A/n: Just a small FYI-Mikono's Persona will have different magic skills than those found in the game. I must also apologize for the lateness of these next five chapters. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter! Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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Sphinx tried her best to get back on her feet. She slipped a few times due to her exhaustion and never could steady herself. She gave up with a frustrated sigh, slumping forward as she sat on her knees. "I'm so exhausted I can't even stand..."

"Don't push yourself," Joker said, kneeling in front of her. "What you did back there was incredible. I would be surprised if you weren't exhausted."

"It's only natural for you to be drained, especially after just awakening your Persona," Mona added, smiling up at Sphinx as it placed its paw against her arm.

"But I'm not gonna tap out," Sphinx proclaimed. "We still have that treasure to find. I hate to ask, but...could someone give me a hand?"

"You're gonna need more than a hand," Skull retorts, crossing his arms. "How 'bout one of us carries you?"

She quickly shook her head. "No way! I'd feel guilty if someone were to-"

"I'll do it," Joker interrupted the girl before she could finish her thought. It was a command more than anything. By the tone of his voice, the others knew he wouldn't budge on his decision and there was no room for arguments.

The young girl knew it was futile, but she tried to change his mind regardless. "I-I couldn't possibly-!"

"It's fine," he said, once again, heckling her. He turned his back to her, which she assumed was a small gesture for her to hop on his back.

Reluctantly, she nodded. "A-All right..." The inky-haired girl managed to mount Joker's back with little to no issues. She wrapped her arms loosely around his neck in order to avoid choking him as he hooked his arms around her knees and slowly got to his feet. When he did, he readjusted her position on his back.

Skull crossed his arms, watching the scene with a sour expression. He could feel a tinge of jealously tug at his heart, but he refused to show it on his face. Averting his gaze, his eyes landed on the immense bird cage. With gritted teeth, he eyed the illusion of his best friend struggling feebly at the chains that bound her to the bed. Seeing the tears on her face forced him to look away. "I'm gonna punch the shit outta that asshole. I don't care if we're not supposed to beat him up. He's gonna get an ass kicking from me!"

"Kamoshida isn't our target," Mona scowled at the blonde. "We're after the treasure, not him."

"Didn't you hear me?" He growled. "I don't care! I'm gonna-!"

"As much as I want to smack Kamoshida around, Mona's right," Sphinx said, lifting her head from Joker's shoulder and staring at her best friend. "Honestly, I was glad he escaped before I could attack him. I was blinded by anger. If I had managed to prevent him from escaping, I wouldn't have known when the punishment would've end. In the end, I would've stooped to his level."

Skull hung his head with a heavy sigh. "You're right... Shit, I don't even know what to do anymore!"

"Let's get moving," Mona advised. "We find the treasure, we stop Kamoshida. That's what our focus should be."

"All right," Joker said. "Let's go."

The group left the room, leaving behind the chained-up doll. They listened to the rattling chains as they trekked down the stairwell and through the door. Halfway down the steps, Sphinx rested her head on Joker's shoulder just as she lost consciousness. The frizzy-haired boy turned his head slightly, peering from the corner of his eye to check on her. When he saw the peaceful expression on her face and felt her breathing was even, he was relieved.

Mona, with help from Skull, pulled the door shut and sighed in relief when it closed with a faint 'click.'

"I do feel kinda bad leavin' her in that cage," Skull confesses.

"Why?" Mona inquired. "The real Sphinx is with us."

"That's just it," he retorts. "It may just be a weird-lookin' doll that looks like her, but..."

"It's still her," Joker finished the boy's thought.

"Yeah, exactly!" He glanced over at the unconscious girl on his friend's back. Memories of their first meeting flashed through his mind and a faint smile tugged at his lips. When the happy images turned into nightmares plagued by Kamoshida, he shook his head and ridded himself of the tainted pictures. "This shit with Kamoshida has gone on way too long," he growled under his breath.

"We will stop him," Joker reassures when he overheard him. "Not just for Sphinx's sake, but for everyone's."

"Now that's what I like to hear," Mona smiles widely.

Walking down the hallway, the group passed an area blocked by bars. They opted to check back later once they found a way through the metal barrier and continued through another door down the hallway. Their bodies tensed up when they saw the room was crawling with guards. Wondering what their next move would be, they hid behind a pillar. Joker carefully detached Sphinx's body from his back and placed her body on the ground, her back leaning against the pillar.

Mona and Skull followed Joker's movements as he memorized the guards' movements and targeted one of them. He snuck up behind it and leapt onto its back, ripping off its mask. It took him and the others a few seconds to eliminate the enemy and only a couple minutes to destroy the remaining ones prowling through the room.

With the path now clear, the trio returned to Sphinx. Skull was faster than Joker and scooped up the unconscious girl's body into his arms. Her head lulled to the side, reclining against his shoulder. He glanced down at her and admired the peaceful expression on her face.

"What're you doing?" Mona demanded, frowning at Skull when he wasn't following them. "Hurry up before more Shadows show up!"

"R-Right..." Skull stuttered. He readjusted his grip on his best friend before rejoining Joker and Mona.

The two boys and cat walked through another door and entered a hallway. They discovered a safe room and immediately took shelter within. As the door closed behind them, they heard the shouts from guards and their footfalls as they dashed past the door. Joker and Skull exchanged glances, worried the assailants would burst through the door at any second. When their heavy footsteps vanished, the two boys sighed.

Skull sauntered over to a plush couch and placed Sphinx down gently. He stared at her for a few seconds before turning and eyeing his other companions. "Aren't there even more Shadows here than before? Just gettin' this far's been a real pain in my ass!"

"It's all because you guys provoked Kamoshida, you know," Mona sighed with a frown. "Still...he seems to be awfully on guard..."

"Anyways, how're we supposed to steal that treasure thing?"

"Don't be so hasty," the feline scolded. "First, we'll need to secure an infiltration route."

The blonde crossed his arms with knitted brows. "A what?"

It smiled. "A path to the treasure's location." Then, its smile faded. "But honestly, I think we'll need a little more manpower in order to accomplish this with Sphinx out of commission. If she were awake, we wouldn't have to worry. One more person is exactly what we need..."

Skull walked over, standing between Joker and Mona. He glanced down at the feline with a suspicious look. "Hey, you say you don't have your memories and all, but somehow you still know about that kinda stuff?" He turned his questioning gaze to Joker, uncrossing his arms with a huff. "Do you think this thing's really got amnesia?"

"I believe in Mona," he responded. "It's the reason why we've made it this far."

The feline smiled giddily up at Joker. "At least you're a step above that moron."

"Don't call me a moron!" Skull hissed with a glower. "You sure talk big, but what if it turns out you're just some stray cat in the end?"

It shook its head with a depressed frown. "That can't be..."

All three suddenly fell silent when the guards returned, standing directly on the other side of the door. "Still, why was the princess in such an odd place?" They heard one guard question.

Skull's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Princess...?" He then looked over at Sphinx. "I thought she was the princess..."

Mona shushed the boy and pressed its ear against the door to listen more closely.

"I could have sworn we were pursuing the readings of an intruder..." One guard confessed.

"It doesn't matter now. We must take her back to King Kamoshida!" Another Shadow declared.

"What about the other princess?"

"Kamoshida wants her back, but we lost track of her and those other intruders."

Their footsteps vanished and Skull took advantage of the silence to ask a question. "Who's this other princess they're talkin' about? If Sphinx is with us...who is the second princess? And why the hell does Kamoshida have two of 'em?"

With a determined gaze, Mona announced, "I should probably look into this!" The cat opened the door and rushed out of the room without hesitation.

Skull hung his head, heaving out a sigh. "And yet more questions go unanswered..." He rubbed his fingers across the back of his neck, looking toward Joker. "Stuff like the castle and that navigation app are mysterious...but Morgana's got 'em both beat."

Joker smirked as he remembered what Sphinx said before they entered the castle. She mentioned how the blonde would be the one who'd need a reminder of the code names they had for one another. She hit the nail on the head and he couldn't stop from laughing. "You mean Mona, right?"

Skull physically tensed up when realizing his slip-up. "Crap, sorry! What was I again?" He had to stop and pause for a brief second before recalling his code name. "Oh yeah, Skull!"

The door to the safe room opened with a creak and Mona popped its head into the room, clearly panicking. "This is bad!"

"That was fast!" Skull gasped.

"Your friend... Lady Ann!" It shrieked. "She's been taken by Shadows!"

Joker and Skull were taken aback at the revelation. The blonde stared down at the frantic feline and asked for clarification. "Wait, what? We sent her home earlier."

"If Lady Ann does indeed have the app, it could be possible."

"Oh no... Don't tell me it got put on hers just like mine?!" The teen winced at the possibility. "Dammit! We let her out for her own safety, and she just came back in by herself!"

"Let's find her before it's too late," Joker said.

"Wait!" Skull protested. "What 'bout Mi-Sphinx? We can't just leave her here!"

"She'll be fine!" Mona reassures. "She'll be safe here. Let's go before it's too late!"

<------<<<<<

Inside the Velvet Room, Mikono sat across from Igor. Theodore, as usual, stood behind the plush couch she was sitting on. Glancing downward, she saw a single tarot card displayed in the middle of the coffee table. It was flipped over with the familiar mask facing upward, the front hidden from sight. She stared at it while the eerie man across from her chuckled darkly. "Such immense power. I never expected less from you." He saw her eyes were laser-focused on the card sitting on the coffee. His smirk grew as another chortle slipped from his lips. "It seems you're quite curious about your role."

"Is this the same blank card you showed me during my first visit?" Mikono inquired. She reached out to flip it over, but she hesitated and retracted her hand.

"Oh?" Igor hummed, astonished she was able to stave her curiosity. "Was I wrong? Do you not desire to see what power you wield?"

"No, you're not wrong," she answered. "But...I am afraid."

Igor reaches out and grabs the tarot card. "Fear is irrelevant. Now then, shall we?" He held up the card, grinning from ear-to-ear.

Mikono nodded. "Yes, let's."

With nimble fingers, Igor turns the card around as an image slowly appears on the pure white side. The image of a black shadow grinning maniacally as it pulled the strings attached to a skeleton appeared on the card. Once the image was clear as day, something else began to appear on the bottom of the card just below the unsettling image. Squinting, Mikono realized letters were materializing. When she saw it spelt something, she stared at it for a few seconds before realizing what words the letters were forming.

Le Marionnettiste

"That's..." Mikono recognized it was French. She wasn't familiar with the language, but she knew what it spelt after dissecting the image above the writing with her eyes.

Suddenly, the statue of Sekhmet located behind Igor started to illuminate. Hieroglyphs appeared across the stone goddess' body as they radiated with a golden hue. The light soon became too harsh and Mikono promptly covered her eyes. The entire Velvet Room was engulfed in the golden glow, blinding everyone. The hieroglyphs expanded before exploding, taking the stone sculpture with it.

When Mikono opened her eyes and looked back at the statue, all she saw was a pile of debris. The other four statues remained intact. She was puzzled as to why the statue of Sekhmet suddenly exploded without warning. "Why did...?"

The card in Igor's hand suddenly combusted into flames. The ashes floated downward toward the coffee table before evaporating into nothingness. He simply grinned at her, ignoring her confusion. "Welcome to the game, Puppeteer."

<------<<<<<

Sphinx's eyes fluttered open as she regained consciousness. She stared up at the ceiling, wondering where she was. The plush cushions underneath her dipped as she sat up on the couch and examined her surroundings. Seeing the room was vacant, she shot to her feet and searched for the others. Clueless as to where they were, she left the safe room.

"Where could they've gone?" Sphinx muttered to herself. She sauntered down the hallway and entered another vacant room. There were no Shadows prowling around and no sign of her friends. She continued forward and reentered the hallway with the unsettling "Black Dove" door. What caught her eye was the branching hallway that was once obscured by metal bars. Her eyes narrowed as she heard what sounded like fighting resonating from the other side of the door.

Sphinx's heels were muffled by the plush crimson rug underneath as she stormed toward the door. Her eyes veered to the armor displays on either side of the hall, praying they were empty. When she reached the door, she flung it open and her eyes widened in shock. Joker, Skull, and Mona were pinned down by Shadows while another figure cladded in a skintight red suit used a Persona to attack the guards. Seeing who it was, she gasped. "Takamaki-chan...?"

Said girl turned her head and spotted her classmate. She immediately recognized her voice and gaped when realizing she was no longer dressed in her school uniform. "Tsutsui-chan?"

Sphinx regretted distracting Takamaki when the Shadows charged at her. Acting quickly, she tore off her mask and summoned Sekhmet. "Inferno Blade!" The lioness' golden khopesh glinted with a bright light before flames erupted from the blade. She swung her blade, the flames consuming the Shadows as the weapon sliced through their bodies.

Takamaki admired the girl's Persona before using her whip and disposing of the remaining Shadows trying to attack her. She then met her classmate's gaze with a determined expression. "Let's team up, Tsutsui-chan!"

Sphinx nodded, grabbing her dual blades. "I'm right behind you, Takamaki-chan!"

The two girls stood side-by-side, facing the guards who pinned Joker, Skull, and Mona to the floor with their feet. The pig-tailed girl swung her whip, cracking it against the floor. "Let's do this! Carmen!"

"Sekhmet!" Sphinx shouted.

The two girls, with their weapons and Personas, eliminated the remaining guards and freed the others before directing their full attention toward the guard captain. It transformed, standing protectively in front of Kamoshida. "How dare you deny King Kamoshida's love, you selfish lasses?! Pay for this insolence with your lives!"

Takamaki glared at the Shadow. "That dirtbag just sees women as sexual outlets! Don't make me laugh with that "love" bullshit!"

"Dirt is more worthy than that asshole!" Sphinx added, her own fierce glare boring into the enemy. "Let's do this together, Takamaki-chan. Let's end this quickly."

The blonde-haired girl nodded. "I couldn't agree more." She then gestured to the being standing behind her. "C'mon, Carmen! Let's give 'em hell!"

"Let's burn them to a crisp, Sekhmet," Sphinx grinned. The Egyptian Goddess releases a roar and attacks at the girl's command. Takamaki commanded Carmen, who also favored fire. Side-by-side, the two girls teamed up and used their abilities to defeat the powerful Shadow.

It howled in pain before its body bursted and vanished, leaving behind a defenseless Kamoshida. He sweated profusely, fearing what was next for him. "Oh shit!" He cursed before storming off.

"Wait...!" Takamaki shouted. She tried to chase after him, but she was too weak and having difficulty catching her breath. She collapsed to her knees as the two boys and feline joined her and Sphinx. The inky-haired girl kneeled beside her classmate, worried for her health.

"Why'd you come here, man?!" Skull demanded, staring down at Takamaki. "And more importantly, how?!"

"Hey!" Mona lashed out, glowering at him. "Is that how you speak to a woman?!"

Sphinx placed her hand on Takamaki's back and peered worriedly into her face. "How're you feeling, Takamaki-chan?" Suddenly, her hand radiated a light green before returning to normal. She noticed and became perplexed. "What the...?"

The pigtailed-wearing girl looked up at her, astonished as the small amount of pain she was in vanishing. "Wh-What did you do, Tsutsui-chan? I feel...better."

"I-I don't know," she confesses the truth.

Mona eyed the two girls, concern prominent on its face. "Are you all right, Lady Ann, Sphinx?"

"Lady Ann?" Takamaki parroted, confused at the formality and choosing to ignore Mikono's code name. That's when she began spewing questions left and right. "What, what is this thing? Is it alive...? How can it talk? And...where in the world are we?!"

Mona waved its paws around in an attempt to soothe Takamaki. "J-Just calm down. Everything's going to be okay; don't worry."

She placed her hand on the cat's head and used it as a crutch to push herself off the floor. "How am I supposed to calm down?!" She took note of her pink gloves when removing her hand from Mona's head before examining the rest of her attire. Seeing she was no longer in her school uniform and now wore something more revealing, she swiftly covered her cleavage and tried to hide from the two boys. "Why am I dressed like this?! When did I-ugh, what's with this?!"

"Calm down, Takamaki-san," Joker advised. "We'll explain everything."

"A search party will be coming for us soon," Mona informed. "There's no time to explain. We don't have a choice. Let's retreat for now!"

Skull scratched the top of his head with a frustrated sigh. "We were just gettin' fired up, and you had to go and get the way..."

Sphinx stood up and elbowed him in the side, offering him a sharp glare as he rubbed his side with a faint, "Ouch!" She crosses her arms, eyes narrowed. "Zip it, Thug. She just awakened her Persona like me. You should know how exhausting it was the first time you awakened yours."

"You seem fine..." He grumbled. "And don't call me "Thug"!"

"I'm still not feeling all that well. The first battle took a lot out of me and this one took even more. I feel like I'm gonna pass out again..."

"Need another piggyback ride?" Joker offered.

She shook her head, smiling at the boy. "I appreciate it, but I think I can make it back to the entrance. You two should help Takamaki-chan."

Skull groaned, knowing his best friend was right. "Ugh, fine. Here...gimme your arm," he addressed Takamaki before looking toward Joker. "You take the other side."

Working in sync, Joker and Skull each took one of Takamaki's arms and helped her to her feet. Her arms were around their necks and she meekly thanked them before they began their trek back to the entrance.