It was a strange for me to wake up with a fuzzy memory of what happened prior to my sleep. I looked around to see that I was in a room that looked as if there was a blue paint incident, this room, was the velvet room. Thinking back, the last time I was here was when Lavenza and Igor gave my the world arcana, giving me full control of my life. I lived a normal life from then on, moved out, had my own home, things were great…*.ie..o..ba...rd.*

Suddenly my head began to throb and ringing followed after. I remember what happened before I woke here.

Flashback:

I was walking to my house one day, the political meeting I attended went well I think. As I kept walking down the street I saw a light in the corner of my eye but kept walking until I reached my front porch. While I was unlocking the door I saw the glint of light on handle getting bigger and bigger, when I turned around I say a car driving full speed towards me. Thinking it was an idiot driver making a sharp turn I stood my ground but as it turns out, it was a mistake.

It felt like my world turned upside down. I was hit by the car at full speed, going straight through the door and landing on the glass table I had just bought, breaking the glass and getting impaled by the metal pole in the centre. My vision blurred and I coughed up blood, everything hurt and I swore I broke my ribs. Just when I thought it was over the driver came out and repeatedly hit my in the face with a metal pole, that's when everything went dark.

End flashback

"So that's what happened" it was so sudden that I couldn't remember right away but now it makes sense. But to think, that when I die I would return to the velvet room. Looking around I found that the place looked different, it still kinda looked the same as before but uncared for. There were rips in the wall padding, the toilet was falling apart and the desk that was usually in the middle of the room was now toppled over and had moss on it. To top it all off, Igor and Lavenza were nowhere to be found, only the glow of an early morning was shining through the cracks in the ceiling. I got up and looked around, all the jail doors I could see were rusted and falling apart including my own. Walking out of my cell I was met with the blinding light, I had to cover my eyes with my sleeve till my eyes adjusted. However when I saw my sleeve I found I was not in my usual black and white prison attire, instead I was in my school clothes from five years ago when I went to shujin. "I haven't seen these in a while." But now that I thought about it, it seemed a bit odd I could still fit in them.

Now that I had adjusted to the light I wandered around to find that the velvet room now looked like one of those mossy buildings in apocalypse movies. I kept walking until I found a door that, unlike all the other doors, looked new and slightly showed the outside world. As I walked towards it I found a reception desk with a note and two items.

{Dear Kurusu Akira. I wish to give you a brief description of what is to come. I have sensed that enemy's lurk outside of this place and that you must be prepared, I have supplied you with your weapons from your previous life as well as all your medications and accessories, they will be located under the table. I have also found that this world is far more advanced, as well as breaking apart, something known as aura keeps certain individuals safe and even gives them powers very much like a persona's, so to make you seem less suspicious I have given you an ability similar to that of when you snuck around in palaces.}

'Huh what in the world, powers, defences similar to that of a persona user. If I did not live my life like I did I would not have believed this. The note said they gave me one too right? Well let's see, if I would use it like how I used to sneak then…' I looked around while I tried to remember the good days of thievery.

I walked around the counter and crouched behind it but instead of feeling the hard counter at my side. I felt a small breeze followed by the feeling of smooth concrete. I had fallen through with an, I admit, unstylish grace. When I opened my eyes I saw that I seemed to be in a compartment of sorts, like a secret passage you see in detective shows. I got up and tried dusting myself off but hit my head in the process. It looked like I was underwater but the water was in front of my face. Through some experimentation I found that the ability given to me was the ability to crawl into shadows. I could move around on surfaces that were connected by them and come out of any space that was concealed by the darkness, I also found out that clear ice appears in any place with light on its surface. After I got out of the shadows I decided to read more of the note.

I also have a set of armour and a bag that you can store things in, it may look small but it can hold a lot more than you would think. Just don't think that the bag can carry things infinitely. 'Fair enough' I thought. 'What about stealing people's hearts? How would I get to a palace? That is, if there are palaces'.

{That is all I can give you right as this moment for my power, like yours is has been weakened. When you go outside take the key that is in the doors keyhole. When you put the key into any kind of keyhole, you will be able to access the velvet room once more. From your very soul, Arsene.}

'Arsene! Isn't he just a persona? How could he leave me a note and items? You know what that's fine as long as it helps.' I pick up the two weapons provided to me, the gun to my left was a real honest to god gun which was a bit surprising, what was really surprising was the fact the safety was off and I fired it close to my head. The weapon on the right was was a black cane with red going halfway down to the tip of the cane. 'This was what my melee weapon was supposed to be?' I used my third eye to check both of their potential and I was met with another surprise.

[gentleman's duel pistol, atk 300, acc 90, clip 12]

[the phantoms cane, atk 250, acc 100, random ailment (med)]

[true thieves undercoat, def 150, eva 50]

I put them in my bag and went outside, only covering my eyes for a second time. Once I had adapted again and taken the key out of the door that looked like the entrance to a bomb shelter, I looked over the landscape. Snow covered the land like a blanket and the smell of pine filled my nose as I walked, it was then I realized there was an ominous presence around. Using my third eye I saw what looked like a shadow with white plates and spikes in the shape of a wolf in the distance.

The wolf caught sight of me and started moving towards me at full speed. I started to run and hid behind a tree so I could take out my weapons. "gah!" I was hit from behind and sent flying. I looked over to see that the wolf clawed through the tree and hit me from behind sending me and my weapons sprawled across the ground. It howled and more howls joined it. "I have to get out of here before the company comes." I quickly dodged the claw of the wolf and did a combat roll to my weapon, picking it up in just enough time to block the next attack that then sent me into another tree. 'It's too fast!' It attacked again, instantly getting me within it's reach. It swung downwards as I sidestepped, only to be backhanded. It grabbed me and threw me to another tree, I was not going to win.

"What's the matter?" 'What? Who said that?' "Hast thou forgotten my voice? Are you just going to lay down and die?" 'Of course not! But what can I do?' "Can you not hear it call for you? It yearns for your return but you continue to let the chains that attach you to hell pull you down. Are you going to heed its words and fight or are going to give up?" 'No… I must get up and fight. No I need to get up and fight!' "Hmph, very well, the chains that hold you down, the chains that hold you to hell. Make it your weapon and give them what they deserve!" "I understand." "I am thou and thou art I/I am thou and thou art I!"

I swung my cane at the wolf knocking it back, the wind picked up and my heart gained a feeling that I dearly missed yet still knew very well. I reached up and grasped my mask as the blue flames surrounded me. "Come, Arsene!" The persona known as Arsene appeared in a beautiful array of light as he floated down and bowed. "Arsene." "Yes Akira." "pillage them!" "Hehahaha, as you wish." The wolf lunged at us. I felt so much lighter when dodging this time, I jumped over the wolf and landed next to my pistol, I am also stronger apparently. I stabbed the wolf with the end of my cane making it let out a roar. It backed up with a growl only to be kicked towards me by Arsene. As he flew towards me I changed my stance so the cane was under my left arm and my gun on my right shoulder, I started firing at the wolf as I readied my cane, as soon as it got close I struck it, the sound of sparks touched my ears as the wolf was inflicted with paralysis.

The wolf was on the ground, electricity coming off his fur and onto the snow, it tried to move but it was stuck in place. "Arsene use cleave." Arsene charged and did a spin kick, slashing the wolf with his bladed heel, cutting off its arm. The wolf began to get up again and started to howl. 'Shit, reinforcements, looks like I'm gonna hafta bring out the big guns' "Arsene, strike it down, Eiha!" "Hahahaha!" With the snap of my finger a red circle appeared below the beast making it cautiously look around and try to run. But because of it being paralyzed it could not move. Suddenly red beams of energy shot up and started striking it. When it stopped the wolf fell, it's armour riddled with holes. It let out a whimper before it slowly started to dissolve in a plume of black smoke. In the black smoke there was a white and grey card as well as what looked like a skill card.

The other cards, which I am guessing are the currency of this world, would come in handy, the other card had a picture of red lines going upwards, the symbol known as maeiha. "Akira, the card you have obtained will give me back some of the power I had lost, give it to me so I can fight with more vigor." "Arsene? I never knew you could talk to me in my head." "It is a skill I learned while thou was dormant." "You even wrote me a note." "In the velvet room I can move freely as if I was human, i just like to stay in your soul because it's comfy." "I guess that's fair. Could you tell me how and what you found out about this world Arsene?" "Sadly we have more pressing matters to attend too. The reinforcements are here." As he said that a pack of dozens and dozens of wolves similar to the last one started crawling out of the surrounding forest, they had a little less armour only covering their snout and spine.

They were all watching me from afar before three lunged at me. I shot the two on the sides and fell into the middle ones shadow, then jumped out again to give the finishing blow to the skull, these ones were much weaker than the last. "Arsene!" Arsene materialised in time to block and attack from another and stabbed it with his horns. "Dream needle!" "As you wish" Arsene pointed his wings and shot multiple feathers that pierced through a row of five of them, only to find that ten took there place, this was getting nowhere. Stabbing another one with the end of my cane and shooting it off with my gun I came up with the perfect plan. "Arsene, Maeiha!" I threw the card at Arsene, it burst into flames and struck his back, changing his face from red to blue. Red circles covered the ground under every black wolf causing them to look around. "Begone." Thousands of dark red beams shot up and through the wolves turning them into clouds of smoke.

I let out a sigh as I knew it was over, the smoke cleared and in the middle where three white cards and a tin clasp. "Three lien, simple pocket cash." "Lien?" "This world's currency, the coloured card shows how much it is worth, white is one." "I see. How do you know this by the way?" "You sadly won't be able to do it but because I am a mystical entity, I can access the velvet room's ability to see the world the Guest is in. Even though I can't see who people are I can see the news and educational aspects of a world." "I see. Do you know where I can find a safe place to sleep?" "Just go south." "Thanks. And Arsene." "Yes trickster." "Do you think we went overboard?" He looked at his surroundings, many trees where in places they should not be and half the ground had been dug up from the compact attack. "No, I don't think so, let's keep moving."

(Five minutes earlier. Altus main headquarters.)

A woman in a white outfit and a rapier at her side was moving quickly down a hallway, heels clicking on the floor with each step. She put an ID card up to a scanner and walked into an elevator. When she reached the top, she walked up to a man in the desk. "General ironwood sir! There appears to be a large spike of an unknown energy fifty klicks north from here." The man who was also in a white military outfit turned his chair 180 degrees to face her. "I know ." She bowed. "I Apologize sir, I had not known you were already informed." He turned back to his desk. "It's quite alright Winter, but I was not told anything, I saw it." He pressed the button on his desk and the plates covering the window opened to reveal the snowy landscape. Winter Schnee covered her mouth in shock as she looked to the horizon. What she was looking at was a dark red laser show in the distance that covered a part of the sky. "What is that sir?" He frowned grimly. "I do not know."

(Same time. Unknown place.)

"Hmm this feeling, it feels...new and empowering" an unknown woman in black with pale skin floated across the room as if she was pacing back and forth. "Cinder! Come to me!" Another girl in a red dress walked into the room "Yes malady?" The woman in black stared at her with an empty stare before speaking again. "Do you know what that energy was Cinder?" the girl in red shook her head. "No I do not. Was it a new kind of dust you want malady? Or maybe a new threat that you wish to deal with?" The pale woman stared back to the emptiness. "I do not know Cinder, that is why I called you." Cinder was surprised that she did not know, with how evil it felt and with her knowledge together surely she should have known, not her. Cinders train of thought was disrupted. "When you go to do your duty, I want you to get to the bottom of it." "Yes ma'am I'll do it whenever I have spare time" "no make it your second priority." "why is it so important?" She paused for a second then spoke once more. "It might be the key to our victory."

(Same time. Patch.)

"Hiiiya!" In the front yard of a house in patch, a girl in black and red wielding a scythe was Fighting with a man with blonde hair. "Ruby. You do know making sounds does not make you stronger right." The girl pouted. "Buuut daaad, all my comic book characters do that when they power up and stuff." A man in a grey shirt and red cape spoke up from. "Listen to Tai Ruby. If you have time to make sounds you have time to block or slash." She stepped back in shock. "Even you uncle Qrow!" She dropped her arms and looked dejected. That's when Qrow tried to lift her spirits. "Hey kid don't feel bad, here let's you and me spare for a bit." that brightens up Ruby's mood substantially. "Really!? like really really!? Awesome lets go!"

"Come on ruby, faster!" She crossed her arms and laughed like a villain. "I have not even shown you my true power! For I am the legendary-ooff" Qrow had thrown his sword at her making sure she gets hit with the handle. "Come on Ruby I haven't even moved an inch, plus I'm not as sober as I should be." He carefully walked over to his weapon again almost falling once. "Ok let's go for roun-" "How curious, for one such as yourself to be babysitting a child." Qrow put a hand to his head. "Oh well, it will be interesting for you to meet with the legendary trickster of old and reveal your true power. You may even be on opposite sides of the coin and battle. Nevertheless he has already arrived and the fate of the world has yet another shoulder to lean on, whether he holds it up is his choice but yours is still unclear. We will meet again when the time comes." When Qrow opened his eyes he found Ruby Looking at him with worry. "Are you ok uncle Qrow?" He smiled and said. "Told you I had too much. Now sorry Ruby but I have to sit down now." "Ok I'll keep training!" Qrow looked at the sky, pondering his newfound info. "A trickster huh?"

—

[Akira Kurusu] lvl 50

[Melee attack] 250

[Ranged attack] 300

[Defence] 0

[Money] 4.25

[Skills]

[Arsene] lvl 50

[Eiha, Cleave, Sakunda, Dream needle, Adverse resolve, Maeiha]

[Strength] 40

[Intelligence] 49

[Vitality] 33

[Agility] 60

[Luck] 27

[-]

For those of you who wanted to know.

Thank you all for reading this story and I hope that you are ready for what I have in store for you. Please send me ideas or requests you have in mind. If you find any grammer or spelling mistakes, please tell me. Should you wish to give critizism I will use it to become a better writer for you guys. See everone on the other side.