Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A heavy wind shook the curtains of the Velvet Room as Nameless slammed away on the keys of his piano.

Igor watched the curtain sway violently with a devious smile on his face. “The resulting Persona is….” He said dramatically. The curtain soon lifted as the atmosphere in the room began to calm, revealing the gargantuan rotating card of a Persona, one called from the depths of the user's soul.

Igor straightened his tie and held out his hand. The card was quickly surrounded in smoke with a loud ‘Poof’. A smaller, much more manageable version of the card fluttered down into his open palm. “Aizen Myouou, an Occult sub-type of the Hierophant Arcana.” He read out, proud of the successful fusion.

Igor shut his flip phone and stuffed it back into his jacket pocket. Belladonna and Nameless picked up their normal songs, the tunes they specifically designed to sooth the human soul. He found the effectiveness varied with each user. The musicians said they were still work shopping it, hoping to raise the potency with each version. He eagerly looked forward to each iteration of it.

He turned to the Persona-user before him, a skinny man in his early twenties. Igor seemed to recall that his name was Hondo...maybe? He was bad with names, especially with how many visitors they could get. Igor held out the card for him, gently cradling it between his pointer and middle fingers.

“Perfect,” The man said, violently snatching the card from Igor's hand. “I could get some use out of this one.” Igor was almost shocked it didn’t tear. Far too many people seemed to see Personas as a tool or a weapon rather than for their actual purpose; understanding a part of themselves better.

“Please take good care of it…” He warned the user. The man either didn’t hear or didn’t care. He simply turned on his heel and made for the exit. He threw the door open and disappeared into the bright light beyond it, returning from wherever he came. Igor shook his head as his desk and chair materialized in the center of the room with another ‘poof’. This one with much lighter smoke.

“…You’re welcome…” He grumbled out.

Igor had seen many Persona-users come and go during his time as the proprietor of the Velvet Room. People of all different shapes and sizes had come through that door. Sometimes they got repeat visits, usually not. Igor rarely knew what happened to the user after they left.

To Igor’s right, Belladonna and Nameless slowly drew their beautiful song to a close before relaxing. Nameless cracked his knuckles while Belladonna drank from a glass of water she kept nearby.

“Nothing like another satisfied customer…” Belladonna grumbled between sips.

"I'm sure we will get a glowing review." Igor muttered.

“You could have put a little more effort into it, Igor.” Nameless said, disappointment evident on his face... or was that concern? Sometimes it was hard to tell with that blindfold on his face.

“He asked for a fusion, I gave it to him. We did our job, that’s enough for me.” Igor sighed, hoping to end the conversation.

“That wasn’t even an Arcana he’d be strong in,” Nameless Scolded. “Aizen Myouou is a part of the Hierophant Arcana, but he’s a Chariot! Those two don't mix well!"

“A fact he should already be aware of.” Igor responded tiredly.

“Our job is to make them aware of it, Igor.” Belladonna chimed in.

He had received complaints before of so-called ‘weak’ Personas and accusations that he’d supposedly messed up during the fusion process. Sure, a fusion could occasionally be botched but a Persona is only as strong as the user understands themselves. As they grow, they outgrow the old Persona. Further, if the Persona's Arcana is a far-cry from the user’s, it won’t work. Opposites do not attract, in this case. A weak one was far more often to blame on the user’s poor self-reflection than Igor's fusion technique.

The Personas and the Velvet Room were designed by Philemon to give people the chance to understand themselves on a deeper level. Despite this, Igor had seen plenty of people ignore his guidance, tossing aside the opportunity of rumination in exchange for the thrill of power. Igor continued to fail to understand the creatures who were responsible for his creation. If they wanted to squander their opportunity to be their true mind, so be it.

“Our job is to run the Velvet Room. What happens to our visitors after they leave is irrelevant.” Igor said flatly. “…Besides, I doubt the card will last long. With how he snatched it from me, I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets ruined within the week.”

“What if he wants another one to replace it?” Belladonna asked.

“Then he’d have to find and bring the two cards we used to make that one. We’ll make it, maybe answer a question or two from him, and send him on his way.” Igor said, his tone indicating the conversation was over. The musicians gave each other a concerned glance before shaking their heads.

Ignoring his coworker's disapproval, Igor picked up his quill, dipped it in his ink bottle and began to write in an open book on his desk. He grumbled to himself as his quill danced across the page.

“Aizen Myouou, Hierophant Arcana. Mr. Hondo, Chariot Arcana….” He quickly checked his pocket watch. “12:42pm, June 25th, 1995.” He was never good at this either. The human concept of time meant little to him. Minutes, hours, days, he understood it factually, but he struggled to wrap his mind around the point of it. It made sense to Philemon though and that’s what mattered.

Igor dropped the quill back into the bottle, a gentle ‘tink’ sounding across the quiet room. He leaned back in his chair.

The three attendants soon became enveloped in their own tasks. Belladonna practicing her high notes, Nameless writing a new hook for the next iteration of “Aria of The Soul” as they called it, and Igor filing papers.

Nameless clacked away at the piano keys before he looked up to his coworkers.

“Hey… Any idea where the spell cards come from?” He asked curiously.

“What?” Igor asked, raising an eyebrow. Belladonna looked away from her sheet music and turned to him with an equally puzzled look.

“The spell cards… where do they come from?” He asked again. “I know demons drop them when they die, but does someone actually make the cards or…?”

Belladonna held a finger up to her chin. “I suppose someone must make them… I’ll admit it’s not something I’ve thought much about.”

Igor cocks his head at Nameless, even though the pianist probably couldn’t see it. “Why do you ask?”

Nameless shrugged, dropping his hands back on the keys and smacking a handful of notes in the process. “I simply find it strange the user would need to regather cards they've already gathered before. Is the Persona not just an aspect of their soul? Can't we just resummon it? …Do we not have extra cards?”

Igor shook his head. “Yes. No and No. It’s not like you can buy a set at Satomi Tadashi. It would be far too difficult to create our own as well.” Igor raised an eyebrow. “Unless any of us are hiding some painterly talents?”

The two musicians shook their heads. Igor rubs his chin in thought before picking up his quill once more and flipping to a page near the back of the book.

“You make a good point, Nameless. Perhaps a more convenient method should be made available in the future...” Igor spoke as he wrote. “I will have to think over it...”

He had taken many notes over the years on ways to improve the Velvet Room. Igor quietly looked back through the list. An assistant to keep track of all the records, a compendium of Personas a user had previously summoned, entertainment for the attendants, various furniture, etc. Multiple pages of ideas to build on the functionality of the Velvet Room. He never did anything with them. Why bother going to such lengths when ultimately, the humans they worked to assist would so rarely utilize it?

Igor returned the quill and shut the book lightly.

He watched Belladonna and Nameless continue their practice. That was a good question... why bother? If so few had taken the opportunity, what was the point? Igor stared at his gloved hands for a moment. They were the hands of a servant of Philemon and the proprietor of the Velvet Room, a space between the conscious and unconscious. A space meant to help young Persona-users find themselves.

"Be your true mind."

The deep, all-consuming voice of Philemon echos through Igor's mind. His boss had used that phrase many times before. A phrase that means to understand yourself on the deepest level possible. He had yet to see a human truly embrace this phrase.

That was why he bothered with this. For the opportunity to see a young person shape themselves into the fine adult they are meant to be. The moment a person truly becomes their true mind. He wanted to see that moment. He wasn't sure if he ever would, but he was willing to keep trying.

The edges of the door began to glow a light blue. Belladonna and Nameless quickly resumed their song. Igor sat up straight at his desk. The door creaked open as the next user came through. Igor cleared his throat.

“Welcome to the Velvet Room. What is it you desire?”

Chapter Text

Naoya Toudou was a name that didn’t mean much to Igor at first. It was just like any of the other thousands of names held by other visitors over the years. On the surface, there wasn’t much about Naoya that set him apart from the others. He had a Persona, he wanted more of them, Igor offered help. It didn’t take long for Igor to start noticing what set Naoya apart though.

For starters, unlike many others, Naoya didn’t travel or fight alone. In fact, he seemed to prefer to travel with a parade of other users. A parade of weirdos at that.

It took a while, but eventually Igor was able to burn their names into his memory. Not that he had much choice, it would be hard to forget the lot if he tried. Which he certainly had.

First, there was Masao Inaba, or Mark as he wanted to be called. The boy seemed to have a varied background, Igor had trouble pinpointing exactly where this boy was from, likely from his lack of experience in these matters. Mark was clearly the troublemaker of the group. He was often cutting the others off by blurting out his own thoughts.

Second, there was Kei Nanjo. The most logical member of the group, for better or for worse. He got along with Mark about as well as water got along with oil. He clearly thought very highly of himself and his family, given the #1 printed on his scarf.

Third, Eriko Kirishima. On the outside, this one appeared to be a bit of a ditz. It didn’t take long for Igor to see that she was far smarter than she seemed. She was the most enthusiastic member, often being the first to agree to whatever plans they made for their next move. She also seemed to stand a little closer to Naoya than Igor thought a friend would.

Fourth, Hidehiko Uesugi. He insisted on being called ‘Brown’ for whatever reason. This kid certainly loved attention. If Naoya was the one in the spotlight, you could be sure Hidehiko would soon pipe up with a loud boast to steal it back.

Fifth was Maki Sonamura… or so she claimed. Igor could sense a falseness about her, like a funhouse mirror. Though he didn’t voice his observations, since he had concluded that she wasn’t a threat.

How someone as unassuming as Naoya Toudou had become the leader of this outfit was beyond Igor. What impressed him was that despite this rag-tag group of kids wanting next to nothing to do with each other, Naoya still found ways to keep the group together. They all seemed drawn to him.

With their hometown crawling with demons, they had set out together to figure out the source of the invasion. They were hot on the trail of another user by the name of Takahisa Kandori. It seemed that in their journey, they had ended up in another world, mirroring their own but different in a few keyways. Igor suspected it had something to do with the Sonamura girl, but that was only a theory.

Igor’s eyes snapped up as he suddenly remembered he was getting yelled at.

“What do you mean you can’t get us home?!” yelled Mark, rather rudely. “I see doors to this place every five steps! Can’t you just send us through the door that leads us back home?!”

“I have no control where you exit. The door sends you back to the one you came through.” Igor replied, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. “I can’t just tell it to let you out somewhere else.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t be yelling at the only consistent ally we have?” Nanjo shook his head disapprovingly at Mark. “Have you no tact?”

Mark glared back at Nanjo. “Well, at least I’m trying something! I don’t see you coming up with any ideas!"

An argument quickly broke out between the two. Hidehiko, Maki, and Eriko stood back, opting to let the two duke it out. Nameless and Belladonna attempted to bring an end to the bickering. Naoya put one hand on his hip and the other on his chin as he thought about their next move.

This was how most visits from this group played out. They would return every so often to rest, fuse new Personas, and argue a lot. If nothing else, it made Igor’s day more interesting if only for a time.

In fact, it was hard not to get invested in their trials.

From a battle through a corporate office building to a classmate with a magic mirror to granted wishes, these kids were on the journey of a lifetime. It was hard to ignore Naoya’s growth in all of it as well. With each new development, he was more confident in his unintended position as the leader of the group. He understood his new friends more. He didn’t ask for this role, but he accepted it with open arms.

His attitude rubbed off on his companions too. His confidence in their odds of success was often all the group needed to boost their morale. Naoya was quiet, but the words he did say were powerful.

That’s not to say he was perfect. By the looks of things, his strategies were often brash, given the types of injuries the group would return to the Velvet Room with. He lacked confidence in his teammate’s capabilities, more often preferring to tank the fights himself. Perhaps out of a fear of loss?

Despite these shortcomings, Naoya was able to lead the group to victory time and time again. It was now, as they rested in the Velvet Room one last time before heading to their final battle, that Igor could see just how far Naoya had come. The young adult before him was not the same boy that had stumbled into the Velvet room mere days prior.

That Naoya Toudou was content with letting himself drift through life.

This Naoya Toudou was different, he had faced himself. He had accepted his flaws and vowed to learn from them. He had forged bonds with his classmates that wouldn’t break anytime soon.

The curtains shook as a great wind blew through the Velvet Room. Nameless slammed in the keys of his piano with a force unseen previously. Igor felt a chill run down his spine as he spoke, “The resulting Persona is…” he said, lacking his practiced dramatic tone.

The curtain lifted, revealing the result of their final fusion. A ‘poof’ sounded through the room. The card fluttered lightly into Igor’s outstretched hand.

“…It is… Amon-Ra of the Emperor Arcana.” he said as calmly as he could manage.

Igor stared at the card in his hand. They had spent the last few minutes fusing new Personas with totems Naoya had been given by his other self. There was something very different about these Persona from others he had fused in the past. Igor shook off the feeling and turned the card over to its owner. Naoya reached out and softly plucked the card from Igor’s grasp.

The boy with the earring studied the card curiously. The rest of his group gathered around to get a good look at their leader’s card.

“It’s pretty cool, I guess, but nothing can hold a candle to Tyr!” He said smugly, holding up his own card. “It’s about seven percent cooler than any other Persona!”

Nanjo pushed up his glasses. Gingerly cradling his own card, Yamaoka, in his other hand. “I’m going to have to double check your math on that, Uesugi.” The group chuckled at that; Hidehiko included.

Igor watched quietly from his desk as the group of unlikely friends gathered their belongings and headed toward the shining blue door. He wasn’t sure what to make of the Personas he had fused for them. They were far more powerful and demanding than the normal Persona and yet, they seemed to match each user perfectly. He doubted he could replicate the process and get the same result.

Even if he could, those Persona were far too powerful to listen to just anyone. The fact they bonded so well with their user meant that everyone in Naoya’s group had come to a new level of understanding within themselves. Their likes, dislikes, dreams, fears, insecurities. All needed to be understood about oneself to successfully fuse Personas like that.

Yet it had worked, six times over.

Is this what it meant to be your true mind? Had this group become one with Philemon’s guidance?

Igor shook his head. Not yet. They still had a long road ahead. These Personas, requiring ultimate understanding of oneself, were the catalyst. The first major step in the journey to understanding that saying. The next step would be to take that newfound understanding and make something of it. These Ultimate Personas were the key to unlocking one’s true potential in life.

Naoya stopped just short of the door. He paused for a second before turning to Igor. He gave a low bow.

“In case we don’t make it, thank you, Igor. For everything.” He said with a level of sincerity Igor had never heard before in a human voice.

Naoya stood up straight, a small smile on his face. Igor took a moment to collect his thoughts.

“…You’re very welcome.” Igor replied, unsure of how to respond to true gratitude. “You all… are welcome any time...”

“Do come back and give us an update when your journey is complete.” Belladonna said with a sweet tone.

“Remind Nanjo to bring his violin next time.” Nameless quickly added. Naoya gave one final nod and shut the door behind him. Leaving the members of the Velvet Room to their own devices.

Igor stared straight ahead for a few moments before letting out a small smile. He flipped open the book on his desk, taking out his pocket watch, quickly jotting down the time and what fusions he had performed.