Chapter Text
Shinjuku’s dark alleys were frequented by the undesirable and he was no exception as he sat there. Hunger filled his mind and he couldn’t stop thinking about how empty his stomach is. It is not the first time that he had to endure hunger. Unkind foster parents often didn’t care to feed him.
But now on the street…
The teenager shivered from the cold.
If those idiots would just leave him alone.
“Oi! Fucking bastard are you not listening!”
He was surrounded by idiots.
Literally.
“That fucker is seriously ignoring us!”, the man with the cigarette in his mouth kicked the teenager hard in the stomach, “Listen! You are on our turf. Give us the protection money,”
The man advanced intimidatingly closer towards the teenager and moved his face close to his.
“...or we’ll make your corpse unrecognisable.”, said the man in a deep voice and the cigarette in his mouth was almost burning the teenager’s skin.
But he suddenly had a fist in his face.
Drip, drip.
Blood dripped down on the floor from the teenager’s fist and the man was holding his broken nose in shock. The cigarette dropped from the man’s mouth.
“Boss!”, one of the other men screamed as he looked between his boss and the teenager. His face scrunched up together in anger and turned towards the teenager. “You will pay for this, you worthless piece of shit!”
He was about to attack but the teenager’s right foot connected suddenly painfully with his face and he was slammed to the ground. Another man moved to attack but the teenager dodged with unbelievable skill and wiped the floor with him in a counterattack.
Before the teenager could attack the others he suddenly stopped.
“Do you need help?”, came a voice from nowhere.
It seemed like only the boy could hear it. He looked around but he found no source and, in his distraction, he was hit by one of the men in the face.
The teenager stumbled back, “You basta-“, he began to scream but something pulled on his wrist suddenly.
He struggled but the one pulling him was surprisingly unbelievably strong. He looked at the thing that was pulling him and only saw an arm.
Next thing he knew he was in an entirely different world. Something that looked like a distorted and sinister alternate version of a subway station. And a child with an egg head stood in front of him.
???: “I detected a new recent metaverse activity in Tokyo, Shinjuku.”
???: “Find out its exact location.”
???: “There is a surveillance camera near the location. I will hack into the footage.”
???: “Well done, Yamagishi. What do you see?”
???: “Mitsuru, I think a young homeless boy was dragged into the shadow world. He looks between the age of 16-19.”
???: “Doesn’t Narukami go to Tokyo University? Send him to locate the boy and mail him the video of the footage, including any information that you can find of the teenager.”
Goro kept his distance from the egg child and his wary eyes glared at the weird boy. “Who are you?”, said Goro in a deep threatening voice.
“Hello, I’m José, it’s nice to finally meet you! The man with the big nose sent me to find you.” José didn’t react to his agitation and was acting as if they were just meeting over a cup of tea.
This shit was far too weird. Maybe this is the limbos of the afterlife and he finally died. But death was supposed to be a relief instead of being so irritating. “Who?”, asked Goro after a few moments.
“His name is Igor and he is the Master of the Velvet Room. He asked me to guide you.”, replied José.
“Asked you to guide me to the Realm of the Dead?” asked Goro in a tired voice quietly.
José looked at him confused, “Dead? No, you are not dead. Ah, how should I explain it?” The weird egg child walked repeatedly in a circle while he thought.
Goro heard him mumble to himself and then he suddenly stopped, “Ah! Maybe it is best if I show you. Here, sit down in my car.” José pointed to a pale blue car that is filled with weird stuff and golden star-shaped balloons hanging onto it.
He looked at it suspiciously and stubbornly crossed his arms, “No,” he said.
José didn’t seem to hear him and picked him up. “What the fu-“ yelped Goro, and threw him onto the car.
“Sorry! But the world will be destroyed if you don’t come and then I won’t be able to study humanity anymore. I will never be able to understand humans!” apologised José and looked down sadly when he said the last part.
“Even if what you say is true, what do I care if the world ends?!” Goro screamed but resigned himself to stay in that weird car.
“Don’t worry! I got this feeling that tells me you will find a meaning on this journey. Now let me give you a tour through Mementos!” José started the engine and pressed hard on the gas pedal.
As the car gained immense speed, Goro grasped desperately onto anything sturdy to keep himself from falling out.
José didn’t notice Goro’s troubles and instead began to talk like a tour guide. “Look! On our right are some shadows that always walk around the halls of Mementos for some reason. I wonder what they even do all day?”
Goro was only barely able to register big grotesque creatures that were slammed by José’s car. He felt almost pity for them. That is if he wasn’t trying so hard to not die on this hell ride. He wanted to die but he preferred a more painless death.
“But Mementos is just a part of the Metaverse! There are other places as well! Mementos is the manifestation of humanity’s collective desire but some people have their own Palaces.”
The guy gripping parts of the car with a death grip was barely able to listen.
“I think a first battle would be good for you. So that you can awaken your first Persona as a Wild Card.” José stamped his foot on the brakes suddenly and the car came to a sudden halt.
Out of the car stumbled Goro, who held his mouth with his hands to keep himself from vomiting.
José saw him and apologised, “Oh, I am sorry! I still don’t understand the intricacies of the human stomach.” He looked at his hands as he fumbled with them.
“I will never step into that car again,” said Goro in a dead-pan, though he had the feeling that it wouldn’t be his choice.
After a short break, Goro took a deep breath and turned back to the egg boy, “So what now?”
José looked at him and smiled, “You should fight some shadows, Mister! Just rip off their masks to get an advantage. It hurts when they get one on you first.”
Goro crossed his arms and said, “No.”
In the next moments he was flying towards the weird creatures.
When his body hit one of those weird creatures, it bursted apart and two weird female looking monsters came out of it.
“Oh! A Succubus and a Pixie,” said José.
The Pixie looked at him and giggled, “My, what a good-looking boy, did you come to play?”
He ran at the Pixie and threw his fist at her but it didn’t even leave a scratch. And in his moment of distraction the Pixie made a counterattack that put almost the life out of him. She hit him right on his chest and probably broke some ribs. He couldn’t move and the pain was so strong it threatened to knock him out. The hunger made everything worse.
The Succubus scoffed, “That small child won’t hold out long. He looks like the wind could blow him over. Give a few days and he will die from starvation by himself.”
“Hmmm,” the first looked closer at him and scrutinised him closely, “he could use a good wash.” Her nose scrunched up and she grabbed his arm, “He does smell awfully bad. And his arms are too thin to hit hard. I could rip his arm like a twig.” The Pixie chuckled and her grip tightened and suddenly there was only pain.
“AaAAAAhHAHHHhHH!!!”, screamed the boy.
“Poor boy,” the Succubus smiled sadistically, “he is probably a homeless worthless thing that was thrown away by his mother. Even his mother must not have liked him.”
Goro’s other fist clenched tightly and his nails pressed painfully against his palm and dug into his skin.
Drip, drip, drip.
Blood dripped down from his hand again.
“Maybe it would be best to put this pitiful thing out of his misery,” continued the Succubus.
Will you continue to let society step on you?
Let injustice be, without stepping up to fight?
“AaaaAHHH!” His scream was full of rage and it was the rage that made him forget his pain. He screamed as he gripped something on his face with both hands despite the pain. Blue fire erupted around him.
Burn the corrupt King’s throne
Free yourself from his shackles
And vow to me
I AM THOU
THOU ART I
Thou who art willing to endure countless trials to defy injustice!
Call upon my name, and release thy rage!
“Robin Hood!” screamed Goro and ripped the Mask from his face.
Drip, drip.
Blood dripped down his face.
His upper face and his closed eyelids were covered with it. And when he opened his eyes, they glowed with an eerie red. Joined by a mad grin.
Robin Hood was in front of him and awaiting his command.
“Megido!” commanded Goro. The Almighty attack hit his enemies and they were reduced to ashes that disappeared in black smoke. As if there was no one there.
José threw a healing item at him and all his wounds disappeared as well. Even his hunger disappeared. This world was something that gave Goro too many questions.
Best to take things in stride for now.
He took a deep breath and came slowly down from the high he was in. And when he looked down, he noticed that he wasn’t wearing his old clothes anymore. Instead of his old well-worn sneakers, he was wearing brown boots. No jeans but instead tight black pants. A white tunic with a red cloth tied around his waist. And is that a red cloak with a hood? Like a red riding hood?! But the weirdest thing was the mask he was wearing.
“Why did my clothes change and why the hell am I wearing a creepy mask that is laughing and smiling!?”
“It is a reflection of your rebellion, Mister! It’s how it seems to work this time.”
Goro’s eyebrows scrunched up together, “This time?”
“Well, it always changes with each Persona user generation. It has to fit the theme?”
He scoffed, “So there are more people like me? What is this Persona I summoned?”
José’s smile widened, “Yes, there have always been people like you. But you are different, Wild Cards like you are really rare. One of them includes even the Great Seal. Personas are the masks you wear in front of other people! But usually, they have only one. Wild Cards instead…” he scratched his cheek.
“How should I explain? They…are nothing and everything all at once. It gives them infinite possibilities.”
Goro’s eyes opened wider, “You mean I can have more than one Persona?”
“Yes! I have something that will help you and there is a place I have to show you.”
Back at the entrance was a blue door that wasn’t there before.
“What is this?”
“This door leads to a hidden Velvet Room. The angry owner of Mementos can’t find it. My nature distorts things and he can’t see anything where I am nearby. I just made it so that he couldn’t find this part of the Velvet Room either.”
“Who?”
“Ah, don’t worry, you will find out. Come!” José grabbed Goro’s wrist and dragged him into the Velvet Room.
The next moment he opened his eyes he was in an entirely different place.
A woman with long white hair, yellow eyes and a blue dress, that was sitting in a train cabin, was the first thing he saw. The cabin had blue curtains and blue seats. In fact, everything seemed to have blue as its theme. Even the man sitting beside her had a blue bellboy uniform on. But it didn’t end there, he also had the same hair and eye colour.
He knew that like the egg child they weren’t human. When he looked out of the window, he only saw pitch black darkness and he heard the wheels of the train turning quickly on the rails.
The woman looked at him kindly, “Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear guest. My name is Margaret and I am delighted to meet you. I am here to accompany you on this rather unusual journey. This is my brother Theodore, who will also assist you on your journey as well as I. We are both residents here.”
Theodore put a hand over his heart and bowed to him politely, “I am honoured to finally make your acquaintance.”
The woman continued her introduction accompanied by a beautiful song that seemed to have no source, “This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter… Things are rather unusual right now, as our master is locked away by the imposter. But we will assist you in preventing ruin despite this. José has made this possible. The imposter’s plan would have almost had you in a much more unfortunate role than this one. You have somehow managed to dodge his attempt to chain you into his unfair game. We will help you to create a different future than what he had planned.”
He gritted his teeth, “Who is this “imposter”? And what the fuck did that asshole want with me?!”
“The one who is posing in a different Velvet Room as my master is Yaldabaoth, the God of Control and the manifestation of humanity’s twisted desire for control. This false god’s plan was to make you and another a pawn in his unfair game. You were to be his champion, that should you win, would prove that humanity is destined for ruin. The other champion’s victory would prove that humanity can be saved. But you somehow… managed to escape from his machinations.”
“What? So, I was to be his puppet that he controlled from behind the scenes!?”
“Unfortunately, it would have been so.”
“For what?!”
“I believe it is for his amusement.”
“Hah! For amusement!” the last word came hatefully out of his mouth.
“Yes, we are very sorry for this. He has taken control of the Velvet Room and split my younger sister into two beings. They don’t know who they are anymore.”
Slowly he calmed down. “So how did I escape?”
“His manipulations of your life had an unexpected diversion. Just a small thing that changed everything.”
“So, he is even to blame for my unfortunate life?” said Goro through gritted teeth.
“Yes, sadly it is so. You were to be the example of the one that grew up in bad soil while the other would suffer only later but come through despite of it. But instead, he lost you as his pawn and he flipped the scale so to speak.”
Goro, who is quick on the uptake, “He made the other one the champion of ruin.”
“Indeed, therefore I ask you to free my master and help the other Wild Card to be free from the Imposter’s manipulations.”
For a few moments Goro thought about it, “Fine, I will. If anything, just so that I can get my revenge against that God.”
“Thank you, even if it is for now for those reasons. This place can usually only be entered by a contract but things are very… different currently. José made this Velvet Room separated from the rest that was taken over. He brought you in this time but next time you need a contract and a certain gift from José.”
José, who was sitting beside him the whole time, rummaged through the pockets of his grey jacket and finally gave him a garish looking big talisman that had stars decorating it.
“It’s a Wishing Star!”
“A Realm Key.” Margaret corrected him.
“A Wishing Key!” corrected José stubbornly.
Margaret ignored him and explained, “It can open any Realm, like this Velvet Room but it can also give you entrance to the Metaverse.”
Surprisingly useful then. Goro chose to keep it.
“And what about this contract?” asked Goro warily.
“To assume responsibility for the choices you make.”
In front of Goro appeared a piece of paper with only that clause and under it a place for him to sign.
He thought about it and decided to sign with a new name, to put his past to rest.
He has long chosen to give up his old name and go by a new surname.
And signed with Akechi Goro.
“Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room and we will help you hone your unique ability. Please take this Velvet Key, even if it isn’t necessary for you anymore. We give all our guests their key to the Velvet Room. And therefore, this Velvet Key belongs to you.”
He accepted it, “Thank you.”
Margaret smiled at him, “Until the moment we meet again.”
Akechi found himself outside of the Velvet Room again.
“Mister! I will return you to your world now!”, said José and smiled joyfully at him, “I am sure we will have lots of fun together during this journey! And it will be a great opportunity to learn more about humans.”
Time stopped.
I am thou , thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Fool Arcana,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power …
José - Fool Rank 1