There are parts of this chapter that feel a little rushed and choppy. Sorry about that. I don't really enjoy rewriting scenes from canon material, which is what this is, because everyone knows what happened. I was more keen on focussing on the new things. :)

Also, I was asked "why use Q if not Arena?" and the simple answer is this: Q is the only game I can use as a basis for Minato actually knowing the IT, because it's the only time they ever meet. If I wanted the IT to know Minato, Q was the only choice I had. That's it. That's all. It's also why I opted to have everyone remember everything. Because it makes for a better story.

Lastly, I'm super sorry for any places where I mess up with the names. There are over 25 characters in this story, and they all use unique forms of address. It's happened, and it'll likely happen again. I'm sorry. If you think it's a mistake, it probably is. Just…try and read past it, please? I can only do so much. XD;


In the end, they decided to warp out. It was not a decision made lightly, but it seemed the right one nevertheless. They were all tired, confused, hungry, and in need of a chance to step back and think objectively.

That, and Takeba had pointed out a green, glowing device nearby, that she had assured them would allow them to return to this floor without all the...walking. That had been good enough for Seta, and Akira had agreed.

Though, if Akira was asked, he would swear it hadn't been there before.

Now, they were all spread out across the floor in the square, taking a well-earned rest. Near Akira, Futaba and her two new friends were chatting, looking at something on Futaba's laptop. Junpei, Sanada, Kanji, and Ryuji had also grouped off, and were...oh, Akira didn't know. Comparing weapons or something? Even Ann and Haru were making fast friends with Teddie, Amagi, and Satonaka. Other groups had sprouted as well, the two groups mingling rather cohesively, he had to admit. He supposed that was a good thing.

Akira's attention was mostly on his own group, however. Makoto, Seta, Kirijo, Takeba, Yosuke, and Shirogane were seated on the floor a little ways off, talking seriously about the bigger issue.

"I'm afraid I just don't have enough to go off of," Shirogane was saying. "How are we supposed to find a lie that is under our noses? There could be many. Who is to say how many lies are told every day?"

Takeba shook her head. "No, it's not going to be something stupid. Minato wouldn't be warning us if it wasn't significant."

"I agree," Shirogane conceded. "So, in light of that, we should look at the facts that we have."

"Your...friend," Makoto began, "he was addressing Joker directly."

"Yeah, that's right. Him and Souji," Yosuke added. "Do you think that's important?"

"It's difficult to say," Kirijo said. "It could simply be because they are our leaders."

"No, no, I think they're on to something," Shirogane said. "He really did address Joker directly. That's too big a clue to pass over."

"Okay, so, do you have any ideas, Joker?" Yosuke asked.

"Not off the top of my head, no," Joker said, shrugging.

"We need to take this objectively, then," Shirogane said. "What makes Joker, and even Souji, different from us?"

"Souji has the orb of truth," Yosuke suggested.

"Orb of truth?" Makoto asked.

Souji sighed. "Had. It was a one-time deal, Yosuke. You know that."

"Sounds useful, though," Akira muttered.

"Undoubtedly," Shirogane said, "but hardly worth dwelling on. To answer the question with a real answer, they're both Wild Cards, and have the ability to summon multiple personas."

"That makes sense," Takeba said. "But I don't know how it's relevant."

"Maybe it was warning me that you're all illusions or fakes," Akira suggested, smirking lightly.

"Hey!" Yosuke snapped. Before he could get more out, however, Shirogane cut him off.

"No, that is interesting. Perhaps he simply wishes to sow discord within our numbers by making us doubt one another."

"No," Kirijo said, shaking her head. "That does not sound like Minato. He believed in a fair fight."

Shirogane paused, then nodded politely. "Of course. I apologise for my careless statement."

"Okay, then how does the whole," Yosuke waved one hand, "million personas factor in?"

"That is...a good question," Kirijo muttered, shaking her head.

Seta stood up quite suddenly, his gaze darting in the direction of the door to the Velvet Room. "You keep talking. I think I'll go have a word with Igor." Akira wasn't sure why he was so surprised by the revelation, but he visibly started at Seta's words, gaze snapping to the man. "You coming, Joker?"

It made sense. Of course it did. Seta was a Wild Card, too. Why wouldn't he have visited the Velvet Room before? Steeling himself, he nodded. "Sure."

For some reason, only Makoto looked confused as they strode away.

Akira watched as Seta opened the door, then followed him inside. The interior seemed to flicker for a moment, before settling into the familiar cell. Seta sent him an unreadable look, but said nothing as they approached the bars.

"The failure returns," Igor accused, making Akira flinch slightly. "You failed at your rehabilitation, and even your second chance was a complete waste of effort. I think it's time I ordered your execution."

This was not at all where he had imagined this conversation going. At his side, Seta was silent. In a moment of irrational fear, he wondered if maybe they were working together. Maybe Seta had been tasked with making him fail, then bringing him back here. He forced the thought away. He couldn't suspect Seta forever.

"Listen...!" Akira snapped, stepping up to the bars and grabbing them. "We haven't failed. We'll do this. We just need a little more time! Tell u—"

"Joker," Seta didn't raise his voice, or even sound particularly angry, but there was something, some unreadable note, in his voice that cut Akira off like a hot knife through butter, "let me."

When Akira didn't challenge him, Seta stepped up, eyeing the door critically. "I may not know all of the circumstances, here," Seta said calmly, "but I do know one thing." He looked up at that. From what Akira could see of his profile, Seta looked furious. "You are not Igor."

Josephine and Caroline, who had been watching them intently until then, turned towards Igor—Igor?—with evident alarm.

"You look like him, but that's about as far as the resemblance goes, isn't it? You don't even know who I am. Tell me, where is he? If you harmed him, I'd start running now." Seta summoned a card, let it rotate once, then let it vanish without summoning anything. The threat was very clear, however.

Igor, for his part...laughed. "I had expected, if any would do so, it would be the attendant who would expose me. You must be a previous guest."

Akira glanced at Caroline and Josephine, who were exchanging a long look. Igor had said...attendant. Not attendants. What did that mean?

"Where. Is. He?" Seta said threateningly.

"Why don't you ask the attendant?"

"Josephine, Caroline," Akira said. "Do you know what he's talking about?"

"I—I," Josephine stammered.

"Shut up, inmates!" Caroline snapped. "You will not confuse us like this."

"Caroline!" Josephine yelled. "Have you heard nothing he's said? This isn't—we aren't—"

Caroline tensed, then wrenched out the keys, jamming them in the lock and twisting it open. "Listen, inmate, you better not let us down."

Akira had to admit, he was completely surprised by the attitude shift, but he nodded quickly, leading the way out of the cell, and over to the desk.

"The lie right in front of us, huh?" Seta said softly. "I think we found it."

Akira was inclined to agree. Stepping up to the desk, he slammed his palms down on it. "Listen—"

The figure behind the desk clearly had no interest in listening, because he started...floating. Akira took a moment to compose himself, because frankly he was more than a little shocked.

"Get back here!" It seemed Seta didn't have the same reservations. "Tell me where he is!"

The figure laughed. "You may have found one truth, but you will never conquer death. I look forward to hearing of your failure."

"Izanagi—!" Seta's yell was cut off when the figure faded from sight. "Shit!"

The outburst surprised Akira, but he let it go, turning instead to the attendants. What he saw made his blood freeze. "Caroline! Josephine!" he yelled racing over to where they had set their own necks in the guillotine-literally. "What—what are you doing?" he choked out, not hiding his own fear.

"You must do this," Josephine said, not looking phased in the slightest. "Two are one, and to reunite, you must fuse us."

He felt his own brow furrow, lips twitching down in a deep frown. "No—no. That's—this is—ridiculous—absurd—! I'm not going to—"

"Inmate!" Caroline snapped. "You must do this! Now!"

Meeting her eyes, his own wide, he reached for the lever with one shaking hand. He couldn't believe he was even considering this, but they seemed so...so certain. For perhaps the first time since he'd met them, they seemed wholly convicted in this one thing.

"Inmate! Do it!"

He pulled the lever.


Souji left Joker to his thing while he explored the room, seeking some hint of Igor. All he found were empty cells, their doors hanging askew with no hint of life. Pausing in front of the fifth cell, he sighed. This was a waste of time; they weren't here.

Closing his eyes, he tried to envision his own Velvet Room. Maybe if he could return there, to the car, he would find Igor and Margaret, waiting to help him find the answers. When he opened his eyes again, however, it was to the same, stark prison. Well, it had been worth a try.

Shing!

Startled, Souji turned towards the sound, instinctively summoning Izanagi's card. Before he could do anything, the guillotine-for that was the source of the sound—was concealed by light, then faded into the form of a young woman. Curious, he took a step forward, only to be distracted by yet another light appearing out of the corner of his eye.

This one coalesced into the form of...

"Igor," he said, smiling in relief.

"Ah, the former guest returns in trying times." That was definitely Igor's voice, and smile, unnerving though it may be. "And the new guest."

"Joker," Souji called, "come meet Igor." For real this time.

The next few minutes were spent with frantic explanations and revelations that even Souji found interesting. Joker especially seemed interested in the discussion about Mona, the cat. At least they were working with the real thing, now.

"Igor," Souji asked, once all of the exposition was dealt with, "where is Margaret?"

It was Lavenza who answered, "My sister had an errand to see to. She will return when it has been completed."

"Is she with Elizabeth?"

Igor's smile widened, if that were at all possible. "So, am I to understand my former guest has returned, then?"

"...he has," Souji said with reluctance. "Or at least the appearance of him has."

"You believe him to be a fake?"

Glancing at Joker, Souji hesitated before shrugging. "He's dead. I know he is. I visited his grave. The others—they attended his funeral. How can we not doubt it?"

"What do you think?" Igor asked, turning to Joker.

"...he could be a cognition," Joker finally said. "Perhaps he isn't the palace ruler at all, it's—" Joker trailed off, brow furrowing. "Seta," the serious note in his tone really drew Souji's attention, "could...one of your group be causing this? Palace rulers, they can create incredibly convincing cognitions within their own palaces. If someone is...remembering your friend, they could be creating the image we saw today."

Seta shook his head. "All of my group have their personas still." He didn't know all of the details of these palaces, but he knew enough to realise they had to be similar to what his own team faced. Someone with a persona could not create a palace.

So...why had Minato?

"Of course, right," Joker shook his head. "But...wasn't your friend a persona user, too? Maybe it's an old friend of his."

Joker had a good point, and Souji paused to consider it. From what he knew, Minato had been pretty popular at school, but his friends there shouldn't have known about Tartarus, right? But what about someone else?

"We should discuss this with the others," he finally said. "They knew him better than I did."

Joker watched him for a moment, then nodded. "Then...let's go. The sooner we get to the bottom of this, the better."

"In a moment. First...Igor, I'm sorry to have to ask this, but..." He took a deep breath. Asking this felt incredibly...invasive. If asked, he wouldn't have been able to pinpoint exactly why, but it was something deeply personal to him, and he felt like Minato—and even Joker—would probably feel the same way, "but can I see his compendium?"

Igor stared for a long moment. Souji met his gaze. "You will be unable to summon from it."

"I know. But if this comes to a fight, I...I need to be prepared."

"...I would normally not allow this, but I sense that Orpheus has loaned you its power. A tragedy, when a guest loses himself." As he was speaking, Igor waved a hand, and two compendiums floated onto the tabletop. "Yours and his. You may look."

Nodding his appreciation, Souji pushed his own feelings aside, took a deep breath...and cracked open Minato's.


Akira watched the stone-faced Seta flip through a book that easily rivalled his own in size. It was clear that Seta was uncomfortable, so he left him to it, turning to his own compendium and flipping through the pages aimlessly. He thought he'd made about as much as he could, certainly everything he needed, but he didn't want to intrude on Seta's moment. So, he skimmed the pages, not really paying attention, while Seta did...whatever it was he needed to do.

Eventually, Seta straightened, motioned to him, and left the room without a word. Nodding politely to Igor-and hadn't that come a surprise. It seemed Minato had been right about the lie-he paused for a moment before following.

"Thank you, for your help. I don't know what he was looking for, but...yeah. Thanks."

"Mm," Igor hummed lightly. "The aid is given freely, to guests of this place. He is also a guest."

"I know, but even though I didn't know it wasn't you, before, I'm still glad you're here now."

Igor simply eyed him for a long while, before sitting back, hands folded. "Perhaps, but there is yet another you need to make amends with."

Was there? "Wh—oh." Nodding, he turned and followed Seta out.

"Wait, Seta," he called, just as they stepped out, but before joining the others. A lot had happened in that room, and one thing had been made apparent to Akira with crystal clarity: Seta wasn't his enemy. The man had taken his suggestions, even accusations, in-stride, had been nothing but helpful...and was clearly doing nothing but working towards this cause. That had to count for something, right?

Seta turned back, one brow raised in silent question. "Joker?"

"Akira," he said, before he could stop himself, or think better of it. Extending his hand, he offered a small smile. "I still need to ask you to call me Joker in here, but...it's Kurusu Akira. Akira, outside."

"Well, Joker," Seta replied, grasping his hand. "Then feel free to call me Souji."

It was in that moment that it happened. When Igor had returned, the last of his confidant rankings had gone up, completing the only one that had not already hit rank ten. What Akira had not expected was this.

The World Confidant awoke.

Momentarily speechless, he quickly collected himself and smiled back at Souji. "Right, Souji-san."

Souji broke the handshake, tipping his head towards their approaching friends. "I think we have some explaining to do."

Akira's smile turned wry. "Right. Let's go do that."