Mementos.

Looking into the notes, Ren spent a few hours with the MetaNav open, trying out different keywords. He hadn't even realized how long he had been awake until he finally stumbled upon the word he was looking for.

"Mementos…"

[Beginning Navigation]

"Huh?" A spark of curiosity dispelled Ren's fatigue as the app sprang to life.

In the blink of an eye, he had been transported to the cognitive world. Usually, entering into the cognitive world was seamless. If you weren't paying attention, then you might not even notice that you had entered a different world. This time, however, the transition was anything but smooth; it felt as though he was hurtled through the city at breakneck speed before being unceremoniously dumped down a flight of stairs.

Laying on the ground in pain, he let out a few curses before he heard a strange sound that made him stand up in preparation. Gone were the familiar sights of Leblanc, replaced by the eerie ambiance of a subway station. As he looked towards the sound, he noticed the familiar gleam of headlights.

With seconds to react, Ren braced himself for a fight. However, as the light neared, his stance wavered. A quaint blue car, adorned with starry balloons and overflowing with luggage, halted before him, emitting playful honks.

From within the small car, a young boy with grey hair resembling an eggshell and bright yellow eyes stepped out before waving enthusiastically. He wore an oversized white jacket embellished with a moon and star pattern.

"Hey there! You're new, aren't you? Who are you?" The little boy, beaming with a radiant smile, asked as he approached.

"Ren… Ren Amamiya. And you are?" Ren inquired, eyeing the boy with intrigue.

He resembled the two twins inside the Velvet Room; however, he gave off a slightly different "vibe."

"I am Jose! I was looking for flowers. But when I felt the disturbance in Mementos, I had to come to check it out." He explained, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.

Shaking his head to regain his focus once again, Ren spoke.

"Pleasure to meet you, Jose. You seem pretty familiar with this place. Would you mind giving me a quick tour?" Ren asked as he put on the friendliest smile he could muster. 

Jose gave a conflicted look before answering.

"Well, I'm on a super duper secret mission. I'd love to, but I really shouldn't..." He pondered aloud, a frown creasing his brows.

Ren noticed Jose's innocent demeanor. So, after thinking for a moment, he thought up a proposal.

"How about this? I assist with your secret mission—finding flowers, right? Together, we will definitely collect more. And, in return, you show me where I need to go. I have a friend who needs some help."

Jose made a thinking face before enthusiastically nodding his head.

"That sounds like a great idea!" He said before running over to his car and pulling out a strange star-shaped rock that let out a soft glow. "Here, take this; it's a wishing star. We can use this as a sign of our friendship!"

After holding the strange stone in his hands, Ren could feel a strange, almost electric, energy inside of it. 

"My friend's name is Hiroshi Kobayakawa. Do you know how I could find him?"

Nodding his head, Jose knelt down to touch the ground with his eyes closed.

"Hm… That's strange. He is hiding… Shadows shouldn't be able to do that…" His brows furrowed, then relaxed into a smile. "Got him! Climb on!"

As Jose jumped into his small car, Ren thought briefly before shaking his head.

He didn't know what he would stumble into if he just carelessly went to investigate by himself. If he got ambushed by shadows, the strange creatures he had fought in Kamoshida's castle, there was a chance that he might not make it out on his own.

As curious as he was about investigating Mementos, he wasn't reckless or stupid enough to do it by himself. Even with Jose helping out, he wasn't fully sure what the boy could do or even how reliable he might be. So, after thinking for a second, Ren answered.

"Actually, is there a chance you could take me to him next time? My friend needs more help than I can give by myself, so I will have to bring some more people to help me."

Jose looked slightly disappointed, but after a few seconds, he let out a determined nod.

"In that case, I will go back to my mission. I need to learn about humans, and whenever I drink the flowers that are here in mementos, I learn something from them. Remember our deal! Make sure to gather as many flowers as you can!"

The small car that Jose was in roared to life before speeding away, leaving Ren by himself. He looked toward the speeding car before he saw a familiar blue butterfly pass by his line of sight. And, as he turned, he could see a familiar blue door in the middle of the subway station.

— —- —

Stepping into the Velvet Room, a brief shroud of darkness enveloped him before he was bathed in the comforting glow of its warm, inviting lights. To his astonishment, the stage curtains parted to reveal that the enigmatic, long-nosed custodian was conspicuously absent.

"Trickster, welcome to the Velvet Room." Justine's voice, calm and welcoming, broke the silence.

"You certainly took your sweet time! We've been eagerly awaiting your return for a long time now!" Caroline chimed in, her voice laced with a hint of impatience.

Ren offered a nod in greeting, his gaze wandering around the room. It didn't take long for him to notice several new additions. The stage now boasted an extremely small yet intriguing collection of masks, each with its own unique features. Judging by the rows and rows of displays, he could tell that the collection had just been started.

Noticing Ren's interest, Justine let out a warm smile.

"Now that you've embraced your role as a trickster, we can finally unveil the full extent of our support."

"That's right! That wall represents the personas dwelling within you" Caroline added.

Intrigued, Ren approached the wall of masks, and he glanced at the few that were present. One was a simple theater mask without any distinguishable features, Tartuffe. Another, resembled the mask he domino mask he wore inside the castle, Arsene. The other was pumpkin-like, resembling the magicians he had fought on his first visit to the castle. One resembled that of a pure white domino mask with fairy-like decorations, Pixie. And lastly, one was a pure white full facemask with crimson wings covering its eyes, Archangel.

To Ren's surprise, only Tartuffe and the Pixie's masks radiated a vibrant aura, while the others remained dim, seemingly devoid of life.

"The power of the trickster holds infinite possibilities. And we can assist you in nurturing that potential. For that, we must perform with your personas. By performing together, they will join and become anew." Justine explained as she stood beside him.

"It's basically just a fusion of your personas," Caroline added before pointing to the wall. "Allow us to demonstrate. Pick any two masks, and we'll show you their potential."

"Before that…" Ren interrupted. "Why are only two of the masks glowing?"

"The glow signifies the presence of an actor inside of them. Since you acquired the other masks by force, they are hollow. It is only through Tartuffe that they can be used. However, if you combine them with another mask that has life inside of it, the actor inside will bring back life to it." Justine clarified, her voice soft yet informative.

"I see…" Ren muttered as he looked at the small selection of masks before pointing to two of them—that of Pixie and Archangel.

"Please, take a seat and allow us to perform for you," Justine invited with a gentle voice. With a graceful gesture, she summoned the mask of the Pixie, affixing it to her face. 

Caroline, embodying the spirit of contrast, called forth the mask of the Archangel. As she placed it upon her face, it bestowed upon her an aura of divine authority. 

Ren, feeling a sense of anticipation, made his way to the audience seats. As he settled in, the air around him vibrated with the first notes of a hauntingly beautiful piano melody, enriched by a voice that wove through the notes like a gentle stream.

Caroline and Justine, positioned on opposite sides of the stage, began a ballet-like dance.

Justine, embodying the Pixie's whimsical nature, danced with a lightness that seemed to defy gravity. Her steps were delicate, almost as if she were floating above the ground, her spins imbued with a playful grace. Each movement flowed into the next seamlessly.

Caroline, channeling the Archangel's majestic essence, moved with a strength and purpose that commanded attention. Her leaps were powerful, her landings sure, each gesture imbued with an authoritative elegance. Her movements, though bolder and more pronounced than Justine's, were no less graceful, illustrating the Archangel's protective and noble nature.

As they danced, the masks they wore started to glow intensely. Their movements began to mirror each other. In a climactic flourish, the masks they wore ignited in spectral flames, converging in mid-air before transforming into the visage of a jackal. The mask of Anubis, god of the afterlife, holding a pair of scales in one of his hands.

In contrast to its intimidating appearance, Anubis emitted a mischievous giggle, reminiscent of the Pixie's light-heartedness.

"I like this new form. I feel strong. Allow me to continue to assist you from now on." it declared. With those words, Anubis reverted to mask form, drifting to rest gently upon the wall.

Hearing this, both Justine and Caroline let out strange looks.

"It seems that since only one of the masks was alive, their personalities did not fuse to become one." Justine said out loud as she glanced backward at the glowing mask of Anubis.

After a brief moment, Caroline cleared her throat before speaking.

"Behold the power that we are able to provide you with!" Caroline said in a proud voice as she pointed at the mask. "Make sure you gather personas and continue to bring them here. That way, you will continue to become stronger and more capable of entertaining our master."

"We have a variety of performances we can do. However, they will only become available to you as you continue to impress our master." Justine added.

As she spoke, a series of slow, deliberate claps echoed through the room.

Turning, they noticed their master, Igor, had silently joined them. Offering a respectful bow, the twins acknowledged his presence.

"I seem to have missed the inaugural performance," Igor's voice, deep and resonant, filled the space as he turned his gaze towards Ren, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Fear not, for many more will follow. The stagehands speak true; the Velvet Room and its myriad facets shall unveil to you in due time once you prove your worth. This is but one of many gifts promised to you, Trickster."

Ren saw Igor snap his fingers, and the next moment, he found himself back on stage. The spotlight once again on him.

"Though, to have ventured into Mementos with such swiftness does deserve some recognition. I shall awaken upon you the third eye, an ability you have only been using partially until now."

Upon Igor's words, Ren experienced a peculiar sensation, a gentle yet persistent burn in his eyes that sharpened his vision dramatically. Strangely, as he glanced at Igor, he wasn't able to see his face clearly. The longer he tried, the more he began to feel a headache until he stopped using the skill.

Igor's laughter, rich and unfathomable, echoed through the space once more.

"That is a thief's skill, allowing you to tap into your sixth sense and see what is hidden in the dark. I believe you can handle it now. May you continue to dazzle us with your exploits."

Igor's eyes narrowed as he spoke his final words, accompanied by another snap of his fingers.

"I believe it would be wise of you to return to the real world."

As the lights dimmed, enveloping Ren in darkness, a sudden jolt of displacement hit him. When his surroundings came into focus again, he noticed he was standing right outside the subway station. He could tell the rays of the sun were starting to shine through the horizon. As he realized he would have to run back to Leblanc before Sojiro noticed he was missing, he let out a soft curse.

"Ah, shit…"

~Confidants~

Igor (The Fool) Rank 2