Hey guys, a new chapter. I'm glad I got a bunch of these written(Life stuff decided to crop up). Also, to clarify because I've gotten some reviews. This is OT2, not 1. Do you need knowledge of it? Well, that's up to you. Ren's journey for the most part will act separately from the 8 OT2 MCs with crossover every so often. You will miss the subtler nuances of how Ren is affecting their story and they to him. My goal is to simply encourage you to look into the other franchise so if you feel the need to give OT2 a try, then I've done my job. If not? Well, I hope you enjoy the story anyway.


No matter where, when, or why; Leblanc's coffee and curry special always tasted good. Ren lived and died by that fact.

Eir's Apothecaries certainly seemed to agree with him. Ren had pulled out his ingredients and pot and swiftly made a meal over the campfire to Castti's chagrin, insisting that he be treated immediately. He was flabbergasted when the woman had physically picked him up over her head much to the other's amusement.

Close to the campfire, Andy had already finished his third plate and was currently licking it clean, much to the disgust of Malaya who was sipping her own canteen of coffee, her face scrunched up.

"Do you have to lick the plate?"

"This stuff is kick-ass, Malaya! It hits the spot after a good nap! Besides, I'm from the military, you learn not to waste even a single crumb because who knows when you'll next eat." Andy fired back then refilled his plate once more with curry and rice.

Malaya's face softened a little "You are right about the food being good," she relented.

"Consider this a celebration." Andy said boisterously and raised his cup of coffee "We took out the bandits and got that bag Ren was looking for back,"

"Are you sure it was wise to leave them tied up like that?" Malaya asked the former soldier as he stuffed his face again.

"Fhar fee fine,"

"Ugh, can you not talk with your mouth full?"

With a huge swallow and burp, Andy continued "It'll be fine, that sleep spell didn't wear off of us until the boss shoved some cleansing leaves in our mouths. They can stay there until they wake up in the morning. If we hear screaming, that's our monster alarm. If they get hurt, we heal them. S'what, we do."

A malicious glint appeared in Malaya's eyes. "Dark, but pragmatic. I like it."

Nearby, Trousseau was scribbling in a notebook, his plate set aside ages ago. Complex formulas and equations covered the page. He'd been quiet and secluded ever since he woke up. A shadow covered his eyes. However, briefly, it was dispelled when he sent the occasional glance at the others, primarily critical ones at Ren and Castti who didn't notice.

On the far side of the fire away from the others. Castti was currently tending to Ren despite his insistence that he would be fine with a good night's rest. Castti was the only person who hadn't even touched their food, having stripped Ren of his shirt and jacket and wrapping his body in bandages.

"Really, Ren, you must constantly scare your loved ones." She said, finishing another go around with the gauze.

"They're used to it at this point." He said dryly, taking a swig from his thermos.

"They shouldn't have to be." She retorted. "If they were even half as scared as I was when I watched you jump in that monster's mouth…."

Ren internally winced at that thought. His non-thief confidants being left out of the loop of his "death".

"I've gotten better about it as I got older," he said softly. "But sometimes battle comes with risks. And they understand that."

"That magic of yours."

Ren huffed. "I figured you wouldn't forget that fact. If it makes you feel better, the damage and effect will be mitigated as I get stronger."

Castti frowned in confusion. "I don't understand. You look like you're in the prime of your life right now, and you're certainly handy with a blade. Better than most run-of-the-mill combatants."

Ren let some of the tension go from his shoulders, unintentionally brushing against her. "Physically, yes, I am. But my magic is as weak as ever. When I came to Solistia I gave up a lot. And now I have to pull myself up by the bootstraps."

Castti's eyes focused on him as she paused her wrapping. "How strong were you…back then I mean?"

"That knife move is called Cleave. It's one of the most basic things I could do on the physical side. Would you believe me if I said that at one point in time, I could cause earthquakes and make meteors fall from the sky? Matter of fact I could fly in the sky at a pure whim; free as a bird."

Castti blinked owlishly. "I don't believe you. No matter who you are, that's completely far-fetched." She said, continuing her task.

"I'll make you a promise then. The next time we meet, I'll carry you through the sky myself."

Castti shrugged and let out a soft snort through her nose. "Why not? I have nothing to lose. I'll take you up on that offer. I doubt it'll come to pass unless you should by some miracle sprout wings."

A cocky smile crept on Ren's face. "I never say things I don't mean."

Castti rolled her eyes as she tightened the last bandage, ignoring Ren's grunt of pain. "There. It won't do too much for the damage you've taken in compensation for your magic, but it should keep your body from moving too much until you heal. You can take off the bandages tomorrow morning before we leave."

"Thanks, doc," Ren said as he put his clothes back on.

"No problem, it's what I do after all."

Ren slid off the log he was on and used it as a backrest. Castti joined him, folding her legs underneath herself as she sat in the dirt next to him. Ren offered the thermos to her which she took with a gentle touch and smile.

Satisfaction filtered through Ren's expression as he watched the Medic's face light up as soon as she tilted the thermos back and the warm liquid crossed her lips.

"This is quite good, Ren. I didn't think I'd ever have coffee for a dinner drink over alcohol or water. Where did you learn to make something like this?"

"I used to work in a café." His simple answer came.

"Server by day, thief by night I assume?"

"Something like that,"

Castti leaned back and looked up at the stars and Ren followed her example as they lapsed into a comfortable silence.

The night sky was filled with stars. Way more than he'd ever see in Japan—countryside or city side. His inner country boy screamed that this view alone was worth being sent to this place.

"What exactly is your home like?" Castti asked, breaking the silence between them.

He snorted and thought for a bit about how to answer.

"It's a crowded place. Fields like this were few and far between." He gestured to the dark passages of New Delsta Flats. "The people were always in the hustle and bustle, whether it be work, school, or unsavory acts. Didn't really have time to slow down. People moved fast and tempers were short. We lived by every minute of the day and optimized every second. No real-time to look around or explore."

Castti paused for a moment, processing the information. "Sounds frantic. Was it anything like New Delsta or Clockbank?"

"Dunno, never been there, remember?" He reminded her.

Castti took her nurse's cap off and set it to the side between her and Ren. She then let out a tired sigh and crossed her hands over her lap.

"Sorry, it must've slipped my mind. You seem so well-traveled already."

"I probably will be by the time I'm done with the journey."

"To search for answers, right? What kind of answers are you looking for?"

"About the gods, I'm doing research on them."

Ren didn't want to straight up say he was looking into dark and/or night gods. Even though he could say he had a good read on the apothecaries at this point, he'd rather not trigger any weird flags that would lead to him getting reported. He'd rather not have an entire country after him….again.

Castti shifted her body to face him. "I can't say I'm knowledgeable about all eight main ones or the local myths and legends, but I do know the basics about my own patron god Dohter,"

"Dohter?"

"Yes, Dohter the charitable. He is the patron god who gave us all medicinal lines of work. No matter who he met he would never fail to extend a helping hand. He believed all creatures deserved assistance when suffering. His very presence granted health and charity to all life around him that was brought about by the other gods. In short, he made it grow stronger and more sustainable. As such, only the truly skilled medical practitioners have the honor of using the divine skill 'Dohter's Charity' which allows them to make it so any treatments they do affect everyone in an area instead of a single person." Castti explained.

Ren took out his diary from his pocket and started taking notes. "That's….quite a powerful skill if I do say so myself. I do know there're eight gods worshiped here, do they all have a divine skill?"

"They do, but what they are and how they function is lost on me. You'd have better luck in the Crestlands where the churches are." The medic raised her hands helplessly.

"Last question. Can you perform Dohter's?"

"It takes a lot out of me," She admitted. "But it certainly comes in handy in mass casualty incidents like the aftermath of a battle."

Ren whistled in amazement "Impressive. From what you've told me, that's quite a feat."

"Says the man who told me he could cause earthquakes and fly,"

"Don't forget the meteors,"

Both of them burst into laughter at the same time briefly attracting the attention of Trousseau. Andy and Malaya were busy bickering loudly on the other side of the fire.

The laughter stopped abruptly when Ren yawned, causing Castti to yawn in turn.

"It is getting late, I trust you have a sleeping bag or cot?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Castti pulled some pins out of her bun and let her blonde hair cascade to her shoulders. Ren couldn't help but stare and blush at the sudden action as she fanned it out.

"What's the problem? My bun is uncomfortable to sleep with," her tone was teasing, and her eyes had a hint of knowing in them.

Ren looked away and scratched his neck in embarrassment. "It's nothing,"

"It's improper to stare at a lady, Ren"

"Good night, Castti."

The apothecary giggled at his expense as she stood up and headed toward the others.

Ren finished the last sentences in his diary and put it away in his bag and unlatched his sleeping bag. In no time at all, he had himself settled in comfortably with a nice view of the stars.

"Hell of a first day…My only clue so far is to go to the Crestlands." Ren's mind turned towards his objective of sniffing out the dark god. "Dohter doesn't seem like a malevolent deity; far from it, but one can never be too sure from what my experiences have taught me. I wonder how shadows fit into this. I'm surprised my luck has held up so as not to get attacked by a horde of them by now. Either way, while Raoul is still strong in his weakened state, I need a way to grab other personas."

Inside his mind, Raoul flapped his bat wings restlessly. The persona still hadn't had a proper chance to cut loose with the apothecaries around. Unlike Arsenè and Satanael, Raoul was a lot more free-spirited and unchained. Unafraid to relish and indulge in deep personal desires such as fighting.

Ren closed his eyes. Determined to leave tomorrow for tomorrow.

XXXXX

"Are you sure you don't want to join us?" Malaya asked, poking Ren in the chest. "Without you, the boss wouldn't have been able to make some Revitalizing Jam from the Carnivore Plant. We could probably save twice as many with that sleep ability you have. There would be no need for us to have anesthesia herbs."

The group of seven had gathered at a crossroads. One way led to the harbor, the other to Healeaks. A light rain came down and the sky was obscured with gray washing everything with a muted subdued color.

Andy laced his arm around Ren's neck and put him in a hold. "Yeah, we can use someone like you in our group. All we're missing is a merchant and a thief then we'll have all eight. C'mon, Ren join us!"

"Certainly, are adamant about this aren't you?" Ren said, scratching his cheek sheepishly.

"Can you blame them? When the chief has her eye on someone or something it's hard to get her to relent." Trousseau countered. "That's how Andy and his brother Randy joined the cause. From what I observed you seem very close to her already. It's only natural for someone to try and keep their precious ones around."

Underneath his teasing tone, Ren blushed as he slipped away from a chortling Andy and Malaya. He rolled his eyes at Castti who had a simple smile with her eyes closed her hands pressed together on her cheek.

"My offer will always stand, Ren. Don't forget your promise to come visit us."

"A gentleman never breaks a promise with a lady."

Malaya faked gagging. "Either stop flirting or get a room back in New Delsta. Gods, Sealticge was probably less obvious than you two."

Andy broke into a new round of laughter while Trousseau joined in as well. Castti ignored her fellow apothecaries as she walked up and hugged Ren.

"Be safe." She said into his chest.

"I will,"

Ren relished in the feeling of her body's warmth under the cold rain. Her hair smelled like fresh herbs and spices, and it tickled his cheek. Touching her made him feel like even the most complicated of mixtures was possible to achieve.

"Ahem."

Andy cleared his throat once they began to linger a bit too long. The two separated with Ren taking an extra half-step back, knowing it must've been hard to watch that.

"This is where we part ways, but I'm certain we'll cross paths again."

"Don't get killed, kid."

"I look forward to our next meeting,"

"I'd love to see more of those skills next time,"

Ren shifted both his own backpack and Al's bag then waved them off with a two-finger salute while turning to head back down the slopes towards the sea. Behind him, he heard the splashing footsteps of his temporary companions as they went the opposite way, discussing what to do next.

Later on, Ren wouldn't be able to fathom why he did what he did. Maybe his sense of danger was triggered. Or maybe his connection to Castti was already that strong. Perhaps…. it was a strange twist of fate. The universe constantly mocking him.

But Ren took one last look back to the quartet.

When he did, his eyes met with Trousseau's who was staring back at him. It struck Ren that if you took his own image and color reversed it, Trousseau might be the result. Like a photo that was copied one too many times until all the color and life bled out the printer.

His face was shadowed, desperation, fury and vengeance swam in his coal-black eyes. It was a look that left Ren deeply unnerved. The look of a desperate man willing to toss away everything. Ren kept his face blank and unflinching as he met the stare.

Red and silver connected as they each searched the other.

As quickly as their eyes connected, they both turned away at the exact same moment.

Against his better judgment, Ren continued down his path. They both had their own goals and ambitions. Ren couldn't tie himself down—not right now.

—X—

Unlike his first go around, it didn't take him too long to get back to the harbor, having known the way now, though it was still afternoon when he arrived.

As he went down the stairs, he noticed the marketplace was deserted. Many had taken shelter from the rain aside from those selling things like seafood, and those who did mind the weather.

"FRESH OFF THE PRESS! DELSTA TIMES! COME READ IT WHILE IT'S NEW. RAIN OR SHINE THE NEWS ALWAYS DELIVERS!"

Ren was tempted to plug his ears; the voice was almost obnoxiously loud.

"Scriveners, am I right?" A voice came from his left.

Ren turned his head to see Al sitting on a nearby barrel.

"Scriveners, can't live with them, can't live without them."

Ren's thoughts turned to a certain bob-cut journalist. One of the nosiest people he ever met but also one of his staunchest allies.

"That I can agree on, but you don't strike me as the type to catch their fancy."

"Not in this region no. But I can never be too sure," Al's eyes shifted warily as he spoke. "They're a sharp bunch; they can smell a story from a mile away. Some of them are harmless enough, but others…." Al ended his sentence with a shudder, hugging his body as a chill passed through.

Smiling, Ren offered his own advice "If you can get them on your side then you can control the narrative. Very helpful I find."

"Control the narrative. Huh? Never thought of it like that." The man then shrugged. "Anyways I see you have my bag,"

"Safe and sound," Ren replied, tossing it over to him.

Al caught the bag and expected its contents. "Why does it smell like burdock?"

"Giant plant monster swallowed it."

"I'm sorry I asked." Al looked at the back with a strange mixture of abhorrence and curiosity. Reluctantly pulling his bag close, he then pulled out some coins from his bag and put them in Ren's hand. "1500 leaves. Enough for ship fare, lodging, and a shiny new weapon."

"That's a lot. Who are you exactly?" Ren said, raising an eyebrow, pocketing the coins in the pouch from the Cait that was now clipped to his belt.

Al slung his bag over his shoulder. "I guess I owe you that at the bare minimum. I'm a prince in a certain country in a region called Orsterra."

Somehow, that fit in Ren's opinion. The man was a little too clean and well-mannered in his opinion according to what he knew of the era.

"I doubt a country would let their heir go play hooky for an arbitrary reason." Ren pointed out.

Al's almost ever-present smile changed into a frown. "Trust me, friend, it's anything but arbitrary. As for what that reason is, I can't tell you exactly."

"That's fair," Ren conceded. Everyone had their own secrets. "Where are you going next?"

Al happily pointed out to the vast sea. "Across the Sundering Sea, I'll probably stop in Oresrush briefly on my way to Crackridge. Lots 'o ruins out there for me to look at. What about you Ren?"

"I'm going to the Crestlands, I think I want to visit the church."

"Careful," Al warned. "The church has its own private militia called the Sacred Guard. The only military in the region allowed to move through all eight lands with impunity. They even have free reign to move through the war-torn Hinoeuma. I'm not from here and know they're bad news if you cross them. They hold a lot of power and don't take very kindly to outsiders. Do not take them lightly."

"Figures. The church had an obscene amount of power in the Middle Ages. I wouldn't be surprised if multiple countries are a theocracy instead of pure monarchies. I'd hazard that corruption is rampant too, if it's anything like my world. Dangerous–In multiple ways."

"But that makes the challenge all the sweeter, doesn't it?"

Ren had to agree with his other self. They were two sides of the same coin after all.

Al then flashed him a smile and headed to the gangplank of a ship. "Just a friendly tip from one foreign traveler to another. May we meet again, Ren!" The moment Al crossed over the threshold and paid, a huge man retracted the gangplank behind him.

"I hope so too! Take care, Al!" Ren shouted once he saw his friend on the upper deck who waved back.

After seeing him off Ren went back into the main part of the harbor.

"Alright, now to find a way to the Crestlands. I should probably buy a map with some of the cash I have from Al and the Cait,"

As Ren was thinking to himself, he rounded the corner of the stalls. The moment he did he bumped into someone, sending them tumbling to the ground.

The victim was a small girl with medium-length chestnut brown hair done up in a ponytail. She was wearing a simple white button-up and brown slack shorts and was now sitting in the wet sand of the harbor. A satchel filled with bundled papers sat at her side.

"Ouch…That hurt." She said, rubbing her face, small tears in her eyes.

Ren picked up the discarded busboy cap off the ground that lay a little bit away from the girl.

"Forgive me, I wasn't paying attention," Ren said, offering his hand to help her up.

"Your darn right you weren't!" She said clasping his hand as he pulled her up. "I could report you for bullying little girls!"

Just to emphasize, she flailed her arms as soon as she was upright.

Based on her voice and appearance, Ren could guess that she was the scrivener who was shouting at the top of her lungs earlier.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't want that to happen," he said, putting the cap on her head, silencing her for a moment.

The girl shifted her bag back into place and put a finger to her chin in thought.

"Since you gave me my cap back, I'll forgive you,"

"Tha-"

"On one condition!" She cut him off holding a finger in the air. "You buy a paper and I get to interview you!"

Ren waved his hand nervously. "The paper I understand, but why the interview?"

"I guess it's my turn to beg for forgiveness….butIoverheardyousaythatyouwereaforienger!"

Ren only barely managed to catch what she said. "Uhm…"

"Pretty please with sugar on top!"

Her big brown eyes were full of pleading and were absolutely adorable. Ren could almost imagine a tail wagging behind her. He hesitated as to not instinctively pat her head like he would Futaba. He couldn't say no. What was the harm in one interview? He'd just keep it vague.

"Fine. How much is the paper?"

The girl lit up in jubilation. "That'll be five leaves if you will!"

Ren forked over the required amount from his pouch. With an almost inhuman quickness, the coins vanished from his hand to be replaced with a bundle of papers bound together with a string of twine.

The girl then pulled out a journal of her own ready to write down every last word he said.

"Now then here comes the fun part! What's your name? Where are you from? What's it like? What do you like and dislike? What are your hobbies?"

"My name is Ren. I'm from far away. It's very nice in my opinion. I like various things and I dislike others. As for hobbies? I have lots of them."

The tip of the girl's pencil broke in frustration with an audible snap. "The only thing you really told me was your name, jerk." She deadpanned, her chipper attitude falling away.

Ren took the opportunity to start walking, laughing as he did so, paper in hand that he spun like his knife. "I'd rather keep my story under wraps, see? I don't want to be in the spotlight just yet. When I do though, you'll be the first person I look for, Ori!"

"How did you-"

Ren tossed her the press badge he nicked off her, laughing even harder as he walked away. Ori fumbled with it a bit before securing it with both hands.

"That man is very dangerous. Great… another one…" Ori said in a darker tone, pulling her hat down and obscuring her eyes in shadow. "A scrivener's work never ends,"

XXXXX

Ren stretched out the wood pulp map in his hands as he walked to the flats. It felt good having something authentic in his hands, he felt like a real explorer. Then again, he had the opportunity to hold actual papyrus before.

Ren was grateful that the vendor even tossed in a free basic travel guide.

True to what Al had said, the region was divided into eight territories.

On the Eastern continent, you had:

Brightlands-The most urban developed and crowded. As such it was considered the entertainment center of the region. There wasn't a pleasure one could indulge in while in the Brightlands. Also, most manufactured goods came from the country. It was the one he was currently in.

Crestlands-A mountainous region and the home of churches and libraries. It also contained Flamechurch, the seat of the church itself as well as the sacred flame of the gods. The outlier town of Merry Hills was also in its jurisdiction which boasted the largest amphitheater/Coliseum in the region.

Winterlands- An eternally snow-covered landscape. Despite not being extremely mountainous, snow never left the northernmost territory. It was known for whaling and the nigh-inescapable prison of Fridgit Isle it housed. Ren shivered at the thought of being sent to such a place. Or worse: Landing in it.

On the Western continent were:

Harborlands-A wetland area where every major city had a harbor, making it the shipping center of the region. Despite being the home of the lucrative shipping industry, the citizenry was rather poor and displaced thanks to frequent wars with Hinoeuma.

Wildlands-A frontier area that was shaped in the massive shadows of canyons, volcanoes, and rivers. The most lawless of the eight and also the most lucrative containing various mines where people toiled away in hopes of finding silver or gold. Due to the nature of its topography, it faced no threat from its immediate neighbors.

Leaflands-In direct comparison to its neighbor the Wildlands, it was the center of order. A forested area that contains the regional courts where criminals from all over were processed. It was considered the most expensive nation to live in, containing most of the homes of nobility from many different nationalities.

Hinoeuma-A desert land. Normally the towns were considered oasis jewels, but the unceasing conquests of Ku had turned the sands bloody. It had stabilized in the recent decade with Ku's consolidation of the entirety of Hinoeuma under its power and the dismantling of the former empire of U. But its neighbors, Leaflands and Harborlands, were still on guard.

And finally, just southwest of the Eastern continent was Toto'haha-The most mysterious of the eight being a tropical island jungle. It was said to be the cradle of humanity. It was also home to the equally mysterious race called Beastlings. People who were half-human and half-animal. Contact with them was seldom recorded until recent times when a human settlement was made but even now, details on their lifestyle are few and far between. The recently set up floating harbor capital of Tropu'hopu was helping to bridge the gap.

Connecting East, West, and Toto'haha was the Sundering Sea. A monster-infested ocean that only the most battle-tested of adventures and sailors would dare cross in its complete entirety. Most ships moved in a triangle fashion between Canalbrine-Harborlands, Toto'haha, and New Delsta Harbor-Brightlands in order to limit the monster attacks. For a more costly fee, one could secure passage directly to the Winterlands and Wildlands, but the risk was greater.

There was a singular port in Hinoeuma, but the bay was guarded by a giant shark and dragon making it untenable for the past decade.

Past Toto'haha lay the eastern part of the Sundering Sea. No one knew what lay out there, however, thanks to a gigantic whirlpool containing a deadly sea monster named "The Scourge of the Sea".

To be honest with himself; all eight lands interested Ren to go explore. Well except Hinoeuma. However, business came first.

"According to the map, I can go two ways. The first way, I have to go south in the Delta Flats like I'm going to New Delsta City, but then I have to go east and take the high roads until I get to the bridge and then I head north from there into the Flamechurch pass and go west from there into the mountains where Flamechurch is located. The second route is that I go north in the flats to the Winterlands and round the mountains in the Eastern Cape Cold Snows and then head south into Flamechurch Pass."

Ren mentally weighed his options. "I think I'll head south. It's longer but less dangerous than heading north without the proper wear. Besides, it'll give me the excuse to at least stop in the city on my way."

"Cities are a thief's playground after all. So many things to see and steal! A way to stretch our legs after so long."

Ren did admit that was a factor in his decision. The idea excited him. The ability to leap from rooftop to rooftop. The criminal underbelly was also a good place to canvas information and cities were sure to have them.

While he was thinking to himself, he didn't notice the slight vibration of his phone as he passed over into the New Delsta Flats. He did however notice the heartbeat and the telltale sound of glass shattering.

"What just happened?" Ren exclaimed as he put his map away and ran further into the flats. He looked up and saw the sky was a sickly purple as if someone had poured poison into the atmosphere. Purple rain poured down creating puddles of sick Ren did not want to go through unprotected.

The trees and hills were dyed black as a shadow. The flora became gnarled and warped turning sinister in nature. Thankfully the grass and dirt remained colorful although slightly darker. The regular fauna disappeared entirely. The only thing left was the growls and howls of monsters that sounded through the area, mixed with the guttural groans of what Ren recognized as shadows.

Ren surveyed to see if any people were in the area, he looked behind him and saw he was at the edge of the distortion. The harbor down the hill seemed completely normal and unaffected as people milled about.

"Strange. I couldn't see anything in the Metaverse and from what Kirijo-senpai told me of the Dark Hour people got turned into coffins. Either way, this is definitely cognitive world related"

"I guess my luck wasn't going to hold out after all!"

Ren reached deep inside himself and tapped into his rebellious will.

The gentle and familiar blue flame washed over him, turning his travel clothes into his phantom suit. Joker admired his clothes but noticed his outfit had radically changed. His tailcoat and gloves had reversed colors, the jacket being a faded red and the gloves being a shiny pitch black.

His waistcoat had turned into a tucked-in white collared shirt complete with a black tie.

His pants now had pinstripes to them with a large golden belt buckle on his waist depicting a demon.

His boots were now accented with gold studs all the way to the thigh.

Finally, a red fedora rimmed with white now sat on top of his frizzy hair pressing it down to where it hung as if he had a wolf cut.

In short; he now looked like Raoul.

"A new journey calls for a new look. Don't you agree?" His persona Raoul whispered in his mind. "Consider this a second awakening. Your first was with me as Arsene, as such your old look was based on that. If you had an awakening when I was Satanael I imagine you would have looked stuffier and royal-like. This set of clothes comes from my style; I'm quite proud of it by the way,"

"Are you surprised? I do think the clothes are pretty nice." Joker said feeling his new tailcoat "And you are me after all."

Raoul laughed maniacally as Joker flicked his wrist. With a swooshing sound, his grappling hook wrapped around a tree branch. He launched himself upward to the tree branch and then jumped to a nearby stone structure that was up higher than the tree.

The violet rain pattered and sizzled off his jacket as he scanned the area. Above him, even though it wasn't night, the moon burned a scarlet red.

Using his higher vantage point, Joker saw that the entirety of the flats was encompassed in a bubble, isolated from the world. The Winterlands to the north and New Delsta City to the south remained untouched. He only hoped Castti, and the apothecaries made it out of the area safely, if not he'd just save them.

He dropped his vision from the sky and saw a group of monsters roaming the area. A group of City Ratkins from what Andy had told him. However, they looked different. Just like the sky, they were all the same shade of purple, pulsating with lightning of the same color. It was as if Madarame had used a purple version of his "Artist Grace" attack that left them with glowing orange eyes as their only feature.

Peculiarly, a fluorescent white thespian mask was pasted onto the face of one of them.

"Bingo."

A predatory smile bloomed on his face. He was back in his natural element. Not a stuffy boxing ring with a half-naked man baring down on him.

Without hesitation, Joker then dived from his perch like a hawk spotting its prey.

His boots landed firmly on the shoulders of the monster causing it to groan in surprise. Without giving it a chance to react, he reached down and grabbed the bottom of the mask, and with a wet squelching ripping sound he tore the mask off the shadow's face.

Backflipping, he landed on both feet right as the shadow burst into dark multicolored liquid.

A tiny woman wearing a blue leotard with insect-like wings came from the sludge. She was accompanied by a floating cape that had a pumpkin wearing a witch hat for a head, and a disembodied white glove holding a lantern.

Counting these two he now had five total enemies to worry about. The shadow Ratkins groaned in confusion.

Joker cleared his throat and put on his best showman voice.

"Pixie and Jack-o-Lantern. What a surprise to see you here in this world too. Would you like to join my cause once again? I could certainly use strong shadows like you."

They were some of the earliest shadows he encountered back in Tokyo. Joker did note they had slight differences. Instead of red, their lower halves were dyed in the same purple that the other shadows were. Pixie's leotard and Jack-o-Lantern's hat were also purple as well.

The Pixie's hair was longer than what he remembered and dare he say the breasts were a bit bigger. Jack-o-Lantern's head was also a couple of shades paler.

"Who are you? How do you know our names?!" Pixie said, her hands on her cheeks.

"Doesn't matter he dies right here for the master, He-Ho!"

Jack-o-Lantern ended his sentence with an errant fireball which signaled for everyone to attack.

Joker dodged the elemental attack and the following shadowy pole thrust from the Ratkins(?).

"Oh, that's interesting. Mind telling me who this master is?"

"The master will kill us if we tell you who the master is!" Pixie said. She raised her hands, summoning a small bolt of lightning out of thin air.

Oh well, a journey wasn't fun if the answers were simply handed to him.

He felt a familiar presence finally release itself into the real world.

A tall demonic gentleman wearing similar clothes to Joker appeared next to him. He was easily around 3 meters tall.

He had large mechanical bat wings made of both leather and metal on his back. He wore white fingerless gloves that ended with gold-tipped claws. Long-bladed heels were just the accentuating point of its modern steampunk style.

What made him demonic was his face; he looked as if someone had carved eyes and a mouth into a shadow jack-o-lantern style. A lit cigarette sat in his mouth as the finishing touch.

This was his persona Raoul in his full glory.

He casually deflected the lightning bolt with his offhand, startling the Pixie in the process and making all five pause in a mixture of awe and fear.

"Ah. Feels good to finally have the open air on my wings," he said taking a long drag of his cigarette that somehow didn't shorten in the slightest. Behind him, despite being mechanical in nature, the wings fluttered as if they were alive.

"I trust you remember how to use them after so long?"

"Don't get cocky. Just because I've lost power doesn't mean I've lost skill." Raoul reminded him. "Shall we tear them apart?"

"Leave the Pixie for interrogation. She seems more receptive than the others."

Raoul's fingers filled with the dark fire of Eiha. "Sounds like a plan, my other self,"

The persona launched his own fireball which collided with another of Jack-o-Lantern's canceling each other out into acrid-smelling gas.

Joker took the opportunity and fired a shot from his gun, temporarily incapacitating the Pixie away from the others.

Grinning, he took out his knife and jumped into the air. Spinning vertically with curse-fueled energy he crashed into the Shadow Ratkins.

Joker then swept his leg around in a circle taking their legs and knocking them down.

Above him, quantity triumphed over quality, Raoul landed an Eiha, sending the Jack-o-Lantern crashing to the ground.

Joker noticed that, unlike the regular versions he had encountered, these shadow versions were a lot more durable. His one more alone was enough to kill their counterparts. But these new variations were only stunned despite the bursts of shadowy goop leaking from their wounds.

He shared a look with his persona and together they lunged at the group of downed foes.

The enemies went flying through the air and repeatedly smacked into each other, Joker's blade, the butt of his gun, Raoul's fist, and the ground. Eventually, the frenetic assault ceased.

Jack-o-Lantern had met his end but the two of the Ratkins were still alive but barely. Raoul slammed his palm into the ground and another Eiha erupted from the ground. This time finishing them off.

Satisfied, Joker lumbered his way over to the terrified Pixie and stood over her menacingly.

"Mind telling me who this master is now?" He said slowly, pointing the gun in her face.

The beguiling girl wildly shook her head.

"I can't, I can't, I can't! I'll die! She'll surely kill me!"

"She?"

"I've said too much!" The pixie hurriedly covered her mouth with both hands.

"How about you come with me? As you can see, I'm very strong. Long as you stick with me, I won't let whoever your master is harm a single hair on your head."

The shadow slowly lowered her hands from her mouth.

"Do you really mean it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because we're the same. You are me and I am you."

The Pixie's eyes flashed in realization as she flapped her wings and flew up.

"That's right, I can't believe I forgot. I am thou, thou art I. I am Pixie and I shall become your mask."

She then turned into a copy of his domino mask and was sucked into his own mask. Joker immediately felt her presence in his mind, happily inspecting the territory as his new persona.

"The first voice in a soon-to-be symphony of others," Raoul said next to him.

"She is a bit different from the Pixies I'm used to. In fact, I'm surprised I've encountered the same shadows here at all."

"Yet another thing to ask the blue people. Save it for later, I'm sure you can sense it, but more shadows require our attention." Raoul said, pointing in a direction.

"Alright, then I hope you don't mind sharing the spotlight."

"Never."

Raoul then disappeared into blue flames to be replaced with the Pixie from before her hands already cracking with electricity.

ZAP

"Ready for service!" She chirped unintentionally letting loose a blast of lightning that fried a nearby a tree.

Not minding the fire, Joker hopped onto a smoking branch and then leaped to another tree entirely, a confident smile on his face while the Pixie sheepishly flew behind him.

"I'm sorry, Trickster, I guess I got a bit too excited…Ehehehe…"

"Don't worry about it. There'll be plenty of enemies to direct that energy to if I have my way,"

Locating yet another bunch of shadows accompanied by one wearing a mask, Joker lunged out of his tree at the next horde of enemies.

–X–

Joker huffed as the last shadow went down. The ones with the mask didn't appear all that often compared to the others, but he did manage to get two new personas out of the deal. Agathion, Mandrake and the now apparently named Pyrojack instead of Jack-o-Lantern.

Between the three of them and Pixie, Joker's mind wasn't a symphony but a cacophony of squeals, squeaks, and Hee-Hos as they bounced off each other like rubber balls inside his head. To Raoul, it was like babysitting children.

Not one of the four had any information about the master of the domain outside of the fact it was a female and apparently from what they heard, she was older than most humans. Joker had found that shadows that didn't have masks were incapable of speech, rendering them useless as a source of information. They also had no discernable weakness, unlike their regular counterparts. Joker just had to hit them hard and knock them down the old fashion way.

As for the area itself, with every shadow he beat cracks started to form in the sky. Joker also got the feeling he was being watched. He had his third eye active, but no people registered on his radar.

*RATTLE RATTLE*

In front of him, the shadowy maskless bird-man-thing finally dissolved into nothingness. Above him, the sky finally gave way, and with the sound of glass shattering the world inside the bubble returned to normal. Just in time. Ren saw that off in the distance, the last traces of a floating cloak and a singular milky eye was de-materializing.

The dull dreary gray clouds from before returned though darker than earlier marking the last hours of the day. The trees shifted back to standing upright. The birds and squirrels returned to the branches and fields.

Ren's phantom thief costume remained, however, not that he minded it. He didn't have to lug his backpack around. Where did it go? He didn't know and he didn't want to know.

Deeming the area secure enough, Ren fished a key out of his pocket. The Velvet Key Lavenza had given him three years ago.

He thrust the key into a seemingly empty space only for the key to perfectly slide into a lock revealing not a jail-cell door like in Tokyo but an elaborate one made of pipes and gears.

The door swung open, and Ren stepped into the blue mist.

When he entered the Velvet Room. Pathetique was playing in a chipper show-tune fashion. Elizabeth was behind the counter mixing a drink while Igor sat not too far away supervising her. Lavenza was hammering away on an unidentifiable project off to the side of the room.

"Oh, if it isn't Brother-in-lawfulness,"

Instead of hammering the board, Lavenza hit her thumb by accident and yelped in pain.

"We weren't expecting you until at least another day or two."

"Hence why big sister had me working on this project," Lavenza said with tears in her eyes, rubbing her thumb.

"What are you working on?" Ren asked.

Lavenza wiped the tears from her eyes and walked over and hugged him. "That's a se-cret but I know you'll enjoy it!"

Elizabeth then put the cocktail shaker down on the bar counter drawing the attention back to her. "Such devotion," she said dreamily. "When we pick a mate, it seems that it's not something to be taken lightly…. At least for the females. I can't say anything about how Theo's mind works."

"Are you animals?" Ren couldn't help but ask in jest at Elizabeth's use of the word 'mate' and 'female'.

"I trust you came because you have personas for us to work with?" Elizabeth replied, ignoring his quip.

Ren disengaged from Lavenza and sat down at the bar. "I do actually, and they seem a lot livelier than the first couple of go-arounds. Which I have a couple of questions about."

"I assume one of them is why the shadows are the same despite the word being different."

"That's correct."

"I will answer that after we do fusion. I've been practicing this new method."

"No guillotine this time?" Ren said, a note of relief in his voice. While necessary during his previous journeys he wasn't too keen on feeling the pain of being executed over and over again.

"As with your new clothes-which are quite dashing I may say-A the new journey calls for new methods which tie into the reformatting of the Velvet Room," Lavenza explained.

Igor then picked up where she left off. "The journey you now find yourself on is one where your travels will take you far and wide across the Solistia region. According to that, the Velvet Room has taken on the form of a tavern. A symbol of travel and migration. A place of guaranteed comfort and relaxation that ties different hearts and minds together as you'll soon find out on your own,"

"It was either going to be that or an Inn. You and big sister are the lively types, so I doubt that one would have happened." Lavenza added.

Ren couldn't help but wonder what a 'Velvet Inn' would look like. Do Personas get summoned by meeting sheet corners? Would they get stronger by being put on busboy duty? He had to admit that the theme would have gone better with the maid outfit Lavenza usually wore.

"A tavern also gives me the opportunity to try out this new fusion method." A hint of mischief lurked in Elizabeth's eyes. "Now then, I sense five personas within you. Might I make a recommendation?"

Ren gave her the go-ahead gesture. "Be my guest, you are the bartender after all."

"I would recommend you give up Agathion and Pyrojack to create Silky. It will come out stronger than normal thanks to your established bond."

"Bond? I don't remember making deals with anyone recently."

"Bonds are not always forged upon explicit deals. A deal was made under the pretense of building trust." Elizabeth pulled out an old ledger book, turned it to him, and started flipping through the pages. Instead of scribbles, it was filled with moving snapshots of his life.

His first time forging tools with Morgana.

Running after school with Ryuji.

Mishima confronting him about being a Phantom Thief.

That fateful day with Ann in the diner.

Hours spent learning about coffee with Sojiro.

People watching with Yusuke.

Playing games at the arcade with Makoto.

Holding the sign for Yoshida.

Brokering a deal with the Yakuza alongside Iwai.

His crowning moment of victory over Caroline and Justine.

The duel with Crow in mementos.

"Your deals evolved into blood vows upon having unwavering trust in the person you've bonded with. Here you are on a physical journey as well as an emotional one. A promise to meet again is one of the purest forms of trust you can place in a person you are not guaranteed to see again while traveling. It says I believe in you, and I hope you stay safe."

"Remember to take full responsibility for your actions! They are yours and yours alone! Have a safe trip! I know we'll meet soon!"

"My offer will always stand, Ren. Don't forget your promise to come visit us."

"A gentleman never breaks a promise with a lady."

"Just a friendly tip from one foreign traveler to another. May we meet again, Ren!"

"I hope so too! Take care, Al!"

A soft smile bloomed on her face as watched the realization hit him like a truck. She put the old ledger book away underneath the counter and pulled out a new one made of fresh leather. She opened to the first page where it said 'The Fool' and it was the scene of her shoving him into the void.

"Quite apt considering what the card looks like, doesn't it?"

"Quite apt considering what the card looks like, doesn't it?" Elizabeth said reading his mind and holding up the red fool card depicting a jester and a dog walking off a cliff.

"We think too much alike, I don't know whether that's a good or bad thing though,"

The page next to it was titled 'The Magician'. It showed Al and Ren waving at each other as Al's ship departed. She then flipped the page and the new one said 'The High Priestess' It was himself and Castti saying goodbye right before Malaya accused them of flirting.

A part of Ren was happy that he had made a bond with Castti and Al. Another part was slightly sad that they had to say goodbye. The last part of him didn't know what to feel at the thought of having a new set of bonds.

"I am proud to be your bond of The Fool. I hope I am better than a false god,"

Ren let out a dry chuckle "That's a low bar to top. I expect a higher goal from a sister of Lavenza,"

"Oh, I can," she challenged. "But you aren't ready for that just yet. You are like a fluffy little chick–Not yet ready to be harvested for its meat." She casually plucked the hat off his head and put it on her own. It highly contrasted with her blue outfit and not in a good way. Ren flinched back and blinked at the sheer ease at which she'd done the action. Elizabeth chuckled at his reaction, but there was no humor to be found in her voice.

The air shifted and got tense. A cold sweat broke out on the back of his neck and alarm bells rang in his head.

Lavenza let out a strangled gasp and tugged his arm repeatedly in panic. Even Igor shifted in place, uncrossing and recrossing his legs.

"Wow, this got dangerous fast,"

"I'd quit while I was ahead if I were you–and I am." Ren decided to heed his persona's advice.

"I-I think-I think we should move onto this new fusion technique." He said gingerly reaching out and taking his hat back off her head which she allowed.

"I'm glad you asked. Master wanted to stick with the old way of him performing the fusions himself, but this is so much more interesting," She said, some of the tension in the atmosphere dissipating. "We're going to turn your personas….Into a drink! What's a tavern without booze!"

Ren paused, unsure how to react.

"I know what you're thinking….Elizabeth, that is a genius idea, how do you do it?" Ren was about to say something, but Elizabeth continued. "Well, I'll show you!"

Elizabeth waved her hand and Ren felt Pyrojack and Agathion be pulled from him. Miniaturized versions of them hovered over the bar counter.

"Now this is where the magic happens! We turn them into liquid. We'll keep this a simple cocktail mix for this first time and not throw anything extra in."

Elizabeth then tapped the mixing tin and mixing glass on the table. Pyrojack then turned into red light and funneled into the mixing tin while Agathion turned into blue light and went into the mixing glass. Ren could smell them in liquid form. The fiery spice of Pyrojack, and the sharp nose-hair-tingling citrus of Agathion.

Elizabeth then poured the glass into the tin and firmly held them tight as she turned the two instruments into a Boston Shaker. With exaggerated swaying movements of her hips,(Lavenza put her hand over his eyes partway through) she shook the two personas into something new. She then poured the new drink into a shot glass that Ren saw was green and chillingly cold even without any ice in it. She then slid the glass over to him.

"Try it, see how it tastes."

Underneath three pairs of expectant eyes, he placed his hat back on his head, then picked up the drink and kicked it back in one gulp. His whole body shivered a bit from the frigidness. Vanilla coated his tongue as it went down. A subtle mint aftertaste was left behind.

"It was good. The taste was cool but refreshing and gentle like an early spring wind. Also had some vanilla and mint in it. Crème de menthe?"

Right when he finished, light came forth from his domino mask and a lady with a long flowing red silk dress and green hair tied by a white bandana housemaid style appeared in front of him.

"I am Silky. You who has gained a new mask, my master…Allow me to take care of your heart." The woman then disappeared back into his mask he felt her settle into his mindscape after looking around to see what she needed to clean.

"I knew it would work. I am now a certified Bartender!"

"By the way, we will record your personas in a recipe book for future purposes," Lavenza added.

Ren focused back on Elizabeth who had poured three more Silky shots.

"Would you like another drink? The master doesn't despite his looks."

Ren thought it over for a second then gave his answer. "Ah, what the hell." he took one of the shot glasses while Lavenza and Elizabeth each took one of the others. He raised his glass in a toast "To a new journey and new bonds!" The two ladies clinked their glasses with his in celebration.

"Ah, that was refreshing," Elizabeth said after downing her shot.

Lavenza sighed in wonder as a light blush began to grace her face. "Right, you are big sister. It makes me wonder how more complicated fusions will work."

"In due time."

Ren cleared his throat. "I hate to be a buzzkill, but I have to ask about why the personas are the same."

"Simple. We weren't kidding when we said we were moving from one part of the sea to another." Lavenza explained.

"Although the context may be different, the same characters pop up in mythology alongside their own. For example; from what I do know, The story of Izanagi is fairly popular in the lands of the Western Continent. Formatted as the birth of Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi and the death of Izanami caused both the deserts in Hinoeuma and the volcanoes in the Wildlands. Meanwhile, Norse mythology is preferred in the Winterlands. So on and so forth." Elizabeth said, already pouring herself and Lavenza another shot.

"Having different origins would also explain why they look slightly different. Names too," Ren mused watching the sisters down their second glass

"The sea of souls truly is connected," Igor said, his voice tinged with timeless marvel.

"I guess we should cover how I came across the personas in the first place,"

"Hm, do tell. You are my liaison after all. I must be privy to all that you know," Elizabeth was already pouring a third round of spirits for her and her younger sister to drink.

"Geez….They drink like fish…I hope their biology is different than mine."

So, Ren told the Velvet Room residents about his experiences in what he now dubbed the 'Blood Moon' after Futaba's love of video games and the crimson moon that was unnaturally visible no matter where he went.

"As I thought; It's already begun," Elizabeth said, running her finger along the rim of her fourth glass. "That 'Blood Moon event' as you put it, is most likely just a byproduct. Sort of like the Dark Hour if Aigis had ever explained to you about that."

"She has," he said, gripping the brim of his hat and not bothering to touch his own glass. What he learned from her and Maruki….wasn't pleasant, to say the least.

"Whoever our femme fatale is; she's already well on the right path to bringing about the planet eater. It's beginning to exert its influence, though rather small for now. I would be more concerned over how it latched itself onto the monsters, I would like you to find out more about that if you can. Also, may you pull out your phone if you'd please?"

Ren pulled out his phone and unlocked the screen. His eyebrows raised and he let out a partial gasp at what he saw.

The Metaverse app had changed in appearance. It was now a purple star with four clover-like leaves and four glowing blue trophy-like arrows in between each leaf. Ren pressed on the app, and it opened up into the same search function he was used to but now it was the same colors as the icon.

Area: New Delsta Flats

Method: ?

Caster: Witch

?:?

"So, we have our ruler per se, but not much else,"

"Even then, 'Witch' is a vague term. Technically any woman who practices magic can be considered a witch. I and my sisters are witches….Technically" Elizabeth pointed out.

"I'm afraid you will have to play this like you did Maruki. Once you find the answers the app will unobscure itself," Lavenza said. "I imagine more of these will pop up as your journey continues. It's probably better if you cleanse it if you do come across one, so nobody falls prey to the shadows."

Ren nodded solemnly and put his phone away. So many questions he needed to answer.

Elizabeth then clapped her hands. "The boring stuff is now over. I demand we now get back to celebrating!" she emphasized her point with another drink.

Ren turned to Lavenza for any sort of assistance only to see she had finished her fourth glass as well.

He picked up his third Silky shot and looked at it for a second then downed it. Tomorrow was future Ren's problem now.


AN:

I can already see the burning question here. "Why didn't Castti know about the other gods? That's dumb,"

The meta answer is: That'd be too easy for Ren.

The story-building answer is I'm painting it as this. Unless you are a Cleric, Scholar, people really only care about the god that's relevant to them and that's it. You can make the argument that that's the case as Ochette has trouble remembering the other gods outside of Draefendi and what they did. Also in the end game, no one realizes Vide is back, just that they're scared, and something isn't right. On top of that, as Ren mentioned, it'd be highly suspect if you asked a virtual stranger about creation myths and dark gods, much less know the full thing. Try asking someone about the Greek Creation myth randomly on the street.

The next topic is shadows. I went with a hybrid of P5 and OT2. In OT2 areas have a very low chance of being warped when you walk in them. No one has found the proper trigger for them yet, but many believe it can happen as soon as you recruit Hikari or Ochette. The music becomes eerie, and you can't change times in that area until you defeat a shadow version of an enemy that's tougher than any normal encounter. It's rare enough you can go a playthrough without seeing it if you're lucky. Ren isn't.

In a move unlike me, I'll be cutting out random encounters for the most part. That means Ren's stock will be ever-changing outside of Raoul and important story-beat personas. Raoul's moves will also be constantly updating too.

Last thing I am no expert on alcohol, (That's why I was kinda vague with Silky) so If you've got suggestions on what type of alcohol on what a persona might turn into, then I'm all ears. Frosty Yang actually came up with the flavor for Silky. I do know Raoul/Arsene would be a brandy; probably a cognac.

See you guys later! As always please leave a review, it always helps, and I read all of them and try to reply if I can!