Garudyne, blasting his original into the wall. Then he pinned him against it with his knife against the magician's throat. "Do you really think she'd want the help of the guy who hurt her the most?! You'd be doing her a favor by dying here!" His laughter ceased when Yosuke started pushing his arm away.

"Just shut up!" Yosuke shouted, releasing a burst of wind to blow his counterpart away.

"Yukiko…?" Yu paused his battle to look down at the school below. He could feel the distress coming from the heiress. Whoever she was fighting was pushing his girlfriend to her very limits. And no matter how much faith he has in her, he knew that she wouldn't last for long at this rate. "Yukiko!"

"Look alive!"

There was only a second available to the Fool to dodge a deadly strike from Sho. He leapt forward to clash blades with the evil Persona user. "I don't have time for this!"

"Too bad, Narukami! You want to save those precious bonds you love so much?! Then fight me like you really mean it!" Sho pushed him back, then crushed his tarot card. "Myriad Slashes!"

Tsukuyomi's blade released a multitude of dangerous air slashes to tear the Wild Card apart. The Fool called forth his own Persona to match him head on. "Tempest Slash!"

Shockwaves knocked them both back, their feet skidding along the hardened roof. As Yu struggled to come up with a way to put down his enemy, Sho laughed at him. "What's the matter?! Why are you hesitating so much?! We both know you can end this fight in the blink of an eye! And yet you're holding back! How come?!"

Yu's grip on his blade increased, his face twisting into a conflicted glare. His enemy tilts his head, observing his behavior. Sho replays their fight in his mind before realizing something. "Wait a minute…! You're afraid of killing me, is that right?!"

Narukami lets out a gasp, confirming Sho's suspicions. The evil Persona user glared at the Wild Card. "That's it?! I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner! I had hoped you would be over some nonsense like this, but you can't even do one thing right!"

The Fool gazed confusingly. "What are you talking about?"

"It makes sense that you're scared to use your full power against a human! Every other time you've used it, it was against opponents that either weren't human or you were sure could take it?! Am I right?!" Yu's silence gave Sho his answer. "How the hell did you make it this far with half-assed thinking like that?!"

"You're not making any sense!" Narukami charged at his enemy, his blade cackling with electricity. Sho met him in another clash with energy coating his twin swords. "Why do you keep talking like you know me?! My methods on how I use my powers are my choice!"

"And when your choice ends up betraying those bonds you love so much, then what next?!" Sho's accusation caused hesitation to break Yu's concentration. "You have the power to protect everyone you care about, and yet you hold back because you're afraid of killing someone?!" A dark smile etched across Sho's face. "Afraid that you'd end up like Adachi, right?!"

"Shut up!" Yu desperately shouted.

"He wasn't afraid to use what he had to take what he wanted! Just a few different choices and you could have ended up just like him!"

"Shut up!"

"Forgive him all you like, but deep inside you still hate him for everything he did!" Minazuki continued to twist the knife. "If it weren't for him, Namatame never would have kidnapped Nanako, Uncle wouldn't have ended up in the hospital, and your sweet little sister wouldn't have died!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" A massive burst of energy exploded forth, sending Sho flying across the rooftop. He rolled to a stop and admired the bright pillar of energy bustling around the enraged Wild Card. Yu held up his hand, the Fool Arcana spinning above his palm. "You want to see my full strength so badly?! Then here, I'll stop you for good!"

CRASH!

"COME FORTH, IZANAGI-NO-OKAMI!"

Adhering to the call of his user, the Ultimate Persona descended on the battlefield in a ray of heavenly light. Izanagi's true form spun his mighty blade, lowering it to be aimed right at Sho. Yu glared furiously at his enemy with righteous anger. "Are you ready, Sho?! I'm going to hit you with my full force!"

Standing up, the malicious fighter laughed loudly, confusing the Wild Card. "Finally! I was getting sick and tired of waiting! Fire away, old man!"

"What-"

"LOCK!"

A sphere, as black as the night, formed around Izanagi-no-Okami, trapping the Ultimate Persona. Yu spun around to gasp loudly at the sudden sight. "Izanagi?!"

BA-BUMP!

"G-GAH!" Yu fell to his knees, his sword clattering to the ground. His hand gripped his chest as sharp pain started tearing away at his heart. "W-what's happening?!"

"Our true plan, of course." Right behind him, his shadow started to levitate into the air, splotches of black forming together into a human figure. Arms, legs, a torso, and head took shape; the darkness fading away to reveal the sorcerer of black magic, Hex! "We meet again, Wild Card."

"Hex?!" Yu gasped, still clutching his chest. "H-how are you here?! And how did you get your body back?!"

"Returning to my normal state took longer than necessary, but still proved no issue. As to why I'm here? Why else, other than to achieve ultimate power!" Hex declared with a wave of his staff.

"Ultimate power?"

"I should be thanking you, boy. If it weren't for you and the Priestess, then I never would have discovered that these realms exist. Dimensions separate from our own where the creatures known as Shadows roam, and where the power of a Persona is allowed to manifest." Hex explained. He summoned an ancient spellbook, the Archamada Book of Spells, to appear in his palm. "I've spent a good chunk of time here, collecting the magical properties that exist within this TV World. As such, my powers have evolved to greater heights, far higher than those charms ever would have granted me!"

Fighting through his pain, Yu tried to push himself back to his feet. "I-I won't let you! I'll stop you!"

Hex smirked, finding his bravado childish. "Normally, I'd take that threat seriously. Even after gaining this power, there was always the chance of you fools finding and stopping me. Even Charmcaster attempted to get in my way."

The Wild Card gasped, remembering when Yosuke explained to him how Charmcaster appeared in the Junes' storage room all bruised and battered. "You did that?! To your own niece?!"

"Discipline. She'll know not to stand in my way again." Hex replied coldly.

"Y-you…!" Yu grits his teeth with anger. "I have to stop you!"

Dark energy swirled around Hex's open hand like a vortex. "But how will you accomplish that without your power?"

"What?!" Yu coughed again, turning around to see his True Persona's body was starting to break apart. Cracks spread across Izanagi's body, causing the Persona to cry out in pain. "Izanagi?!" He tried to dispel his Persona, but the manifestation didn't disappear.

"Learning how to harness the powers of this dimension wasn't all I was doing! I knew ruling the world would be impossible as long as you remained in my way! The Tennysons are one thing, but the strength of a Wild Card is far too dangerous! Therefore, I'll rid you of such meddlesome powers!" Hex declared as his eyes glowed an electric purple. Energy pulsated from his body as he increased the density of the sphere around Izanagi-no-Okami. "I will destroy your destiny!"

"G-GAAAH!" Yu fell to the ground, clutching his chest. Screams bellowed from his throat, the pain feeling like his entire body, his very being, was getting torn apart. As he moved to lay on his back, Narukami could do nothing as the source of his strength was being ripped away from him. Then his eyes shifted as Sho moved into his view, crossing his arms with a victorious grin.

"That Persona, Izanagi-no-Okami; the ultimate form of your initial Persona. He represents not only your strength, but the strength of all the bonds that you made during that special year." Sho looked down to meet Yu's pained eyes. "I wonder what will happen to your friends when your powers are all gone."

Yu's eyes went wide, realizing what his enemy meant. His friends and family, their strength was their own, but the source originally came from him. A memory from two years ago flashed through his mind.

"I should warn you, my guest, that if anything bad were to happen to you, then your friends will lose their ability to manifest a Persona. Their awakenings could only happen because you were there to form a bond. Without you, there's no bond, and without those bonds then there can be no power."

Izanagi released a blood curdling wail of pain, his body was unable to continue resisting Hex's magic. His arms, legs, and torso were crumbling to pieces, his sword shattered like glass, and the light in his eyes faded away.

Memories of that first year in Inaba replayed through Narukami's mind as he watched his Persona crumble away, leaving only the Fool Arcana tarot card in his place.

He remembered his arrival in Inaba, meeting the Dojimas, meeting his friends for the first time, the plethora of people he had taken the time to know, their battles and victories, the pain and regrets, and all of the lessons he's learned.

Yu reached out for the card, wishing to take hold of it once more. "I-I'm…"

Clapping his hands, Hex laughed loudly with a maniacal expression. Several bolts of black energy struck the card, tearing it apart piece by piece. "THE FOOL ARCANA…!"

"...sorry, guys."

"...IS NO MORE!"

SHATTER!

Dojima fell from his bed, crying out as if a knife had just plunged itself through his chest. A sudden scream pierced through the household. "Nanako!" He bolted from his room, stumbling slightly as he rushes into his daughter's room. The detective stared horrified at the sight of his daughter thrashing around in her bed, screaming painfully. "Nanako! Nanako!" He pulls her into his arms quickly.

"B-Big bro…!" Nanako coughs out. "Big bro…!" Tears were spilling from her eyes as if her heart could feel the pain he was in.

Within his prison cell, Adachi withered on the floor, stifling his own cries. His eyes were boiling with anger, knowing that something was wrong. Something inconceivable had just occurred. "Narukami… you…"

All over Inaba, every single person who had formed a bond with Narukami Yu reacted in similar ways. It felt as if their hearts were being torn apart, like their connection to the silver-haired hero had been broken.

"Take her down, Suzuka Gongen!" Chie ordered her Persona to land the final strike. However, before she could, the Persona's weapon vanished like vapor. "What?!" Then Suzuka Gongen followed her weapon, disappearing from the world. "Suzuka…"

When Chie tried to call her Persona back, there was nothing. The warm, passionate feeling she'd usually get from her soul was no longer there. It was as if she was alone, terribly alone.

Shadow Chie laughed as she pounced on her original, kicking the kung-fu girl across the face. "Looks like the plan worked, haha!"

"P-plan…?" Chie coughed out blood. She tried to call out her Persona, but nothing came. Suzuka Gongen no longer existed.

Shadow Kanji and Naoto stood victoriously over their defeated counterparts. The powerless teens stood no chance against them.

Naoto could barely move her body. "Y-yamato… T-Takeru…"

"R-Rokuten Maou…" Kanji laid against the wall, his left hand broken and bloodied.

Rise was crying over Teddie's unconscious body, screaming out for her Persona to appear. But no matter how much she wished for it, Kanzeon would never answer her. Their Shadows were mocking her powerlessness all the same without mercy.

"Susano-o… I…" Yosuke struggled to get back up. All of his strength was gone in an instant. He was kicked across the face like a piece of trash by his Shadow.

"Nothing but trash." Shadow Yosuke spat.

Yukiko could feel her skin burning from the intense heat blazing around them. Her resistance was proving too little, but it didn't matter as long as she won. Her petals were overpowering Labrys' attack by the second, their stalemate was soon to break.

"RAAH!" Labrys screamed as she continued to hold strong. "I won't! I can't! Almost there! Just a bit more! And I'll kill you!"

"As long as I have the support of my friends and family, I'll never lose to you!"

Labrys stumbled back, her feet struggling to keep steady. She could see her fire blast was being pushed back at an alarming rate. "H-how?! You shouldn't have this strength!"

"My bonds are my strength! Their support is why I'll win!" Yukiko just needed one last push. Just one more and this fight would be over. "Unlike you, I'm fighting with those bonds! What are you fighting with?!"

There was nothing Labrys could say, her head lowering in defeat.

Seeing that her opponent had accepted defeat, Yukiko was ready to finish this. "Sumeo-Okami! End this-" Yukiko's eyes widened when she saw that her petals were disappearing, vanishing into mist. Looking to her side, the heiress saw her Persona was vanishing as well. "Sumeo-Okami…?"

Labrys noticed as well that Yukiko's power was fading away. The cyborg realized that Hex's plan must have actually worked, which meant the heiress was nothing more than a normal, weak woman. A sickening grin spread across her lips. "Looks like you were wrong, Yukiko! When you needed them the most, your bonds failed to mean anything!"

The floor exploded, almost knocking Yukiko over. As the seconds passed, more and more petals were vanishing and leaving the priestess defenseless. Sumeo-Okami was trying to force herself to remain in this reality, but she could only delay the inevitable.

Labrys pushed out her hand. "FATE HAS CHOSEN ME! FINISH HER, ASTERIUS!"

As commanded by its user, the dark Persona let out one final burst that destroyed the remaining petals blocking its way. The massive blast of flames descended onto Yukiko, and all the heiress could do was watch.

That was until Sumeo-Okami, in one last desperate attempt to protect her user, jumped in the way in front of Yukiko. A gasp escaped Yukiko's lips before they were both consumed by the flames, their agonizing screams echoing throughout.

Labrys watched with satisfaction, knowing that the battle had ended with her victory. "I did it, Ben."

Sho stomped his foot on Yu's motionless body. For a second, the evil Persona user was worried that the Fool had died, but he could still feel his chest moving up and down. "I guess the pain was too much for him. He might as well be dead after all that."

"It matters little." Hex descends down next to Sho. "Without their powers, his little merry band of misfits will die here."

"And what about the brat?" The redhead points at Ben.

"He'll remain trapped here for the rest of his miserable existence. I could kill him, but letting him suffer for interfering with my plans so many times is far more fitting. After all, he's been awake the entire time. Listening and watching as his friends die helplessly will bring the 'hero' even more suffering." Hex laughed.

Smirking, Sho crossed his arms. "Fine by me. Now then, I think it's time that you fulfill your end of the bargain."

"Of course. But that'll only be once I'm certain that all of these fools have been exterminated. Then I'll leave this world to annihilate Lucky Girl and the rest of the Tennysons." He clenches his hand. "Nobody will stand in the way of Hex! Nobody-"

"Hm? Which one was it again?"

Both Sho and Hex were immediately on guard, surprised by the intrusion on the rooftop. They looked around for wherever the voice came from, before turning back to Ben's direction.

Standing over the captured child was a woman of average height. She had short, platinum-blonde hair and golden eyes. She wore a blue dress that resembles a stewardess' outfit with five black-lined circles outside small yellow circles, blue gloves, a blue attendant-like hat, black leggings and blue, knee-length boots. The woman was fiddling around with the Omnitrix, turning the dial in different directions. "So many different combinations on this thing. He needs to clarify the exact one next time."

"Woman!" Hex's shout caught her attention. "Who are you?!"

"The way she's dressed... It's like one of those Velvet Room attendants!" Sho growled.

She blinked at them, looking around a bit before pointing at herself. "Me?"

"Yes, you!"

"Oh, sorry!" She laughs. "I have a name, but you didn't shout it, so I had to assume you were talking to someone else!" The woman continued fiddling with the Omnitrix, brushing the two off.

"Pay attention!" Sho throws an energy slash at the woman. All she did was raise her hand and effortlessly deflect the attack. "What?!"

"If you're so curious to know who I am, then I'll at least give you my name." As the watch's dial glowed, the lady smirked, pushing down on the dial.

BEEP!

Whirring noises screeched loudly from the watch as it started to illuminate, cycling through the icons of all twenty of Ben's aliens. Bright green energy surged from the device, blowing apart the throne and restraints keeping Ben pinned down. An explosion of light from the Omnitrix nearly blinded them all, yet the woman continued to stand there unbothered.

"My name's Elizabeth. A woman with too much time on her hands."

Smoke blanketed the destroyed classroom as Labrys stood there, dispelling her Persona now that it was no longer needed. The cyborg waited for the smoke to clear, so that she could see the remains of Yukiko with her own eyes. Her mechanical eyes widened as she saw a lone figure, standing through the smoke. "No way…"

The smoke soon cleared, leaving Yukiko finally visible. The heiress was barely keeping herself standing. Her clothes were in tatters, her body beaten and bruised and burnt, and a concerning amount of her hair had been burnt away, leaving it to only reach the bottom of her neck. The final remnants of Sumeo-Okami had absorbed most of the blast, saving her life. Yukiko watched silently as the manifestation of her soul vanished from this realm.

Labrys stumbled back, baffled at the miraculous sight before her. "H-how are you still alive?! That blast should have turned you to cinders!"

"...can't…"

"What?" Labrys gasped. Her hearing was able to pick up the near whisper coming from Yukiko.

"...can't…lose…"

"Why?" The cyborg didn't understand. Yukiko had lost, her powers were gone, and her body was broken. How was it that she could still stand?! Why was there still fire burning in her eyes?!

"...save…Ben… I…" Yukiko's body started to stagger backwards. "I'm…sorry…Ben…" The last of her strength was finally leaving her. "...your big sister…couldn't save…"

Labrys looked away, her bangs covering her eyes. For some reason, she couldn't watch the heiress hit the ground.

But the sound of Yukiko hitting the floor never came. The cyborg was confused until she looked back up to see someone had caught the heiress. Labrys couldn't believe her optics when she laid eyes on the blonde cyborg in front of her.

Yukiko's eyes were barely able to make out the person in front of her, but she could feel a healing spell alleviating the unbearable pain aching her body. "...tha..nk…you." The heiress' consciousness faded, leaving the two cyborgs as the only ones in the room.

"Y-you…you're…!" Labrys took a step forward, but Aigis stopped her with a single hand.

The member of SEES carried Yukiko outside of the room, placing her body down where she would be safe. Then she turned her head to stare into the eyes of her sister; an uncanny sight as her neck rotated far more than a human ever could. "I see... So, this was the feeling I had been getting. I was fated to meet you today, sister."

"How are you-"

"It matters not why I'm here." Aigis interrupted. "Just know that I won't be holding back. As much as I would like to not attack one of my own, your actions clearly dictate that you are a threat. As a Shadow Operative, I'll be exterminating you here and now."

Fury swallowed Labrys once more. "Fine! Come forth, Asterius!" The Minotaur Persona rose from the floor, blazing forth a ring of flames.

"Come forth, Athena!" Aigis summoned her Persona, a warrior entity dressed in white robes with golden armor, a shield, and spear. She floated above her wielder, ready to rain righteous judgment upon her user's sister.

As for the other members of the Investigation Team, their lives were saved by a massive pillar of ice that shot through the floors. Chains of ice shot out, grabbing and freezing each of the Shadows in place before they could kill their originals. The pillar retracted to drag them all down to the bottom floor, the gym, throwing them all onto the floor. The Shadows, furious, searched for the ones responsible.

"A rowdy bunch it would seem." All five of them turned around to see Mitsuru and Akihiko standing behind them on the gym's stage. Pinned beneath the ice queen's rapier was Shadow Chie, who was struggling to break free. Safe behind the two was an unconscious Chie.

"Heh! You know a thing or two about dealing with a rowdy group, don't you, Mitsuru?" Akihiko cracked his knuckles.

"Dealing with all of you was hectic, but that was far more pleasant than the peons here before us." She removed her sword from Shadow Chie's back, then kicked the disgusting creature towards her allies. "A punishment is in order, don't you agree?"

"Hell yeah! It's been a minute since I was able to let loose as much as I want!" Akihiko pulled out his evoker, aiming it at his head. Mitsuru did the same, a sadistic smirk spreading across her beautiful face.

"PERSONA!"

BANG!

"Come forth, Artemisia!"

"Let 'em have it, Caesar!"

"Tch…!" Sho clicked his tongue as the light vanished to reveal Ben Tennyson, now back on his feet. The boy's head was lowered, but his hands were clenched tightly. "I guess we gotta deal with the brat now!"

"Hmph! With my newfound strength, his aliens should prove to be no issue." Hex summoned his staff to prepare for battle.

Elizabeth looked down at the boy. "So, Ben Tennyson, how do you feel?"

Ben had heard everything. His body was trapped, but Hex's magic allowed him to see everything that had gone on. The effort everyone had gone through to save him, the fight between the two women he looked up to as older sisters, and Hex's plan to take them all down. All of the pain and misery brought upon everyone…

"All of this…is my fault. So, right now, all I want to do…" His head shot up with fury and pain, glaring right at the ones responsible. "...Is hit something as hard as I can!"

Sho scoffed. "What?! You think one of your little aliens will be enough to beat the both of us?!"

Ben raised the Omnitrix. "Not ONE-"

FLASH!

"ALL TWENTY!" Heatblast declared, a powerful pillar of fire illuminated the sky, representing the emotions raging through the child.

Ben Tennyson had been granted Master Control once again!

Chapter End

NOTE: Yes, that was an Invincible reference. Since Ben's roster will get reset in AF, I'm giving this roster of forms a big send-off before they disappear for a long while. Which is why I've given Ben Master Control. How does Elizabeth know this? Well, she gives a bit of a hint. There'll be another before this story is done. If you figure it out, then don't say anything.

I always planned to nerf Yu before moving into AF. He was a little too strong and it was getting hard to justify why he wasn't ending fights immediately. He basically got reset back to level 1. What exactly this means for him and the rest of his team you'll have to wait and see.

Yukiko and Labrys are another big one. Poor Yukiko, she did everything she could to win. Now Aigis takes up the fight in her steed.

What are the deals that Sho and Labrys made with Hex that pushed them to go this far? You'll find out soon enough.

Malware and Gwen will be brought up in the next chapter.

Have a great day!