Hello there, Persona Fandom! I am Ultimate Hellhound and I'm pleased to make into your acquantances now. This is my first Persona fic and I know that I might be late for the party, but since I know AATLUS will continue to milk the franchise even without a new persona for the coming years and with my new interest rekindled to the series, I decided to try and make an original story based on such. It might not work very well considering all the things in the games and limitations of the literary transformation, but I'll try to keep it as close as possible as to with the games, social links/confidants and all... I'll at least try. Thnaks for your pacience and interest in this story, and have a good read, don't forget to R&R and have a nice day!

The persona series and SMT as a whole belongs to ATLUS.

"Welcome… To the Velvet Room."

It took a while for my eyes to get used to the sudden light coming from all directions, but when I got to tell left from right, I found myself in a completely alien place: The velvet carpet that extended all over the floor, the bright, golden chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and just like the walls, it was completely covered in mirrors. Mirrors, reflections, clean surfaces from above my head and across the walls that draws a polygonal circle around me like a dome, or a crystal.

However, the most prominent feature that I found in this already bizarre room laid in the middle of it: a long-nosed, bald gentleman of intense bloodshot stare and wide grin, sitting on a golden chair behind an equally sapphire-colored table, and right beside him, a young woman wearing an equally velvet stripped uniform decorated with golden buttons, her pale complexion matching her bright golden eyes and fair hair wrapped in a long ponytail, a mischievous smile drawn on her delicate-looking lips. Among all of this, there was I, sitting on a golden chair facing the mysterious duo in front of me, uncertain of everything that was happening…

Wasn't I sleeping before? Is this a dream? But everything feels so real, yet I don't remember ever being in a place like here. I bit my lips a little, and a little bit of pain spread across it. So this is real…

"Do not fret, my dear guest, for the you in reality is currently fast asleep. You are only experiencing this as a dream." Before I could say anything beforehand, the long-nosed gentleman lifted a hand for me and said such in a calm, composed yet mischievous voice. So, this is really a dream of a sorts, but then again, I feel everything. Really, what's going on? "My name is Igor, and I am delighted to make your acquaintance."

"…" I said nothing, only looked back at him. The young woman besides this Igor gentleman laughs with a hand blocking her mouth, while his grin wouldn't vanish at nothing.

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It's a room that only those who are bound by a contract of some sort may enter. It may be that such a fate awaits you in the near future." Igor continues to talk as he reaches from behind his table to put on its surface a small blue paper right in front of me. From what I can see from here, it looks like a contract. Could it be… A contract for me? "And now, a simple test for our dear guest: would you mind stating your name?"

"…" I continued to stay put and shut, no reactions from me besides surprise and distrust. I have no idea where I am exactly, something-something Velvet room, how did I get here or why I am here, and despite Igor's tone, I still have no idea how to act, but… I don't know, I feel some strange urge to do as he's telling me. To state my name? That is quite easy, but for some reason, that simply escapes my mind for a few seconds, before I can finally say it: "Ichika Amano."

"Splendid." Igor says with his ever-present grin, and out of the sudden, the quill that laid besides the blue contract moved by itself and started to write my name on a specific line by the end of it, rolling back to Igor's white-gloved hands and into a nice, tidy parchment. "It seems that, even in the face of several, superficial reflections of yourself, you hold your own identity dearly within your soul."

"…?" I express some curiosity and doubt about his words, this whole affair getting more and more confusing.

"Are you aware of the several mirrors that surrounds us in this moment? They all perfectly reflect our appearances down to the most minimal of details, no cracks or deformations, a perfect visual copy of what it faces." Igor explains with a hand in the air for me, as my eyes wander around the said Velvet Room, seeing my reflection on the mirrored surface, from the walls to the ceiling, all of them showing a perfect image of myself on its clean surface. I turn my attention back to Igor, who continues with his speech. "Yet, they can only mirror what is visible for them. A mere reflection of what it faces, a pure superficial copy, a Shadow, if you may. You seem to be able to tell yourself apart from your own reflection, instead of being unsure of which is which. Well done."

"…" I gulp a dry one hard. The 'reflection of oneself'? A 'shadow'? This is getting really bizarre, but little by little I think I am understanding what he means by 'getting a hold of myself' or something.

"Now then, it seems that you hone a quite unique power, and as such, you were summoned here to discuss matters that might present themselves in a near future. Matters that, if left uncheck, will engulf the future as a fragile, hollow version of itself." I gasp with the sudden yet vague revelation that Igor gave me. He seems to notice my change of interest, and signals with his hand for me. "But fear not, my dear guest, for is my duty to provide assistance to our guests to ensure that such future does not happen. Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room. As it might seem unclear for now, a path shall be open for you to reach the future you does so desire…"

"…" I remain silent by the end of his speech, only dumbly nodding to his words even though I have no idea of what kind of future he says holds me. A future that might become as fragile and hollow as a reflection? I can only imagine. He soon turns his attention to the young woman besides him.

"Ah! I have neglected to introduce my assistant to you." He says with a slight apologetic bow, as he signed with his hands to the young woman, making my attention shift to her. "This is Agatha. She is a resident of this place, like myself."

"Hello there, Ichika." Unlike her supposed master, the young woman in velvet named Agatha enthusiastically lifted her hand in a cheerful wave and a cutesy nickname for me. "I am Agatha. Let's make this journey the best there ever was! You can count on me for that, so I'm counting on you!"

"…" I said nothing, only nodded yet again for her. I return my attention to Igor.

"Seems we don't have much time as for now. We shall attend to the details another time." Igor concluded, and for some reason, even though this was supposed to be a dream, by eyelids suddenly start to get heavier and heavier, and my conscious little by little slips away. I feel sleepy. "Until then, farewell…"

And then, I couldn't say anything else but feel my body get lighter as my consciousness slips away, until there was nothing but blankness, and then… Silence.

4/9(20XX) – Sunday (Cloudy) – Evening

*BUMP!*

"Yeow…!"

"Ah, sorry Ichika! I hit a bump back there! But that's what happens when you sleep in the car." And I hear a feminine voice call for me as I massage a small affected area on my forehead, my legs trying but failing to find some ground for me to stand. I put myself sit, scratching my eyes a few times and yawning to get rid of my sleepiness. When I come back to myself, I finally can tell where I am now: I'm inside a car on the back seats, laying lazily on the leather couch and using my backpack as a pillow. In the driver's seat, there was a short-haired brunette, Ranko, driving the car as we crossed a few cities coming from Tokyo until we reach our destination. I saw her blink a few times with her grey orbs and turn to me with a smile. "Oh, but look! We're already here! Mizuzuki, your new home from now on!"

She says so enthusiastically, and while I'm still a bit groggy from the nap of before and that freaky dream I had, I swipe my black bangs away and turn my attention to the window and saw a completely new location: an urban area filled with tall buildings and shops, not unlike but not as big as Tokyo, people running around like crazy cockroaches and light coming from all directions, making me a little dizzy. So, this is Mizuzuki, huh? My home from now on…

Soon enough, the buildings and urban chaos settles down and we found ourselves in a quieter, more homely area. Little houses lined around the neighborhood, undistinguished from one another, completely normal for the common eye. Suddenly, we stop by the last house at the end of the street, just as generic as the others but with a less lively colors for some reason. The car parks at the small space near the entrance, and the it turns off, Ranko getting herself off the car to stretch herself and turn to me. I look at the small board at the entrance with a name written in it: 'Kobayashi'. Her maiden name, apparently.

"Well, let's go, sleepy head! That luggage isn't going to dispose itself." He says with a few knocks on window where I was facing.

"…" I said nothing, only yawned a few times to get rid of my sleepiness, put myself sit on the backseat and open the door to a new place. I put my feet down on the concrete to have some standing and closed the door. I turn around to see the double-store house where the car is parked, not different from the others around, and certainly bigger than a Tokyo apartment. So, this is the place I'll be living from now on, huh?

"Welcome home, Ichika. It might be much like Tokyo, but it is something, right?" I turn around to Ranko, who was opening the back door of the car to pick my black trunk, backpack and briefcase to gently put it on the ground, as she reached for her pocket to pick a set of keys and walk to the front door of the house. With nothing else to do, I reach for my luggage and carry it there too, following her to inside the house and into my new home. "It's a good thing this house have a spare room, although it used to give me such an empty vibe, though. But hey, it helps me write in peace, so that's that."

"…" I shrug, entering the house that doesn't look any different from a normal one: a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, stairs leading to the upper floor, a backyard garden and a few mirrors lifted here and there, nothing out of the ordinary besides the abnormal number of bookshelves spreads around the house and a few papers on the floor, all of them with a few letters written on them. I turned to Ranko, and she flashed me an embarrassed smile.

"Hahah, whoops. Sorry, I was hoping that I would be able to clean it before meeting you at the station, but I guess I'm not as young as I used to be. Heheheh…" She bowed to me, bending over so that she could pick some of the wandering pieces of paper scattered around the floor. She picked a few there, a few here, and then sighed. Suddenly, she blinked herself wide, and turned to me with a smile. "Oh hey! How about this: you go to your room and kill some time to get used to it while I clean around down here and make dinner? Don't worry about helping, I just want you to feel at home here! It's the first room in the left!"

"…" I was about to help her clean the house but maybe she's right. I am a newcomer here, I should do as the host says and avoid getting myself in trouble, even if she's really my… I shake my head to get rid of those thoughts, bow myself down to excuse myself and carry my luggage and backpack upstairs.

I wasn't carrying much with those, so lifting them up the stairs wasn't that much of a burden, once I was in the second floor, I traced my way to the direction she indicated for me and opened the door leading to a new room. I look around the new location: a simple room with a single bed with a nice and tidy uniform laying on it, a studying table, a rolling chair, a wardrobe too big for so little clothes I carry, a large window and a mirror hanging from one of the walls, big enough that I could see my whole reflection on it. I dump my backpack on the reading table and the rest besides my head, letting myself crash on the bed to look at the ceiling, a single lamp hanging from above my head…

So, this is my new room, my new home, my new guardian and my new town from now on, huh? I guess I can get used to it.

4/9(20XX) – Sunday (Cloudy) – Evening→ Nighttime

"Ichika~! Come downstairs! Dinner is ready!" After an entire evening of work, I got done with all of my luggage, clothes and belongings on several parts of my new room, all of them neatly put in their respective places and even then this place is a bit too big and empty for me. Oh well, I guess I just need to get used to this from now on. I get up from the bed, dust myself a few times and then head downstairs where I can hear Ranko calling for me. I guess its dinner time already? For how long was I sleeping?

I come downstairs and Ranko greets me with a smile and a handwave, signing a hand leading to the dining room where I could see a two plates of curry and rice and cups of water resting on the table. It's a simple but wholesome dish, and more than enough, like dad used to do. I followed her to the room and sat in front of her to eat. I paid our prayers and started to dig in, no words between us as I ate that spicy but tasty dish. Ranko turned to me for a second, opened her mouth like a fish, close it again, and turned her attention to the dish. After a while, she turned to me again and smiled.

"So, uh… You're starting school tomorrow, right? Man, that was such a rushed thing but we were able to get yourself transferred to Kagami highschool, huh? Lucky, aren't we? I even got the uniform ready on top fo your bed…" She says with a smile and another spoonful of rice and curry, and I nod to her with nothing else to say. A moment of silence between us yet again, and she continued: "I know it's hard for you to bid goodbye to your friends back in Tokyo, even more after what happened to your father, but hey, you can make friends here too, y'know? The neighbors are also nice to talk to, and if you're bored, Mizuzuki has also some arcades, a few malls and even that new JUNES that opened not too long ago! You'll be able to work a part-time job around here too, but if you want an allowance, don't hesitate to ask me anything, alright?"

"…" I nod at her statements again. Surely, Mizuzuki doesn't look a bit like Tokyo, but doesn't look bad either, especially considering that even at evening this place looks calm. I bite another spoonful of grains and gravy, and she continues to talk.

"So, uh, Ichika… Is the curry okay? I hope it's okay. It has been a while since… I cooked for someone else, so I don't know if it turned out okay." She asks. She stopped eating and is now just playing with her food with the spoon. I turn to her, I turn to the curry, take another spoonful and then back to her.

"It's good… Ranko." I say in a lower tone. She wide her eyes in surprise to me, and then deflates back to normal, half-lifted eyes and a bitter smile on her face. I didn't want to upset her, and the curry is really good although not the best, but even so… I hear her sigh and take another bite.

"Ranko, huh? I guess it can't be helped, it's only natural…" She whispers, and she knowing or not I can hear her. To think even family can get so distant despite being so close, both literally and whatnot. In the end, silence reign over us again, and so to distract both of us, Ranko picks up the control and aimed it at the tv, turn it on. "How about some tv, then? The weather has been so cloudy, I hope it doesn't rain during your first day."

"…" I nod back, and turned my attention to the tv, which a news anchor was hosting a program.

'… And this is our report about chicken grilled steak and why you shouldn't stick them inside your rectum while doing a macarena. In other news, in an urgent report coming in, the phenomenon now known as the Cracking Breakdown has apparently claimed another victim today. The victim, Hana Yamada, age 33, was found dead after colliding with her car against a store, her body presenting crack-like wounds all over and her autopsy showing signs of severe cranial damage and internal bleeding not from the clash. However, the most abnormal fact in such story is the fact that her body presents signs of gangrene and rigor mortis despite relatives and close ones claiming she was healthy prior her breakdown. Just like other victims, Mrs. Hana caused quite an accident prior her death, even more with her driving license suspended after being caught drinking and driving a few months before. Fortunately, there were no more casualties besides light injuries from the store workers. And now, for the weather…'

"Whoa, that was depressing. Another case of those Cracking Breakdowns, huh?" And the mood turned a bit somber with the news about those Cracking Breakdowns that have been happening for quite a while, making Ranko lower the volume. Not just around here, but people were also talking about it in Tokyo, and I even heard from a classmate that he almost got hit by a train when someone who suffered a breakdown pushed him and a crowd down the train rails. I just hope it doesn't get out of hand or spread even further. Suddenly, Ranko clapped her hands down, and her upbeat tone returned. "Oh, but look at time, time sure flies when you have company, huh? And I'm already done with my dish like you, so maybe we'll call it a day, okay? I will get the dishes done, you get up and sleep way, wouldn't want to be late for school tomorrow now, would you?"

"…" I said nothing while looking down on the empty plate in front of me. Ranko, still smiling, started to pick up the spoons and the plates for herself to then walk towards the sink and start to clean up the dishes. While passing my own, however, I could see a couple of band-aids and cuts on her fingers. So I guess it has been a while since she has done something like that. I stand up myself and walked to the sink besides her. She tilts her head to a side, and I pick the sponge and detergent. "I'll… I'll help."

"Oh… Oh, okay!" She blinks a few times in surprise, but then smiles warmly, passing me a few dishes and the spoons for me to dry up. It wasn't much, but I feel like if I'm going to stay here, might as well help a little. It is my fault that she has to take me in, but I feel like we can get along somehow. I can also feel her gratitude despite being such a minor task…

[🎶! KINDNESS – Inoffensive]

"Well, thanks for your hard work for today." She thanks me with a warm smile, and I bow my head to her. She discards her gloves and then walks towards the living room, where a tiny table with a notebook computer and a cup of coffee was waiting for her. She sat down in front of it, turned to me and waved. "Now then, you should go to bed. Don't worry about me, I'll be here writing a little and then I'll go to bed. If anything, the bathroom is the second door to the right upstairs. Well then, goodnight…"

"…" That's right. Ranko Amano, or rather Ranko Kobayashi now, is a novelist which is known to write quite a few tear-jerking mystery stories despite her relatively young age, she even had a best-seller honor for quite some time. This explains the paper around the house and the entire shelves of books, no that it matters to me, anyway. I turned to the stairs with the intents of taking a bath and going to sleep. But even so, I gave the tired writer one last glimpse, and then we shared stares for a while. "Goodnight."

And then I took my way upstairs. Truth to be told, I might get used to the enviroument here, not as loud or agitated as Tokyo, and even with the cold spring weather, I manage to stay away from allergies this past month. I guess living here won't be so bad after all, but even so… Dad.

I take one step into my room, but stop right on my tracks when I saw a silhouette on the wall. My new room was dark and silent, yet from the small glimpses of light coming from the corridor I could see a shadow creeping and standing tall in one of the walls. It wasn't moving, it wasn't doing any sound, it was just… There, standing tall and immobile.

A chill ran down my spine as I slowly moved my head to the side and flee while maintaining close eye contact with the intruder, but then he moved as well! Calm down, Ichika, do anything brusque and everything can go south real quick. Just… Reach for something, anything, and wait for the best. My hand started to gently grope the walls in an attempt to find the switch and take a quick glimpse of the intruder, and while it remained immobile, I could hear the light touching on the walls. Suddenly, my hands reach for something solid, and then touching it a little more I could feel that it was the switch. If I switch it on, maybe I can see myself in a better situation, so with that in my I reach it with my finger, find the interrupter with it and then with a swift flick I turn the lights on…!

Only to find that the intruder was in fact… My own reflection on the mirror, the image of a black haired, grey-eyed high-schooler with a stare that was reflecting both confusion and embarrassment. I let out a loud sigh in relief and embarrassment for that, and reached for my things for a shower. After that, I need to get rid of the sweat. I picked everything I needed and took my way straight to the said second room on the right…

…!

"…?" What the…? I don't know why, but I felt something when I passed right in front of the mirror that almost gave me a heart attack a few seconds ago. I don't know, I felt… Weird. In fact, I still feel a little irked by staying right in front of it. It's like my reflection is calling me or something. Was the trip too much for me and now I'm having hallucinations? But still… I put my clothes down, and turned myself to the mirror, and I feel like it is starting to distort a little. I reached for it, my own reflection doing the same, and came closer to it, practically touching noses with my other me. I reached my hand to it, the reflection mimicking my every move, and then knocked a few times. "What the…?"

…

"…"

…

"…"

*WINK!*

"What the…?!" And I jumped away! I saw it! I just saw my own reflection winking back at me with a mischievous smile, and before I knew it, my reflection on the mirror was no more! What is going on?! Ugh… My head! It feels like it's trying to split itself open!

'I see… So, for in this world if fake and shallowness, you remain strong to your true self. For the mirrors that reflect this world might cloud our minds, your reflection is the real form in which your heart is shown. Very well, let us form a pact…'

"Ugh…!" This voice I've never heard before echoes inside my mind as the headache starts to get worse! But in the end, it started to subdue as the voice grows louder and louder!

'… I shall grant you my power, and for it, you shall remain true and get stronger. For there are many which do not tell their hearts from their reflections, but for the likes of you, your eyes will remain clear and unclouded by the lying and misleading figures of the false divine!'

"Ugh! Gah… Arf… Arf…" The headache finally stops, and when I snap myself into it everything is back to normal. My vision is a bit blurred, but once I blink a few times, I can finally tell left from right, I find myself in my room again. That's right, the mirror! I turn my attention to the mirror, and… there is only my reflection yet again. Wait, I crawl to it, one step at the time, and despite it doing the same, I'm still a bit cautious regarding it. I reach for my hand, touch the mirror and then… Nothing. Maybe if I just… I knock the mirror a few times with the knuckles on my hand, and nothing again. I do some poses here and there, shake the mirror a few times, and nothing at all… Ugh, maybe it's the trip from here, the tiredness is ready running my patience off. Maybe I should just give myself a warm shower and go to sleep earlier before anything else happens…

But just in case, I put a piece of cloth to cover the mirror.

And then, I go promptly to sleep once I take my bath and go to the bed. Tomorrow is the first day at my new school. I wonder how it'll be… I can only hope for a nice first day.