It was tedious , but they finally managed to break the illusion trick . As it turned out , some mirrors didn't reflect anything off of their surfaces , and they needed to be broken . They two teams met in front of the room where the shadow was .
" guys ... I ... " Fuuka said , sounding tired " I'm gonna have to stop the music ... The shadow is interfering with my Persona and the generating the music makes it even more difficult for me to keep up "
" that's okay , Fuuka " Minato sighed " I'll probably hear this music buzzing in my head for a week ! "
" so the shadow is behind this door , please be careful ! "
" For messing with a girl's heart , It's gonna pay ! " Yukari exclaimed angrily
" I'll do my best ! " Junpei clutched his sword , ready to charge in .
Minato nodded for his team before opening the door .
Before them stood a big mirror that was floating in the air , which reflected absolutely nothing from it . Minato would have destroyed it as part of what they had been doing the whole time , but the fact that it was floating set him off . Fuuka informed them that she sensed the shadow from within the mirror , but she could not specify how . With hesitant hands , Minato reached out to touch the mirror , and sure enough , his hands went through . Minato was started by that and immediately pulled his hand away .
" h—holy ... ! That did not just happen ! " Junpei exclaimed
" is ... is this safe ?! " Yukari asked anxiously
" we're definitely walking into a trap by going in there " Mitsuru thought .
" we can't just leave now ! " Akihiko exclaimed
" I'm going in there " Minato said
" what ?! " Minako immediately objected " no ! Nope ! Nuh-uh ! No way ! "
" I wasn't requesting a permission . I'm the leader and that's my decision "
" why don't you send me in there instead ?! "
" because you have three ... ! " Minato turned and yelled at her , but then he looked at everyone and stopped " just shut up and stop dragging us down ! "
" I ... I'm worried about you !!! "
" well , I don't need your concern if it's gonna hold me back ! "
" what ... ? " Minako was speechless from hearing those words
" Minato ! " Yukari yelled in her stead " your sister is worried about you , and frankly she has a point ... "
" I'm not gonna repeat myself " Minato proceeded to ignore them and went for the mirror
" wha—?! Senpai ! Say something ! "
" Arisato ... you have a plan , right ? "
" of course . I'll go there , and if Fuuka can sense my location and communicate with me , you'll follow . Should the worst happen and I get trapped in there forever ... you'll only lose one Persona user "
Without saying a word , Minako slapped her brother across the face before turning her face from the whole team .
" wh—what was that for ?! "
" shut up ! You think your life is that cheap ?! How can you casually say that you might get trapped there and all we're losing in that case is one Persona user ? Just one Persona user ... is that how much you value your life?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU ?!! "
" and you're .... ! " Minato yelled back , before looking at everyone else and sighing " anyone has a better plan ? "
Nobody could say anything .
" that's what I thought " Minato glared at his sister " you're done wasting our time ? "
" send me in there instead ! Why don't you send me in there ? "
" because you're WEAK ! "
" I ... fine ! Do what you want ! "
" are you ready , Fuuka ? " Minato turned to the mirror .
" I ... I'm ready " Fuuka said
Minato entered the mirror . He found himself back in the hotel , except the corridors and doors seemed to go on and on for seemingly forever . The doors weren't opening and the whole place was dim and dark , like Tartarus . Fuuka didn't seem to encounter any problems , but Minato insisted that he traversed the place a little more before giving a decision . The path seemed to split up more and more as he advances , and there were shadows around the area . The doors to the rooms were shut tight . Fuuka informed Minato that she could sense the shadow ahead , so he decided to let his friends come along .
Meanwhile , outside stood the other members of SEES . Yukari found herself frantically comforting Minako , who promised that after the operation she was going to wipe the floor of the dorm with her brother . She tried to look calm as usual , but there was no denying that what Minato had told her had shaken her greatly .
" e—everyone ... " Fuuka called them " Minato-san just confirmed that the place behind the mirror is relatively safe from traps , and you can pass through with no worries "
" okay , everyone ! Let's not keep my stupid brother waiting too long ! " Minako exclaimed , clapping her hands and wearing the widest smile she could .
Meeting up with Minato , the five SEES members advanced in the dark place . Yukari tried to talk to Minato about his attitude toward his sister , but he insisted that the mission is more important , and Minako agreed with him . Besides that , the twins exchanged no words . They eventually made it to an open hall , with a giant heart with wings attached to it and a mask . They could tell by the appearance alone that it was the shadow of the Lovers arcana .
" alright ! " Junpei screamed " now you're gonna get it ! "
He charged at the shadow with his sword and prepared his evoker , but the shadow screamed at him and he stopped in track . Before they could understand what happened to him , Junpei turned to Yukari with a tipsy look and his mouth lazily ran like "hhhheeeeeeeyyyyyyyy , Yyyyuuuukkkkkaaaaaattttttaaaaannnn ... "
" moron ! " Yukari slapped him and he was immediately back on his senses .
" ouch ! That hurt ! Alright , I'm mad now ! " Junpei turned to the shadow and pulled his evoker " Hermes , let's wipe the floor with this shadow ! "
" careful , everyone ! " Fuuka called them as they engaged in the fight " its screams are hypnotizing ! "
" roger ! " Minako picked her evoker
" Fuuka ! " Minato called " can you scan it for weaknesses ? "
" I just did , it's weak to electricity ! "
" on it ! " Minato pointed the evoker to his head " Take Mikazuchi ! "
" Persona ! " Minako followed
" Polydeuces! " Akihiko casted , and the shadow fell on the ground .
" now's our chance ! " Junpei anxiously attacked
After beating on it for the short time it remained on the ground , it flew back up again . Fuuka warned the team that the shadow was about to scream again , and they all immediately covered their ears . Indeed the shadow screamed , and it seemed nobody was affected .
" okay ! I'm good to go ! " Junpei stepped forward as soon as the shadow stopped screaming " Hermes ! "
" Barong ! "
Minato called a new Persona that immediately knocked Junpei's Persona to the ground in a single blow , Junpei felt a stabbing headache that forced him on his knees . Before they could wrap their heads around the situation , Minako followed her brother with a new Persona of her own .
" Scathach ! " she called
Yukari was barely fast enough to push Junpei out of the way and take the surging storm that Minako's Persona generated , and even then the blow left her barely standing .
" if Junpei had took that blow , he would definitely be dead ! " Yukari shivered in place .
" HAVE YOU GONE CRAZY ?!!!"
Junpei screamed at the twins , but it was then that they realized something was really wrong with them . Their eyes had gone yellow , and their faces became as pale as if they were dead . They weren't just hypnotized by the shadow , the shadow had taken full control over them .
" Cybele ! "
" Titania ! "
both of them called a new Persona , and the shadow was fully healed .
" everyone , be careful ! " Fuuka frantically called them " I can't reach out to our leaders , and it seems the shadow can force them into using Personas they can't normally control without consequences ! You have absolutely no chance of defeating them ! Please retreat ! "
" Oumitsunu ! " Minato summoned a huge rock titan , which struck the ceiling and caused it to crumble before them . There was no escape .
" they can tell what Fuuka's saying to us ?! " Akihiko was stumped . Once again , the SEES found themselves in an impossible battle
" Odin ! "
Yukari was struck by a destructive pillar of lightning , her weakness . she fell unconscious on the spot . Junpei tried to call his Persona , but was met with another Persona that Minako casted , which was an angel with many wings
" Lucifer! " she called " cast Magidoloan ! "
Junpei could only watch as his Persona was turned to dust by the blast . He was ultimately powerless to stop her . He could either run , or get killed . Without thinking , he quickly lifted Yukari and ran .
Mitsuru and Akihiko weren't doing so great , either . Akihiko called his persona to decrease Minato's attack , to which Minato responded by calling a different Persona to decrease their speed . Mitsuru was about to try and undo the charm spell on Minato , but he was faster than her and called " Surt ! " immediately knocking her down with an explosive fire blast to the face . Akihiko called his Persona again to try and reduce Minato's speed so that he could run away , and then he immediately lifted Mitsuru's unconscious body on his back and ran for it , before he could see Minato calling a Persona to undo Akihiko's debuffs .
The SEES were scrambled aimlessly around the corridors , and Fuuka could do nothing to help them . As soon as she tells them to do anything , Minako and Minato do something to make it impossible .
Akihiko eventually found himself at a dead end with Minato at his back , he turned to face him as he put Mitsuru down .
" few were the times I was forced to run away , but it seems even running away isn't an option anymore , is it ? "
Minato pointed the evoker at his head , and called two Personas , King Frost and Black Frost . Akihiko immediately knew what was coming , so he hurriedly punched Minato across the face , knocking him on the ground before running away just barely in time for the ice blast to miss him . He turned to and called Polydeuces to strike the ceiling which immediately crumbled on Minato . Akihiko then carried Mitsuru out of the way , then turned to see Minato emerging from the pile of rocks as if there was nothing on his back . It seemed that the shadow wasn't only forcing them to call strong Personas , but also to fight without reacting or feeling any pain . Akihiko knew that Minato had just used two Personas with powerful ice elements , so he took his lighter , ignited it and threw it at Minato who was severely affected by the flames , but then he called Cybele and healed from it quickly . Minato called Siegfried and struck the walls which crumbled on Akihiko and Mitsuru .
At the time , Junpei was still trying to outrun Minako . He managed to find just enough time to hide Yukari , before Minako found him .
" look , Minatan ! " Junpei said defensively " it's not in my morals to hit a girl , but you're asking for it now ! "
" Girimehkala ! " Minako summoned " cast Mudoon ! "
" yikes ! " Junpei barely managed to dodge it " okay , don't say I didn't warn you ! Hermes ! "
" Scathach ! "
Junpei was struck by a powerful storm , and his Persona immediately disappeared . He was just as shocked by his quick and instant defeat as he was hurt , and he felt his consciousness fading as he fell on the ground . The last thing he saw was Minako's cold stare .
As Minako turned her back to her fallen comrades , she saw Minato standing before her . Both of them were hypnotized , they pulled their evokers .
" no ! " Fuuka wept " it can't end like this ! "
" Lucifer ! " Minako called
" Helel ! " Minato called .
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HehehehehehhahahahhahahhahhaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH—Cough ! Cough ! Sorry , got carried away ...
This , ladies and gentlemen , Persona users and Velvet room residents , is my celebration of the 1K reads I had mentioned ! Well , I was planning something else , but I guess this is as good of an opportunity as ever , and I don't want to keep you waiting .
This is the reason I chose this month to be the month the twins get into the argument , because I was setting them up for a showdown ... the ultimate wild card showdown !
Ever wondered which of the wild cards is the strongest ?! Well , you're about to find out in the next part ! .... at least from this AU standpoint , but I digress .
Oh , but what about the guest I had mentioned ? That will have to wait , since the twins are still not nearly as strong as I need them to be . Granted the hypnotism is a good opportunity for me to forcefully buff them to their strongest Personas , but I also want them conscious . Until then , I hope this will have you on the edge of your seat .
Two wild cards in the ring , only one victor ! Which one will it be ? And will this battle be the last battle for SEES ? Stick around for the next part to find out , and please consider voting and commenting your thoughts on the story so far , and I'll see you soon . Stay safe .