Persona 3 Portable: Velvet Blue - Chapter 1

Chatpter 1: The Residents of the Velvet Room

The Residents of the Velvet Room

The melody of a piano and a woman’s song permeated the dimly lit room. Every key played by a shapeless performer, every note sung by a formless songstress, created a sorrowful melody that would pierce the very soul of all who would listen. But though these performers could not be seen, they were most certainly there in that room.

Most humans don't know about this bizarre blue room, a room that seemingly defied all logic. Several doors were lined up along the walls, though they led nowhere, as they stood directly on the floor. Besides a wall made of a metal lattice at the back, the room was entirely covered in a beguiling blue velvet. At the center of the room sat a single round table and an antique chair; the tablecloth was made of the same deep velvet.

In the chair sat an old, bald, tuxedoed man with a nose like a fairytale witch’s. Behind him stood a woman who appeared to be in her mid-teens, wearing a sleeveless blue dress and carrying an old dictionary-like tome under her arm.

The long-nosed man's name is Igor, the master of this Velvet Room.

The Velvet Room. The space between dream and reality, mind and matter. Those who enter are fated to discover their true selves and pursue their destinies.

"It appears that there will be no visitors this evening," said Igor in a hoarse, oddly high voice. He stared forward with such intensity, his eyes seemingly struggled to stay in their sockets.

"It appears so, Master. Perhaps she was scared away by your bulbous eyes," said the woman in the blue dress, in a peculiarly accented manner. She had silver hair, gold eyes, and pale, fair skin. Her beauty was nothing short of otherworldly; however, her face lacked expression.

This woman's name is Elizabeth. She follows Igor's commands as the Room's elevator girl. Her manner of speaking is easy to hear and understand, even in an elevator full of guests. It is truly old-fashioned for an elevator girl to make announcements. Elizabeth's words may seem tense, but Igor seems not to mind; he appears to have gotten used to his attendant's discourteous words.

"I do not believe my eyes to be the reason." "Then it must be that she got tired enough of your long nose. Master, perhaps you should try to grow your nose even longer. Maybe then she will come visit just to see such a long, long, loong, loooong nose." "… I do not think that it is my nose either, Elizabeth." "Are you sure?"

Appearing to lose interest in her teasing, Elizabeth became silent. Igor followed. Once again, the room returned to silence, and the piano and singing played once more.

The metal lattice behind the two, as some may know, was an archaic sort of elevator door. The elevator made sounds similar to that of a running train, which overpowered the sound of music in the room. Above the lattice door was a meter resembling an analog clock which displayed the floor number; the needle continually spun in a circle. This Velvet Room was an endlessly tall, continually rising elevator. Only those that possessed certain special capabilities were recognized by Igor and welcomed in as guests.

This "special capability" is a rare ability of Persona, called the "Wild Card. " Personas are the masks that people form in order to protect their hearts from various hardships. Usually each Persona user commands a Persona that mirrors the user's will and may resemble a god or demon. The "Wild Card" is a Persona user that can wield multiple Personas, and can switch between them as if switching between masks, and whose ability increases as their heart grows.

Igor's role is to assist the Wild Card so that they may someday find "The Answer" to life. His primary work is fusing several Personas together to create a new Persona. The elevator girl Elizabeth assists Igor in this task; the book that she carries, the Persona Compendium, is proof of this. All of the various Personas that the guests (which is to say, the Wild Card) have acquired and fused are recorded in the Persona Compendium.

Elizabeth could also utilize Persona in the same way that the Wild Card can. As the Compedium’s bearer, she held power over power; or a “ruler of power.” Elizabeth is not the only ruler of power; she has an older brother and sister who share this same ability, but they are not in the Velvet Room now. Things might change, but as it stood only Igor and Elizabeth attend to the guest, a young girl. This young girl, the Wild Card and recognized by Igor as a guest, was a second-year at Gekkoukan High School. She first visited the Velvet Room in the beginning of spring, and multiple seasons had passed since. It was now November, in winter. The girl had visited the Velvet Room on many occasions, but it seems that she would not on this day.

The real world was currently in the "Dark Hour," a peculiar time between time. The Dark Hour occurred between 11:00pm and midnight, though normal people are not aware of its existence. During this time, Gekkoukan High School transformed, becoming a mysterious tower known as Tartarus. Consisting of several hundred labyrinthine floors, Tartarus was the lair of monstrous Shadows. The guest, alongside her fellow Persona users, performed activities in service of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, also known as SEES.

The purpose of SEES was to erase the Dark Hour from the world. Solving the mysteries of Tartarus, the emblem of the Dark Hour, might potentially assist in this effort, so SEES would continually explore the tower. When performing these explorations, the girl would often visit the Velvet Room via a door in Tartarus's lobby; only the Wild Card could see this door.

Igor and Elizabeth were able to sense people on the other side of the door, but this evening they could sense no one. They sensed something else— outside of Tartarus, in a separate place, was an extraordinarily powerful surge of power.

Without turning to her, Igor speaks. "Can you sense it, Elizabeth?" "Of course. It would be difficult not to." "This power… What do you think of it?" he asked in a probing manner. Elizabeth, eyes half-closed, answered without expression. "It resembles the Reaper, the avatar of death… However, it’s not quite the same. If the Reaper were a kitten, this would be a tiger. It may be silly to say, but the difference is greater than heaven and earth itself."

The Reaper is the strongest of the Shadows that roam Tartarus, with power that outclasses that of even SEES’ combined efforts. However, comparing this power to the Reaper is a foolish endeavor. Its power is entirely beyond comparison. This situation was nothing short of— "Unbelievable!!! It is… unbelievable." Elizabeth said in a polite tone, but only after her jest. Igor let out a satisfied murmur.

"In that case, I have another question. Who do you believe to be fighting this power?" After Igor said this, Elizabeth could sense another, in the middle of battle. This power, though admirable in its own right, paled in comparison. Elizabeth recognized it easily.

"This power… is Palladion, if memory serves. That Persona." Palladion is the Persona of Aigis, a member of SEES. Aigis is not human, rather an anti-Shadow weapon in the form of a human, but Elizabeth did not seem to care. She didn't have any interest in her general existence. "Ah..!" Elizabeth muttered. The stronger power increased exponentially in power within an instant, and Palladion's aura vanished. After a short moment the other power disappeared as well. "… It seems the battle has reached a conclusion."

"With all due respect, Master, I believe it improper to call this a 'conclusion.' Palladion's user likely expected this outcome." "In any case, its decision to fight in the first place marked the beginning of its demise.” "’Demise?'" Suddenly, Elizabeth noticed that she was squeezing her hand that did not hold the Compendium. She usually kept both of her hands in her white gloves, but she took them off as her hands began to sweat. She felt her lungs swell in her chest. "Is something the matter, Elizabeth?" "I seem to have gotten worked up a bit." "Ah. It seems that as a ruler of power, this power has made an impression on you." "This is most certainly interesting… I apologize." Elizabeth, clutching the Persona Compendium, grabbed a handkerchief from a hidden pocket in her skirt and wiped her hand. Afterwards she put her glove back on, and said again: "Master. May I visit Monad in order to regain my composure?" Monad. Accessible from the entrance of Tartarus, and yet the strongest Shadows lurk in that labyrinth. Only those with strong Persona abilities can see the door to access it; not even SEES's leader was at that level. But for Elizabeth, it was a place she would go frequently. As a ruler of power, she would hunt Shadows there to improve her strengths, for reasons unknown to even her. "Since we still have not seen the guest today, I suppose it is alright." Elizabeth turned towards Igor and bowed. "Thank you, Master." Elizabeth turned towards the door to Tartarus. Suddenly, an unknown figure appeared. In fact, it was two. One, a tall man with a young face, looked like a hotel doorman. The other was a youthful, beautiful woman, wearing a close-fitting suit and black stockings with high heels. She appeared to be a secretary. The man's name is Theodore, Elizabeth's younger brother. The woman is Margaret. She is Elizabeth's older sister. Both Theodore and Margaret are fellow Velvet Room attendants, and are both rulers of power; they both also carry Persona Compendiums, like Elizabeth. "Elizabeth," said Margaret in her serene voice, "would I be able to come with you?" "Sister. I would like to come along as well," Theodore added calmly. Elizabeth replied blankly: " I think you should ask Master for permission, not me. This matter is not for me to decide. What do you say, Master?" She looked to Igor, who was looking down. Igor looked at the two, then to Elizabeth. "You two must have felt that power as well, no? You all may go hunt Shadows until you are all satisfied." Margaret bowed in an elegant gesture. "Thank you, Master." "We shall be off." Theodore placed his hands at his sides and bowed deeply. Elizabeth turned away from Igor and back towards the door. "As before, I will be gone for a while. Well, then…" Elizabeth opened the door and walked out into the entrance of Tartarus. Margaret soon followed, then finally Theodore, who closed the door behind him.

Elizabeth leisurely surveyed her surroundings. The entrance of Tartarus was covered in beautiful engravings, which filled it with a solemn energy; mysterious, even. At the center of the floor was a long staircase, at the end of which stood a door, which led to the maze of Tartarus. Tartarus was an incredibly large tower, with several hundreds of floors. The three of them did not go to this door, rather a different large door at the back of the lobby. The entrance to Monad Depths. Elizabeth moved quickly towards the door. "Well then. “Let us indulge in the savage barbarity of battle, just the same as usual." "Though do show some amount of discipline, Sister," added Theodore. Elizabeth stopped walking immediately. Without turning back towards him, she asked: "… What do you mean by that?" "I mean exactly that," he replied plainly. "Relying on your Megidolaon will only get you so far if you don’t assess your surroundings in battle. Otherwise, even you may find yourself being overrun by the weakest of Shadows." Despite the fact that he had just called his sister foolish and reckless (which was an apt description of Elizabeth), Theodore simply smiled gently. “My darling brother is giving me advice– I should at least pretend that I'm grateful…” After a long silence, Elizabeth simply said "… I’ll take your advice to heart," then continued walking. "Is something the matter, Sister?" asked Theordore, tilting his head to the side. "You seem to be out of sorts." Margaret next to him whispered. “You will come to regret that.” “… Did you say something?” “… It’s nothing.” she replied coldly. She then followed behind Elizabeth. Theodore titled his head again. “What’s really going on?” he muttered aloud, and shortly thereafter Elizabeth’s voice was heard. “Theo, what’s taking you so long!? Come with us, quickly!!” “Yes, I’m coming!” he answered clearly, and began to follow his sisters.

The layout of both Monad and Tartarus changes every time someone enters the door. Except for certain special areas, no floor will ever look the same twice. It is a maze of mazes. If a powerless person gets lost, unless someone saves them, they will certainly meet their end. Given that it was created from a high school building, the tower, with its irregularly slanted walls, gave off a bizarrely unnerving feeling. There was no lighting, but strangely the area around them gave off a faint light; it only extended a few meters, however. No matter where one looks, the entrance has vanished, invariably striking fear into one’s heart. But the rulers of power knew no fear. They walked through Monad unsuspectingly and made idle chit-chat, as if they were in a shopping mall, stopping only to annihilate the Shadows they came across. Elizabeth and Margaret walked together side-by-side, with Theodore following behind a few steps. “Elizabeth. Has anything happened recently?” “No, nothing special. The flow of time remains as still as ever. I often get so bored that even my boredom gets bored.” “But you’re caring for the girl, no? It most definitely sounds like a blessing, and you say that you are bored?” The girl. The leader of SEES. When she first visited the Velvet Room in spring, she spoke to Igor. “There is still one more resident of this room, who unfortunately could not be present for your arrival. But I’ll make sure you two are properly introduced. Another time, perhaps.” He hid the existence of Elizabeth and the others from her at first initially. They spoke again a few weeks later, when he asked her a question. “Tell me, when you think of this person, what do you see?” It was decided that either Elizabeth or Theodore would assist Igor and the guest. The final decision was left up to the girl. She answered to his question, “I think it’s a woman,” and so Elizabeth was chosen as assistant. If the girl had answered that it was a man, the assistant would have been Theodore. “You’re right, Sister,” answered Theodore, “how could it be boring? She even takes you outside of the Velvet Room to visit her world.” Theodore, not allowed to be seen by the girl since he was not chosen, looked displeased with Elizabeth. Elizabeth, meanwhile, seemed quite innocent. “That most certainly is a perk. Just thinking of our time in Iwatodai the other day is making me hungry… Ahhh, such delicious delicacies, made of the finest ingredients, and at an irresistible price too! Iwatodai is such a fantastic place…” “Delicious delicacies?” probed Theodore. “Cuisine so luscious, that it makes one’s cheeks fall off. One package costs a mere four hundred yen. With such a bargain, I could hardly restrain myself from buying their entire stock.” “So good that one’s cheeks fall off, huh?” Margaret mused. “And only four hundred yen… You are certainly very lucky, Sister!” Theodore was very visibly irritated. Elizabeth grinned. “Perhaps instead of aiming your ire at me, Theo, you would do better to curse your own bad luck for not being chosen instead of me! It was Master’s decision to entrust the girl in the selection, after all. Unless you mean to question his authority…?” “W-well, you are right, but…” As Theodore became thoroughly disheartened, Margaret came to a realization. She murmured to herself. “It makes your cheeks fall off… The more I think of it, the more I crave it… Perhaps I should see for myself if this food is truly so good…” She turned to Elizabeth. “You seem to be pleased even now. Is it really as delicious as you say?” “Of course, I could hardly forget the taste. A taste so splendorous it makes one want to pass out… Words couldn’t possibly begin to describe it.” “In that case, surely Theodore would also like to try some.” Theodore apprehensively muttered, “I don’t think I want to eat food that would make me pass out…” The sisters both turned toward him at the same time. “In that case,” said Margaret, “A good thwack to your right side ought to wake you.” “And if that doesn’t work,” added Elizabeth, “I’ll thwack your left side too.” “Well, if it’s anywhere near as good as you say, it still sounds like an experience to look forward to!” Theodore seemed much more carefree now. But in that moment, the siblings saw something— a figure, or rather two figures, creeping toward them in the darkness, metallic clanking heard with every step. The two figures resembled traditional samurai, their armor and gauntlets white and their faces a deeper bluish-black. Though they look human, they were something else entirely. They were Tenjin Musha, high-level Shadows feared for their severe slashing techniques and their unrivaled agility and evasion. One of the Tenjin Musha assumed a traditional sword stance, placing its hand on the hilt of its sword, which remained in its scabbard. The other, fueled by a lust to kill, jumps off the floor, moving at a speed that the human eye could barely follow, leaving white afterimages in the darkness. With a barely visible flash of the sword, the Shadow aimed its sword towards Elizabeth’s torso with the intent to cleave her in half. Elizabeth, utterly unphased, caught the blade in her palm. The Shadow was rendered completely immobile, unable to move its sword. This was the true power of the rulers of power— power that made the highest ranking Shadows indistinguishable from cannon fodder. Margaret caught the blade of the second Tenjin Musha. “Barely a scratch,” she said, looking to her sister, undaunted by the enemy just before her. “It’s been a while I’ve seen battle; I’ve not been to Monad in quite some time. I guess I should return the favor and give this one a thorough punishment.” And just as she promised, Elizabeth’s Persona Compendium leaves her hands and floats midair, pages spread open. An item floats in the center— a “Persona card,” used for summoning and changing Personas at will. Elizabeth had nine main Personas that she used in battle: Surt, Jack Frost, Thor, Cu Chulainn, Metatron, Alice, Nebiros, Masakado, and Pixie. She released the sword and put the card in front of her into play. Her heart took the form of a Lightning-focused Persona: a god of Norse mythology, Thor. The Tenjin Musha tried to run, but escape was futile. A rugged man in a white cloak appeared, holding the hammer Mjolnir, one of the strongest weapons in Norse mythology. “This should do nicely.” And in that moment, Thor waved his hammer. From the heavens, a roaring thunder struck one of the Tenjin Musha, creating a powerful electric discharge and leaving a burnt smell. The dust finally cleared, leaving Elizabeth and Margaret completely unharmed. Weak to electricity, the Tenjin Musha falls to one knee, unable to move. Thor then vanished. Once a Persona has performed its command, the Persona’s soul once again returns the heart of its wielder. Looking down at the Tenjin Musha with contempt, Elizabeth spoke. “How unsightly.” “Well then, I shall deliver the finishing blow!” Margaret opened her Persona Compendium. Unlike her sister, multiple cards came out of her Compendium, from which Margaret chose one. The Persona cards shattered into light again and the card began to take form, just the same as Elizabeth; this time, the power of Margaret's soul manifested itself as Yoshitsune, a famed, powerful warrior of the Minamoto clan. He is equipped similar to the Tenjin Musha, though he wears red armor and carries one sword in each hand. “This will end it!” And with that command, Yoshitsune swung both his swords. His blades created a flurry of slashes in the air. In an instant, the two Tenjin Musha were torn to pieces. Their necks, their arms, their legs— everything was finely shredded without exception. The Tenjin Musha that were feared for their fast slashes met an end to just that. A truly humiliating defeat. The finely diced remains of the Tenjin Musha turned into a dark light, which quickly dissipated into the air. Theodore clapped, keeping his Compendium under his arm. “That was impressive, sisters! Just as I would expect from the both of you.” Margaret silently closed her Persona Compendium. She had no words to return to her brother. However, Elizabeth spoke coldly, without even facing her brother standing behind her. “Hm? Our younger brother patronizing us with such false flattery? And so boldly, too. If so, as much as I would prefer for it not to, this truly may become a place of tragedy, and not just for the Shadows…” “I assure you, they were honest compliments, Sisters,” Theodore argued back, distressed. Margaret sighs slightly before speaking. “They were rather weak words of praise. Try studying up on it a bit more, Theo.” “Y-Yes… Understood, Sister…” Looking away from the downtrodden Theodore, Elizabeth steps forward. “Good grief! Well then, I believe it best for us to take out all this pent-up frustration on the rest of the Shadows! Shall we?

Monad Depths was a labyrinth consisting of ten floors. When moving to the floor above, the stairs beneath disappeared, meaning that the only way to go back to the entrance of Tartarus was to use the transporter located at the top; however this floor was completely devoid of Shadows. With no reason to go back, Elizabeth and her siblings remained on the ninth floor. The siblings hunted and erased countless Shadows, as they never stopped appearing. In Tartarus, Shadows appeared after only a few steps, so there was no need to worry about running out of prey to feast upon. Shadows are formed from the negative aspects of humans’ souls; a ‘stagnation’ that could occur in any person. Therefore, as long as humans exist, Shadows would continue to exist as well. Elizabeth knew this well. However, SEES, attempting to erase Tartarus and the Dark Hour, remained unaware that it was a truly hopeless endeavor. Nevertheless, what kind of answer will the girl leading them come to? Elizabeth saw her in her mind— a bright, laughing girl with maroon hair, red eyes full of hope. The last thing that Elizabeth wanted to see were those same eyes overtaken with such despair. “Dear me. What’s with me, feeling so sentimental all of a sudden…” Elizabeth said with a solemn face. Theodore caught a whisper of her words… “Did you say you were feeling… sentimental, Sister?” “… Megidolaon!” Elizabeth summoned a Persona without warning, a Pixie. It took the form of a female fairy with insect-like wings on her back that she used to fly. A vicious display of power completely unbecoming of such an unimposing creature occurred directly above Theodore. A tremendous golden aura exploded with overwhelming pressure that shook the earth beneath it. “S-Sister!! What are you doi—!?” Theodore’s screams were washed out by a torrent of golden flames. It was the strongest form of Megido, making it a truly Almighty attack. In addition to Pixie, Elizabeth’s Masakado could also use Megidolaon. When used by Masakado, it was somehow even more powerful. As a ruler of power, Theodore would never be killed by something like this. But once the golden flames dissipated, Theodore, burnt by the flames, collapsed face first onto the floor. Elizabeth turns her gaze forward, knowing that he would soon be regaining consciousness. “Dear me, this child never learns…” Suddenly, Margaret stiffened her brows. “It’s coming. Over there.” “I know.” The sounds of metal chains could be heard from the end of the passage. Within the pitch-black darkness was a single imposing Shadow, suspended in the air. This being wore a black robe adorned with gold buttons, and was covered in blood. It had a bone-white mask, and a long-barreled revolver in each hand. “At last, it shows itself.” “It’s been a while since the last time we’ve fought him.” The Reaper. Immediately, Elizabeth and Margaret cast Megidolaon upon the enemy. Just one from either of them would be enough to kill other Shadows in an instant, but the Reaper was not so simple. Margaret spoke sadistically. “We made the first move. Now please, entertain us.” Margaret and Elizabeth stood side by side, and opposed to them was the Reaper, swaying unstably with both guns raised. Elizabeth knew what was coming. “Oh, so soon?” It was an unexpected choice for a first attack, though Elizabeth was slightly impressed by it. Margaret squinted her eyes slightly; Theodore’s were still spinning. Nobody was ready for the Reaper to open with an attack of this caliber. Aminging its revolvers towards the ceiling, the Reaper pulls the guns’ triggers, and alongside a roaring howl, a small golden ball of light floated towards the sky. Megidolaon. It burst into a golden sea of flames and threatened to swallow Elizabeth and Margaret whole, claiming their lives. The flames danced loudly, then disappeared leaving only its heat behind. Elizabeth speaks mockingly, “I guess even a Megidolaon isn’t very dangerous, coming from a foe like him.” And Margaret follows suit. “How disappointing.” Both of the sisters were completely unscathed. “Well, I believe that that’s quite enough.” Elizabeth took her chance to act, opening her Persona Compendium. Having been woken up by the blast from a moment ago, Theodore's bewildered voice echoed through the room. “W- What's going on?!” He surveyed the room and assessed his surroundings; “Ah— The Reaper?!” He immediately opened his Compendium. Like Elizabeth, he also spawned a single Persona card. Elizabeth and Margaret, having sensed Theodore's intentions, moved out of the way, giving Theodore behind them room to attack. “Burn to ash!!” Theodore summoned the archangel messenger Persona, Uriel. Outfitted in red, he spread the white-feathered wings on his back and demonstrated his power. A crimson torrent of flames blew between Margaret and Elizabeth— Maragidyne, an extremely potent fire-based spell that contains the power to turn several Shadows to ash. The Reaper’s seared body contorts. “You’re not even worth our time.” With a sigh, Elizabeth opened her Compendium, summoning Loki. The Persona took the form of a man with bat wings. Just like her Thor, this Persona is another Norse God. Befitting of such a being, he cast the most powerful level of ice magic, Niflheim. The still-burning Reaper was frozen completely solid. Elizabeth casually walked up to the ice sculpture, and gave it a blunt hit. Though the blow appeared to be very casual and weak, countless cracks ran through the ice. Substances that are heated then frozen rapidly become fragile, and the same was true for this Shadow; the Reaper shattered and crumbled into chunks of ice, its remains dissolving completely shortly after. One bloody button lay on the floor; on occasion, a felled Shadow may leave behind a piece of its body or equipment. Just as the Reaper did, one can hunt Shadows in Tartarus for various items as well. Elizabeth requested this same item from the leader of SEES, the young girl that she is well acquainted with. However, there were more pressing matters to deal with. “Theo!” Elizabeth called her brother's name, while turning to face him. It seems that Theodore's troubles were still ongoing. “That attack just now. Just what made you want to get involved?” “H-huh? That? I- I didn’t think that that would be a big deal, Sister.” Elizabeth cast her gaze upon her sister. “What do you think? Give me your honest thoughts.” However, Margaret responded in an uninterested manner. “Only Theo knows. There’s no point in giving my perspective on the matter.” “Yes, that’s only natural.” Theodore is yet again struck with Elizabeth’s gaze. “Now, Theo, please don’t be afraid to tell me what you think? Spit it out!” “T-That’s… because… This is completely absurd—” “Are you asking for another Megidolaon?”

Four. Four Megidolaons was what it took to get Theodore to consider Elizabeth’s question. The two older sisters left Monad, whilst hunting more Shadows on the way. Theodore was left on his own so he could give further thought on that question. “Goodness, those two are awfully unladylike— they have zero modesty at all. This could become a problem…” Having been subjected to Elizabeth’s unreasonable treatment, Theodore was left completely alone. He had defeated countless Shadows without so much as breaking a sweat. As a ruler of power, Theodore was naturally no less capable than his sisters in battle. “It’s not like I’m particularly weak or anything… But why am I always falling behind my sisters?” he pondered. No matter how much thought he put into it, an answer failed to come to him. Theodore sighed. “This is just becoming more and more depressing the more I think about it…” Even hunting Shadows was becoming hollow to him. Theodore made his way to the top floor's teleporter, intending to return to the Velvet Room. However, on the way, he caught a glimpse of a small Shadow through the corner of his eye. It seemed that it was running off to a dead end at the intersection of the hallways. “What the…” What’s a low-level Shadow like this doing here? Theodore’s curiosity was piqued; he followed the Shadow to the dead end. Something small and black, about the size of his palm, lay in the corner, quivering. It seemed to be scared. He approached it and crouched down. “It seems to be a Maya. But it's incredibly small…” Mayas are a type of Shadow from Tartarus; the weakest kind are called Cowardly Mayas, and the strongest are called Devious Mayas. When they reach their highest level, they can come to be quite fearsome opponents; their slime-like appearance is deceiving, making it easy to believe that they are weaker than they truly are. Theodore picked up the Shadow, using his palm to scoop it up. He could feel the Shadows trembling in his palm. “Well, aren’t you cute? It’s okay, there’s no need to be scared.” Something was different about this Shadow from the hostile ones: Theodore could sense it. It shook and turned around in Theodore's palm. A white mask only about the size of a thumb looked up at Theodore. A Shadow’s mask is their core, and the same seems to be true for this Shadow as well. Its mask was finely entwined in its black coal tar-like body. It stretched its neck, and its fine chains swayed alongside it. Theodore brought his index finger closer to the mask. For a moment it retracts its neck back into Theodore's fingers, clearly afraid; then the Shadow stretches its neck back out. It drew its mask closer to Theodore's finger, like a puppy investigating a stranger. So cute! That was what came to Theodore's mind. But he was also worried about whether this Shadow would be able to survive a harsh environment like Monad. If a strong Shadow were to discover it, its fate would be sealed. Theodore thought back to the button that he picked up from the Reaper. “That’s right! I’ll just attach this button to you. When the other Shadows feel the strong presence that’s being emitted from it, they’ll know to stay away. It’s like some sort of repellant spray… though I guess this is a bit different from that… Anyway.” Just when Theodore was thinking about how to go about attaching it, the Shadow stretched out its neck and stole the button that he had pinched in his hand. “Huh?” Theodore said with startled eyes. The Shadow began to quake and expand in size. “Did… did it just eat the button? I see, I guess it’s only natural that Shadows would feast on one another's fragments like this. What a fascinating discovery!” The long-necked Shadow stared at Theodore, whose curiosity was thoroughly satisfied, shaking as if to demand even more nourishment. “This sure is a pickle… I don’t have any other items on me, and no other Shadows here have dropped any… Oh, I know! The next time that I’m in Tartarus hunting Shadows, I’ll be sure to bring you any scraps that I find… Wow, I’m really saying all of this to a Shadow, huh…”Theodore unintentionally gives off a calmed smile, the one feeling that came to him when seeing a Shadow like this. It was natural. Cute. Theodore gave a brief sigh, then spoke again. “Anyway, humans sometimes keep pets that they pour their love and affection into. It seems that pets have the power to heal human hearts… very well then! I think that I’ll keep this Shadow as my own pet from now on. “ Satisfied with his idea, Theodore hopped up onto his feet. He was about to leave, but his feet immediately stopped in their tracks. “Maybe it would be best if I kept this a secret from my sisters. Especially Elizabeth. She hunts Shadows for rare items as a hobby, after all. This Shadow just may end up being a contributor to Elizabeth's collection case… It would be safer not to take it home. It can’t be helped.” Theodore begrudgingly put the Shadow back down on the floor beneath his feet. “Okay! Whenever I have the time, I'll bring you other Shadows’ items as food for you. Make sure to hide in the dark as much as possible to avoid being hunted by the other Shadows. And whatever you do, if you encounter a woman dressed in blue, stay away from her at all costs!” Naturally, if this Shadow were to have an unfortunate encounter with the sisters, it would surely and swiftly meet its demise. Though regardless of whether it understood his words or not, all the Shadow could muster as a response was a tilt of its head. Theodore reluctantly tried to leave the Shadow, but yet again his feet stopped, and he returned back to it. “Right, you don’t have a name, do you?” Arms folded; Theodore put his head to work, trying to think of a popular pet name used by humans. “Pochi. I’ll call you Pochi. Understand? From now on, your name is Pochi.” “… PO… CHI…” This tiny Shadow can speak? Despite its appearance, this Shadow seems to be quite intelligent. “What?” Theodore's eyes widened and returned to Pochi. Putting it in his palm again, he brought it closer to his face. “Say that again, Pochi!” However, no words came. Pochi just sat in Theodore’s hand, swaying its body side to side. Theodore thought he might have been hearing things. Regardless, he knew that he felt an honest desire to protect this fragile Shadow. “Is this… a pet owner's love?” Emotionally moved, Theodore bowed his head to the constantly wobbling Pochi. “Well then, please do take care.” Pochi’s tiny white mask emitted a bizarre glow, though Theodore failed to notice it…