The Royal Strikers

Chapter Two: "Beginning Navigation"

NewWorldFool: Hey, everybody! NewWorldFool and CloudStrife07 coming at you with the new and improved version of Chapter Two! Well, we don't really have much else to go over, so let us start the game!

Chapter Two

"Beginning Navigation"

A familiar piano melody reached Ren's ears, rousing him from his slumber. Opening his eyes, Ren found himself looking up at the ceiling of an all-too-familiar blue prison cell, complete with the rattling chains hanging from the ceiling and the steady dripping of water into the metal toilet nearby. One look down at himself and realizing that he was clad in a ragged black and white prison uniform further confirmed his suspicions.

The Velvet Room? But... why? thought Ren as he sat up from the slab he was lying down on, confused as he looked down at himself before a familiar voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

Ren turned his head towards the sound of the voice to find a small girl with long blonde hair wearing a blue dress holding a massive book that seemed much heavier than something the little girl could reasonably carry.

"Welcome... to the Velvet Room," the little girl, Lavenza, said, a sorrowful look on her face.

"Lavenza..." Ren said in a whisper as he felt a small smile forming on his face at seeing his old ally again.

Ren stood up and made his way towards the chained cell door. However, noticeably missing from his position at his desk smack dab in the middle of the circle of other prison cells, was a gremlin-like man with a long nose wearing an old-fashioned suit.

"Wait, where's Igor?" asked Ren

"My master is taking a vacation to recuperate from his ordeal from being held captive by Yaldabaoth. He still hasn't fully recovered his powers." Lavenza explained before her sorrowful expression returned. "That aside... I know not whether to rejoice or bemoan this reunion."

"All things considered, I'd probably go with both," said Ren. "I mean, it's great to see you again and all, but... the fact that I'm here and wearing these clothes must mean that something's up."

"Indeed," Lavenza said with a small nod. "I must warn you of the danger that threatens to consume both yourself and the world whose heart you strove so greatly to change and save from the illusion of eternal happiness."

Ren sighed. "Figures. I leave Tokyo alone for a few months, thinking I can finally hang up my tailcoat, and it turns out my work is still not even finished." he said.

Lavenza smiled. "If it helps, my older siblings' guests sometimes had to go on more than one journey, and sometimes they even had journeys within their journeys, much like with the Enlil incident," she said.

Ren cocked his eyebrow in confusion. "Your elder siblings' guests? The what incident?" he asked.

"Oh, that's a story for another time," replied Lavenza. "As I said before, I must warn you of the ruin that threatens to consume both yourself and the entire world. A most loathsome prison has manifested... your current appearance is ironclad evidence of this. You have become a 'prisoner of fate' yet again."

"You know, Lavenza, I honestly can't say I understand exactly what you're saying. I don't recall ever feeling imprisoned by anything as of recently." Ren said, scratching the back of his head as he spoke.

"That is understandable. This is something only felt in the depths of one's heart. Someone, even now, plots to lure you into a disastrous fate," said Lavenza. "Confronted by this evil will, your own cries out, 'rise against it.'"