Author's Note:
This is a reboot of my old original Persona story, Glass Houses, that went under due to poor planning and a lack of enthusiasm on my part. The original cast from P3 and P4 will be playing a much larger part, but the plot itself has been revamped to follow the storylines of the original games. I hope you guys stick around and enjoy!
DeathOverLord asked for a list of characters. I did have to change a couple of things (attacks, Arcana, etc.) in order to make a more balanced party, and I hope you don't mind too much. The characters I have are Ino Hakuna (Fool/Word), Azusa Yano (Magician), Lin-Kuei Hitachibana (Moon), Akito "Walker" Sozuki (Hanged Man), Mari Senjeko (Fortune), Etsuko Yamazaki (Lovers), Yumiko Sakura (Hermit), Izayoi Raizel (Jester), Alexandra Sainome (Temperance), and Christophe Adrien Chevalier (Empress). I'll be accepting OCs for Social Links, but a little later on.
Ragnarok
a Persona (© ATLUS) fanfiction
Prologue
The Velvet Room
Opening Song: "Dirty Paws" - Of Monsters and Men
and for a while things were cold,
they were scared down in their holes
the forest that once was green
was colored black by those killing machines
but she and her furry friends
took down the queen bee and her men,
and that's how the story goes
The man observes himself in the full-length mirrors, twisting and turning, eyeing each reflection with scrutiny and a sense of discomfort. "It's been years since we've had a guest," he says, "and I'd hate for them to think me unseemly because of a tattered suit. My usual has served me well and parting is sweet sorrow, however..." He pulls on the lapels of the purple suit jacket, stands straight, raises his nose, and smiles. "This one is quite charming, in its own way." His eyes travel back to the worn jacket and slacks that hang over the midnight blue chair in the center of the room. "Perhaps this is what it is like, saying goodbye to a beloved child for the first and perhaps last time."
The platinum blonde in the corner clears her throat. "Master, the guest is here."
His beady eyes seek out the new arrival in the mirrors' reflection. When he spots her sitting on the stool, he turns to face her with an enigmatic smile. "Greetings," he says, extending his arms in welcome. "And welcome to the Velvet Room. It has been a long time since our last guest, so I apologize for the mess." With a chuckle, he snaps his fingers and the scattered clothes disappear into thin air. "My name is Igor. I am truly honored to finally make your acquaintance."
She blinks at him, as though trying to decide whether he's real or a figment of imagination. Ultimately she decides on the latter, but she plays along anyway because he seems like a nice enough figment of imagination. "Likewise," she replies, flashing a cheeky smile. Her blue-green eyes wander around the room, which feels cramped and spacious all at once because of the mirrors. It reminds her of a dressing room, somewhat. "So... Where am I? I mean, what's the Velvet Room?"
"The Velvet Room is a place that transcends both dream and reality. This is a room that only those who have signed a contract may enter." Igor waves his hand over the space in front of him, and a large red book appears in front of him. It cracks open to a page filled with dark print and an unsigned line, then floats over to the girl. "Please, sign. We have little time to waste."
She picks up the quill wedged in the crease of the book and quickly scans the words on the faded yellow page. "'I chooseth this fate of mine own free will.' Hm, that sounds pretty ominous." Igor doesn't respond, but she figures there's no point in over thinking a dream, so she signs her name at the bottom: Ino Hakuna.
The book snaps shut, and in a burst of light both it and the quill disappear. "Henceforth, my dear young woman, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room. You are destined to discover and train your unique ability. Perhaps I shall even be of use to you in the future." He chuckles, like he's sharing an inside joke with himself; the neglected female in the corner rolls her golden eyes. "Miss Hakuna, I ask only one thing in return for my services: that you abide by the contract and assume full responsibility for the choices you make."
"Sure," she replies, though she's not really listening to him anymore. Her attention focuses on the other girl, who's sitting on the arm of Igor's chair and filing her nails. "Who're you?"
"This is my assistant, Lisa. She too is a resident of this room," says Igor.
"Yo," Lisa greets. Her curly platinum blonde hair is worn in a braid that hangs over her shoulder, and she's dressed in a blue-and-black airplane attendant's uniform with black ankle lace-up boots. She, unlike Igor, doesn't appear to be impressed by Ino's presence.
Igor waits for Lisa to say something more, but she's much more invested in the state of her nails. The long-nosed man sighs as he shuffles a deck of cards. (Ino can't help but wonder where they came from, because he definitely didn't have them a moment ago.) "Now, as for the reason why I have brought you here tonight... How well-acquainted are you with mythology?"
Ino sheepishly rubs the back of her neck. Classical literature and history of the ancient worlds have always been among some of her poorest grades. "I'm not," she admits.
"A lesson is in store for you, then," he murmurs, his eyes lighting up. "There is belief that, in the future, there will be a series of events, including natural and human disasters, that will lead to an immense battle between the gods and their enemies. The world will become a battlefield between these powerful enemies and, as a result, will be enveloped in flames. Death for all is imminent and even the mightiest will fall — but the earth shall be born anew. Here, the surviving gods will meet, and the land will be fertile and green once more. For you see, Ino Hakuna, Death is not triumphant in the end. Though it may experience victories, both small and large, it will give way to Life. Are you prepared for the Ragnarok?"
A major battle between gods and demons, the world on fire, and its subsequent rebirth hardly has a place for a sixteen-year-old girl, but she nods anyway. It's just a dream, and she has a feeling that Igor isn't used to or fond of hearing "no."
With a swipe of his arm, seven cards fly off the top of the deck and hover between them. "It's a pleasure to meet such a compliant guest," he states, sounding quite amused. "A long adventure awaits you; how will you adjust? Will you tackle the obstacles ahead of you straight on, or will you take a more indirect route? Know, Miss Hakuna, that life has no one correct answer. For every question, there are at least five correct answers."
"That sounds like every multiple choice test I've ever taken," Ino mutters.
"Master," Lisa calls. "Your next appointment's waiting."
"I see... It seems as though it is time for you to return to your world," Igor says. "The next time we meet, you shall be one step closer to fulfilling your destiny — and what a very interesting destiny it is. You must be quite tired, so I shall leave you to your slumber. Farewell for now."
Closing Song: "The Phoenix" - Fall Out Boy
One character from P3/P4 is going to play a major part in the story. Any guesses as to who? (Maybe I'll give a gift of some sort to the person who guesses correctly. wink wink nudge nudge)
If you have any questions or want any clarifications, just leave a review or send a message my way, and I'll answer as best I can! :)
xx, der kapitan