Persona BLEACHED 4: Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Ragnarök
---
"'...and so with the gift of his eye, he was bestowed all the seers' knowledge, and with it, became a wise and noble king, beloved by his people for eternity.' And..."
Carrie shut the book. "You'll have to wait a little longer for the rest."
"Awww, but Mother..." Emily uttered. At this moment only four years old, she was tucked into her bed.
"Sorry, little bird, but me and your dad have some work things to do. And besides, everyone loves a good cliffhanger."
"Sure she's gonna know what that is?" A much younger Max, before his days as Commander, stood in the corner.
"It's a part of the story where something exciting happens right as the chapter ends and it leaves you wanting more." the girl readily replied.
"Oh, ye of little faith." Carrie teased.
"Careful filling her head up with all that knowledge, she might not be able to lift it after a while." Max replied.
"I'll just have to make her weigh lighter than the air, then~." Carrie rubbed her daughter's hair. "I thank the Mother Goddess every single day that I got to have a daughter so bright and eager to learn. We'll finish the book as soon as I get back, okay, little bird?"
"Okay, Mother." the girl replied.
"Don't let Aunt Natalie be too crazy. There's some knowledge you probably shouldn't retain..." Max added.
"I heard that!" Natalie griped from outside the room.
"Eh, she probably won't get too much time to corrupt you. We'll hopefully be back by morning. Sweet dreams, Emmy."
"Good night, Dad." Emily replied.
He exited the room, as Carrie followed. She turned to her daughter, then formed a tiny bird out of magic in her hand. The bird flew over to the girl, who giggled.
"I'll teach you all about animal familiars next~." Carrie winked. "Good night, little bird. I love you."
"I love you too, Mother." Emily replied.
Carrie stepped out of the room.
"I won't corrupt her. Yet." Natalie assured.
"Why don't I believe you?" Max questioned.
"Because you know her." Carrie replied. "If we aren't back by morning, you know she likes the tiniest bit of coffee in her milk."
"I know, Caroline, this isn't my first time around the little bird." Natalie replied. "I wish I was coming with you. I'd love to give that old so-and-so a piece of my mind."
"Not a person out there who wouldn't. But we don't want to have so many people that it'd sound the alarms and we'd have to find him all over again." Max replied. "Last chance to duck out though, Carrie. It's strictly a P.D.F. operation."
"What, and miss out on getting to give the old man his due punishment? Please. Someone from the island has to be there. Have to make sure we get back all those tomes he's made off with over the years." Carrie replied.
"Don't trust us to sort through them ourselves, huh?"
"You? Absolutely. The one leading this operation? Less so."
"He's my brother, Carrie."
"I know, and I still don't get good feelings from him. You of all people should know why."
"Yeah, but it's not my place to say anything. I'm just a soldier. Compared to him, I'm rank-and-file fodder."
"Oh, don't say that. I'd rather have you as you are than whatever he's trying to be. But that's for another day. Shall we go?"
"Yes, please, before my ears start bleeding." Natalie griped. "Good luck. Kick his butt for me, won't you?"
"With pleasure. See you later, bestie."
The couple left their apartment. "Alright, hopefully she keeps her word not to--" Max began.
Carrie leaned in and gave him a kiss.
"Wha...what was that for?"
"Because I wanted to. And because I meant what I said. You shouldn't wish for a higher body count as a sign of being stronger. You're the kind of man I want around our daughter, right now. You should be the one leading this operation, if you ask me."
"I fear for the Defense Force if the day ever comes when *I'm* leading anything."
"I sure don't. Let's work on that confidence a bit when we get back, okay?"
"I am but clay to be molded by your hands."
"BAH! Are you kidding me?!" another voice sounded.
The couple turned to the source of the noise. A young woman with messy brown hair and bright glasses, wearing a white Defense Force uniform with bright purple and blue socks under similarly colored boots, was struggling with the door to the adjacent apartment. Specifically, her bag was stuck inside it. "Way to close the door before you're even outside, genius...come on, Letty, get it together..."
Max sighed. "Speaking of working on confidence..."
"Oh, leave her be." Carrie approached her. "Good evening, neighbor. Bit of a rough start to today's affairs, I see."
"Oh, no. I-I-I didn't want you to see this, Carrie. It's been one thing after another today--" Letty opened the door, but the strap for her bag had snapped. "Ooooooh! And I just bought this to replace the one I broke LAST week! I'm such a mess..."
"Take a deep breath, sweetie. Let me have a look." Carrie waved her hand, and the strap was put back together. "There we go. Good as new."
"Thanks so much. I wish I was as good at magic as you. Guess that's why I'm relegated to med duty."
"Don't sell yourself so short. You're the one keeping everyone upright."
"She's right. No operation could ever go on without a medic keeping us alive. You're just as vital as any officer." Max approached.
"Ah, u-um, th-thank you for being so kind, Officer O'Donnell, really..." Letty started turning red, fumbling with her bag.
"C'mon, no need to be so formal. Max is fine. So you're gonna be coming along with us on our little excursion, I'm guessing?"
"Yeah, that's right. It's my first field mission."
"Heck of a first mission they gave you. Hopefully it goes smooth. Although, with Old Man Harold's troupe, it rarely is."
"Oh but there's no need to be nervous. Just stay close to us, and you'll be okay. Luck is on your side today." Carrie reassured.
"You're both too nice. I feel safer already. I hope I don't get in the way..." Letty responded.
"Perish the thought. Come now, we don't want to be late. Don't want to enrage the 'commander' for today's operation." 
"That guy scares me...the less I see of him, the better..."
"You and me both. Right this way, no time to lose."
"Yeah, right behind--BAH!"
Letty was so preoccupied with her bag that she'd overlooked the fact her left boot was untied. She tripped, and would have hit the floor if Max had not grabbed her arm.
"We're gonna need to keep an extra eye on you, aren't we?" he asked.
"S-sorry..." she turned even redder.
The couple had themselves a laugh as the three all made for the exit.
None of them could have known that by night's end, the laughter would be gone.
---
January 9, 2031
Near the western edge of Tokyo, a set of tents bearing the P.D.F. logo had been set up. A number of agents were being shuffled in and out with a variety of injuries, being tended to by several medics.
In the corner, Letty was looking at her watch. It displayed energy readings, showing where certain people were located.
"We're gonna need to get another tent set up, Dr. O'Donnell. This is getting insane..." one medic approached. "Dr. O'Donnell?"
Letty jolted back to reality. "Yes, please do. I'm going to need you to take over from here. There's somewhere I need to be."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to keep our people upright. And there's somebody I have words for. Please excuse me."
She stepped out of the tent. She pressed a button on her watch.
"(I'm sorry I couldn't help you back then, Carrie. But at the very least...I can help the one that was most important to you.)" she thought. Lights erupted from beneath her.
---
FootTown, at the base of Tokyo Tower.
For twenty-four years, Emily had been running this very moment through her head. So too had Natalie, for that matter. There was Harold Dystergaard, face shrouded by a hood, standing before them. The surroundings, tourist-driven as they were, did not match where they believed this encounter would occur. 
The 'where' did not matter. All that mattered was the 'when', and the 'when' was now.
Perched on her master's shoulder, Esme growled. "Ready when you are, Emilia." Natalie said.
Emily stepped forward. "Harold Dystergaard."
"....." The mage stayed silent.
"You stand in the presence of the Arch-Witch, as well as the rightful heir of the Blackthorne coven. I am here to right the wrongs that you have incurred upon our clan. Principally...the murder of my mother, Caroline Blackthorne."
"....."
"Let's not forget the laundry list of other offenses that trail behind you. The theft of our sacred artifacts, the repeated attacks against the modern world you so deeply despise. The destruction you've left in your wake could only be matched by the brute behind this attack. All of that said...and you can't muster a single word of response?" Natalie demanded.
".....heh." he finally uttered.
"So, your vocal cords do function."
"Kehehehehe...forgive me. I needed to collect myself. My dear girl...you look so very much like our Caroline."
"Watch what you say, bastard. You don't have the right to utter her name."
"How does it feel, knowing that mine was the last face she saw? You witches are all such hypocrites. Lying tethered to the old ways, yet gladly mingling with this increasingly soulless world, our magicks repurposed to drive these dolls of iron. I stole away your tomes because you have abandoned their teachings."
"Oh, give me a break with the self-righteous nonsense. You can't possibly believe any of that garbage. You're the same kind of bloodthirsty animal as my uncle. My mother and all those troops you slaughtered..." Emily retorted.
"They incurred upon my land. A man has the right to defend his property from invaders, does he not? Even when they proclaim themselves as agents of a law that does not apply to him?"
"Whatever it is you think of the laws of man, *our* laws still apply to you." Emily summoned her staff. "I am the embodiment of those laws. And for the crime of murdering the Blackthorne coven's true born heir...and as *her* true born heir...I condemn you to the shadows!"
A large, shadowy, talon-like hand rose up behind Harold, and slammed down on him, dragging him into the darkness.
"That won't hold him for long. But it should give us enough time to--"
"Brothers! The day of final reckoning has arrived!" a voice yelled from outside.
"Of course. Of *course*!" Natalie groaned while shaking her head.
The two women went outside. In the distance, the entirety of Harold's cult, led by Robert and Horace, was approaching. "Death to the apostates! An eternity of oblivion to their false prophet!" the latter yelled.
"Well, this complicates things. Suppose we'll need to wipe them all out before their master frees himself." Natalie said, as Horace continued his tirade.
"--and fulfill our destiny as true inheritors of the--"
"Oh, shut the FUCK up, will you?"
A pink beam of energy crashed down on top of Horace, sending the surrounding mages flying. When it subsided, Horace was left smoldering, wobbling before collapsing to the ground.
The women blinked. "Emilia, was that...?"
Emily shook her head.
A figure dropped down in front of them. "Even from this far, that hobo was giving me a headache. I would've blasted him just for making us run all the way from Shibuya." Kat chimed.
She turned to see the women's blank expressions. "Oh, 'sup! Didn't see y'all there. Was that bothering you as much as me?"
The sound of panting drew nearer. "Ugh...ugh...Kitty Kat, could you at least try to let me keep up? You know jogging isn't my strong suit..." Natalia griped.
Natalie looked at her with curiosity. The younger girl looked up at Esme. "Omigosh! I love your kitty! Can I pet her, or is she a biter?"
"Erm, maybe now isn't the best time for pets." Natalie replied.
"Oh yeah no, totally. Maybe later. Maybe."
"Never change, Natty." Kat sighed.
"Hm? 'Natty'?" Natalie questioned.
"Oh, sorry! My name's Natalia. But you can call me Natty. Or Nat. Either one's fine." 
"Well, that last one might be a bit more confusing, since...that's what most people call me."
"Wait, so that would make you..." Natalia had a realization. "...oooooooh! So you're the 'other' me. I probably could've guessed cuz of the kitty. What's her name?"
Kat put a finger on Natalia's head and moved it around. "Back to reality please, Ms. Hoodsie."
"R-right, sorry..."
Natalie chuckled. "Maybe a more thorough talk is in order when the time is right. And her name is Esme, by the way."
"Mrrawr." the cat sounded.
From up above, dark energy sparked, near the top of the tower. Emily peered up.
"That's probably your cue to leave, isn't it?"
"Hm?" She looked over.
"Care!" Natalia said.
"Not that I'm complaining about seeing your pretty face, but aren't you supposed to be in a basement?" Kat asked.
"It's a long story. But the group I was with just headed out to go free Professor Kubo. I stayed behind because, well...call me crazy, but I just had a feeling that this was where I was needed." Carrie replied.
"...you're..." Natalie looked closely at her. "...I see. Perhaps there are greater forces at work than even we're aware of. Emilia, go up there. I'll help the children fend these nitwits off."
"Are you sure about this? You want him to pay just as much as I do." Emily replied.
"My purpose in life is to keep the path open for you. That's the promise I made to your mother's grave. I may not be the spry kitten I used to be, but I can handle a few zealots just fine."
"...okay. Thank you, everyone." She turned to the raven perched on her shoulder. "Ready, my friend?"
"Caaaaaw!" Muno affirmed.
She opened a portal. "Stay safe. Oh, but before I go..."
Across the way, Robert got to his feet, rubbing his face. "So annoying..."
A large, black talon reached up and grabbed him, smacking him into the ground numerous times, before flinging him away.
The girls looked at Emily.
"...he's my ex. I've been wanting to do that." Emily replied before walking into the portal.
She reappeared at the apex of the tower. She observed another portal, oozing out darkness, from which Harold was slowly emerging. All that had yet to form from the darkness was his head.
Suddenly, Muno began to panic. "CAW! CAW! CAW!"
"What's wrong with you? What do you mean 'run'? You know I can't do that." Emily replied. "What did you see?"
"Caaaaw..." The bird looked increasingly uneasy.
"(Come to think of it...something doesn't sit right with me, either. Since I first laid eyes on him, something has just felt...wrong. His energy, even his stature...Muno clearly saw something that frightened him. What is this man hiding?)" Emily thought.
Harold stood up. His head began to materialize from the darkness.
As Emily looked, she began to notice something. "His hair...that isn't...why does it feel so familiar?"
The dark energy started to peel back. The old mage's full face became clear for all to see.
In that instance, the reason for the raven's terror was all too obvious.
Emily was left with no other feeling save for pure, silent shock.
This was not the face of an old man.
This was the face of a woman. And not just any woman. One with hair as black as a raven's feathers.
This was the face of Carrie Blackthorne. The face of Emily's mother. And it was the same as she remembered it. 
That face curled into a smile. "Hello, little bird."
"M...Mo..." The word seemingly refused to leave Emily's lips. Her mind simply could not accept what her eyes were broadcasting to it.
'Carrie' looked puzzled. "What's the matter? Am I really that stunning? You flatter me, little bird."
"Don't...don't call me that! What are you?!"
"What am I...? Don't be so silly, isn't it obvious? I'm your mother, sweetie! Your one and only!"
"That's impossible! My mother is dead! She was killed by Harold--by *you*---by..."
"Oh, dear. Are all those late reading nights catching up to you? Arch-Witches need their sleep, too."
"Stop...stop talking to me like you're her! Is this your way to get to me, Harold? By mocking my pain in the cruelest of ways?"
"Harold? Do I look like an old man to you? You really do need to get more sleep. I'm sure there's a remedy in the old tomes somewhere for that..."
"Caw..." Muno poked Emily with his beak.
"No...no, you're right. This has to be a trick. Some horrific attempt at getting a reaction out of me. I can't let my emotions get the better of me. Even so..." Emily muttered.
"Oh, I've been so fussy that I haven't even gotten a chance to really look at you!" 'Carrie' chimed. "My little bird, all grown up and holding the most important title in the magic world...I've got so much pride, I could cry!"
"....."
"Come with me, Emily."
"Hm?"
"We can go somewhere far away from all this. You, me, and your father. We can be a happy family, just the way we used to be. And we can spend the days just chatting. We have so much to catch up on..."
"That...that isn't possible."
"Hm? Why not?"
"If you really are my mother, then nothing would make me or Dad happier than knowing you were alive. But Dad, he's..."
"Oh, that? How he's moved on with that clumsy dork from the apartment next-door?"
"What...? How would you...?"
"The old brute Johnathan told Lord Harold all about what's been happening over the years. I'm fully caught-up."
"'Lord' Harold?"
"The solution couldn't be more obvious, little bird. I just have to kill that two-timing slut and her defective offspring, and then we can be happy together again. Isn't that what you want?"
"...!"
"Don't pretend that you haven't thought about it. 'Here's Dad, new woman, new baby, forgetting all about Mom and leaving me alone to grieve.' Surely the thought of sending them both to the shadows had to have crossed your mind?"
"...I think I'm starting to understand."
"What do you mean?"
"I still don't know how you've managed to replicate her so perfectly, but I can say it with confidence now. You aren't my mother. Not how I remember her. She would never speak so cruelly about someone she saw as a friend. She would have wanted Dad to be happy. And she wouldn't be venerating her murderer as 'Lord'." Emily pointed her staff at her 'mother'. "Now tell me what this is! And I want to hear it from Harold!"
"You've got it all wrong, little bird. Lord Harold gave me this chance to be with you again. His body was finally starting to give out, and so he needed a replacement. He chose me out of all the souls he had absorbed all those years ago. Now we share this body, and I get to be with my family again, in exchange for extending his life. This is *me* speaking to you, Emily."
"...no. This is all wrong. He's manipulating you, even now. Bring him out, and end this cruel charade."
"Listen to me, Emily. Don't you want us to be together again? Isn't that what you've always wanted?"
"Of course! I've wanted nothing but for you to be with me! Every major event in my life...graduating, becoming the Arch-Witch, opening my store...it all felt so bitter, because I wanted you to be there to see it. I wanted you to live again, Mother. But...not like this. Not in the service of a man so evil he would use you as a weapon against me. Seeing you like this...it's the worst torture."
Emily gripped her staff. "I'm sorry, Mother. But as the Arch-Witch, my duty is to the world. And I will show no mercy to anyone standing between me and protecting it."
"You would condemn your own mother to death, just to stop Lord Harold?"
"You're already dead, Mother. You died twenty-four years ago." A single tear fell from her eye. "Now I need you to rest in peace."
"So that's how it is. You break my heart, little bird." 'Carrie' hovered above the ground, as dark energy coated her hands, taking the shape of claws. "Nothing will stop me from taking my family back. Not even you. Now show me how far you've come."
A pair of large, black talons sprouted out from either side of her, closing in. She held her arms, catching the talons before they could grab her, then flicked her fingers, dispersing them. "You'll have to do better than that."
Emily noticed something on the ground--namely, that it had been covered in darkness. A gaping, fanged maw sprouted up to bite down on her, though she managed to evade it by lunging upward. Now in the air, she had manifested a pair of shadow wings from her back.
"Oh, you and your feathers. You and I are so alike in that respect. Just in case you forgot..." 'Carrie' motioned with her hands.
The ambiance was broken by the familiar sounds of ravens 'caw'ing. An enormous flock of the birds, looking identical to Muno, appeared and swarmed around Emily.
Down below, Natalie looked to the sky. "Those birds...is that you, Emilia? Or...no. Couldn't be." she pondered.
Up above, the sheer volume of the swarm gave Emily difficulty judging where to aim. In her confusion, the birds swiped at her arms, causing her to let go of her staff. As she reached to try to summon it back, a dense group of the ravens tackled her, smashing her into the floor of the tower's upper platform.
She tried to get back up. As she did so, she saw the one bird in the sky that was not trying to attack her. Muno, her faithful companion, was in the clutches of a swarm of the ravens, who were grabbing and pecking at him. The strain of it all proved too great, and the struggling blackbird was soon left as nothing but feathers.
"MUNO!" Emily reached up.
Suddenly, several black, glowing spikes were summoned in the air, and were quickly brought down, piercing Emily through her hands and pinning her to the floor. "AH...!"
"Oh, don't worry about him, little bird. I know I died before I could teach you about familiars, but surely you know by now that you can revive him?" 'Carrie' walked over, standing over her. "Ah, but that would require you being able to cast a spell. And now that I've severed the veins in your hands..."
"You...don't you realize what you're doing? If I can't cast spells, then I won't be able to--"
"Won't be able to remove Johnathan's powers, correct?" 'Carrie' shook her head. "Even if you did so, he would find a way to destroy everything. The destruction that man wreaks is an inevitability. He is more like a force of nature than a human. I learned that the hard way. So I'm going to keep you here and let him have his fun."
"Why, Mother...? This can't be you talking..."
Memories flashed through her head of the last time she'd seen her mother, that night where she had read her a story to sleep, promising that they would finish upon her return.
"My Mother was never so callous...so dismissive of people being hurt. Whatever Harold has done to you, I'll make sure he pays in full...I'll make him rue the day he ever crossed the Blackthorne clan...if it's the last thing I..." The spikes piercing her hand made it impossible to get up.
"If you keep struggling like this, it *will* be the last thing you do. Just be a good girl and stay here. This will all be over soon, I pro--"
'Carrie' quickly moved away as a beam of light came down towards her. "Who in the...?"
The source of the blast appeared, hovering just over the ground. "So, he has usurped your power. I'd known this was a possibility, but to see it for myself..."
Emily lifted her head. "Violet...?"
Letty was donned entirely in a mechanical set of blue and white armor, with jet propulsion mechanisms on her back, covered by blue 'wings' that appeared more like a sharp cape. The visor covering her eyes was pink. On her blue chestplate, the script 'לִוְיָתָן Mk. 03' was written. In her hands, she wielded a white staff.
"Ohohoho...! Isn't this my lucky day! And I was just about to go dispose of you myself! Letty, it's been far too long. How's life been treating you? Aside from stealing my husband and trying to replace me, of course." 'Carrie' asked.
"Enough with the mind games, Harold. Using my friend as a puppet is going too far." Letty replied.
"'Friend'? Ohohoho! That is so rich, coming from you. You just couldn't resist, could you? My Max needed a shoulder to cry on, and there you were, so willing to comfort him. A blind man could see you had feelings for him, even from before I died. It all just fell so perfectly into place for you. You know what I think? I bet you had a hand in it. Planned it along with Johnathan to make sure your shared 'nuisance' was out of the picture so you could swoop in and steal Max for yourself. Come on, admit it. You know you want to."
"Nothing could be further from the truth. I'll admit it, I did love him, even then. But I would have never done anything so horrible to you, to him, or to Emily. You were the first person I met after I moved to New York who treated me kindly. You were a dear friend. And I've carried the guilt of not being able to save you for all these years. I wondered if my daughter being born so sick was you cursing me from the grave. But I know that the Carrie I remember would never be so cruel." Letty turned to Emily. "Right?"
Taken aback, Emily nodded. "Right."
"Oh wow, you're talking without stuttering now! What an improvement!" 'Carrie' mockingly applauded. "But pretty words aren't going to win you anything. Nothing is going to keep me from taking back what's mine. So please, do me a favor and die."
"I'll be with you in a moment, Emily." Letty advised.
"...be careful." Emily replied.
"(It shouldn't have to be you, anyway. I'm the one who has to atone.)" Letty thought.
The swarm of ravens began to circle around her, but as they closed in, a beeping sound was heard coming closer.
"THREAT TO MAINFRAME DETECTED. NOW ENGAGING." A large group of flying drones, resembling miniature submarines, flew in. Each of them possessed a single, glowing red 'eye', from which they fired thin lasers that dispersed any of the shadowy birds they made contact with.
"You're not the only one with friends, Harold." Letty stated.
"Why do you insist on calling me that? Lord Harold is merely sitting back and giving me time to do what I must." 'Carrie' asked.
"Tell your 'Lord' that he's a sick, twisted old freak and that I know my friend wouldn't be doing this if she was really in control. She certainly wouldn't attack the daughter she loved more than anything."
"Sometimes you just have to give out tough love. From what I've heard, you wouldn't know about that. I hear your defect was spoiled."
"Don't you *dare* say that about my daughter. A monster like you has no right to judge anyone else."
"Heh. What else would you call a freak who can't even do the simplest magic? Even the most brain-damaged vegetables have some kind of magic potential. She really is your spawn. Or have we forgotten how it took you an extra year to pass the qualifying exams for the Defense Force since you kept breaking the equipment? And they trusted *you* to be a medic? No wonder I died!" 'Carrie' cackled.
"...I want you to know something, Carrie. If the real you is still in there."
"Lay it on me, Mother Defect."
"I idolized you. You were everything I wasn't. Reliable, confident, amazing with magic. After you died, I poured every bit of energy I had into being the best I could be. As a mechanic, as a medic, as a wife and mother. I could never truly replace you, but you were always the measuring stick. That's why I can't stand seeing you being used like this."
"I'm sure my heart would feel extra warm if it was still beating."
"You're desecrating my friend's memory every time you open your mouth. It's past time I ended this." 
Letty raised her staff, the tip of which began to glow blue. The drones all simultaneously turned to 'Carrie'.
"Goodbye, old friend."
The drones all fired on the ersatz witch, with her disappearing into the sea of red light. Once that faded, she fell smoldering down the side of the tower.
With that finished, Letty turned to Emily, and knelt down next to her. "Are you okay, considering?"
"I'm still breathing." Emily replied.
Letty's helmet withdrew. "Let's take a look at the damage." Using her staff, she dispersed the dark spikes.
"My hands..."
"Don't worry. I've taken care of far worse. You should be casting spells again in no time. Let me see them." 
Letty took Emily's hands in hers, leaving the latter looking somewhat embarrassed. A glow emanated from the former's palms, as the wounds on Emily began to close.
"There was a time when you wouldn't let me get this close to you."
"Well, times have changed. And the world would very well be doomed without my spellcasting abilities intact."
"Of course." Letty paused. "I'm sorry. I didn't want you to--"
"Don't. That wasn't...that wasn't her. No matter what she looks or sounds like. I know, because...of she were alive, she would probably love Cindy."
"Ah...!" Letty smiled. "I'd like to think so, too. After all...I love Carrie's daughter just as much."
"...!"
"No matter the difficulties we've had, I never once thought of sending you away or pushing you aside. I can't replace your mother, but I still love you as if I was."
"Oh...oh, Violet, that's--"
Something caught Emily's attention. Before she could react, a large, black talon rose up from the side.
"Emily? What's--"
"GET DOWN!" Emily grabbed Letty, and disappeared into a shadow on the ground, as the talon closed in, destroying the drones and causing the broadcasting equipment above the observatory to collapse, falling to the ground afterwards.
From below, Kat was alerted by the noise. "SCATTER!" she yelled as the spear-like top of the tower came crashing to the earth, knocking everyone away.
In the observatory, Emily reappeared with Letty from the shadows, to find the roof now completely exposed. Rising up from the side was a massive raven, composed entirely of dark energy. This quickly dispersed, revealing 'Carrie' inside, this same energy pouring from her hands and eyes. "Did you really think we could die that easily?" She spoke with a combination of her own voice and Harold's.
"Monster...!" Emily uttered.
"I have lived TWENTY of your lives, you stubborn little gnats. Your toys will not be the end of me." Harold's voice spoke most prominently, before giving way to Carrie's. "Do you even know how angry I am? Seeing you there with *my* daughter, living a happy life with *my* husband? Knowing that you got to see your child grow up while I only had four years with mine? My life, my happiness...all of it was stolen from me! Why should *you* get to be happy, while I'm stuck like this?! It's not fair!"
"I'm...I'm sorry, Carrie. But this isn't the way to make things better. Being your murderer's puppet won't change anything!" Letty responded.
"Mother, please listen to me! This isn't your anger! He's using you, don't you see it? You're just a shield to him! This has to stop, seeing you in so much agony is killing me inside! The last memory I have of us together is you smiling and laughing. Don't you remember the book you read to me that night? 'The Tale of the Raven King'. I...I never finished it. I couldn't. It was too hard. That's the last memory I have of you. That's the mother I'll always remember. Not this charade being put on by a demon. If any part of you is still in there, Mother, I beg of you, fight back!" Emily pleaded.
"...I...nngh!" 'Carrie' struggled.
"Mother?!"
"Nngh...Emily...little bird...help...me...I..." The gestalt shook her head. "No...no! I won't be denied what's rightfully mine! Hear me loud and clear, Violet Seibold! You want to steal what I cherish the most? Then I'll gladly return the favor!"
"What are you...no! Don't you even think of--" Letty protested.
A black portal opened up, and 'Carrie' put her hand inside.
Just outside of Shinjuku, Max's group looked at the sight of the damaged tower. "This is bad. What the hell's going on up there?" he questioned.
"I'm checking the readings now...I think that's my sister's signature, along with...my mom?" Cindy analyzed. "We're gonna have to pick up the--"
Behind her, a portal opened, and a hand pulled her inside. "Aaah!"
"Cindy!" Max called out.
The portal closed before Ibuki could reach it. "Damn it!"
"What...what just happened?" Tabby questioned.
At the tower's apex, 'Carrie' pulled her hand out from the portal, and held Cindy aloft as she struggled. "Hey, let me go, you...huh?!"
"Well, aren't you just the cutest little defect!" her captor chimed.
"No! Stop it! Don't you dare hurt her!" Letty demanded.
"You're not in a position to change it, 'friend'! Revenge is going to be mine! I'm going to kill you...but not before letting you watch as I tear the thing you love most to pieces!"
---
"(I seriously can't believe they let that girl in here.)"
"(Guess you can't really say 'no' when it's the Commander's kid.)"
"(Her daddy got her in, that's so typical. But like, what's she gonna do if there's a magic aptitude test or something? Pull a rabbit out of a hat?)"
"(I still dunno how someone can't do magic. Like, literally *everyone* can do something, even if they totally suck at it.)"
"(I heard it's cuz her brain's broken.)"
"(Are we sure this isn't some kinda bad omen? Like, someone born without magic is gonna cause the end of the world? Should we find a bunker to lay low in?)"
"(I wouldn't worry about that. What's she gonna do? A defective little freak like her couldn't blow up a paper clip, much less the whole world.)"
The idle gossip followed Cindy wherever she went. In her school days, the cheerful, energetic and positive Cindy-O was a distant concept. To her peers, she was just a quiet, bizarre oddity. More of a sideshow than a person, even with her sterling grades. Being the daughter of the region's Commander, as well as one of its top doctors, did little to make things easier. If anything, it drew even more attention to her lack of magical acumen.
But there was nothing that brought more scrutiny to her shortcomings than the identity of her older sibling. A rising magical prodigy who seemed destined to be named the Arch-Witch. 'How does the family that produced someone so skilled at magic follow that up with a child with no aptitude for it whatsoever'?
None were more critical than Emily herself.
"(Sis? I was wondering if...)"
"(What did I say about calling me that?)"
"(I'm sorry, um...Emily? I have this exam on magic coming up, and I was hoping you could help me out...)"
"(You're the one with the computer brain. You can figure it out. I'm very busy.)"
"(With reading again? Don't you have a bookmark or something?)"
Emily slammed the book down on the desk. "(What is wrong with you? Don't you know how to take a hint? Or do machine brains not have those capabilities? Go bother your mother or someone else.)"
"(I'm...I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't do magic, okay? But you don't have to hate me for it...)"
"(I don't hate you because you can't do magic. I hate what you represent. Dad's attempt at replacing me. I know he can't stand having me around, and your constant attempts at pestering me aren't making things better. Leave. Now.)"
Those kinds of conversations grew less frequent as the years passed, but they never stopped stinging. 'If only I could be like Emily, then maybe everyone else could like me better. Maybe *she* would like me better'. 
Those thoughts eventually coalesced into many a late night, tinkering in the P.D.F. workshop. Her efforts were about to bear fruit.
"(I just need to turn the knob, and then...)"
The small, mechanical bird's eyes lit up. "(Systems online...now booting...hello, Lady Cynthia.)"
"(It worked...it worked! You're actually talking! Oh, I'm so happy! I can't wait to show Mommy and Daddy! Now we can be friends!)"
"(Of course, Lady Cynthia. But that may be easier if I had a name.)"
"(Oh, duh! I totally forgot! Let's see...how about...Hugo? Yeah, you totally look like a Hugo! How's that sound?)"
"(I am very pleased with that name. From now on, you may call me Hugo.)"
"(Awesome! Now I've got my own familiar, just like Emily! We're gonna be friends forever, I just know it!)"
"(Of course, Lady Cynthia. That is what I am here for.)"
"(I will be your helpful companion for as long as I am needed.)"
---
"...Lady Cynthia? Your heart rate is accelerating at an alarming pace..." Hugo spoke.
"I know that, Hugo...I kinda have bigger problems right now..." Cindy struggled, as 'Carrie' held her aloft from behind through the use of magic.
"Mother, stop this! Let her go!" Emily demanded.
"Ah ah ah, you remember how far up we are, little bird? You may want to choose your words more carefully." 'Carrie' responded. "Your actions, too. One bad move and I could release my grip ever, so..."
She briefly released the magic before immediately grabbing Cindy again, leading the girl to panic. The revived witch cackled at this.
"Carrie, I'm begging you, stop this! She's done absolutely nothing to hurt you!" Letty pleaded.
"Her very *existence* hurts me! She represents everything that's been stolen from me! You both need to just disappear, and then everything can be happy again..."
"I'm sure Dad's gonna be...happy to take you back after killing us..." Cindy uttered.
"Did I say you could speak, you broken little pest? You're only making what I'm about to do far worse. Now how shall I end you?"
"Hugo...gimme my wings." Cindy whispered.
"Right away, my lady." her aide affirmed.
Cindy turned in a way where her shoulders faced 'Carrie'. Her blue wings sprouted from her back, the pointed edge of one scratching her captor across the face. "End *this*!"
"AGH!" 'Carrie' reeled, losing her grip. She swiped with her clawed hands in response, striking the wings and breaking them off.
"Eek!" Cindy began to fall. Letty leapt up to grab her.
"Got you!" She landed. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, Mom, I'm right as rain. Won't be flying anytime soon..."
'Carrie' looked on. The sight of the two people that made her emotions run hottest--one comforting the other as any mother would--was far too much to bear. That stygian energy that had been building around her was finally unshackled. "DIE!"
Black bolts or lightning fired out from her hands, going off in all directions. As one came towards Cindy, Letty got in front of her, shielding her from the hit, though she was left stunned by the electricity. "Mom!"
Emily but up a barrier. "Mother, stop! Ngh...Cindy, get behind me!"
"O-okay, I--"
Everything seemed to go into slow motion. A bolt struck Cindy in the side, lifting her over the side of the deck. Emily reached her hand out to try to save her, but her arm was bound by a surge of energy from 'Carrie'. 
She could only watch as Cindy fell.
She tried to get her wings to work, to no avail. She materialized her helmet, and frantically tried to grasp the side of the tower.
"Hugo, I need all auxiliary power routed to my wings!"
"The lack of power is not the issue, Lady Cynthia, the wiring is far too damaged!"
"Then route it all to the shielding! I--"
Her frenzied response left her distracted for just a moment. In that brief span, her head struck against a beam. Instantly, her body went limp, as she continued to fall.
"Lady Cynthia! Please respond! Oh...oh, no..." Hugo pleaded.
Kat watched it all unfolding from the ground. "Oh, fuck! Grab her, Natty!"
"I might hurt her if I catch her at that speed!" Natalia replied.
Natalie put a hand on her shoulder. "You take hold of her lower half, I'll make sure her head doesn't recoil. Got it?"
"Y-yeah, got it!"
"Quickly now."
With her Persona's telekinetic abilities, Natalia grabbed Cindy from midair. Using her magic, her older counterpart formed an energy field that cradled the girl's head. With her descent slowed, the two lowered her to the ground.
The girls hovered around her. "Oh, this is not good. Care, is she...?" Kat asked.
"I'm detecting a heartbeat...her brain activity is..." Carrie trailed off.
Up above, Letty looked over the ledge. "No no no no no no no no no..." She continued to repeat it as she leapt over.
She hovered down to the ground. By this point, Cindy's helmet had retracted. Blood was slowly emerging from her nose. Letty muscled her way next to her.
"Cindy, oh, Cindy...come on, baby girl, stay with me..." she panicked. "Hugo, what are her readings?"
"Her cognitive status is deteriorating at a rapid rate...I am routing all resources to life support, but it can only do so much..." Hugo responded.
"THEN ROUTE IT FASTER!" Letty hovered her staff over her unconscious daughter. "Please work...please work..."
"Lady Violet..."
"Oh, this is horrific..." Carrie uttered.
"Lady Violet, I do not believe the problem lies with her injuries...her cognitive readings indicate that the blow to her head may have critically damaged her--"
Suddenly, Cindy's eyes jarred open, devoid of color. Her whole body began to shake. Then, energy began to spark around her. "Mom...?"
"Oh no...!" Letty uttered.
Everyone present stepped back save for Letty, as more energy sparked. The tremors only got worse from there.
"What's happening to her?!" Natalia asked.
"This power...I thought she didn't have magic?" Kat questioned.
"She's always had magic...the part of her brain that manages it was so damaged when she was born, I had to insert a chip to stabilize it..." Letty explained. "This can only be happening if the chip's been compromised. And if that's happened, then..."
"Mom..." Cindy uttered. "Mom, I...I'm scared...what's happening to me...?"
"It's gonna be okay, sweetie, I'm going to fix this...Hugo, what condition is the chip in?!"
"Analysis shows that it is a catastrophic failure...simply rebooting the chip is not possible...the CPU would have to be completely replaced." Hugo replied.
"Then I'll have to operate right here...but..."
"How are you gonna get close when she's losing control like that?" Kat added.
At the top of the tower, Emily could do nothing but watch.
"How tragic." 'Carrie' spoke with Harold's voice. "You people called me a madman for believing that magic and technology should be kept apart. Now see how much pain the defect is in?" Her voice switched back. "Don't look so upset, little bird. You fantasized about this very moment for all your life, didn't you? Your father tried to replace both of us...this is just what they deserve. It'll all be over soon, I promise."
"...how dare you." Emily finally responded.
"Come again?"
"You murdered my mother...appeared in front of me wearing her face...now you do this to my sister...and expect me to be happy about it?"
Emily flicked her wrist, dispelling the binding around her arm.
"In the past, I may have reveled in this happening...but I've grown up. And I refuse to put up with this torturous charade any further." She brought forth the book.
"The Liber Infernus...!"
"I was going to reserve this for Johnathan...but your unapologetic cruelty has made me reconsider." Her left eye emitted a red glow, as her voice distorted. "I'm going to bring out the most horrific magicks ever created, and I'll make you experience every last bit of suffering you've ever inflicted, until your sanity is a distant memory!"
She started to float up as magic crackled from her hands. She gestured, and as 'Carrie' attempted to cast a spell, her arm was grabbed by a tendril covered in black feathers, emerging from the ground. An identical tendril wrapped itself around her other arm, and hoisted her into the air. A wave of darkness rose up, swallowing the entirety of her lower half.
Emily floated over to face her.
"You judge me as wicked...then use those forbidden tomes to attack me? What a horrid little witch you are...this by itself should cost you your title--"
Emily covered her mouth with her hand. "Vote me out, then." She looked into her eyes. "But why don't we see what all those souls you have in there have to say about it?"
Emily closed her hands in a pulling motion, as the warlock's mouth opened, and numerous ephemeral figures began pouring out, one after the other. When the process was done, what was left was not Emily's mother. It was the unkempt, ragged, emaciated figure of an old man, breathing heavily.
Harold tried to say something, but was far too weak to get it out.
"And to think we were so terrified for so long of you. You're just another pathetic old man. And now...my promised punishment."
Emily phased her hands into Harold's head. As he reeled in horror, memories of years, decades, *centuries* of pain he'd inflicted played out simultaneously. At that moment, he could feel every last bit of it: every bruise, every cut, every siphoned soul he'd taken was brought down upon him.
As the last scream in his head petered out, he was left with black burn marks covered his eyes and most of his face.
With the deed finally done, the tendrils hurled him over the side of the tower. As his body fell, it crumbled away into ashes. There was nothing left to hit the ground.
The energy around Emily vanished, and she landed back onto the floor. "...it's finally done." she muttered, perhaps not fully believing it yet.
"Little bird."
She turned around. There was Carrie, her mother, in spirit form. Alongside her was a large group of phantom P.D.F. agents.
"Mother..."
"My goodness, how you've grown. I still picture you in my mind as the little girl I'd read stories to every night. And now, here you are. The pinnacle of magic. And our savior. Now we can finally rest in peace."
"I...I still have so much I want to say to you. So much has changed since you died, so much I wish you could've experienced. But if you do have to go again, then...for peace of mind, just tell me...are you truly angry that Dad married Violet and had another child?"
Carrie shook her head. "No, little bird. I wish I could have grown old with Max and seen your life unfold firsthand. But that isn't what fate had in store. If he could find peace and happiness with someone else, then I'm satisfied. The last thing I would want is for him to be bitter and lonely forever. And Violet was truly a lovely girl. If the two of them could find what was missing together, so much the better."
"I see...thank you, Mother. I should have known that from the beginning."
"I hope it helps you sleep a little easier, Emily. Please, keep living a happy life from here on. Never forget how truly important your family is. And...promise me one thing. Don't tell your father what you saw here."
"...I understand. I'll hold your words with me forever."
"Thank you. Goodbye, my little bird. I love you."
With a smile, Carrie vanished alongside the other spirits.
"I love you too, Mother. I hope you can finally find peace..." Emily replied.
There was little time to think over everything, before a realization came to her. "Cindy...!"
She opened a portal, exiting at the base of the tower. There, was the sight she feared.
The tremors and bursts of magic had stopped. The girls all looked mortified, trying to hold back tears. Letty, herself crying, cradled Cindy, whose eyes were closed.
"No...!" Emily ran over. "Cindy...is she...?"
"I couldn't...I couldn't do anything...twenty-four years and I still can't save anyone...she just...wouldn't stop shaking, and losing control, and..." Letty held her daughter tighter.
Cindy's eyes opened slightly. "Sis...?"
"I'm here, Cindy." Emily took her hand.
"Did you win...? Is he gone...?"
"He's gone...he won't be hurting anyone else..."
"I'm happy...I'm happy you're here...I'm glad that..."
"God, I can't..." Kat turned away.
"Preserve your strength. There's still hope...you'll be okay..." Emily reassured.
"I'm glad that...I got to be your sister, Emmy...just for a little bit...I'm glad..."
Cindy's grip loosened. Her eyes closed.
"No...Cindy, please...you can't..." 
At last, Emily began to cry.
"Please, don't...don't leave me...I can't lose you, too...I'm sorry...I'm sorry for everything...please, don't go...I promise I'll be a better sister to you, just please...please don't leave me! No...please..."
The girls cried. Natalie closed her eyes.
"My baby...my perfect baby...I'm sorry...I'm so...so sorry..." Letty bawled.
"...Lady Violet." Hugo spoke up. "I have located a suitable CPU."
"Hugo...it's...it's too late. She...she's gone...my...my baby is gone..."
"Please, Lady Violet. Listen. There is still time. Activity remains in her brain. She is still clinging on. I have found a suitable CPU."
"You have...?"
"Yes. Mine."
"Yours, Hugo...?"
"Her last remaining hope...I can transfer my CPU remotely and assume control of the chip. However..."
"Won't that mean...you'll cease to be?" Emily asked.
"I was created to serve Lady Cynthia. Her life is my purpose. I world without her is a world devoid of meaning. Her life must continue. Even if it means my own cannot."
"Hugo...I'm sorry..." Letty uttered.
"It is alright, Lady Violet. I am satisfied with my choice. Please, continue to give her the love she deserves. You and Lady Emilia both. And, you there?"
"Y-yeah?" Kat responded.
"What Lady Cynthia cherishes the most in this world is friendship. That is why I was created. To give her the companionship she so desperately desired. In my stead, I would ask that you offer her the same. And that you would convey this message to Lord Maxwell. Give her the attention this frazzled automaton won't be able to."
"Yeah...okay. You bet. We'll be the best mates she could ever ask for!"
"Thank you. Now I must be off."
"Hugo...thank you. Please...save my baby." Letty pleaded.
"That is what I am here for, Lady Violet. Lady Emilia. It has been an honor. Farewell."
The heart symbol on Cindy's armor glowed, as Hugo returned to his avian form. His own eyes began to glow.
---
...
.....
...am I...dead?
I can't...see anything.
Am I really...
.....
I don't...I don't want to die. Not when everything was finally falling into place...
Mom...
Dad...
Emmy...
Dai...
Maxie...
...Hugo?
"(Hello, Lady Cynthia.)"
What's going on? Am I dead? Why are you here if I'm dead?
"(You are not dead. I am not allowing it. You will be waking up soon.)"
I am...? How? I remember hitting my head...then I started shaking...Mom and Emmy were crying...I thought...
"(The chip inside your brain was damaged. The CPU needed to be replaced. I found a solution. I replaced it with my own.)"
You...replaced it? Wait...
...Hugo?! You...are you inside my brain?!
"(In a manner of speaking, yes. I am integrating myself into the chip as we speak.)"
But then...that means...you're gonna die!
"(I am okay with that.)"
But I'm not! You can't die, Hugo! Not for me!
"(You built me to be your aide. I cannot exist without you, Lady Cynthia. But you can exist without me.)"
Then as your creator, I order you not to kill yourself to save me!
"(I can't do that.)"
Why not?!
"(I am not sacrificing myself because I am your assistant. I am doing this as your friend. One who is satisfied knowing that others can be with you in my stead. Your family...your friends...you have so much to look forward to and live for. If the choice was either me or you, then it must be you. And I am okay with that.)"
So you're...really gonna disappear.
"(Yes. Even now, all that I am is ceasing to be. But in a way, I will still be here with you, keeping you alive. What better honor can there be for an aide?)"
You dumb pile of feathers...I'm sorry. If I hadn't gotten hurt, you wouldn't be...
"(Don't apologize. You get to live, and be with the ones you love. I cannot regret this decision with that in mind.)"
The ones I love...except for one. I want that to be the last thing you hear from me! I love you, you dummy!
"(Thank you, Lady Cynthia. That by itself makes this decision worth it. It has been the utmost honor to be with you all these years. Farewell. Live happily.)"
"(I...lo...ve...you...too...)"
.....
---
Slowly, her eyes began to open.
"...come on, cutie, wake up..." Ibuki pleaded, having arrived alongside Max and Tabby.
Cindy looked up. Everyone was staring at her. "Unh...am I...?"
Max grabbed his head. "Oh, thank God!"
Letty grasped her tight. "Oh, my baby! I thought I'd lost you..."
"We all thought we'd lost you..." Emily joined in the hug.
"Umm..." Cindy was, understandably, speechless.
"That was terrifying...we ran over as fast as we could, and seeing you like that was..." Tabby shuddered.
"That was the most powerless I've felt in a long time..." Carrie added.
Cindy's mother and sister let go. "Are you alright? Any ill effects you can recognize?" Emily asked.
"I mean...my head still kinda hurts, and I'm really groggy, but..." Cindy looked at the ground. "...! Hugo!"
There, not moving, was Hugo. His eyes had grown dim. Cindy picked him up.
"You...you really aren't gonna wake up, are you..."
"I really had the guy pegged wrong...all those times I called him a birdbrain..." Max shook his head.
"He's still a robot, right? Can't you fix him up good as new?" Ibuki asked.
"His CPU is basically his soul. Even if we built another, he wouldn't be the same Hugo. He'd be like someone entirely different." Letty replied.
Cindy held the immobile bird up to her cheek, petting it and looking as though she was about to cry. "Thank you, Hugo."
"I hate to interrupt." Natalie spoke up. "But there is still a very important matter to be taken care of, Emilia."
"Yes...you're right." Emily nodded. She looked into the distance. 
An army of Wolfpack soldiers was approaching.
"Oh, you have to be joking..." Max uttered.
"They probably heard all the commotion and came hunting." Kat surmised.
"Good, I'm up to crack a few more skulls." Ibuki replied.
"I'll head back to the top to start the ritual. It goes without saying..." Emily began.
"We'll hold them off. Not a problem!" Tabby proclaimed.
"I won't be any help...without my armor, I'm basically dead weight..." Cindy spoke.
Emily grabbed her hand. "*Never* think that. You'll think of something. You always do. My genius little sister."
Cindy was stunned, before nodding with a smile. "Yeah! You're right!"
"For now, I need you to come with me. Everyone else, keep us alive." 
Emily opened a portal, Cindy following her inside.
"What a roller coaster day we've been having, eh, Violet?" Natalie asked.
"Don't even get me started." Letty put her helmet back on.
"Back to kicking ass together, Sparky. You ever get tired of this?" Kat asked.
"Not in the least, Kitty Kat. You?" Max replied.
"Hell nah."
They fistbumped, as everyone charged at the oncoming Wolfpack.
Emily and Cindy reappeared at the apex. "Alright...now remember. I'll be completely vulnerable while I'm performing the ritual. Stay out of the circle, and you should be fine."
Cindy drew her blasters. "Ain't no one's getting past me, no ifs ands or buts about it!"
"I'd expect nothing less. Now once the dark power's been returned, I'll need you to shut the book closed, and quickly. Understood?"
"Gotcha!"
Emily took a deep breath. Her left eye began to glow again, as the cursed tome appeared in front of her. A sigil manifested beneath her, which Cindy stepped away from.
The book opened. Emily began to chant.
"*Now it is time; to remove all fear; no terrors in the night; no needless tears; from darkness you arrived; to spread without shame; now back to the abyss; from whence you came!*"
A pillar of darkness shot up into the sky from where she was standing.
---
"...yeesh. The old man bit it? Damn. Never thought I'd see the day." Johnny scratched his head.
The surroundings were coated in rubble. Commander Max, holding his sword, and Bobbi, holding a frozen axe, were kneeling, scratched and bruised as their garments were tattered.
"Guess you didn't get your pound of flesh with that one, huh, broski?"
"I'll save my complaints. Long as someone did it." the Commander grunted.
"Besides, the triggerman's still standing with his head on." Bobbi added.
"Still trying to sound all cool and unfazed after everything, huh? I dunno if you've noticed, but, um, you're kinda still losing. See? Not a scratch. Long as you've still got an ounce of fear towards me, it's gonna stay that way." Johnny proclaimed.
"I've seen you bleed. I don't care what it takes. I'll finish this if it's the last thing I do." Max declared.
"Real choice words there, broseph." Johnny brought out his shotgun, pointing it directly at his brother's head. "Make sure to tell sweet Carrie I said yo."
Bobbi growled. Then, she looked above. "...!"
"...huh?" Johnny looked up.
The pillar of darkness landed right on top of him, shocking the commander and judge.
All around the city, friendlies and enemies alike sensed what was happening and reacted with similar shock.
Soon, the pillar rose back up, returning to the book. Cindy promptly slammed it shut. Emily fell to her knees.
The smoke cleared out where Johnny had been standing. He stood there, seemingly unaffected...save for his eyes losing their dark coloration, and his previously skinny physique being replaced with the musculature one might expect out of a soldier.
"H-hey...this ain't funny...don't tell me..." He snapped his fingers, and rather than the dark flames he once summoned, they were a normal orange color. "Oh...*fuck*."
"That's my girl." Commander Max got up. "Bobb...you know what this means?"
"Yeah. This might actually be a fair fight after all." Bobbi also stood up.
Johnny's eye twitched. "You little...I ask that old asshole to do ONE thing, and he can't even do that! Heh...hehehehehehehe...it don't matter! It don't matter at all! I was King Asskicker before I huffed all that cursed smoke! All this means is that I might actually kick the bucket...and that only makes it that much better!"
"You really are insane. At least now we can say with confidence..." Bobbi began.
"...that we're gonna end this nightmare for good." the Commander finished.
"Bring it! You wanna prove you're better than Searing Blaze Johnny, don't ya? Then do it! Make me BLEED!" Johnny cackled.