The Reversed Arcana.

Ren shared his encounter with Akechi with the group, highlighting Akechi's accidental reference to his unique eye color, a detail only discernible to those who have ventured into the Metaverse. This inadvertent revelation implied that Akechi had, at some point, crossed paths with them within that alternate reality.

It explained his slight surprise when he saw Ren at the beginning and his sudden willingness to invite him to play. However, the exact nature of Akechi's involvement in the Metaverse remained a mystery, leaving the group wary of his true intentions.

Akechi had a direct line with the director of SIU, so he would have been able to directly reporting them to him. But judging by the fact that they were not behind bars right now or on the run only made them more wary. After all, they didn't know if they were playing directly into his game or not.

With the evening drawing to a close, the group decided to disband for the night. As Ren made his way to the train station, his mind was abuzz with the implications of their interaction with Akechi. From now on, he would have to play a game of cat and mouse with him to learn more without revealing anything.

However, for Ren, the strangest thing was the thread of fate that now connected the two of them.

Just by looking at the frail and almost invisible string, he could instinctively know what Akechi represented, The Justice. A card that represented truth and honesty, cause and effect, law and order. Why would someone who represents such a card be related to the mental shutdowns?

As the question hung in his mind, he decided that it was finally time to visit one of his forgotten confidants, the fortune teller in Shinjuku. 

If you had asked him before, he would have never believed in things such as fortune telling, but now that he was spending his weekends exploring cognitive worlds, everything seemed possible. And, as he thought back to her last reading, it had been eerily accurate. The Death, The Fool, and The Hanged Man. 

Upon entering the vibrant district of Shinjuku, Ren was immediately enveloped in the chaos of its bustling streets, illuminated by the glow of numerous billboards. Ignoring the sensory overload, he made his way to Chihaya's booth, greeted by the familiar sight of the fortune teller.

"Hello," Ren greeted her with a friendly wave, only to be met with a look of mild annoyance from Chihaya.

"Hello? First, you tell me that you are going to start taking classes with me, and then you vanish for a month. I spent so long preparing for the next class, only for it to never happen. Do you even know how excited I was about getting the chance to teach someone about Tarot?" She scolded, her disappointment palpable.

Caught off guard by her reproach, Ren could only muster an apologetic response. 

"Oh… about that… I'm sorry," he admitted, having completely overlooked the commitment amidst his chaotic schedule.

Chihaya's expression softened slightly, though her tone remained firm. 

"So, what brings you back now? And don't tell me it's for another class."

Ren hesitated, his initial response dying on his lips as he contemplated her question.

After a moment of silence, Chihaya declared. 

"Double. The fee for the missed classes is now double."

Ren, reaching into his bag to comply, was stopped by Chihaya's sudden change of heart.

 "Wait, never mind…I guess since you are willing to pay double, that means you are actually sorry." She said as she rubbed her forehead.

Looking up to Ren, she gave a sigh before speaking again.

"The cards had already told me that you were coming today, so I had all day to be angry at you… I just wanted to see if you were actually sorry."

Nodding his head apologetically once again, Ren answered.

"I have been quite busy, so I didn't have the chance to come back again. Trust me, a lot has been going on for me."

Chihaya nodded her head in acknowledgment before grabbing the stack of tarot cards next to her.

"Before we dive into the lesson, let's see what the cards have to reveal today."

Ren watched in anticipation as Chihaya concentrated on her craft, revealing the first card meant to symbolize his past.

"The Devil?" she voiced out, her concern palpable. 

"This card speaks to entrapment, material desires, and the shadow self. It warns of the consequences of the agreements you forge, Ren. Your past actions, shrouded though they may be, have set you on a path that's irreversible."

Ren's eyes narrowed as he heard her reading before nodding his head.

"I understand… I'll be more careful in the future." Ren said as his mind drifted to the scalpel in his soul, an object that had forever changed him, for better or for worse.

Hearing his answer, Chihaya nodded with approval before flipping the next card.

"The tower, this card represents sudden change, upheaval, revelation, and the breaking down of structures or beliefs." She said, closing her eyes for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"It's strange. Every time I try to look into your fate, it is quite blurry. But something must have changed recently, no? Though I guess that makes sense since you are probably still going through puberty." She mused out loud.

Ren remained silent, absorbing her words, as she moved on to the final cards predicting his future.

"And for your future…hmm… There are actually two cards calling to your future. One for the near future and one for the distant future."She muttered before grabbing the second card and placing it next to the first card.

Flippin the first card, she said.

"The Star! This card symbolizes hope, inspiration, and renewal. Following the upheaval indicated by The Tower, The Star shines as a beacon of optimism and healing. That's quite the positive reading, especially after your past and present cards."

And as she flipped her second card, she exclaimed again.

"The fool! This card is about beginnings, innocence, and a leap of faith, but it also carries a warning of the pitfalls of naivety and the importance of being aware of one's surroundings. It means one day you will be able to start anew and heal the wounds of your past." she concluded, her smile warm and reassuring.

Once the reading concluded, Chihaya began to teach Ren about the meanings of the Reversed Arcana. Each card has a unique meaning depending on its orientation, upright and reversed. When a card appears in a reversed position, it often signifies the internalization of the card's themes or challenges, a delay, or even the opposite of its upright meaning.

For instance, while The Star upright signifies hope and rejuvenation, in reverse, it might suggest a period of despair or lost faith.

Throughout Chihaya's lecture, Ren made several connections between the dual meanings of the Arcana and his confidants. Intriguingly, he observed that as his bonds with his confidants strengthened, they increasingly embodied the positive, upright aspects of their respective Arcana.

The Reversed Hermit spoke volumes about Futaba's initial state of isolation and self-withdrawal, mirroring her struggles before joining the Phantom Thieves.

The Reversed Priestess, symbolizing a disconnection from one's inner voice and a superficial existence, reminded Ren of Makoto's earlier actions, where she neglected her own judgment in favor of fulfilling others' expectations, notably in the case of ignoring Kamoshida's misconduct.

Similarly, The Reversed Chariot, indicating aimlessness and aggression, resonated with Ryuji's past as an ostracized student, stemming from the fallout with Kamoshida.

However, the one that stood out the most for Ren was the one that represented Akechi, The Reversed Justice. Injustice and unfairness, lack of accountability, imbalance, and disharmony are all things The Reversed Justice symbolizes.

As the lesson began winding down, Chihaya spoke up and said.

"Hey, you know… After reading your past and present fortune, I wanted to introduce you to another service we offer. We have a holy stone that can protect you and keep you safe from bad luck. It is 100,000 yen but it is well worth the price."

Intrigued, Ren expressed his interest. 

"May I take a look?"

With an encouraging smile, Chihaya revealed a pinkish stone, modest in size, and placed it before him. The moment the stone was in sight, Ren activated his third eye to look for anything out of the ordinary, but even through his special vision, the rock remained as unimpressive as ever.

Compelled by a sudden hunch, Ren reached out, examining the stone closely and then, in a moment of impulsiveness, he licked it.

Chihaya recoiled, surprised by his action. 

"What in the world are you doing?" she exclaimed, reclaiming the stone with confusion.

"Isn't that just rock salt?" Ren, equally puzzled, asked.

Chihaya's expression soured slightly at the question. 

"Absolutely not. This is a sacred stone, imbued with energies meant to fend off bad luck and attract positive fortunes." 

Hearing her words, his skill activated once again. He looked for anything out of the ordinary, only to find nothing once again.

"I think I will pass for now…" Ren decided, his initial interest dampened by the stone's lackluster reality.

"That's alright," Chihaya responded, somewhat deflated, as she stowed the stone away. "I suppose that concludes our session today, doesn't it?"

The two of them spent a few moments saying goodbye, with Ren saying some final words before leaving.

"Yes, thank you for the lesson. I will try to come back sooner next time." 

~Confidants~

Chihaya Mifune (The Fortune) Rank 2

(Man, I love Chihaya lol. Before starting this story, I knew nothing about tarot. But it is honestly so freaking interesting, and it is thanks to our resident fortune teller that I am able to dive deeper into it and learn more. Hopefully, the chap didn't feel too info-dumpy since I usually try to release information in a good pace. Lemme know, and if it is, I'll try to pace it better next time. )