He hadn't wanted to leave. Every deity he could think of swearing by knew that he didn't want to leave, yet fate was cruel more often than kind. Ren Amamiya's final road trip with the Phantom Thieves had culminated in a fantastic meal, the mood at which had been less than jovial; the imminent departure of their beloved leader was far too great a put-down to be fixed by high-quality steaks.
The man himself had valiantly fought back tears at the station platform, and was powerless to stop them when he found himself in the middle of a Phantom Thieves group hug. He found some amusement at what that must have looked like from an outside perspective, a delinquent sobbing inelegantly between the bodies of five students and a younger girl, all whist a cat rubbed his face with its own.
One by one, they had broke off, starting with Yusuke Kitagawa, who smoothed off his shirt and framed the scene in his fingers before chuckling and lowering his hands.
"No painting would do us justice."
Next to step away was Haru Okumura, wiping tears away from both her face and Ren's with a rolled sleeve.
"Good luck! You had better visit!" She made no effort to hide the waver in her voice.
Ann Takamaki and Makoto Niijima stepped away at the same time.
"We're taking nothing less than a video call, you know!"
"And you better keep up your studies! No slacking off because I'm not around!"
"Don't worry Queen, I'll keep him in line." Morgana raised a paw from Ren's shoulder, and was almost shaken off when Ryuji clapped the other and shook enthusiastically.
"Yeah, don't worry about it! This guy is gonna ace whatever they throw at him!"
That left only Futaba Sakura holding onto Ren, hugged against his chest. He placed a hand on her head, prompting her to look at him.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"Mmmhnn...no." She forced a smile. "But I'll manage."
With that, she let her arms drop and she stepped back. On cue, the station intercom announced the arrival of the next train, and it soon arrived in the station with a metallic screech. For a single moment, Ren imagined the unnatural red of Mementos spilling from the windows, and with a blink that thought was gone.
"I…" Emotion closed his throat. "What else can I say, other than thank you?"
"Oh, I don't know…" Ann said. "Maybe an apology for all the sass?"
"Not a chance."
He laughed through the tears, and the train doors opened.
"I'll see you all again. Soon. Not a chance I can forget you."
"Oh, quit it dude, you're gonna make us cry again!"
"I believe that ship has sailed." Yusuke pointed to Haru and Futaba, who were making no effort to stop the tears streaming down their faces while they held each other. The latter raised a middle finger to Yusuke in response.
"Sh-sh-shut it, Inari."
Ren couldn't help but laugh again.
"Summer. We'll meet in summer, I swear."
"We'll hold you to it, dude. Knock 'em dead."
Ren turned away, stepping onto the train and waited for the door to close. He punctuated the doors closing with a pair of weak finger guns, watching his teammates groan at the action. He found his seat as the train pulled away, the tears falling again as Tokyo was left behind, at least for the time being.
The following four weeks had each felt a year long. There was no great fanfare for Ren's return, only an embrace from his parents and a brief notice from the principle. From there, it was life as normal, as normal as it could get with that endless void in his heart. He felt as if he had left a piece of himself behind. That probably wasn't too far from the truth. Having Morgana around definitely helped, but he could see the same hollow expression in the feline's eyes as he stared off into space from time to time.
It was the most hideous feeling.
Of course he'd be drawing the same reproachful eyes, of course he knew that the rumours would spread. After all, no official apology had been given, only a quiet rescindment of his record. All of his fellow students simply must have thought he had completed his probation with no issue and returned to cause more trouble. Yes, that must have been it. Where he had gotten the money for the headphones that were permanently situated around his neck was anyone's guess. They didn't know just how close the bonds he had formed with his fellow thieves were, and now he felt more outcast than ever.
It wasn't the stares and rumours he garnered that bothered him, it was the hole in his heart. He was well aware that there would be no way to prepare for it, and no easy way to close it. He often found his thoughts drifting back to Tokyo, back to the Phantom Thieves, to a place where they were happy, where he was happy. His deep thought was just as often snapped away by a sharp rebuke for him to pay attention in class, which was almost always followed by self-righteous stares and mutterings. He endured it; taking top score in exams would wipe those smirks away.
"Morgana."
"Hm?"
Ren was lying on his bed, aimlessly scrolling through news feeds, wondering what is friends were up to, and wondering if that camera on his phone was really off like the absence of its light suggested. Morgana was sat on his chest.
"What is it?"
Ren thought for a few more seconds before sighing and dropping his arm to the mattress.
"Forget it. Stupid question."
"Hey, don't give me that." Morgana shuffled forward, his nose now mere centimeters from Ren's. "What's wrong?"
"No, really, it's a stupid question."
Morgana studied his face for a few seconds.
"Let me guess… you were going to ask if I think your heart's becoming distorted."
Ren chuckled.
"I can't hide anything, can I?"
"Not from your teammates, no. And no, that can't be happening. Not only are you a Per- an ex-Persona user, but Mementos and the Metaverse dissipated. There's no medium for a Palace to grow in."
"I told you, stupid question."
The pair were silent for a few moments.
"Ren. I know you feel like you left your heart back there."
He groaned.
"But you gotta carry on."
"I know, I know."
He was interrupted by his phone buzzing. He almost didn't look at the screen but a hard glare from Morgana made him reconsider.
From: Hackerchan
Oh my GOD get a grip, you're making me relapse here ლಠ益ಠ)ლ
He was fairly certain he knew why her timing was so perfect.
To: Hackerchan
Tell Ryuji he owes me 500 yen
From: Hackerchan
Not until you cheer up
From: Hackerchan
wait why
To: Hackerchan
You've been watching, haven't you?
"Whoops, busted." Morgana smirked.
From: Hackerchan
CAN IT, CAT.
From: Hackerchan
...damn it.
Ren was rolling with laughter now; how much had she seen, how much had she heard? It didn't matter, it was just too much for him.
From: Hackerchan
AND YOU CAN STOP TOO, LOVER-BOY 凸(皿)凸
To: Hackerchan
Stop, my lungs can't take much more
"See?" Morgana said. "No distortions here, just plain old human emotion."
"Shame, the distortion'd be easier to fix."
The last of his laughing fit died off, and he breathed deeply for a few seconds. He honestly felt much better.
"It's so weird, not seeing each other all the time."
"It's gonna take a whole day to catch up when you do meet up again."
"I'm looking forward to it. Not looking forward to the four months until then though.
"One day at a time, Joker."
From: Hackerchan
Listen to the cat, mister.
"Yeah. One day at a time."
Yusuke stared at the canvas. The canvas stared back. It was taunting him. This was the third piece he had created in Ren's absence, and it was the third piece where his own unsettled mind had contaminated it.
To the untrained eye, it was just a painting capturing the moment a dancer leaped up into the air, lengths of scarlet ribbon wound around her legs and arms, a fan of black hair trailing behind her upturned face and preserving her modesty. But Yusuke could see the faults. The longer he examined his work, the more her expression seemed to shift from neutral poise to a grimace, and those streamers wound around her began to look more like chain links. Such themes had recurred in his previous works, and Yusuke was beginning to suspect that he was not quite as fine as he had thought himself to be. He had barely given thought to the Metaverse following the destruction of Yaldabaoth and its machinations. And yet he still felt off.
He groaned, leaving the canvas on its easel. 4PM- plenty of time to get to where he wanted to go.
"Welcome, what can I- oh, Yusuke. House blend?"
"You know me so well, Boss."
Yusuke took a seat at the counter, casting a cursory glance to the Sayuri which was still attached to the wall. Leblanc was unusually busy; every booth was full.
"You seem busy."
"Yeah, been a good day. One house blend." Sojiro leaned in as he brought the cup over. "On the house." He straightened up again. "So, what brings you over here? You forget to buy food again?"
"I assure you my pantry is adequately stocked." the artist retorted. "No, this is not a physical matter."
Sojiro's eyes narrowed slightly. Yusuke was uncharacteristically subdued- the usual bombardment of bizzare metaphors and tales of his latest muses had not come. Instead, he looked deflated. He removed three photographs from his pocket and placed them on the counter.
"Please, look closely and tell me what you see. I have a hand lens if you want to look closely."
"Oh jeez, I'm really not a good person to ask about art-"
"Please."
Sojiro exhaled heavily and lifted the photographs.
"Are these your pieces?"
"They are my three latest. Can you see the commonality?"
Yusuke produced a hand lens, which Sojiro accepted.
"Hoo, those streamers look very tight." He looked closer with the lens. "They kind of look like chains."
"So it truly is that obvious…"
"I think it would be better to carry on after I've closed up shop, if this is about any of your… uh, escapades."
"I am grateful."
"Stop that." Sojiro chuckled. "You're gonna make me blush."
Yusuke added a portion of curry to his order, occasionally turning from the bar to survey the rest of the shop, sketches forming in his mind. He resisted the urge to frame the scene- he did not want to cause discomfort. He instead took to sketching geometric patterns on a blank card; it was strange that they had not disappeared along with the Metaverse, but he welcomed the change in medium. The way that they simply held ink and paint without it running was supernatural, and he found that they made good bookmarks. Perhaps he would leave them across Tokyo, with nothing more than a signature on the back.
The hours soon passed, and the click of the front door's lock pulled his mind back to his body. Sojiro was leaning against the door, the glass fogging up from his body heat.
"So, is this to do with that whole Metaverse business?"
"You are sharp, Boss. Yes, I believe it may still be having an effect on me."
Sojiro snorted in amusement.
"I'm not surprised, the amount of crap you kids went through. So, these chains. Were they a, uh, prominent feature of this Metaverse?"
"Not of the entire Metaverse, only in Mementos."
"That was what caused that red rain?"
"Correct. Before it got to that point, we were exploring Mementos. I don't know if Ren told you any of this, but it was created by the public's subconscious, and took the form of a rather grotesque subway system that changed with every floor. That's where I first conceived my "Desire" piece."
Sojiro knew not of the piece Yusuke spoke of, but gestured for him to continue.
"The deeper we went, the more abnormal it became, tracks replaced with bone, and strange vessels lining the walls. Worse yet were the depths."
"And that's where the chains thing started?"
"I have no doubts about it. In the depths was the Prison of Regression, again conceived of the public's desire to have something else do the hard work. They could leave, but they chose not to. I…" Yusuke took a steadying breath. "The shadow of Madarame was down there. Even Shido. That should speak volumes to you."
"Shido didn't seem like the sort to sit back if there was a chance he could control something."
"You are correct. It seems the whole ordeal has taken a toll on me; it truly is the most horrendous memory I have."
"Sheesh. You considered a psychiatrist?"
"It is not affecting my day-to-day, so no."
"It's affecting your art. That is exclusively your day-to-day."
Yusuke relented with a deep sigh.
"I cannot afford a psychiatrist. But I do not think I need one. I just need to… purge these chains from my mind."
"I mean, I'm not some art buff, but you always seem to paint people, or something to do with people. What if you tried changing it up?"
Yusuke remained silent.
"Come on, give me something to work with, kid."
"I… need time to think about it. Thank you for the meal."
"Well, this old man is at least able to make sure you don't starve to death."
He unlocked the door.
"Take care."
To say that the sudden appearance of Yusuke surprised Sojiro the next day was an understatement. Both he and the mercifully few customers present winced as the door was practically thrown off its hinges, the glass panes in them rattling alarmingly. Hurricane Yusuke was not slowed, and as he swung around after closing the door, the tote bag hanging from his shoulder almost swept the pay phone from its rightful place on the counter.
"Oh jeez." Sojiro muttered under his breath, casting an apologetic glance towards his patrons who looked both bemused and disdainful.
"Boss, you gave me the solution!" He set his bag down and practically threw the cards contained within at Sojiro. They scattered across the bar. "Behold!"
Now that Sojiro thought about it, he had seen both Yusuke and Ren hastily conceal some card-shaped objects when he walked into the bar from time to time. He arched a brow, picking one up and inspecting it. It was a design painted in shades of green only, with many intertwining lines that formed tight swirls, as if they were some violent eddie of wind. The pattern tessellated perfectly, as did the rest of the cards on the counter.
"Geometric patterns, huh? House blend?"
Instead of answering either question, Yusuke instead erupted into a spiel on how he had done nothing but stare at his own art for two hours before absentmindedly drawing on a card and losing control from there. He only stopped when Sojiro placed the cup in front of him. He stopped immediately, seemingly remembering that as a human he had to breathe, and calmly took a sip. The remaining patrons returned to their conversations.
"So my advice worked, huh?"
"Very much so. This change in medium has allowed me to express myself even more now. What a liberating feeling!"
"Uh-huh. You hungry?"
A growl from Yusuke's stomach was all the answer he needed.
"Curry comin' up."
The dish soon landed in front of Yusuke, along with the photographs he had left behind yesterday. He made a point of not looking at them, an action that Sojiro was quick to pick up on- did nothing escape him? He did not ask about the photos immediately. Instead, he picked up one of his new cards- vibrant bands of green and white intertwined as if they were some great wind.
"Huh, you know, I've thought about refacing Leblanc a few times, and I'm fairly sure Futaba would also be a fan of this one." He flipped the card over, staring at Yusuke's signature and the title below it. "Magarula? What does that mean?"
Yusuke froze. Sojiro arced an eyebrow. Yusuke gestured for Sojiro to lean down.
"Officially, nothing. Unofficially, it is the name of one of the spells we used as Phantom Thieves."
Sojiro lifted another card, primarily red and giving the impression of great columns of fire.
"Agidyne? Hmm… Oh, these must be those blank cards I found. Ren had a few on him. So what, you could use them to shoot fire or something?"
"Something like that."
Sojiro took the hint and relented, leaving both cards on the table. His eyes once again turned to the photographs from the previous day. Yusuke continued to avoid looking at them.
"You know, I was looking at these. You said that they had chains in them, right?"
"Truly a travesty, to have art corrupted by such imagery."
"Right, well, you are being way too harsh on yourself. Give yourself a break. Besides, I'm not some art buff, but I can see that this dancer is clearly not chained down. In fact, she looks more like she broke herself out."
The fork stopped mid-way to Yusuke's mouth. Sojiro realised the magnitude of his error and was swift to reach across the counter and hold him to his stool.
"Keep it down."
"I've been a fool once again! I have not imprisoned my work, my work has imprisoned me! I have been so short sighted… Boss, you have opened my eyes to my own shortcomings!"
Sojiro could only blink and shrug in a feeble effort to mask his confusion.
"R-right, sure."
Sojiro was not surprised when Yusuke vanished from the shop without even finishing his curry, nor was he surprised when he found the completed dancer painting on one of the tables the next morning.
"Jeez, weird kid…"
Hackerchan sent a photo
To: Hackerchan
Is that Leblanc?
From: Hackerchan
Inari.
To: Hackerchan
Enough said, huh?
From: Hackerchan
Sojiro tells me that he somehow helped Yusuke with his art? Idk
To: Hackerchan
Knowing boss he prolly just said something and Yusuke took liberties interpreting it
From: Hackerchan
Sounds about right
From: Hackerchan
When you visiting
To: Hackerchan
Summer :(
From: Hackerchan
UUUUUUGHHHH WHY SO LONG
To: Hackerchan
The parents insist they come with if I visit before then. And sojiro + coffee + the parents = one scalded joker face
From: Hackerchan
alskjakjga he'd totally get the wrong idea
To: Hackerchan
Right? Besides, parents are sorting stuff out in summer, should be able to sneak off.
To: Hackerchan
That is not to be taken as a challenge to get me there sooner.
From: Hackerchan
Who, me? ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～