Of Phantoms and Thieves

Slave to Guilt

Ren arrived at his destination. A small bridge that had always given him peace of mind whenever crossing it. He'd kept the location a secret from his friends. Even Café Leblanc could easily be entered and overrun by his friends. Ren had heard familiar voices in this area. He was sure that today was the day that they would appear to him.

His thoughts exactly, there appeared the all too familiar door of the Velvet room. No one stood to guard it, the door seeming rather bland without a Velvet attendant to greet him. Ren cautiously stepped up to the door and opened it, time and space warping around him until he was back inside the prison cell that had appeared so many times. The door was open and the room beyond was empty. Without hesitation, Ren stepped forward, having hoped for someone to be there.

"Why...?" Ren asked aloud. "Why leave me when I need you the most?"

There was no answer, so he continued.

"I came here for guidance. If you have none, then you know my next decision."

Still, no response.

"Why keep this place as a prison?"

Silence.

"You must be here somewhere! If you can hear me, speak!"

A faint blue light hovered above Ren's head. He looked up to find a blue butterfly.

"My power... it has dwindled..."

"Lavenza?"

"Why do you question your decisions, my Trickster? You of all people should know that actions have consequences. Which path shall you take?"

Ren burst out in tears. "I came here for you to answer my question, not to make things more complicated!!!"

"Patience, my Trickster. There are lessons to be learned here. We have tended to many guests over the years. To accept death, to face the truth... It must be hard for you. You have gone through much pain. But please, think about your situation."

Ren stayed silent. The butterfly disappeared from view, but the voice was stronger than ever.

"Consider your place in this world. Are you good or evil?"

"I... I'm good, right?"

"No one is entirely good, Trickster. Anyone can be seen as evil. Think of yin and yang. Symbols that have been used for centuries to represent light and dark. Just as there is a spot of light in darkness, there is a spot of darkness within the light. The two are intertwined, and without the other there would be chaos.

"Humans are the same way. There is still a spark of good in evil. You saw that in your victims, that there was still a chance that you could find a weakness. In the end, they repented of their actions and face the consequences. So, Trickster? Just as you believe there is light within you, you cannot chase away the Shadows. Perhaps it is time that you face the consequences of your actions. It is time that you address that side of you that you wish to hide. That you see as... your killer. Your worst half."

Ren took a few steps backwards. "No, he's gone. He'll be gone once I leave-"

"Please don't lie to yourself. It hurts me to see you this way."

"Why did you let them in?" Ren asked. "You're the only one that could have done it."

"You must destroy these walls you put up," Lavenza stated. "They fight him now."

Ren's eyes widened. The Phantom Thieves were...

"Get them out of there!" he shouted. "They'll get hurt, or-"

"Ren Amamiya."

The mention of his name threw him off. Lavenza's voice continued.

"Will you pledge your allegiance to this Shadow? Or will you face yourself and free your friends from death's grip?"

Ren put his hands on his head. He'd been in the wrong all along? In the end, he hadn't been protecting his friends after all. He'd made things harder. More dangerous. Here he had been despising the Phantom Thieves, while their actions had been his fault.

"It was me who did it, not Joker," Ren breathed. "I'm... I'm the original. I'm the one in control..." He fell to his knees, feeling the pain that had been stored up. "I really am a horrible person..."

"And what should you do about it?" Lavenza questioned.

"I must... make things right... I have... I have to save them..."

Ren stood.

"I have to save them!"

As he shouted that, the Velvet Room disappeared around him. Ren gathered his few belongings and ran in the direction of Café Leblanc. 

"Steal my heart, Phantom Thieves..."