Before I start this chapter, I just want to say thank you for the feedback on this story. I won't lie, I did think this story was going to receive a decent amount of attention, but it got way more than I thought it would and I just want to say thanks.

Ren awoke suddenly in a cold sweat, sitting up holding his head it was here he heard a clanking sound and looks down at his hands. Handcuffs are around his wrists. To add to his confusion he notices his clothes have changed to a black and white striped prison jumpsuit. He looks around to see he is in some type of prison with velvet blue walls.

"Ah you're awake," a soft womanly voice said. Ren looks towards to the source to see prison bars blocking his way out. It was here he noticed a girl with long blonde hair with a hair pin in it, golden yellow eyes with a blue dress. "My master would like to talk to you."

"Where am I?" Ren asks as he makes his way to the girl. Behind her, he sees a table with a man in a black suit with white gloves hands folded together sitting in it.

"Welcome trickster," the man said, "to the Velvet Room," he extends his hand out to Ren who picks up on his appearance. A really long nose, bloodshot eyes staring into him and a balding head with long grey hair flowing seemingly down his back. "My name is Igor and this here is my assistant Lavenza."

"Velvet Room? Am I in jail for what I did?"

"No you are not," Lavenza said. "This is a place located between dream and reality. The you in reality is currently passed out from awakening your persona."

"My persona?" Ren asked thinking back to hearing Arsène's voice, urging him to save Midoriya. "You mean Arsène and my quirk?"

"Yes," Igor replied. "This place is a representation of one's own heart in this case a prison."

"This is because of me feeling chained down by my lack of a quirk."

"Part of it but also because of your past concerning a familial tragedy."

"I'd rather not talk about that," Ren said feeling down, knowing what Igor is referring to.

"You don't have to, but since you awoke to your persona," Igor said snapping his fingers. The cell door disappears and Ren is back in his school uniform. "The mask and chains on your heart have allowed you to break free from your prison. Now it is up to you to chart your own path and, do not let society bring you down as it has before." A bell then rings.

"It seems our time is up," Lavenza said. "We must continue this conversation another time."

"Wait I still have questions to ask!" Ren said but feels things go black.

Ren felt himself awake suddenly. He sits up, his hand on his head. It felt as if what just happened was a crazy dream. On top of that Velvet Room, a monster attempted to kill him and his friend, he ripped a mask off his face that unleashed some kind of demon calling itself Arsène and awoke to some kind of power to fight back and then All Might arrived to save the day.

"Woah take it easy there," a voice said to him. "You just went through a huge ordeal, or so I've been told." Ren looks and notices his surroundings. He was now sitting on a bench, near the overhead walkway where he had fought the monster.

"Uh... thanks," Ren replies looking at the source of the voice. It is a boy around his age with shaggy neck-length brown hair. He wears a brown pea coat with a tie and dress shirt underneath, black gloves, dress pants and loafers. "How long was I out?"

"I believe only about thirty minutes or so," the boy said. "Your one friend was very worried about you. I never saw tears come out of eyes like that before, it was like a fountain really. He must have some kind of water based quirk."

"My friend? You mean Izuku Midoriya right?"

"So that was his name. The plain looking one with freckles, who had a pretty forgettable face. Ah where are my manners? My name is Goro Akechi." Akechi said extending his left hand.

"Ren Amamiya," Ren said shaking the hand while standing up. It was here that he noticed that Midoriya and All Might were absent. "Where is Midoriya and All Might anyways?"

"Oh let me explain what happened. I was walking nearby when I heard All Might land here. I didn't want to pass up the chance to see the number one hero in action so I thought to take a look. It was here that I saw those two huddled around you. I came by to offer assistance and we set you on this bench, laying on concrete is bad for your joints after all. All Might had somewhere to be so he signed your friends book and took off with your friend grabbing onto him."

"I bet he was shaking with excitement. Hold on did you say he grabbed onto him?

"Why yes, he had tears in his eyes at that point too. I couldn't go after them since you needed babysitting."

"Seemed you enjoyed yourself. Which way did they go?"

"Oh they flew over northwest of the walkway. I doubt you can find them so easily but best of luck to you. Oh yeah here are your things too." Akechi said picking up Ren's bag, glasses and mask, handing it to him. The mask makes Ren's eyes widen.

"Well thanks for looking out for me," Ren said heading in the direction Akechi had pointed to.

"Hm he's an interesting one," Akechi said to himself. "I wonder if I'll see him again." He then walks in the opposite direction, continuing to go about his day.

Ren meanwhile, who had put his glasses back on was examining the mask. He had sent Midoriya a text asking where he was at but had yet to get a response. "So this brought out Arsène and I guess activated my quirk," he thinks to himself. "So it wasn't a dream. Seeing Izuku put his life on the line for me,despite lacking a quirk, and not wanting him to die because of me awoke something in me. How did this happen?"

"It was like that man said, because you had a strong will to help your friend, laws be damned," Arsène replies spooking Ren, "and 'twas certainly no dream."

"Dammit! How can you hear me?"

"Remember, I am thou and thou art I. I am you and you are me."

"So we are one and the same."

"Yes a part of yourself that has been chained down for years. If you want, find a secluded place and summon me so we can talk face-to-face."

"Alright," Ren walks around for a bit before finding a t-shaped alleyway in one of the city's backroads. He glances around the area to make sure no one is around to report him. He walks into it before finding himself at a dead end. "Looks quiet enough." He then raises his hand to his glasses, focusing. A small blue flame comes out of his eyes. "Persona come out!" He said and soon after the tall and lean form of Arsène appears once again. He sits down, legs crossed, to get closer to Ren's level. His smiling face, which would bring fear into most, stares at a curious looking Ren.

"Well done trickster," Arsène said proudly. "It seems like you're getting used to this."

"Thank you Arsène, but I'm still confused about all of this. What are you exactly, some kind of demon expecting something like blood in return or something?"

"I am no demon, despite what my looks may suggest."

"Oh sorry."

"It is fine, as I said earlier I am the rebellious soul that resides within you. The side of you that wishes to stick to his own justice regardless of what society thinks. Such as using this power to save your friend when no hero would make it in time."

"I see thank you for that. We would have been lunch for that guy if not for you. But what's this about chains?"

"Do not mention it. As for the those chains, they are the chains of fate that have been around you since that fateful day they first wrapped around you. The day you were first told of your so-called quirklessness."

"That day..." Ren said pondering in thought to the day he was given the news.

Several years earlier...

"I am afraid to tell you all that young Ren is quirkless," a doctor said. Stunning a four-year-old Ren and his parents. His mother was in a police patrol uniform with black hair tied back into a ponytail ,while his father is in a black casual jacket with a red button up shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. Atop his head sits black slightly curly hair combed back.

"What do you mean he's quirkless?" His father said standing up irritated and worried for his son. "How is this possible? Did you run multiple tests?"

"Kenji calm down," Ren's mother said trying to calm her husband down. "I'm sure we can do multiple tests and something will develop eventually."

"Forgive me Yuri-san but we did do multiple tests," the doctor said with a gloomy look on his face. "They all yielded the same results, Ren is quirkless and never will have one. It was really just an unlucky draw, especially for the son of the hero Ace."

"Yeah that's me," Ren's father said. "I can summon cards at will and use them for a variety of means such as projectiles or as a shield even."

"I have the ability to stun people with an electric bolt using a jolt from my nervous system," Ren's mother, Yuri, said. "Good for apprehending suspects but it takes a lot out of me."

"Interesting," the doctor said. "But we need to talk why this happened. Here take a look a these x-rays." Ren meanwhile just sits and listen. He can feel a tear rolling down his eye, a dream that due to a twist of fate, kept him from accomplishing his dream.

Present Day

"I remember that day so well," Ren said to Arsène. "Dad was a hero named Ace while Mom was and still is a police officer. I wanted to help people so much just like them. Dad wasn't the most well-known hero sticking to my old hometown. But he didn't care about the money or fame, just cared about doing the right thing. Mom was much the same with her job though she never wanted to be a hero. But then the news came and I wasn't the same."

"Yes, it led you to be angry at the world," Arsène said.

"Yes, I wondered why people who did have quirks only cared about fame and fortune, forgetting to do the right thing. My parents aren't like that."

"Yet they had powers but you, a kid with a strong sense of justice instilled into him by his parents, could do nothing due to having none yourself, and you were shunned for it."

"Yeah, I guess that was why I helped that woman a few months back and Izuku as well. Something told me to wake up and do something instead of sitting idly by. My body just moved on its own. I wonder if Dad would be proud of me. He always preached about doing the right thing, with or without quirks."

"I'm sure he would be. I'm sorry I couldn't be there sooner, especially after what happened to your father," Arsène said, earning a shudder from Ren. "But I am here now Trickster, together we will show people what our justice really is."

"Yes we will! Thank you." Ren said. He then hears a jingle coming from his pocket, his phone. He looks at it and sees Midoriya has responded to him.

"Hey Ren," the message read. "I'm sorry for the late response and for leaving you behind but I had to verify something with All Might, but it didn't go very well. I'd rather say more in person, mainly to make sure you're ok. Let's meet at the park outside the stadium."

"Alright sounds good," Ren replies before facing Arsène. "Come on let's go before someone sees us." Arsène agrees and he disappears as Ren makes his way to the park.

On the way there, Ren ponders what Midoriya meant by "it didn't go very well". Did he tell All Might about his lack of a quirk and his dream? Did the hero tell the boy to be realistic and give up? As Ren continues walking, he sees a large group of people gathered together.

"Holy crap!" A bystander said. "This thing is gonna kill someone." Curious to see what was happening, Ren makes his way over to the crowd. His view obscured, he squeezes by, passing by a thin man with long blonde hair and baggy clothes, to see what it is and is astonished to see a familiar. The sludge monster from earlier was back.

"What it got loose?" Ren thinks to himself. "All Might secured it in a bottle. How did it..." Ren then remembers what Akechi had told him earlier about how Izuku had grabbed onto All Might. "Dammit the bottle must've fallen out when Izuku grabbed on and freed him."

"Man that kid inside him is lasting a long time," a woman in the crowd said. Ren hearing this takes a closer look at it to see a familiar set of spiked up light colored hair within the monster and sees a familiar face.

"Wait that's Bakugo!" Ren thinks. Heroes arrive at the scene but notices them doing nothing, perplexed as to how to apprehend the villain. "Dammit they're not doing anything. I fought this thing earlier without someone in it and I couldn't beat it without help. With someone like Bakugo though, he could be unstoppable. There's no choice I have to-"

"Wait that kid's rushing in to fight it! Is he insane?" A hero said pointing. Looking to see it Ren sees that kid is Izuku Midoriya. He throws his backpack, which hits the monster, getting its attention, and grabs onto Bakugo.

Seeing he won't stand a chance, Ren reaches up to his face. A small blue game appears over his left eye. He feels his mouth move on its own about to utter a familiar word.

"Detroit Smash!" All Might, coming from out of nowhere, shouts grabbing Izuku and Bakugo and lands on the ground performing his signature move. Police sirens are heard as they arrive at the scene.

Later

The police and heroes were tending to the scene of the crime. The sludge monster had been taken into police custody and the savior, All Might, had left as quickly as he had arrived. Ren was sitting on a bench with Midoriya who has been quiet since the incident had ended.

"The hell were you thinking kid," a hero said to Midoriya, "that was way too dangerous. You should've left it to us."

"Hey he stepped up when no one else would," Ren said standing up to face the hero. "If he did nothing, then you'd be picking bodies up instead of that monster," Ren said.

"Whatever just don't do it again." The hero said bitterly and walks way.

Ren looks over to an adjacent bench where the now recovered Bakugo sits. A huge crowd gathering around him, congratulating him for lasting so long but all the while ignoring the brave boy who had dared to try to save the day when even.

"Bakugo's surprisingly quiet about all this," Ren said. "Honestly I'd expect him to be relishing in this kind of attention."

"He wasn't always like how you saw him today," Midoriya replies. "We used to be close friends. I was so amazed by his quirk and I looked up to him. The teachers and other adults hailed him to be some kind of prodigy that would be a great hero."

"I'm guessing it got to his head."

"Yeah, he started to act like more of a bad guy as the years went by."

"Hm," Ren said looking back at Bakugo, taking note of the lack of a boastful smirk. "Did he become like he is due to the expectations of him? I wonder." He thinks briefly before turning back to Midoriya. "Oh yeah didn't you leave me behind to fanboy over All Might?'

"Ah I'm sorry about that I really am," a flustered Midoriya said.

"Relax Izuku," Ren said with hands up in a calming manner. "I'm only kidding."

"Oh ok. It's just that could have been my last chance at ever seeing All Might up close like that. I wanted to verify my dream with him. If it was still possible."

"I guess he told you it wasn't to be."

"Yeah," Midoriya said with his tone softening into disappointment. "I mean I guess I should have expected otherwise. I was selfish and left you behind with that Akechi guy who was a complete stranger. It was because of me that the villain got loose, I put Bakugo, you and everyone in danger. I clearly don't have what it takes to be a hero."

"I believe you can still be a hero." Ren said standing up.

"You don't have to tell me to make me feel better."

"I'm being serious Izuku," Ren said standing up. "Seeing you bravely running in to face that monster when even the heroes were hesitating was heroic. I know Bakugo and All Might are getting the attention but you were the real hero today. You made a mistake sure but you legitimately tried to correct it. On top of that you saved my life earlier and allowed me to awaken to my persona and I'll be forever grateful. I believe you can get into U.A and be a hero someday. You might be quirkless, but I believe you can find a way." Izuku is silent, no one had ever truly believed in him before, not even his mother. Ren was making him believe he had a chance again. He stands up and proceeds to hug Ren, catching the latter off guard.

"Thanks Ren, you're a great guy."

"It's nothing and you called me by my first name again."

"Oh crap sorry," said Izuku who releases his hug. "It just came out that way. So sorry."

"Don't worry I don't mind, we did save each other's lives today."

"Yeah I guess so. I know we just met today but I feel real close to you today."

"I agree." Ren said but then feels a feeling in his heart, like a strengthening of sorts. "I feel like Izuku and I have developed a close bond," he thinks to himself.

"Oh yeah what happened earlier Ren with that quirk," Izuku said, "That was the first time that has happened hasn't it? You called it persona just now."

"Yes it was the first time. Here I'll explain it to you, it'll give you something new in that book of yours." Ren said sitting back down with Izuku doing the same. "I've had issues with my quirkless status all my life pretty much. I didn't have too many friends growing up and had to face discrimination alone most of the time. That's why I helped you in school earlier, seeing you get picked on reminded me of myself. I didn't want someone to go through the same. I guess those struggles were manifested in that mask I ripped off. It must've been why it was so painful.

"Wow," Izuku said fascinated. "I'm sorry for what you had to go through." Ren nods at this. "Your persona, you called it Arsène. I just wanted to-"

"Ren, what are you doing here?" A female police officer in a flannel shirt, jeans, boots and badge attached to a necklace calls out catching their attention. "I hope you're not hurt." She said hugging Ren.

"No Mom," Ren said as she lets go, "I'm ok thanks."

"Oh I didn't know your mom was a cop," Izuku said.

"You're the kid who risked his neck by attempting to take on that villain," Ren's mom, Yuri, said. "That took guts, not many people would have charged in like that."

"T-thanks. Say you look kind of familiar."

"Oh you must have seen me in pictures with my husband, Kenji, a.k.a. the card wielder hero Ace." She said putting on a smile, Ren though notices a mournful look in her eyes.

"Wow really he was so cool especially with sticking to one town like. Ren you never mentioned that he was your dad."

"Sorry, it didn't cross my mind," Ren said rubbing the back of his head. "I usually don't tell people, I'm just used to people already knowing since I come from a small town in the countryside."

"Yeah must not be used to the big city just yet," Izuku notices the mom and son go quiet. "S-sorry I forgot it's a sore subject given what happened to him."

"It's fine," Yuri said. "Anyways I'm done for the day and it's getting late. I'll take you home Ren." Ren replies with a nod. "Do you want a ride?"

"Thanks but I'll pass Mrs. Amamiya," he said.

"Ok, just make sure you're careful walking home. Let's go Ren."

"Let's talk tomorrow at lunch," said Ren.

"Sounds good," Izuku replies, "see ya later Ren."

"See ya." Ren waves and walks off with his mom to her car, a black sedan as Izuku walks his own way home. He gets in the passenger side and notices something get on his lap catching him off guard. He looks down and sees a black cat with a white muzzle and paws wearing a yellow collar. He looks at the collar and sees a name on it, 'Morgana'.

"Oh you noticed the cat," Yuri said sitting down and buckling her seatbelt. "I found it this morning, I took him to a shelter since he looked abandoned but those blue eyes just got to me. So I decided to adopt him."

"Hm nice," Ren said petting Morgana's head earning a pleasing purr. "We never had a pet before, even when Dad was still alive."

"Yeah, I think he'll be good for us, they say pets are good for company," she starts the car and drives. "Anyways you seemed close to that kid."

"We met at school today, his name's Izuku Midoriya, he's quirkless."

"Like you? Musutafu's pretty big but I didn't think we'd find another quirkless person."

"Neither did I. He's obsessed with heroes, I thought it was just with All Might but the fact he knew about Dad showed he must be a real fanboy with all of them. He wants to try to be a hero himself and get into U.A. despite his quirkless stats."

"That's gonna be tough. U.A. is the toughest school in the country to get into. I hear they really put them through hell to make sure they're ready to be heroes."

"I know, it's strange but I really feel like he'll find a way somehow."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well he has the conviction for it and he saved my life earlier today."

"It was really All Might that saved you guys."

"No this happened before that. I'll explain once we get home, I want to show you something."

"You got me curious, but we can wait until we get home to tell me, we're almost there anyways. I just hope you didn't get into any trouble."

"I didn't," Ren said. The duo remain silent until finally pulling into the driveway of their home.

Evening

Ren and his mom pull into the driveway of their home, a modest sized house with a master bedroom and two regular ones. They walk into the living room through the front door. The room is adorned with white walls with red carpeting. Pictures of the family rest atop walls and tables. A kitchen is outside the room with granite countertops and grey hardwood flooring. In one area lies the white coat, which has an ace of spades pattern, of the late hero Ace, alongside pictures of him with other heroes who happened to be in the former hometown of the Amamiyas, his black gloves, mask, a tactical baton, the ace of spades playing card and a picture of the family together behind an urn. Morgana takes a seat on the black leather couch.

"So," Yuri said setting her stuff down on the table. "What's this thing you have to show me and what happened with you earlier?"

"Straight to the point eh," Ren said taking his hands out of his pocket as his mom nods. "Well it would be easier to show you."

"Now this should be interesting," Arsène said in anticipation.

"It should," Ren thinks in response. "Just try not to put a hole in the ceiling." With that Ren brought his hand up to his face, making his mom raise an eyebrow in curiosity. A blue flame shows up around his eyes. "Arsène come out!" He said and Arsène reveals himself to the family.

"Here I am!" Arsène said bowing.

"Woah crap!" Yuri shouted stunned and scared, causing her to fall down which causes Morgana to get in front as if he's a guard dog. "What? How? Is that a quirk?"

"Have no fear madam Amamiya," Arsène said extending out its claw like hand to the matriarch. "I have no intention of harming you or Ren." Yuri stares at it and cautiously reaches out to the persona.

"He's telling the truth," Ren said approaching his mom with a comforting smile. She takes his hand and is helped back up. "Here let's sit at the table, I'll explain everything." Ren then went on to explain the day's events with Arsène looking on. From what happened in the school, to the encounter with the sludge monster, to awakening his persona. He did leave out the part about the velvet room, unsure of whether it was truly real and not sure if his mother would even believe it.

"Man that's amazing," Yuri said. "If you were anyone else I'd think you'd be pulling my leg. But I can tell you are telling the truth Ren."

"I doubt even I would believe it if it hadn't happened to me. Awakening to this power and fighting alongside All Might.

"I know. But you shouldn't have just played hero like that though. Much like you did before with that dispute months ago, you could have gotten into serious trouble or worse."

"I did the right thing then and I did the right thing today."

"I know it's just," Yuri said as she started to get upset. Ren locks hands with her across the table, "with losing your dad and moving here. You're all I have left."

"I know, I understand."

"Hearing that you attacked someone that night, getting that call. I knew you wouldn't have just attacked someone like that but no matter what I told them they wouldn't listen to me. Thank God for that anonymous tip, otherwise you could've ended up in a worse way than being labeled as the quiet, grieving angry kid." Yuri said as Ren looks down, feeling guilty. "Don't blame yourself for the move. I was thinking about it anyways and I make more money here than before. Just next time think of the consequences before acting. You got lucky this time but next time you may not be."

"Yes, that's why I've decided I'm gonna try to go to U.A."

"What? You never gave much thought to your future before."

"Yes but I've been given a gift and I can't let myself squander it. I want to give people strength to stand up for themselves. The same strength All Might gives to people and the same strength Dad gave me. I have to do this." Ren said with a clenched fist in determination. Yuri stares at her son. It was as if he was a totally different person. Could ripping a literal mask off really do that? She gets up from her seat and hugs her son.

"It will be tough getting into U.A. But with that kind of determination and enough readiness, I believe you can do it."

"Thanks."

"Your father would have been proud of you. Not just with getting a quirk but also using it to help someone in need. But please remember what I said when it comes to thinking about consequences. It'll make you more careful." Yuri said as Ren nods in response. "You better make sure he stays safe Arsène in case Ren gets any ideas."

"Of course madam," Arsène said chuckling with Ren rolling his eyes. "I will keep him safe no matter what. I promise you that."

"Good, anyway let's eat some dinner now." Yuri said. She and Ren then eat dinner together, enjoying a nice chicken and rice meal.

Later, Ren is upstairs putting his stuff away in his room, a medium sized bedroom with taupe hardwood flooring, a queen sized bed with grey covering along the back right corner wall, a nightstand next to it and a desk. Ren walks to the closet to put his stuff away and notices a strange black coat in it belonging to an outfit in it.

"What's this?" He asks himself.

"That is the outfit you most associate with a rebel," Arsene answers. "You wore this outfit fighting that monster."

"Really? I never noticed."

"You seriously did not notice?"

"Yeah, I was trying to protect myself and Izuku you know."

"Fair enough." Arsene replies.

"It looks cool though. Looks like I've found my hero suit."

Ren though is drawn to the red gloves in the pocket of the coat, with it being the only part of the outfit that wasn't black. He slips them on and looks at them. In the midst of this though, he has a brief flashback of bloodied hands on a dark rainy night. A sudden meowing snaps him back to the present.

"Ren," His mother calls up, "I'm watching a movie, you wanna join me."

"Uh yeah," Ren replies. "I'll be down in a sec." He then changes into his loungewear, a black baseball t-shirt and brownish-green sweatpants, and goes downstairs to watch a movie in order to bring a calm end to an otherwise crazy day.

Just wanted to answer a few questions before I sign off.

As you can see, the Velvet Room has been introduced (it will be expanded more in the next chapter) along with two members of the Phantom Thieves, Morgana and Akechi if you count him. There will be a reason as to how and why Ren does not understand Morgana later. I do want to include the other members as well but I haven't figured out how exactly, but I do have some ideas.

I intended the name of this fic to be a bit of an oxymoron of sorts. Much like how Joker is in Persona 5, to some he is a thief and an outlaw while to others he's a hero and role model.

I do know that Ren is supposed to be a year older than Deku and the other kids of 1-A but for the sake of the story, I decided to make Ren and Akechi for that matter, a year younger.

Again thank you for the support.