Work Text:
A wildcard's life would never be normal or the same ever again.
At least, that's what Nagisa understood.
Makoto Yuuki and Kotone Shiome were stuck being the Great Seal to prevent Humanity from reaching Nyx, never ever going to an afterlife unless Elizabeth somehow figured something out.
Aigis wasn't always a Wild Card, but to him, she at least deserved the recognition. She had to learn to live and move on after Makoto and Kotone passed on.
Yu Narukami had to investigate a murder mystery despite being a kid, all because he and his teams were the only ones who knew how the murders somewhat occurred, which involved TVs so no one would believe them.
Ren Amamiya was stuck with a criminal record, many still remembering him as the Phantom Thief leader who turned himself in. Despite being one of the kindest people alive, Ren's life took a turn for worse all because of Shido. He lost a friend, he had to go through a false reality, the list was long, but his life was far from normal.
Then there was Nagisa, Nagisa Kamishiro. It was only recently did he remember that he had undergone a time-loop. Well, he was aware one was going on, he just had NO CLUE that he was the one who caused it!
Still, after the talk with Aran he wondered how his desires were stolen easily, why Lufel wasn't in previous loops, why there was 'another' him.
Well, his answers came, and it was not what he expected.
All three, himself, Lufel, and his White Mask counterpart were the same person. The original Nagisa, the 'them' before fragmenting himself split himself after loop No. 79.
Lufel represented his hope, while White Mask Wonder represented his pent up Despair and Anger, both fragments had the same desire to save everyone, but the White Mask Wonder slowly forgot why he was fighting, and ended up going on a killing spree every once in a while.
As for the Nagisa we see now. He was just an empty hush in some sense. That's why his desires were stolen easily, even if he didn't undergo through anything.
But this husk still also represented the Original Nagisa's wish to save his friends. Only, this one represented the desire to have no memory of such traumatic experiences. The version of him that was still happy.
It still felt a bit too late. Nagisa defeated the enemy, at the cost of losing his world. He felt like a failure compared to the other Wildcards.
The only thing left of his friends were their Phantom Idols, his cognitions of them. Which he later learned were his subconscious, remembering how they fought back when they were also Thieves as well in previous loops.
Haruna's was most concerning to him though...
As of now, Nagisa rested at his Thieves' Den, which he renovated as a house like area. He hasn't seen Marthym in a long while. He wonders how she's doing. Has she sold anything? Just in another location?
Nagisa shook that thought away as he left his assigned room, he looked down at the first floor to see his owl like friend, Lufel, and his White Mask counterpart that they dubbed 'Nageru' eating.
Unlike Nagisa, Nageru had slightly longer hair as he had a smaller red ponytail.
As Nagisa went downstairs, he recalled when he calmed down and helped his hateful counterpart remember his mission. While he was still a bit of a rage baiter, he still talks every once in a while. Compared to before, they were on a good term, with Nageru wishing he could somehow atone for his kills.
But they were stuck here, unsure how, but they can't leave like before.
They miss home, they miss mom and dad whom they haven't seen in so long. While their vacation should've lasted for only a year or so, Nagisa... They haven't seen them in years due to the time-loops...
"So apparently the vending machine can gives us drinks now." Nageru comments while taking a sip. "Still haven't found other foods to eat. I mean, we will get tired of eating the same thing EVENTUALLY."
"That's true." Lufel admits, eating egg. "Still, we can clearly sense our Personas, and we can still change outfits and summon the Phantom Idols, what purpose do we have?"
"Don't know." Nagisa said, shaking his head while eating ramen. "But it'll be a miracle if we remain sane in a place like this."
"We should renovate this place more often every once in a while." Nageru suggested as he eats some crepe. "Still, what will we do with that." He says, pointing at the direction.
In the direction was a glowing soul like wisp, resting in a jar so that it wouldn't wander off to a random place. It was the last fragment of Nagisa, representing his childhood that didn't have to worry about anything like saving the world. While the 'husk' Nagisa was the version of him that was 'happy', there was a sense of maturity with a dash of, well, responsibility.
"Honestly, I think we all know there isn't much we can do with that part of us. I mean, I don't want that to be in a physical form and has to suffer with us in isolation."
"True, but it still feels sad to leave him in that state..." His white mask counterpart admits. "If I get bored, I might as well take a long nap."
"Doesn't sound bad, but what will you do when you wake up?" Lufel asks.
"Don't know. Maybe some self reflection."
"You already reached 67 essays of self reflection Nageru." Nagisa tells him. "I know why you're doing that, but you can't spend your entire life making essays."
Nageru didn't say anything, but Nagisa could sense that Nageru knew that he couldn't live like that forever. He just genuinely had no clue what else to do in this... whatever reality they were in.
The three finished eating and decided to do their daily things.
Nagisa writing in a journal and maybe writing a chapter of a book to kill time, Lufel going to their makeshift one-way road to turn into a car and drive. He eventually learned to drive himself after who knows how long he was here, and Nageru just sharpened their weapons and trained, in case they had to fight again.
This was their usual routine. A boring one perhaps, but what else could they do?
But that specific day, their wonders were answer.
A blue door spawned, and the 3 knew what that meant as they entered the door, Nageru gently carrying the jar where their last unformed fragment rested.
Inside, the three sat down, greeted by Igor and Merope.
"It has been quite some time since we have summoned you to the Velvet room dear Guests."
"Hey Igor." Nageru greets him. "Sorry about the troubles I've cost."
"What you've done doesn't matter right now as you desire to atone for them." Igor simply tells him. "But you're aware we've brought you here for a reason no?"
"Save another world?" Nagisa asks. "I mean, considering our world is well, poof and all."
"Correct, though this is an optional mission this time. A contract not involved." Merope tells them. "In short, this mission will involve more life and death scenarios as it involves other worlds, different from yours."
"I figure." Lufel admits. "All these worlds are in a brink of ruin I presume?" Lufel asks, tilting his head.
"That's right, each world is facing different crisis, if not solved, they could potentially end." Igor continues. "But, we understand you all deserve rest after your experiences, so what we tell you is more of a warning."
There was a long pause. A warning, but a potential mission as well. Though it was optional all because they were tired and exhausted... mentally.
The three already knew what the other was thinking.
If they stand by, it breaks their whole principal of 'not allowing their whole world to die'. If they stood by, others would die, more innocent people would die.
And they couldn't accept that. Not one bit.
Not when people who are like their friends, family, and companions could die.
"We... We thank you for the consideration Igor..." Nagisa says with gratitude.
"But we aren't standing by while we are fully aware worlds could end and we do nothing about it." Nageru says, standing up.
"It doesn't' matter if we do this for an eternity, we won't allow other worlds so suffer."
Although Igor always smiled, there was a sense of... 'gladness'? Was that the word? They don't know.
All they knew was that the worlds they went to, had potential Wild Cards, even though said worlds should've lacked it.
After given proper equipment, there was one last thing they had to do... Since Igor couldn't access the other worlds, they needed someone in his place to help guide them.
The 3 gently place the jar down on the table, the three burst into flames, turning into their Metaverse forms.
They raised their hands forward, as they opened the jar's lid, the small soul slowly exiting, but not escaping.
It took a form of a child that resembled Nagisa, only, he wore a blue train operator uniform, and had a hair and eye color resembling the colors of the Velvet siblings and Merope.
The young boy yawned and open his eyes.
"Where am I...?" He says, rubbing his yellow eyes, opening them to see he was in a blue room, on a coach.
"Your name is Touko." Nagisa says as he gently gives him his compendium. "And we have a favor to ask of you."
"A favor?" The boy now named Touko asks, curious.
"That's right, you have an important job to do here." Nageru says, with a smile, gentle. He may still be somewhat hateful towards humanity, but he doesn't hate children, much less a version of himself that was blissfully ignorant, kind and innocent. "Some... kind people will visit this place, and will need someone to guide them." He tells him, while giving a tarrot card.
"All you need to do is to help them in any way you can." Lufel tells him.
"I... Don't fully understand but... I'll try." Touko says with a smile. "Misters, will I see you again?"
"You will." Nagisa answers truthfully. "And when that time comes, we'll play together."
"Really?! Thank you!" He looks at the Copedium and tarrot cards. "What are these for?"
"The book has a lot of strong personas in it. Use them in case you need to defend them, or yourself. The tarrot cards, are... well, they can sometimes help perceive the future in a vague way."
"O-okay."
They said their goodbyes, as Nagisa, Nageru, and Lufel enter a subway in the special Mementos to their destination.
They would travel to many worlds and save them as much as possible.
"Motoha, Shun, Riko, Shoki, Aran, everyone... We're okay now..."
"And we'll save other worlds that need our help..."
The End...?
No... Until the next adventure...