Chapter Text
[{Akira POV}]
It is not a secret to those who are close to me that weird stuff happen.
I mean being a nationwide vigilantes that infiltrate the mindscapes of predators and bald politicians to change their overall cognitions of themselves, making them confess to crimes they otherwise wouldn't all while you're in the prime of your youth is considered strange.
Now, when you are summoned by the guy who gave you your power to change hearts three years after he last summoned you, you will find that weird.
Now if that didn't raise any brows, I was also accompanied by three others and there were also three other people by Igor and Lavenza.
To Lavenza’s right was a mature-looking woman, she had her long hair to the side and wore a stern gaze as she examined me and others gathered in the Velvet Room. While on the far right were two figures standing by, it seemed like they were discussing something.
All three of them seemed to look like Lavenza. The white hair and golden eyes go the book and blue attire, they looked similar.
The person beside me had silver hair, he had a serious expression on his face as he began scanning the room. He locked eyes with me and broke it, directing his attention to Igor and the mature looking woman.
On the far right were two people, mirroring the two in front of them, they also looked to be discussing something. The male one kept an indifferent expression while the girl kept on rambling about stuff. The male one had blue hair and earphones in his ears while the girl was talking to him. The girl meanwhile had auburn hair, her eyes were red and had
“Why am I here Igor? And who are the others?”
The silence was broken by the silver-haired man which broke me out of my trance.
“I mean I recognize Elizabeth and Theodore there.” He pointed to the pair. “But not anyone else other than Margaret.” He finished.
“To reiterate his question, yeah Igor, why are we here?” I questioned.
“I bear grim news, my guests.” His signature grin looked sad as he answered my and the silver-haired guys' questions.
“How bad are we talking?” Silver hair said before I had a chance to do the same.
“To be frank, your world has been destroyed.”
“WHAT?!” The auburn-haired girl, who hadn't said anything out loud exclaimed loudly. The boy next to her just stared into Igor's eyes as he said that. The silver-haired boy next to me was the same, disbelief covered his face quickly.
I felt my knees weaken as I heard a thud, the bluenette fell to the ground and it took my whole spirit not to do the same.
“H-how di-did this happen?” The guy next to me stammered in his words, he asked Igor what, probably, everyone in the room wanted to know the answer to.
“Unfortunately, Erebus has joined together with Nyx, thus causing the fall, resulting in the end of the world.” A sombre mood filled the room, I felt my eyes water at every word that was uttered.
Why? How could this happen? My tears started falling faster and faster with each passing second.
I thought about the thieves, my friends, people who fought tooth and nail for me, the adults who showed me that not everyone was an asshole, Sumire, oh Sumire. The person I loved, the one who was always too kind to the world, she was gone, all of them—and I couldn't do anything about it.
Sooner or later, I lost track of time, the room was filled with the sounds of ugly crying. My tears came easy, how could they not? It hurt. Not being able to save anyone. Everyone I have loved died, they died, all because of this Erebus. I don't even know who Erebus or Nyx is and I hate them already.
“But…that doesn't make sense.” The auburn haired girl said, tears still in her eyes. “We were acting as Erebus’ seals right? How…how did Erebus meet with Nyx? This seems impossible.”
Seal? Just who are these two?
“Allow me to explain.” The mature looking woman responded.
“Since the trickster,” she pointed to me, “destroyed humanity's distorted desires in the form of Mementos, we thought that humanity now learned to not wish for death, but they did. Elizabeth please.”
“I was tasked in guarding the great seal, I killed Erebus every year to stop him from growing in strength, but humanities desire for the fall was too strong, Erebus formed when I was about to leave the seal, I couldn't destroy it in time and it fused with Nyx.” ‘Elizabeth’ looked down, her face full of frustration and sadness.
So it's still society's fault, huh. Figures, they’re the same people who wished to be controlled, it was only a matter of time when they would also wish for destruction.
My eyes shone in anger. I already hated society as it was, shunning me and the people I'm close to, now they killed them, If I hadn't hated them before I do now.
“But, be not of dismay, oh child of the world.”
I saw Lavenza and what I would assume her siblings snap their heads forward, and I saw a blue butterfly, similar to the form Lavenza took during my interrogation, but Lavenza was in front of me, so who was this?
“I am Phelimon, creator of the Velvet room, resident of the sea of souls, delighted to meet your acquaintance, Wildcards, attendants of this room.”
“Master…” Igor slowly said. “Lord Phelimon.” The attendants addressed him.
“I propose a fix to your problem.” He faces me and the others who are still crying. “I will reset this world as I have once before,
giving you all a second chance.”
He sends us a smirk but all I could think about is I could save them. The others might have had the same thought as me as they all broke out of the sobbing messes and turned to face Phelimon.
“Wha—” The blue-haired guy was cut off by the red-eyed girl as she started. “We can go back?!” She blurted out.
“Ho-how?” Silver hair said shackily.
“Really?” I voiced out.
__________________________________
Philemon explained to us that we were going to be sent back to 2011, at the start of the truth seekers journey. I don't know who that is but the silver-haired guy just nodded along so I assume that's him. He also said that a lot of things may be different but will only be of benefit to us.
He pointed to the pair of the bluenette and auburn headed girl calling them the ‘messiahs’. Saying that the great seal in the resetted world will not need them to be there for here they sacrificed their lives to create a permanent seal that doesn't allow Erebus to form ever again, meaning they would get to live in our world again. Both of them sent a ‘thank you’ to Philemon as he turned to me.
He said that the trickster's journey will be the one to change the most.
One, I will be born into a prosperous family. The Kurusu family is going to be one of Japan's most prestigious clans, having stood from before the taisho era. I will have a sister named Rin Kurusu, she is my twin and will be this world's trickster. Replacing me in this world's game.
Two, the me in this world was sickly since birth, when I take over, the sickness in my bones will be gone in a miracle.
Three, despite my sickness, I am a prodigy in rhythmic gymnastics. He said something about my faith affecting my psyche and turning me into a gymnast. I have no problem with that.
Lastly, he directed all of us. He told us that our closest bonds, our lovers (not the arcana) will retain their memories. He summoned them right after he said that.
Safe to say, I enveloped Sumire in a bear hug while she looked so confused asking stuff like ‘where are we?’ and ‘why are you crying’.
Philemon then looked surprised and snapped his fingers and summoned…Akechi!?.
He explained that the residents of the sea of souls belonging to the justice arcana all wished to see Akechi redeemed so that's why he's here. Me and Sumire stood there in shock, Sumire ran up to him and enveloped him in a hug, she started scolding Akechi about worrying her, not letting us know where he was, etc. etc.
After she let him go, we shared a glance of understanding, he was looking for himself all those years he was gone. The last we heard of him was a year after Maruki, he sent us a letter letting us know that he was alive and was planning on traveling the world, we never really got anything aside from that.
All of us caught up with our companions and Philemon explained to them the situation and left saying something about ‘Tatsuya punching him in the face’ or something.
After he left a note about our situation in this world appeared in this.
I was about to ask Akechi about his, but I was stopped by a twin tailed girl. She looked familiar so I was racking my brain, thinking about who this was and it hit me.
“Rise?” I questioned. She smiled and hugged me. “Oh, it has been so long since I last saw you, what was it, 3 years now? Who would've thought this was how we would meet again, hehe.”
“You know the trickster Rise?” Silver hair asked. “Yu! This is my cousin, Akira, Akira, Yu, Yu, Akira.” She introduced me to silver hair and I finally got his name.
“Akira, huh.” He acknowledged me. “Now that I think about it, we don't know each other's names do we?”
“I guess so.”
“We should introduce ourselves, no?” He offered.
“Oooh, I'll start.” The auburn haired girl said. “My name is Minako Arisato, I lived all over with my twin brother but became a persona user in Iwatodai where I fought and became the seal to Nyx.”
She then swung an arm around the blue haired guy. “And this is my twin brother, Minato Arisato, same with me but he's depressed. I'm also older.” She sent us a smirk but Minato threw her off himself and gave her a pointed glare. “You gotta stop telling people that, y’know? You're only 3 minutes older top.”
The girl in the pink cardigan let out a giggle and introduced herself next. “I’m Yukari Takeba, I'm Minato's girlfriend.”
“Wait, the famous actor? Im such a huge fan!” Sumire said beside me.
“Im happy I have your support.” She smiled brightly.
Takeba then nudged the gangster looking guy beside her, he grumbled in response and said, “Shinjiro Aragaki, this bundle of joys partner.” He pointed to Minako.
“I guess Im next then.” ‘Yu’ voiced out.
“Yu Narukami at your service.” He mock saluted me and the other wildcards and we returned it.
“Rise Kujikawa, you may know me as Riset, nice to meet you.” She giggled at Sumire’s dumbfounded expression.
“I am Akira Kurusu, Rise is my cousin, and this is my girlfriend.” I pointed to Sumire.
She blushed and nodded along. “Sumire Yoshizawa, delighted to make your acquaintance.”
The last remaining one was Akechi, I nudged him to introduce himself, he gave me an exasperated sigh and complied. “Goro Akechi.” Short and simple, that's the Akechi I know.
“So we're going back, hey Mina, what should we do the moment we get out?”
“Already thinking about fun, that's so like you sis.” Minato shook his head, a ghost of a smile on his face.
“You two never change, always bickering even after being revived.” Takeba sent out another giggle as she observed the twins. I couldn't help but laugh a bit at their antics so I couldn't blame her.
“We're going to make this right, so many lives can be saved starting from April 2011.” Yu gave a slight smile.
“Dont forget, Philemon also told us to enjoy ourselves, he told us this reality is better to all of us.” Rise reminded everyone. “We don't only save people, but we also have to enjoy ourselves.”
Words of affirmation were passed around everybody gathered.
The attendants entered the room and asked us if we were ready to go. We all nodded and began exiting the Velvet Room one by one. Before me, Sumire and Akechi were teleported, we made a promise that we will call each other the moment we get access to a way of communication.
We were then sent away, to our new reality, one where we will make things right.