Spectra (Ryuji x OC)

34 • Velvet Room

12/24 After School

The ground underneath us vanished and everything went white. We ended up on the sidewalk in the real world.

"Is everyone ok?" Ann asks.

"Owww... of course we are!" Ryuji mumbled.

"Did we lose?" Makoto asks.

"We can't give up," Akira said.

"I know that, but..."

Suddenly it started to rain, but the drops of rain that hit the ground were red like blood. Giant bones shot out from the ground where the blood was starting to build up in puddles.

"Mementos here in Shibuya. Was this what it meant by the fusion?"

"No way, you gotta be shittin' me!" Ryuji said.

No one around us noticed, mentioning stuff about how great the weather was and forgetting the Phantom Thieves existed.

"Why isn't anyone noticing this abnormality?" Yusuke asks.

"Because to them it isn't abnormal," I say, staring up at the cloudy sky.

Futaba fell to the ground, clutching her head in pain. One by one everyone else fell to the ground as well. I knelt down beside Ryuji when he fell. He looked up at his hand and noticed it was disappearing, he started to freak out. I took hold of his other hand and squeezed tightly. He kept his scared eyes on me, trying not to think too much about how he just saw directly through his hand.

"I-it's going to be all right, we'll make it out of this," I say unsurely, glancing around at all the others.

"Yuki?" Ann asked weakly.

"I-I don't know why I'm not disappearing. I should be, shouldn't I?!"

"This isn't my doing. You imbeciles are about to disappear from the people's cognition," the Holy Grail said. "Mementos and reality have become one. Thus, those who have disappeared from cognition cannot exist anywhere"

I hurried over to Akira and Morgana when everyone else had vanished. They were slowly disappearing but not quite gone yet. Everyone around us continued to act like we weren't even there.

"Is this my fault? Because I... brought you all there?" Morgana asks.

"It's not your fault," Akira tells him.

"I didn't mean to. I-I'm sorry... the mission's a failure"

Morgana and Akira then disappeared and I stood up, looking up at the sky once more.

"Why not me!?" I shout.

"Yours is soon to come"

I ran, hoping I could find someone who had believed in the Phantom Thieves. Sojiro, Nijima, Mishima. Someone. But as I ran I felt myself getting lighter and lighter. Eventually my body disappeared.

I woke up in a cell, the walls padded blue, an iron cast door keeping me locked in the room. It reminded me of the Velvet Room. I banged on the door, hoping someone would hear me, but no one came. Because of this I knew something was wrong.

What I had thought before was true, Igor wasn't Igor. I could finally see it. Now that the monster posing as Igor had gotten rid of us, he didn't need to keep himself hidden anymore.

"W-Wait, where's Yuki?" I heard someone ask.

"She's gotta be here somewhere, right?" Someone else asked.

"Let me explain first," a familiar voice said. "Then you can search for her"

I could hear faint talking, but soon it stopped. The door opened and when I stepped out I was instantly hugged by someone. When they finally pulled away after a long moment I saw it was Skull.

"Why were you in a more high security cell?" Fox asks me.

"The god that was posing as Igor knows what kind of power I have. He thought he could lock me up in here and I would be lost, unable to be found by you. But his plan didn't work because he didn't expect all of you to end up in here as well"

"How are you powers different from the rest of ours?" Queen asks.

"Just as the Trickster has his destiny, I have mine"

"Trickster? What's that?" Skull asks.

"Someone who opposes fate and desires change"

"Who is it?"

"Akira"

We followed Joker to the main room where Igor and Lavenza - the combination of Caroline and Justine, how she had been before Igor was replaced - were. I went over and stood beside Igor's desk, facing the others.

"Igor, it's good to finally see the true you. The game had shrouded me in darkness for too long. But thanks to the Trickster the light has finally shone through. I see the truth," I say.

"What's the truth?" Skull asks.

Igor's eyes widened and the smile that was always on his face vanished. "I can't believe I haven't noticed this before"

A blue card floated down in front of Joker and he held his hand out, palm up, allowing it to float on top. It was the Universe card.

"I never dreamed of seeing that card with my own eyes. This is indeed a surprise. Behold the strongest power you and I shall unveil. It is the power to bring about a new beginning, or the ultimate end. It may be possible now, with this newfound power. What you have in your hands is the power of the Universe... Nothing is outside the realm of possibility for you now"

"What's the Universe card?" Queen asks.

"We are each tied to our own destiny, except for Akira who wields the Wild card, which is why we refer to him as the Trickster. Each of you have your own cards," I explain. "Mine is the Universe"

"Now that the evil god's identity has been exposed, you can see your rehabilitation to its completion. Only you can leave this prison, and save this distorted world and it's captive people... young man, guided by Morgana and worthy of the Trickster name... you must challenge the evil god and reclaim your existence in reality. Are you up to the task?" Lavenza asks.

"Of course," Joker responds.

"Let's destroy that annoying, shiny Treasure jerk for sure this time!" Skull exclaimed.

Igor chuckled. "Excellent. There is nothing to fear. You already possess the strength to oppose this evil god. I am truly looking forward to this"

Mona led us out of the Velvet Room and we ended up back in Shibuya where our bodies had disappeared. We had come through the door that we found behind a cell door before, but it was no longer locked up.

"So if we came outta there, does that mean we're the criminals!?" Skull asks. "No, it's more like Akira! Since he was kept in here!"

"Most likely, Joker had been under the malicious guidance of the evil god for quite some time," Mona said.

"It was actually ever since he formed the contract," I say.

Mona nods. "The Velvet Room originally existed to nurture the human mind, but after it was taken over it was sealed inside that bastard's nest. Inside Mementos"

"Uh, Mona, more importantly..." Oracle said.

"You're shining," Queen finished.

"It's probably because my memories have returned. I know what my duty is now," Mona said.

Mona's shining drew a crowd, the people actually able to see, and because of that they were able to see us as the Phantom Thieves. The people started to remember, all talking about us.

"Mona, guide us. Where must we go?" Fox asks.

"Over there," Mona said, pointing at the temple. "The bastard from earlier is in that temple"