His eyes opened slowly, his mind adjusting to the familiar but endlessly peculiar state between dreams and the waking world. As he came to his state of pseudo-consciousness, he realised he wasn't lying on a prison cot this time. That only made sense. He had succeeded. He had escaped ruin as Yaldabaoth would have described it. His assault charge had been overturned. He was no longer a prisoner of his circumstances. And so the Velvet Room was no longer a prison.
What it was...
Well, that was harder to put into words. Were it not for the ever-azure colour scheme of this place, he would have described it as the typical empty void. Just him, Igor and the endless impossible shade of blue.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room," Igor greeted him, fingers steepled. The bizarre man chuckled to himself, "Though I admit it isn't so much a room at this moment."
"What happened? And why am I back here?" Much as seeing Igor again brought back nostalgic memories, he thought he was pretty much done with the place. He had gone home, unpleasant as that reunion had been. His parents were stuck between guilt for tossing him away and the stubborn pride that they had done what was right given the information they had. It made for difficult interactions. He wasn't looking forward to going back to school either. He would bet good money that the other students wouldn't care or even believe that his conviction had been overturned. It would be like starting from day one at Shujin all over again.
"It seems your arrival comes at a time of reshaping," Igor explained without explaining, as he tended to do. "In a moment between what was and what will be." He drew a card from his tarot deck and placed it face up on nothing to the guest's left. "Death in the upright position. Representing the past, this card indicates an ending. Or a change. Perhaps in this case both, a change that was ended." A second card directly between them. "The Tower. In the upright position. Our present. It seems the ending we were expecting has itself changed!" Igor giggled to himself. "How amusing! And now for the final card." A third, to the guest's right. "I see. The Lovers in an upright position. Hmmm. It seems there is a choice of great import to be made in the future."
"I'm all for choices, you know that," he shrugged. "Any chance you could be more specific what I'll be choosing?"
"I'm afraid you are mistaken, my guest," Igor wagged a finger, the cards returning to his deck with the motion, "That reading was not for you, but for the world. The world that would have been under a certain man no longer is. But something new is occurring and the world itself will be forced to choose."
"So... Another change... Like with Maruki?"
The long-nosed man shook his head. "Perception is reality, some may say. And that change you unravelled went only so deep as altering perception. Merely a shared delusion easily unravelled at the source. Were this current circumstance so simple, we would not be speaking as we are now, where we are now." He was suddenly distracted. He looked out into the blue void as it started to... wobble. "It seems our time together is coming to an end. We will meet again soon in a more appropriate venue."
-(-)-
He came to consciousness slowly as he tended to, despite the blaring alarm of his phone. His brow furrowed.
Different.
Something was different. He could tell even before opening his eyes. The smell of the air. The sounds of the streets waking outside. The light hitting his eyelids. It was right. But in feeling right he knew it was wrong. And the warmth of the near naked body resting on his...
His eyes snapped open. A ceiling he remembered. The musty smell of the attic that had never gone away. And the head of long ginger hair on his shoulder, fanning out over his chest.
As if to prove it was really her, Futaba snapped to fully awake in an instant at least a half minute into his alarm blaring in her ears. All or nothing. Awake or dead to the world. That was her. "We're gonna be late!"
He'd rather she wouldn't knee him in the crotch as she leapt out of bed but she had a tendency to not notice little details like that.
"Come on come on!" she chanted to herself as she hurried to dress. White knee-socks, a tartan skirt, white blouse and- The Shujin uniform? Fully dressed, she presented herself for his inspection, with a forced and nervous smile on her face. "How do I look?"
A second year pin. And with how excited she was, her first day. "You look great," he answered with a reassuring smile.
"Good! Get your lazy butt out of bed!" she demanded. "You need to get dressed too!"
"Right," he answered, distracted. Not that Futaba cared, having already full-speed dashed down the stairs shouting for breakfast. But with some time to himself he took the time to take stock of his new circumstances.
Calendar on his phone read ninth of April. First day of the school year. His uniform on a hanger waiting for him with a third year pin.
Morgana. There was no sign of him. Not even cat hair. That didn't make sense!
None of this made sense. It wasn't good to panic about any of this right now. Morgana knew how to take care of himself. He would have been a great source to turn to for getting answers on what the hell was happening, or had happened, but this was the situation. It was just a matter of figuring things out for himself.
He looked at his uniform again. A sigh and nod of his head. Yeah. He had more than learned to roll with the punches. It was just a matter of finding an opportunity to punch back.
Minutes later he emerged from the attic, Futaba waving at him from her seat at the counter, Sojiro smiling from behind it. "Ren. Good that you're up and about."
"Ren!" Futaba shouted with a mouthful of food. "Tell Sojiro to stop worrying!"
The old man sighed as Ren took his seat next to Futaba for his breakfast curry. Something that used to be strange once upon a time. "I'm not worrying, I know you know how to handle yourself and Ren has your back." A look was sent his way saying 'you better'. Which he returned with a look that answered 'obviously'. "I'm just saying you'll get some attention and you need to be prepared for that."
"Rrrrrgh, Sojiro!" Futaba growl-groaned, "I have a taser! If anyone tries anything I can just shock 'em in the balls until Ren beats them up!"
Who was this 'them' they were talking about? But that would be a strange thing to ask. "Maybe we don't have the guy with a criminal record get another assault charge?"
"Oh, right, that'd probably be bad. Okay! We'll just make out in front of the school so everyone knows I'm the scary delinquent's girlfriend! Prob-lem sooolved!"
Ren was about to say that getting cited for indecent behaviour wouldn't be much better, until he saw Sojiro nodding his head like it made sense?! "Yeah, that'd probably do it." He chuckled to himself. "Man. As much as that reputation you got must've been a pain, it's good to see it work in your favour for once."
Ren was deeply confused. But they were acting like it was such a normal and sensible conversation he couldn't question it. Instead he stayed quiet.
Sojiro continued as the conversation had seemed to lull. "You know Ren, I'm surprised you haven't played the field more."
... What?
"With your good grades and reputation I would've thought you'd be bringing home a different girl every week."
What?
Ren's jaw dropped at what Sojiro was saying in front of his own daughter! He looked to Futaba as if to ask what the hell the man was doing saying that kind of thing in front of her, only to see his girlfriend nodding with a frustrated expression. "That's what I keep telling him! But he's such a prude about it! It was nice when, you know, I was going through stuff, but I'm better now! I'm not gonna start crying if you bring other girls home!"
What?!
"You should try that Niijima girl. She was making eyes at you every time she stopped by," Sojiro suggested. A tone of genuine well-meaning advice. "I bet all it'd take is saying the word and she'd be all over you."
"Ooh, ooh! Or there was this other girl I saw when I was touring Shujin. Long red hair, killer body, I think she's on the student council too. Let's bring her home!"
"Uhh," Ren stammered, looking like a deer in the headlights in the face of the two earnest expressions telling him to fuck other girls. One his girlfriend, the other her dad. "I'll think about it."
"So will I," Futaba agreed, giggling like a dirty old man. "I still remember watching what you did with that 'maid', and when you brought Ann over. You didn't even get to the bed!"
"That... Does remind me," Sojiro said slowly, uncertainly, "You did get rid of all those cameras and such, right Futaba?"
"Neeheehee...!"
The cafe owner sighed in that disapproving way. The one that said he wouldn't do anything about it because he still wouldn't deny Futaba anything. Instead he looked to Ren again. "Well, whatever you end up doing, remember you're only young once."
As Ren continued to stare at the man he saw almost as a father figure, smiling sagely as he told him to cheat on Futaba. All while Futaba glared lightly at Ren like he was the one being unreasonable, Ren came to the only possible conclusion.
Maruki was up to his shit again. And had turned into a complete deviant somehow.
"Are you done? You're done right?" Futaba asked impatiently. "Come on! I don't wanna be late! I have to get there early to talk to the teacher!"
He wasn't quite done, but borrowing a little of his girlfriend's haste, he quickly finished and thanked Sojiro before following after her. Already she was hot-footing waiting for him to catch up. As he got close she grabbed his arm and pulled herself into his side, leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked to the train station. He tried and failed to listen to her with one ear as she chattered about topics well above his head. All while taking in the changed world around him.
It was eye-opening.
Whatever was going on with him and Sojiro and Futaba, it wasn't exclusive to them at all. He remembered Igor's words. The world had changed. Ren didn't know what the master of the Velvet Room meant about it not being so simple, but it was easy to see the effects.
Affection. Open. Everywhere. An old couple holding hands, staring longingly into each other's eyes. A man passionately kissing his wife at the door. A pair of teenagers in school uniforms trying to take each other's tonsils by the tongue. No one batted an eye. Those, especially the last one, would be worthy of scorn for onlookers for putting on such a public display. But no comment, no sour looks, not even hurrying away from the people making a scene. It was treated as normal.
That would have been enough. But things only took a step further into the lewd and bizarre when they boarded their first train to Shibuya.
"Ahhn!"
Ren stared, wide-eyed at the pair. A young man and woman. The woman's shirt unbuttoned as the man reached under her bra to take a handful of her breast. All while he pushed himself against her. Ren couldn't see below their belts through the crowded train but he could guess what was happening well enough. No one cared. At most a man gave them a dirty look for jostling him. It wasn't rape. He could tell that the couple were very much okay with what was happening, the woman eagerly pressing her breasts into his grasping hands, her hips bouncing back against his.
"Oh?" Futaba spoke, snapping Ren out of his daze to look at her, to see her lascivious grin. "Are you getting ideas?"
"No," he answered, thinking quickly, "It... Wouldn't be good to get in the way of your first day."
"Hm. Maybe next time then."
Thankfully Shibuya Station was only one stop away so they quickly got away from the amorous couple. The shocks didn't stop there as he saw a pair of boys in Shujin uniform walking hand in hand vaguely in the direction of the Ginza line. But compared to what Ren had just escaped that was nothing at all.
"Excuse me."
He looked around, then down a little to see another boy in a Shujin uniform and a blue hat. Somehow the boy looked familiar. And didn't a distraction sound just wonderful at that moment. "Can I help you?"
"Yes, I was just looking for the gate to the Ginza line but there seems to be maintenance blocking the way."
"Again?" Ren asked, frowning. "Do they do this every year in April to confuse new students?" he wondered aloud. "We'll show you the way. Are you a new transfer student?" he asked, noting the second year pin.
The boy smiled, "How observant! Yes, I am. My name is Naoto Shirogane. it's nice to meet you."
A memory clicked into place. Naoto Shirogane. A name he had heard, preceded by a title. The 'Detective Prince' before Akechi had been given the moniker. But Shirogane was... Well for one she was a woman, and for two she was not in high school. "Ah... Nice to meet you too," he reciprocated. "Ren Amamiya."
"Futaba Sakura!" Futaba added, nervous but making an attempt at being outgoing. "Did you move here?"
"Only temporarily. My work takes me all over but it seems I'll be staying in Tokyo for the immediate future." The group of three got moving, heading the long way toward the Ginza line gate. "Amamiya, pardon my rudeness but you had an odd look on your face when I told you my name."
Detective. Right. An Akechi-level detective. And Akechi had been on to him from the start too. "Right, sorry. I recognised your name."
"Then it seems my reputation precedes me," she nodded, though she appeared she didn't believe for a second that he had told the whole truth. "Or perhaps you believe as I do that something is out of place."
She was still reading his face. He knew that. But there was no way what was written on it would change as he looked toward another gate and saw another person familiar to him. One that should not exist. Futaba was frowning at the figure like he was an annoyance rather than an impossibility. All the while the figure just smiled at them, before gesturing Ren to come over. "I'll be right back," Ren promised, gently prying Futaba's hand from his arm as he walked over. He barely registered the question from Naoto to Futaba and his girlfriend's response.
"So," Goro Akechi spoke, wearing his school uniform, not a hair out of place, "Strange for us to meet like this yet again, wouldn't you say?"
"You remember," Ren deduced. Not that it was a difficult conclusion to reach.
"I do. I must be quite the rarity to have returned to life not once but twice," Akechi said with dark amusement. "I imagine your adjustment was less severe?"
"Last night I went to sleep in my hometown. Woke up this morning ready for my third year at Shujin."
"I took the liberty of attempting to contact Doctor Maruki," Akechi informed, "His old number is inactive but I was able to look up his information. He works at a think tank now, had no idea what I was talking about or who I was. It would be unlikely for someone else to be responsible. So few people are aware of the finer points of cognitive psience. Still..." he trailed off.
"It isn't him," Ren said with some level of certainty. "This... What the world has become, this wasn't what he was working towards at all."
"Well we all have our hidden desires," the detective-cum-hitman shrugged, "Though you knew the man better than I so I'll defer to your greater knowledge. If not him, then who? My old associates who knew enough to even come close are either deceased or... No longer in a position to act. Wakaba Isshiki remains deceased this time. And with you so certain Maruki isn't responsible our list of suspects is rather short. Limited to only your phantom thieves and myself, in fact."
"I'm sure we can take the dead man off the list," Ren countered.
Akechi laughed aloud. "It does seem rather unlikely, doesn't it? Though that would reduce the suspect pool to only your dear friends."
Ren didn't answer. None of them would want this- Well, maybe Ryuji. But Ryuji spent a year in the metaverse and still didn't understand it at all.
"You know, it occurs to me," the detective mused aloud, "I have yet to hear any self-impressed rejoinders from your little animal companion. Is he feeling shy?"
"Oh, come on. Of anyone he's the last I'd expect to pull a stunt like this."
"And yet of our very few suspects he has the greatest capability to engineer such a change, does he not? And he has also mysteriously disappeared. Quite a curious coincidence, wouldn't you agree?"
For all that Ren had learned to understand Goro Akechi, even respect him, he could be just so damn annoying with how perceptive and convincing he could be. "It's not Morgana. That would be stupid," he assured himself more than anyone, "But whoever it is, there's one place we need to investigate for answers."
"Mementos," Akechi nodded. "Very well. I shall meet you here after school then?"
"Sounds like a plan."
Ren nodded back as a farewell before turning away. But as he walked he heard his once rival let out a tired sigh. "A man shouldn't get tired of last hurrahs."
"Are we okay?" Futaba asked as Ren rejoined the girls.
"It's fine," Ren assured her.
"I see you're acquainted with my supposed rival," Naoto observed.
"Rival?"
"Two students working as detectives with the police," the crossdressing girl clarified, "It's been long speculated that if we were forced to work together we would end up competing out of some macho pride for who is the superior detective."
Ren observed the wry smile she wore as she spoke. "I have a feeling you aren't the overly macho type."
"Rrrrgh!" Futaba groaned, moving behind the other two and pushing them toward their gate. "Come on come on! We're gonna be late!"
-(-)-
Two.
That was the number of Shujin students Ren saw walking the halls, visibly pregnant. Luckily no one he knew particularly well. The newspaper girl he spoke to on occasion and another girl from Ryuji's class. He spent more than half his morning classes on his phone trying to get a handle on what changed. Trying to find out what changed about the world to make teenage pregnancy not only okay but worthy of respect and praise from teachers.
Suffice to say Japan had become a sexually liberated nation somehow, their culture doing a drastic 180 on the subject. His searches told him there was some sort of liberation movement decades ago led by a woman by the name Sachiko Atsuru. A lot of rhetoric about freedom to express man's purest and most joyous of emotions, but she also made salient arguments about a coming dwindling birth rate if action isn't taken and the harm such a thing could have on the nation.
... How convenient. Speaking out about an eventuality that was occurring in the true reality. A perfect place to continue his investigation... If it weren't for her sudden and tragic assassination. Something that allowed her movement to spread like wildfire and achieve all she had wished to accomplish. Public indecency laws? Scrapped. Monogamy? Purely voluntary. Polyamory was not only legal, it was encouraged. Homosexuality for both genders? Japan became the most progressive nation in the world with full acceptance of such relationships. The only laws remaining to govern sexual conduct were minor penalties for the practice of incest and the continuing illegality of rape, unwanted sexual assault and paedophilia, all of which punished much more severely. Kamoshida had apparently been castrated. That was... Well, that was something.
It was... Well, as such things go, this world was probably quite a bit more pleasant than the true reality. Nothing proved that more than seeing Ann giving him a little wave as she happily chatted with Shiho in the halls during lunch. The dark-haired volleyball player turned to look at him. Smiled. A smile free of the burdens of what she suffered, not like what he saw of Shiho in the true reality.
He smiled back despite the anger he felt stewing in his gut. Whoever was doing this, he would make them suffer for putting everyone through this again. Forcing them to tear themselves away from happier lives. It was cruel!
He needed to get some air. It was that need that saw him ascend from the first floor to the second, making his way to the roof.
"Hey Ren."
"Uhh, hi."
And what was Makoto still doing here?! She should have graduated!
"Senpai!" another familiar voice called for him. Kas-Sumire, he mentally corrected himself as he saw her red hair and glasses. She looked worried but resolute. It only took a scan of the hallway behind her to see another head of auburn hair and similar facial features and understand why.
His fists clenched in sympathetic anger. "Sumire."
"Is it happening again?" she asked before blinking. "Wait, you do remember, right? Like last time?"
"Yeah," he confirmed. "So does Akechi. We're going to investigate after school."
"Investigation, is it?" a newly familiar voice cut into the conversation. Ren saw the source, a boy wearing a baseball cap, one which he or rather she removed to reveal blue hair beneath. "So my intuition was correct. You do know more than you let on, Amamiya-senpai."
Ren's head tipped skyward. Detectives. Detectives everywhere. Eavesdropping on his every conversation. Why were they everywhere?! "Every time," he lamented. "Every damn time." Putting aside his frustration he looked to the girl. "What do you even think you're onto here?"
Naoto looked away wearing an uncertain expression before her eyes returned to his as she re-donned her signature blue hat. "For the sake of transparency? I'm not certain. I just know every part of my day has felt wrong in some way. I should not be in school. I look wrong, feel wrong, the world presents stimuli that my mind tells me is correct but my gut insists is nonsense. I've been watching you. I know you feel it too."
"... Alright. Follow me."
He didn't speak another word until the three of them were safely on the roof away from any more prying ears. Only after he closed the door and jammed it shut with a broken desk leg did he address the others again. Not for the first time today, he wished Morgana hadn't disappeared. He was better at explaining this. "What do you know about the collective unconscious?"
"A nexus point between the minds of all people that shapes and is shaped by the cognitive understanding of the world by humanity." The words were rattled off like an excerpt from a textbook, only for the second year girl to blink confusedly when she finished. "Wait, how do I know that? No, more importantly how do I know that? Such a concept should be theoretical at best. More likely a fanciful story!"
It seemed the explanations would be easier for Ren than he thought.
-(-)-
As promised, Ren met up with Akechi again in the evening. That he had to beg off from walking home with Futaba was easily resolved when she saw he was going to spend time with Sumire. His girlfriend gave him a thumbs up, then a double thumbs up, then finger guns before leaving him to it.
"Oh?" Akechi voiced on seeing the trio arrive. "You I expected," he told Sumire, "But you?" He maintained his usual pleasant if false smile as he looked over his fellow detective prince.
"Is that a problem?"
"Not at all," Akechi chuckled, "Though I recommend you stay behind us, for your own protection, of course."
"I can see to my own protection thank you."
Ren sighed as he raised his phone. "I take back what I said about you not being macho." Then into his phone, "Mementos."
"Beginning navigation."
"I hate this part," Sumire said, shutting her eyes to not see the world distort around her.
"Hm?" Crow asked wordlessly once the world had shifted, seeing his fellow detective clutching her head. His eyes widened as he saw hers turn a sickly yellow colour. "Get back!" he shouted urgently.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Naoto screamed, her head tipping back, a mask forming over her face. She wasted no time tearing the domino mask off in a gory mess. An explosion of power radiating from her in a wave of force. The remnants of the phantom thieves held their ground, only needing to shield their eyes for a moment. But as they looked at the girl again they saw a very different figure. Dressed in a double-breasted trench coat in deep blue over a puffy shirt, blue gloves spattered with red from the bleeding . Above her floated a persona dressed in reds and blues, katana in hand, cape fluttering behind, head covered by a pointed helmet, a mane of blonde hair flying behind.
"So easily?!" Joker asked.
"I remember..." Naoto breathed, eyes wide with shock and despair. "I remember everything. Inaba. My friends. My persona." Her eyes turned to those around her, the torn skin already healed, her clothing reverting back to her Shujin uniform. "And you. The phantom thieves. "I remember, I considered investigating but something else had come up. Except... I did? And the police wanted me to investigate your activity so I enrolled at Shujin?" A look of realisation. "I see. Two different realities. Two sets of memories."
"You remember both?" Violet asked with sympathy. "It gets easier to sort through, don't worry."
"Right. Thank you," Naoto acknowledged with a nod.
"Well this should make our task easier," Crow said cheerfully. "If all it takes to bring back people's memories is to bring them to Mementos it will be simple to bring your entire team on board, Joker."
"I don't think so," Violet disagreed, "Naoto was already questioning this reality, wasn't she? No one else has been like that. And even though Joker had his old memories but hasn't gotten his new ones, he didn't get them back by coming here."
"Get them back?" Joker asked.
She looked away. "I mean… Get them."
Joker hummed his agreement. "Either way, we need to explore a little and find out–" His words stopped short. What he was saying was utterly pointless as he looked past Violet and Crow to the gargantuan structure dominating Station Square. "Never mind."
"Hm?" Crow asked wordlessly, turning around. "Oh. I feel rather embarrassed I missed that until now."
The station entrance was right where it always was. Escalators going down into the underground proper. But between the two escalators was a path to an aboveground structure. A gargantuan building decorated with hearts and depictions of any and all genders in carnal embrace, all outlined in glowing purple and red neon.
"I think we've found our source," Joker stated the obvious.
"A love hotel?!" Violet balked with a vivid blush under her mask.
Crow wasn't surprised in the least. "Given how the world has changed, it's only natural it would be represented by such a thing." Suddenly a laugh burbled from his lips. "I wonder what grand treasure you would retrieve from this palace, Joker? Perhaps some lubricant? Some used undergarments?"
Joker ignored the taunts, approaching the front door of the establishment. Cautiously he opened the door. Much as the stealthy approach would usually serve best, historically the phantom thieves had done their best work getting the lay of the land by diving in head-first.
The interior decor of the building was much like the facade outside, though even more obscene. Just inside the door was a particularly phallic statue that lit up Joker's senses. Smashing it, he was rewarded with... Lubricant. "Not a word," he warned Crow.
His rival raised his hands in surrender with a grin.
"Honoured guests!" a voice came over speakers in the corners of the room, "We bid you welcome to the World of Free Love!"
"Free love?" Crow echoed. "So the person responsible truly is just a pervert. How disappointing."
"There is nothing wrong with–!" Naoto snapped, only to catch herself. "My apologies, I'm still coming to terms with my true memories."
"As our treasured guests, the manager of our fine establishment would like to greet you personally!" Ahead of them, a set of pink elevator doors of a particularly lewd shape opened up. "Please board the elevator so we may bring you to our penthouse suite!"
"Well," Crow sighed, "this has 'trap' written all over it."
"Our clothes haven't changed," Joker observed. "Even after coming inside and getting acknowledged by the palace. That means we aren't considered enemies." He walked confidently toward the elevator, though kept his eyes open for threats. "It's the best option we have if we want answers right now."
Violet was the first to follow, Naoto only a moment after. Crow shook his head. "Alright. I'll follow your lead once again."
The elevator doors closed on the four of them. There were no buttons on the panel. Instead they were moved upward of the device's own accord. A slow ascent without the usual lurch, arriving at the correct floor not with a bell but a pleasant humming sound.
As the doors slid open the foursome spread out into the room. Clearly a penthouse suite, an entire wall made of glass panes opposite them stretching to take over part of the roof. Fine furnishings built for lavish comfort not in the purples and reds that they expected based on the rest of the palace, but instead a range of reds and yellows. The walls marked with reliefs of some culture none of the thieves could immediately place, though certainly not Japanese.
And staring out of the windows was a woman. Yet to turn and acknowledge them. "Beautiful, isn't it? This world. A new world where love can be expressed as freely as breathing, where life can bloom anew without consequence. No more oppression. Man is free to express his purest emotions without fear of recrimination. Woman is free to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh without fear of condemnation."
She turned. "Welcome, phantom thieves. And guest," she added, nodding at Naoto. "Welcome to the palace I have built. To the world of freedom I made possible."
Joker was surprised. Though he felt like he shouldn't have been. Standing before them was a supposedly dead woman. The instigator of the sexual liberation movement, Sachiko Atsuru. They had been invited in, shown directly to the mastermind behind this new, lewd world. A mastermind who immediately admitted her culpability, proud and unrepentant.
Crow was right. It could never be this simple.