The Twins' Tests.

Makoto was able to join the study sessions that happened the following days. With her there, the group couldn't use their special study technique of lying down and sleeping with a pile of books around them. With Makoto there, the group sat at a table, with their textbooks and notes spread before them, absorbing the material. That was probably for the best, as the group was actually able to learn something this time on the days leading to the exams.

Amidst the study sessions in the afternoon, the Thieves all began preparing for their trip to the floating bank. Each was doing whatever they thought would be best to prepare them for the day that drew ever closer.

The thieves went to Untouchable Airsoft to get Makoto geared up. After looking about for some time, she ended up choosing a revolver. It was the gun her father used when he went out on patrol, so she thought that by using it, she could honor his memory as she fought.

They also began increasing the intensity of their training in the gym. With Ryuji's leg practically healed, he was pushing himself to the limit to get back to his prime. Makoto was surprisingly strong, as she could keep up without much issue. She had some history of learning martial arts that had prepped her for training like the one they were doing. 

One thing that really motivated them to continue pushing themselves so hard was the fact that their small connection with their personas allowed them to feel that after each exercise session, their persona would become slightly stronger.

Makoto and Ren would also spend some time in Leblanc trying to research more about the Metaverse. However, neither of them could make too much progress without being able to dive into the depths of Mementos.

One major thing that did change was the appearance of entrances to the Velvet Room in the real world. One day, while Ren was out getting some supplies for crafting more infiltration tools, Justine approached him, leading him to a deep blue door that sat in the middle of an alley. It was a great chance to finally begin working on improving his personas, since the last time he had been interrupted.

— — —

As the delicate notes of a piano filled the air, Ren's eyes fluttered open. After taking a moment to take in the music he spoke.

"Igor," Ren called out.

The grand curtains parted, revealing the seats for the audience. Yet the long-nosed master of the Velvet Room was nowhere to be seen. In his place was a single blue butterfly that gently fluttered onto one of the armrests. Almost as if it was casually observing the stage.

"Our master is currently busy. You better not disturb him." Caroline's voice, sharp and authoritative, echoed through the room as she walked closer to Ren

"Don't worry. Any questions you might have for our master can be answered by us. Is there anything you need, Trickster?" Justine's inquiry followed, her tone more inviting as she walked next to her sister.

Shaking his head slightly, Ren answered.

"Never mind, it's nothing important." He said dismissively before adding. "I have stalled on your requests for too long, haven't I? I should probably begin practicing with fusions. The first one was a Jack Frost, right?" He mused aloud as he walked down the stage and into the audience seats.

"Huh, so you finally remembered?" Caroline's retort was laced with annoyance, her impatience tangible. "We thought you had forgotten about us since you never returned."

Justine's laughter, light and melodious, filled the space, softening the edge of Caroline's words. 

"We were simply worried about you. However, it seems our worries were misplaced. We are glad you are feeling back to normal, Trickster." She said, with a bow as a gesture of respect and readiness for the tasks ahead.

"I missed you both too." Ren joked as he sat down next to Igor's usual seat, the small blue butterfly resting beside his arm.

"That's not what she meant!" Caroline responded, slightly embarrassed. She turned her body away from Ren as she faced the wall of masks before shouting. "Just get the task done!"

Justine simply shook her head as she heard her sister. A soft smile appeared on her face as she assumed her place on the stage.

As the piano's comforting melody transformed, setting a rhythm that seemed to pulse with the very heart of the Velvet Room, Caroline and Justine gracefully moved through their intricate dance. With each complex dance, the once sparse wall began to be filled with an array of masks. Unsurprisingly, with each request, the complexity of creating the right persona increased.

Hours slipped by, marked by each of the changing melodies that filled the room. Ren, who had been engrossed in his work, meticulously documented everything he discovered in a blue notebook that the twins had provided for him at his request. The first few pages of the notebook became filled with an arrange of neatly organized notes.

By the time he had decided to stop for the day, he had only completed four of the twins' requests. He probably could have completed it faster had he brute forced it and only focused on completing the requests, but he wanted to understand how the process worked fully.

"I am surprised, Trickster, you are grasping this faster than we expected," Justine remarked, her voice tinged with approval as she affixed a mask resembling a phoenix to the growing collection on the wall. The once nearly empty wall now being filled by a rich tapestry of different masks.

"Yeah, I had expected you to give up after not getting it on the first try. But I must commend you for actually focusing on the process," Caroline admitted, her words reflecting a mix of surprise. Her attempt to elaborate being cut short by Justine's teasing smile.

Looking over his extensive notes, Ren couldn't help but share. 

"I've actually been enjoying this. I'm looking forward to trying them out in battle. I'm sure once I fully understand everything, I'll be able to create some absolute menaces." He said with some excitement as he looked at the possible fusions he had written down.

One of the things that complicated the process was the discovery of hidden traits that each persona held, traits that could be passed down through fusion. So after given one last look at the notes he closed the book.

"I am surprised, Caroline. The list you created is perfect for teaching the Trickster," Justine observed, her gentle tease drawing a look of confusion from Caroline.

"What? I thought you wrote it," Caroline responded, clearly taken aback.

"Hm?" Justine's own confusion surfaced as she revisited the list. "This definitely isn't our master's handwriting… It looks like mine, but I don't remember writing this."

"Could it have been one of our older sisters?" Caroline asked as she drew closer to look at the list.

" I don't see why they would do that, given that they both left the Velvet Room…" Justine looked lost in thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I guess that doesn't matter for now. The important part is that the Trickster is becoming more adept at using the Velvet Room."

Standing up from the audience seat, Ren walked back onto the stage.

"You have more siblings?" He asked with some curiosity.

"Yes, Margarett and Elizabeth. However, they are no longer considered to be Velvet Room assistants," Caroline began, only to be interrupted by a sudden pang that clouded her memory. "My memory is a bit foggy when it comes to them," she confessed, the discomfort evident in her voice.

Ren, observing the subtle shift in Caroline and Justine's demeanor as they grappled with their memories, chose to steer the conversation towards a less discomforting topic.

"You said they left, right? Can you leave the Velvet Room?" He posed the question as he handed his notebook to Justine.

"Yes, though, only for a few hours at a time. We cannot stay away from our responsibilities for too long." Caroline's response came with a hint of longing.

"I see… Well, I'll keep that in mind for the future." Ren said as he prepared to leave the Velvet Room. He was honestly curious about what the two twins would think of the outside world. So he would make sure to invite them out if he ever had free time.

Justine's soft chuckle echoed gently in the Velvet Room, her amusement a rare and delicate sound amidst the solemnity of their surroundings. 

"We were actually planning on asking you if you would be willing to show us the human world. So we look forward to that day." Her words were imbued with a sense of hope and curiosity.

~Confidants~

Caroline and Justine (The Strenght) Rank 1 — Rank 3.

(For those who haven't played the game. The twins usually advance their confidant through persona fusion requests. That's why it advanced so much. Technically, it should be Rank 4, but I have some other stuff I want to do with them in the future, so I am holding back some level-ups.

Also, for those looking forward to some action, it should start in two chapters. Prepare for the heist. As a little appetizer, the next chapter is titled: The Counselor.)