Chapter Text
Ren had intended to visit the Velvet Room when he returned to Tokyo. He couldn't really say why other than he was curious and nostalgic. Usually, he took the door outside of the Airsoft shop in Shibuya, and made for it after he visited Iwai and Kaoru and promised to go out to dinner with them in a few days. Recently, the two had their cognition changed and able to hear Morgana, as with the few others who remembered the near-end of the world.
Visiting the Velvet Room door the first time after that event had led to Lavenza looking between Ren and Morgana before asking them to come back another day while she consulted with her master. Finally, at the second visit, Morgana popped up over Ren's shoulder and stared at Lavenza, wide-eyed. "Lavenza?"
"Morgana." she greeted with a curt bow. "I have made arrangements with my master, who wishes to speak to you both. Thus, you can see myself and the Velvet Room in the real world, like Ren. Come, we would speak with you." she urged, waving them along as the door flung open. Morgana didn't hesitate for even a second before he jumped out of Ren's bag and into the Velvet Room, and the Trickster followed with a quirked eyebrow.
The Velvet Room was distinctly different, Ren noted. Gone was the cells, gone was the chains, gone was his prisoner attire as he walked into a circular room with a cobblestone floor and calm blue walls. In the center was Igor, smiling as he nodded at them. Morgana trotted forward, bowing to Igor as he approached-- in the more cartoonish cat form he took in the Metaverse. Ren looked down at himself and found his regular clothes: jeans and a simple black jacket over a white shirt.
"Ah, Trickster and Morgana! It's a pleasure to see you two again." Igor greeted cheerfully. Morgana stood straight and smiled.
"The same to you, Master. How can we help you?"
"You have it partially correct, Morgana, but it is I who wants to help you." Igor hummed. "You have learned so much about humanity and what it is to be human, but have yet to actually live it... do you still desire to become a human?"
Morgana gasped, and Ren could practically see the stars in his eyes. "Y- yes! Is there a way?!"
"There is, indeed." Igor confirmed with a short nod. "I am offering you this as a reward for your sacrifice and steadfast loyalty to the Trickster. There is a ritual that will impart humanity unto you, but it will require the Trickster's aid."
Morgana spun on his heel, looking up to Ren with wide, hopeful eyes. "Ren?! You'll help, won't you?!"
Ren laughed and nodded. "Of course I will. It's the least I can do in return for all you've done." He looked up to Igor. "What do I need to do?"
Igor hummed idly. "You will have to copy and share the essence of your humanity with Morgana. But in order for it to work, Morgana must share what he is with you as well. In other words... you'll both gain the ability to change between cat and human."
Morgana paused. He looked between Ren, who had gone silent and slightly pale, and Igor, who sat calmly and smiled as he always did. Morgana hummed nervously before he spoke. "I... I mean, I'd be willing to do it. It'd be my dream come true, but..." He turned fully to Ren. "We'd basically become werecats." He sighed and looked away. "That's... a big change. For you, I mean."
"It's not as drastic as it sounds," Lavenza cut it as she walked forward and stood beside Igor's desk, "you'd just gain the ability to change forms, both of you. You won't be obligated, ever, to forcefully change or be stuck in one form or the other. That is, save for the initial transformation. You'll both be stuck as a human and a cat respectively for about twenty-four hours before becoming able to change back and forth with ease."
Ren looked down at Morgana's hopeful eyes, then at Igor, then at Lavenza, and back to Morgana again. He sucked in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and looked back at Igor, nodding his head soberly. "I'll do it. For Morgana. I just need a day to talk to the others so they're aware of the situation so they can... take care of us in the initial twenty-four hours if we need it."
"Ren...!" Morgana squealed, beaming at him. "You're... you're the best! You're a true friend!"
"So be it." Igor said calmly. "I will perform the ritual tomorrow when you come by. It involves a bit of blood-- just a cut to a finger on both of you-- and a bit of magic on my part. It won't hurt, but it will feel quite strange."
As they left, Ren was already reaching for his phone as Morgana jumped to his shoulder to look at him type on the group chat.
Guys. We need to hold a meeting as soon as possible in Leblanc.
All gathered within the hour, and Sojiro quickly closed shop for the occasion, and all stared as they told the story and the situation. Sojiro had been first to speak after a long, awkward silence.
"Ren. You're sure you want to do this?" he asked warily. Ren nodded, slowly.
"Yes. Morgana has done more for us than we can ever properly thank him for. If I can do this for him, it's worth it."
Morgana stared up at Ren with wide, quivering eyes threatening to spill tears as he sat beside him at the bar. Sojiro was standing before the two of them, scratching the back of his neck, and gawking at the two. The other former Phantom Thieves sat around Leblanc, mostly in booths, as they stared at their leader and Morgana. Haru giggled.
"I honestly don't see the downside for you, Ren... once you're past the initial day, you can turn into a cat whenever you want, and so can Morgana. It sounds like a blessing to me!" She shrugged. "I'll do it if you don't want to."
"Igor said he needed my help... and I'm the only one who can see the Velvet Room most of the time..." Ren said hesitantly. Ryuji shrugged.
"It's... it's weird, but it's not like we haven't experienced weirder."
Ann shrugged. "It's just twenty-four hours, right? And if Ren doesn't want to after, he doesn't have to ever be a cat..."
"Why don't we just hang out nearby and take the two of you home when it's over?" Makoto suggested dryly. "I'm in favor of the plan. Morgana has done so much for us, and it's just another useful power for Ren."
Futaba giggled and nodded. "I'll be Ren is the cutest, fluffiest cat there ever was! Besides, he already acts like one."
"Indeed," Yusuke agreed calmly, "finally, his reflection will show what's truly inside. I agree with Haru; I see no downside. I'll have to paint the two of you in two separate portraits, one of Morgana as a human and Ren as a cat, and one of Morgana as a cat and Ren as a human." He beamed. "It will be a masterpiece!"
Sojiro sighed and crossed his arms. "I guess this is the plan. I'll close up shop tomorrow around noon. We don't need anyone else getting involved in this mess until everything is over."
With that, the group adjourned for the day, and Morgana and Ren were left in the room above Leblanc. Ren laid upon his bed, looking up at the ceiling in silence until Morgana hopped over to him, jumping on his chest to meet his eyes. Morgana's eyes still glittered with excitement and hope, a contrast to Ren's gaze of apprehension. Upon seeing his eyes, Morgana deflated slightly and frowned. "I... I hope I'm not asking too much..."
"You're not." Ren reassured. "I'm just... thinking."
"About what?"
"About..." He sighed. "Too much. Listen, everything's going to be okay. You'll get your wish tomorrow."
Morgana's tail flickered. "I sure will. And listen, I'll teach you everything there is to know about being a cat! And you'll teach me anything I don't already know about being human! It'll be great!"
Ren scoffed. "What is there about being a cat that I don't already know?"
"You don't even know, alright? You can't know until you experience it for yourself." Morgana giggled. "Don't worry! When I become human for the first time... sushi will be on me for a change!" He sighed, blissfully. "I wonder what I'll do first? Visit a movie theater? A restaurant? Dome Town? School?" He beamed. "Oh! And I can ask Lady Ann to come with me!"
"I think everyone's going to want to come with you, just to keep an eye on you." Ren said with a shrug and a wry smile. "So don't worry; 'Lady Ann' will be there."
Morgana sighed. "I suppose it makes sense, everyone wanting to look out for me in my first hours as a human... but what about you? What do you want to do?"
Ren scoffed. "Probably hide up here all day. You can go on without me."
"And leave you out?!" the cat asked incredulously. "No way! I'll just carry you, like you've carried me all this time! You'll see!"
The young man did not reply. He sighed and looked back up at the ceiling, carrying his anxiety inside. What if I can't turn back? No, Igor promised, and I believe him... What if I start doing cat things? The others claim I already do... What if someone outside our group finds out? I guess that'd be okay if they're a confidant, but anyone else... What if no one can hear me talk like we hear Morgana talk? What if Morgana doesn't end up liking being human? What will it feel like? The ritual? Being a cat? How will Morgana feel?
...What's really going to happen?
He glanced over at Morgana, who had begun to snooze, a smile on his face as he delved into wonderful dreams. Ren sighed, quietly, and smiled in spite of himself.
It's going to be okay. This is for you, Morgana...