"SweetTreat." Shiho whispered as she glanced at her best friend.
"Hm? Oh yeah." Ann replied, but wasn't really paying attention. Not only was she dealing with complex emotions, Ren's words still hadn't left her head, and now they were headed straight towards that waste of oxygen. She really didn't want to deal with him. But!! She isn't a quitter!
"I trust you. You are strong. Stronger than me." Shiho stated as she locked eyes with the blonde. "I'll always have your back."
"Thanks Dove." Ann said with a smile. "I needed that. I don't like feeling like this…"
"Although, I don't think I am stronger than you. You have been radiant. I'm proud of you…" she added gently.
'Although I'm frustrated with myself, I can't believe how fast she's changing. I'm envious of that confidence.' Ann thought. 'I display confidence, but am I confident? Who is Ann?'
Shiho noticed that Ann had fallen back into thought, and gently patted her shoulder. She caught Ren's eyes as she gave a quick thumbs up towards her.
'He should worry more about himself. But I guess that's what makes him, him.' She thought with a smile.
'Not strong enough yet.' Scáthach said simply.
Shiho just slightly giggled in response.
---
The group stopped outside a room.
"Kamoshida's Training Room of Love?" Ren read the sign above the door with disgust.
"Sounds like him." Shiho growled. "Arrogant bastard."
'Scáthach really is making her more assertive and forward.' Ren thought in surprise.
'Hehehe, The Tower is a cutie, but I prefer The Lovers!' Pixie cackled back
'I don't know who you're talking about anymore. Aren't you The Lovers?' Ren asked in confusion.
Pixie just blew a raspberry.
'You'll find out in time mon ami. The fae are very playful. Don't get pulled into her pace.' Arsene chuckled.
Opening the door gently, Morgana poked his head into the room before waving the team to come in.
They entered the room carefully. The room was open, the sound of sneakers squeaking on the floor. The scent of the metaverse was pretty much the same everywhere. Mementos has its own scent, but this particular room was gross. The smell of floor wax and sweat was overwhelming. They didn't see anything but they were being careful. Keeping to the walls and hiding behind pedestals and bookcases. A group of cognitions jogged in a group towards the center of the room, before standing at attention facing the door in the back of the room.
Soon enough Kamoshida walked in, arrogance displayed on his face, crown upon his head. Of course he was wearing his royal shawl and speedo. On the right side of him was a blonde woman, who else but cognitive Ann. On the left, a cognitive raven-haired girl. It was Shiho! Both cognitions were in bikinis, the cognitive Ann with an airheaded expression. What was truly disturbing was the slave girl accessories on the cognitive Shiho.
"Grrrrrrrr. That bastard!" Ann growled in anger upon seeing the cognitions, gripping her fists tightly and winding up to punch the floor.
Luckily, Shiho caught her hand before it fell. She gently squeezed Ann's hand with a strained smile, as her other hand raised to her mouth in a shushing gesture.
"Ahhhh, hello my kittens." Kamoshida said with a content sigh. "Always nice when others understand their place."
"Kamoshida-sensei~~!" The group responded.
Reaching to either side of him he draped his arms over the shoulders of the cognitive Ann and Shiho.
"Oh my princess and little rabbit," he said as he licked his lips. "With bodies like those, you're exactly where you need to be."
Ann was grinding her teeth while glaring at him. 'Don't treat us like pieces of meat!'
"Women." Kamoshida scoffed. "All they need to do is be cooperative. Right ladies?"
"A body like that, a face like that — it opens doors. That's a gift. The girls who don't understand that, who waste it trying to be something else—" He shook his head. "Sad, really."
"We love you Kamoshida-sensei!"
"Spank me!"
Ann was at the end of her rope. 'Scum. Scum. Scum!'
Ren, Ryuji and Morgana were in shock. How could someone genuinely think this way?
Kamoshida began to rotate his arms, hands reaching towards the chests of the two cognitions.
Ann had enough.
"Fuck you, you piece of shit! That's not me!" Ann yelled in fury as she grabbed the Tommy gun from the bag on Ryuji's back. Breaking from Shiho's hand holding. She started firing haphazardly, killing her own cognition, along with the Shiho cognition. Kamoshida had hopped back in fear, and guards appeared from the hallways. They were surrounded!
"Oh, it's the REAL Ann." Kamoshida said with wide eyes, before his face transformed into a sick grin. His eyes felt like they were licking her. It was a disgusting feeling. She had felt it numerous times before. She knows she is good looking. But seeing it so blatantly set something off in her.
'So you finally see?' A voice giggled from within.
Ann felt like her head was splitting and she collapsed to her knees screaming and thrashing. She couldn't understand Ren's instructions to the group. She could barely see. Her face hurt! Her head hurt!
'Yes! That is not me!' Ann mentally yelled. 'I'm so sick of being seen!'
'Good. You are you. Claim yourself. No one owns you!' the voice boomed with glee.
Ann stopped her thrashing suddenly before whipping her head up, glaring forward, her eyes burning an eerie gold, a cat-like mask on her face
"Wait, is that?" Ryuji said in shock
Suddenly a shockwave spread out with Ann as its epicenter.
"Hell yeah it is!" Morgana cheered.
'I knew you could do it Ann.' Shiho thought with a gentle smile.
"You know the drill guys!" Ren yelled.
Encircling Ann protectively, the group drew their guns, firing at the feet of the shadows that were charging and forcing them back.
"Tch. Another one." Kamoshida clicked his tongue.
Ann was standing up, her eyes still locked onto Shadow Kamoshida. She raised her hand and gripped the edge of her mask before ripping it off with all her might. To Shadow Kamoshida it appeared to have occurred in slow motion.
"Come to me! CARMEN!" Ann yelled as she burst into blue flames.
Seconds later she walked out into the open. A tommy gun in one hand, a long leather whip in the other. She was wearing a skintight cat-like bodysuit, with a matching mask. She even had a tail accessory clipped to her back!
"Kamoshida!" Ann yelled as she snapped her new whip. "I'm gonna castrate you!!"
---