"Shadow is a colour as light is, but less brilliant; light and shadow are only the relation of two tones." - Paul Cezanne


Chapter 6: The Trickster I

"Theo! Wake up!"

Theo woke up, heavily pained from being shocked by lightning summoned by a teenager. He opened his eyes to the scene of Animus and Anima in a hotel room, looking worried for his life.

"What the hell happened to you?" Animus grimaced

"We were worried sick dammit!" Anima said, close to tears.

Theo groaned. "I guess you could say I got schooled." He stood up from the bed he was laying on, looking around him. "Where am I, by the way?"

"We're back in your own mind," Animus explained, "We had to drag you out of there."

"You dumbass!" Anima shouted, letting her feelings out, "What happened, really!"

And thus, Theo explained the powers he was granted. The true name of the gauntlet, the fight with the Persona, everything but the teenager.

"But I don't get it," Anima mused. "That weird mask-guy told us that Personas are supposed to help us."

Theo was surprised at that statement. "Wait. You guys KNEW this? You knew about that thing which attacked me?!" Theo was mad. He was mad because he was witheld information that nearly killed him on purpose.

"Theo, please..." Anima whimpered.

Theo calmed down. "...Okay. I'm calm. No more lies. Who was the Phil guy you talked about, and how do you know so much?"

The two looked at each other before agreeing. No more lies. Animus sat down on a chair to explain. "You might want to sit down before we do this." Theo nodded and sat opposite him on the bed.

"Okay, who Phil is," Animus said. "His name's Philemon, and you met him before."

Theo stared at him. "How come I don't know him?"

"Simple. You forgot. You forgot everything, up to and including your name."

"And you do?" Theo spat out.

"Well... yes," Animus said apprehensively, "We're you, remember"

Theo was pissed. He was lied to. "THEN TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK'S HAPPENING!"

"... we can't."

"And why the fuck not?"

Animus breathed in. "It's something Philemon said."

"What did he say?"

"He didn't say much," Anima continued in place of her equal. "All he said was 'he should understand, before he remembers.'"

"Okay, okay," Theo said, dismissively. "And when did you guys meet him?"

"A few hours before we fought your Shadow-"

"-he appeared to us an said 'a journey in the center of the mind'-"

"And he told us to go to where you were when we found you."

Theo mused at what they said. If this 'Philemon' person knew where he was going to be attacked, then he knew how he became trapped in his mind.

"Where is he now?"

"No idea. He said something about helping a guy with his TV, though."

Theo stood up and looked around, taking in the Room for the first time. "You know, you never told me about this room."

"Oh! That's right," Anima said, relieved that Theo calmed down. "We don't know?"

"You don't know?"

"Well," Animus replied, "Philemon said this was the place between the subconscious and conscious. He called it 'The Velvet Room'."

"Velvet room... yeah, I can see that," Theo mused. "Why's it all blue?"

"We asked the same thing!" Anima exclaimed. "He just said 'it just was'."


The trio walked around the wasteland, looking around. They stopped back at the gateway that led them to the first mind, but something was very, very wrong.

"Why... is it broken?"

The gate was totally destroyed. What remained was a pile of rubble.

"I... I dunno," Anima said, at a loss of words.

"So what does this mean?" Animus asked.

"I think," Theo replied, "This means we can't access Les Miserables World anymore."

"...Les Miserables World?" Anima raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I remember, it was from this movie I saw last year."

"Wait," Animus asked, facing Theo, "What did you say?"

"What?" Theo asked. "I just said I... remember." He looked at both of them with a shocked face. "I remember."

"Yay!" Anima squealed, hugging Theo. "Now c'mon, what else do you remember?"

Theo closed his eyes, swimming through his mind for any other memories. "I remembered some of my life when I was in school," Theo said. "It was during the fight with my Persona. I guess it triggered some memories, the classroom."

"I see," Animus mused. "So it seems that certain places let you remember certain things. And it's only when you're in another mind that you remember."

"So I have to find another gateway?" Theo asked.

"Probably, yeah."

"So what are we waiting for?" Anima asked. "Let's go!"

"Well! It seems the dumbass trio return to the gateway. How am I not surprised. Oh wait, I'm not!"

Out of nowhere, a voice appeared behind them. The three looked behind them, and they saw it's origin.

"Ah," Theo glared at the source. "Shadow me."

"Right!" Shadow Theo replied. "And yet, not. No wonder no one likes you, you keep getting your shit wrong."

"Really, now," Theo replied back. "Then what are you?"

"I'm what you call a Major. He knows you gained a Persona, so he sent me ahead to kill you."

"Wow, talk about lazy. Couldn't even come here in person to fight me himself." Theo smiled. He clicked Willpower, letting the power envelop his arm.

"Yeah," Animus said, readying for combat. "Well, at least you got backup now, Theo."

"Hmph," Major Theo scoffed. "Have at you, then, bastard." It readied itself for combat, growing twin blades on it's arms.

"Likewise." Theo aimed at the Major Shadow. "GARU!"

A gust of wind burst from Willpower, hitting the Shadow. The Shadow reeled back from the hit, momentarily stunning it. Theo raised the gauntlet and threw a punch, letting it drag him through the dirt.

"Nope!"

The Shadow raised his hand, catching the fist mid-flight. It pushed Theo to the ground on it's back.

"Brings you back, huh?" the Shadow taunted. Theo crawled on his back away from it.

"ANIMUS! HELP!"

From the air, a blue blur appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. The blur shot down on the Shadow, bringing dust clouds around both of them. When the dust cleared, two figures appeared. One, the Shadow pinned to the ground, and the other, Animus, making him stay there on the ground.

"Tch. Why won't you just die!"

"Because it's not my call."

The Shadow covered itself in miasma, turning it into a black gas. The gas dispersed and reformed behind Animus.

"Hmph."

"Wha-"

The Shadow silenced Animus by punching him in the face, knocking him out. It turned itself towards Theo.

"You can accept me all you want," it said, smiling. "But I was never you in the first place."

Theo stood up, staring at the Shadow. It stood still, most likely preparing for his next move. In the silence of the battlefield, however, a new voice rang in his head.

I am thou.

Theo looked around for the source, but revealing nothing.

Thou art I.

Theo's arm began to glow blue. It pulsed with every syllable the voice said.

From the sea of thy soul, I shall come forth.

Without thinking, Theo raised his hand in front of him. A blue card appeared in his hand, glowing and pulsating blue and white. Theo placed the card between two fingers. The Shadow's expression faltered, but it continued to smile. Instinctively, Theo said what he needed to say.

"Per..."

Theo threw the card upwards. The Shadow stood there, trying to figure out Theo's plan.

"...so..."

Theo caught the card, and crushed it in his hand.

"...NA!"


AN: So Dumakulem gets used for once. And tell me if he's being too God Mode, I want my self-insert to be balanced.

Persona is not owned by me.