Seems like a good response to start with, let's keep that going this week as well! Just what caused that tremendous car crash that resulted in them being taken off to hospital? I ask that as if it will be answered in this chapter, but hopefully things will make sense eventually. I have plans that are at least vaguely coherent, so that has to be a good thing, right? Anyway, let's go!
Super hero time!
Ren: Food fights huh? Haven't been in one of those for a long time!
Zelda: What a strange room. Should it look like that? How does something on that scale even function?
Ren: It exists in a place between dream and reality, mind and matter!
Zelda: ...I'll pretend that makes even a modicum of sense.
R + Z: Break the chains! The hero has come!
A low groan escaped Ren as he opened his eyes, greeted by the horrid whiteness of the hospital. Pushing the blankets off his body, the black haired boy gave a sigh. Far from the looks of it, his injuries weren't too great; they had only been towards the edge of the explosion, meaning little of the effect was felt comparatively.
But if he was her, then that meant… what about the man who had been driving the limousine for them? What about Morgana? He was smaller, any damage he sustained would be much more of an issue than their human bodies. And Haru…
As soon as her face popped into her mind, Ren immediately leapt out of the bed, only slightly wincing at the sensation of moving his muscles before he was making his way towards the door. Before he could reach for the handle however, it suddenly moved of its own accord, swinging open to reveal a doctor that quickly backed away at Ren's concerned face.
"Ah, my apologies! I didn't expect you to be moving so quickly." The doctor immediately said, stepping back into the room and shutting the door. "I'm assuming that you're looking for Miss Okumura, yes? You were after all travelling with her when the unfortunate incident occurred."
"…Yes. Can I see her now?" it was phrased as a polite question, but the slight bite to it was felt by the doctor, who could only give an awkward chuckle as he looked to the clipboard in his hands.
"Well, I'll just need to check you over, even after a couple days' rest, you're probably still feeling the… effects…" but then the man's voice grew sleepy, the light leaving his eyes as he took another look at his clipboard, scratching some notes down on the paper as he continued in the drowsy tone. "However, I'm sure you will be fine, the others are fine and you can even go today. I'll show you to Miss Okumura's room right now…"
Ren wasn't wrong to be suspicious of such a quick change, but he was going to take advantage pf it regardless. Though his voice may have grown sleepier, the doctor led the way through the unfamiliar halls with the confidence one well versed in the building should have, either a brilliant mask to hide his strange mood or further evidence to his puppet like acting.
"Miss Okumura had to undergo a little bit more work in order to get her to full health, but she's almost completely a clean bill. Well enough to carry on with your journey at least." The doctor muttered, opening the door for Ren to enter, the boy's eyes immediately locking onto the curls of soft brown on the bed that moved with the sound of the door. "I'll just go get the paperwork sorted out and you should be ready to leave. I'll leave you two to reacquaint yourselves…"
"Ren, is that you?" and with those words alone, Ren was immediately by her bedside, clutching her hand gently as the girl eased herself upward, a hand reaching to her forehead. "Ah, my head… it feels like after we went on that horrible Mementos trip."
"My apologies. Though I have tried to further healing process, I did not want to make it seem too unrealistic to those watching." Haru let out a small gasp at the sudden intruding voice, but Ren merely gave a low sigh, turning slowly to Lavenza as the small girl tilted her head. "Was that not required? My apologies, but I thought you would not want to be so delayed in your journey."
"What are you doing here, you should be in the… Velvet Room…" Ren began, only to tail off as he remembered just who was in control of that very room. So that was what the man was planning. Well, there went his attempt to keep this whole thing a secret down the drain. Haru, completely unaware of Ren's thoughts though, could only look closer upon Lavenza's body, the spark of recognition entering her eyes.
"Ah, you're that girl from that strange place… um…"
"Lavenza, a pleasure to make your acquaintance once more, Haru Okumura." Lavenza answered smoothly, complete with a curtsey. "Now that the doctor is working towards your freedom, allow me to complete your healing. It wouldn't do to have done this much, only for you to be told to stay. Hypnotism is such an awkward practice."
The casual way in which Lavenza spoke about doing such things… but they never got anywhere without making a couple of questionable choices, Ren could grill her later when they got out of the hospital. Fortunately, the paperwork went perfectly fine and they were simply told to take it easy now that their wounds were healed.
"It feels as if I haven't even been touched. This is wonderful!" Haru remarked as they existed the hospital doors, the bright city of Kuoh greeting their eyes. Well, from their position it looked like every other city one could imagine, but this was where they were making a new start – nothing wrong with romanticising it a bit. "I haven't felt like this for so long... but I thought you were meant to disappear after our battle? Was that not what we were told?"
"The presence of my master and myself indeed disappeared to you. After all, your presence within the Velvet Room was only temporary, dependent upon the dire situation the establishment had been put under." Lavenza explained, her voice struggling over the word 'dire'. After all, she was meant to be the assistant to Igor and unlike the siblings she had occasionally spoke of while still in her separated form, she had been the one to let her master be defeated and locked away, forcibly split so she couldn't interfere. That was bound to be a sore spot for anyone unfortunate enough to end up in that situation. "However, should our guest continue his journey, then we are honour bound by contract to allow him our services still. That is what would occur under normal circumstances, however… the master has deemed it suitable for me to take up my own journey. For what reason I do not know…"
"My… how cute!" Haru may have been whispering the words to Ren, but that didn't mean they managed to escape the ears of Lavenza, the girl's pout at her master's decision only growing even larger. With a quick cough however, the Velvet Room assistant had her composure returned to her.
"Now, seeing as you're already here in Kuoh, I have sought to it that the man who drove you here has been safely returned back to his home. Naturally, he has left the limousine for your own personal use after repairs, taking a rented car home." The blonde haired girl stated, Ren merely massaging his temple with a weary sigh. This was not how this day was meant to be going at all. Wait, scrap that, not how this week was meant to be going because they had been involved in a car crash. Lovely.
"How much have you done while we were unconscious?" Ren questioned aloud. It was meant to be a rhetorical sort of question, yet it had escaped his lips and now Lavenza was glaring at him. "No offence or anything, but you didn't have to do any of this. Why?"
"I did not ask to go on this journey! I know it is something I must do, it is something that my sisters have done… but the prospect of it is frightening. Like a bird who has lived its life within a cage suddenly set free…" Lavenza spat out, her eyes diverting to the ground as her composure broke once more. "I was born in order to assist the guest that was assigned to me, that's the only thing I know. My sisters, they have found the reason to go on their journeys, this was so suddenly thrust upon me. Assisting is all I can do, it's all I know."
The defensive tone remained throughout all of her words, hitting Ren like a freight truck, like the explosion that had wrecked their vehicle. Sure, he didn't know a lot about Caroline and Justine and knew even less about Lavenza, but if there was something that had been present no matter the situation, it was that they always showed their confidence. The only time it ever faltered was when Caroline and Justine were trying to learn the origin of their list and when they learnt their own true forms. It was a sign of just how out of her comfort zone the girl was.
"… Don't worry about it. Just, we're going to have a talk later… all of us, later. Where's Morgana?" Ren's question was met with the cat leaping down from the treeline, stretching his body out as he landed within Lavenza's arms. Unlike under a teasing Haru's assault, Morgana looked much more at home within the assistant's grasp; they were both created to serve under Igor, there was a sense of kinship that the others would never reach. Ren was the closest to maybe even trying to reach that stage and he and Morgana were pretty close.
"I thought it would take more than just a car crash to bring someone like you down Joker!" Morgana remarked as he let loose with a cat like snicker. Did cats snicker? Ren never had a pet when he was young and Morgana wasn't exactly the best example one could use when learning about how a cat should behave. "While you two have been having your unpleasant nap, I've been browsing the area. I'll tell you, there's some really weird feeling about the place, like there's something bad hiding in the shadows. No clue what it is yet though."
That was… reassuring. Was reassuring the word? No, it was slightly terrifying. With the crash and Lavenza's arrival, this was the third sign that something bad was coming sooner than later and he still didn't have a goddamn gun or a knife. Oh god, that brought another thought to his mind – was Lavenza able to defend herself?
It was something that was meant to be a non-brainer, when split apart as Caroline and Justine, the assistant(s) had managed to completely wipe the floor with him before he eventually grew strong enough to match their strength and together, that power was unlikely to have faded. However, a lot of that strength could be attributed to the inherent power and potential held by personas, the very personas that he had collected and fused in order to accomplish the list set out by the twin wardens. In the real world, where the power of persona could not be called upon, where the sea of souls was simply a distant thought unable to be accessed, how much strength did that leave the girl? Ren could safely say that the physical training they went through had made the Phantom Thieves stronger with time, but the Velvet Room didn't exactly look like the kind of place where exercise was encouraged. Hypnosis and healing were only worth so much.
Had he ever seen either Igor move beyond the original returning to take his seat after the false Igor was removed?
Now Ren was just getting off track.
"Something in the shadows?" Haru questioned, looking to the lost in thought Ren with a small frown before it was quickly replaced by the girl's typical genial look. "Well, if I recall correctly, then the café shouldn't be too far from this location. How about we go there first and then you can tell us more about this? Lavenza, please feel free to come with us too. We need to thank you for everything you've done as well."
The building that Haru had managed to purchase was of exceptional quality. With a fairly large budget and a good eye for potential, the girl had managed to procure a wonderful place for relatively cheap (relatively, considering that if it weren't for the fact that Haru was purchasing it, Ren would never even be able to dream of buying it himself). Sitting down at the counter, Ren immediately moving behind it with the others facing him, the black haired boy gave a small sigh. Here comes the questions.
"…And you weren't planning on telling me." Sickly sweet, it wasn't a question – it didn't need to be a question because Haru already knew the answer, which was why her hands were already tightening beyond words around her teacup. The smile she gave showed far too many teeth for Ren's liking, the boy shrinking away slightly. "I could understand the others, perhaps. They've managed to make lives for themselves. But I'm your girlfriend, am I not? Do I not deserve to know this sort of thing?"
"Hey, Haru? Don't you think you're focusing on the wrong thing?" Morgana interrupted, only to jump back into the safety of Lavenza's grasp when those cold hard eyes focused upon him. "Um, never mind! Carry on!"
Ren's answer came in the form of a hand upon her own. The frigid chill of her glare almost immediately softened under his touch, a trait the boy was incredibly thankful to whichever creator that brought Haru into this world that she was relatively easy to calm down once she got riled up, at least with him. If it weren't for that, Ren would probably be dead several times over.
"That's exactly why I didn't tell you. This café is your dream, and you already have people trying to mess it up." The black haired boy remarked, bringing their joined hands up to his lips so he could plant a kiss on the back of Haru's hands. "If you had to worry about this as well, I felt like it would be too much on your shoulders. I would deal with the stuff in the shadows and you could work on making this café as great as possible and get your chain off the ground."
"…Ren…You truly care for me too much." Haru eventually muttered. "But I would be remiss if I weren't by your side with this kind of thing happening. It doesn't matter if we don't have access to our personas or not, if there's something that you have to face, we'll face it together. That's how the Phantom Thieves operated and that's how we'll do it going forward, correct?"
"Count me in too! I may not look like much when I'm in this form, but I'm still the great Mona who fought alongside you!" the cat declared emphatically, leaping onto the counter between them and posing dramatically. "We're partners through and through, even if I don't have opposable thumbs."
"I assume then that you will all be joining the Trickster on his journey then?" Lavenza concluded with a brief nod, opening her Grimoire and taking note of the contents within. "Excellent. Then I am at liberty to tell you that your items are upstairs with all that I may supply you with. While it was tedious, I have at least managed to attain the utmost necessities in order to get you started. Morgana, you may remain with me and I'll help you get resituated."
What? Upstairs? Ah, they had left the hospital without any cases! His instincts must've been dropping if he managed to do not notice that fact, but his attention had been so focused on Haru… with a brief nod to one another, the pair moved towards the staircase to the back of the establishment, passing through the door and heading up the stairs to where the rest of the facilities were. A quick exploration revealed that only one of the bedrooms held both of their belongings, a fact that brought a healthy blush to Haru's face when she understood the implication.
"Huh." Ren muttered as he opened his own case, pulling out the dark garments held within, garments that he most certainly hadn't packed himself. His thief outfit, a costume that had only ever materialised under the influence of the collective subconscious, it was sat there right before him along with a model pistol and simple dagger. When Haru pulled out her own outfit, a toy grenade launcher, and looked to the corner where a fake axe sat, she suddenly gained a rather beautiful smile herself. "But they're still models and toys. We can't do much with this alone."
"Then we should go back and speak with Lavenza?" Haru's suggestion was all they had to go on and so the two returned to the front of the café, only to be met with a rather strange sight. The door looked like any other in the building, except now the keyhole was glowing with royal blue power, wisps of energy flying off the small hole. Haru let out a gasp – it was unlike anything she had ever seen, yet she couldn't help but admire the glow it gave. "This door is meant to be the storage room… Ren, do you know what it is?"
His answer didn't come with words. Instead, the boy reached into his pocket, drawing out a simple item that to the common man, wouldn't look out of place at all. A single dull key, a key that held far more sentimental value than many of the things he owned. After all, it was the key to the cell that once held Ren captive for so long, a key that was meant to be given to him from his very first visit, yet came to be a symbol of what he thought was their final meeting. Ren had kept it with him ever since.
In the presence of the keyhole however, what once was dull metal soon grew to become a matching royal blue, the key humming melodiously as Ren held it forth. Before the two could actually meet however, a beam of light shot from the key into the hole, the light spreading like veins across the wood until the entire thing had morphed from the simple entrance it once was. Now taking on a far more elegant form, a smirk appeared on Ren's face as he took grip of the handle, slipping his hand into Haru's as he wrenched the whole thing open and strode in without hesitation. Haru could only let out a cry of surprise and cover her eyes.
He didn't need someone kicking him in this time.
"To one, welcome to the Velvet Room. This is a place that resides between dream and reality, mind and matter. To the other, a fond 'welcome back.' I do hope you don't mind the new décor. It was, after all, you who brought it to fruition."
This was not the prison that Ren had come to know as the Velvet Room. No longer was it as dreary place surrounded by cells, the master sitting before his trapped prisoner. Instead, the entire area had completely transformed into a lavish throne room, complete with dark navy suits of armour at the sides baring their blades. A pair of thrones sat at what was meant to be the head of the room, the orate seats upon a pedestal, yet Igor and his desk was positioned at the foot of them.
"Lavenza was naturally at the side of her master, but it was the creature that was beside them that drew both Ren and Haru's attention more than the decorations or the fact that they appeared in their thief costumes; the room was something beyond their comprehension and it had already shown them that such things as garment changing and location morphing was possible. What they saw before them…
"Hey guys. Guess who's back?"
"Morgana? But…" Haru began, only to tail off when the Metaverse form of Morgana stood before them, a grin adorning his bulbous head as the cat dramatically posed. "So when we thought Mementos disappeared, then-!"
"Incorrect, unlike we who exist beyond the Metaverse, the form of the corrupted Humanity's subconscious has been destroyed. However, while Morgana was most commonly seen in this form within the Metaverse, he is still a being of my own creation." Igor stated, gesturing casually to where Morgana triumphantly nodded. "Therefore, seeing as there's reason for his secondary form to exist, I have granted him usage of a… more combat ready form. I must say Trickster, you do have rather strange tastes. Please, take a look out of the window."
Absolute unending darkness. It seemed like it would swallow your hand if you so much as stuck a finger out to reach for it. The existence of such a pure abyss seemed impossible – not even space could reach such a state and yet it covered the entirety of what Ren could see through the glass, only the lights of the Velvet Room itself keeping the place lit.
"No longer is your desire to break free of the chains society once placed upon you. Against a false god, you have already proved yourself superior and have earnt the peace you've experienced so far; you can live in your fairy-tale as the ruler of your own life alongside your dearest queen." When Igor pointed looked towards Noir, the girl could only turn away with reddening cheeks, pushing her fingers together.
"Um, but Makoto was Queen…" Noir sheepishly corrected, eliciting nothing other than a chuckle from Igor.
"My deepest apologies for the misunderstanding, but the point still stands." He replied. "However, there are dark forces that are trying to ruin your peace, yet if you would have your desire, you would remain with your head in the sand. Now though, you are prepared to fight. No longer are you Marie Antoinette, but William the Conqueror! As a reward for your decision to fight against the evil that will soon bang upon your front gates, I gift you with these badges. They shall serve to replicate the power of Metaverse within the real world."
"How does that even work?" Ren couldn't help but ask as the small red navy badge floated into his hand, Haru reaching out to grab her own. Naturally, they were styled after the logo the Phantom Thieves of Hearts had used, quickly finding a place upon their lapels. The question brought a bright grin to Igor's face, one that perhaps held a little more arrogance than the man really should've showed.
"While my master may not be entirely on the same level as the false God you fought, he and I were caught off guard when he intruded upon the Velvet room – there are few things that false god could do that my master cannot. Bringing his own influence upon the conscious world is simple." Lavenza explained.
"So long as they remain upon your lapels, you will have access to the power you once commanded. Whether that be weapons born from toys, the acrobatic skills you gained upon your journey or indeed, the personas you have fought alongside." Igor continued, turning his eyes upon Haru. "Once more, the power of both Milady and Astarte will be yours to call upon. However… the sheer number of personas held within your mind, trickster, is not something so easily restored. Should you be able to coax them out from your sea of souls, then they will all eventually return to you. Should you struggle to do that however, the Velvet Room naturally offers all services you previously had access to."
At the man's words, a stabbing pain ripped into Joker's skull, the boy grabbing the sides of his head as it pulsed with pain quickly followed by Noir as she collapsed alongside her boyfriend. Unnoticed by the struggling thieves, yet easily heard by the others, an intense banging could be heard from the doors of the castle-like Velvet room, strange moans heard from the darkness seeping through the windows. Lavenza looked out of the window, only to give a confused hum when she caught sight of those burning red eyes. Joker's attention however remained solely upon the deep booming voice that invaded his skull, burning red eyes of his own glaring at him from the sea of souls.
"Regained your resolve have you? It is reassuring that you haven't forsaken that which you alone are capable of achieving.
Very well! I shall heed your request once more. Let us renew our vow.
I am thou, thou art I… thou, who art the trickster who called for justice through unjust acts, call upon mu name once more! Release the rage thou hath built and show me the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own!
The chains of hell will no longer hold you!"
"Arsene!"
"Your smile is betraying, is it not princess? So many who appear to be on your side, yet work towards your downfall… how long have you wished to see them fall?
If you still desire the freedom you fought for before, then know who you must be loyal to and who must be betrayed. Let us vow once more.
I am thou, thou art I… let your gaze be unerring as you yearn to keep the freedom you now hold! No matter who stands in your way, they shall fall in the face of your beautiful duplicity!
Those sick creatures have betrayed you for their own benefit, surely it is reasonable to betray them back?"
"Milady…!"
Joker found his body wreathed with flames as the wicked visage of the most famous phantom thief in all literature burst to life, slowly rising from the growing fires that emanated from his mask. The familiar weight of his persona's chains landed upon his limbs, like a puppet handing over his strings to be controlled as a brilliant red suit formed along with a giant top hat. A grin appeared upon Joker's face. Yes… Arsene had said he would never leave him. A demonic phantom thief's laughter filled the air as Arsene flared out his black feathered wings, one of the oldest and reliable personas Joker could call upon.
At the same time, the fire that burst forth around Noir's eyes began to travel behind her, swirling in an elegant tornado before a massive ball gown like dress of pink and black formed, a slender and full corset ending in quite literally nothing save for a masquerade mask held where her face would be by pink gloved hands, the other wielding a fan. Milady de Winter, the beautiful betrayer of Dumas' Three Musketeers, let out a haughty laugh.
Mona needed no assistance to call upon his persona once more, his existence in his thief form being enough to call upon the legendary warrior. A silver armoured warrior of incredible bulk formed behind the cat, wielding a rapier that carved his legendary Z with but a single swift movement. A large cap fluttered behind him as the man corrected the incredibly ornate belt at his waist. Don Diego de la Vega, Zorro, was called forth once more.
Joker, Mona and Noir shared a look as the personas faded away to the sound of Igor's small applause, only to turn around to where the doors were; still the odd banging continued on, the red eyes peering through the darkness, formless, yet ever reaching to try and enter the castle.
"Though the world has been reshaped, that does not mean that the new world will be completely free of the taint that plagues humanity. Only through the power of your bonds can you hold onto the potential that your actions have gifted upon the earth, an earth where humanity may not be held captive by higher powers." Igor declared. "Let not thou fall and lose thy noble life. The heroes shall withstand the weight of their own justice, though their story reacheth not the ears of the people. The torch of courage that hath been rekindled shalt not be extinguished by tainted winds."
"Now that you have been gifted these, you are fully able to utilise your abilities to the fullest in the real world. Trickster, seeing as you have only awoken one persona at this time, I believe this is the end of our business within the Velvet Room. Let us return."
A flash of blue light and they fell into blissful unconsciousness briefly.
Once their eyes open again, they were no longer with the castle walls that formed the new Velvet Room, returned to the café that they were before, Morgana lazily lying upon the counter while Lavenza sipped from a cup of similar colour to her dress.
"So we have our personae back. The fact that we might need them though… that worries me. What are we facing?" Haru muttered, looking out to the setting sun outside the door of the building. Its beautiful orange tones coloured the sky, pathing the way for the night to take control. Considering how the light of day would soon fade away, there was little reason to start setting up the place. To Ren, that meant there was only one choice.
"Do you want to go out for a little night stroll later then? Perhaps we might find out." The black haired boy suggested, throwing up the tiny badge held within his hands and catching it with a tight fist. "Call it a date."
"Oh Ren… you really need to learn some better date locations." Haru jokingly sighed with fake exasperation, only receiving an unrepentant shrug in return.
"What can I say? Call this scouting for a nice restaurant or something. If we just so happen to come across some sort of inexplicable evil along the way, then that's just life." The leader of the Phantom Thieves replied with a stuck-out tongue.
"I wonder whether it would be worth the effort to get them to take the situation at hand far more seriously… but I suppose that is simply how hearts of their kind operate, is it not?" Lavenza gently whispered to Morgana as the assistant watched the banter flow back and forth. "Never a single care save for their own and that of their friends, even in the face of oblivion. Such courage could be called foolishness in some scenarios. I wonder if this is one of them…
On a cloudless night, the full moon shined down upon a sleepy Kuoh, people either making their way home after a busy day at work or already planted upon their sofas or in their beds as they went about their normal night activities. A quartet in one unnamed café yet to open too were following what would rapidly become their nightly routine, though perhaps it wasn't the same as what other people would typically be spending their time doing.
"Are you sure you want to come too Lavenza? We might get a little crazy with the parkour out there, can you handle that sort of thing?" Ren asked as he slipped on his waistcoat, the garbs feeling almost nostalgic as he put them on. After retiring them for so long, wearing them in both the Velvet room and now as real-world clothing was making him remember why this was his favoured outfit. The response was merely a giggle as Le Grimoire snapped shut, a devilish twinkle entering those unnaturally golden eyes.
"You forget, the same being that forged your powers forged my very being. No matter the challenge that you face, I shall be at your side the whole time my trickster." The little girl clarified, her words growing tender towards the end. There was a chance that it was that very tone that caused a small hint of distaste to appear upon Haru's lip, only to disappear when Ren's eyes fell upon her again.
"Haru… you look positively ravishing, Noir."
"And you the same Joker." The two placed on their masks at the same time, placing the hat shaped badge upon their lapels. Immediately, a flush of power began to rush through their bodies, the indescribably sensation of the powers known as curse and psy passing through their very veins. Now it felt they could take on Mementos again; given some time, they would be able to. As they took a hold of their weapons, Noir's armaments magically disappearing to wherever the girl managed to store them (Joker had contemplated asking where exactly they went, but most likely it was one of those mysteries that he was never meant to learn as a man), they went down the stairs to see Mona standing ready upon one of the counter's chairs.
"It may not be all of us, but the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are back in action!" Mona emphatically declared with a fist in the air, lowering it slightly as the cat turned to his leader. "Are you sure you don't want to call upon the others Joker? They wouldn't say no, you know that."
"Ryuji and Ann have their life together, Futaba's happy with her schoolmate, Yusuke's making a grand living and Makoto's got University. If it comes down to it, we'll give them a call, but now we can do this without them." Joker concluded, tugging at his gloves. "No real objective for tonight – we're just going to take a look around, search for good vantage spots and viewpoints and see if we can get any preliminary looks at some strange things going on in this city."
Fortunately, no windows with their curtains opened happened to face the roof of the café, a window opening at the front o let a quartet of shadows slip on top and head off in a random direction, the public none the wiser to the revival of a group once thought finished. Flashes of them could barely be seen upon the roofs as they skipped around the city of Kuoh, letting out cries of laughter and teasing one another; this wasn't just a city of danger to them. They were phantom thieves after all; this was their playground and they were experimenting with all of the toys placed before them.
"Ooh, that park looks nice. Maybe we should have a picnic at some time." Noir suggested as they made their way towards the centre of the city, met with a peaceful, near silent park - an oasis of green between all of the buildings. Upon a summer's day, it would be the perfect place to relax and unwind; upon a winter's day, it would be the perfect place to take in the frosty elegance and contemplate. Apparently, a young pair of teens were planning to take advantage of the peacefulness of the area by having a small chat by the fountain, the only ones they were aware of being there being themselves.
"Thanks for the brilliant date Issei. You were so sweet!" the girl of the pair remarked with a cute smile, the brunette facing her rubbing the back of his head with a bright grin, a blush colouring his face.
"Well, I wouldn't have tried if I really didn't like you Yuuma." Issei replied, his blush only growing at the giggle that filled the air something felt off about it however, a strange feeling running down his spine.
"Noir, Mona, Butterfly, do you feel that?" the leader of the Phantom Thieves questioned near silently, Noir and Mona giving a quick nod. Lavenza however gave a small blink of confusion.
"Butterfly? Is that meant to be referring to me?" the Velvet assistant questioned, only for a finger to reach Joker's lips. That same strange feeling suddenly permeated the very air, a flash of yellow entering pink eyes for the briefest moment as the whole world morphed for a second. For one moment, they had left the real world and entered a completely different realm, one that Joker didn't want to feel so soon.
"Okay then. Do you want to know what would make my night though?" the girl suggested, slipping closer and closer to Issei as the boy began to lose his composure. It felt like a scene out of some sort of romance anime, the girl coming in for a kiss, and Issei was not prepared for this.
"What...?"
"Will you die for me?"
Let's put a pause on that for now, we'll save that for another time. When I did this last time, I kind of rushed the fusion of persona and DXD elements; this time I plan to make it a little slower and more reasonable before combining them. There are concepts that I want to expand upon from Unchained and we'll get to those eventually, but for now, please review, tell me what you think!
Super hero time! See you next time!
