Working With Phantoms

The Great Beyond

July 3rd

Madran arrived much earlier in the Velvet Room due to it being a Sunday, with Isabeau and Flynn looking up at her.

"Oh, hey. You're rather early."

"Yeah, today, I don't have school. This means that everyone else should be here soon."

"How does your school work?"

"Oh, well, we have classes for about 12 years, and then go out into the world. We also get to, for the most part, choose what job we wanna do."

"What do you want to be when you get out of school?"

"Well, a writer. I haven't been able to do it much due to my Metaverse operations, but I'm still able to write stuff whenever I find the time to."

"That's... definitely a new response out of the various upcoming warriors and providers."

"Are you...?"

"No, I'm not like an overbearing father, I'm just saying that your choice is the first unique one I've heard in forever, and it's refreshing."

"Oh, well, thanks."

Madran looked over her shoulder to see Sheila and Rosana walking through their doors. Then, everyone else arrived, and Madran looked around.

"Ok, so, today, we're going for the third White, and if we're lucky, the fourth. Not even Flynn and Isabeau know what happens after they're all dead, so I guess that we'll just figure out."

The group then all went back to the Universe door, where they reentered the Monochrome Forest.

"Alrighty, well, Flynn, which way do you wish to go this time?"

"Hmm... I'm thinking... left."

"Well, let's get moving."

Madran then began to guide everyone alongside Flynn and Isabeau down then left path.

"So, like, do you guys really want to go back to your world? I mean, it sounds pretty bad out there."

"Your world sounds not much different, Suga. While our problems are incredibly obvious, your world's issues are well-hidden to the point where only the lucky few can uncover them."

"I mean, you do have a point."

"Isabeau and I spent awhile talking to Margaret and Elizabeth, who told us all about the last times persona-users came to the front, like with Nyx and Izanami. While, yes, in my world, death literally awaits you every corner you take, your world has an issue with wanting to stay alive. It seems like every time one issue gets taken out, another arises, and you can't just kill the interfering party so easily."

"Yeah, you're pretty correct. It's scary how much evil our minds are capable of, and how we don't even notice it. Also, what do you mean by 'killing' the interfering party?"

"Well, say Nyx took a fully-fledged form in our world. If she did that, then we could match ourselves and our demons against her, and destroy her. However, all that your world could do was seal Nyx away to await her eventual return."

"It seems that letting the problem manifest has its benefits, but being dead in the brain is far worse than being outright dead. Thus, those who complete their inner contract rise up to resist this coming death."

"It's amazing that your world has ways to deal with both types of threats. I wish that we were as fortunate, but, as you see, all we have is the chance to gain these former shadows' attention."

"Well, nice talk, but I spy a few angry Oberons coming at us."

"Gotcha."

Madran then summoned Dharma.