Chapter 38: Temperance.
September 15th, 2017
"Are you serious? Pallas Athena turned into Arsène?" Ren asks, his eyes blinking in shock as the rest of the Thieves stare at the S.E.E.S team with equal amounts of shock. "And… he had my face?"
"And not only that, some random robot called Metis, claiming to be Aigis's sister, appeared out of nowhere and attacked you guys JUST as you all ended up in a time loop?" Futaba adds, shaking her head as she flops onto the couch. "Just what the hell was going on?"
"We were all asking that question the entire time." Aigis replies, resting a hand on her chest. "Even as I proved my new status as a Wild Card by summoning each of your Personas one by one, it still felt unbelievable to all of us. That, and that each of the faces of your Persona looked exactly like you."
"That's not creepy at all…" Ryuji comments, rubbing the back of his head.
"Well they are our other halves. It would make sense if they look similar to us." Yusuke comments before rubbing his chine. "Still… it does sound unnerving to think about it."
"Nothin' that was happenin' to us made any sense, not even the foes that we faced." Junpei adds with a groan as he lets his head slam into the table. Much to Chidori's annoyance as she dragged him back up.
"Huh? What about them?" Ann asks curiously.
"As we have explained, all of the foes we faced in Tartarus each had a different coloured mask with a different number on it. Representing the Arcana it was tied to." Mitsuru explains, folding her arms. "And yet, when we ventured through Malebolge, the first door in the Abyss, all of the foes bore the same mask with the same number on it. Number XIV."
"Number XIV? But that's the Temperance Arcana." Makoto comments. "But shouldn't that be impossible given what you were all told about the experiments' origin?"
"It should have been." Minako agrees before letting out a sigh. "But it wasn't long until we found out why they all had the number XIV on them when we reached the end. And it was a fight none of us were expecting to find…"
? ?, ?
"We should be approaching the last area…" Fuuka comments as the team walk along the futuristic blue pathway before them. It was strange how this place started as a red area that looked like it came from an old Victorian house to the futuristic style that it is now, but it was the foes around them that had them concerned. All of them were sporting the number XIV on their masks. And that somehow made them even more nervous despite the fact that they had to descend to get to the next floor. If Tartarus was supposed to be a way to heaven, then the Abyss of Time was the path to hell.
At least Aigis was proving to be a quick study with switching between Personas on the fly. She had quickly found out all the strengths and weaknesses of the Thieves Personas and was using them strategically and efficiently. Although she did seem to start with Necronomicon more often than not, due to her having barrier spells to protect them. AS for Metis, she was proving to be just as strong as Aigis was with Pallas Athena. It honestly made them glad she was on their side instead of attacking them, even if they didn't trust her yet.
"Good… I'm starting to get a bit tired." Junpei admits, rolling his arm. "Man, these Shadows are just as tough as the ones that were at the top of Tartarus."
"At least it kicked out any rust that was building on us." Akihiko comments, bashing his hands together. "Just be glad we haven't lost any strength with our Personas. I don't think any of us would appreciate being back at square one."
"Amen to that…" Minato comments just as they arrive at the blue portal in the floor. "Okay, time to find out what is waiting for us. Is everyone ready?" He turns back to the others, earning a nod from everyone before looking at Aigis. She was technically the leader for this exploration, so she would be going first with the twins right behind her.
"All right then. Let's go." With that, Aigis jumps onto the portal and is teleported to a new area. Standing on a vast platform that was easily the size of the arena where they fought the Nyx Avatar, with sand falling around her like waterfalls with a large ornate door directly ahead of her. Compared to what they had just travelled through, it was certainly a whiplash.
"Huh… talk about a change in scenery." Shinjiro dryly comments as the others quickly join her. "So, that door is our destination?"
"It looks like it." Fuuka replies, hand on her headset. "I'm not picking up anything else that resembles a floor."
"This place looks to be bigger than we first thought." Akihiko remarks, looking at Metis. "How many times do we have to do this?"
"Judging by what we saw in the Desert of Doors, I don't think it'll be once or twice." Metis replies, hand on her cheek. "We're looking for the source of our troubles, so logically, it would be at the deepest level. And that the doors will only open once we reach the bottom of the others."
"Then all we can do is keep going until the end." Ken remarks with a sigh. "I wonder what they would say if they were here?"
"Probably compare it to Mementos." Minako comments in good nature as she shakes her head. "Still, you can't help but notice how the Abyss and Tartarus have way too many similarities."
"Like the friggin' Shadow's wonderin' around." Junpei remarks with a groan. "Man… and here I thought we wouldn't have to worry about them until Shido. The Lost are all gone now, but why do these things stay around? They aren't Personal Shadows like how Ren and the others described them."
"The only way we'll find an answer is to keep moving forward." Mitsuru replies, brushing her head to the side. "Either way, we have found a door. Let us see what is on the other side and…"
"Wait!" Fuuka suddenly shouts, grabbing everyone's attention as Koromaru suddenly goes alert. "I'm picking something up! It's approaching us from above!" All eye shoot upwards as a large figure descends from above before crashing into the floor before them. Kicking up sand and hiding its visage. As everyone covers their eyes to stop sand getting into them, their vision clears to reveal a towering woman with four large angel wings and holding two cups in her hands. One red and the other blue. Yet… there was something clearly wrong with her as her wings were all sickly and decrepit, and her robes were old and tattered while she clung to the cups in her hands in desperation, mixing black water between them as she stared back at them with a mask that shocked all of them. It was Joker's mask, with visible cracks along it and an imprint of the number XIV between the eyes.
"Is that a Arcana Shadow!?" Yukari shouts in alarm as everyone goes onto alert. "But how!?"
"It's the Temperance!" Fuuka cries out as the Arcana Shadow screeches at them. "It's Immune to Wind!" Before anyone could act, the Temperance Arcana took the blue cup and drank from it, boosting its stats considerably before turning around and lashing out with a Vacuum Wave, blasting everyone with strong winds as Yukari, Koromaru, Minato, Minako, and Aigis stand their ground. It helped that they were either immune or resisted wind anyway.
"Poison Arrow!" Metis cries, blasting the Temperance Arcana with the Pierce attack yet failing to poison it as it counters with a Panta Rhei. Forcing her back as Junpei and Shinjiro charge forward and slash at the Arcana's legs. In response, it kicks them away even as Koromaru lashes onto its arm. Only to suddenly find the red cup in his face, the liquid inside it splashing over and getting into his mouth. Sending Koromaru into a drunken stupor as he stumbled over the ground.
"Did Koromaru get drunk?" Junpei asks, completely taken aback by seeing a drunk dog walk right past him. "Now I've seen everything…"
"Junpei! Look out!" Yukari screams as the Temperance throws more red liquid from its cup. Yukari tries to push him out of the way, but both are caught in the attack and soon both are joining Koromaru around in a drunken stupor.
"Watch out for those cups! Whatever is in them is dangerous!" Mitsuru calls out just as the Temperance takes a drink from the red cup. Instead of getting drunk it powers itself up with Concentrate and blasts everyone with a charged up Vacuum Wave. Almost taking them all out as Junpei falls flat on his face once more. His weakness to Wind easily exploited as the Temperance hits him with liquid from the blue cup. Lowering his stats down considerably.
"Johanna! Atomic Flare!" Aigis calls out, summoning Johanna as she leaps on top of it. Johanna's face looking eerily similar to that of Makoto's as Aigis blasts the Temperance with the Nuke spell. Sending it to the floor in a daze as Minato and Minako heal everyone up and cure Yukari, Junpei, and Koromaru of their drunken haze. "All-Out Attack!" Aigis calls, with everyone dog piling onto the Arcana Shadow. Yet, it was not enough to kill it as it was soon standing tall once again before quickly mixing the two liquids in each of the cups.
"What's it doing now?" Shinjiro asks, falling into a defensive stance as the black liquid inside the cups starts to glow purple.
"Everyone, brace!" Minako shouts as she puts up a guard. Quickly followed by everyone else as the Temperance Arcana finishes mixing the two liquids together. Each cup filled with the purple glowing water as it throws them at the team. Both of them exploding and encasing the team in a dark mist, reducing their stats while also making them all feel tipsy. All apart from Metis and Aigis.
"Why is the world… spinning?" Akihiko asks as he struggles to stand. Sending out a blast of Ziodyne at the Temperance only to miss by a wide margin. Ken and Mitsuru try an attack as well, but their spells also miss the Temperance as Yukari slurs her words in a daze. unable to cure them of the status aliment as the Temperance summons two more cups in its hands. And starts mixing them again.
"I have had enough of this!" Metis shouts as Psyche forms behind her. The two of them glowing red as she holds her mace in both hands. Her mask deploying as it glows a bright red. "Orgia Mode, activate!" At her call, the purple flames of her Orgia Mode activates as she leaps high into the air. Boosted by Psyche as Metis leaps from rocks kicked up by her leap. Until she reaches her apex, glowing a bright purple as butterfly wings appear for a second before she lets herself fall to the ground. Slamming her mace into the ground and sending out a vast purple shockwave that consumed the Temperance Arcana.
As Aigis watched Metis unleash her Orgia Mode, she attempted to do the same. Yet, when she went to activate the subroutine to initialise it, she couldn't find it. Nor could she find the one that allowed her to use Maximum Firepower.
Wh… What is going on? Can I not use my theurgy!? Aigis internally screams, watching as Metis goes berserk on the Shadow Arcana while her allies fight to stave off the drunken have around them. Am I… useless?
No, you are not useless. You have other means to attack, Aigis.
Did you forget who is here? Don't focus on your systems, focus on your heart!
My heart? Aigis asks, resting a hand on her chest as she suddenly felt something come to the surface. It was the familiar feeling of Theurgy, yet what was coming to her was not either of the two she used before, but something completely new. And as she watched Metis temporarily shut down to cool off from Orgia Mode, she knew she had to act now. She would not lose anyone else precious to her ever again!
"Drive-by Curse!" Aigis shouts to the very heavens, grabbing everyone's attention as Johanna appears beside her in a red aura. But she wasn't alone, as Arsène had also appears riding atop her in a similar aura as Johanna speeds past Aigis. Spinning around the Temperance Arcana, trapping it in a circle of blue fire as Arsène peppers it with balls of Curse energy. Slamming into the Temperance as it found itself frozen in place, unable to do anything as Aigis speeds forward with a red glow. Letting herself fly into the blue flames around the Temperance as she lands a heavy kick to its chest before flying back. Charging up Nuke and Curse energy in her finger guns before firing them both at the Temperance. Engulfing it in an explosion as it lets out one final cry before falling to the ground.
Dissolving into nothing as it leaves behind Joker's broken mask.
"Zoro, Salvation!" Aigis calls out, healing everyone up and snapping them out of the tipsy status they were inflicted with as well as bringing Metis back up. Before Aigis found herself on the receiving end of everyone's stares.
"What was that Aigis? Did you managed to use a Theurgy with Ren and Makoto's Personas?" Mitsuru asks, completely shocked that Aigis was able to do that in the first place.
"I… think I did." Aigis replies, resting a hand on her chest. "I tried to activate Orgia Mode, but I couldn't. Neither could I activate Maximum Firepower. But then, I felt a new power take their place, and before I knew it, I was unleashing that attack on the Temperance."
"Speaking about that, why the HELL was that a Arcana Shadow!? And the Temperance besides that?!" Junpei suddenly asks, throwing a hand over to where Joker's mask lay. "I thought the only Arcana Shadows that were around were from the Fool up to Death! And why was it wearing Ren's mask!?" Koromaru runs over to the broken mask, sniffing at it as he lets out a small whine of sadness while everyone gathers around him. Just seeing the white and black domino mask cracked like this… hurt all of them to see.
"We only seem to find nothing but more questions." Aigis comments as she leans down to touch it. But the second that she does, a flash of light blinds her and everyone else as they feel themselves being taken somewhere. When the light vanishes, the team find themselves in what could be called an underground waterway with prison cages lined up all along the walls.
"What the? Where are we now? And what's happened to my voice?" Ken asks, finding his voice to sound strangely echoey before looking down at himself. "W-Why am I see through!?" He suddenly shouts as everyone looks at themselves. Finding that their bodies had become transparent.
"What is going on!?" Yukari shouts in annoyance until the sound of a metal fist hitting someone echoes behind her. All eyes turn, where they see an open cell with armoured knights wearing blue masks and a person wearing a long robe with heart patterns on it looking down at someone before his bare feet. But it was the other two people in the cell that had their immediate attention.
It was Ren and Ryuji.
"Guys!" Minako shouts as Shinjiro rushes forward, throwing a fist at the man in the robe's head only to phase right through him.
"The hell?" Shinjiro questions as he glance back, seeing the face of the Olympian Kamoshida with glowing eyes as he spits down at Ryuji. "Kamoshida? Wait, this guys' eyes are glowing yellow!"
"Is he Kamoshida's Personal Shadow?" Mitsuru asks as Junpei tries to attack one of the guards only to flail about like an idiot. "Then, are we seeing Ren's memories? But why?"
"…Hmph. Where'd your energy from earlier go? A peasant like you isn't worth beating." Shadow Kamoshida gloats at the injured Ryuji, who could only look back up with fear in his eyes. Nothing like the Ryuji they all came to know about last year. Suddenly, one of the knights grabs Ryuji by his school shirt and tosses him to the back of the cell as the rest of the S.E.E.S members enter. Finding themselves phasing into everything as they could only watch the scene unfold. "I'll have you killed right now."
"Stop this!" Ren shouts, only to be forced back into the wall by two guards crossing spears over his chest. "Have you lost your mind?!" Shadow Kamoshida glances at him, not losing his smirk as he looks into Ren's eyes.
"Don't you dare tell me you don't know who I am. That look in your eyes irritates me!" Shadow Kamoshida raises a leg and kicks Ren hard in the stomach. Earning a sharp pained cry from Ren while the S.E.E.S team could only gasp in horror. "Keep holding him there. After the peasant, it's his turn to die. Hahahaha!" Shadow Kamoshida turns around to look back at Ryuji, even as Ren tries desperately to escape.
"Does anyone know what the hell is going on?" Junpei asks the others as they all watch the scene with wide eyes. All of them shake their heads as they all look back at Ren who had stopped struggling and was looking at the floor with defeat in his eyes. Now that they looked at him, he was displaying none of the calm confidence or rebellious will that he had shown them the past year. Instead, it looked as though he was beaten down, with chains holding him as noticeable lines formed around his eyes. And that he was accepting his fate instead of trying to fight back.
What's the matter…? Are you simply going to stand and watch?
A dark voice echoes around all of them as they see Ren's eyes widen slightly, glancing around the room trying to locate the source of the voice.
Are you forsaking him to save yourself? Death awaits him if you do nothing. Was your previous decision a mistake then? To save that woman's life at the cost of your future?
While the members of S.E.E.S all glance at each other with confusion, a grunt from Ren drew back their eyes as he started struggling back against the spears holding him in place.
It wasn't! If I was given the choice right now, I would do it again! They could all hear Ren's voice echo around them, even as his mouth remained clenched. Even if the whole world turned against me, I would still fight to help those in need! No matter the cost to myself!
A dark chuckle echoes around them as the world suddenly turned slightly dark.
Very well… I have headed your resolve.
At that, a pulse seemingly echoes through Ren as he starts screaming in agony. His body spasming as the guards struggle to hold him in place as the S.E.E.S team continue to watch in growing concern as sweat builds up on Ren's head while his eyes briefly glow a golden yellow.
Vow to me. I am thou, thou art I… Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice! Call upon my name, and release thy rage! Show the strength of thy will to ascertain thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!
As Ren stops screaming, he glares right at Kamoshida who was still wearing an evil grin on his face as he throws his hand forward at Ryuji.
"Execute him!"
"Stop this!" Ren screams, grabbing Shadow Kamoshida's attention. "I won't let you kill him!"
"What was that?" Shadow Kamoshida asks, slowly turning to wards Ren, the two of them shooting glares at each other's faces. "You desire to be killed that much…? Fine!" At that, one of the guards slams his shield into Ren, knocking his fake glasses off his face and drawing blood from his mouth. But right as the S.E.E.S team was about to try to attack Shadow Kamoshida again, a blast of wind spreads out from Ren. Forcing the guards back and forcing Shadow Kamoshida to cover his face. As the gust of wind settles, all eyes, physical and transparent, turn to Ren who looks back up. Now sporting a white and black domino mask. And it was only then that the S.E.E.S team understood what was happening.
"It's his awakening…" Minato speaks for all of them as Ren touches the mask on his face. Confused at first, before he narrows his eyes in determination as he tried to take it off. But it wouldn't budge, as though it had been glued to his face as Ren grunted and shouted as the sound of skin tearing echoed over the room. Blood burst from his face as the S.E.E.S team all wince in pain as Ren, with a massive scream, rips the mask off his face. His eyes glowing yellow through the blood over his face as he smirks at Kamoshida until he was engulfed in azure blue fires as a demonic chuckle echoes within the cell, as the guards backed away in fear.
Then, the flames of fire gently peel away, revealing Ren in his thief attire as he grinned with the confidence and resolve that they all knew him for. While behind him, hovering triumphantly, Arsène stood. Flapping his wings around and knocking the guards back while Ryuji looked at him in awe, Kamoshida in quivering silence even as his remaining guards break apart into Jack-o'-lanterns and Pixies to fight. While the S.E.E.S team in amazement as Ren points a finger at Shadow Kamoshida.
"I have had it with people like you thinking they can just steal away my future all for their own greed! Well, if you think you can steal away everything from me, then I'll just steal it right back! Ravage them, Arsène!" And just like that, just as Arsène launched an attack, the team were engulfed in a white flash as they found themselves back where they defeated the Temperance Arcana. With Joker's mask in Aigis's hands, fully repaired.
"What did we just watch?" Metis asks everyone, completely confused. "I am completely lost on all of this!"
"That was Ren, the leader of the Phantom Thieves." Aigis tells her as she looks at the mask in her hands. "And what we saw… was him awakening as a Wild Card."
"But how the hell did we even see that?" Akihiko asks, shaking his head. "Just when we have enough on our plate as is…"
"That's not the only thing." Ken suddenly comments as all eyes go to him. But he wasn't look at them. Instead, he was looking at what lay at Koromaru's feet. A large black mask with two large eyeholes and space for two large ears.
"Morgana's mask as well?" Yukari asks as Koromaru picks it up with his mouth. "Hey, why aren't we getting a vision of him awakening?"
"I don't think he ever did. He was created by Igor, so he could use his right from the start." Minato replies, hands in his pockets. He looks around at everyone, feeling their confusion at the situation before he looks back at the ornate door behind them. "Look, we can continue talking about all of this here in danger, or we can see what's on the other side of this door."
"I second that." Minako replies, glancing around. "I don't know why but… I'm getting a bad feeling just standing here." All the members of S.E.E.S glance at each other, a sense of agreement filling the air as Yukari lets out an annoyed groan.
"After the hell we all went through, we finally had some peace… I told myself I would stop focusing on the past and look towards the future, but know it feels like nothing has changed at all. I thought we would have been done with fighting until Shido made his play for power."
"I think we all could agree on that." Shinjiro remarks, shaking his head. "And yet, here we are. Guess something out there isn't done with us being its cosmic chew toy." No one could argue with that as they all felt a budding sense of anger build up in them as Metis calmly walks towards the door. As her Tarot card gained its third star in Minako and Minato's eyes, while Aigis spies the Fool gain its third star.
"Time doesn't flow normally here… so it's no surprise you would feel that way. You'll find that there will be many opportunities to revisit your past here." Before anyone could ask, Metis opens the door. Filling the area with a soft golden light as they feel themselves being once again transported to a new location. Only this time, it was somewhere very familiar.
"Huh? This is… Paulownia Mall?" Ken asks, watching as Koromaru runs around happily. "But weren't we just in…? This doesn't make any sense…"
"Did we somehow escape the Abyss of Time?" Akihiko asks with some hope in his voice. But that hope dies as he looks around the Mall and seeing just how empty it was. "No… something isn't right here."
"Why's the Mall empty?" Junpei asks, rubbing the back of his head. "Not only that, but's clean as well. No rubbish at all. And… isn't it kinda hot?" Suddenly, everyone realised that it was indeed hotter than what it should be in March. Or April. Or whatever month they were supposed to be in! Piling even more question on top of them as Officer Kurosawa walked up to them.
"You kids…?" He questions quietly. "What're you doing here on a weekday? Shouldn't you be in school?" That got everyone blinking in confusion.
"School? But isn't it spring break?" Fuuka asks as everyone started to feel that they were in a different month all together now.
"Spring break? That was a couple of months ago. This is July now." Kurosawa tells them with confusion written all over his face. His admission shocking everyone as they all felt a collective headache coming on as Kurosawa looked at their combat gear. "And what's with the getup? You all heading somewhere, or…?"
"It's… complicated." Mitsuru tells him, shaking her head. "Frankly, we are getting a headache on how to even explain it." Kurosawa notices how they all seem to be wincing in pain and wisely decides not to push it as he lets it slid.
"I'll let it slide for now since you kids are a little different. But don't think I'll keep turning a blind eye forever. If you're up to something, you won't get off scot-free. Are we clear?" The group nods at him as Kurosawa walks to the station before pausing in his step. "Oh, and one more thing. You tell Fukuyama and his friends that I am watching them. If they ever step out of bounds with those firearms for even a second, I'm taking them away. No matter how much you protest." With that, he enters the police station as Mitsuru catches a glance of the calendar. A slight shiver running down her spine.
"It says July 2009. He's telling the truth." She tells them as they all walk towards the fountain.
"So… he was talking about last year?" Minako asks, sitting on the fountain. "He did mention Ren's fake name, so that does make sense… But still, now we are the ones doing time travel this time around? I need a rest…"
"How did we even get here?" Shinjiro asks before looking over at Metis, seeing how she was transfixed by the fountain. "Hey, do you know what's going on?" Metis doesn't reply, her entire gaze focused on the fountain as Aigis walks up to her. Resting a hand on her shoulder.
"Are the things here that interesting to you?" She asks, snapping Metis out of her gaze as she shyly looks away.
"N-Not at all. It's all normal, everyday stuff, right? This is a 'fountain' and that over there is a 'store'…" Metis rambles on as Aigis slowly nods at her with an understanding look.
"Well, I come here myself to gaze at the fountain from time to time." Aigis admits to Metis who beams in happiness. Something that Aigis could see from the third star on her Eclipse Tarot card. "But there is something mysterious about this place. For all of us, and not just you. Tell me, what is this place?" Metis's joy was cut short as she lets out an awkward cough to turn back to everyone.
"…We got here by passing through a door, remember? Doors like that are located throughout the Abyss of Time, each of them connected to the past. But, it seems you can't just go anywhere in the past… only somewhere from your memories." Metis explains, glancing around the place. "And I don't think this place links to anywhere else, either."
"But that doesn't explain Ren's mask and his memories." Minato replies, looking at the mask in Aigis's hands. "Ren and the others are from 2016. So how are we able to see his memories from that time?"
"I don't know." Metis replies, shaking her head. "Maybe there are forces at play other than the Abyss of Time. There are things that even I don't know about this place after all."
"Great…" Minako groans, shaking her head before looking at the shops. "Well, since we are here, why don't we stock up on some food and drinks for the Dorm? Last I checked, it was almost out since it was supposed to close tomorrow. And if we're going to be stuck here for a while, might as well stock up one last time."
"But won't we have to throw them out once we're done?" Fuuka asks with a wince. "I don't like the idea of throwing away good food and drinks."
"Everything that we buy from here should vanish once the Abyss of Time disappears." Metis tells Fuuka, easing her worries somewhat. "But until then, everything we buy stays with us. Maybe that's why the door led us here first. It may reflect your inner thoughts." At that, Metis wanders off to look at the Mall while everyone else stood on the spot. Completely taken aback at how Metis was treating this as a usual day to her.
"She seems to be taking it pretty well, but it's all still mind-boggling to me." Ken admits, shaking his head. "I wonder if this is how Ren-san and the others felt when they travelled back to our time."
"I do feel like a fish out of water…" Akihiko remarks as Shinjiro lets out a grunt.
"Well on the bright side, at least we won't starve now." Minako interjects, lightening the mood somewhat as they all separate to gather supplies for the Dorm. It was clear to them that things were not going to be simple going forward, but more questions continued to plague their minds with two coming to the front more than others.
Would they encounter more Arcana Shadows here? And would they see more memories from the Phantom Thieves?