Chapter 30

The MMA cage grew taller, bent and closed over to encase Akihiko as Miki stared at Teams RWBY and YYRN. "He wants to stay here!" Miki shouted. She became engulfed in swirling black liquid. The shadow's true form was revealed, a phoenix with a twenty foot wingspan.

Weiss summoned her Persona to fire a blast of ice at the shadow. The ice melted then turned to steam long before reaching the shadow. The shadow swept down and grabbed Weiss by the shoulders with its talons, lifting her high off the ground as she struggled to fight it off. Weiss was unable to reach the shadow and her Persona was unable to attack it with Weiss so close. Once at sufficient altitude, the shadow released her and Weiss plummeted toward the ground. Ananke rushed forward and caught Weiss just before she impacted the ground, but the distraction provided a perfect opening for the shadow. Flames surrounded the shadow as it dive-bombed into Ananke's back. Persona and wielder tumbled across the floor and Ananke began to fade as Weiss neared unconsciousness.

Hoping for a repeat of their previous fight against an airborne shadow, Yosuke summoned his Persona and used it to blast the shadow with wind. Rather than harming the shadow or knocking it off course, the wind fanned the flames that still surrounded it. The fire swirled and grew, and then when Yosuke's Persona eased off, the shadow hurled a fiery blast at it. An inferno surrounded Yosuke's Persona and it rapidly faded as Yosuke dropped unconscious. Some flames still remained around the shadow and it lined up to unleash them in another blast, this time against the helpless Yosuke himself. The shadow launched a stream of fire, but it was met midair by an opposing blast of fire from Yang's Persona. The Persona and the shadow struggled against one another, producing a boiling mass of flame. Finally the shadow relented and the fire surged upward to engulf it. Rather than hurting the shadow, the flames came under the shadow's control and powered it up. Surrounded by fire, the shadow swooped down and hit Yang's Persona in the chest, talons first. Turan was knocked onto its back and the shadow as soon upon it, tearing at the persona with claws and teeth until Yang was forced to withdraw her Persona.

Naoto summoned her Persona and it swooped in to slash at the shadow with its saber. After delivering a slash the Persona stayed in motion, swooping past the shadow to line up for another strike. The shadow unleashed a blast of fire at Yamato Sumeragi, which the Persona deflected away with a gust of wind. On this pass Yamato Sumeragi sliced down the shadow's back and continued on. She shadow roared in pain, turned and launched another fireball at the Persona. The attack was off target and Yamato Sumeragi came in for another attack. This time the shadow did not wait for the Persona to arrive. It flew at Yamato Sumeragi at high speed as the Persona attempted to break off the attack. The shadow adjusted to the move and slammed into Yamato Sumeragi in a fiery blast. Naoto dropped to a knee in pain and withdrew her Persona as it fell earthward.

"You need to take it out of the sky." Rise advised. "It's too fast when it's in the air."

"I have a plan." Blake said. "I need all your Personas." Ruby, Yu, Yang and Weiss summoned their Personas. Ruby and Naoto used their guns to keep the shadow back while perpetrations were made. "They need to hold onto this." Blake tossed one half of Gambol Shroud, extended on its tether, to the assembled group of Personas. They formed a closely packed cluster as they gripped the weapon tightly. "Diana!" Blake summoned her Persona. She gave it the other half of her weapon. Diana wrapped Gambol Shroud's tether around one of its arrows and took aim at the shadow as it swept in for another attack on the group. Diana fired and the arrow sunk into the shadow's chest. The shadow shrieked as the tether, anchored by the Personas, slung the shadow into the ground.

Ruby was not about to give the shadow an opportunity to recover. She raced toward the struggling shadow trailing Crescent Rose behind her. She swung her weapon around underhand and sliced through one of the shadow's wings, producing a burst of flame and black liquid. Yu joined in and used his Katana to clip the shadow's other wing as well. With the shadow grounded Blake retook possession of her weapon from the Personas. Retracting the tether she launched herself at the shadow, landing on its torso. She repeatedly plunged Gambol Shroud's blade into the shadow until it finally melted and evaporated away.

"Nice job Blake." Weiss said. "That was a clever plan."

"I have my moments." Blake said.

"I'm a little disappointed I didn't come up with it first." Ruby said.

"Oh, let her have this one." Yang said. "You can't be responsible for taking down every giant flying monster."

"I for one am getting pretty sick of the giant flying monsters and falling out of the sky." Weiss said.

"Come on; let's wake up our friend here." Blake said as she approached the cage.

Yu summoned his Persona. It thrust its blade through the twisted cage and sliced it open to free Akihiko. "Are you alright?" Yu asked.

"What do you think?" Akihiko shot back.

"Come on now, it's time to wake up." Rise said.

"What if I don't want to wake up?" Akihiko said. "What if I like it here better? I didn't have to watch my sister burn, I didn't have to watch my friends die. Once you guys leave, I bet things will go back to the way they were and I won't even remember you were here. Then I can be happy again."

"You know, for a tough guy, you're acting like a real wuss." Yosuke said.

"You punk I'll…" Akihiko lunged at Yosuke but Yu's Persona held him back.

"You can take it." Yosuke said. "You're strong enough to face reality. You just don't want to because it hurts. Is it really better to live in a fantasy?"

"What would Shinjiro say if he saw you like this?" Naoto asked.

Akihiko sighed heavily. "He'd probably call me an ass and tell me to suck it up." He admitted.

"Mitsuru would execute you too." Rise said.

"So, are you strong enough to wake up?" Yang asked. "Or do you not have the guts?"

"Of course I'm strong enough!" Akihiko declared. "I'll show you just how strong I am!" With that the world began to melt as the dream collapsed.

When Teams YYRN and RWBY exited the television, Akihiko was arguing with Kikuno. "I want the painkillers stopped now!" Akihiko shouted. He ripped the IV out of his arm with a squirt of blood. "I've got to help them save the others." Fresh blood ran from his nose.

"You're not going anywhere." Kikuno said calmly. "You have ligament damage in your shoulder and a concussion. You'd be more of a hindrance than a help."

"I don't care how beat up I am." Akihiko said. "My strength of will is all I need! Besides, my shoulder doesn't even hurt." He flexed his arm and winced as the damaged tissue in his shoulder ground together. "See!" He tried to play it off.

"The doctors want you to remain here for treatment." Kikuno said. "Your IV contains important compounds that will speed your recovery."

"I don't need that." Akihiko said. He turned to the approaching group. "Tell her I don't need it. Tell her you want me to come along."

"Well, I don't know." Naoto said. "I think it would be better if you rested."

"Yeah, we didn't save you just so you could hurt yourself." Blake said.

"Not you guys too." Akihiko sighed. "Come on. This is crap! This is…" His eyes rolled back and he fell into his bed unconscious.

Kikuno stood behind him holding a syringe. "Thank you for distracting him." Kikuno said. "I told the doctors we should have put a sedative in his IV to prevent this sort of things. He is quite headstrong."

"Maybe if you turned recovery into a challenge that would help." Yang suggested. "It worked in getting him to wake up."

"That's a good idea." Kikuno said. "I think that could work. Thank you."

"So, what should we do now?" Ruby asked as the group headed for the exit.

"We could go see the Statue of Liberty." Rise suggested.

"I don't know if I'm interested in some statue." Yang said.

"This isn't just some statue." Naoto said. "It's gigantic and historic."

"I guess it could be interesting." Blake said.

"The view had better be worth it after all these stairs." Yosuke said as the group wound their way up to the Statue of Liberty's observation deck.

"Statues usually commemorate someone or something right?" Weiss asked. "What's this one for?"

"France gave it to the United States to commemorate its first centennial." Naoto said.

"Basically, happy 100th birthday to the country." Yu said. "It also represents freedom and democracy."

"That's one heck of a birthday present." Yang said.

They reached the top and rushed to the windows to look outside. "You can't see much of the city from here." Ruby said with some disappointment. "It's still beautiful though."

When the group arrived at the warehouse the next day, Akihiko immediately called them over to his bedside. "Hey guys, I wanted to thank you." He said. "Not just for saving me either, thanks for helping all of us. We're supposed to be the ones protecting you, but it always seems to be the opposite."

"Don't mention it." Yu said. "Anything for our friends."

"Oh and, uh, don't tell anyone about how I acted in there." Akihiko said. "I was weak and selfish. I should be better than that. Besides, if Mitsuru found out she'd execute me."

"Cooperate with Kikuno and the doctors and we won't tell." Yang said. Akihiko sighed and looked disappointed, but nodded his agreement. "You're a boxer right? I can tell by the way your fists were wrapped when we found you guys."

"Yeah, I was a boxer." Akihiko said. "I've since mastered several martial arts."

"I know a variety of styles, but I'm primarily a boxer too." Yang said.

"Interesting." Akihiko said, scratching his chin. "You're pretty strong. We should spar."

"How about this; if you listen to the doctors and heal up, we'll have a match." Yang said.

"I'll take that deal." Akihiko agreed. He smiled. "I've got to warn you though, I won't hold back."

"Good." Yang said with a smile of her own. "If you did the fight wouldn't last thirty seconds. That would be disappointing."

"So, do you two want some privacy?" Blake asked.

"What do you mean?" Akihiko asked.

"Oh, I just thought you two were about to make out." Blake replied with a mischievous grin.

"I'm not very socially aware." Akihiko said. "Is that what you were getting at?

"You wish." Yang said. She tried to hide her embarrassment but her blushing gave the game away.

"I bet Chie would be pretty jealous." Yosuke said. "She's got a think for Akihiko too." Yang turned and punched him in the shoulder. "Ow! What was that for? She started it and you didn't hit her!"

"Let's just go." Yang said. "We've got more people to rescue." Yang stormed off and dove through the television.

"We still need some information." Naoto said. "Can you tell us anything about the person who did this to you?"

"Not really, I never got a good look at the guy." Akihiko said. "Aigis is the one you should ask. While I was conscious, she was the only one who got close to him, and I think he did something to her. After they faced off Aigis kind of froze. When I rushed forward to help, it was too dark to see the guy clearly. I threw a punch but he caught my fist and twisted my arm until my shoulder dislocated. I tried to twist with him and that put him behind me. He grabbed the back of my head and slammed my face into the ground, and that's when I got KO'd. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful."

"It's alright." Yu said. "The others didn't get a good look either."

"I remember that he was shorter than me." Akihiko said. "It felt like I'd seen him before but I can't think of who he reminded me of."

"The others said that too." Naoto said. "Yukari said he reminded her of someone who was dead. Does that help?"

"No, sorry." Akihiko said. "I guess it's the concussion but it's all a little fuzzy. If it comes back to me I'll let you know."

With five doors boarded up, the group moved to the sixth. 'Atonement' was inscribed on it. "Well, out of the remaining three I'd say Mitsuru Kirijo is the most likely." Naoto said. "Under the leadership of her grandfather, the Kirijo Group did terrible things. In my contact with her, it's been clear that she feels very badly about her family's past and she seems determined to correct those wrongs as much as is possible. It's how she got involved in fighting shadows in the first place."

The group passed through the door and emerged into what looked like the courtyard of a mansion. A path of ornate pavers led to a set of stairs up to the colonnaded entrance of the mansion itself. Whitewashed classical architecture towered overhead. The courtyard was ringed by high impeccably trimmed hedges. Beside the door stood a maid dressed like Kikuno.

"So the maid's a shadow right?" Yosuke asked.

Rise scanned with her Persona. "Nope, she's not even really there." Rise said. "The shadow's actually inside." The door swung open and another maid, this one wielding a spear, stepped out. "There it is."

"It doesn't look so tough." Yang said. She charged toward the shadow, evading its spear and unleashing a right hook. The shadow leaned backward and avoided the strike, then jumped aside as Yang followed up with an attempted body shot. Yang fired a straight right at the shadow's face but the shadow leapt back and thrust its spear forward at Yang's throat. She leaned back far enough that the spear just nicked her skin then grabbed the spear and pushed it aside. The shadow went with the motion of Yang's counter, turned and slammed the spear's shaft into the side of her head. As Yang stumbled back the shadow pole-vaulted into a kick that hit Yang squarely in the face and sent her tumbling.

Blake entered the fray by summoning her Persona. Diana unleashed an arrow charged with electricity. The arrow crashed through the shadow's chest and out its back. Though black liquid oozed from the resultant holes, the shadow was undeterred. The shadow pointed its spear at Diana and a blast of fire emanated from the weapon. The Persona was engulfed in flames, forcing Blake to withdraw it. The shadow then threw its spear directly at Blake. She dove aside and the spear stuck in the ground briefly before melting into a black puddle. The puddle moved across the ground to the shadow, climbed up into its hand and reformed into a spear.

Yu and Yosuke teamed up to attack they shadow. The rushed it, passing on either side of its outstretched spear. Yu slashed with his katana and the shadow blocked the strike with the spear. Yosuke attacked from the other side by stabbing with his kunai, but the shadow contorted to avoid the strike. The shadow held its spear vertical and jumped back. He lowered its weapon to a horizontal position, then spun around. The shaft slammed into Yosuke's side and pushed him into Yu, knocking them both to the ground. The shadow stabbed down at Yosuke, but he rolled out of the way and the attack only succeeded in pinning his jacket. Yu grabbed the spear in an attempt to use it to pull the shadow off balance. As soon as he tugged, the spear melted in his hands before it reformed once again out of his grasp. The pair were clearly outmatched and knew it. Both summoned their Personas as they retreated but it did little good. Electricity flew from the shadow's spear and struck Yosuke's Persona. He was just able to withdraw it before the attack knocked him out. A gust of wind from the shadow then forced Yu to withdraw his Persona.

Ruby fired Crescent Rose backward to launch herself into the fight. She flew over the shadow's head, just catching her scythe on its shoulder. The blade easily sliced through, leaving a gaping wound that oozed black sludge. Ruby landed and spun in a circle, hoping to catch the shadow with her blade. The shadow leapt over the attack, the jumped back as Ruby slammed her blade down to spike it from above. The shadow then stabbed its spear into the ground and ice erupted around Crescent Rose, locking the blade in place. As Ruby struggled to free her weapon, the shadow went on the offensive. It thrust its spear at Ruby who barely managed to dodge the attack by vaulting over her weapon. The shadow stabbed again and Ruby kicked the spear aside. Ruby fired Crescent Rose and the ice surrounding the weapon's blade exploded into tiny shards. She rocked the weapon back with the blade still planted in the ground and fired. The shot crashed through the shadow's knee and severed its leg. The shadow struggled to balance itself for a moment before falling to the ground. Ruby placed Crescent Rose's blade next to the shadow's neck. She pulled the trigger, the recoil from the resulting shot forcing the blade through the shadow's neck and severing its head. The shadow melted and evaporated away.

"Oh, my jacket's ruined." Yosuke moaned.

"Just be glad you're still in one piece." Yu said. "Besides, Kanji can fix it."

"I feel like the shadows are getting more aggressive and varied in their abilities." Blake said. "We should take greater care going forward."

"So, where's Mitsuru?" Weiss asked. "I want to get done with this place as soon as possible."

"She's inside the mansion." Rise said as she scanned with her Persona. "I can't get a good fix on her location through."

"Why don't you like this place Weiss?" Ruby asked.

"It reminds me of home." Weiss said. "You know how I feel about my family. Come on, let's get this over with."