As his train began to leave the station, Ren Amamiya caught a glimpse of something he shouldn't have seen. Something that shouldn't have existed. Yet as he turned to look, the scenery around him changed. A familiar place. Too familiar.
The streets leading to his home were the last thing he wanted to see. The street lights glowed dimly under the moon in an all too familiar setting. A shout from a nearby scuffle brought his mind to the last place it wanted to be.
'No way… you're kidding, right?' He thought to himself. As he walked towards the sounds, he was filled with dread as he rounded the corner. 'No fucking way…'
Masayoshi Shido, the man that ruined his life, stood right in front of him, harassing the same woman that he had all that time ago. He knew he had a choice. Step in or stay out. All of his friends would be gone, never to meet if he chose to stay out of it. All of the criminals would run rampant without the intervention of the thieves. He knew it was his role to step in. He knew.
He knew exactly what had to happen. But how could he change it? Was there anything in particular that he was dissatisfied with?
Yes. Perhaps there was. Sumire was one such case. He knew she deserved better. She deserved her sister. Using what little knowledge he could remember from her, he would do whatever it took to change the Yoshizawa sisters' fate. Perhaps that was the reason he was back. Fate had given him control, let him change what he wanted. He only needed to make it happen.
As he was taken away by the police that had caught up to him in the wake of the Shido incident, preparations had already been made in his mind. He knew that the death of Kasumi Yoshizawa would occur about a month before he had arrived at Leblanc. He remembered Sojiro talking about a girl that had been in a car accident the month prior to his arrival.
He had a deadline to meet, something he was used to at this point. His phone still had the MetaNav on it. Within it, he knew he could find a certain someone lurking within.
As arrangements were made regarding his transition to Shujin Academy and his temporary residence with Sojiro Sakura, Ren dove into the metaverse.
Mementos was the same as it always was. Endless tunnel after tunnel in the subways of Tokyo. A certain name had matched his search in the MetaNav: Sumire Yoshizawa. Although he lacked his wide arsenal of personas at the moment, Ren knew he could count on Arsène to make his appearance.
He approached Sumire's shadow as she complained about her inferiority to her sister. It was troubling to him to see just how severe her complex had grown.
"Sumire Yoshizawa…" he said as he neared. "It's sad to see you this way. You're so much more than just a shadow of your sister, you know? What happened to that love you told me about? What happened to the sisters that did everything together? When did it turn into 'the sister that did something better?'" Ren asked Sumire's shadow.
He hadn't expected this of himself. But seeing her there in her pain was too much. In the world he had once known he and Sumire had grown close, though he never got together with any of his companions. He hadn't realized how much she mattered to him until he had seen just how much she had actually suffered.
Perhaps Arsène didn't need to come out. He had nearly done it before with a couple shadows. Negotiation and persuasion was entirely possible.
"Please, Sumire. Find that love you have for your sister. Don't ever let yourself be put down by her achievements. Be proud. To her, you're the closest person she has. I know you can find yourself. Your real self. I'll be waiting for you, Violet. Though you won't know me for a very long time," Ren said.
"It's not fair…" cried Sumire's shadow. "She does everything right… how am I supposed to keep up?"
"Who says you have to keep up? What competition are you putting yourself in? You have to find the answers to these within yourself, Sumire. There's no use endlessly comparing yourself to others," Ren assured her.
"But she's my sister! What's expected of her is expected of me! I- I just can't-"
"Says who?" Ren interrupted. "Who thinks less of you because of it? Or is it only you, Sumire. Are you the only one that thinks less of yourself because of it?"
"I…" Sumire's shadow was faltering. Her shadow knew that they had never met. She had no idea who Ren even was. Yet something about the way he spoke to her seemed to wake her up.
"The people that we think judge us aren't doing so. We overthink things because we want to feel equal. We overshoot things because we believe that if we can't, we're failures. It's all a part of being human. Remember that, Sumire. You're only human. There's only so much you can do…"
Sumire's shadow was silent. Reflecting upon his words.
"Ask yourself this: do you love your sister? Or just the thought of her. Who are you really? Are you Kasumi Yoshizawa? Or are you yourself."
And her shadow heard him. As he spoke, he noticed that the shadow had slowly begun to fade. He knew that his message was being sent. And he really meant it. "Thank you," she said.
Ren watched as Sumire's name was removed from the MetaNav, signifying that her shadow had reflected. That her shadow was at peace. Instead, something was brewing inside her spirit that would bridge the world that she knew, with something that could change the world. Now, he just had to wait. To return to the town he had temporarily called home. To return to the attic that he had become all too familiar with. To return to the friends that he could call family.
Ren grew anxious as the train he rode neared Yongen-Jaya. He wiped his palms of their sweat, stepping out of the train onto the platform. He sighed, steeling himself for the months to come. As he walked out of the station, he entered the back streets of a comforting place.
He soaked in the sights and sounds as he stepped foot into Yongen once again. He walked down the street, taking note of the things he had missed when he first arrived. The second hand shop was still as comforting as ever. A certain doctor was making her way down the street from behind him, taking the left towards her clinic. He made his way right to the cafe that he knew as home. Cafe Leblanc, run by one Sojiro Sakura.
When he opened the door, a familiar bell rattled that told him he was home. Waves of nostalgia washed over him as he smelled the scent of coffee. "Jamaican Blue Mountain, huh?" He said idly. Sojiro's lessons had stuck with him over the year that he had stayed. And how could it not have? He lived in a cafe.
"Oh? Can I help you?" A certain person asked. Ren looked at Sojiro who seemed much more defensive compared to the last time he had seen him. It seemed his walls had been put up far before he had initially noticed.
"Um, yeah, are you Sojiro Sakura by any chance?" Ren asked. "I'm supposed to be living with him I think and I was told that he's typically here."
"Yes, I am. And you won't be living directly with me but yes, I'll be providing a roof over your head, alright? Just stay out of trouble, don't bother my customers, and we'll be good," Sojiro said. "Come on, I'll show you your room."
The man walked out from behind the counter and looked back at Ren. As the two ascended the staircase, Sojiro made idle chatter regarding Ren's legal status. Things he still remembered to this day.
"Sorry if it's a mess but it was so sudden that I didn't have any time to clean. You'll have to do that on your own time. Now, tomorrow I'll be bringing you to Shujin to meet the principal and your homeroom teacher, so be on your best behavior."
Sojiro walked back down the stairs giving Ren some time to think. He knew he'd have to try to keep at least some continuity, though he wanted to keep his first impression much more clean compared to last time. He planned out the days ahead, when he would meet Ryuji, their entrance into the palace, and their eventual exit.
The first time around, he had missed over half of the day stuck in the palace with Ryuji. He knew he couldn't afford to make the same mistake, lest the relationships between some of his confidants be strained. He would demonstrate the power of his persona early. He knew how to fight and had the will to, so he assumed that perhaps Arsène would be kind enough to help him.
As he sorted through the belongings that he had brought with him, he was sure to grab the strongest weapons he could to keep with him in the metaverse. He also still had the rest of the team's weapons, though he knew he didn't need most of them for at least a while. He was sure to grab Morgana, Ryuji, and Ann's weapons when the time arised.
In the meantime, Ren got to work, cleaning out the attic in record pace. Sojiro had noticed as he walked up and down, though he hadn't known just how much he would clean in the short time he had. 'Efficiency is key,' Ren thought. He would be sure to get what he could out of the way as fast as he could. It left him with more time to plan, deliberate, and prepare anything that he needed to.
By evening, Ren had finished cleaning. The room was in perfect shape in such a short time that even he was impressed with how much he had done. Sojiro had walked up at around 7PM to see what was up.
"Everything alright up here?" He asked as he walked up the stairs. "Oh wow, you really cleaned all of that up just now?" Sojiro said, surprised. "Well anyway, you want something to eat? It's getting a bit late so you should probably eat soon. I'm gonna close up in a bit so eat while you can."
"Yeah sure, I'll eat," Ren said as he stood up from the chair at the workbench. He had been finnicking with a bit of the spare clips and whatnot that he had found in the attic, fashioning them into lock picks for use in the palace. He set everything aside and walked downstairs, noticing a couple sitting at a table. He recognized them as regulars here, though he obviously couldn't say anything about it.
He sat down at the counter as Sojiro fixed him a plate of rice and his curry. He even made a cup of coffee to go along with it, though he acknowledged how late it was with a decaf brew. And so life went on in the tiny backstreets of Yongen-Jaya, in a little cafe home to a phantom thief and his old friend.
The tv aired a quiz show, asking all sorts of miscellaneous questions while Ren ate. The old couple from the table stood up to leave, paying their bill and thanking Sojiro for their food before leaving. As Cafe Leblanc cleared out for the night and Sojiro finished up with the dishes, the sun had long since set, giving life to the calm glow of the peaceful night life in Yongen.
"I'm gonna head out now, alright? Be sure to clean your dish whenever you finish eating and set it to dry. Don't forget we have somewhere to be tomorrow so at least try to get some sleep tonight, alright?" Sojiro said as he dried his hands. Ren gave a quick nod as he finished up while Sojiro left.
As Ren fell asleep, he felt the familiar pull of the Velvet Room's influence. As he opened his eyes, he was met with the familiar gray ceiling of his cell. The velvet room was still the same prison that he had known the entire time, though instead of being shackled down by a chain and handcuffed, Ren instead stood freely, albeit in his cell. Instead of his standard prison garb, Ren remained in his casual wear. Despite a barred door to his cell, he knew it was unlocked.
The velvet room manifested in a way that mirrored one's heart. Despite his freedom, Ren's heart was still within the same prison that he had grown to admire over his imprisonment and eventual release in his own time. Sitting behind the desk in front of him was the same imposter that sat there from day one. Yaldabaoth. The so-called god of control. His disguise as Igor was completely spot on, Ren had to admit.
His gaze shifted to the twin wardens that flanked each side of his cell. Although Ren knew the identities of every person in his presence, he couldn't risk calling them out for it, lest he change the timeline. As he walked up to the bars of his cell, the fake Igor began to speak.
"Trickster, welcome to my velvet room."
Ren knew those words were a lie the instant they left his mouth. It was funny to him how much Yaldabaoth had tried. Though, Ren realized he was a fool to ever trust him. The idea of having two young girls execute two personas for his growth seemed so out of place that it was embarrassing how Ren never thought anything of it.
Yaldabaoth droned on about "ruin this" and "ruin that" all the while Ren ignored every word of his. He knew that Yaldabaoth was good for nothing. But he also knew that he had to let him run his course otherwise certain events wouldn't line up. Instead, Ren focused on the twin wardens that stood side by side as they watched their "master" talk. He felt sorry for them. Sorry for Lavenza. He knew she wouldn't come around until near the end, so he instead vowed to do whatever he could in treating the twins—her two halves—as best as he could. It was the least he could do for the retainer that had always believed in him.
The night passed and the next morning came in the blink of an eye. Ren hadn't entirely realized just how much his whole situation had changed from start to finish. Compared to the last time he had seen Sojiro, the current one was so much more strict and assertive. Though, he knew that this time around would be different. He knew that his immediate impression would play a role in the way his confidants saw him. He knew what they were like so it was going to be easy for him to rekindle his relationships.
As the two arrived at Shujin Academy, Ren couldn't help but admire the school in the spring. Though he knew tomorrow would rain, he couldn't help but appreciate the scenery despite the alley access of Shujin. The smell of the fresh spring air brought back memories. As Sojiro led him up the steps, Ren almost found himself getting ahead of him. He didn't want to leave Tokyo after all.
Although he knew he would be alive, Ren wasn't entirely prepared to see Principal Kobayakawa sitting in his chair. His passing in his own time was an unfortunate and tragic end despite his cover up for Kamoshida. On the other hand, he was glad to see Ms. Kawakami, though it was obvious the same couldn't be said from her. He knew that right now, he was just some problem child to her. She knew about his criminal background and everything in between.
As Principal Kobayakawa went on his spiel about Shujin and the expectations for him, Ren couldn't help but watch how Ms. Kawakami had acted. In retrospect, he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed her general attitude. After all the time she had spent as his maid, Ren had gotten to know how Kawakami acted when she was genuine or not.
It was clear that she wasn't entirely interested in the subject matter. He knew she disapproved of having to "babysit the trouble child" but someone had to do it. But what she knew was only police reports and spoken words. She had no idea who Ren was on a personal level, so he would be sure to make a good impression on her.
The meeting ended shortly, and Sojiro began to head out. "Thank you for the introduction, Principal Kobayakawa. And thank you Ms. Kawakami for being here for me. I know it's probably not something you want to do on your Sunday off, but I really am grateful," Ren said, bowing. "I look forward to seeing you in class tomorrow."
Kawakami sighed, and offered a very small yet genuine smile. "It's no problem, Amamiya. It's my responsibility as your homeroom teacher to make sure you feel welcome in our school. Feel free to reach out to me if you need any help regarding school, okay?"
Ren hadn't expected such a response from Kawakami, but he knew she meant it. Her eagerness to be a good teacher still showed despite her past regarding Takase. Whatever the case, Ren knew he had left a good first impression on her. Though he also knew that his second impression was going to severely impact his standing with her.
As Ren and Sojiro left the ground of Shujin, the expected radio report came, detailing the derailment of a train car. However the part afterward never did. In his own time, Sojiro had then gone on to explain how a girl had been killed only a month ago. Yet it never came.
Ren breathed a silent sigh of relief. Though it was definitive evidence, he believed his plan to have worked out. Both Kasumi and Sumire were alive. Though the question remained of what would happen with Maruki, Sumire's awakening, and the future of the Phantom Thieves.
Hi, if you're reading this, I'd like to introduce myself real quick. I'm a college student that writes for fun. I enjoy writing in my freetime, but I'm occupied by other activities and the like and as such, won't be writing 24/7. In other words, don't expect frequent updates. I've already begun writing chapter 2 at the time of uploading this, so at the very least, you can expect at least that, but anything else is honestly off the table. I hope you'll like what I have planned for this fic, but feel free to give me criticism and suggestions! I'm always open to improving, and feedback definitely helps.
This fic is partially inspired by Akane Minori's "Life Will Change." If you haven't already, I highly recommend you read that fic as it's an incredible work.
