Persona BLEACHED 4: Chapter 7

Chapter 7: It's a Jungle Out There
September 6, 2031
"When they call big cities 'concrete jungles', I'm pretty sure they don't mean that literally." Kat griped.
She traversed through the dense flora that covered what was once London, but had been twisted by Tabby's cognition. She cut through some of the more obstructive branches with her daggers, before wiping sweat off of her face. "The catsuit really isn't the best choice for a jungle hike. Why couldn't my favorite color be orange or something..."
"I don't even know where I'm supposed to go. Guess this is what I get for relying on Care's navigating for so long. How do I see what's..."
She got an idea. She took on her cat form, dug her claws into a tree, and climbed until she reached the very top. She looked out, and among the immeasurable number of trees, what appeared to be a large temple jutted out in the distance. "Yep, that's definitely giving off 'where I'm supposed to go' energy..."
Before she could start her descent, she overheard a noise. Something was approaching. She quickly leapt down, and hid inside some bushes.
Footsteps. And a man's voice. "C'mon, keep moving! Can't be too much longer."
Kat peered out from her cover. "That guy...isn't that Tabby's dad?"
Sure enough, the man was one Albert Fairweather, now dressed in an explorer's vest, khakis and wide-brimmed hat. A shadow figure in similar garb with glowing red eyes followed after him, holding a video camera.
"Are we rolling?" 'Albert' asked.
"Yessir." the Shadow affirmed.
"Alright, now, this jungle is filled with all sorts of danger, not the least of which is the so-called 'Jungle Empress'. Rumor has it that she's holed up in a temple not far from here, and controls everything that moves for miles. She sounds like she'd probably be a real nag, don't ya think?"
"'Jungle Empress'? Does he mean Tabby, or...?" Kat pondered. She looked over. "...! That's..."
Walking close behind 'Albert' were a pair of Shadows identical to the cameraman, carrying a cage. Seated inside the cage, crouched in the fetal position, was Tabby--the real one.
"Dad...where are you taking me? What are these things, why does London look like a jungle, and *what are you wearing*?!" she demanded.
"Don't fret none, sweetheart. That Jungle Empress sounds like a right control freak. I'm getting you as far away as possible. Life's for the living, you know?" 'Albert' replied.
"Is that why you have me in a cage?"
"It's so you don't go running off and getting lost. Who knows what kind of nasties are running about the place? You'll be safe and snug in there."
"More like secured and captive..."
"I can't let them get too far ahead. Time for something more my forte..." Kat disappeared into the trees.
"Now once we get footage of this Empress lady, we'll hightail it out of here. A crazy lady living in the jungle is gonna net me *so* much notoriety!" 'Albert' surmised.
The sound of something being fired echoed. "Hold up, did you just hear--" The cognitive man turned around to see that his cameraman was dissolving into shadow particles, the camera dropping to the ground with a 'thud'. "What the..."
Two quick beams of pink light shot through the other two Shadows, destroying them. The cage fell to the ground. "Ah!" Tabby yelped.
"Dammit all! Did that Empress find us?!"
"Nah, Jacques Cous-D'oh. It's the real Queen of the Jungle." Kat's voice replied. Now in her larger lioness form, she emerged from her cover, and snarled at the ersatz 'explorer'.
"AAAAAAAH! DON'T HURT ME I TASTE REALLY BAD PLEASE SPARE MEEEEEE!" He sprinted into the trees.
Kat returned to normal. "Brave, globe-trotting adventurer, you ain't."
"Kat...?" Tabby uttered.
Kat grabbed hold of the cage, trying to pry it open. "Hold on, I'm gonna get you out of here."
"Just leave me here, Kat...I caused this mess..."
"No, *I* caused this. Look, Tabs, I'm sorry I--"
Kat felt a small prick on the back of her neck. "Yow! There's mosquitoes in here?" She grabbed the spot where she felt the sting, only to realize that it wasn't a bug bite; it was a dart. "Aw, boy. That's just what--"
Another sting jolted through her neck as another dart hit her. "Why am I...so slebby...?" She passed out.
"Kat!" Tabby called out.
'Albert' reappeared from the trees, a dart rifle in his hands. Numerous Shadows appeared alongside him. "Nightie night, 'Queen of the Jungle'!"
---
"....ngh, no, Care, don't kiss me there, stoooop..." Kat came to. "Huh...? Where am I...?"
Kat was now inside of the temple, and had been tied to a pillar. "Welp...thanks for leaving my clothes on, I guess."
"I don't think either of us need that image right now." Natalia commented, her and Carrie still inside their cage. Carrie's face was red.
"Oh hey, there you guys are--um, why are you blushing, Care?"
"No particular reason. I just possess knowledge that might come in handy later." Carrie replied.
"Save the flirting for when we're not being held captive, please." Natalia demanded.
The torches inside the temple flared up. Tabby's Shadow was in plain view, still seated quietly on the throne. "....."
"That's gotta be...hey, Tabby! C'mon, let us go!" Kat called.
"I'm not the one in control here." the Shadow replied.
More dark energy manifested before her, and appearing in front of her was what appeared to be her mother, Margaret, now garbed in queenly regalia made entirely from jungle foliage. "Send her in."
"Isn't that her mom?" Natalia asked.
"It is. The one who really controls this place, I assume." Carrie affirmed.
"Guess we know who the 'Jungle Empress' is." Kat stated.
A group of Shadows dressed in warrior garb brought Tabby in, out of her cage and with her hands chained up. She looked up, and was stunned by the sight in front of her. "Mum?! You're here too?! What are you wearing? Why is everyone being held like that? And..." She looked at her Shadow. "Who is that?!"
"....." her double remained silent.
"Quiet, you naughty girl. I won't have any further disobedience in my domain. You'll only speak when spoken to." 'Margaret' put an arm around the Shadow. "My Tabby is a good girl. Obedient. Does everything I ask of her and doesn't run off to join some loudmouthed buffoon."
"Oi, I can hear you, you controlling witch!" Dangling from the ceiling in another cage was 'Albert'. "I don't see what's so wrong with going on a fun adventure with my little girl when you've got her chained up away from everything!"
"A fun adventure where you've got her locked in a cage. Tell me which one's the real control freak, idiot."
"What is going on here? Am I going mad?" Tabby questioned.
"Tabby, those aren't really your parents. They're copies made from your mind. This whole world was made from your thoughts and feelings." Natalia explained.
"This is the Metaverse. It's a world built from the emotions of the masses. This pocket realm we're in was made because your emotions have run high, and your inner demons are lashing out." Carrie added.
"This...I made all this...?" Tabby questioned as her 'parents' continued to bicker.
"....." Her Shadow stayed observing.
"(I think I'm starting to see what she's feeling. Her life isn't her own. Torn between a mom making every decision for her and a dad running around doing anything he wants and dragging her around with him. All on top of an ex trying to control her and threatening her and...friends trying to use her as a substitute.)" Kat thought.
"Listen, Tabby." she spoke. "I'm sorry. About what I said earlier. I didn't mean to call you 'Barbie'. I miss my best friend like crazy, and maybe I was trying to fill that void somehow. I shouldn't have used you like that. You're your own person. I can't even imagine what it's like having your parents butting heads like this with you stuck in the middle. Throw in the asshole ex and us smothering you with attention, and it's no wonder you feel trapped."
"Your life is your own, Tabitha. We want to help you, but only on your terms. Learning to stand on your own two feet is part of growing up. You'll always have your parents' love and support, but at some point you have to stand on equal footing with them and make your own decisions." Carrie urged.
"Tell them to their faces to knock it off! You deserve a say in it if it's you they're fighting over! You choose how you want to live, not them!" Natalia added.
"I...I..." Tabby dropped to her knees. "Mum can be so overprotective, and Dad's addiction to travel is so frustrating. This is how it always is when they're around each other." She put her head down. "I'm not strong enough to speak up. I accepted that I was dying before you three saved me. And I repay you by roping you into this mess. I never should've reacted that way. I don't deserve friendship of any kind. I'm better off letting people make the decisions for me..."
"There's the attitude I'm looking for. Why take risks when I can be the one to guide your life for you? It's only natural." 'Margaret' said.
"Hey, butt out! If anyone's gonna give her the life she needs, it's gonna be me!" 'Albert' retorted. The two returned to their argument.
"Tabby...you had every right to speak up about my mistake. If you felt like you weren't being respected as a person, that's your right to say something. I won't say another word if that's what you want. It's on you to decide how you want to live." Kat dictated.
Suddenly, the Shadow rose from her seat, and stared directly at Tabby. "Who are you?"
"Huh...?" Tabby uttered.
"Hey, who told you that you could--" 'Margaret' responded.
"Silence. I'm not talking to you." the Shadow interrupted.
"Tch...!"
"Tell me something." She returned her focus to Tabby. "Is this the life you want to live? One where a set path has been laid out for you, with no chance of a detour? An empty, shallow existence where you're relegated to minor pleasures amongst a sea of tedium? Or perhaps a nomadic lifestyle where your bonds are as fleeting as the morning dew?"
"This can only continue so long as you allow it to. Stand up! Right now! This is not about what Albert and Margaret want. This is *your* realm. *Your* life. What does Tabitha Fairweather want to do with the choices she's been given?"
"....." Tabby got up. "I want...a life. I want to stay in one place and be around people I care about, without worrying about when I'd have to leave. I want to talk to who I want to talk to. I want to buy cute clothes, pet cute animals and get cute stuffies because that's what I *want to do*! I want to hang out with my friends and fall for a wonderful person who'd allow me to be myself and never think about causing me harm! I want the strength to tell my parents to not make me pick between them! I want the strength to *live*!"
The Shadow nodded. The chains around her ankle crumbled away. Soon after, she vanished.
"I want to live...I want to be my own person...I want...freedom..."
.....
"(At last. My voice has reached you.)"
Tabby's eyes turned yellow. "Nnngh...!" She struggled, as the pain inside of her head intensified.
"(Do not lose the power to stand. The time for submission has passed. Now is the time to rise.)"
She steadied her legs. Her breathing got heavier. The other girls looked on.
"(You have lived a life dictated to you by those sworn to protect you. Such a sheltered existence has stifled you into a pit of darkness beneath the waves. A sterile existence, indeed. Is it not time to break free from the falsehoods? To rise and begin anew? Let us forge a pact, in the name of freedom.)"
"(I am thou, thou art I. Let nothing else be hidden from sight. The dawn of a beautiful life has arrived. Call to me! Free yourself from these infernal shackles! Rise from the infinite depths and assume your role! I am...)"
Tabby forcefully broke free from the chains. "I'm ready...come to me...EOS!"
Blue flames engulfed her. "Gah...guards! Seize her!" 'Margaret' ordered.
As the Shadows prepared to attack, cutting waves emerged from the flames, eliminating the demons. A solitary figure stepped out from the fire, which dispersed. Tabby was now garbed in a black catsuit similar to the one Kat was wearing, accented by orange stripes around the arms and legs. The words "La Charité" were scribed on her back, a silver dagger holstered on her side.
Floating above her was a rose-tinted woman, wearing saffron-colored armor and having long, brown hair. She carried a large urn.
"What is the meaning of this insanity?! What kind of child disobeys their parents this severely?!" 'Margaret' demanded.
"Shut up. You aren't my Mum. And this isn't disobedience. This is me freeing myself." Tabby replied. The Persona's urn opened up, and what came out of it was a turret. It fired waves of wind energy at the cognition, dispersing it.
"Atta girl, Tabby, way to--huh?" 'Albert' stated, before Tabby promptly aimed the turret towards him, giving him much the same treatment.
She aimed the weapon next at the cage holding Carrie and Natalia. Bolts of wind shredded the container, and as the floor began to open up, Carrie grabbed her best friend, leaping to safety. They looked down as the pit of spikes revealed itself. Natalia shuddered.
Kat could only look on in silence. Tabby dispersed the spirit behind her, then hopped over to where Kat had been tied up. She took out her dagger, and slashed through the ropes. 
"Tabby...holy crap." Kat uttered.
Tabby giggled. She motioned her hands in front of her eyes, then materialized a domino mask identical to Kat's. "Well? Do I look dashing? Heroic? Freed?" She took on a different pose with every word.
"It's...familiar."
Tabby suddenly embraced Kat. "It's my way of thanking you. I want to be someone who can stay true to themselves with poise and confidence. I had to live on the whims of others for my entire life, but no more. What's the point of living if it's not how you want to do it? Thank you for being someone I can emulate. I love you, Kitty Kat."
"...whaaaaa."
Carrie cocked her head. "Beg pardon?"
Tabby's eyes widened as she released her grip. "N-not like that! Don't take that the wrong way! It's a platonic feeling, I swear!" She started turning red, then looked over at a suspicious Carrie. "Don't look at me like that! I'm only attracted to men, really I am! N-not that Kat isn't an attractive person herself..."
Kat snickered, and started laughing. "I know what you meant, Tabs. I'm glad you've gotten your head in order. And this fine getup you've got is...flattering. I hope you know that you've just signed up for some *real* craziness."
"I can handle it! I want you to teach me everything! Ah, wait...I just remembered we were supposed to have dinner. I guess we're probably missing that reservation now..."
"Don't worry about that. Your mental health takes precedent." Carrie replied.
"So what's the plan now? You gonna talk to your parents?" Natalia asked.
"I want to, yeah. But first, I've got some things I'd like to get done first. Namely with my wardrobe. Is it too late for a fashion excursion?" Tabby asked.
"It's *never* too late." the other girls all said in unison.
Everyone had a good laugh. The realm began to shake. Kat took out her phone. "Welcome to the madness, Tabs. Hope you like taking notes, cuz it's gonna get complicated from here." Kat said. The four were transported out of the crumbling dimension.
---
September 7, 2031
Kat, Carrie and Natalia sat in the living room, waiting. It was just before noon. Both cats were napping in the corner.
"Think we should check up on her?" Kat asked.
"She said she wanted to put it together on her own. We stayed hands-off while we were shopping. No reason not to do the same now." Carrie replied.
"She was being real sneaky with what she was slipping into her bag. I hope she's just trying to surprise us and not inventing a new kind of fashion." Natalia said.
"I think we'd all faint if that happened. Dunno what she was doing earlier, either. Kinda just ran in and ducked into my room before we could see her." Kat said.
"Her being so secretive is a bit odd, but with her spirits being so high, it can't be a bad thing." Carrie replied.
Soft footsteps could be heard nearby. "A proper good day to you, girls~." Tabby appeared at the bottom of the stairs. She wore a black waistcoat with an orange outline of a tiger's face on the back, an orange undershirt, and black pants, along with a necklace resembling a cat's paw. Copper-tinted bracelets adorned her wrists. Her hair had been cut to mid-length (curiously, the same length as Kat's) and curled, and her nails were painted a bright pink.
"Holy connoli, Tabby!" Kat exclaimed.
"Got you awestruck, do I? Like a butterfly bursting from her cramped cocoon?" Tabby posed against the railings, in a very model-esque manner.
"Woah there, easy! There's children present!" Kat covered Natalia's eyes.
"I'm the oldest one here." Natalia replied.
"Someone's radiating confidence. All over our stairs." Carrie said.
"I'm still on a high from yesterday! I told myself at the store, 'You need to go mad, Tabitha'. And so I did. Went to the salon this morning with the same mindset, I did. 'Do your hair and nails in a way that would set Calvin off'. That's how I boot him out of my mind." Tabby twirled around. "I haven't felt this spirited in forever! Who knew all I needed for a quick confidence boost was otherworldly power and a costume? I finally feel like the real me!"
"Try not to overdose on that spirit, girlfriend. There's something I wanted to go over before we hit the town." Kat said.
"Alright. What did you want to talk about?"
Shortly after, Tabby was seated at the kitchen table across from Kat, who had her hair tied into a bun and wore the same uniform that she'd worn on the first day of school. She had a notepad in front of her. Carrie and Natalia remained on the couch, the former letting out an amused giggle. "What's so funny?" Kat asked.
"You look just like your mother. Complete with the notes. Maybe I should take a picture and send it her way." Carrie replied.
"Don't you DARE." Kat pointed.
"Ahh, there it is! That signature point whenever she's yelling at your dad or your sister! You could be her twin!" Natalia teased.
"I'm going to be tuning both of you out. Anyway..." Kat readjusted her glasses. "Here's what I wanted to go over. I still feel insanely bad about my Freudian slip yesterday. I know you're gonna say not to worry about it, but I wanna make sure you get the right amount of respect from me. I want you to tell me every little thing about you, and I'm gonna get it in writing so that there's absolutely no excuse for me ever forgetting it and you can call me out on it if it ever happens. See this?" She patted the notepad. "This here's proof. And I promise not to doodle. Sound good?"
"Of course! Ask away." Tabby replied.
"Gucci. I've already got your hometown and your interests. Question One: When's your birthday?"
"July 29. I'm eighteen years old."
"Okay--wait. You're two weeks younger than me?"
"Is that a problem?"
"No, it's not, I'm just not used to having a friend younger than me. It's a ten-strong group we've got from the Academy days and I'm the baby out of everyone."
"Hm. Is that why you want to teach younger kids? Is it a younger sibling complex?"
"I-It totally isn't!"
"Ahehe, I'm only kidding. Now you don't have to be the baby. Next question."
"Okay...what's your plan for post-grad?"
"Oh, I've been curious about this, too. You want to teach science, right? What field do you want to specialize in?" Carrie asked.
"I'm glad you asked. I want to major in zoology. If you couldn't tell already, I'm an animal lover. I've spent enough time around my Mum's work that I've gotten an appreciation and adoration for the natural world. I'd love to get the message of conservation out there to as many people as possible. That's why I want to teach. The more I can get on-board when they're young, the more likely they are to want to contribute when they're older." Tabby explained.
"Such a lovely goal, and one that I can relate to a great deal."
"I've got a bit of a random question. What's your opinion on seals?" Natalia asked.
"Um...well they're cute, obviously. I don't know anyone who could have a poor opinion of seals." Tabby replied.
"Do you ever get the uncontrollable urge to boop them on the nose?"
"Hoodsieeeee. I know where you're going with this." Kat removed her glasses to rub her eyes.
"I'm a bit confused. Is there some sort of anti-seal agreement I'm not aware of?" Tabby asked.
"Oh no, nothing like that. I believe Natalia wants to know how enthusiastic you are compared to our friend Sakuya." Carrie replied.
"Saku's back in Japan, studying to be a marine biologist. She's the calmest, most serious person we know. 99% of the time." Natalia explained.
"That all changes whenever she sees a seal or anything close to one. She flips her lid and turns to mush. Wants to hug 'em, pet 'em, poke 'em on the nose. It's like she's a totally different person." Kat added.
"But she's a lovely girl. The most level-headed person you could ever meet." Carrie said.
"Except when pinnipeds are involved, apparently." Tabby said.
"I think you two would get on great. Just drop a random seal fact and you'll be all square." Kat said.
"I'd love to meet your friends, if that would ever be possible. Having them scattered around the globe would make it harder, though."
"I'm sure we can make something work. Spring break is what we're all shooting for. It's a lot of...extreme personalities, but I love 'em all to death. They'll take to ya with arms wide open." Kat put her glasses back on. "Okay, back to the interview. What's your favorite anime besides 'Sailor Moon'?"
"Ohhh, tricky one. I guess I would go with...'My Dress-up Darling'."
"Ooh, good one. Really are a sucker for rom-coms, aren't ya?"
"Outside of cats, they're my main weakness. They take up most of my Crunchyroll library."
"Hey, I ain't gonna judge. Gimme some recommendations when you've got a moment. Next up...what's your club?"
Tabby raised an eyebrow.
"Stupid question? I'm still getting up to speed on the footie culture here. I mean, there's four or five gigantic clubs in London alone! How does anyone pick?"
"Well where I'm from, there's really only one option. I'm a Wolves girl through and through. All the traveling's meant that I haven't made as many trips to Molineux as I'd like."
"We can work on that. The season's only just started up, right? We can make a day out of it whenever you wanna go. Or if you don't feel like hopping on a train, we can see when they're in town. Either or is fine."
"Have you all ever been to a football match before?"
"Well, our pal Sahir was on the Academy's team, so we went to a bunch of his games. But as far as a big, pro match? Not me."
"I've been to a few matches at the Stade Louis myself, but I know that English games are much different in terms of the atmosphere." Carrie replied.
"Ditto for me. Matches at Jan Breydel can get pretty lively, but most of the stadiums here are twice as big!" Natalia said.
"Sounds to me like you three could use some cultural education. As fate would have it, Wolves are making the trip to Stratford to play West Ham next Saturday. London Stadium seats about 60,000 people, so it's on the bigger end in terms of stadium size, but I'd love to give you three a proper English experience. I'd be happy to pay, of course." Tabby suggested.
"Oh, don't worry about that, we're fine with paying our own way." Kat said.
"I want to thank you three properly for all of your help. And being around so many people would help me with any--um. It'd be an experience."
"(Poor Tabby. She must still be thinking that the asshole is gonna come for her, and a big crowd would make her feel safe. It's gonna take a while for her to feel better about that.)" Kat thought. "Listen, Tabs. I think us catching a game would be a great idea. Right, girls?"
"Absolutely. I'm all for a new experience." Carrie agreed.
"Well if it's with you guys, maybe a big crowd wouldn't be so scary." Natalia added. 
"I'll get the tickets as soon as possible. It's going to be such a good time. I'll have to fill you in on the songs~." Tabby said.
"I thought you weren't into singing?" Kat smirked.
The questions continued.
"I love autumn."
For a while.
"Blackberry and mint tea."
There were a lot of them.
"Ah...the seventh one? Those movies all blend together for me. Whichever one has Vin Diesel talking about family?"
Eventually, Kat plopped the now-filled notepad down on the table. "Alriiiiight, I think that covers all of it."
"You *think*? So you don't want to know about any birthmarks I might have, or what supermarket chain I buy my milk from?" Tabby asked.
"Look I'm sorry if it got kinda tedious at the end there, but I want all of my bases covered. If I ever forget something, you can hold me accountable for it. I'm doing this cuz, well...you're important to me. And I don't want to lose you for any reason. So now if that ever happens, I know it's cuz I just suck."
"I don't think you have anything to worry about there. You've been nothing but amazing to me since we met. Now how about you change out of the educator's wardrobe so we can go do things that don't require taking so many notes?"
"Righto. Be back in a sec." Kat untied her hair, and went off to get changed.
"Please don't take this exercise the wrong way." Carrie said.
"I'll admit that I wasn't expecting an interview today. Or was it an interrogation?" Tabby questioned.
"I know how unusual of a practice this must have been, but Kitten has her reasons. She has deep-rooted concerns about the people she loves leaving her. It's why the adjustment to life here has been more difficult for her."
"So it's on us to make each other feel comfy with the change." Natalia added.
"You really are more of a family. I hope the game becomes more of a bonding experience, then. For the sake of being comfy." Tabby said.
"Let's hope. Speaking of family, are you still planning on hashing things out with your parents?" Carrie asked.
"That's still the plan, yeah. Soon as I can figure out what to say to them...and how to get them in the same room without clawing out each other's vocal cords. I'm officially an adult, and I deserve to live how I choose. And I won't really be happy until I set down the law and get them to act civil for five minutes. Much easier said than done."
Kat returned. "Okay, back to our regularly scheduled programming. What do you guys wanna do after lunch?"
"I have a suggestion." Tabby raised her hand. "I was thinking, maybe...karaoke?"
Kat's eyes lit up. "Honey, now you're speaking my language! I'm gonna make a choir girl outta you yet!"
"I wouldn't go *that* far, but I want to see for myself if you really haven't inherited the Golden Wei genes."
"Trust us, she hasn't." Carrie assured.
"Kitty Kat doesn't raise an army of corpses when she opens her mouth. Or smell like one." Natalia added.
"Alright, alright, I got it!" Kat exclaimed. "Let's go before Tabs changes her mind."
"Let me just get my going-out shoes on, and then we'll be in party mode." Tabby bounded up the stairs.
"That is a much different girl from the one that walked in here last week." Carrie said.
"I think you've got a new Number One Fan, Kitty Kat." Natalia teased.
"She'll have to get in line. I know there's a 7-year old who's not gonna want to let go of that title. As long as she's in a good spot." Kat replied.
Inside of Kat's room, Tabby zipped her boots on, a glee in her mood that hadn't been there before. 
What seemed like an impossibility one week ago had come to fruition. She was now, truly, okay.