The world faded from view as the creature launched a killing strike on Tsubaki for the third time, and she barely scrambled out of reach of its single minded determination. The voice on her head grew to encompass her entire being, and her minds eye saw a pale, faceless queen on a skeleton throne, looking down on Tsubaki imperiously.

[I]Is my other half really so powerless that she leaves her fate in the hands of others, cowering behind strangers to cling to a few more seconds? Are you really so worthless as to blindly accept whatever path is laid out to you?[/i] 

The words stung Tsubaki, and she was about to respond in anger when another voice filled her mind.

[Color=red]"Tsubaki, leave that stick alone. I can't believe my daughter would be interested in something so barbaric as fighting."[/color]

A little bit of her faded away as she responded automatically.

"Yes father..."

[Color=red]"Tsubaki, come straight home after school. My daughter has no time for friends."[/color]

"Yes father..." the girl repeated, a little more of her fading into the darkness as she did. It didn't matter. As long as father was happy with her, she didn't need to be herself.

The faceless queen looked down on her in smug disappointment, knowing she had won the argument she had started. Still, it was a pity. Such a waste.

The girl felt a bit of anger return to her at being looked down on like that. A little of her old resentment crept back into her features as she fought against the darkness.

[Color=red]"Tsubaki, you're calling in sick from school today. School festivals are a waste of time, and I-"[/Color]

"I refuse." The girl said, focusing directly on the smug queen. The voice cut off the instant she spoke, like a recording, but the queen sat up a bit straighter.

"I refuse. I'm done being a pawn. I'm done pretending to be someone I'm not."

The faceless queen leaned forward in her seat, propping her chin in one hand. "Oh? Is that So? Tell me then, what is your name, you who are not a pawn? Who art thou?"

"I am Tsubaki Matsushida, and I am Thou."

Her last words seemed to come from somewhere within herself, deeper than she had ever felt before, but they felt right. The world faded back in a rush with a blast of heat, and Tsubaki found herself standing in the center of the hallway.

"Persephone." She called, reaching to that deep part of herself. Behind her a woman materialized, hanging by ropes bound to her arms. Looking closer, the ropes were actually cables and wires, disappearing into the wall and extending farther still, all connected back to her Persona. A bundle of wires separated from the rest and reached toward Tsubaki, gently wrapping around her arms, torso and neck, the ends painlessly sinking into her skin and connecting her to that same network. She saw then, more than she had ever seen before. She saw and she KNEW.

"Stop! Fire won't work, use ice or wind!"