Sometimes, Akira thinks to himself, he and his fellow Phantom Thieves can never catch a break.
In March, just after getting out of prison for the second time and triumphantly being driven home by his friends after a long year of probation, the last thing he expected or wanted to see was a dream of the Velvet Room. And yet, here he was, standing in his usual prison garb, in front of a familiar long-nosed face. From behind his desk, Igor stared at him with curiosity, mirrored by his ethereal assistant Lavenza.
Igor smiled. "Welcome to the Velvet Room."
Akira just stared. He knew he'd spent most of last year with the false god Yaldebaoth pretending to be Igor, but it didn't make interacting with Igor himself any less unnerving.
"You and your friends are needed once again, Trickster," said Lavenza, her golden eyes never leaving his face. "You have done much for the world, but now, another faces ruin."
With a flash of light, the cells around Akira's were illuminated, and he heard the familiar voices of his friends from them. "What's going on?" "Don't tell me we're dead again!"
Igor smiled, and the bars in front of Akira's cell disappeared with another flash of light, as did those on the cells of his friends. All of them stepped into the main circular floor, dressed in the same prison garb he had become accustomed to wearing within this place.
"What's goin' on, Joker?" said Ryuji, rubbing his eyes.
Akira shrugged. "It appears the Velvet Room has another mission for us."
"Again?!" Ryuji sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Well, I'm up for another adventure if you are." Joker nodded, looking to Lavenza to explain.
"This time you will need to change the heart of someone very powerful indeed. One who has many resources and plans. If not stopped, I fear he will bring ruin to many lives, and to whole worlds."
"Worlds?" Makoto froze, taking in these words. "You're really saying this person can destroy whole worlds? That he's more powerful than Yaldebaoth?" She shuddered.
Lavenza nodded. "I'm afraid so. He doesn't yet have his full powers, but at the moment, fate is on his side. You must be strong, and hold fast to your bonds, if you are to have any chance of success."
The friends looked at each other. Though they had only known one another a few months, they trusted each other with their lives. Akira looked at each familiar face, smiling slightly to himself as he admired the progress they had made in such a short time. Small, orange-haired Futaba, previously so scared of the world, but now with firm resolve. Tall, lanky Yusuke, who had learned to rediscover the beauty in a corrupted world. Makoto, who no longer let rules define her. All were infinitely precious to him. He couldn't stand the idea of placing them in danger again. At the same time, he remembered their lives before he met them, and what terrible fates would have befallen them without the Phantom Thieves' interference. Would Futaba have ever found the courage to leave her room, trapped by her own misplaced guilt? Would Haru have survived a loveless marriage callously orchestrated by her own father? How long could Yusuke have endured having his prized artwork claimed by his exploitative teacher, before he too succumbed to suicide as his fellow pupil had? He sighed. Surely the people of these other worlds deserved the same freedom as his friends did. If necessary, he would sacrifice himself for their welfare, just as he would for his own friends.
Reluctantly, he nodded. "I'm ready."
"That's our Joker," said a small voice from the floor. He looked down and smiled at the black and white cat with the yellow scarf and expressive blue eyes. Morgana, his constant companion. Morgana looked back at him, smiling as well. "We're with you to the end."
"Very well," said Igor. "Take this, as a gift." He handed them each a pack of tarot cards. "There are more bonds here than you are used to seeing, and each of you will have to make them independently. But remember, the more you bond with your friends, the stronger all of you will be."
Lavenza pointed to a staircase behind Igor. "That staircase will take you to your destination. As you step through, concentrate on whatever items you wish to bring forward, and they will appear in your pockets. Good luck, to all of you."
Joker stepped through first, taking a deep breath. The world around him shifted in blinding white light. When he awoke, he found himself standing on grass, facing a large house of white and gold.