Chase The Truth

Chapter 9: Girl in the Tower

Begin!

~Normal POV

4/18 - Monday

Immediately after school, they jumped back into the tv world and returned to the castle. It didn't take long to notice that the floors changed layout since the first time they came here. That was bound to be a nuisance. But the biggest difference they saw was on the second floor, where Chie got her Persona yesterday.

Upon entering the circular room again, they found Yukiko- or rather what they assumed was probably Yukiko's Shadow. She was still dressed up in that princess outfit and was glowing with that strange blue mist.

"Yukiko...?" Chie called out, confusedly.

"Yukiko-san! Are you alright?!" Yosuke shouted. The girl didn't respond.

"Yukiko... what's wrong?" Chie asked.

Yukiko turned and smiled at them in a strange way, and laughed loudly. "Oh, my! Special guests? I wonder how they'll play into all this! Things are really heating up! Okie-dokie! I'm going back to hunt for my Prince Charming! Ohh, where could he be...? This place is huge! It's so exciting, but it makes it so hard to find him! Ooo, maybe he's playing hide and seek in the fog! Ready or not, here I come! Let's go further in, then, shall we?"

It didn't sound like she cared at all what they had to say to her. "What the hell is this?" Yosuke asked.

"You're not Yukiko... Who are you!?" Chie screamed.

Yukiko laughed again. "What are you talking about? I'm Yukiko... Yukiko is me."

Chie only got more agitated at this revelation. "Where's the real Yukiko?!"

"Well, I'm off again!" The clone said, cheerfully. "You'd better be waiting with bells on my dear Prince!" Without another word, she disappeared through the door behind her- almost daring them to follow.

"That was the other part of herself," Teddie said.

"So it is just like what happened to us," Yosuke added.

"And I don't think she was excited for nothing," Teddie added. "The real Yukiko wants to show us something. I can feel it. It's hard to explain... It's like she has a strong connection to this castle..."

"Well, as long as we can see her Shadow, that means Yukiko is still safe. She's probably on the upper floors somewhere," Yu said, "Let's follow her."

The gang pressed onwards, up the next flight of stairs, wondering what could have been causing Yukiko so much grief that she'd lose it like this...

~...

After going up several more floors, all while having to fight off Shadows in their way, they finally reached the end of the line. A tower room at the very top of the castle. (How appropriate, Yu thought, snarkily.) The tower room also served as the throne room too. Here they found Yukiko's Shadow perched on a raised pedestal next to her throne. While the real Yukiko was sitting silently on the floor at the base of the pedestal. Thankfully, she appeared to be unharmed, but she ignored Chie calling out for her.

"Oh?" Yukiko's Shadow said, snapping her attention to their presence. "Ooo, what's this? Three princes are here to see me?! My, my! Are you the surprise guests who came in late? Aww, I wish I'd gotten a better look at you!" She smiled sweetly, softening her voice; and it was impossible to tell who she was actually talking to. "My, it's getting crowded here. Why don't you and I go somewhere else...? A land far, far away, where no one knows me. If you're my Prince, you'd take me there, won't you? Come on... pretty please?"