Author's Note: So this is an introductory chapter to a story idea I have been playing around with. If you like it let me know and I'll keep writing it.
Ren sat at his favorite table in his favorite coffee shop. A lot of fond memories were made there over his time there in Tokyo. A long year finally behind him. Just a brief rest and nostalgic visit to this shop.
Or at least that was what it was supposed to be…
Something was eating at the edge of his mind and it was beginning to harm his calm. Why did everything just feel wrong? Like all of existence was just an inch to the left of where it was supposed to be in that given time. This was supposed to be a peaceful visit. Could it just be that his memory was already so rose tinted? But it had only been a couple of months. Looking around, nothing seemed wrong to him. Finally, he looked over towards the restroom and saw a strange out of place sight. A faint line seemed to lower from the air itself and it came to a rest just above the ground. A brief flash and two rectangular surfaces filled in the space on either side of the line. Upon the face of each door was a familiar and inviting blue color and escaping from the center was a faint blue fog. There was no reason to look around, he already knew that nobody else would be able to see it. The doors reminded him of an… elevator. As the word entered his mind, the door slid open and stepping from the blue light was a teenager around his age.
"You know, the Velvet Room attendants held bets on how long it would take for you to question why everything felt wrong," the strange boy said as he walked over to Ren's table. Sitting down across from him, the boy seemed relaxed but very well composed. Upon his chest was a school crest, the symbol of which was a three pointed star like shape. It was a black denim uniform, which Ren had to admit was rather fashionable. He wore it open which seemed to imply that he was a bit aloof, but his eyes were strangely focused. Fiercely intelligent. The grey hair was strangely youthful despite the color. When Ren did not reply, the young man continued by saying, "Lavenza won, but clearly she knows you best. Though she did give the largest estimation."
Ren looked at the newcomer through his large glasses. Running a hand through his wavy black hair he asked, "Who are you? How do you know Lavenza? And where did you come from by the way?"
"Right, your Velvet Room door was always a jail cell door," the mysterious teen replied. "That's fine, mine was like a floating wall scroll and it led to a car, so at least you had thematic consistency. The guest before me had an elevator."
"You were a wild card?" Ren asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Were or still am. It's complicated," he replied. "Narukami by the way. My name is Yu Narukami. I was the wild card guest of the Velvet Room before you. Give or take like five years."
Ren lowered his eyebrow and asked, "Do you really expect me to believe that you were a wild card at twelve years old?"
Yu shook his head and replied, "No, I was this age then. To the version of me you're talking to it felt like less than a year ago. But that is a whole complicated story for another time." Ren was beginning to get a little annoyed at how this kid seemed to be trying to dance around his questions.
"Or maybe, you tell me now?" Ren challenged. The two stared off for a moment before Yu shrugged.
With a nonchalant neutral expression, he replied, "Sure we can go with that." Ren felt victorious for a brief moment before he realized that Yu seemed completely unfazed. In other words, he did not give up. He just decided to take the path of least resistance. Was he being played? "But you're going to need some context first. First of all, none of this is real. You are still in Maruki's dream world. It has just been modified to keep you blind to it."
"How do you-?" Ren started.
Yu shook his hand in Ren's face cutting him off. "I just left the Velvet Room, remember? Anything the residents of that world know, I know. Or at least anything they decide to clue me in on. But did you honestly expect that you could just defeat the guy with the power to give human's their perfect world and that he would not just change the world to fit your purview? Especially with an ending that wrapped itself up so nicely for you as well. The man reformed and decided to personally drive you to see you off. But that was just to make sure that you didn't notice the sleight of hand he pulled."
"Hold up," Ren said with a confident smirk. "If he did in fact pull the wool over my eyes, how did you break the illusion?"
Yu nodded and replied, "Well now you're asking the right questions. But I don't know if you'll believe me if I just told you. Maybe I should show you. You got your phone on you? Take us to the Metaverse, it's the only place that the information I'll need is still intact. Especially now that Igor has given your app some new features."
"You talk 'the talk,' I guess," Ren admitted reluctantly. He pulled out his phone and saw that damn symbol back on his home screen. He had hoped it would have stayed away for a while, but it seemed he was not nearly that lucky. Tapping the symbol he went through the steps to take him and his new guest into the Metaverse. As the world around them seemed to wash away and they were let loose in the Metaverse version of Tokyo, Ren was surprised to see that his conversation partner's appearance had also changed. He certainly was a Persona user, though rather than a mask that hid his identity, his conversation partner simply wore a long white headband, a long black trench coat with metal plate gloves protecting his hands and thick boots over his feet. This guy was not a Phantom Thief by any means, he seemed far too honest for that line of work.
Afterall, the look was considerably different from that of the leader of the Phantom Thieves. A black and white domino mask replaced his glasses, his own black trench coat open, revealed a holstered gun, utility belts, and a pair of slick red gloves. The look screamed thief, just the way it was meant to be for a person who stole hearts.
Yu looked around with an impressed expression that somehow still gave off a 'business as usual' kind of energy. "Alright, so this is the Metaverse," he said out loud to himself. When he looked at Ren, he seemed to remember why he was there again. "Use the search bar in the App and look up Inaba, serial killings, and the year 2011. Then if you don't believe that I was involved with that case five years ago, quiz me on any detail of it that you want."
Ren scoffed but did as he was told, for now. His eyes fell upon old articles from all around the year 2011 about the region. The scandal around a politician's affair with a reporter who later wound up dead, hanging upside down from a weather antenna. About the student who found the body showing up dead not a month later and the mysterious string of missing person's reports that followed. The death of a local high school faculty member who died at the hands of a copycat killer. The ultimate culprit turned out to be a local junior detective. How much of this would this guy actually know?
"Ok, so how many victims?" Ren asked. First an easy question, just to test the waters.
"Technically two," Yu replied. "Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi were the only two killed by the same person. Kinshiro Morooka was killed by a copycat killer."
Ren was mildly impressed that he could give names. How much about the actual investigation did he know? "Who was the lead investigator on the case?" Ren asked.
"Ryotaro Dojima, my Uncle," Yu replied.
"Really?" Ren asked. "Final question then. Who was brought in as a special consultant in the case?"
Yu seemed to smile, like remembering a good memory. "Naoto Shirogane," Yu replied. "The original Detective Prince until it was discovered that Naoto was female. But as a High School detective, she was brought on as a consultant because months had passed and no progress had been made on the case."
"You either are pulling the biggest con on me for no reward, or this is real," Ren commented. "So if this is the illusion world, we come back to my original question. Why does it not affect you?"
Yu reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a small crystalline orb. He held it up before his face and it briefly magnified his grey eye. The reveal was otherwise unimpressive. After a moment, he sighed and said, "Just like everyone else, no reaction. Look, this is called the Orb of Truth. It's an artifact that I created over my journey. It allows me to pull away the veil from any falsehood that attempts to obscure the truth."
"So you did an investigation and your reward for completing it is an Orb that would have been really useful beforehand?" Ren asked. This got a wry chuckle from Yu.
"When you put it like that, it does sound strange. But if you believe Igor, this power has always been mine, but my journey strengthened it and allowed me to master it," Yu explained. Well that sounded so much better that way.
Ren finally decided that he needed to ask the most important question. "So, if this is all true. Why are you here?"
Yu put the orb back in his pocket as he seemed to close his eyes in deep thought. He was quiet for a long moment that caused Ren to become antsy. Finally he replied, "The attendants to the Velvet Room have informed me that Gods have no dominion over each other. So while Maruki's illusion has affected all of humanity it has not affected any of the other powerful entities in existence. If Elizabeth's theory is correct, then this fake reality has inadvertently been put on a very short timer. She just has to confirm if a particular safeguard has been removed."
"What safeguard?" Ren asked.
"Her guest. He sacrificed himself to save Humanity. But this alternate reality may have removed him from the seal that was keeping a God at bay. If someone else's perfect existence involved him, then the seal is now unlocked. If this is the case, then Elizabeth needs to pull his time forward like Margaret did mine," Yu explained. "The power of any one fool won't be enough. Cause someone has to hold back the Gods. And someone has to solve Maruki and his God powers over reality before he accidentally destroys all of humanity."
"Uh," Ren's mouth eked as his brain processed everything Yu was telling him. The worst part about it, was that nothing that Yu Narukami was telling him rang particularly false. The fact that he already had a Persona as signified by his automatic change upon arriving in the Metaverse, only added credence to his claims. But just how could Maruki be capable of allowing a God to destroy humanity?
Yu spoke a short while later, saying, "Well, I wish there was more to tell you. But the Velvet Room attendants were rather stubborn about providing more information until they knew just how much work this was going to require."
At that moment, a new blue door appeared nearby and was rather pointedly shaped like a limo door. The door swung open and behind it was a rather mature and demure looking woman in blue. A fancy blue peacoat covered a hourglass figure that was adorned with wavy blonde hair, worn up in a proper looking style.
"Margaret," Yu said with a grin. Ren looked between the two of them as he realized that this perfect woman was this guy's attendant. Why was his own attendant so…?
"Narukami, would the two of you please join me in the Velvet Room. Elizabeth has returned with a guest. It would be best if you all were here for this next part," Margaret said gesturing for the two of them to come inside the Velvet Room. Narukami led the way as Ren was left in stunned thought, slowly following behind. As they stepped through, their outfits changed back to normal as they found themselves sitting in the back of a limo. On the far side of the cab were three people in blue, who were soon joined by Margaret. Ren recognized the joined form of his attendant, Lavenza. Her hair was the longest, but her body the smallest. She was adorable, soft spoken, and completely overshadowed by her older compatriots. Next to her was the tallest and the only male member, clad in a blue and black suit. He was stiff as board as he sat with perfect posture, even though it required that he bring his knees close to himself in the car sized room. Next to him was the only other one that Ren did not previously recognize. Her hair was kept short, but it flared outwards and curled back under itself. She wore a blue dress and a small cap over it. A mischievous glint in her eyes immediately made him feel just a little concerned for his own health.
On the closer side of the car where the two Wild Cards were directed to sit, there were two teenagers about their age. The first was a tired looking boy with side swept blue hair that seemed to just rest over one of his eyes. Ren was immediately caught off guard by his outward appearance because almost did not notice that similarly mischievous glint to his eyes. Something gave him the feeling that he was associated with the girl in the sleeveless blue dress. He wore a dark blue school uniform with circular checkered pattern emblem. Next to him, was a cheery energetic looking girl with long brown hair that was put up in a stylish ponytail and decorated by a series of hairpins in a roman numeral pattern for 22. She appeared to be wearing a similar uniform to the other boy, though it was clearly the female version of the school's uniform. If the process of elimination was to be believed, then the uptight gentleman was her attendant.
"Sorry for the delay," the one in the dress announced as Yu and Ren got themselves sat down in the back of the limo. "Theodore required some additional prodding to come along and help out with gathering his guest. My name is Elizabeth, and I have called you all together for one singular purpose. Saving the world!" The announcement was met with a certain level of silence. However before Ren could ask any questions the aloof boy spoke up.
"Again?" Asked the blue haired boy.
The brown haired girl seemed to get excited as she said, "A second chance to try and set things right? Count me in! Let's go!"
"Well, not like I have a choice do I?" Ren asked.
"Lighten up Ren. How bad could it be?" Yu replied with a shrug.
"So," Ren started. "Do they already know what's up?"
The girl replied, "Well when the last thing you were supposed to be doing is basically be dead for humanity, suddenly being alive is something no illusionist could hide from us. Nice to meet you two, by the way. My name is Minako Arisato."
"Yu Narukami," Yu replied coolly. He held a hand out and she shook it with enthusiasm.
"Ren Amamiya," he said reluctantly.
The tired one said, "Minato Arisato, nice to meet ya."
"Arisato?" Yu asked. "But the two of you are the same age, yet you look nothing alike. You can't be biological siblings."
This prompted the male attendant to say, "Of course. Perhaps your reputation has not been over sold by our sister Margaret here, Yu. They are both the same person and yet completely separate entities. Minako comes from a different version of the timeline."
"Wait, really?" Ren asked.
"Guilty as charged," Minato replied. "Can we get on with it? Time doesn't really pass while we are here, but last I heard we had a time limit."
All four of the Wild Cards looked at their attendants anxiously. Soon a figure was shown in the center of the limo. A shadowy being that looked like two demonic goat figures attached by their hind quarters. Beside the figure was a tall feminine figure with a blank white mask for a face, bird feathers about the collar of her garb, and long flowing skirt that flowed out back behind her. Appearing near these figures was one final being that was long dark tendrils wrapped around a vaguely cross chapped metal plate that contained the face of this lovecraftian creature.
"Before you, you'll see the three primary threats to all of humanity. The first is Erebus, a primordial god whose intended goal is to call to the second figure Nyx. She is to then descend from the moon and wipe out all of humanity," Theodore explained.
Lavenza then said, "Finally, there is Maruki, or as this form is known Azathoth. He desires to create a perfect world for humans regardless of whether or not it is actually good for them. Given a strong enough resolve, he will fuse together with this form and become a figure known as Adam Kadmon." The three figures disappeared and soon after a large gold metallic figure with a hollow chest appeared before them. "In this form, he is nearly indestructible, it also in this form that he is most able to manipulate reality."
"There is one more potential threat though things seem to be quiet on that particular front," Margaret added. "Izanami-no-Okami, is an entity that also wishes to fulfill the desires of man. I fear the very real possibility that if this situation is not resolved as soon as possible, then all the work put forward by my guest and his allies will be undone and she too may attempt to return and finish what she started."
"Is that it?" Minako asked.
"What do you mean, 'is that it'?" Ren asked. "Look, I don't know if pretending like everything is just a little effort away from being dealt with is the right attitude to have here."
The group was quiet before Minato said, "And what else will we have? Presumably this will involve our allies, and as such they will need a leader. As leader, it will be our job to make sure that they believe that this job can be done. So, maybe just a little bit of determination is all we will need."
"Besides," Yu added. "We've all faced impossible odds on our own. With all of us together, we can face impossible odds at least four times worse than before."
The car fell silent. "So how do we proceed?" Margaret asked.
"The whole world needs heroes, so first we have to gather them, right?" Minako said idealistcally.
"That could be a bit complicated," Yu commented awkwardly. "All my 'heroes' are about five years older than me right now. Margaret pulled me forward but I don't know how I would get them in their adult lives to go back to being Persona-users."
"That could be changed," Margaret commented. "The whole of Inaba from five years ago could be pulled forward, though they may need some coercing to remind them that this is not reality."
"Theodore and I can do the same for our guests' friends as well," Elizabeth commented.
"Actually," Theodore began hesitantly. "We would only be able to bring one of their group forward. Afterall, the only real difference between their worlds is them."
"You should probably make it his," Minako said immediately. "There could be some complications if you brought mine."
"Hormonal teens?" Minato asked. She nodded. "Sounds about right."
Ren finally decided to just let himself be drawn into this conversation. "There could be some complications with my friends as well," Ren said. "They are kinda under the impression that we already shattered the illusion."
"Do it again," Minato said. "Any means possible."
"Maybe not so cutthroat. If what has been described to me is true, then we are going to be asking people to shatter their own perfect perceptions of reality. The gentle approach might be necessary to convince them that 'perfection' is wrong. Especially since it can reverse death," Yu commented, though it became clear that he was mostly speaking to himself by the end.
Minako looked at her counterpart and said, "Yeah, be nice. Keep in mind, this means they get you back after all. You'll basically be telling them that they have to let you die again to set everything right again."
"But how long do we have to pussyfoot around the subject?" Minato asked the attendant across the car from them.
Elizabeth heaved an overdramatic sigh before she said, "I will not be able to keep Erebus down for long. A couple of months at most, if that."
"That timer could be extended," Lavenza added. "But it would basically require all four of us to work together on keeping Erebus contained. This would mean that none of us would be able to offer any kind of assistance in the meantime."
"Meaning no Compendium," Yu commented as he lowered his chin to his fingers in thought. The other Wild Cards were all silent for a moment before an idea occurred to Ren.
"What if we just got the Persona's we needed now?" Ren asked.
"That would be a bit complicated," Theodore said.
"Very complicated," Elizabeth added.
Margaret decided to clue the Wild Cards in by saying, "The Compendiums are generally kept with the Master when we no longer have an active guest. Would you like to explain why, Elizabeth?"
"How was I supposed to know I am not supposed to weaponize such power for my own croissant? Crouton? Crusade!" Elizabeth proclaimed, throwing her hands up in exacerbation as she tried to find the right word.
"So what exactly can you offer us in assistance then?" Ren asked, slightly agitated by the turn of events.
The four attendants looked at each other and Theodore then said, "A temporary safe haven where you can have time to think?"
"Works for me," Minato replied.
"No good call," Yu agreed.
Minako nodded and said, "Actually really useful."
"So now four of us are gonna just be staring into space for a while?" Ren commented dryly. "Not like we have much of a choice."
"In that case, I'll have to go back to Inaba and convince the others," Yu said idly.
"Mind if I go with you?" Minako asked. "Things might get a bit complicated if I go with Minato."
"If you want," Yu answered with a charming smile. Minako grabbed his arm excitedly for a moment before letting it go. "After that we'll make our way back to Tokyo, right?"
"Meet in Tokyo, chances are that will be where we will have to encounter Maruki," Minato agreed. His strangely aloof, directness was beginning to wear on Ren. But it seemed that plan was made. So the Limo picked up speed and soon, Yu and Minako were directly to get out as they had arrived at their stop.
As they go out Yu turned back around and looked at Ren. "Hey, we'll get this sorted out, yeah?" Yu said to him with a reassuring smile. "You are a wild card just like us. We'll be depending on you."
"You too," Ren replied.
Minako put her hands behind her back as she said, "Don't you have too much fun without us." The door shut.
Yu and Minako turned and looked at the small town of Inaba. It was time for Yu to find out who's perfect world he would have to destroy.