CHAPTER 12:
THE KING OF THE CAVERN(1) AND THE SECOND WILD CARD
The area they emerged into seemed like a dead-end region of Mementos. Standing at the far end was what looked like a normal person, rather thin and in a severe suit, but wreathed in dark mist, with glowing golden eyes. A Shadow.
Sirius halted Morgana, and the Phantom Thieves disembarked, while Harry emerged from Necronomicon. "So, what's the plan, Joker?" Harry asked.
Akira looked at him. "We'll talk. He's not so far gone enough to cause a Palace to form. Of course, if negotiations break down, we beat some sense into him. Hopefully, we can talk him down. Just be ready in case things go south."
"And if things go south?" Harry asked.
"Follow my lead, or Mona's. I don't doubt you've seen a lot of magical combat given what you said, but it's probably different to how we do things," Akira said. "We'll work out how to integrate your style into later battles. Oracle, you ready?"
"Yep. Just say the word, and buffs will come your way. I can only do so much at a time, Joker, but I can buff your attack, defence, evasive capabilities, even give you all the healz. It has a cooldown, but it should be a help."
"Sounds great," Ann said.
"I'll say. Thanks for coming along, Futaba," Ryuji said.
"Mwehehehe…" Futaba chuckled.
Akira nodded to them. "Let's go, then." He then strode up to the Shadow. "Hey there. Nakanohara, is it? We'd like a word."
The man whirled to face them. "Who are you?!" he demanded, his voice warped and flanging like Shadow Futaba's.
"Concerned citizens," Akira said. "We heard about you stalking your ex."
"Exactly, what's your problem?!" Ann interjected. "She's scared of you, and yet, you're stalking her, treating her as if she's your property!"
"She IS my property," the Shadow sneered. "I can do whatever the hell I like with her. Besides, it's not like she treated me any different. Why is she complaining when I treat her like a plaything, when she did the same thing to me?!"
"Please be reasonable, Nakanohara," Akira said, holding up his hands in a placating manner. "We're not here to fight you, unless you force our hand."
"Exactly. And you can't treat someone like shit if they did the same to you," Ryuji said.
"And you're targeting ME?" the Shadow retorted. "There are literally millions worse than me. Take that bastard Madarame…you have the gall to accuse me, when he's a thousand times worse?!"
"…Who's Madarame?" Ryuji asked.
"…Not Ichiryusai Madarame?" Akira murmured. "The modern Hokusai?"
"ENOUGH TALK!" the Shadow screamed, and then burst in a torrent of black and red liquid that reformed into an imp-like creature with a bowl haircut, prancing to and fro. And then, suddenly, it lunged at Sirius, sending him crashing into a wall.
"Padfoot!" Harry yelled.
"It must've targeted him first because he thought he was vulnerable due to the lack of Metaverse garb," Morgana mused. "Zorro! Dia!"
A top-heavy muscular figure with a massive hat, moustache and rapier appeared behind Morgana, before green light suffused Sirius. "Stay back, Padfoot!" Akira called.
And then, battle was joined…
Sirius stared at the battle unfolding. All those kids, fighting against the imp as it bounced around the area, avoiding their attacks. Ugh, James and Remus won't ever let me hear the end of it, defeated by some Muggle's inner monster, he thought. But…I want to help these kids. They're too young to fight, but they're choosing to do so. I need them to avoid making the same mistakes I did.
A deep, rasping chuckle filled his mind. Took your time, Padfoot, he heard, just before his skull was filled with pain. Even as he grunted in agony, he heard, You abandoned your godson, all for the sake of revenge, and for your folly, you were imprisoned for over a decade. It took Pettigrew's photo for you to escape, not the love of your godson. Dumbledore had you leave him in the dark after Voldemort's return. Tell me, are you going to abandon him a third time?
"No…"
Then remember this, that revenge is a dish best served cold, that your enemies shall not see coming until you strike, that calculated revenge is better than charging at them…but do not make the same mistake I did, blinding yourself to the innocents caught up in vengeance's wake. Vengeance should be a scalpel, not an inferno. Wait and hope, words to live by, but sometimes, the best hope is that which you work to fulfil yourself. Forge with me a contract: I AM THOU, AND THOU ART I. To the innocent and the oppressed, deliver them from their prison into the light, from the oubliettes they were thrown into by injustice. For the guilty and the unjust, plot, prepare, and then, show them that THEY DO NOT DESERVE ANY MERCY! NOT EVEN THAT OF DEATH!
A mask formed on Sirius' face, and with a howl of agony, he tore it off, knowing with utter conviction whom he had summoned. "Let's drown them in perdition, EDMOND DANTES!"
Harry heard Sirius cry out in pain, but when he saw the mask form, he stared. "What the hell? He has a Persona too?"
Ryuji had managed to shock the Shadow with a Zio, a type of lightning spell, but as azure flame consumed Sirius, they all stared. Even the Shadow stared, dumbstruck. And then, Sirius emerged.
He was dressed in a silvery grey suit, very elegant, with a top-hat of the same colour. A dog-like mask covered the top half of his face, with ears protruding from the brim of the hat(2). And behind him was a similar figure, but with a dark green suit and cape, a hat, and wild white hair and golden eyes, to say nothing of an unnerving grin(3).
"Dantes, Aqua(4)," Sirius sneered, and the imp was hit with a blast of water. "Skull, show him what happens when you drop a toaster into a bathtub."
Ryuji stared at him, before smirking. "Now you're speaking my language, old man. CAPTAIN KIDD, ZIO!"
A lightning bolt hit the imp-like Shadow again from Ryuji's pirate Persona, and it convulsed, before dissipating, revealing the thin man in the suit. "…I'm done. I…I'll mend my ways. I'll stop stalking her," he said, looking morose. "I…she was the best thing that happened to me since that old goat Madarame used me up and then chucked me out like a used tissue. I latched onto her, probably too much. I wasn't ready, and I didn't want to feel discarded again."
"…If you're telling the truth, I understand, but…you shouldn't have dragged someone else into your mess," Ann said.
The Shadow nodded. "I'll break things off for good. Maybe I can find a healthier relationship. But…if you can change people's hearts…I beg you, stop Madarame, before more people are hurt by him!"
The Shadow of Nakanohara faded away, with Joker plucking a glowing light out of the air. "That's the seed of a potential Palace's Treasure," Morgana explained solemnly. "Left alone, it could have formed one."
"It's turned into a pearl ring," Joker mused.
Harry, meanwhile, hurried over to Sirius. "Padfoot, are you all right?"
"Better than ever," Sirius said, before he grimaced. "Oh, bugger, actually, I feel tired," he said, even as his Persona and outfit faded.
"That's normal when you first Awaken a Persona," Morgana said. "But still…congrats, Padfoot."
Harry frowned. While he was glad Sirius was all right, there was something about the battle that bothered him. "By the way, where did you guys get actual guns?"
"They're not," Ryuji said. "They're actually airsoft guns, detailed replicas. But Mona claims that, because they look realistic, they act like real guns in the Metaverse and shit."
"Wow, that's…useful and yet disturbing," Futaba said. "Don't get me wrong, we need every advantage we can get, but still…Joker, I think I have some homework to do after we leave Mementos. About Madarame…"
"Yeah, who is that guy?" Ryuji asked. Something about him reminded Harry of Ron. Mostly loyal, but loud and blunt.
"The modern Hokusai," Ann mused. "He's a famous artist. I have heard of him once or twice. I do a lot of modelling, so I hear quite a bit about art. In fact, I once had to do a shoot with his most famous piece as a backdrop, the Sayuri."
Akira nodded. "He's known for his mastery of many styles of artwork. I had to do an assignment on him last year for art class. He always goes around in a shabby kimono, acting all humble…and if Nakanohara wasn't just trying to deflect blame…it might be an act." He pulled out his phone, and then spoke to it. "Ichiryusai Madarame."
"Keyword confirmed," a female voice intoned.
"Well, that's damning," Futaba said. "You're seeing if he has a Palace in the Metaverse Navigator app, right? That being said, we'll have to do some digging first before we take on that Palace, though. Remember, my Palace was formed from twisted desires, but neither myself nor my Shadow were evil."
"True enough," Morgana said. "And given his fame, it might be best to tread lightly, at least initially."
"Agreed," Harry said. "I think we should learn why he has a Palace first. It's a good thing we have someone who can help dig up information then."
"Mwehehehe…"
They decided to spend some more time doing what Futaba called 'grinding'. Shadows, when defeated, dropped both useful items and money, for some reason. It was also useful combat experience.
For example, targeting enemy weaknesses. Futaba promptly used Necronomicon to begin compiling them, based on their experiences in Kamoshida's Palace. Even if the attacks didn't kill the Shadows, it would knock them silly for a time, leaving them vulnerable. When all the foes were dead or vulnerable, they could hold them up at gunpoint. They could then either use an All-Out Attack…or negotiate with them.
Harry got his first taste of the former. The other Phantom Thieves became a blur, slashing at the Shadows, before landing and posing, with Akira simply tugging on one of his gloves with a smirk and saying, as the Shadows burst into fountains of gunk, "The Show's Over."
"…But negotiation can offer other things," Morgana explained soon afterwards. "You can ask for money or items…and Joker can actually ask the Shadows to join him as new Personas."
"New Personas?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, for some reason, I can wield multiple Personas. My main Persona is Arsène, of course, but I have others," Akira said. "And remember what I told you about the Velvet Room, Godric and Oracle? I can fuse Personas into new forms…albeit by a macabre process that's pretty nasty to witness. At least it doesn't kill them forever."
"Velvet Room?" Ann asked.
"Remember those times when I seemed to be staring off into space near the entrance to Kamoshida's Palace? I was actually visiting the Velvet Room, some sort of weird dream world. It's like a prison by way of a David Lynch film, with a pair of kids as wardens, and some weirdo with a big nose called Igor as its so-called master. You guys can't see it for some reason."
"I can see why they called you Joker, as in a trump card or wild card," Sirius said, even as he drove Morgana down the various tunnels of Mementos. "If you can use these Shadows as other Personas…"
"Yeah, it's like a dark version of Pokémon," Akira said.
"…Well, let's see it in action, then, because here's another Shadow…"
Harry knew that Akira already had a Pixie, which looked little like the Cornish Pixies he had encountered thanks to Lockhart, looking more like red-haired winged tiny women in dark purple leotards. They soon downed the two they had encountered. Harry felt a little ill at ease, doing this, especially as he had befriended a number of the Shadows within Futaba's Palace, but these Shadows attacked them anyway, and having them at their mercy was the only way to get them to stop, aside from killing them outright.
Even as Akira had them give the Phantom Thieves money, one of the Pixies suddenly stared at Harry. "Ooh! Ooh! You're…you're like him, only you don't have one of us inside you!" she shrilled. "Please, let me join you!"
"…Sorry, what?" Harry asked.
"As your new mask! As a Persona!"
Harry stared at her in shock, and couldn't help but mumble, "…Uhh, okay, I guess?"
"So decisive," the Pixie shrilled mockingly. "But that's okay. I am thou, and thou art I. Let's go!" And then, she transformed into a facsimile of Harry's mask, which merged with his own.
"No way…" Ryuji and Morgana murmured simultaneously.
"…Just so you know, I'm not sure how or why that happened, guys," Harry said in a faint tone of voice.
"…I think I know what happened," Akira said, smirking and clapping a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I just became your senpai…"
They decided to leave aside what happened in lieu of doing a little more grinding. Harry picked up a couple of more Personas in the process, and then they opened up a wall just below the current level of Mementos, before deciding to call it a day. They'd even encountered some weird kid on a buggy called José, who didn't seem quite human, and who seemed to want to collect strange flowers within Mementos. But as they left the tunnels, ready to head back to reality, Harry stopped, and stared. He was pretty sure that hadn't been there before.
What was currently there was what looked like a barred door, like one from a prison, outlined in ethereal blue light. Standing next to it, as if it were the most normal thing in the world to do for her, was a pre-teen girl. Her silvery blonde hair was done up in a pigtail, and she was dressed in what looked like a prison warden's outfit, decked out in blue. She wore a cap with the letters 'OYOO' on it. One eye was covered by an eyepatch with an elaborate gothic 'V' on it, while the other, gold in colour, peered at the clipboard in her hand, bored.
"…Where did you come from?" Harry asked. He very nearly said 'little girl', but despite her appearance, he felt that annoying her was a bad idea.
The girl looked up sharply, before frowning, puzzled. "Impossible," she said in a light and stoic tone, her childish voice having a very adult nature to it, as if it was an older woman speaking using the body of a child. "How can…you're not the Inmate."
"Inmate?" And then, he remembered what Akira had said, about the Velvet Room and the twin kiddy wardens. "You mean…Joker?"
"You need not use his nom de guerre. Nobody can hear us here unless our master wishes it," the girl said. "I know his name is Akira Kurusu. Still, this is unexpected. Nobody but Kurusu should be able to perceive us."
"You must be one of the wardens in that Velvet Room thing he spoke of," Harry said.
"Indeed. I am Justine."
"Believe me, it's better that you meet her than her twin sister, Caroline," Akira said, walking over. "She's a tsundere, emphasis on the tsun. Plus, she likes whacking things with her shock baton. Hi, Justine. Do you mind if I visit the Velvet Room for a bit? I have a few questions for both of you, and Igor."
Justine huffed. "Please do not be so familiar, and be more respectful to my sister. But we will be happy to answer any questions you have, within reason. This way."
The door swung open, and Akira and Justine walked through, disappearing along with Justine into an azure mist, while Harry rejoined the others. "What were you doing, Godric?" Sirius asked. "It looked like you spaced out for a moment until Joker joined you."
Harry jabbed his thumb behind him at the portal. "It's an entrance to the Velvet Room. For some reason, only Joker and I can perceive it."
"Ooh, really?" Futaba adjusted the goggles she wore whenever her Persona didn't manifest. For some reason, her goggles and his mask took the place of their glasses, and even kept their eyesight up to par. Indeed, it was more than ever. Akira wore glasses too, but he did so to present a less-intimidating look to others.
"Hmm…that's…weird. It's completely hidden from sight. In fact, it's like there's a big gap in perception there, which is pretty telling," Futaba said. "If they wanted to conceal it completely, they'd make it without such a gap. Oh, and you know how we can see Joker standing there like a statue normally? He's absent from my scanning now."
"For real?" Ryuji asked.
"Is he going to be okay?" Ann asked.
"He said he's been to the Velvet Room before, guys, he shouldn't be in any danger, I think," Morgana said. "Still, we've had a productive time in Mementos. Not only have we opened up a new area for exploration and stopped a stalker from escalating, but we now have a new Persona user and a new Wild Card. Not only that, but we have a Palace Ruler to begin researching. Just don't forget, Oracle is an example of how a Palace can form from someone who isn't a nasty piece of work. As much as I want to find out how to become human again, we only target the deserving. For all we know, Madarame is simply too obsessed with creating art or something."
"Well, some artists are known for severe mental health issues," Ann mused. "Look at what happened with Vincent van Gogh. But wouldn't resolving their Palace still be a good thing?"
"Yes, but I reckon it should be done with their consent if possible," Harry said.
"…What if they were on the verge of suicide?" Ann asked. "Joker told me that you know about Shiho Suzui, right? What Kamoshida did to her? And Oracle…you were suicidal when Harry ended up in your Palace, right?"
"Uh-huh," Futaba said. "But he ended up in there by accident. Don't get me wrong, if I learned about you guys and I suspected I had a Palace, I might have eventually asked you to give me a Change of Heart as well. But…I reckon that would've been a disaster worse than Superman 64(5). I'm still practically a hikikomori in some regards. The main reason why I'm with you guys is because this is a vindication of my mother's work…and maybe I can figure out who had her killed."
"Still, with Nijima nosing around earlier, we should switch our hideout," Morgana mused. "We'll have to consider where later, once Akira is finished in the Velvet Room. Anyway, well done, team. And Skull."
"Ram it, cat!"
CHAPTER 12 ANNOTATIONS:
So, there you have it. Multiple revelations in quick succession. Leaving aside the canon reveal of Madarame's crimes, we have Sirius Awakening a Persona…and Harry showing the abilities of a Wild Card.
Choosing Sirius' Persona was easy, at least once I pinned down Harry's own. For a story where Harry is darker, I'd definitely would've chosen Edmond Dantes, the Count of Monte Cristo, but as I have chosen the Doctor for this one…well, it's a good choice for Sirius. His Awakening speech includes paraphrased elements from You Won't See Me Coming, the closing theme from the anime series Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, as well as Dantes' own dialogue from Fate/Grand Order.
As for Harry being a Wild Card, this isn't something I just tossed in just 'cause. I have plans in mind, plans that involve the truth about Igor…and why Hedwig followed them. You'll see. ;)
1. The King of the Cavern is the direct translation of Gankutsuou, the common title given in Japanese to any translation of The Count of Monte Cristo.
2. Sirius' Phantom Thief outfit is basically a modified form of one of the costumes he wore as Dracula in Bram Stoker's Dracula, Francis Ford Coppola's take on the story.
3. Edmond Dantes is based on his Nasuverse incarnation, albeit with the stylised depiction of a Persona.
4. I chose Dantes to use water-based attacks because of his association with water: he is a former sailor, after all, and he even has his own private yacht as the Count of Monte Cristo, not to mention using 'Sinbad the Sailor' as one of his aliases. If this seems inappropriate for Sirius, remember, Slytherins (of which his family were part of, even if he was a Gryffindor) are associated with water, while Azkaban is an island prison.
5. Superman 64 is considered one of the worst games of all time. And while Futaba is exaggerating how much of a disaster her Change of Heart nearly was in canon, her shut-in tendencies didn't help matters.