Spectra (Ryuji x OC)

1 • Velvet Room

4/9 Evening

The Velvet Room was quiet, Igor, Caroline, Justine and I waiting patiently for the Trickster to awake. He was in a cell that was padded with blue walls.

I was wearing my Phantom Thief outfit, not wanting to show what I looked like in reality just in case I ran into him in the future. My outfit was a close match to the colour of the Velvet Room, and my hair wasn't far off either, it was just slightly darker.

Caroline and Justine were two twins with blonde hair and an eye patch over an eye, but they were on different eyes. Caroline was more aggressive where Justine was calm. But together they seemed to balance each other out, like they were one.

Igor was a strange man, and he didn't seem like himself recently. His voice was deeper, but I simply believed he was sick. He had a long pointy nose and wore a suit.

The boy gasped awake, the chains starting to rattle as he moved. He stood up, looking around confused. Justine and Caroline moved to stand in front of the cell door.

"Trickster, welcome to the Velvet Room," Igor said.

"So, you've come to, inmate," Caroline said.

"The you in reality is currently fast asleep. You are only experiencing this as a dream," Justine explained.

"You're in the presence of our master, stand up straight!" Caroline ordered.

"Welcome. I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a contract may enter. I am Igor, the master of this place. Remember it well. I summoned you to speak of important matters. It involves your life as well," Igor explained.

"Important matters?" The Trickster asked.

"Still, this is a surprise. The state of this room reflects the state of your own heart. To think a prison would appear as such. You truly are a prisoner of fate. In the near future, there is no mistake that ruin awaits you"

"Ruin?"

"I speak of the end to everything. However, there is a means to oppose such a fate. You must be rehabilitated toward freedom... that is your only means to avoid ruin... do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?"

"... wait, what?"

"You didn't decline, hm? Very well, that is enough. Allow me to observe the path of your rehabilitation. Ah, pardon me for not introducing the others. To your right is Caroline, to your left, Justine. They serve as wardens here"

"Hmph, try and struggle as hard as you like," Caroline said.

"The duty of wardens is to protect inmates. We are also your collaborators... that is if you remain obedient," Justine said.

"I shall explain the roles of these two at another occasion. And to my right is Spectra, she has a special role in this rehabilitation, but the details will be learned later on. Now then, it seems the night is waning... it is almost time. Take your time to slowly come to understand this place. We will surely meet again, eventually..."

A bell rang, and the Trickster looked around a little worriedly.

"Time's up. Now hurry up and go back to sleep," Caroline ordered.

4/11 Early Morning

I was in a castle, one belonging to some teacher I didn't know at the time, trying to steal his Treasure. But I heard some talking from the main entrance and went to see what it was.

All I could see was a Shadow, so I thought I'd take it out. I jumped down from the balcony in a dive, my two blades out in front of me. Then as I approached the guard I swung so I chopped it's head clean off.

I landed in a crouch, my left leg out to steady myself from the long fall. The body of the guard slowly fell, its head falling first, revealing my crouched form to the two boys standing in shock. I stood, tucking my blades back in their sheaths.

"Damn"

I looked up - my attention drawn away from the guard I killed - at the blond, the boy who spoke. The Trickster was standing beside him.

The boy with glasses, the Trickster, the one I sensed had immense power inside that was locked away, had wavy unkempt black hair and dark grey eyes. He was my height, but I was currently wearing heels. He was quiet, calm, wearing a school uniform instead of a prison suit this time.

The other boy had a matching uniform on, except he wore a bright yellow shirt with some sort of image on the front. He had spiky dyed blonde hair and dark brown eyes. He seemed rebellious, mischievous and disobedient, standing with a slouch.

"Who're you?"

"Don't get involved, the Trickster has to awaken to his Persona," Raven said to me in my mind.

I listened to my Persona, going back to what I had been doing before, running off. The blond shouted but didn't run after me. I continued on my path, but when the time passed and it was morning I found myself sneaking down to the cells.

"Hmph, pathetic scum isn't worth my time... I'll focus on this one's execution," Shadow Kamoshida said in the distance.

I followed his voice, thinking I'd also find the two boys. The blond was being held up by two guards while Shadow Kamoshida beat him, the Trickster was held at sword point.

"Where'd your energy from earlier go? A peasant like you isn't worth beating," Shadow Kamoshida said while the blond was thrown to the floor. "I'll have you killed right now"

"Have you lost your mind?" The Trickster asked.

"Hm? What...? Don't you dare tell me you don't know who I am. That look in your eyes irritates me!" Shadow Kamoshida kicked the Trickster in the stomach, making him land on the ground. "Hold him there... after the peasant, it's his turn to die"

"No, no I don't wanna die," the blond begged, but Shadow Kamoshida only laughed.

"Don't step in, this has to happen," Dove told me calmly.

"But they'll die"

"No, they won't," Raven assured me.

I listened to my Personas and simply watched. The Trickster's eyes widened as he looked at something that wasn't actually there. A guard lifted the blond, a sword to his neck, but the Trickster screamed in pain.

"Execute him," Shadow Kamoshida ordered, a finger pointed at the blond.

"That's enough!" The Trickster shouted.

"What was that? You desire to be killed that much? Fine"

The blond was dropped. A mask appeared on the Trickster's face and he felt it fearfully, but then he ripped it off with a pained scream and his outfit changed, a Persona appearing behind him.

"I am the pillager of twilight, Arsene!" The Trckster's Persona announced.

"What the...?" The blond asked.

"I am the rebel's soul that resides within you. If you so desire I shall consider granting you the power to break through this crisis"

"Give me your power," the Trickster said.

"It seems we are no longer needed here. What had to be done is done," Dove told me as I snuck away.