Chapter 7: I Burn

All was quiet outside the factory in the Metaverse, until in an instant, the sound of harsh winds bellowed forth from the ground near the airship dock, as a blue light started shining brightly. After a few seconds, the light disappeared, leaving an intense Yang Xiao Long in its place. She bounced around, looking for her teammates she had left behind, only to find the whole area empty. Remembering they had said they would be sticking to investigating the factory today, she sprinted towards and into the building, deciding to hang a right and go through the metal double doors leading towards the factory floor.

The Shadow had been waiting for them. That much had been obvious before they crossed into the room to confront it. How it knew they were coming, Farran wasn't quite sure, and yet it sat there, its crimson eyes peering over its tented hands, judging them. All it took was a snap of its fingers as they came to a stop to cause the door to slam and lock behind them, another trick of this strange world, leaving them trapped inside with their target. The Shadow never took its eyes off them as it rose from its seat, its form barely visible in the dim lighting provided by the room's golden chandelier. Then, the room slowly started glowing brighter, as tongues of flame began to ripple across the Shadow's golden suit. With the sound of a gunshot, the Shadow lashed a kick out at its desk, launching it at Farran. Before any of the group could react, mahogany met his chest, taking him with it as it sailed into the back wall.

Throbbing pain filled his head, but Farran was thankful that his aura prevented any more damage than that, considering the damage one would expect from a near solid block of mahogany slamming their body into an even more solid oak wall. He pulled himself from the debris, only to find the room around him significantly brighter than before. Where once the guard Shadow stood, now slithered a lizard-like one, as long as Farran was tall, its back reaching slightly above Ruby's head in height. Flames bellowed from its body, casting the once dark room ablaze with light. A thick, black smoke covered the ceiling, billowing from the beast's back, making Farran's eyes itch and his throat burn. Every few seconds, the Shadow's tongue would flick out, accompanied by a shower of glowing embers which scattered across the floor.

Farran tried to take a step forward, drawing his blade, only for the pain in his head to flare, as if a burning knife had been plunged in. He fell to his knees, his sword clanging on the floor as his hands flew to his forehead. For a moment, the scene of fire and smoke in front of him vanished, replaced with something new, something foreign to him. He was standing in a desert, a sand dune the size of a building soaring to the sky in front of him. He spun around, desperate to understand just what was going on, when he heard the sound of children laughing. He looked everywhere, searching for where it was coming from, only to find more and more sand. The throbbing pain in his head slowly crept back, threatening to drag him back to reality, but not before he heard one more thing. It was the voice of one of the children that, despite being significantly younger, he could distinctly remember as his own.

"A fire lizard! I heard it today, I promise. Somewhere out there, we'll find it. Together! Right, …?"

Before the voice could identify who it was talking to, the desert in front of him disappeared, and he was once again kneeling in the burning office in the Metaverse. At some point, Ruby had dashed over to him, and was helping him back to his feet. The pain in his head subsided, allowing Farran to grab his blade from the floor, and prepare for the fight ahead of them. The lizard Shadow stared them down unimpressed, spitting more sparks across the floor.

"Pitiful intruders. Do you not understand what you are doing?" A low, deep voice rumbled from the Shadow, "Your continued interference into our operations has severely slashed our profits. With all of my best men at the top of the tower, there's no one to ensure those peons in the factory are constantly working at peak efficiency. Our production has slowed nearly to a halt, and the blame rests solely on you. For our dear Boss, I will proudly dole out the punishment you all deserve."

"Like we care about how much money you make!" Ruby unsheathed Crescent Rose, "Everything your boss does hurts innocent people, and he's planning on ruining our friend's life. We're not going to let him do what he wants anymore!"

"Hmph. Such insolence. Do you still not understand? In this world, the only thing that matters is the profits of Boss Richards. For low class scum like you to do anything but sacrifice your lives to that end is the gravest of sins. Therefore, it is my honor and my duty to burn you all to ash, as a warning for anyone who might be foolish enough to think otherwise!" The Shadow punctuated its point with a mighty roar.

Immediately, Farran and Ruby opened fire on the Shadow, blasts of ice dust and bullets flashing through the air towards it. The Shadow shrugged off their projectiles, the flames from its back leaping up and eviscerating them before they even came close to contact. I leapt towards the left-most wall, contorting its body sideways. Despite its weight, the Shadow's webbed toes stuck to the wall, holding it in place as the lizard inhaled and launched a salvo of fireballs towards them. A squall of wind rushed around Farran as Ruby summoned Lupa, the wolf Persona creating a wall of wind which deflected the fire around them. The heat was unbearable beforehand but the fireballs brought the temperature to a point that Farran had to ditch his jacket.

"What do you got on this thing, Viola?" Farran bellowed over the violent gale.

"It's a Salamander." She called back, "Charon's ice spells should do the trick, but be careful. This thing is fast and hits hard."

Farran nodded as he broke the chains to summon Charon. The purple boat master waved his oar in the air, creating a pillar of ice to the side of the Shadow that reached up and slammed into it, crushing it against the wall as ice formed around it. When the spell dissipated, the Shadow collapsed on the ground, rolling around on its back until it righted itself. With a snarl, the lizard leapt at him, ramming its head into Farran. The force of the blow sent him flying across the room, skidding on his back. Its flames left his arms and chest burning, searing pain numbing his senses, but after a second, the pain died down, and his skin had no signs of any burn marks. Farran had Charon create more pillars of ice, but the Shadow proved far too fast, dancing around the frosty spells before they could make contact.

Meanwhile, Ruby fared much better, utilizing her and Lupa's natural speed to keep up with the Shadow. While the pillars Charon were creating weren't much direct use, they made for excellent platforms for Ruby to launch herself from, using her Semblance to launch herself from post to post, and slicing the lizard's back up with Crescent Rose. It was slow work, the air above the Shadow was hot and filled with smoke and soot, but each slash did much needed damage against it. That is, until the Shadow wizened up to her plan and used its tail to smash down a pillar, just as she was about to land on it. Ruby spun around in the air, sliding backwards as she landed and digging Crescent Rose into the ground to slow her momentum, but before she could stop, the Shadow shot another fireball at her. It exploded on impact, knocking her across the room, and she slammed into the wall near Viola.

The Shadow leapt at them, looking to pin both girls underneath it, only to be caught in midair by a torrent of wind, throwing the Shadow itself into a wall. Farran clambered back to his feet, as the newly summoned Kijimuna jumped around in front of him, somehow shadow boxing despite its short limbs. The Shadow pulled itself upright and glared at the gourd-like Persona, letting out another thunderous roar. Kijimuna was not one to be intimidated, instead it continued to bounce, letting out some angry, shrill screeches of its own. The Shadow bent low, preparing to pounce, which prompted Farran to bring out his wings and kick off the ground. The office's ceiling was much higher than that of the corridors or any of the other rooms they had fought in to this point, giving Farran enough room to maneuver in the air, which he hoped would allow him to keep up with the Salamander's speed.

Ruby and Farran kept as steady of a stream of wind attacks as they could with the reserves of stamina they had left, forcing the Shadow constantly on its heels, never staying on one surface for more than a few seconds. With each landing, it launched desperate shots in the general directions of Farran, Ruby, and Viola, hardly able to take aim under the onslaught. Explosions rang out about them, cleaving craters of embers in the walls, floor, and ceiling. However, all it took was one stray shot to knock Farran from the sky. He had flown around the chandelier, trying to get a better angle for his next attack, when an errant fireball soared past his left side. The smell of smoke filled his lungs, and the heat from the flames lapped at his skin. Then, before he could realize what was about to happen, the world around him was replaced with pain. Farran had obviously never lost a limb before, but what he felt in that moment was what he assumed the sensation was like. The fireball struck his wing, the immense heat melting the silver the second it made impact. Pain flooded his mind, numbing him to any of his other senses. Even the realization that he was falling came too late, a silent scream caught in his throat as he careened towards the ground, one wing beating uselessly, trying to stop his descent. The ground rose to meet him, battering him on impact. His senses returned to him when his wings dispelled on their own, instantly relieving the pain. He forced himself up into a sitting position, realizing that the impact had caused Kijimuna to disappear, only for the Salamander to leap towards him, pinning him to the ground. The heat of the Shadow seared his skin as it reared back and tried to bite him, its massive, flaming maw primed for the kill.

In a burst of inspiration, Farran attempted to call forth Kijimuna, the ethereal chains wrapping themselves around his wrists once more. Instead of breaking them as he usually would, he brought his hands up, forcing the chains in between the beasts jaws, just as it attempted to sink its teeth into him. The Shadow twisted and turned, before its teeth finally shattered the chains. A dual gust of wind from Kijimuna and Lupa caught the underbelly of the Shadow, launching it off of Farran and into a bookcase on the far wall. The room was filled with a sharp creak as the bookcase, and the Salamander along with it, tipped from its resting place. The structure crashed to the floor, crushing the Shadow beneath it, burying it with the weight of the wood and books. Farran scrambled to his feet, preparing for the pile of rubble to be set alight and the beast to charge out once more, but instead, the light from beneath started to dim. He prepared the chain from his wrist, seeking to end this fight by claiming a new Persona. The floor creaked slightly as he inched forward, the already unbearable heat of the room growing the closer he got to the pile. Soon the light beneath died completely, the sole illumination coming from the chain on Farran's wrist, and the flashes of light as Ruby summoned Lupa, trying her best to patch the two of them up in this brief quiet. The debris now within arm's reach, Farran leaned forward, preparing to delve his blade into the Shadow the second it moved. The ground beneath him rumbled, and Farran tried to kick off into the air, but it was too late. The pile immediately caught ablaze, and with the sound of cannon fire, the Shadow tossed it off, burning books and bits of wood scattering around the room. The Shadow jumped and spun, its tree trunk-like tail slamming into Farran's chest, whipping him across the room. The sound of shattering ceramics filled his ears as he collided spine first with a vase in the corner. Shards of smashed pottery left smarting slashes across his exposed arms as he pulled himself to his feet. He stood on shaky legs, staring down the Salamander, which looked haggard in its own right. Ruby and Viola rushed to his side, sending one more desperate healing spell his way as they prepared to make the final push against their foe.

Halfway across the building, chaos flooded the factory floor. Emergency sirens on the walls let out a constant, earsplitting whine. Robot parts lay strewn across the ground, broken and charred amongst the rubble of what had previously been the conveyor belt. The machines that had been pumping out Diamond dust were now filled with dents and holes, some sections even having exploded apart. The Faunus that were once in harnesses, now cowered in the corner, free but yet obviously terrified. And in the middle of it all stood a very cocky Yang.

Farran had been seriously underestimating her when he and Ruby forced her to go back to Beacon, that or overestimating how tough these Shadows were. If anything, the robots were more dangerous than they had been, and even then it was just because their metal hurt her fists! When she first came out into the factory and noticed the Faunus, naturally her first instinct was to set them free, and all that did was piss off the little bastards, throwing them into a frenzy. They had all tried to swarm Yang. As small as they were, they didn't even come up to her elbows after all, there wasn't much they could do to her. Although, she did find them useful after she had freed all the Faunus, given that their bodies exploded. Most of the damage she had done to the factory came from tossing them around? Of course, she did really regret throwing the one into the vat of chemicals. It had already stunk up the room quite a bit before there was a giant puddle of the stuff splashed across the floor.

Then the Shadows came. Or at least, she figured the goons that looked like they were entirely made of smoke were Shadows, Farran hadn't really gone too deep into his explanation of what they looked like. In any case, the first bunch that came out seemed tough at first. She fired a couple rounds from Ember Celica at them before they could get close, but they just seemed to shrug it all off. Once they were close enough, Yang thought they would try to fight, but instead they exploded into a murky puddle. When it all settled, she could see that she was surrounded by a number of floating jack-o-lanterns and what looked like tiny fairies from the storybooks she always used to read to Ruby when she was small. Pixies maybe? Whatever they were, she got into her stance, sending Ember Celica into its full guard state. With a grin, she launched herself at the mass of shadows, shots ringing out from her gauntlets as they all fell to pieces around her. A few flew back, trying to form up to attack her, but even from a distance Ember Celica shredded them. When all was said and done, the wave of Shadows had all disintegrated before Yang had even broken a sweat.

"Ha! How do you like that, Richards?!" Yang boasted, "Send out all the Shadows you want, nothing's gonna stop me from taking your ass down!"

The sirens stopped blaring around her, allowing Yang to hear the sound of someone chuckling over a loudspeaker, "Very good, Miss Xiao Long. It's impressive that you managed to take them all out on your own."

"Richards…" She growled as she recognized his voice, "Get your ass out here! I'm gonna make you pay for messing with Velvet!"

"You know, it really is disappointing. You're just as beautiful as your mother was back in the day." Shadow Richards tittered, sending a chill up her spine, "I may have not made my way onto Beacon's staff yet, but I was still high up the chain with the Mafia, and your mother never was afraid to cut a deal…"

"You… you knew my mom?" Yang desperately tried to hide the hope in her voice, "You knew Raven?"

"I did. Still do in fact. I've made sure to keep in good contact with her, after all. When I'm able to catch her that is. I try to never lose a valuable resource if I can afford to."

"Where?!" She could feel heat rising on the back of her neck, "Just tell me where she is, you bastard!"

Shadow Richards cackled, "How about I cut you a deal, Miss Xiao Long? You see, with as busy as I am with this factory, my poor dogs have been awfully lonely. If you keep them company, I'll tell you where your mother is."

"Dogs?"

"Indeed. I always was a dog lover, you know. I do so value loyalty. In any case, whether you agree to it or not…" Yang could hear growling all around her. She spun around, only to find herself surrounded on all sides by dogs wearing the same masks the Shadows had earlier. Another cackle blared out from the speaker, "They're awfully happy to see you. That's your dinner tonight, boys! Sick her! And feel free to help yourself to any of those useless beasts you find down there."

Yang prepared for the worst as the pack of dogs barreled down at her, their sharp, bloody fangs bared and ready to strike.

"So what do we do here, Ruby?" Farran muttered as he warily watched the Shadow on the other side of the room, "You come up with any ideas?"

"Well... Just one." She pointed at the ceiling, or more specifically, the golden chandelier which was the only thing the Shadow's onslaught had left unscathed, "I don't think it'll be enough to beat it, but it should be heavy enough to stop it for you to take it as a Persona. Think you can keep it distracted for a little while?"

"I think I can manage. Just stay together, I'll make sure it doesn't get to close." He waited for Ruby to nod as she crouched in the corner and switched Crescent Rose to its sniper form, "Alright then… Come forth, Lady Luck!"

As Farran broke the chains, the thin, prepossessing form of Lady Luck appeared from the light. Despite the blind fold, she seemed to take in the room with a stern frown, "I was under the impression you lot were attempting to be stealthy. In what way is setting the place ablaze stealthy?"

"You're the one who didn't mention her boss would set everything on fire. Besides, don't act like you didn't want to wreck the place yourself." Farran shot her a sly grin, "In any case, don't you have something you'd like to say?"

"Now that you mention it…" She drew her rapier with a flourish, lips tightening into a wry smile, "You can consider this my resignation!"

Lady Luck charged forward, closing the distance between them and the Shadow in an instant. Her blade glowed as electricity surged through it, sparks flying as her lighting quick strikes burrowed into the skin of the Salamander. It swung its tail, seeking to launch the Persona away, but Lady Luck was quicker, leaping backwards. As she landed, she raised her rapier towards the ceiling, bringing a lightning bolt crashing down. The Shadow roared, launching a burst of fireballs that exploded around her. The blasts battered her about, the force and heat causing her, and thus Farran considerable damage.

As Farran went about fighting the Shadow, Ruby turned her attention to the chandelier above them. The light hung from the ceiling, supported by a number of golden chains, no more than an inch wide each, requiring her to be as precise as she could be. Beyond that, the dense layer of smoke constantly billowing from the Shadow obscured her view, and each attack from Farran's battle with it caused the chandelier to sway and shake. Still, with the alternative being having to continually dodge the giant lizard… reptile… amphibian? Whatever it was, the alternative wasn't great. Besides, Ruby had been practicing with Crescent Rose for almost her whole life, and by this point, she had become one of the top marksmen at Beacon, despite her age. The chamber of her rifle roared, the chains of the chandelier fell one by one until only the centermost one remained. All that was left was for Farran to push the Shadow back into position.

On his end, the Shadow proved to be much more stubborn than he had anticipated. Viola had sent him the all clear through… whatever telepathy she used. Farran made a mental note to ask her exactly how that all worked. In any case, the Salamander was too strong and too heavy for Lady Luck's strikes to force it back much, if at all. Meanwhile, its bites and fire managed to force Farran and his Persona back, pushing the battle farther from where he needed it to be. When his back hit the wall, Farran called Lady Luck back, and in a fit of desperation, summoned Abel, who bull rushed the Shadow. The Salamander launched a fireball, striking Abel dead in the chest, but Farran held firm, and Abel managed to wrestle and push the Shadow all the way back under the chandelier, holding it down in position. Ruby took the shot, her bullet striking true against the final chain, freeing the chandelier, and causing it to freefall on top of Abel and the Shadow. The force of the impact was enough to dissipate Abel, knocking Farran flat, but it had the intended effect, pinning the Shadow to the ground. It roared and struggled, trying to free itself, but the weight of the chandelier was too great. After a few moments, it ceased its useless flailing, accepting its fate.

"Alright, are you done? Are we done?! Please?!" Farran groaned in exasperation. When the Shadow failed to answer, he continued, speeding along the speech he had previously given to Kijimuna and Lady Luck, "Ok, look. You're not some employee, and this isn't a business. You're a being from the subconscious of all people, and this world is the collective unconscious, and Richards is an asshole. Now please, PLEASE, form a contract and fight with me, cause you owe me that much for smacking me around so bad!"

The Shadow blinked at him and chuckled, "Very well, Human. You are correct. I will fight by your side for now on."

With a sigh, Farran half-heartedly tossed the chain in the Shadow's general direction. It apparently met its mark, as a soft blue glow filled the room, until the chain and Shadow disappeared. The once locked door swung opened on its own, allowing the light from the hallway outside to flood the office. Ruby rushed over to Farran, helping him back up and doing her best to patch him up, while Viola busied herself with looking through the wreckage of the chandelier to find the keycard they had been searching for.

"You going to be ok, Farran? You looked like you were in a ton of pain when your wing got hit." Farran flinched as Lupa cast a healing spell on him, causing it to feel as if someone drug an ice cube across his wounds. Ruby flicked the side of his head, "Oh don't be such a baby. Other than your wing, it looks like the worst that you got were some cuts and burns. Nothing Lupa can't handle."

"I know, it's just so cold." Farran shivered as another healing spell crossed his back, "As for my wings, I should be fine. But you know how it hurt when Blake pulled off one of my feathers? It was like that, but a million times worse. Guess that means I can feel anything that happens to them…"

"That just means you're going to have to be more careful when you're up in the air." Viola floated over to them. She looked up at Farran, obviously worried, as she ran a hand across his back, sending shivers up his spine, "Your wings are a great blessing, especially with the state your knee is in, but you need to be careful."

"I know, I know." Farran grabbed his jacket from the ground, slipping it back on, "So, you found the keycard, right?"

"That I did. Here, I'll trade you these for your scroll for a second." She took his scroll, handing him another pile of Lien in exchange. With a small click, she ran the keycard along the scroll's edge, and handed it back to him, "Now you'll be able to patch in to all the security information from this castle, so we'll be able to have a better idea of where the Shadows will be from now on. Meanwhile, I'll be keeping hold of this for later…" A blue fire enveloped the keycard in her palm, with both card and flame disappearing soon after that.

"And all that info's on my scroll, right? Like a map or something?" At her nod, Farran opened his scroll, activating the usual app, only for the word "Warning" to flash on screen in bright orange and red. The app opened to security camera footage of the factory floor from earlier, which had now been destroyed. The machines and robots all lay in parts, and in the center of it all was a familiar blonde, "Yang?!"

"How the heck did she get back in here?" Ruby squeaked.

"That fool…" Viola shook her head, darkly, "She must have used the app after we sent her back to your world."

"The app? How did she get it? Farran's the only one who has it! …Right?"

"No, anyone can have it. So long as you have your scroll when you come in here, it'll appear once you leave. You should have it too, Ruby."

Under Farran and Viola's gaze, Ruby nervously opened up her scroll. Seconds later she flinched back, tentatively tapping the tips of her index fingers together, "I never really noticed cause I only ever use my scroll to text with the team. I don't really use any of the other apps on it…"

"Alright, we'll handle whatever the heck with the app later." Farran started moving them towards the door, "Right now, Yang's busy tearing the factory apart, and I wouldn't be surprised if Richards is sending a whole mess of Shadows down to kill her. We need to get going, and get her the hell out of here!"

Battered and bruised, Yang lay on the remains of what had been the conveyor belt before she had arrived. Ember Celica now sat in its usual form, its chambers empty of all the rounds she had brought with her. With a groan, she tried to force herself up, but couldn't find the strength. Farran was right, the Shadows were tough, and Yang had been completely unprepared. When the dogs had charged her, rather than tearing her apart with their teeth, they stopped just shy of her and transformed, much like the last batch of shadows had done. This time, they had turned into some lion-dog hybrid that she could vaguely remember seeing in one of Blake's books from Mistral. Nothing Yang threw at them even seemed to phase them, shrugging off even some of her strongest Semblance-powered punches. In the end, between their own attacks which rivaled her own strength, the Shadows had just overwhelmed Yang, and knocking her flat. She lied there, staring up at them as they danced around her, barely holding onto consciousness. Every so often, one of them would drop a lightning bolt on her, sending a jolt of white-hot pain up and down her spine, the scent of ozone lingering in the air. Her breathing slowed as she realized she wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

"Yang!" A familiar voice called out from somewhere above her, "Oh Gods, just hold on! We'll be right down!"

A calming cool drifted over Yang's shoulders as the pain coursing through her body started to lessen. She forced herself up, looking to see Ruby drop from the catwalk above her. Farran, who was carrying Viola bridal style, landed on the other side of her. He set the girl in the blue dress down, who brushed herself off and rounded on him, "You didn't need to do that! I would have been just fine getting down here on my own, Farran."

"Don't act like you didn't enjoy it. I saw that smirk of yours when I picked you up." Farran drew his blade staring down the Shadows, "Take my scroll, and get Yang somewhere safe for right now. Let us know if any more are on the way."

She nodded, sliding Yang's arm over her shoulder and pulling her up, "Are you going to be ok, Yang?" As Yang nodded in response, Viola helped her move over to a corner, sheltered on almost all sides by the remains of the factory's machines, "We're clear. Be careful with them you two, those are Shiisa. They resist both physical and gun attacks, so your weapons won't be too effective. Farran, they have electric attacks in their arsenal, but they're not weak to wind, so Kijimuna won't be the best idea. Just keep calm and keep moving."

With Kijimuna out, and Lady Luck's strength lying in her physical strikes more so than her electricity, Farran decided he would rely on his newest heavy hitter for this. In his mind, he pictured fire, and that expanse of desert he had seen in that vision previously. The ethereal chains appeared around his wrists, and when the broke, Salamander roared from within the circle of light. Following his lead, Ruby summoned Lupa, amphibian and wolf staring down the pack of Shiisa that let out a number of roars of their own. Even with the two of them combined, they still stood easily outnumbered. From a quick guess, Farran would say the Shadows numbered in the twenties, and from Viola's further instructions, many more were already maneuvering throughout the mansion at the top of the Palace, making their way down to them. There was still some time to handle this group, but if they took too long, it was clear they would soon be outmatched by sheer numbers.

The front most Shiisa charged at them, baring its fangs at Farran. Before it could get too close, Salamander whipped it in the chest with its tail, letting out a mighty crack. While the impact didn't do too much damage, the force was still enough to send it flying through the air, as Salamander followed it up with a fire spell, sniping it from the sky like a clay pigeon. The first shots fired, the Shiisa began to charge en masse. A torrent of fire and wind clashed against them, forcing a number of them back, but even more managed to get through. Their strikes were quick and painful, digging their fangs into any available flesh they could find, almost like a swarm of mosquitoes, before Farran and Ruby were able to force them away. Farran was forced to take point, as every so often a salvo of lightning would rain from above them, rolling thunderclaps echoing throughout the factory.

Farran's chest burned, and his breathing was ragged, each spell from one of his Personas bringing him closer to the brink. Even so, he chose to wave Ruby off on the numerous times she tried to cast a healing spell on him. They had both used far too much of their stamina up to and in the fight with Salamander, and Ruby had burned far more of her energy trying to keep them both healed up to that point. Even in this fight, they needed to heavily utilize the spells of their Personas, with their weapons rendered completely ineffective. Every time Farran turned to check on her, he could tell she was struggling. She was panting heavily, and beads of perspiration dotted across her arms and face. Every time she had to have Lupa cast a spell, Farran could see her grimace and grit her teeth. Still, through pure stubbornness, grit, and willpower, the duo started to cut down wave after wave of Shiisa, thinning the mass of Shadows that stood before them. At the rate they were heading, the battle might soon be won, and they could get Yang to safety.

From her corner, Viola kept a close eye on the action, monitoring Ruby and Farran with her scans. The energy levels of both were dropping into seriously critical lows, and yet they had been able to hold on and rally, and it seemed they had the battle in hand. She took a quick look over at Yang, the blonde curled up against the wall. She had all but recovered from the previous onslaught she had faced, and she was certainly conscious, but even still, Viola pitied her horribly. The poor girl hadn't so much as said a word since she pulled her to safety, instead blankly staring ahead of her, a permanent frown etched on her face. Having lost her fight so handily must have been a serious blow to her ego. Still, she was safe for now, and when they were able to leave, she would be sure to explain that it wasn't at all her fault, just that she had come in completely unprepared for the fight. When next they returned, Yang would surely gain her Persona, and be able to better aid them. She hoped that would make the girl feel better, at least. Viola's attention returned to the fight, just as Farran had been hit by a particularly painful bolt of electricity. Over the noise of the battle, Viola could hardly hear the sound of a horse's hoof clacking against the pavement by her until a tall dark shadow had been cast over her and Yang.

The efforts or Ruby and Farran had carved the horde of Shadows down to about eight Shiisa, still prancing about and roaring at them, when over the din of the fight, Farran heard Viola scream. He had Abel launch the Shiisa closest to him away and spun around, hoping against hope that she and Yang were alright. Instead, he saw a sight that .might as well have walked straight out of his nightmares. A tall, dark figure in a cloak of shadows approached him, riding atop a horse, midnight black with eyes the color of hellfire. In each arm, it carried one of the two girls that had ran to safety earlier, Yang in its left, and Viola in its right. Beyond everything else, the most eerie thing about this being was that it lacked a head, a gaping, bloody hole peeking out of the cloak where its neck should be. Even the other Shadows seemed to fear it, as instead of charging Farran and Ruby, they simply bowed away, backing up as far as they were able. The figure tossed Yang to the floor in front of it, its horse striding forward and boldly placing a foot on top of her, forceful enough to hold her in place, but not to crush her. The figure reached down to its side and drew a sword, one which stood as tall as Farran from tip to pommel.

Farran charged it, trying desperately to summon a Persona, and Persona, to help him free his friends, but was stopped a few feet short of this new Shadow. Even without a head of its own, Farran could tell that the Horseman was staring down at him, as if it were staring into his soul. His sword fell to the ground with a clatter, a searing pain burning its way throughout his mind. He dropped to one knee, then to two, then down to all fours, as the heat of a million suns burned inside his head. Farran had grown accustomed to pain like this being followed with some sort of vision, usually the scene of him falling from the rooftop like the day he had first woken up, however this pain was far more intense, and no vision came to him. The only thing he could see was the concrete floor below him, and the shadow of the Horseman that stood above him. That's when he heard it. Through the numbing pain in his mind, he could make out one sense, the sound of someone playing a piano. The tune was simple, but at the same time eerie, ghastly even, and it chilled him straight to the bone. Farran tried to fight through it all, but he found himself frozen to the spot, the whole world around him gone, save for the sound of a piano.

Yang lay there uselessly on the factory's concrete floor, the Shadow's hoof placed firmly on the small of her back. Farran had come running at them, sword drawn, but before he could do anything, his eyes had filled with terror and he collapsed. Ruby had tried to help him, but she was almost immediately swarmed by the Shadows from earlier. Try as she might, Yang couldn't find the strength to mover her arms, let alone push the Shadow off of her. She closed her eyes, trying to get her Semblance to activate, but nothing she tried seemed to work.

"Why?!" She growled, her eyes squeezed shut, "Why can't I do anything to help them?!"

"I think it's pretty obvious. Don't you?" A chipper and cutesy voice came from right above her, "Although, I do have a better view from up here."

Yang's eyes flew open, and from what she could tell, time had completely stopped around her. The Shadows that had swarmed Ruby were all frozen, some even mid-bounce, and Ruby herself had been stopped in the middle of an attack, exhausted pain marring her face. She looked around for the voice, still unable to move much when she saw a pair of bare feet land next to her. The owner of said feet walked around to the front of Yang plopping down in front of her. Yang had to rub her eyes, because what she saw should not be possible. Sitting in front of her was a girl that might as well have been a mirror image of herself. The only difference was the clothes, as this girl was only wearing her crop top and shorts, and her usual purple irises glowed a bright yellow. That and perched atop her head were a pair of fake, plastic…

"Cat ears?" Yang raised an eyebrow, "Seriously?"

"Nya!" The girl brought her hands up to her cheeks as if they were paws, her whole attitude was that of someone trying way too hard to be cute, "Master Richards's orders! With how successful all the cute Faunus girls will be selling Diamond Dust, all the rest of us have been ordered to look and act as cute and sexy as possible!" Her voice dropped low, "And we all know I have to follow his orders, since I'm not strong enough to win on my own. Isn't that right… Me?"

"You dare say that about me?! With my face?!" Yang snarled, "Are you looking for a fight? Who the hell are you? And why the hell do you look like me?"

"Hmph. Seriously? I just told you. You really are just a dumb, blonde bimbo like everyone says you are, aren't you?" The girl had completely dropped her cutesy act, glaring at Yang with venomous disdain.

"The hell did you just say?!" Yang roared, "I'll knock all those teeth out of that smug face of yours!"

"Oh really? And how do you plan on doing that, Yang? You can barely move on your own, let alone force that Shadow off your back long enough to touch me." She watched as Yang visibly deflated, "Now since you're apparently too stupid to get it the first time, I guess I'll have to explain it again. I am you. I am the Shadow of your true inner self. I'm the you that comes from all your innermost fears and weaknesses. Most importantly, I'm the you that realizes just how weak and pathetic you really are, Yang. And believe me, you are pathetic. Weak, pathetic, and useless."

"I'm. Not. WEAK."

"Oh, is that so?" Shadow Yang hummed, her voice dripping with boredom, "I guess I wouldn't know, even though I'm the manifestation of your weakness or anything. Tell me, Yang. When was the last time you saw your mom? When you were an infant? One of the greatest Huntresses Beacon has ever seen, and she abandons you as a baby. I wonder why that is. Oh, but you already know, don't you? It's because she knew. Raven knew from the time you were a baby that you wouldn't amount to anything. She knew that you were weak, pathetic, and useless, so she threw you away and broke your father's heart. And if anyone would know strength, it's her."

"Shut up! Don't talk about it like you know anything-"

"I do know. I know all about it Yang. I know about how you forced Ruby into a tiny, little wagon as a kid, and went out searching for Raven. I know that you're lucky that both of you didn't die because you were so stupid that you thought that was a good idea, and that you were too weak to defend yourself, let alone your little sister. I know that all this time, you still haven't learned from that. Not only did you nuke Junior's bar looking for her, but all it took was the mere mention of her name for you to forget all about your training, and let yourself get surrounded. Face the facts, Yang. You're weak, you're pathetic, you're useless! The only thing ahead of you in life is everyone you love and care about abandoning you because of it, just like Raven did!"

"Shut up!" Yang yelled so loud her throat started to burn.

"And tonight, you're going to lose your sister because of your weakness." Shadow Yang yelled just as loud, "Ruby and Farran are going to die, and it's all your fault! He warned you to stay at home. He knew that you were too weak to handle this world. Yet you came in and ruined their whole plan anyways, and now they're going to die trying to protect your useless ass. That is the truth, Yang. Stop trying to hide from it and realize their blood is on your hands!"

"I… I'm not…" White hot tears slid down her cheek, landing on her clenched knuckles, "You're right… I am weak… I am useless. All this time, I tried to pretend I was fine and get stronger but… Raven was right to abandon me. No matter what I do, I'll never live up to her. To how strong she is. Gods, I'm so damn pathetic…"

"Ooor, maybe it's something else entirely." Yang felt her Shadow reach over and pat her hand, "Something you never thought of because you spent so long focusing on getting stronger."

"What… What do you mean?" She dried her eyes with her forearm, "Didn't you just get done berating me for how weak I am?"

"I did because that's what, deep in your heart, you believe to be true." It was almost as if her Shadow had completely changed, her voice now soothing and gentle, "Rather than accept the truth, you forced yourself to think that you were weak, because it was easier for you to think that way."

"Ok… So then, what is the truth?"

"Well the most obvious is that Raven didn't leave you because you were weak. Whatever the reason she did leave, it boils down to the fact that she's a shit parent, and that's on her, not on you. But you'd rather blame yourself, because you want to love her and believe she'd be Super Mom like Summer was, but that just never was the case. Not to mention, you blame yourself for that who misadventure with Ruby when you went to look for her, but you always forget to remind yourself that you were just a kid! Yea, it was a dumb decision, but kids make dumb decisions all the time. None of that is on you, and you should never have beaten yourself up for it, let alone continuing to do so for so long, especially when nobody got hurt!"

Yang blinked, furrowing her brow, "Ok… So, you say all that as if something is still wrong with me. What exactly is it?"

"It's very simple, and this is the real problem I represent that you need to work on. You're impulsive and extremely single-minded. Rather than think, you always go with your gut. Instead of listening to Farran and Ruby, you charged in here once you saw how bad things were for Velvet. The second Richards brought up your mom, you completely dropped your guard. Not to mention, for how long you focused on getting stronger, you let almost all the other facets of your life fall away. You hardly see your old friends from Signal any more, and you hardly ever cook when it's not the weekend. All you do in your spare time is spar and train. And how long have your grades been in the tank? We both know you're not stupid, and you can't just keep getting by with C's. Hell, even your fighting style is affected! You spent so long trying to get strong, that now instead of utilizing footwork, fundamentals, grapples, whatever… All you try to do is go for the knockout blow, and if that doesn't work, you use your Semblance so it does. I know it's hard, but you're tough, Yang. Accept me now, and work to get better, not stronger, from now on. Ok?"

"You… You're right. Ok, Me." Yang flashed her Shadow a cocky grin, "What exactly do we need to do?"

"It's about time I got to see that shit-eating grin of ours!" Shadow Yang laughed, "Alright, first thing you can do is learn a new fighting style. You saw how Farran and Ruby were fighting, right? They used a different part of themselves to fight instead of their weapons. So what do you say we give it a try?"

Yang nodded, but when she looked up again, her Shadow had vanished. Time had started up again, and the sounds of the ongoing battle resumed. However, they were soon cut off by the thundering voice of her Shadow in her mind, so loud that it started to feel painful. I had almost gotten tired of waiting for you to accept me. Well then, now that we're on the same page, why don't we hurry up and make a contract? I am thou… Thou art I… Don't ever again doubt the strength of your own heart. Let the fire of your passion rage, burning brighter than anyone can ever hope to contain!

Ruby sank to her knees, tired and nearly defeated. The pure number of Shiisa was just too much for only her to deal with, and whatever trance the big Shadow had put Farran under, it didn't look like he would be able to help any time soon. At this rate, the Shadows from the top of the tower would be getting to them any minute, and then it would be all over. She couldn't even muster the strength to summon Lupa anymore. She looked up at Viola, their navigator struggling to breathe as the Shadow held her by the neck. Then, she started to hear Yang laugh. Her eyes quickly flew to her sister, under the horse's foot. She was almost cackling, and her hair was growing brightly.

"You all… just messed up… big time. How dare you touch my baby sister?" Yang growled. All around her, little sparks started to rise, "I should warn you. Pissing me off is a very bad idea. Because when I get mad, I BURN!" The sparks that rose from her arms exploded into a raging inferno. The sudden fire spooked the horse above her, which quickly reared back and backed away. Unprepared, the Shadow lost its grip on Viola, and Ruby rushed over to stop the girl from falling to the floor. She watched Yang stand up, her whole body coated in flames, "I know you're listening Richards? You know, it's funny. Your name is so fitting. Because once we get ahold of you, and we will, I'M GONNA SHOVE A BAG OF BURNING DICKS DOWN YOUR THROAT!" Ruby's eyes went wide as she saw the same chains that she and Farran used to summon their Personas appear on her sister's wrists, "Now, let's light 'em up! Persona!"

Ruby watched as her sister threw a punch, the chains around her wrist shattering. The fire that covered her raged yet bigger and brighter, the whole blaze turning blue. Out of the fire rose the figure of a woman, garbed in a yellow robe. Her face was covered by a fearsome Grimm mask, out of which her hair, made of golden flames, ran down her back. The flames died down, only to reappear around the fists of Yang's Persona as it lowered to the ground next to her. She turned back to Ruby, a fierce grin plastered on her lips, "Are you gonna be ok to keep going for a little bit, Rubes?"

"Oh. Yea!" Ruby forced herself back to her feet, bringing out Lupa once more.

"Alright, let's bust our way out of here!" Yang punched her opened palm, "Burn 'em down, Pele!"

With Yang's renewed energy, and her new Persona, the two made quick work of the remaining Shiisa. Even their resistance to physical damage didn't help too much, as Pele's covered her fists with flames, burning the Shadows down where they stood. With Yang taking the lead, Ruby was able to drop back into a support role, sending out gusts of wind and healing Yang whenever it was needed. With only one Shiisa remaining, Pele charged it, snapping an uppercut to the bottom of its jaw. The Shadow soared into the air, as Pele raised her arms above her head, gathering flames into a giant ball, which she launched at the flying Shadow. The last they saw of it, the Shadow was being engulfed in flames over the chemical tank. With the horde dealt with, the sisters turned around to deal with the Horseman.

Only, the sight they found was far from what they expected. Now no longer under the Shadow's gaze, Farran stumbled back up to his feet, ethereal chai hanging loosely from his wrist. He charged at it, throwing the chain at the Shadow, which latched itself around the horse's neck.

"Become mine!" He yelled, as the half the chain turned a bright blue, while the other turned a deep black. The two colors moved back and forth, gaining ground on the other, until finally, the blue shot all the way up the chain, covering the Horseman, and both Shadow and chain disappeared. Farran slumped to his knees, holding his head as the other rushed over to him.

"Farran! Are you ok?" Viola dropped to her knees in front of him. She moved his hands away from his forehead, touching the back of her own to it, "Oh, you're burning up. We need to get you all back home."

"I'm fine, Viola. Really." Farran waved her off, "Just, whatever the hell that thing was doing, it messed with my head. What the hell was it anyway?"

She closed her eyes, deep in thought, "Headless Horseman. Arcana… Fool? I think? No, it's… Yea, it's definitely Fool. Sorry, my head's still swimming myself…"

"No, don't worry about it. If anything, I should be apologizing for letting it get to you." Farran shook his head, the pain already fading, "Anyway, congrats on your Persona, Yang. You're one of us now."

"Thanks!" She flashed him a thumbs up, "Not gonna lie, I really like Pele. She's really hot if you ask me! Eh? Eh?"

There was a pregnant pause before Ruby rolled her eyes and addressed the elephant in the room, "Anyways, what are you doing here? We sent you back home because it's dangerous!"

"I know, Rubes. I know… Look, I went home, and tried to cool off, but then I ran into Velvet, and we talked, some second year bitches threw her clothes in the pool, and it just pissed me off all over again. I know I shouldn't have come back, and I'm not saying I'm right, but I couldn't just sit around and do nothing! I'll play by your rules from now on, but at least I can make it up to you guys next time, right?"

The factory's alarms started blaring again, and Viola anxiously checked Farran's scroll, "Ok, we can save this all for later, but those Shadows are almost to the elevator. We need to get out now, or there won't be a next time."

The group nodded in agreement and started running full tilt towards the exit.

When the blue light faded, Farran, Ruby, and Yang fell to the ground, exhausted. They had barely made it out the front doors by the time the elevator came to a stop on the ground floor, and a mess of Shadows came pouring out. It had become an all-out footrace to their usual spot, but thanks to Viola having the app open and ready, they teleported from the Metaverse not a moment too soon. The dark sky above them showed that they had returned in the evening, bur much earlier than they had during their last trip. The shipping containers that had once filled the back corner had all but disappeared. A calm breeze blew past the alleyway, cooling them down after their sprint.

Yang forced herself back to her feet, groaning, "Why am I so tired? I'm not that out of shape…"

"Well, the Metaverse drains your energy and stamina normally." Viola explained, "Not to mention you fighting Shadows and awakening to your Persona. That certainly doesn't help."

"Right…" She yawned, "Well, we should be getting back to the dorm. We wait too long, and Weiss will form another search party for us, and I don't wanna get back on her shit list."

Ruby and Farran got up and started to leave, but Viola grabbed Farran's hand, stopping him, "Actually, you two go on ahead. We need to talk for a bit."

"Suit yourself. Just don't take too long." Yang shot Viola a wink, "And if you're gonna make out with Farran, I better get my turn next time! See you later, V!"

Viola stood there, stammering and blushing as she watched the two sisters leave. Once they were out of earshot, she whined, "Is she always so insufferable? Puns and then outright flirting?"

"You get used to it…" Farran leaned back against the alley wall, trying to keep himself upright, "Anyway, what do you want to talk about?"

Viola crossed her arms, concern covering her face, "You know very well what. What happened back there? That Shadow… The Horseman… None of that was normal. It didn't even show up on the security map! And then you fell into some sort of trance just by looking at it. Even the way you took it was abnormal. Are you ok?"

"Yea, I'm fine. I think whatever that thing is, it reminded me of my past. Something buried deep down in the memories that I lost." Farran thought back, remembering the music he had heard, "I didn't see anything, but I could hear a piano. It was so bizarre. As for that thing… If it's the Fool, it represents my bond with the team, and I seriously doubt that's the case. In any case… I don't like it. Is there any way for me to get rid of it now that I've taken it?"

She nodded, "We'll cover it in more detail when you next come to the Velvet Room, but you should be able to fuse it with another Persona to make a whole new one. I'd say that's your best bet for now. Speaking of… Here is a card for you to come to the Velvet Room. Whenever you feel the need, just do as you did last time. Just make sure it's blue side up this time!"

"Right…" Farran thought for a second, then turned back to her, "Hey, Viola. Do you have any plans for this week?"

"Plans? Well… Just sitting in the Velvet Room, waiting for you to come by, like always. That's just the life of a Velvet Room attendant. Why do you ask?"

"Right… I kinda forgot time doesn't really exist in there for you guys." Farran rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, I was just wondering if maybe you'd be interested in coming out to our world for a while, just hang out?"

She faked a gasp, "Farran Park! Could it be you're asking me out on a date?"

"More like I'm asking you to hang out, and was planning on asking Ruby and Yang to come along as well, but I have a feeling that's not gonna stop you from calling it that."

"And you would be right."

"Anyways, when we first made our bond, you talked about how we'd strengthen it in the Metaverse, but there's no saying that's what we have to do, right? Besides, I hate the idea of leaving you stuck in the Velvet Room, day after day, with nothing to do. It just doesn't sit right with me. And, maybe when we have the whole team involved, you can make it a more regular thing, you know?"

"Farran…" She stared at him, shell-shocked, "I honestly do not know what to say… It's certainly not forbidden for us to spend time in your world, nor is it unprecedented. The attendants before me made visits outside, but that was through their own request. For you to ask me to visit for my own sake, not even to discuss your role as a Wild Card user… I'm flattered, truly. And I'm sorry for making fun of you."

"Hey, it's ok, really. So, can I take that to mean you're in?"

"Yes. I'll join you whenever you wish to have me."

"Awesome! Great, I'll make some time on my schedule. I'm sorry if it isn't for a few days, but I'll make sure to get you out of there." Farran beamed at her, "Oh, I almost forgot. Salamander is the Persona that represents our bond. Sun, right?"

"Yes, I'm surprised you knew that."

"Process of elimination. But I was just wondering… Have you ever seen a desert before?"

"A desert?" She brought a finger to her chin, "No, can't say I have. Not in person, at least. I've spent my whole life in the Velvet Room before I met you. Why do you ask?"

"O-Oh, no reason in particular. Just a random thought." He laughed lamely, "Anyway, I need to get going before I pass out in this alley. I'll see you later, alright?"

The two said their goodbyes, and Viola disappeared back through the door into the Velvet Room. Farran made the trek back to the dorm, stifling a number of yawns on his way. Once he made it up the stairs to the third floor, he was stopped by a familiar voice calling to him from the kitchenette. He headed in, only to find Yang sleepily sitting on one of the couches, her legs stretched out across it. She moved her legs and motioned for him to sit down next to her.

"So, how'd your talk with Viola go?" She asked as he plopped down next to her, "She a good kisser?"

"Oh, you know it. Just couldn't get enough of me, that one. Didn't even know they made blueberry lipstick…" He waved airily with a smirk, "But seriously, what's up? I figured you'd be snoozing by now. I was dying by the time I got out of there last time."

"Yea, well… Just had a lot on my mind. I just need to talk to someone, or I'm gonna be stuck thinking about it all night. I can't really talk to Rubes about it… Well, I could, but I'd prefer not to. Do you got a sec?"

"Yea, sure. If you need me, I'm here for you." Farran put a hand on her shoulder, "You ok?"

"Yea, it's just… Well, I'm just stuck on what my Shadow said back there." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands, "Pretty much, she told me that I've been stuck on the idea that I'm not strong enough, or good enough, or whatever since I was a little kid. See, my mom… Raven… she left dad when I was just a baby. I always convinced myself it was cause I was too weak, cause she was always so obsessed with strength. From then on, I just got so focused on getting stronger, trying to be as strong as she was. Part of it was I wanted to find her someday and find out the real reason she left, cause I knew deep down it wasn't because of me. Dust knows there'll be a fight if I ever find her. Anyways, because I was so focused on getting stronger, everything else fell to the wayside. My grades, friendships, other hobbies… Not much else mattered to me at that point. I just can't keep living like that. It's gonna tear me down as a person, and as a Huntress, I won't be nearly as good as I need to be."

"I see… I don't really know what to say, Yang. I'm sorry to hear about your mom and all… Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Well, I was actually thinking there might be something, if you have some time after class tomorrow." She shot him a wide grin, "You and I are gonna go on a nice, long run!"

"A run? That's what you need my help with?"

"Yep! And no chickening out because of your knee either. I'm not gonna be pushing you too hard, and we can stop to rest whenever you need to. It's just my usual way of clearing my head is working out, but that would just be falling into the same old habits. At least by going on a run, I won't be worrying about getting stronger, and we can talk about what I need to do to get my life back in order. I have some ideas for goals I want to set, but I'd like to hear your thoughts too. …Does that sound alright with you?"

"Yea. I'm free tomorrow, so just let me know when you want to head out."

The two sat there for a while, making small talk and laughing together, until after a while, fatigue finally set in and guided them to bed. From his futon, Farran watched as Yang climbed into her bunk, and gave him a small wave goodnight. The sensation of time freezing that had become all too familiar to him set in again, and he could hear the voice of his Shadow in his mind.

"I am thou, thou art I…

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become a Beacon in the darkness

To lead you down the path to your own justice.

With the birth of the Chariot Persona,

You have obtained unforeseen power

That will allow you to remake your Fate anew."

As the voice faded, Farran could feel his eyelids growing heavier, and within seconds of closing them, he fell into a calm, dreamless sleep.

Author's Notes:

Agni = Fire in Sanskrit. Richards = Dicks. Burning Dicks. I may or may not have made his name entirely for that pun in Yang's awakening scene. Don't judge me!

Hey Guys!

Good Lord, this one took a long time to write! Combat scenes, why must you hate me so?!

So, it's been a few weeks since I put up the poll asking what I should do about the whole "I am thou" thing with Social Links, and at last check, keeping it around won with eight votes, compared to only one saying to ditch it. So, as you can tell, I brought it back. To the one person who voted to get rid of it… I hope it's not too much of a problem that you don't want to keep reading. Sorry if it is an annoyance.

Anyways, don't really have any shout outs or anything I need to add, so I'll just do the Persona lineup from this Chapter.

Salamander: Lizard-like amphibians of the order Urodela. Commonly found across Europe, parts of Asia, and the Americas. Seriously though, way back when, there were legends associating Salamanders with fire. They sort of took on a lot of mythological connotations through those legends.

Pele: Hawaiian Goddess of fire and volcanoes. NOT the football/soccer superstar! I thought she was a good pick for Yang because, on top of the obvious fire connection, what I read about her described Pele as powerful, passionate, and impulsive.

Headless Horseman: There are a number of tales of Headless Horsemen across the world, but the one I'm drawing from is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The Headless Horseman pursued Ichabod Crane, a school teacher, as he returned home from a party after being scorned by the woman he loved. While the Horseman was said to have been a rival for her affection, the end of the story goes on to say that Mr. Crane disappeared, and that his melancholic ghost had been seen in the area of the chase.

Anyways, that's all I got for now. Hope to see you in the next chapter!

Inferno :D