I'd glad to see last chapter caught some of your interest, I won't waste time beating around the bush so let's get straight to the story.

I do not own anything.

Chapter 9-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt.2

Even if he wasn't a true detective Goro still liked to think he knew enough about detective work to tell when someone was bad news. Unlike his black-haired counterpart who seemed to be able to see the best in people Goro seemed to make it a habit to find the worst in them first. Perhaps it had something to do with his upbringing, the first decent person he met after his mother's death was taken away from him by some rich idiot's negligence, and after that he'd all but closed himself off to whatever good people might have had in them or tried to show him. Almost.

His sixth sense, every highly developed part of his mind and body screamed for him to get away from this man. One problem-he was chained to a weight ball he was sure weighed as much as he did and he was confined to a cell he could walk across in five easy steps. Not to mention even if he did escape where would he go? Attempting to mask his desperation he searched his surroundings for something he could use, a hidden exist or window that might offer escape. Of course, there was no such thing, he was completely trapped.

"What is this place? Where am I?" It wouldn't hurt to at least try to get a little information. His life very well depended on it.

"Geez, this one's just as stupid as the last prisoner!" Shouted twin-buns throwing her hands behind her head. "Even better, he looks just as hopeless as the other one!"

The quieter twin sized him up with her unsettling golden eyes. Though she held no physical armaments or showed outward malice Goro knew better than to test his luck. "This place, it is only meant to suit…no…no that's not right." She whispered continuously looking over her clipboard. Goro recognized that look of deep thought on her clipboard. "There used to be many, many would come at once…the group, the team…"

"Moving, on, as I said, Lost One, this is the Velvet Room. Have no fear for your physical body remains where it is, safe and secure." Spoke the long-nosed man putting Goro's immediate fears at ease, while at the same time giving rise to new ones. "It appears you've experienced meetings such as this, how odd."

"I have a term for things like this-nightmares." Replied the brown-haired teen still looking at the man with narrow eyes. Though he was happy to know his body was safe it meant his mind was at risk. This place was a mental world meaning his mental strength would be the deciding factor; that just made things even more dangerous.

"Existing between dream and reality, mind and matter, this place is accessible only to those that have formed a 'contract'. Lost One, it appears you have an unseen patron." The man behind the desk chuckled.

That sentence only made Goro feel even more at risk. The word "contract" opened too many possibilities. He'd already formed multiple "contracts" with various beings, and those contracts had changed his life in ways that either turned his stomach or reluctantly had made him a better person. Neither Robin Hood nor Loki, his supernatural guardians, had ever mentioned this place; speaking of which, where were they? If this was a mental world of some sort than he should have been able to call them forth. Shutting his eyes he tried to reach for them only to get nothing but static, literally.

"Apparently his brain isn't nearly as big as we thought. Idiot." Sneered baton-wielding twin. Wordlessly she smashed the electrified metal batt against Goro's cell bars pushing him back for fear of being shocked. Setting the rod atop her shoulders she leered at him with her one good eye. "You wake up bound in chains in a stupid-ass cell like that and you think you can call arrow-boy and horn-head to come rescue you? Ha! Prince Detective my ass!"

Okay, when they put it like that, it really sounded stupid.

"This place, while Personas may manifest, their role here is different then what you are used to." Answered the other twin. "This realm is for you to execute and fuse the power that you have nurtured within yourself. This power of yours…it appears you are like him."

"Like who?" Goro repeated already having an idea of who they were talking about.

"The other inmate, he's almost as stupid as you are! Made almost all the same mistakes when he first got here," briefly a something resembling a smile graced the loud-mouthed one's face. "He learned fast though. Fast enough he was able to make the climb from worthless to slight useful. He may just have a chance to avoid his fate, apparently it's a fate you're both sharing."

"And that would be?" Questioned the assassin.

"Ruin." Came the answer from the man behind the desk. Goro felt an intense shiver run up his spine when his eyes and those of his captor met. For the first time he wished it was the twins he was still speaking to. "This place is a reflection of the heart of its occupants, look around you, Lost One, what do you see and what do you think your future heralds?"

Captivity. Confinement. Loss. Pain. Hopelessness.

Death.

He wanted so desperately to write off this entire experience as nothing but a bad dream, a result of the tacos he'd eaten, but Goro knew better than that. His life wasn't normal and the supernatural existed, those two facts had been seared into his head making it possible for him to accept even the strangest of phenome, the strangest and the darkest. At his core he always knew what his future was going to be-all this long-nosed man did was confirm what he'd come to accept. Slowly his hands balled into fists as his glare intensified. The man behind the desk knew all this, he could see it in his overly large eyes.

"You can avoid it ya' know. As Justine said, that power inside of you, sacrifice and execution. It may hold the key to your salvation."

"Where are my Personas?"

Only a fool would have asked a question like that, and Goro was a fool. Snapping his fingers an azure conflagration appeared to the left of the seated man. The flames dispersed revealing the Archer of Sherwood and Trickster of the Gods, both of them chained by their arms and legs to wooden boards as tall and wide as their bodies.

"Robin! Loki!" Goro cried in alarm seeing his Personas in their bound state.

"Goro!" Shouted Robin Hood with clear relief.

"Well, as far as reunions go, this sucks balls, doesn't it?" Piped up the monochromatic god. In spite of the situation he smiled at Goro in an attempt to reassure him of his safey. "Sorry you have to see us in this state, we know how you feel about bondage, but with an audience watching us…"

Twin-buns caught the sly grin Loki shot her way and blushed redder than a tomato. "Quiet! You want me to execute you!"

"Depends on what kind of execution we're talking about here. You know this isn't my first time being bound and gagged. If you really want to make this interesting you're gonna need some rope, a donkey, and a bucket full of-"

"Loki/Loki!" Screamed the teenage detective and archer in perfect unison.

"Hey, what can I say, I'm into kinky shit, and whose fault is that?" Cackled the horned god giving his master a sideways smile.

His eye twitching Goro considered asking about the "execution" part in regards to finally ridding himself of the dirty-talking Norse god that he'd had to put up with for over two years. Oh hell, who's to say I do get rid of him and his soul or whatever comes back to haunt me? "Um, Mister…"

"Ah, where are my manners. I am Igor, the master of this place, never forget that." Declared the suited man beckoning to the two chained entities. "Luckily, Lost One, there is a means of avoiding this face. Re-"

"Reapplying for that position in Shido's evil agency of ass-kissers?" Loki offered.

Even though it was brief, a second or two at best, Goro caught the look of sheer outrage that crossed Igor's face when Loki spoke. Wincing in sympathetic pain as the chains binding the god's arms and legs grew tighter he saw Robin Hood attempt to communicate something to his horned counterpart, probably a well-intention suggestion to shut the hell up. Looking to the two wardens Goro noticed both were attempting to avert their gaze from him, and failing miserably at it.

"Let them go." He finally spoke turning back to Igor. "Let them go and I promise they won't hurt anyone."

"Except maybe the decorator of this place. Seriously? You call this a dungeon? Where's the torture rack or iron maiden?" Loki snarked completely ignoring the pointed glares of Robin and Goro.

Goro's highly adapted ears picked up the sound of fingers snapping over a long drawn out chuckle. Both Personas disappeared in another blue blaze. When it faded they were still bound but in a different way-both were now on their knees with their arms tied behind their backs and sacks thrown over their heads. Suspended high over their heads were gleaming azure-edged guillotine blades with a stylized V and wreath engraved into the metal.

"As Caroline said, this is a place where the power you've nurtured inside of you can be refined, shall we start with these two?"

"What?!"

"While here you may fuse Personas that you've collected to create new stronger ones. In addition to that you can teach them new skills and abilities." Stated the one he deduced to be Justine.

"Yes, this is part of the 'rehabilitation' you must take if you wish to avoid ruin." Igor chimed in looking as relaxed as a cat lying on the porch.

Neither of them were struggling, but Goro could feel their mounting unease and worry. Akira had only given light hints and veiled them in jokes regarding where and how he attained new Personas, and now Goro was truly cursing him for it. Executing and fusing Personas? How the hell did he do it? Especially when he originally only had one? Biting his lip, he tried to formulate a plan on how to proceed. Rehabilitation? Ruin? He'd heard the second word so many times in the past, Ruin for myself, ruin for Shido, ruin for the world that I hate so much? Exactly what in the hell is going on here? No, the question was who was going to benefit from it all.

"Lost One," Igor declared grabbing Goro's attention. "This two have served you well, but their purpose has been served. They have sheltered you and protected you, but now there is no need." With a grin that made his skin crawl the mysterious man pointed at the struggling two Personas. "Alone each of them are powerful, but together, they may prove powerful enough for you to overcome the darkness that has set its sights on you. Is that not desirable? Is that power not what you need to achieve the justice you longed for? Only you need do is say the word and it will be done."

Bullshit. The word came out so fast Goro almost verbalized it. What Igor had spoken to him of was…enticing to say the least. God only knew what Shido had done to his Palace since his defection. Odds were it would take nothing less than a full siege to get in close enough to steal his Treasure, and that was without even thinking about his Shadow Self. From what few informants he'd gotten to talk Shido's Shadow Self was so monstrously powerful directly engaging it would only result in Goro breaking every bone in his body, or worse. If he fused Loki and Robin Hood together than maybe…maybe…

"I just can't do it," Akira had once told him during one of their breaks in Sae's Palace. "Arsene is…well, he's part of me. He gets on my nerves, but he's a part of me I don't ever want to give up. Not for anything."

Robin Hood was annoying and preachy, but he always had Goro's back, at his best and at his worst. Loki was flat out irritating and made him question his sanity at almost every turn, but he pushed him to go further when he thought he didn't have anything left to give.

They weren't perfect…they weren't easy to get along with…but they were…they were…

Walking up to the bars Goro firmly gripped the cold metal. Twin buns could have smashed her baton against his fingers and he wouldn't have cared. Summoning every ounce of his courage he looked the unnatural man in the eye. "No, tempting as the offer is…I'm keeping those two."

"…Why? Lost One, what good is this archer whose story ended in tragedy and god who lost his place in the heavens?" Igor pressed sounding too calm for Goro's liking.

"Maybe that's precisely why I want them with me." Proclaimed the wayward youth giving the long-nose man a sharp glare. He was through being scared and shackled. "I knew from the start my story was going to in tragedy, I know at the end of this I'm probably going to either end up in a real cell or in the ground. Regardless, this is a path I must walk." Loud and clear his heart temporarily thundered in his chest. "A place in the heavens? Hah! I've seen the 'heaven' of this world," Sneering he tightened his grip on the bars. "I promised I'd burn down that gold and silver-plated hell and every damn person in it. I'd rather fall down and burn in hell than lavish in that world. You speak of ruin as if you know me, but if you did then you'd know that sort of thing doesn't scare me. Ruin is my end goal, ruin of the man who took everything from me, ruin for the society that shunned me and those like me, and ruin for all those who indulge in their depravity without a moment's hesitation or thought of others! Let my end come, but let it herald the demise of my enemies!"

It was as if all the air was sucked up within the strange blue-tinted room. The twin wardens stared in open-mouthed shock at the prisoner, then they each clenched their heads as if fighting a headache. Over by the guillotine Robin and Loki had ceased their slight shaking becoming unsettlingly still. Seconds ticked by until finally a reaction came. Both Personas spontaneously combusted into bright blue and black flames that swirled about like a twister. His head held up by his right hand and his face illuminated, Igor shot Goro a glare with all the intensity of spear. Rather it was disappointment or anger he couldn't tell, but whatever it was it wasn't enough to get Goro to back down. The flames broke free of the guillotines before bolting towards him. Snaking their way through the cell bars they took the form of two palm-sized lights atop his shoulders now illuminating his face.

"Lost One…is that…truly your answer?"

"It's not going to changing. If you want, you can tell Akira that." The teen declared.

For a few minutes Igor didn't say anything and neither did his twin assistants leaving Goro wondering where things were going to go now. Would he remain trapped int this strange limbo for not going along with this man's whims?

Someone finally broke the tension-twin buns. She was laughing.

"I'll say this, Inmate B, you've got guts. I like that." Twin-buns grinned stepping before his cell. Her smile was... almost kind. Rather than malice she was looking at him with what might have been…admiration. "You're in luck, Inmate B, helping unruly inmates like you is what we specialized at."

"Yes, helping…inmates." The other twin retorted. Looking at him Goro was taken back to find her face seemed…calmer, more easy-going than earlier. "As with our other guests, we shall be your collaborators, provided you are able to hold onto that…spark inside of you."

Looking back to the desk where Igor sat Goro awaited his response. Clearly he was the one in charge so his word was the final say in this Velvet Room.

"You'd take these two…and walk down that path? To the bitter end? To see your… 'justice' carried out?" The nicely-dressed man wasn't questioning him so much as he was pondering Goro's declaration. Loudly drumming his fingers along the desk, he lowered his head obscuring his large eyes from the assassin's view. "You'd charge down that path so recklessly, without a moment's care if it meant accomplishing your goal? Foolish, idiotic, meddlesome, but," When he looked up his grin was practically ear-to-ear. "You are the Lost One, perhaps there may be a light waiting for you at the end of this tunnel. Yes, perhaps for you, glory may lie beyond the horizon of ruin, but do you have the will to seize it?"

It seemed Goro's body handled the response this time. From his chest exploded a mystical blue light that caused Igor's almost daring smile to dampen. In contrast the twins stared at it as if they were watching fireworks bursting before their eyes. Goro himself wasn't sure what the light was or how it got inside of him, all he knew was that light was his power, his guiding beacon into a pitch-black darkness.

"Does that answer your question." For the first time he coolly challenged the supposed master of the Velvet Room.

"Yes…I suppose it does." He answered almost drily. "Justine, Caroline."

"R-Right," Sputtered twin-buns, now identified as Caroline. "I-It looks like you were holding out on us, Inmate B, you came here prepared."

"That light… it is…old, old yet so familiar." Justine muttered taking a step forward. Were it not for t the bars separating them she could have reached out and touched Goro, matter of fact, that's exactly what she tried to do. "Why…why does that light remind me of-"

"Justine!" Shouted Igor.

Withdrawing her hand in a manor that was all too familiar to Goro the braided twin looked almost ashamed of herself. "R-Right, I-I'm sorry." Regaining her composure, she stood up straight with a now exuding a professionalism that mirrored that of the seventeen-year-old's. "Inmate B, you shall be offered the same services as those offered to Inmate A. It is in your best interest to use them wisely."

The light emanating from his chest burned brighter and eventually left Goro's body in the form of multiple blue orbs of light. Peering into each of them he could see obscured shapes with tarot cards hanging over their heads. Out of caution he looked back to find the two azure flames were still hovering above his shoulders. Breathing a mental sigh of relief, he looked to the strange trio that had forced him to look deep inside of himself. "Alright, so since we've gotten some…formalities out of the way, explain to me how this place is going to be useful to me."

November 17th, Mid-Morning…

For the first time in what felt like weeks he awoke to morning rays and didn't feel immediate discomfort. This time he awoke in a nice comfy bed instead of hard concrete, and by God did it feel good. Sitting upright he rubbed his eyelids trying to focus his blurry vision. As he did so a glittering blue stream came across his line of sight.

"Still hanging around me, huh?" He asked visibly grouchy to the perched blue butterfly. Why couldn't insects have facial impressions big enough to see? The mental picture of him asking a bug for answers kept him from actually doing so. From its spot on the window the butterfly didn't seem to care too much for his irritable mood, not that he would have seen it. Curious he reached towards it half-expecting the blue insect to fly away, yet it did not. Goro began to ponder what would it feel like to touch the sparkling insect as his fingers drew closer and closer to it. Alas, something set the insect off causing it to fly away into the morning air. The teenage assassin knew it to be a hint and immediately turned to the door.

"So…you're up." Shuya's voice was as flat and toneless as it was the day before. He was dressed in a school uniform and his face cleaned up. In spite of that, something told Goro the young boy had little intention of actual going, perhaps he planned on staying home and pestering Goro. "How'd you sleep?"

"Better than I have in the last few days." Goro replied. "Has your sister already left for school?"

"Almost an hour ago." Without waiting for so much as an invitation he marched in and sat at the edge of the Goro's bed, his DS pulled out and powered up. "She made you breakfast for when you woke up though it's probably started to get cold by now."

"And you?"

"Have you considered maybe I don't want to go to some crummy school, sit at home, and hangout with the Great Prince…" Surprisingly the boy didn't buckle under the piercing glare that Goro shot him. If anything, it almost seemed like Shuya was used to being glare at. "Why don't you like that title? Do you hate it? You never show it in public when you're on TV, then again, there are a lot of things you probably don't show to the world."

"You're awfully nosy for a grade-schooler." The brown-haired teen snapped.

"This coming from the guy broke several major cases including ones that had the Tokyo police stumped." Came his cool response.

Goro had to give Shuya some credit, he was good. "Is there someone bullying you at school or do you just hate going?"

"You're the detective, can't you figure it out?"

It was hard to tell if the boy was usually like this or if Goro had done something to unintentionally offend him. Natsuo did say he was the one who found him and checked to make sure he was still alive. Maybe the kid was just a blooming tsundere. Tsundere? Dear lord, I hung around Futaba and Yusuke way too long! I'm starting to think like them!

You're speaking as if that's a bad thing. Of all the little rascals, you gotta admit, those two are the most entertaining.

That aside, doesn't it take one to know one?

It was a miracle he kept his reaction to the two voices minimal, if he didn't he probably would have scared Shuya off the bed. Loki! Robin! You're….you're both… He was…happy, yes, happy, that was the word for it. His memories of the Velvet Room were somewhat blurry but the he clearly remembered the highlights such as Igor, Caroline, and Justine. His Personas had come within a hair's breath of leaving him, but Goro refused and summoned them back to his side. When he awoke a small part of him feared his act of defiance truly had deprived him of his only two companions. He was so glad to find that wasn't the case.

We…we owe you a great debt for what you did for us. Came Robin's booming and gentle voice. Gore knew if he sacrificed his archer he'd forever lose that steady and ever-calm voice of reason, perhaps the only one in his life.

Standing up to ole' long-nose like that, takes balls. Ah, I knew you were a golden egg! Exclaimed Loki throwing an imaginary arm around the teen's neck. He welcomed it.

You both…remember that place? Have you been there before? Goro questioned.

All Personas know of the Velvet Room. Answered Robin Hood. As we are spiritual entities its is something of a nexus for us. A nexus…and an executioner's ground as you can imagine.

Still, while I never really liked that place even I don't remember the guillotine or cells, geez, I liked it better when it was a literal room, or even a night club with thumping music. Cried the Norse god. Goro, you should have seen it when ole' long-nose had a pianist and singer, oh that place was absolutely the best. So calm, so blissful, but, well, it's really your and Akira's fault we can't have that.

And just like that he knew Loki was well and truly back. My fault and Akira's? How is it our fault?

Goro, the Velvet Room is a place that exists between dream and reality, it appears different to everyone. What Loki means is-

What I mean, is it reflects the mental state of whatever poor bastard has to pay long-nose a visit. Loki asnwered playing with one of his waist-length braids. His near invisible-mouth opened in a slight hiss giving Goro a sideways view of the red-tinted teeth that adorned his maw. The fact that its looking like Shawshank means something… Facing him the teenager shivered noting how his Persona's voice and face were seemingly devoid of any humor. Something is VERY wrong.

Alright, on that Goro actually agreed. Being in that strange prison-like dimension…he didn't like it one bit. Maybe it was because it represented a fact that Goro had been trying to escape his whole life, but something about that place unsettled him. More than anything the man sitting behind the desk, Igor, something about him simply made Goro's hair stand on edge. Inmate B…Lost One. Those were the things he was called, neither of them were flattering titles, but they gave Goro an insight into what was going on. Coupled with Justine's muttering it all pointed to one fact-he was unexpected, he wasn't supposed to have found his way into the dimension. Someone's playing a game, and I'm the wild card that everyone wants to get a hold of. The thought actually would have been uplifting if it wasn't putting his life in escalating danger.

If not for the sudden shiver he was somewhat used to Goro never would have noticed Shuya staring at him. Glancing upward he found his eyes meeting the boy's dark green orbs. It was impossible for him to read what was running through the child's mind before he opened his mouth.

"You should stay in bed."

"Excuse me?"

"You're thinking about something, something bad, aren't you? This place is probably the safest place for you to be." He explained.

It as advice, helpful advice. Alas, Goro knew as much as he wanted to take it he had things he needed to do. "Appealing as that is, I can't. There are things I have to do, and seating in bed all day isn't going to do anything about the problems I'm facing." Throwing off the covers he swung his feet across the edge of the bed. "Nothing good comes from sitting around in bed complaining, my mother taught me that."

"Spoken like a true man, then hurry up and get something in her stomach." Shouted a male voice Goro instantly recognized. Stepping into the doorway Jo gave a short glance in the direction of his young nephew. "Shuya,"

"Can't I work with you at the bar?" Whined the auburn-haired boy.

Bar? Goro thought raising an eyebrow.

"No, now get your little butt out of here, and remember to stay out of trouble."

"Alright, alright," Shuya finally relented hoping off the bed. "Just make sure you don't scare off our house guest."

"I'm right here, ya' know." Goro snapped.

"And?" He was already in the hallway and presumable out of earshot range.

"Is everyone in this family a smartass?" The teenage inquired looking to the apparent man of the house.

"Family trait, think you'd rather take your chances out in the wild?"

"No," he answered getting to his feet. Jo looked ready to intervene but Goro held up his hand stopping him. For a split second the world spun before gradually becoming steady and finally still. "I…I'm good. Just need to take some time to get back on my feet."

"That's good because you're going to be doing a lot of moving today."

He would have asked what exactly he was getting at the but the vocal growl of his stomach prevented him from saying anything. Eating came first.

Goro didn't mind that pancakes had been prepared for him, matter of fact, a part of him was actually grateful for it. Just like the night before he practically wolfed down anything he could stab his fork or knife into. He didn't stop until he felt he was half-way full, placing his fork and knife down. Throughout the whole time the teen kept shooting periodic glances in the direction of Jo, who'd remained seat on the couch watching the morning news. Shuya had mentioned something about a bar so Goro could only assume that was where he worked.

"Don't skip out on anything, eat up, if there's something else you want just let me know." He spoke briefly swinging his eyes Goro's way.

Admittedly, the teenage assassin flinched. Learning to read people by the eyes had almost become second nature to him, it had to be if he expected to survive. Jo's eyes were clear and hard leaving Goro with nowhere to go. In his caramel-colored eyes Goro saw a seasoned firmness that reminded him of Mitsumoto; like the Superintendent General this man was a veteran of hard times. Scrapping together everything he'd heard from the night before and over the last half-hour his mind pulled all the pieces together into he was staring at a grim picture.

I'm alone with an ex-yakuza, great. I mean, it's not like my life could get any worse. The teen mental grumbled while swallowing another lump of pancakes and eggs.

On the bright side, at least this one isn't attempting to injure you. Robin chimed in. He's been good to you so far, no need to squander his kindness.

Until he gives me a reason to. Thought the brown-haired youth with bitterness. "Based on what you said to Shuya," he began rolling his shoulders. "I'm assuming you…want me to help out somewhere?"

"If you're up to it? If you want to spend the rest of the day sulking in bed I can understand."

"I wasn't sulking." He immediately shot back feeling slighted.

"Then please, tell me what you planned on doing all day until someone came home? Search the place for your gun, money, then hightail it out of here?" Jo beckoned raising an eyebrow.

"If you thought I was going to do that then you would have tied my arms and legs up to keep me from even moving." Reasoned the high-schooler.

"The fact I haven't should give you a counter to that."

It did, this man was definitely smarter than he looked. Beating around the bush wasn't going to do any good. "Good point, what do you want me to do for you?"

"Just help out at my job. I co-own a bar a few blocks away with an old friend. During the day when I come in and do cleanup on the place so it's ready to go by the time evening rolls around." He answered sitting up showing his full imposing stature.

"What kind of bar is this?"

Jo chuckled at the inquiry tone of the boy's voice. "Relax, I've got a few disguises that'll help so no one will recognize you. You step out of this apartment and into broad daylight your head will be on a pike before midnight."

"How kind of you to take that into consideration. Just let me finish eating."

Said time was less than ten minutes. With the dishes and cooking utensils thrown into the sink to be cleaned at a later date Goro began the process of getting himself ready for a day at work. Truth be told, he was actually looking forward to it. He hated being idle, especially with so much swirling about in his head. Atop of washing his face and brushing his teeth he took another quick shower, if only for his mental state rather than his hygiene. When he came out he wrapped in a towel he found Jo had laid out clothes atop his bed in the guest room. Jeans, a long-sleeve shirt, socks, and a pair of shoes, all of which he'd guessed actually fit.

Jo must have been hanging in the hallway listening in, waiting for him to finish. Once he was he stepped in, a cardboard box held tightly under one arm. "Here's your disguise." He said presenting it to the just dressed teenager.

Setting it down on the bed Goro opened the lead finding a collection of wigs and makeup inside. Narrowing his eyes, he realized he now had further evidence that this man was ex-yakuza. "Any prefaces?"

"It's your face, I'll be waiting at the door."

Reaching into the box he held up a well-crafted black wig that would snuggly fit over his head. Though he'd been given a shower, decent food, and a bed he still had to hide himself. It was laughable how little things had changed in some ways while in others they were unrecognizable. Tossing back the black hair piece the looked through the lot for a red one and upon finding it tucked his natural brown hair beneath it. As uncomfortable as it was Goro could bare it for a day or so.

"I'll see how long this mask lasts."

The time came when he finally left the room and descended the stairs to the apartment's back doorway, no doubt the same one he'd been carried through. Through a ginger-colored wig his brown hair lay in a brushed up heap where it would remain perhaps until late into the night, or until he got a break. Masking his blood-colored eyes were contact leans he'd oh-so carefully inserted over his eyes rendering them a dark blue. Jo said nothing tossing him a coat he quickly zipped up. The door flew open leading to a set of stairs he followed down into an alley way. They followed it to the end where they came out into a bustling street corner.

"How do you feel? Any of your wounds acting up?" Jo asked looking back at him.

Goro tested his left leg finding only a dull throbbing where his leg had been bandaged. Whatever medicine they'd given him had done a good job in healing the injury. Running a hand over his chest where he'd felt thousands of volts of electricity race through his body Goro repressed a shudder. "Just no electronics, I've had enough of playing with wires and cables if you know what I mean."

It was a cruel lesson that no matter who you were or what your social status was life went on, with or without you. That harsh albeit needed lesson had been hammered into Goro ever since that day over ten years ago, and for a time he thought he could escape it until he was forced to realize otherwise. Days like this was one of the times that life ruler slammed into him with all the force of a freight train.

People were on their way to work just like Jo, kids were on their way to school or probably already sitting in class like sitting in class like Natsuo and Shuya. Hundreds of people, hundreds of faces, and he was just another drop in the endless river. Curiously he shot sideways glances at every other person he passed. Who were these people? Surely they had Shadows in the Metaverse, some of them might even have had Palaces. For he knew like him these people were wearing false faces until they got where they needed to go, but even then there was no guarantee the mask would come off. Numerous times he looked to his dark-haired patron noting not once did his expression change.

What kind of face was Jo hiding beneath the mask of the silent mysterious uncle? For better or for worse Goro knew he was about to find out.

As they walked he began to get a solid idea of what part of Shinjuku they were in. It with without saying he'd been forced to make a few trips into Kabukicho, by day and night. Doubtlessly the red light district was at its most dangerous well into the night, where Tokyo's seedier and nastier residents were out and about, not on a semi-sunny morning like this where most people were attempting to muster up the strength needed to get through another workday. That was the driving reason why the streets were relatively empty compared to the booming organic river that came out at night. They were heading deeper and deeper into a nest of bars and nightclubs he was sure the police had performed stakeouts at, hell, he remembered being with them for one or two.

He said nothing when Jo lead him through an alleyway into a backdoor. His nose encountered a myriad of smells ranging from alcohol to thick male-oriented colon giving him an immediate idea of what this place was. Silently he followed Jo down the lit hallway and through a series of turns to the main room-a bar.

"Thanks for not being so damn squeamish." Jo finally said stepping into the light.

As far as bars went…the place Jo co-owned and apparently worked at was pretty snazzy, and Goro could say that despite never having been in many bars due to his age. It was spacious, almost half as big as a school gymnasium with dozens of square and oval-shaped tables. To his far left lay a giant black marble wall covered with various old-style paintings depicting fish, mountains, and castles straight from the feudal area. Evenly spaced out along the floor were several wooden pillars with black marble collars fasten around them supporting a low-hanging ceiling. Glancing directly ahead of him he saw a row of wall seats, each individual table shaped like an egg due to the oval-like tables. Separating each was paper and wooden screens he had to guess could be pulled back and lowered at request.

Glancing to his immediate right he was greeted to the sight of a sable-colored bar counter that stretched onward before making a sharp turn to the right. Working the counter were various middle-aged men and women. The closest one turned to Goro to eye him from head to toe.

By his estimates he was in his late fifties, perhaps early sixties with fading black hair and well-cut beard now turning ghostly white and a wrinkled face. In spite of those things his eyes carried an acute sharpness Goro recognized as still having an edge.

"Either this kid's older than he looks or you're breaking the rules again, Jo." He finally said.

"Hey, it's not the first time and it sure as hell ain't gonna be the last." The ex-yakuza shrugged shooting Goro a sideways glance. "This kid here is Souta, Souta Hashigami, his mother's an old associate of mine who I promised to look after for a little bit. Souta, this gentleman here is Shibata, the man who'll poison you if you exceed your sass limit for the day."

Rather or not that was a joke or not Goro didn't want to find out, instead he got into character and gave the man a sharp bow. "H-Hello, I-I promise I won't cause any trouble."

The old man let his gaze lingered for a minute too long on Goro before he too shrugged. Apparently having a random teenager helping out around the place wasn't too big a concern to him. That, or Jo's presence carried a lot more weight in this place than Goro had first thought, whichever it was, he made a mental note not to piss off either men.

"Welcome to Cloud Eight then, just follow Jo's lead and keep your heads to yourself. Oh, and don't let me catch you trying to swipe any of the booze."

He didn't have to worry about that. Taking one glance at the array of drinks on displays Goro felt a strange mixture of nausea and nostalgia. What his mother wouldn't give for a sip of half the bottles in arm's length of him. That thought alone was enough to keep him from so much as even glancing at the colored displays, as well as giving him the fire he needed to march through what he knew was going to be a day of honest work.

Jo had a private office with a locker he was kind enough to loan Goro. He didn't dwell too hard on what was in the office or the decorations His coat went into the closest and a customized apron was tied around his waist. Marching out the door he threw himself into the maintenance work Jo had spoken off with silent vigor. He was told to pick up trash and wash tables that's exactly what he did, never once speaking a word expect whenever he found himself in need of guidance. Beer stains and food stains, these weren't anything new to him. Whenever he left a table he shot a stray glance backwards to find one of the other workers expecting it. Some of them dared to look Goro in the eye, a handful of them either silent communicated their approval or verbalized it. He didn't want to say it or show it but that praise, small as it was felt…good.

Almost two hours in he was called back into the kitchen, he raised no fuss and did as asked of him. Goro was careful in handling the dishes making sure he didn't drop anything, the last thing he wanted was to have to play for kitchenware with money he obviously didn't have.

So engrossed in his work he didn't realize Jo had joined him into he turned to his left to place another plate on a nearby rack. "You're pretty good at this."

"Practice." Was his near cold answer.

"Hm-hm, the great Prince Detective, from what I hear you live by yourself so it's only natural you're self-sufficient."

"If I wasn't I never would have made it this far. I'm assuming you know something about that."

At the least Jo didn't seem to mind his subtle jab too much, not to mention Goro managed to contain his emotions while thinking back to those memories.

Heh, what exactly would you think of me? Cutting school to hang around here, helping clean a stupid bar that's probably nothing but a giant haven for yakuza and thugs? Would you even care? Unknowingly Goro's teeth began to gnash at the accursed memories he'd attempted to seal away in the back of his mind. The lock that had been holding them had begun to come undone allowing those childhood dramas to return to him. Those days coming home to find her passed out drunk on the couch, or if he was lucky, in bed. In the span of a few weeks he'd learned how many different flavors of alcohol there were…and he'd come to hate every one of them. This was the kind of place she'd frequent, ordering drink after drink until she was finally kicked out or by some string of luck someone decided to drag her home. He'd fought so hard to escape that life and here he was, sitting in the same place. Was this how his life was going to be?

His reflection stared back at him, mocking him nearly making Goro vocalize his anger before he saw and felt a massive hand wrap itself around his wrist. Sucking in his breath he turned to find Jo standing over him. He wasn't angry, far from it actually. His brown eyes held a crystalline light that glittered with sympathy. With his anger captivated by that light Goro took the chance to regain control of his feelings as evident by the growingly somber look on his face.

"So…Sorry," He muttered under his breath.

"Don't worry about it. Doing this is stirring up bad memories for you, isn't it?"

"You're talking as if you know what I'm going through."

"Maybe I do, remember, you're the city golden boy, I'm a nameless nobody."

"Respectfully, I'm beginning to think that's a load of crap."

For the first time he heard Jo laugh. It was actually a rather pleasant sound and it didn't completely put Goro's fried nerves on edge. "Really, then it seems you're not all for show. Perhaps I'm not who I say I am, as I've discovered you're not exactly who you're supposed to be either." Slapping him on the back he turned to one of his co-workers. "Souta and I are going to take our lunch break. Go find a table up front and I'll be right out."

Given the fact he actually needed some time to clear his head Goro was a little grateful for the break. Shifting his eyes to a wall-mounted clock he was actually a little surprised to find almost three hours had passed since his arrival. Briefly he laughed at the similarities to being in the police station where getting so involved in case work and reports caused time to fly by at near light-speed.

Outside of the kitchen he found a handful of others had decided to take their lunch break as well. Sitting at tables either alone or in groups, talking with each other, chatting it up like it was just another ordinary day.

Ya gotta admit, compared to where you could be, this isn't so bad. Enjoy yourself a little. Came Loki's voice.

Oddly enough, Goro took stock in his second Persona's voice. You're…you're right. You're right. He mentally whispered allowing a ghost of a smile to grace his face. "What I wouldn't' give something relaxing like a back rub right about now. That'd definitely-"

"My election will herald a new age for the country, an age where we will reclaim our lost glory and honor, as well as rid ourselves of the evils plaguing it. Evils such as the Phantom Thieves, who I may add, continue their unrepentant crime spray."

And just like that all the clam went out the window. Goro's eyes dilated hearing that wretched voice and immediately craned his head to find the source. Of the three TVs situated behind the counter two were turned to the news, and of course another interview was being given to the man widely expected to become the next Prime Minister of Japan.

That was unless Goro had anything to say about it.

There you have it, Goro's first stay in the Velvet Room and his encounter with the Velvet Trio. I tried to frame it as him not being too particularly stunned and more on guard given everything he's been through the last couple of hours. Speaking of which, next chapter we'll see how he reacts to seeing his dear ole' dad on TV at his new day job.

I chose a bar for a specific reason and Jo's former occupation is going to play a very important role in how Goro's character developments. Unlike cafes that are typically upscale and pleasant bars invoke a much more seedier and grim image, especially once you add crime into the mix. This is all meant to tie into the "fallen" theme that Goro's story is going to revolve around. Next chapter will elaborate on that and swing the pendulum back over to the Phantoms, or more accurately, Akira.