Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Chasing Windmills 
September 2, 2022 
"Oh, nooooo! The city's being attacked!" Annette sat down on the couch. 
Barbara popped up from behind the couch, wearing a cape and a witch's hat. She let out a cackle. 
"Oh no! The wicked Frost Queen is here to freeze us all! Won't someone please save us?!" 
Max popped out from the hallway, wearing a black spaceman helmet and a black t-shirt with a blue lighting bolt on it, and was holding a toy raygun. "I'm here!" 
"Oh, it's Captain Thunder! We're saved!" Annette exclaimed. 
"Your days are numbered, Frost Queen!" Max "fired" the raygun, which made a noise. 
"Ahh!" Barbara feigned being hit. "Ohhh, I'm melting! Curse you, Captain Thunder!" She fell to the ground. 
"My hero!" Annette patted him on the head. "You're so cool, Captain Thunder~!" 
"Thanks, Ma--um, Madame!" Max replied. 
"You're such a doooork." Barbara had already gotten back up. 
"I'm the dork that beat the witch!" 
"Pfft, I let you win!" 
"Settle, kiddos, settle. It's just a bit of silly fun!" Annette hugged her children. 
Just then, the sound of a car pulling in to the driveway--roughly--could be heard. "God DAMMIT!" a man's voice yelled out. 
"Uh-oh." Annette knew what that meant. The game hadn't gone well, and Jim was already drunk. She knew what was coming next. 
"Is he mad again?" Barbara asked. 
"Sure sounds like it. Go with your brother, Moonbeam. You know the drill. Lock the door and don't open it until I say so." 
"But, Mama--" Max protested. 
"There's no time, Starbolt, just look after your sister. And don't come out no matter what." 
Max looked frustrated, but Barbara pulled him along. They went to his room and shut the door. They stood by it, listening. 
"What is it this time, Jim?" Annette questioned. 
"Ya dense or something? Bullshit's what it is! Stacking your team with 5-star 'roid-monkeys is what it is!" Jim slurred. 
"It's always someone else's fault, isn't it? And how many cans have you had already?" 
"The fuck do you care? Think the brats are gonna notice? Ya always lock 'em away when I'm around, anyway! You gotta tell 'em I'm such an asshole, don't ya?!" 
"I don't gotta tell 'em anything, the way you're acting..." 
The twins could hear their mother uttering a whelp in pain. Their father had thrown whatever he'd been holding. Likely a can of Heineken. As Jim's yelling intensified, Max grew enraged. He went for the doorknob. Barbara stopped him. "Don't, Maxie! Mama said not to!" she whispered. 
"But he's hurting her!" he objected. 
"You know how he is! He'll go for a few more minutes and then he'll pass out. Mama can take care of herself. Don't be stupid!" 
"Grrrrr..." 
It was a short while later that Annette came knocking. She appeared unharmed. She knelt down and hugged her children. 
Max's gaze was miles away. 
--- 
March 16, 2030 
Max stood gazing at the multiple video screens inside the dark room he was in. 
".....Bemular." 
"YES, CAPTAIN." 
"Release the Metaverse hold. Our guests are going to arrive soon. Time to put our preparations to work." 
"YES, CAPTAIN. RIGHT AWAY." 
"...alright, KittyKat. Let's see what you're made of. We'll see who the real hero is." 
--- 
Early morning. Ibuki shut off her alarm. Not that she ever needed it. She'd been running on adrenaline for days now. Partly due to Rin and Rose's intense training. Partly due to her counting the minutes to this day in particular. 
Today was the day she'd spent the last month waiting for. She got up, got dressed and ate her breakfast, taking care not to wake up Kanae. Kaede was used to waking up early, though, and she was waiting for her sister in the living room. 
"Heading out?" Kaede signed, clearly concerned. 
"Yeah. Today's the big day." Ibuki responded. 
"....." 
"I know this is a lot to digest. It took me so long to understand it myself. I mean, whole worlds made by people's hearts, and they're filled with all sorts of demons, and I get powers to fight them with?" 
"And that's the reason you were acting so funny back then, and that Max kid is the one behind all that craziness, and you and your friends are that group people are going nuts over, and oh, that creep Hirano was some kind of vampire..." 
"Well when you put it like that, it sounds like pure insanity." 
"Because it IS! I was trying to smell your breath for any booze until you made that bow appear out of thin air!" 
"I'm sorry to drop all of that on you, but I had to explain it after what happened on Tuesday. If we don't stop Maxie today, he's gonna do to a lot of people what he did to me. And if he leaks our identities, it's gonna be a load of trouble for you and Bubblegum. I'm not about to let that happen. That's why I've spent the last few days in boot camp with Shizuka-chan's moms." 
"Those two...just what are they, anyway?" 
"A lot of questions with some bonkers answers. They know more about this stuff than anyone else." The alarm went off on Ibuki's phone. "I have to go. I'm sorry, I--" 
Kaede embraced her sister. Ibuki reciprocated without reply. 
"Please, be careful. I know you'll kick butt. Because my little sister can do anything. Just come back to us safe. We'd be finished without you." Kaede signed. 
Ibuki nodded. "Yeah. I'll be back. I'm closing the book on this stupid nightmare. And, you know, maybe saving the world while I'm at it?" 
"No pressure at all. Now go. Before Kanae-chan wakes up and this gets to be a bigger thing." 
"Yeah, then I'll never leave. Give her an extra hug and tell her that her Auntie loves her more than anything. See you later. I love you." 
"I love you, too. Kick his butt!" 
Ibuki took a breath, and left. 
Kaede plopped down on the couch, rubbing her face and wondering just how this was what their life was. 
Ibuki walked to the next neighborhood over, to the flower-strewn abode of the Kubo clan. The door opened. "Good morning, Ms. Hinotama. You're right on time. Please, come in." Rose bid welcome. 
Ibuki entered. The students were already gathered in the living room. "Morning, Bookie. You're looking like how I feel." Kat said. 
"Like you're ready to make Sparkplug's face so pasty that little girls are gonna use it for crafts?" Ibuki asked. 
"A gal after my own heart." 
Ibuki took note of Barbara. "Oh, uh...unless you've got problems with that, Barbie..." 
"No. You have every right to be angry. I won't deny you that." Barbara replied. 
"So...this is really it, huh? We're really about to go fight Maxie..." Sahir asked. 
"As much as we'd like for this to not necessitate violence, his ultimatum would indicate that he's beyond words at this point." Kenneth surmised. 
"So we'll beat each other senseless to prove who has the moral highground. In his mind, we'll probably be proving his point." Sakuya stated. 
"His 'point' is that we ought to mind-control the populace so that evil can be erased from the world. It's absurdity at its apex." Carrie responded. 
"He lost any point he had when he threatened my friend while she was just in her room sleeping. I don't know what kind of hero films he watches, but that's not something any hero does." Natalia retorted. 
"He's not gonna be in any mood to talk. So we take the fight to him. He wouldn't have it any other way. He'll have surprises waiting, for sure. But so will we." Kibō asserted. 
"You all sound more than prepared. Good." Rin entered the room. 
"Thanks for all the extra prep, Prof. You sure you can't come with us?" Kat asked. 
"Sadly, no. Mr. O'Donnell was clear in his ultimatum that he will settle things with you nine. And only you nine. If we were to send an even larger force in there with you all, who knows what he would do?" Rose replied. 
"He has intimate knowledge of everyone who's been influenced by the Metaverse. He could expose us all just as easily if he felt so inclined." Rin added. 
"That sucks. Would've felt a lot better with you all backing us up in there." Sahir responded. 
"It's just as well. Should he get desperate and try to cause a disturbance in the real world, we'll be here to put a stop to it." Rose said. 
"And we'll be supporting you all in our own way. We're putting something together that should very much turn the tide in your favor." Rin stated. 
"What do you mean by that?" Kat questioned. 
"Here. A little good luck charm." Rin handed her a small object that looked like an apple. 
"A...keychain?" 
"Mmhmm. If things get so dire in there that it looks like you have no other options, press down on the stem." 
"And then...what?" 
"You'll see." Rin winked. 
"Well...alright then. There's just one more thing I wanted to say, in case I never get to say it again." 
Kat promptly gave Rin a hug, catching her by surprise. 
"Thanks for everything, Big Sis." 
She let go of a stunned Rin. "Okay. I think we're ready now." Kat said. 
"I've pinpointed the space in the Metaverse with the highest degree of Shadow activity. None other than Naruki Ascension Academy. In all likelihood, that is where Mr. O'Donnell has stationed himself." Rose explained. 
"But there's been activity all over Japan. Would that mean that his Prison...?" Kibō questioned. 
"Spans the entirety of the country? Yes, indeed. But the crux of his operation is centered within Tokyo. Defeating him will likely free the captured Desires everywhere." 
"And given his speech earlier, he's going to have a lot of those. His power must be increasing even as we speak." Carrie surmised. 
"Which means we've gotta pound him into the dirt right freakin' now!" Ibuki asserted. 
Kat grabbed Barbara by the hand. "Ready to do this?" 
Barbara gave a firm nod. "Yeah. Let's drag him home." 
"Right. Prof. Doc. We'll see you soon." 
"Good luck, everyone. We await your triumphant return." Rose said. 
"I have absolute faith that you'll pull through. And remember..." Rin made a pressing motion. "Clickity-clack if things get out of whack." 
"You got it. Moment of truth time, boys and girls." Kat pulled out her phone and opened the app. 
"GREETINGS, ASHEN ARTISANS. HOW MAY I BE OF ASSISTANCE?" 
"You know what we want. Take us to your boss. Key phrase: 'Captain Thunder'." 
"THANK YOU. BEGINNING NAVIGATION." 
The world shifted and turned, and the youths disappeared. 
"....." Rin looked ponderous. 
"A statement even you weren't prepared for is a rarity, indeed." Rose said. 
"Was it that obvious?" 
"You are an auteur, beloved. You know the power and weight a single sentence can have. Is it all that surprising?" 
"...do you think they'll be alright?" 
"I have faith. But they'll need our support to truly finish things." 
"You're right. Let's finish our preparations. All we have after that...is waiting. And hoping." 
"Indeed, you are right...Professor Big Sis." 
"...please, let them be alright. I didn't even get to tell her how I felt..." 
--- 
Kat opened her eyes. "Huh...? Guys?" She looked around. No one else was there. The house itself was black in coloration, metallic in constitution, lit up with blue lights. 
She walked around. "Care? Barbie? Hellooooo?" She paused. "If this was a trap, Sparky, I swear I'll--" 
Her ears perked. She could hear footsteps coming from the stairs. She drew her dagger. She was about to lunge at whatever was coming, when... 
"Whoa, hold it! It's just us!" 
Barbara and Natalia. The latter flinched at the sight of Kat with her weapon. She sheathed it in response. "Sorry. No one was around when I came to. You seen anyone else around?" 
"No. It's just me and Natty. Where'd everyone go?" Barbara questioned. 
"Sparky probably messed with the transport and scattered everyone around. Let me try getting through..." Kat took out her earpiece. "Care? Keebie? Anyone read me?" 
In his hideout, Max looked on via a hidden camera. He zeroed in on the earpiece, then began working with the systems on his arm. "I'm afraid that's not going to be happening, KittyKat." 
"What the--?! Sparky? How'd you--" 
"I run every system in this place. And I still have one of our comms, myself. Think I couldn't get into your network?" 
"Give me that." Barbara demanded, and took the communicator. "Maxie? Maxie, is that you?" 
"Hey, Barb. Long time no talkie." 
"Maxie, where is everyone? You didn't hurt them, did you?" 
"Don't worry about them. It's like Dear Leader said. They're in the city. Wouldn't exactly be fair or climactic if all nine of you came bum-rushing through the place nice and easy, would it? I'm not that generous." 
"And here we thought you were a gentleman." Natalia said sarcastically. 
"Maxie..." Barbara began. 
"Don't, Barb. There's nothing you can say to sway me. This is the path I've chosen. I've given so much up to get to this point. I won't be stopped now. Not when I'm so close to my end goal..." Max dictated. 
"Your end goal being becoming a fascist overlord pretending to be Ultraman." Kat retorted. 
"If you aren't going to listen to me...then there's nothing left to say. I'm sorry, Maxie. But we're coming for you. And if certain people want to vent their anger on you...I won't stop them. Goodbye, little brother." Barbara hung up. 
"Barb?" Max questioned. The transmission had already ended. 
"...I'm sorry for ending that so quick." Barbara said. 
"Not like we were gonna get anywhere." Kat replied. 
"I want to get through to him, I really do. But he can be such a stubborn blockhead. He was right about one thing. He's come so far, he's not gonna stop now. I'd just be wasting my breath." 
"Sorry it's gotta be like this. But right now we've gotta find the rest of the Krew. Time to see what the rest of this lunatic hole looks like." 
"I don't even wanna think about it...this place reminds me of the Moon. Just so...stilted and dead." Natalia said. 
"It's easy to forget this is the Professor's house...it's so cold and empty." Barbara added. 
"My betting money's on outside looking a whole lot worse. Can't delay it anymore." Kat directed them outside. 
The sight and feeling was far more than what it was inside the house. The houses in the neighborhood were all metallic, with the same black coloring and blue lights. It was dark, making the lights that much clearer. In the distance was Naruki City, bearing much the same structure, with spotlights shining upwards. 
"That...doesn't look dystopian at all." Natalia uttered. 
"Dr. Rose said there's tons of Shadows inside the city. I hope everyone's alright in there." Barbara said. 
"They can handle themselves just fine. Let's go meet up with 'em. Don't want to keep our noble host waiting too long." Kat stated. The girls started towards the bleak cityscape, not knowing what exactly awaited them within the futuristic terrain.
--- 
Security drones patrolled the largely empty streets, hovering overhead with their searchlights shining down. Shadow guards, decked in metallic armor and holding laser rifles, marched about below. 
The voice of 'Bemular' echoed throughout the city. 
"ATTENTION, CITIZENS. YOU NEED NOT BE ALARMED. ALL INTRUDERS SHALL BE DEALT WITH BY CAPTAIN THUNDER AND HIS HEROIC ALLIES. THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN. YOUR HERO ALWAYS PREVAILS, AND SHALL NOT BE FELLED BY PETTY THIEVES. YOUR HERO IS STRENGTHENED BY YOUR UNENDING BELIEF. TOGETHER, WE SHALL CREATE A WORLD FREE FROM EVIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED COMPLIANCE." 
On the streets of Akihabara, "compliance" was not what was being practiced. 
The still night air was broken by the shattering of glass, as a guard was tossed into a window. Several more lined their shots. "Stop right there! Resist, and you will be fired upo--" 
A glowing sword flew into the speaking guard's head, dissipating as soon as they hit the ground. It manifested back into its owner's hand. 
"Not in my town, you don't." Kibō stated. 
The Shadows fired on him, but he manifested Galahad in front of him, blocking the assault with a giant shield. He leapt up high into the air, cutting several of the guards down upon landing. One more guard attempted to attack him from behind, but he grabbed them by the arm, and tossed them into the remaining group. 
Several more Shadows appeared behind him. "Come on, Max. That's all you're throwing at me? You're patronizing me, man." 
Several more Shadows appeared. 
"...alright, then. More like it." 
The Shadows charged, and Kibō fended the numbers off with a combination of swordplay and wrestling takedowns. More enemies appeared and took aim. Kibō prepared his blade, but stopped upon hearing a noise from behind him. Someone was running towards the scene. He glanced back. "Hm. Alright, then." 
He ducked. The new arrival hopped onto his back, propelling herself into the air. 
"Apologies. But it's my duty as a maid to clean up undesirable messes." Sakuya manifested a large number of crimson blades around her. She launched them at the Shadows, impaling and destroying most of them. She landed on the hilt of one of the swords, the skewered Shadow staring up at her. She drew her wodao and stabbed the demon through its head. She flipped off of the sword. 
"Could you give me more of a warning next time you decide to do that?" Kibō asked. 
"There was precious little time to do that. Also, Kat-chan did that to me once and I wanted to try it for myself. Count yourself fortunate that I'm not as fond of boots as she is." 
"Right...so, where's everyone else?" 
"I have no clue. My guess is we got separated during the transport. Divide and conquer, as it were." 
"Given that Max's AI friend is the one behind the app, that wouldn't be surprising. So what's the plan now?" 
"Well, I did manage to locate a Prison Tower close by here, where Kanda Shrine would be in the real world. I could lead you there, but I'd be far more comfortable with more reinforcements. Max-kun wouldn't leave such a place unguarded." 
"No, no he wouldn't. Guess we'd better start...looking..." 
The two heard a muffled noise in the distance that was getting closer. 
"Is that...party music?" Sakuya questioned. 
It was coming from a patrolling airship. Inside of the cockpit, a phone had been plugged into the sound system, and it was blaring out a festive song. 
"She's into superstitions~, black cats and voodoo dolls~, I feel a premonition~, that girl's gonna make me fall~..." 
The ship itself was flying erratically. The reason being that its pilots and crew were being brutalized by Ibuki. She punched, kneed and clobbered the Shadow guards, before drawing a pair of light arrows and stabbing them both into the eyes of one of them, and then kneeing them in the crotch. 
The vessel flew over Kibō and Sakuya, slowly descending to the ground below as the song blared out of its speakers. 
"She'll make you take your clothes off and go dancing in the rain~, she'll make you live her crazy life, but she'll take away your pain~, like a bullet to your brain~! Upside, inside out, livin' la vida loca~..." 
The song faded into the distance as the airship fell away. Kibō gave Sakuya a questioning glance. She nodded. They followed after. 
The ship had crashed into the street, smoke emerging from the back. Kibō and Sakuya cautiously approached it. The side door opened suddenly, and the two drew their weapons in response. 
One of the Shadows was tossed out, the arrows still lodged in its eyes. Ibuki walked out holding her phone. 
"Woke up in New York City~, in a funky cheap hotel~, she took my heart and she took my money~..." 
She shut off the song, then looked up at her companions. "Hey, y'all." 
They blinked. Both were at a loss for words. 
"Like my tunes? Ricky Martin." she said, rolling the 'R' in 'Ricky'. "What?" 
"Uh...you get taken for a ride?" Kibō asked. 
"What, this rustbucket? I came to on a building and this thing came flying by and started shooting! I wasn't gonna take that lying down, so I hopped on and gave these jokers a lesson in why you should be more gentlemanly to a lady. Like you, Keebie." 
"And the music?" 
"Well, soon as I wiped out the first round of creepshows, I plugged it in for the hell of it. Wrestlers gotta have their soundtrack, right?" 
"Naturally." Sakuya replied. 
"Hunk of junk was set on autopilot, and then more of the freaks kept jumping on it and throwing it out of whack. Things got a bit hectic and..." Ibuki gestured at the wreckage. 
"Yeah...hectic. You didn't happen to spot anyone else on your flight, did you?" Kibō asked. 
"Sweetie, I spent that whole ride splitting an army of mooks in half. I didn't get a second to look outside. Too busy with exercise." 
"Didn't think so. This suitable for reinforcements, Saku?" 
"Considering the condition of this airship...very much so." Sakuya answered. 
"Got an idea of where to break stuff next?" Ibuki asked. 
"Yes. I spotted a Prison Tower in the vicinity of the shrine. The thing is..." 
"What's up?" 
"The Tower was...different. The size of it was unlike any I've seen before. It was less a tower and more like a stadium." 
"That...doesn't sound good. He's been gathering Desires for a long time now, and it's only ballooned from his announcement. He'd need something much bigger to hold all the people he's controlling." Kibō asserted. 
"Gonna make it so much more satisfying to bring it to the ground. I ain't wasting another second." Ibuki headed for the Tower. 
"We're going to have to keep an eye on her, aren't we?" Kibō asked. 
"At the very least we need to ensure that her rage is contained. No one besides our enemies needs to be harmed." Sakuya responded. They followed after Ibuki. 
--- 
Max looked on through the security feed. "Bemular?" 
"YES, CAPTAIN?" 
"Get our backup ready. Direct them to the Towers. 'Assemble'." 
"AFFIRMATIVE. NOW ACTIVATING ASHEN PROTOCOLS." 
--- 
"....." Carrie tried bringing up her navigation. 
"Any luck?" Sahir asked. 
"No. Something's interfering with my mapping." 
"No doubt this is Max's doing. He controls everything in this place. He wouldn't want us having any sort of advantage." Kenneth surmised. 
"Sucks that our enemy's someone that knows us so well do this. Ugh...'enemy'. I still can't get used to that." Sahir sighed. 
"Well, at the very least, we know this city well enough to be able to move around. The only thing is, I won't be able to detect where the enemies are. All we can do now is search." Carrie said. 
"Just from looking, we're clearly in Shibuya. The trouble is, we've no idea where the others may be. It would be dangerous to be separate for too long. How should we proceed?" Kenneth asked. 
"The obvious solution would be to head for the Academy. But that's what Maxwell would expect us to think. He's not going to just let us walk into his lair." 
"No, definitely not. Soooo...what do we do?" Sahir asked. 
"If this is the same as previous Prisons, there must be Towers somewhere that we need to clear first. That should be our objective." Kenneth surmised. 
"I'm worried about the others. Before focusing on the Towers, we should try to find--" Carrie began. 
The discussion was interrupted by the sound of nearby television screens switching on. Much as it happened in the real world, every screen in the city turned on. There stood Max, in his armor. 
"Greetings, people of Tokyo! A pleasant Saturday we're having, isn't it? Every day that we're avoiding purposeful misdeeds is a pleasant one, after all." 
Kat's group, having just entered Naruki, looked on. Kibō's trio did the same in Akihabara. "Here comes more arrogant hero-speak..." Kenneth groaned. 
"Speaking of those willing to bend the law to their liking...it appears my request for reason fell upon deaf ears. Our dear city has just been besieged by a group of rebel thieves! In just a short period of time, many of my personal guards have already been felled by these uncouth individuals. Such disgraceful actions will not be tolerated." Max dictated. 
"Well maybe you shouldn't have such shitty protection, Maxie." Ibuki chimed. 
"Not all is lost, far from it. As your dutiful protector, I naturally have the solution to this little problem. And it's something I'm sure you all are going to love. I realized long ago that I am but one man. Much as I would love to, I can't do everything on my own. And what better fix for that...than a team?" 
"What is he going on about...?" Sahir pondered. 
"So, without keeping you all waiting any further, may I present to you, the fine people of Tokyo...your new protectors!" 
Max stepped aside to show what was behind him: nine individuals in ashen gray Super Sentai-style armor. Their lining matched the colors of the Artisans' hoods, while they each bore the logo of their corresponding counterparts in the center of their chests, lit up exactly like Max's own armor. They stood at attention, as if receiving orders from a drill sergeant. 
"Your nine new avatars of justice...your Ashen Avengers!" 
"What the FUCK?!" Ibuki exclaimed. 
"What...what has he done?" Kenneth pondered. 
"Did he...clone us?! Is that what this is?!" Natalia questioned. 
"...I know certain members of the audience must have several questions. To answer the biggest one: yes, they are you. I had Bemular harvest spirit particles from each one of your Shadow Selves, and using the highest quality Theban technology, I created the perfect soldiers for stopping you. I could have just made cognitive clones, but their knowledge would have been limited to my own. Who better to hunt you down than one that knows you inside and out? I could keep sending legions of Shadows at you, but that's not nearly challenge enough for you all, is it?" Max dictated. 
"Cloned Shadow Selves...so this is his answer for us rejecting his ambitions." Sakuya surmised. 
"My new teammates have all of your strengths, with none of that pesky rebellious spirit a certain someone infected you all with. They will be the perfect instruments with which to shepherd mankind into a just new era. Starting with eliminating their flawed original selves. So, my listening audience...what say you?" 
All around the city, chants of "Thunder!" rang out from seemingly nowhere. 
"These are... the voices of the captive Shadows?" Carrie questioned. 
"They're eating this up like an all-you-can-eat buffet..." Sahir stated. 
"....." Barbara couldn't formulate a response. 
"Replacing us cuz we wouldn't lie down and follow your craziness, Sparky? This is nuthouse, even for you." Kat stated. 
"I'm gonna stick my boot so far up your ass, your breath'll smell like my feet, you pretentious little hillbilly..." Ibuki growled. 
"Well, then. That's all the time I have for now." Max clapped his hands. "Now, my Avengers. Your city awaits. Teach these intruders what real heroic spirit looks like!" 
All nine armored figures put a clenched hand over their hearts, and bowed in unison. They all teleported away. The TV feed ended. 
"...this couldn't be easy, could it?" Kibō remarked. 
"I suspected that he would have some considerable backup on-hand...I never would have imagined something like this." Sakuya added. 
Ibuki slammed her fist into the side of the building they were next to. "Damn hick! Don't got the balls to come and fight us yourself, so you gotta go and copy us! Some hero you are!" 
"Hinotama-san--" 
"Well send as many as you want! I won't be one-upped by some cheap copy! Not one that came from your messed-up brain! Nothing beats the original, ya hear me?!" 
"Ibuki, please, just calm down--" Kibō pleaded. 
Ibuki's voice began to distort. "I'm so sick...of this high and mighty BULLSHIT! Get out of your hole and let me rip you in two! No man uses me and gets away with it! You...little..." 
Sakuya grabbed her by the shoulders. "Please restrain yourself, Hinotama-san. I know how much rage and hate you must be feeling now, but this type of visceral response is exactly what he wants. He'd have you acting recklessly and expending your energy before we ever reach him. These clones of his...they're just one more obstacle. Save your energy for the real battles." 
Ibuki panted, still seething, but slowly her anger dissipated. "...you're right, Saku. Sorry. I just can't with this anymore..." 
"We know. He's just trying to get under our skin at this point. Don't give him the satisfaction. All we can do now is keep moving. And when those 'Avengers' of his show up, we'll deal with them. Max doesn't know about all of our tricks, after all." Kibō stated. 
"I can't wait to give that smug know-it-all a piece of my mind. Guess that's gonna have to wait." 
"Let's move on. The Tower shouldn't be too far now. I feel like our meeting with our 'perfect' selves is close at hand..." Sakuya said, and the trio kept moving. 
Where Kanda Shrine once stood, now there was a massive, stadium-sized structure. With some trepidation, the three entered through the main gate. Inside was a stunning sight: a sea of captured Shadows, sitting inside of row after row of cells. 
"You weren't joking...look at all these people..." Kibō said. 
"All of them having surrendered their Desires...a terrifying prospect." Sakuya responded. 
The Shadows' muttering could be heard all around. 
"Captain Thunder...our hero..." 
"He'll save us...from this broken world..." 
"So cool...evil can never win against someone like him..." 
"Lead us, Captain Thunder...guide us..." 
The "Thunder" chanting rang out. 
"This keeps getting creepier every time I hear it...he's building a cult in here..." Ibuki uttered. 
At that moment, three pillars of light erupted from the center of the stadium. 
Emerging from the pillars were three of the armored figures: one with dark gray lining and a globe symbol on their chest; another with magenta lining and a magnolia symbol; and the last with dark red lining and a fireball logo. 
"I think our 'better halves' found us." Kibō said.
The three in armor stepped forward. Ibuki prepared to attack, but Kibō held her back. "I'm going to assume you aren't here to talk?" Sakuya asked. 
No response. 
"Can you even talk?" Kibō questioned. 
"Surrender." the gray-lined figure stated, his voice being that of Kibō, but distorted. 
"Come again?" 
"You've made a mess of our city for long enough. Surrender now and accept Captain Thunder's offer, and you will leave here undamaged." the magenta figure dictated in a voice like Sakuya's. 
"Perhaps when you're making such a 'benevolent' proposition, you shouldn't be so threatening?" Sakuya responded. 
"Animals like you only respond to one thing, and that's force. This is just a courtesy." the dark red figure stated in Ibuki's voice. 
"We're animals, huh? So what's that make you? Pets?" Ibuki retorted. 
"So what are we supposed to call you? If we're talking about courtesy, you could at least give us your names before we pound you into the dirt. Or did your master not go that far? Seeing what his thoughts are on individual thought." Kibō questioned. 
"You will call us your superiors. I am Avenger MAGICIAN. My comrades have been dubbed TEMPERANCE and FAITH. Is that courteous enough for you lot?" Kibō's counterpart responded. 
"Robotic names to go along with robotic mannerisms. How very quaint." Sakuya said. 
"So speaks the maid." TEMPERANCE responded. 
"They aren't going to surrender. Let's stop wasting time and obliterate them." FAITH stated. 
"Damn straight we aren't gonna surrender. We're not obedient lapdogs hanging on the words of a geek with a swollen head. Our kind don't submit. Right, Keebie?" Ibuki replied. 
"It's not in our nature. And it's disgusting to see mirror images of ourselves so willing to follow this insanity. Can't you see how wrong this is? Don't you have a shred of self-awareness?" Kibō questioned. 
"Captain Thunder is the supreme power. He sees what the rest of mankind willfully ignores. We are honored to be of service to such nobility." TEMPERANCE replied. 
"Keep fighting us and you're guaranteed to lose. We've had our weakness removed. That's what he is offering everyone. Freedom from the trauma you lot are lorded over by." FAITH added. 
"It's going to stick with me for a while, hearing this mindless tripe coming from my own mouth." Sakuya responded. 
"Keebie. Come on. If I have to hear more of this crap, I might puke." Ibuki said. 
"Noted." Kibō drew out his sword. "If you really are us...you should already know we'd never go quietly." The girls drew their weapons. 
"So fond of talking, yet violence is always the ultimate answer for you people. So be it." The ersatz copies drew out 'light beam' replicas of those weapons. "In the name of Captain Thunder, savior of mankind...your lives are hereby forfeit." 
MAGICIAN burst forward towards Kibō, who brought up his shield, but the resultant impact still sent him flying back. The girls looked to where he was sent. 
"Eyes front, prodigies." FAITH lunged into Ibuki, kicking her away. 
Sakuya looked forward. TEMPERANCE stood before her, brandishing her sword. "Come, then. See where this defiant attitude takes you." She rushed forward and grabbed hold of Sakuya, before teleporting away. 
They reappeared at the very top of the stadium, Sakuya being tossed away and onto her knees. She looked over to the considerable distance to the bottom. There wasn't much space between the edges they were standing on and a calamitous fall. 
"Frightening, isn't it?" TEMPERANCE asked. 
Sakuya got up. "Not at all." 
"Of course, how thoughtless of me. We don't fear anything. Your king stripped all of those weaknesses from you, leaving nothing but cold precision. The perfect, malleable tool." 
"And your king made you much the same. Except I preserved my self-awareness. I refuse to live as a mindless servant of someone else." 
The copy giggled in a sinister manner. 
"And what is so funny?" 
"You. Your entire existence has been based on servitude. Service to Father. Service to your king. Service as a maid. And service to that wicked cat thief. You are a creature made to be controlled. Would following the righteous path Captain Thunder has set for humanity really be so horrid a choice?" 
"I have a strong urge to perform some maid service right now, given all the word vomit spewing from your mouth." 
"So you have no retort?" 
"Oh, I do. Your words are just that ill-informed that I'm paying them no heed. But as I simply must maintain my manners, I'll give you my rebuttal. I never had a choice but to obey Father. And looking back, it was the same with Pittacus. I was never in a position to disobey. Performing maid duties is my job. And lastly, I am not, nor have I ever been, Kat-chan's servant. She has earned my trust by accepting me as her friend." 
"After nearly punching you in the face." 
"I've endured far worse, from far worse. You have nothing to sway me with." 
"So it would seem. Well then, I suppose we'll have to settle this moral conundrum the way most such matters have been." The copy raised her sword. "Through blood and force." 
Sakuya held her guard. She didn't make a move. 
"...but that just isn't our style, is it? Telegraphing our moves so blatantly." the copy questioned. 
"So it would seem we're at an impasse." 
TEMPERANCE teleported behind Sakuya, who reacted quickly. The copy had her sword entangled with Sakuya's ribbon, while the latter, without turning around, moved to have her own sword pressed against the former's helmet. 
"One swipe, one kill?" the copy proposed. 
"Highly unlikely. But you're welcome to try." 
The two took their swings. Sakuya leapt away. A cut had been left on her right cheek, and the slash had sliced her ribbon in two, the pieces slowly falling away as her hair came came undone. "How unfortunate. I know how much you despise going without that bow." the copy taunted. 
"I'll just have to make do for now. You're not what I'd call unscathed, either." Sakuya replied. 
There was a deep cut into TEMPERANCE's mask, which sparked. "Hmph. What a bother." She pressed a mechanism on her neck that released the helmet, and she removed it. She fully resembled Sakuya with her hair down, and her eyes were the Shadows' signature yellow. "I needn't hide myself any further." 
"I'm honestly shocked that the good 'Captain' gave you a face. He truly is intent on replacing us." 
"Tch. Why is it you reject his ambitions when he offers you what you desire most?" 
"A beachside cabin with a pool filled with seals?" 
"Acceptance. You people seek to preserve free will, but what have humans done with that gift? You know from experience how cruel and heartless they can be towards that which is different. You're fighting to give them the continued ability to hate you for who you are. Haven't you given that any sort of thought?" 
"....." 
The copy swiped her hair. "I am free. Free to be who I am without fear of hatred or needing to hide who I am. That is what Captain Thunder is offering. The mask can come off, and you can finally be free." 
"Freedom in servitude, is that it? After all that criticizing of me earlier for that very thing?" 
"I am thou, thou art I. Isn't that how it goes? Are you and I not one and the same? All you've ever wanted was someone who truly understands you, who won't judge you based on how you were born. The Captain can finally give you everything that you want. He can give everyone what they want. In that respect, he will be far more than a king--he will be the god this damaged world needs." 
Sakuya's eyes grew noticeably darker. She held up her sword, as her Persona materialized behind her, mimicking her movements. She put her hand to her sword. 
"Even now, you insist on this path of defiance?" 
"You really don't know me at all. I'll never bend a knee to another who fancies themselves a ruler. Not ever again. That is why..." Sakuya slid her hand down the length of the blade. "...I will cut you down." 
Numerous crimson blades materialized around the copy, floating and circling around her. They flew towards her, but she parried them away as they came. "Good luck with this kind of strategy. No matter what you throw at me, I know your every move. Captain Thunder's comprehensive knowledge of every single one of you makes us your equals in every capacity. There is nothing you can...hm?" 
The blades all stayed hovering around the copy, still as the air. 
"You have made several incorrect assertions about me so far. But the fatal one for you is that Max-kun knows everything about us. His knowledge of our abilities...is about one month out-of-date." 
The blades flew towards TEMPERANCE once again. "I told you, it's not going to--" She held up her sword to parry again. 
"Scatter." 
The crimson swords suddenly developed cracks, and broke apart into hundreds of shards. They completely bypassed the copy's defenses, shredding her armor and cutting her open in a torrent of blood. She collapsed to her hands and knees, panting. 
Sakuya stood over her duplicate. "Why...? Why do you...?" the latter uttered. 
"I am free." Sakuya responded. 
"What...?" 
"If I'm being completely honest, a world where I don't have to fear being hated for being who I am sounds appealing. Ideal, even. But if that is to happen...then I'll only accept it if it's from my own efforts. Until last year, I'd spent my entire life being controlled by someone else. By Father. And by Pittacus. I'll not allow another to make me their mindless servant. And I'll certainly never, ever impose that fate onto innocent people. To do so would betray every gift that I've been given. But that isn't the main reason I'm ending you." 
Sakuya put her thumb to her throat. "I'm ending you...for daring to worship a man as a god." 
She made a slitting motion, and the shards still hovering near the copy's neck slashed at her throat. She collapsed to the ground, and with the light drained from her eyes, she crumbled away into Shadow particles. 
Sakuya put her thumb across her cut, wiping away the blood. She flipped around her hair. "I may mourn for my ribbon, but this is freeing, in and of itself." She looked down at the continuing battles below. "That is quite the considerable distance...and no easy way back down that I can see..." 
She noticed something shining down below. It was tiny at first, but it began to grow in size, and quickly. It was headed straight towards her. She had to react quickly, and dodged out of the way as an arrow of light shot right past her. She lost her balance, and slipped off of the ledge. "No, no, no, no, no...!" 
Thinking fast, she grabbed at the sides of the walls, where the Prison cells were situated, until at last she managed to grab hold of a set of bars. She steadied herself, and looked down. She was a little less than halfway down. 
At the bottom, Ibuki looked on. "Saku! Grrrr..." She looked towards FAITH, who had her bow pointed upwards. "Bitch! Leave her out of it! This is between you and me!" 
"Hmph. Far as I can tell, you're all causing mayhem here. Since TEMPERANCE couldn't do her job, it falls on me. Now kindly screw off while I play a game of darts..." the duplicate responded, taking aim once more. 
Ibuki tackled her. "Get bent!" 
Sakuya stayed dangling from the bars. "Thunder...Thunder...Thunder..." the Shadow inside the cell mumbled. 
"Tch...no other way down, then. Time to put all that gymnastics training to proper use..." Sakuya stated, nary a bead of sweat to be seen despite her precarious position.
Down below, Kibō dueled with his counterpart, who blocked his strikes with his own large shield. "Forfeit. Your efforts are in vain. Accept Captain Thunder's demands or be eradicated." MAGICIAN ordered. 
"Surrender isn't in my vocabulary. Mom would kill me if I even thought about it." Kibō responded. 
"Aren't you nearing the age when you shouldn't be beholden to your mother?" 
"A man that doesn't show his mother a tenth of what she's given him is no man at all. Some heroic knight you are." 
"Mind your words, you insolent--" 
His insult was over before it even began when a burst of light erupted from beneath him, sending him flying and causing him to drop his weapons. 
"Keebie! You gotta help out Saku! I'll keep the freaks occupied!" Ibuki yelled out. 
"What happened to leaving everyone else out of--AH!" FAITH questioned. Ibuki, without turning, fired an arrow into her duplicate's shoulder. 
"SHUT UP, YOU DON'T COUNT." 
"Alright, now how am I gonna..." Kibō looked around and spotted the shield on the ground. "Hm...worth a shot." 
Sakuya was still grasping the iron bars, pondering her next move. "So if I make a mistake and fall to my doom, I'll either be killed on impact...or live on with every bone in my body shattered. No pressure at all." 
She heard the sound of something hitting the wall below her. She glanced down to see that the shield had been embedded into the wall, halfway between her and the bottom. 
"Hop on. It'll make the drop less scary." Kibō called out. "Just trust me. We're pressed for time." 
MAGICIAN rose to his feet, as Ibuki grappled with FAITH. 
With no other options, Sakuya let go of the bars, and fell until she landed on the shield, steadying herself. "Alright, now one last jump. Don't worry, I'll catch you." Kibō said. 
Before she could move again, the shield began to shake. MAGICIAN was holding out his hand towards it. He was suddenly interrupted by a light arrow striking his hand. "GAH!" 
The shield became unsettled enough that it fell from the wall, Sakuya falling with it. Kibō leapt up and grabbed her. "Got you. You alright?" 
"No worse for wear. I am in your debt, Ishimaru-kun." 
Ibuki got the upper hand on her copy, lifting her over her head and tossing her into the still-reeling MAGICIAN. 
Kibō and Sakuya arrived next to her. Ibuki patted Sakuya on the shoulder. "Thank goodness. No broken bones or anything? What happened to your bow?" 
"Nothing but a scratch. And I'm trying something different with my hair." Sakuya joked. 
Ibuki snickered, and looked back over to their counterparts, slowly getting back up. "Sparkplug doesn't think that highly of us, does he? These jokers haven't been all that threatening." 
"I think it's less that he's underestimating us, and more that he doesn't know us as thoroughly as he thinks he does." Kibō answered. 
A commotion started up, as the Shadows in the cells became restless. 
"Stop attacking them...!" 
"Go away, you damn thieves! We don't need you anymore!" 
"The hero never loses! Captain Thunder'll get you in the end!" 
"I think we've upset our 'adoring' public." Sakuya said. 
"Idiots! You're really gonna let someone make you into mindless, drooling fanatics?! Is thinking for yourselves really that horrible?!" Ibuki chastised. 
"Hehehehehe..." 
"Hm? You still haven't quit?" Kibō questioned. 
MAGICIAN got up. "Insulting the people you're trying to save...it's comical. But then, I shouldn't be surprised by the vulgarities leaving your lips, you animalistic Jezebel." 
"Don't you get it?" FAITH rose up. "They only want one thing and that's to live an easy, pain-free life. You're the ones trying to steal that from them, so why are you shocked that they want you gone?" 
Ibuki was seething. "You are so full of SHIT! They're only thinking like that since your asshole boss is making them think it! I'm done putting up with this high-and-mighty bullshit!" 
Something flared up behind her. 
"What was that?" MAGICIAN questioned. 
"That wasn't Mina...are you telling me she has..." FAITH uttered. 
"You gonna tell me to hold my rage?" Ibuki asked. 
Sakuya shook her head. "Go nuts." Kibō answered. 
An aura began to emanate from Ibuki. "Nobody asked to be mindwiped...I never asked to be turned into everything I hate, just to make me feel better. He can take all the credit he wants, but I never needed that. My family...these dorks here...they made me who I am now. I made me who I am now!" Her bow changed into a longer form. "Tell your boss that he lost the moment he tried to make a lab rat out of me. I'm not a victim anymore. Now...I'm the hunter!" 
Manifesting behind her was not her initial Persona--instead, it was a woman garbed in green armor, with blonde hair tied into braids. She drew an ornate bow of her own. 
"Blast these bootlickers to Hell, Artemis!" 
A pair of light arrows were released simultaneously, intertwining and flying straight towards the duplicates. MAGICIAN got in front of FAITH and put up a shield, but the arrows blew right through the protective spell. 
When the smoke cleared, Kibō's copy had lost his right arm and a chunk out of his right side. FAITH had been blasted into one of the cells, destroying the bars and leaving the Shadow inside trembling. 
MAGICIAN fell to his knees in agony. "Damnable blackguards...how dare you..." 
"You're the ones that pissed her off. This one's not on us." Kibō replied. 
"If you're still up to it, you're welcome to try correcting our behavior." Sakuya said. 
"I know when to make a retreat...but know this: Captain Thunder will prevail in the end. The hero always finds a way...one way or the other." He teleported away. 
"Just do us all a favor and bleed out!" Ibuki yelled. 
The trio approached the cell. A young man's Shadow was crouching and shaking in the corner. FAITH, her armor heavily damaged with a hole blasted through her stomach, lay against the wall. Ibuki entered. "You. Buzz off." she ordered, and the Shadow fled. 
She pried the helmet off of her duplicate, revealing FAITH to be identical in appearance to her, sans the yellow eyes. 
"Still kicking, huh?" Ibuki asked. 
"You're an...idiot." FAITH replied. 
"The hell I am. I'm not the one willing to die for the one that used me in the first place." 
"If it wasn't for him...you'd still be in the gutter. Sleeping with random guys just to get by...Kaede and Kanae-chan would be on the street. Captain Thunder gave you a taste of what power was like...and you let those brats take it away--" 
"Shut up. He didn't do anything but make me into a bully. My friends snapped me out of it. I could've gone back to being a weak rag doll after that, but they brought me back up. The right way. Without using other people. I already did that once. I'm never doing that again." 
Ibuki brought her bow out again. "All I ever wanted was someone to love me for who I am. Happiness for me was a big old house and a guy that would treat me like a queen. I still think I'll get there someday. I'm gonna keep fighting for my happy ending. But now...for the first time in a long time...I'm happy with where I'm at. I'm not gonna let the guy that used me for his crazy experiment do the same thing to everyone else." 
She opted against using her weapon. "You're everything I used to be. Weak. Submissive. Letting someone else decide your worth. That part of me is dead." She turned to leave. "And so are you." 
A pillar of light erupted from beneath the duplicate, eradicating her completely. 
"Get it all out of your system?" Kibō asked. 
Ibuki sighed. "I wish. But I'm not gonna have any kinda peace until all this is done." 
"I'm sorry. One day soon we'll have our peace, where we don't have to keep fighting and just enjoy each other's company." Sakuya stated. 
"Fighting's all I've ever done. I can handle it for just a little longer, if it means going back to having fun with you jokers." 
Kibō heard a noise. "Sounds like we're putting that to the test sooner than you'd think." 
Numerous security aircraft descended upon the stadium. Hordes of Shadow guards manifested, several of them bulkier than the rest. More of them climbed down from the airships. 
"I think we pissed Sparkplug off." Ibuki said. 
"He's definitely not taking us lightly now." Sakuya added. 
"Hey, Ibuki. Still got your playlist up?" Kibō asked. 
"Hmmhmm, finally agree with me on the entrance music?" Ibuki responded. 
Sakuya sighed. "Wrestlers are entertainers, first and foremost, I suppose." 
"Got any requests?" 
"Surprise me." Kibō answered. 
Ibuki brought out her phone. "Oh, here's a fun one." She pressed 'play', and the song, 'Mass Destruction ~ Lotus Juice', began with a jazzy tune. 
"Baby, baby, baby, baby, yeeeeeeeah~!" 
"That's certainly a mood-setter." Sakuya commented. 
"Damn right." Ibuki replied. 
Kibō hit his hand with his fist. "Yeah. Mass destruction sounds good right now. Ready, ladies?" 
"You're forgetting who you're asking." 
"It has been a few minutes since our last scrap." Sakuya added. 
"The more that come, the more we'll blast away. However long it takes." Kibō asserted. 
"Word on that. Now let's kick some ass." Ibuki responded. 
The three commenced the attack on the growing horde, the sounds of battle echoing from the stadium. 
Within his headquarters, Max observed from his seat. "What's the status on MAGICIAN?" 
"HE IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING CELLULAR REGENERATION, CAPTAIN. HE WILL BE PREPARED FOR DEPLOYMENT WITHIN THE HOUR." 
"I didn't expect them to advance so much within a few days. I probably have a certain professor and doctor to thank for that. That makes things more difficult." 
"SHALL I ORDER THE OTHERS TO WITHDRAW UNTIL WE CAN FULLY GAUGE THEIR ABILITIES?" 
"No. This is the perfect opportunity to see what they can do. And if they exert all their energy fighting our Avengers, so much the better." 
"EVEN AT THE POTENTIAL COST OF LOSING THE TOWERS' TREASURES?" 
"...when they take them, they'll see what I've seen. Mayne then, they'll understand my point of view." Max went to his fridge, and grabbed a Ramune bottle. 
"UNDERSTOOD. WHAT IS YOUR NEXT COURSE OF ACTION, CAPTAIN?" 
He plopped down in his chair and opened the soda bottle. "Sit here and wait."