View source for Phantom's Return (Phantom)

{{Cutscene Header
|Date of Scene=2025/02/10
|Location=Phantom Empire - Mirage's Throne Room
|Synopsis=CW: Torture, Emotional Manipulation

Deep Mirror deprograms Phantom and returns him to the Phantom Empire - but something stubbornly attempts to remain.
|Cast of Characters=241
|Tinyplot=The Precure Hunter Attacks!? The Dreaded Precure Graveyard!
}}
''Fight Back!''

Those words echoed in Phantom's head. But they had gotten quieter and quieter during the battle. As Phantom took on the various heroes in the outside world... inside his head, Deep Mirror had taken root again. "Your mission isn't complete." came the voice. "It is time to return." 

Even as he was defending himself from the Ginga Hamna's strike, Phantom felt... ''something''. "It lingers. I cannot silence it." 

A scoffing noise came from the mirror within. "That is because you allow it to." 

There was a pause, a flinch in his mind that caused him to miss a sure strike on Cure Sharpsong in the physical, "I don't---"

Coldness filled the air as red tendrils wrapped around Phantom's metaphysical form. "You do. Just like they do. You have let it fester, let it lower your resolve. And for ''what''? A fleeting sentiment? A useless, fragile bond?" 

Images of Philip and Chiyo on a date to the park go through Phantom's mind. "It's not useless..." 

A sharp electrical current coursed through Phantom's form as he cried out. Outside, it was Cure La Licorne coming to the rescue of Sharpsong. But there was more to it - while he was fighting multiple magicals to a stand-still on the outside... inside...

"Of course it is..." Deep Mirror responded, separating Phantom from Philip. "Look at him. He's weak. Attachments have made him vulnerable. You are exposed. Once, you would have mirrored both Precures and this battle would be over... you hesitate when you strike, falter when you should stand. Tell me... what has she given you?" Before him is Chiyo, dressed as she was when she worked at the shop. "Strength? Doubtful." 

Phantom gritted his teeth, "She's strong..." and that's when another coursing wave of dark energy was sent through the tendrils and into Phantom. He screamed in pain and agony, before he dropped to his knees and the world went dark. 

Time passed.

"Pantom-kun~" the voice was distinctly feminine. It tugged at the edges of his subconscious as he stirred awake. "Phannnnnnntom-kun~~" it repeated, and as Phantom opened his eyes, he found himself looking down at the pink and white checkerboard tile and columns of Queen Mirage's throne room. 

"I was so worried about you!" the Queen offered in mock-sympathy. "Why, when Deep Mirror said that you had been captured, I was ready to put all my forces into finding you." 

That's not how it went... for some reason, Phantom can't remember exactly what it was, but he ''knows'' that he wasn't captured. Mirage continued, however, "We had to have someone watch the graveyard, and since you were gone, Scorn has filled in admirably! But now you're back and together we can..." 

The words died in Phantom's mind. Scorn. Mirage. What was it that he couldn't remember? Why does it all feel so wrong - why does he want to... his head raised, his eyes focused on the mirror that was mounted on the wall - more suspended in mid-air above Mirage's throne. 

Phantom reacted. Launching from his kneeling position, the tiles cracking beneath him from the force of the launch. Phantom's hand went for the blade at the small of his back, yanking it out and grasping it with both hands. He raised it over his head, intending to drive the blade into the mirror - ''just as he had been urging Chiyo to do when she ran her blade into  his Eternal Gauge'' - when suddenly his arms and legs are captured in ribboned tendrils from the mirror and his short sword skitters falls from his hand and skitters along the floor. "Mirage, you need to--!" 

Electricity coursed through him once again as the Mirror intoned in Phantom's mind as he slipped back into unconsciousness. "You're not quite fixed. A few more sessions are in order." 

The last thing he heard as slipped under was Mirage. Queen Mirage. "Worry not, Phantom-kun. You are back where you always should have been."

"Welcome back to the Phantom Empire."