Persona 3 Portable: Velvet Blue - Chapter 2

II: Pet Shadow

The sun was setting. The shadows seemed to be longer than usual. December sunsets tend to be shorter than most. It was about to fade from sight, melting into the western horizon. Elizabeth was walking along the road of the real world, and next to her was the young SEES leader, the girl, the guest of the Velvet Room. Elizabeth’s cheery footsteps were not just because of the gorgeous Christmas lights surrounding her, showing that Christmas was just a few weeks away— rather, her long-held desire to see the young woman’s room was finally fulfilled. Having just visited and spent some time with her there, Elizabeth made her exit from the Iwatodai dormitory and walked along the illuminated Paulownia Mall.

The cool winter air was exciting for Elizabeth. When an all-blue, unmoving, unchanging room, with no sense nor stimulus, is all that one knows, it is easy to lose one’s true self. Elizabeth was fortunate to have met SEES’ leader: it was rare for a resident of the Velvet Room to get the opportunity to visit the world of human beings, a world which she had only heard about in passing from Igor and by reading books. Everything was fresh in her mind; Elizabeth’s heart was throbbing, glad that she was able to experience even a little of it. So much so, that she was even able to forget her role as a Velvet Room attendant.

As of this moment, Elizabeth was walking through Paulownia Mall. When she first saw the large fountain there with the girl, she asked Igor to have one installed in the Velvet Room, a request that was swiftly rejected. There was also the Takoyaki stand located in front of Iwatodai station, various restaurants in the shopping district, and even the unique experience of eating sweets. Elizabeth was free to enjoy all of these experiences. Furthermore, she even challenged the unfamiliar trial of riding an escalator, which she dubbed “the flowing stairs and the impending blade”. Then there was Naganaki Shrine, a place where Elizabeth had her fortune drawn from a box and played in a jungle gym and a slide, all the while, much to her embarrassment afterwards, making gleeful sounds as if she were a child. These precious memories would never fade for her.

At Gekkoukan High, Elizabeth bought the same bread that many other high school students also purchase, stood at the podium of a classroom, and performed her own song in the music room. Even though knowing it fully well, it was still hard for her to believe that this bright and vibrant school was the same place that transforms into the mysterious den that was Tartarus. It was certainly a very interesting place, but today's experience in the girl’s room easily surpassed that of the school’s. Her room was the place where Elizabeth could get to know her the most deeply; when Elizabeth was let into her room, she felt like she was let into her heart. It could be that only Elizabeth feels this way, that it was her imagination. But regardless, that feeling was undeniably real to her. The warmth of friendship. “So, this is what it’s like… to have a friend…” she said with a smile on her face. It was a special feeling, different from that of her relationship with her brother and sister. Elizabeth knew that this was a real human relationship. An irreplaceable bond: A friend.

Elizabeth stared at the girl walking next to her and spoke in her heart what she couldn’t tell her. “The time I spent with her is more important to me than anything else”. Important enough she might have forgotten her role as a ruler of power. She really could lose herself to this happiness; but this could not be permitted. Thus, Elizabeth decided to put an end to her outings with her. Noticing Elizabeth’s feverish gaze, the girl’s chestnut hair swayed as she turned to look at her. “I’m sorry. I’m not great with hospitality.” “No, I couldn’t have asked for anything more. It was a truly wonderful experience. So marvelous I felt my past melt away. I can think of nothing better.” “R-Really? That’s a bit much. Why do you think that? Was it something I said?” The girl blushed as the words flowed out of her mouth. Thinking of Elizabeth as a ‘friend’ wasn’t anything special to the girl. It was just as ordinary as any other word. But that warmed Elizabeth’s heart. It was proof that she was just another part of her life. “You have my utmost thanks for showing me everything about this world thus far. I’ll thank you again later, so please visit the Velvet Room at your own convenience.” Elizabeth rewarded the girl with words as well as items every time she indulged her wish to see the outside world. These same trinkets were used to fund SEES’ combat equipment and supplies. “Yeah, thanks for everything.” “Yes, likewise. Thanks to you, my world view has broadened greatly. For that much, no amount of silver could ever be enough to convey my gratitude to you.” Suddenly ceasing her steps, Elizabeth declared in a booming voice, “my gratitude is infinitely greater than that of the universe!” The other mall-goers passing by stopped in their tracks, having heard the sudden declaration. The SEES leader’s face turned even redder as the overwhelming gazes of the others began to flood her field of view, “This is… definitely a bit much…” and Elizabeth took note of this herself too. “My apologies, it seems that I am still invigorated! “ “Y-yeah. Well then, we should get going.” Hurried along by the girl, Elizabeth made her way towards Paulownia Mall's back alley. To normal humans, it seemed like a simple dead-end alleyway; however, there was a blue door at the end of it only visible to residents and guests of the Velvet Room. During the Dark Hour, this was the same door that the girl used to visit the Velvet Room. The young girl bids farewell to Elizabeth in front of it. “Well, I’ll be seeing you then.” “Of course. Well then-”

Immediately after exchanging their brief farewells, the two turn their backs on each other to part ways. But mid-way through Elizabeth feels the urge to tell the girl that she would be ending her outings with her. “I… Well -” “Are you -” At the same time, the girl stopped walking and turned back to face Elizabeth, seemingly also having something to say. “What seems to be the matter?” “What’s wrong?” They both spoke at the same time. Both of them are stunned into silence for a moment, then a second later Elizabeth opens her mouth. “Please, feel free to speak first. Would you prefer to discuss it in the Velvet Room?” “No, here’s fine. It shouldn’t be too long.” “Is that right? Well then, you have my ear.” “Well, I, um…” Taking a moment to collect herself and control her rambling, the girl began again. “It’s about Nyx – no… the inevitable destruction of the world that’s coming…” The inevitable destruction of the world. “Well, this is sudden,” Elizabeth couldn’t help but think to herself. Nyx. With that word ceaselessly weighing upon her mind, Elizabeth silently listened to the girl, who continued to tell her story, speaking unclearly. “Hypothetically, what if there was some sort of way we could all forget our fates? Everyone could spend each day in peace without fear until the day of destruction… I’ve been thinking about it a lot.” It was a bizarre topic. But Elizabeth for some reason showed the girl sympathy. The girl then asked her a question. “Do you think it’s right to forget our fates and accept ruin?” She stared intently at Elizabeth’s face. A radiance formed on her face. The eyes of a human that gave into despair could not decide. Elizabeth’s expression relaxed slightly. “Do as you would like.” The girl gasped just slightly. She seemed to not expect those words. Elizabeth chuckled slightly and added: “With your permission, it seems you already have the answer to your question. It is not my place to make your decisions for you, you see.” “I… I understand.” Her eyes cast down. Past her eyelashes were traces of sorrow. After a long silence, she smiled forlornly. “In that case, alright. Thank you for listening to me.” “I apologize if my answer was not useful to you.” Elizabeth bowed slightly. The girl then asked, “Well then, it’s my turn to listen to you. What’s up?” Elizabeth straightened herself then lowered her head. “Thank you, truly.” She raised her head and stared at the girl. “… Did you wanna ask something?” “I have decided that this will be the last time I visit this world.” “Huh?” The girl’s eyes widened as a shocked look suddenly appeared on her face. “B-But I still wanna show you around! … Was I really a boring guide after all?” “Absolutely not.” Elizabeth shook her head. “I am a completely different person since first visiting this world. If I stay on this side any longer, I may forget my duties entirely… And that would put you at a severe disadvantage, wouldn’t it? Though I am very reluctant to part, today will be my last day here.” The girl only gave off a bittersweet smile. “We can always meet in the Velvet Room, right?” “Yes. Master and I will always be awaiting your next arrival.” “Yeah. Well, see you.” The girl walked out of the alley, disappearing into the bustling crowds that flooded Paulownia Mall. Elizabeth heard Christmas songs echo through the alley as she stood alone, holding her Persona Compendium in her arm as usual. A sudden thought came to Elizabeth’s mind. How important was what happened today to the girl? Elizabeth and the other residents of the Velvet Room were beyond the normal flow of time. It would be no surprise if the memories of today were to gradually fade from her mind by the next time they met. “What is this feeling?” she muttered. She had had a fulfilling time; unprecedentedly so. But regardless, she still felt that something was missing in her. Unaware that this feeling within her was loneliness, Elizabeth returned to the Velvet Room.

The girl did not visit the Velvet Room during the Dark Hour following their last meeting. In this blue room, stagnant in time, only the melodic voice and flowing piano were heard. “It seems that our guest will not be appearing tonight,” Igor said as usual, sitting in his usual seat. “It seems so, Master,” said Elizabeth as she stared listlessly ahead. “Elizabeth...” “What is it, Master?” “You did not give me trouble this time.” “I don’t remember ever doing that to you.” “Didn’t you the other day? That it was ‘because of my eyes’ or ‘because of my nose’?” Igor seemed to be concerned about Elizabeth's lack of teasing. The words came back to Elizabeth’s memory. “What I said was not me giving you trouble, it was just a matter of fact.” “Is that so? Well then...” Igor turns his head towards Elizabeth, his eyes closed and his eyeballs eerily pulsing beneath their lids. “I believe that that is a face that you should refrain from ever making in front of our guest, Master.” “Oh? And why is that?” “In the words of today's youth, it makes me want to ‘barf;’ it is ‘nasty as hell.’” “Well, I tried at least.” Igor opened his beady eyes again and returned them to their original position, facing forward as usual. This time, Elizabeth was the one to question Igor; “Why not stretch your nose and see how much longer it can get?” “Why don’t we save this for another time, Elizabeth.” “Done already?” The chatter died down yet again and only the sounds of the piano and the songstress’ voice could be heard. Then Elizabeth opened her mouth for a moment, before spitting out the words that festerd on her tongue. “I do have one question.” “What is it?” “It’s about Nyx. I wanted to ask you, supposing you know anything about it.” Still facing ahead, Igor’s body begins to quiver. “Where did you hear that name?” “From our guest. About an ‘inevitable destruction of the world’ that’s incoming, I believe.” Swallowing the silence, Igor takes a short breath then speaks. “Nyx. The inevitable destruction of the world. In the near future, not far from now even, Nyx will appear. The destruction of the world will follow after. That is Nyx.” Elizabeth did not expect this response. For the rulers of power, ‘inevitable’ was an unfamiliar concept. “If Nyx makes her appearance, then I shall stop her myself.” Igor laughs briefly, his chuckles eerily spilling out beyond his lips. “It is useless to discuss stopping Nyx. I believe that it will not be any of us that does it. Though I cannot say such with certainty, I am interested to see what marvels our guest will bring forth.” With the words that Igor said somewhat reassuring her, Elizabeth spoke. “If you say so, Master. If you believe that she can defeat Nyx, then I am certain that she will be able to.” His interest piqued further, Igor smiled again. “It is certainly true that Nyx cannot be destroyed. However, humans possess the ability to make miracles happen with their power of bonds— especially so for that girl, the Wild Card. Well then, we shall see just how this plays out.” Saying as such, a single bead of sweat ran down Igor’s cheek. “Is that all, Elizabeth?” Sensing that there was nothing else of value to add to the conversation, Elizabeth changed the topic. “There is one more thing. I cannot sense either of my siblings”. It was common for Theodore and Margaret to not be present in the Velvet Room with Elizabeth. However, regardless of their distance, Elizabeth could usually still sense their presence. Right now, there was no such sign. "Margaret is preparing a trial for our guest formed from her memories and her experiences— a 'Vision Quest,' so to speak. Once she has finished the preparations, the point of entry will be a door located at Tartarus' entrance. At least, that was what she told me." "A trial from her memories? What could that mean? Well, if my sister is the one behind it, I have no doubt that it will be something truly sadistic." "'Sadistic' is how you would describe it?" Igor subtly muttered under his breath. "Did you say something, Master?" "No, it was nothing. Anyway, Theodore told me as he left that he was going to train in Monad." “He’s in Monad again? He’s practically been living there these days. Does my foolish little brother really enjoy torturing those Shadows so much? He really ought to show more moderation in indulging his cruel hobbies.” Igor mutters in secrecy. “Cruel hobby? Can you of all people say that?” “I don’t like to play with the Shadows that much. Or something like that.” “T-That’s... Elizabeth, if you heard that, then I believe that it’s best that we don’t dwell on this topic,” Igors says with a faintly shaken voice. Elizabeth responds expressionlessly, “Is that so? Well, I apologize for my rudeness. I will not talk about it any further.” A half-hearted response. There was another thing on her mind. The “Vision Quest” trial that Margaret is preparing. It was clear that she was interested in the combat abilities of SEES, but was this fascination just a passing feeling? Elizabeth tilted her head and thought, “Maybe it’s something else. Is Sister trying to help the girl? It’s a trial that’s being prepared by Margaret, a ruler of power; naturally, it would involve combat. Her goal may be to further strengthen SEES by preparing fearsome foes for them to defeat.” Elizabeth thought (perhaps a little too much) about what she could do for the girl herself; and then it hit her. Imagining herself fighting the girl, a spark was lit within Elizabeth. A fiery spirit formed inside of her. Igor turned his head, looking towards Elizabeth. “What’s wrong, Elizabeth? Your face is a little red.” “Is that so?” A textbook response. Elizabeth answered without even hearing his question. A battle… with her... What will become of it? Elizabeth’s consciousness was entirely focused on imagining it. There was no greater pleasure, no greater satisfaction than that. Completely immersed in euphoria, Elizabeth did not notice her heartbeat accelerating.

Theodore’s cheery chorus resonated from the ninth floor of Monad. “Velvet, oh velvet. My master has a long nose.” He was in good spirits. In his hands lay a furoshiki wrapping cloth, which held various items dropped by Shadows: Beetle Horns, Snake Scales and Relic Fragments. These items served as treats for Theodore’s pet, Pochi. Ever since he decided to look after him, Theodore has been bringing Pochi various items in the efforts of helping him grow stronger. However, because the structure of both Tartarus and Monad changed every time it was entered, Pochi’s location changed too. Theodore sensed Pochi’s approximate location, and when he felt he was in the right spot, exclaimed in an inviting voice; “Pochi, I’m here!” Just then something wriggled from the darkness, followed immediately by the dull metallic sound of dragging chains. It created a horrifying scraping sound as it crawled. Its mask bone-white, a black tar-colored blob appeared. Pochi. However, his size changed dramatically compared to when Theodore first found him. Much larger than Theodore’s palm, he was now the size of a large dog. His chain, once the size of a necklace, was now the size of a weapon, and its mask, formerly the size of a thumb, now the size of a human face. The Shadow found his way to Theodore’s feet, stretching his neck, which Theodore then rubbed. “There, there, you’re hungry, right? I brought something for you,” and Theodore opened the furoshiki wrapping. Within the blink of an eye, Pochi’s large body stole the wrapping from his hands and digested the contents within himself, wriggling intensely all the while. Sounds of Pochi wolfing down the food like a starved beast emanated from him, feeding into his growth. Regardless of how many times Theodore saw it, he never tired of seeing Pochiso satisfied; and as such, he regularly brought various items for him to feast on. Theodore yet again drew his hand closer to the white mask, energetically smiling. “Is it tasty?” And again, he rubbed Pochi’s mask. Though his skeletal colored mask emitted no emotion, he pressed it into Theodore’s hand, seemingly indulging in his warmth. “Ohh, yes, yes, aren't you just the cutest?” The loudly rumbling Shadow’s body stopped moving; his meal time had come to an end. In response to his owner's playful affection, the domesticated Shadow rested his head on Theodore’s shoulder. Weightier than it appeared from a glance, Theodore strained out a smile. “You’re a heavy boy, aren’t you?” “MUST… EAT YOU… NOW.” A voice leaked out from Pochi’s mask. As he had grown, Pochi seemed to better understand human language. “I am not a snack. And do not speak so rudely. When you want something, you ask nicely: say ‘May I’ and ‘please’.” “MAY I... EAT YOU... PLEASE?” “You’re asking to eat me? Are your other meals not sufficient enough for you?” After pushing on Pochi’s mask, attempting to free himself from the imposing Shadow, Theodore said in a commanding voice: “Stay! Sit!” Pochi froze on the spot, swaying his neck back and forth. “Good, good. Hand!” Theodore places one hand in front of Pochi, and the shadow stretches a part of its body, placing its tentacle-like hand on Theodore's palm. Pochi mimicked the same gesture as Theodore, truly living up to its status as a pet. “Good boy. Well then, stay here and I’ll be sure to bring more treats for you when I next come to Tartarus.” Nodding in approval, Theodore stood up, turning his back towards Pochi. However, he sensed the shuddering Pochi behind him; he turned around again. Pochi had stretched his body in pursuit of Theodore as he made his exit. Theodore scolded the Shadow. “I said ‘wait’ didn’t I? Do you not understand your master's words?” He ever so slightly drew upon his commanding presence as a ruler of power. Wincing away in fear, Pochi dejectedly returned to his original position. “Okay... Well then, I’ll be off now.” Making his exit from Monad, something came to Theodore’s mind. Pochi had grown a lot, but how long could he keep this a secret from his sisters? It might be best to start thinking about that now— what he would do when the time came. Theodore still did not know, nor was he aware of his pet’s terrifying true identity.

Flames engulfed three Shadows, turning to ash as their death cries bellowed out. At the back stood the largest and strongest: A Grand Magus, dressed like a jester. Though weaker compared to other Shadows that dwelled within Monad, the average Persona user would still have a hard time fighting it, assuming that they were even able to see Monad’s door too. Elizabeth wiped it out in one blow. Though she eliminated it using fire magic, the steam vapors still rising, not a single bead of sweat ran down her body. Wearing her usual blank expression, Elizabeth shut her Persona Compendium with a thud. “It’s this time already... I should be going soon.” Currently Elizabeth was on the ninth floor of Monad. By now Elizabeth had fought over twenty battles; it was getting late. It wouldn’t be unusual for the Reaper to make his appearance soon. “Well, the Reaper still hasn’t appeared yet. Maybe it would be a good idea to go back now.” Pulling herself together, Elizabeth made way towards the tenth floor. Suddenly, without warning, a noise makes Elizabeth stop in her tracks. It was when she made way back towards the intersection that she asked herself which way she should go. From the back of the hallway to her right, the jangling of chains could be heard, a clear sign that the Reaper was close by. Elizabeth moved towards the source of the noise. Letting it make the first move, Elizabeth proceeded. Attacking from the darkness ahead, she was struck by a pitifully weak looking wind attack, which she casually took. Elizabeth readied her Persona Compendium. “Know your place.” To the average person, it would seem like a weak attack without much force, but as a ruler of power, this was enough to eliminate most foes in a single blow. The enemy was blown away by a torrent with the force of a wrecking ball, and was flung towards the wall. A sudden ear-piercing screech bellowed throughout the surroundings: the force of it caused fragments of the ceiling to crumble – the struck assailant was half-sunk into a large, depressed wall. “Now then...” staring intently at the shadow, Elizabeth tilted her head and pondered. “Hmm... is this really the Reaper?” This ‘Reaper’ did have a white, skeletal mask and chains dangling from it, and it did wield two long-barreled revolvers. However, this one was quite small.

Elizabeth was used to the Reaper being a few meters taller than her, but this one seemed to be of a much lower grade than the usual. The chains wrapped around its body were thin, and the barrels of its guns were short like a toy. Still wincing from the previous attack, it trembled in a manner that was quite painful to watch “Is this a misshapen version of the Reaper? How could that possibly happen?” Elizabeth stood in bewilderment, feeling almost as if she was bullying the Shadow. Unlike the other Shadows that were fiercely hostile, this one was difficult to attack. But this Shadow was the first to attack; those who provoke it shouldn’t complain if they are killed in battle. That was what Elizabeth believed. Always face your opponent, and never hold back. Mercy is a disservice to your opponent, as well as yourself. Elizabeth sighed, wondering what the leader of SEES would do. "Such a kind person would not think such things." Elizabeth nodded approvingly and pointed at the false imitation of the Reaper. "I shall let you go, this time. When next we meet, however, I will show you no mercy. Become an excellent Reaper. Do you understand?" It did not seem to understand. It shook, quivering, then disappeared. It seemed to melt into the darkness, then leave. Having done a good deed, Elizabeth loosened her lips. But suddenly, she was directly struck by an intense chill. The strongest form of Ice magic, Mabufudyne. It could easily kill weaker Shadows.

Elizabeth's body froze in an instant. Large chunks of ice formed, turning her into an icicle. Within the ice, Elizabeth opened her eyes wide in a fiery rage. That movement alone caused the ice to shatter and burst into several pieces. When she glanced in the direction of the attack, she saw an unexpected figure. “… Theo. What might you be doing here?" Theo stood there, holding his Persona Compendium in one hand. He was undoubtedly the one who froze Elizabeth. "Uh— I... Well, um... that... You were about to be attacked by a Shadow, and... I'm sorry! I got impatient and missed! I would never aim an attack at you, Sister! It was an honest mistake!" Elizabeth faced Theodore. "... I don't understand what you're saying." Theodore backed away frightened. "W– ... I– I didn't mean to!" “What has my brother so frazzled? It's… oddly relaxing.” Elizabeth was now in a good mood. He only hit her with a Mabufudyne, after all. But Theodore seemed to think otherwise. He bowed with such velocity, it seemed he might smash his head into his knees. "Sister, please find it in your heart to forgive me!" Theodore trembled just as much as that Shadow did. He seemed to be genuinely frightened, but Elizabeth did not know why. She decided not to press it further. Elizabeth briskly walked past Theodore. Not wanting to disturb her good mood, she went straight for the teleporter upstairs. Not realizing she had left, Theodore continued to bow. Several minutes passed. The sound of crawling emanated nearby, which caused Theodore to stand up straight immediately. Finally seeing that Elizabeth had gone, he let out a relieved sigh. He was anticipating a response, but she seemed to spare him this time. In front of him was a white mask sitting in a black, viscous gel, staring at him. It looked like a Maya. It was Theodore's pet Shadow, Pochi. "Oh, thank goodness you're alright! I thought Sister might have gotten to you, I was worried sick! I told you to stay away from women in blue clothes!” Seemingly not understanding that they were being scolded, Pochi moved his neck about obliviously. Theodore crouched down, and petted Pochi’s mask. “… Regardless, I’m glad you’re alright…” Theodore exhaled and turned his head. “Sister could’ve really roughed you up… But she didn’t hurt you?” A white mask and chains. When he saw them, he thought Elizabeth’s opponent was Pochi, but Theodore remembered that it had a gun. Not only did Pochi not have a gun, but Elizabeth had said that the Reaper was a worthless opponent in the first place. It was not Pochi.

Feeling that reassurance, Theodore got goosebumps. He wasn’t aware that he was protecting Pochi, and yet he still hit Elizabeth directly. To Theodore, it was a miracle that he was safe now. “Think about it. It was dangerous to secretly follow Sister into Monad.” Theodore worried that Elizabeth might find Pochi, but realized that he had no excuse if he were to be caught; he thought it fruitless to try and explain this to Elizabeth, however.

Worried about Theordore’s pale face, Pochi brought his mask closer to him. The way he tilted his neck was very cute. He clunked his mask into Theodore’s face. “Are you listening? This is half your fault, too. From now on, never approach a woman in blue clothes. Alright?” “PLEASURE… WORKING… WITH YOU…” His difficulty in speaking further fueled Theodore’s desire to protect it. “I shall go to Tartarus and bring you some food. Please wait a moment.” Theodore stroked his mask again, then got up. Pochi’s mask was very smooth, with no eyes, nor nose, nor mouth, but Theodore saw worry in his face. “I-I’ll be back as soon as I can.” With great reluctance, Theodore walked away from Pochi. After taking just a few steps, he stopped and looked back. Pochi sat there, motionlessly. Though he had no eyes, Theodore felt the same reluctance that he felt from Pochi. He ran back to him, thinking of something else to say. “Oh, I just can’t stand leaving you here alone. I’ll stay here a little longer, and then go hunt Shadows.” Seeing Theodore’s expressions, Elizabeth said, surprised, “My, Theo. You’re looking quite carefree.” Theodore simply continued to stroke Pochi’s mask obsessively.

Elizabeth returned to the Velvet Room, and Theodore shortly thereafter. It was the Dark Hour, meaning the SEES leader might come visit. Igor sat at the round table, motionlessly. The Empowered Ones stood before him. “How are the preparations for Vision Quest going?” Elizabeth asked Margaret. “It still needs more time. I expect preparations to be finished by the beginning of the new year, though.” “It’s a trial that draws upon the girl’s memories, correct?” “Right. Her group has been fighting special Shadows that only come out during the full moon. I’m going to prepare Shadows based on these memories and have them fight again. After those, I’ll have her fight some other enemies that I have prepared. And if she can beat those…” Her voice trailed off. Elizabeth did not want to know the contents of the trial, but rather the motivation behind it. She asked: “What made you want to create this trial?” “It is merely for entertainment— no other reason.” Margaret looked away for just a moment. ‘No other reason.’ It was clearly a lie. There was something else at play. Understanding this, Elizabeth was satisfied, knowing Elizabeth would not explain any further. “Thank you for the insight.” After giving her thanks, Elizabeth looked to Theodore. The sisters’ conversation didn’t interest their brother, yet he looked bizarrely at ease; merry, even. “Theo, what has you in such high spirits?” Theodore, clearly distracted, eventually answered. “I have witnessed the beauty of life. I am simply remembering it again now.” Theodore’s expression quickly changed to nervousness. His face turned blue, as if he had been splashed with ice water. “… N-no other reason!!!” Seeing Theodore panicking made Elizabeth feel increasingly unnerved. “Theo, what do you mean by ‘the beauty of life?’ Please, enlighten us.” “N-No! I-I couldn’t possibly, Sister…!” Theodore was clearly hiding something. “Perhaps a bit of whipping will help…” Elizabeth opened her Compendium. Igor’s eyes moved towards her. “Elizabeth, do not use Personas in the Velvet Room. Continue your quarrel elsewhere, please.” “But, Master…” Margaret butted in. “Elizabeth. Master has already spoken.” They stared at each other for several seconds. Theodore felt a deep uneasiness growing inside of him; Igor broke into a cold sweat. “… Of course. I humbly ask that you forgive my transgressions, Master.” She slammed her Compendium shut. Theodore sighed with relief; Margaret was quick to reprimand him, though. “Why are you smiling, Theo? Don’t act as if you are not hiding something.” “Huh?” “Tell us. Don’t keep secrets from us.” Margaret began to step up to him. Theodore backed up at the same pace. “I… I’m not! I would never keep secrets from you two… W-What would I have to hide?” “Then why are you panicking? Tell us.” Elizabeth chimed in. “If you truly were not hiding anything, you would not be getting so flustered.” “Th… that…” Theodore’s sisters further encroached on his space. As he whined like a pathetic pup, Igor turned his attention to him. Theodore could not see him, though; all he could see was his quickly impending doom. Igor spoke in his trembling voice. “Do not be so aggressive with your brother, you two. Everyone has their own secrets. Isn’t that so?” As he was the three siblings’ shared master, Theodore was pleasantly surprised that Igor came to his defense. The sisters spoke as one. “I apologize, Master, but this is a problem between siblings.” Igor jumped in his chair with a start. “… It seems there is nothing I can do.” “W-What!?” Theodore shrieked. The sisters drew in closer. With no other option, Theodore hung his head in defeat, powerless. He felt like a criminal in a TV drama, backed to the edge of a cliff. He began to confess.

After his explanation, Theodore collapsed onto the floor in repentance. He placed his hands in front of him. He felt he was done for. Elizabeth was very upset with him. He was feeding and protecting Shadows. That was what he told them. The sister took in their brother’s plea, and it was Margaret who first responded. “… Why would you make a Shadow a pet? That’s an awfully strange thing to do. Elizabeth continued. “It may be weird, but I think it to be weirder that you would hide this from us.” Theodore felt at ease. “Really? Well, there is more that I should—” “About this pet, Theo. You have been keeping all of its love to yourself, so how about we enter it into a pet show? It will be so adorable that it will surely win first place. I for one would certainly like to see it.” Margaret stood up and nodded. “As would I. To think that there would be a creature in Monad that would enrapture even Theo.” Theodore got up impatiently in response to the two’s excessive expectations. “I… fear that you may be disappointed with his cuteness.” Finally, Elizabeth stood, looking up into her brother’s eyes. “We would never be disappointed. Please, show us your pet.” “Alright. I’ll show you everything I told you about.” The two sisters stared intently at Theodore, which made him feel a bit uncomfortable. “… Master, is it okay for my siblings and I to leave for a while?” “I do not mind. Take as long as you please.” Igor sounded utterly relieved. “Well then, let’s go.” Elizabeth gleefully made for the door. Margaret followed suit, as did Theodore, leaving the Velvet Room. Left all by his lonesome, Igor muttered to himself. “What trouble will they get themselves into next?”

With Theodore’s guidance, the three went to the ninth floor of Monad. They each were not holding their Compendiums, rather they had something wrapped in a furoshiki cloth. Inside were items they had gathered from defeating Shadows in Tartarus. They prepared these items into pet food before coming to Monad. “He should be around here.” Theodore paused, then called out, “We brought you food!!!” They heard something shift at the end of the corridor. It cried out in pain, staying away from the three. “… What’s wrong? Are you okay?… Ah…” Theodore seemed to remember something. His face turned sour. “That’s right. I told him to stay away from women in blue clothes.” Elizabeth responded immediately. “But why would you tell him that?” “I would like to know, too,” Margaret added. “I feared that if either of you happened upon him, you might… go overboard with your attacks, as you do with most Shadows. I only did it to protect him; he’s the only pet I have, after all.” Theodore’s honesty and forwardness upset Elizabeth. “Are you implying that I just throw my spells around without thinking?” “… Am I wrong?” “How rude! Just because you say it doesn’t mean it’s true!” She reached for her Persona Compendium and opened it. However, the furoshiki fell from her hands and plopped onto the ground, opening up. Theodore flinched instinctively. “If you used your Persona just now, you would’ve scared him off for good!” “… I see your point now.” Elizabeth closed her Compendium. Margaret spoke with Theodore. “Is your pet still scared? Perhaps you could try calling his name?

Theodore put on an oddly serious face, and called out into the darkness. “Oh Pochi! It’s okay to come out! These two won’t hurt you!” Again they heard something— Pochi— cry in the darkness. They heard hesitance and anxiety in its groans. "Well, it's not that you told him to stay away from us because you thought we were horrible, right?" "It seems he meant no harm in it," Margaret concluded. Ignoring his sisters, Theodore took a few steps into the darkness, clutching his portion of pet food. He knelt down, and unwrapped the furoshiki cloth. He grabbed a beetle horn the size of his arm, and threw it out into the dark like a baton. "There's your food. I think you'll find it quite delicious." The Shadow moaned in response and came closer. Instead of coming out into the open, Pochi extended his phlegmatic body into a sort of tentacle, snatching the food Theodore had thrown, and pulled it back into the shadows. The siblings could hear him crunching into the beetle horn. "I have an idea." Elizabeth leaned over and opened her cloth. She dug through a pile of various Shadow items and took out a bundle of silver hair— Tiara's Hair, an item dropped from floating wig-like Shadows called Shouting Tiaras. She deftly crafted it into a long rope. She attached a beetle horn of her own to the end of it. "Hold on a moment, Sister. What on earth are you doing?" "See for yourself." She gripped the other end of the rope and cast the beetle horn into the darkness. Immediately they heard Pochi groan as he began munching on the horn, pulling the rope taut. Elizabeth yanked on her end. She felt some resistance from the other end. Pochi was holding firm onto the beetle horn, being pulled closer and closer. Elizabeth grinned as she continued to feel him in. "How quaint. Opposing the rulers of power… is a fool's errand." She tugged on the rope with all her might. Pochi was no match for her, and he flew through the air, landing right in front of Elizabeth. He stared up at her. Pochi spat out what was left of the horn and scurried away. He ran behind Theodore's leg, shaking, clearly horrified. "Sister, how could you!?" Theodore yelled. "This is exactly why Pochi's scared of you!" "Are you saying that this is my fault, Theo?" "Yes! You have to be more careful with him." Theodore stroked Pochi's mask, picked out an item from his cloth and tenderly handed it to him. Pochi took it into his body, which throbbed as he chowed down. Margaret took out an item and threw it over to him; he reached a tentacle out to grab it while maintaining eye contact with Theodore. Margaret threw another item, and then a third. Each one she threw, Pochi caught in his tentacles and ate it. "... Quite interesting, this one." Margaret was never as busy as her siblings, so even small things like this entertained her. Though she remained as expressionless as ever, she continued to throw Pochi more and more treats.

Elizabeth stared on as her siblings played with the Shadow. A white mask. Black chains. He looked like a Maya, she thought, but something about him looked weird. "Are you alright, Sister?" Theodore asked. "What's wrong?" Margaret added. Elizabeth was almost never this quiet. "This strange feeling, why is it making me worry so much?" Elizabeth ultimately decided not to bring this up; she didn't want to ruin their fun. "It's his name. Your naming ability is absolutely dreadful." "Really?" Margaret responded without looking up. "I think it's quite cute." "I thought so too," said Theodore. "I was quite proud when I came up with it." He continued to feed Pochi without so much as glancing at Elizabeth. "Oh, Pochi. I'll always protect you, forever and ever." "Yes," Margaret responded. "We must protect the weak." Margaret also started to look strange. She had an odd gleam in her eyes. She seemed to be fascinated by Pochi. "Well, I guess he is fairly cute. I'm going to head back now. What about you two?" Margaret got up, clutching her empty furoshiki cloth. "I shall go to Tartarus and get more food. I feel I haven't given him enough yet." "I shall do the same," agreed Theodore. "We ought to get going. He's going to get hungry again soon." Theodore sits down again. He picks up Pochi and strokes his mask. "Wait here for us, okay?" He turns to Elizabeth. "Sister, we must be off. Try not to bully Pochi anymore while we're gone, okay? He's only a child." "Sorry to keep you waiting, Theo," Margaret said. "We should go now." "Yes, let's." Theodore and Margaret walked off, leaving their sister behind without a word. Elizabeth slowly turned her gaze to Pochi. He already began inching backwards. Elizabeth grabbed an item, wanting to feed him. "Do not fear… Here is a tasty treat for you." She crouched down and shook it in front of his face. Much to her surprise, Pochi ran off into the dark, incredibly quickly for a Maya. Elizabeth looked down at what she was holding. "Do you hate it? Oh, a Greasy Gear… It may be too hard for you." Greasy Gears were items dropped by Wild Drives. Elizabeth thought it looked less than appetizing. "Perhaps it would taste better if it was breaded and fried… Maybe he'll like something else." She called out to him. "Pochi, you can come out now." No response. She could only hear total silence. "You hate me, don't you?" Defeated, Elizabeth got up and headed to the Velvet Room, leaving the furoshiki and the rest of the food behind. For an instant, Elizabeth felt an immense pressure behind her. "Ghh…!" She flipped around. It was a dark, malicious, hostile energy. She frantically went to open her Compendium to defend herself. But nothing attacked her. "It looks like… I was mistaken…?" She began to lower her guard, still on edge. "What on earth is this? We searched through all of Monad this time…" She couldn't help but feel its presence lurking behind her in the darkness.

Back at the entrance of Tartarus, Elizabeth placed her hand on the door to the Velvet Room, but stopped. "Yeah, that looks good…" She heard the voice of a young girl on the other side. The leader of SEES. Elizabeth opened the door in an odd panic and entered the Velvet Room. The girl was standing in front of the round table, talking with Igor. She turned around, and saw Elizabeth’s familiar face. “Ah, you’re back!” she exclaimed happily. Elizabeth bowed respectfully in return. “I deeply apologize for abandoning my duties without warning. I humbly ask that you find it in yourself to forgive this discourtesy.” “Oh, I-I don’t mind.” she responded. Elizabeth raised her head and bashfully assumed her normal position behind Igor. “How have you fared today?” The girl smiled and tilted her head. “Nothing special. I guess I could talk about school, but you’d just be sitting there bored and stone faced.”

“Please, go ahead. If seeing a boring face worries you, then I shall pretend to be interested until you are satisfied.” The girl seemed to be put off slightly by this statement. Elizabeth was confused for a moment, but then understood. “I see. It is not that you wish my face to be more interesting, rather you wanted to see Master’s interesting face. Again, I apologize for letting my ego get the better of me.”

“Do not call others' faces ‘interesting,’ Elizabeth.” “But Master, no other face could possibly interest her more than yours.” “I-It’s fine you guys! You don’t have to do anything!” Elizabeth swiftly interjected. “But it is my duty as an attendant of the Velvet Room to facilitate your needs.” “It’s alright, really. By the way, your dress is a little… messed up.” Elizabeth hurriedly fixed her outfit. The girl seemed to chuckle a bit. “I’m gonna go now. I’ll come back when it’s the Dark Hour again.” “I hope you come to be interested in our faces again.” “We’re exploring Tartarus today. Everyone is in high spirits after Christmas.” ‘Everyone.’ Elizabeth knew that the girl was the leader of SEES. But there was another part of her statement that caught her attention. “Christmas has already passed? If you don’t mind, could tell me what it is today.” “Today? The 26th. Winter break is starting tomorrow.” “Ah… I see.” Elizabeth visited the girl’s room at the beginning of December. Since then, two weeks had passed on her side; but for Elizabeth, it felt like just the other day. She couldn’t help but realize how different their lives were. She was so far out of her reach. Even though she was right in front of her, she felt so distant. A crushing anxiety built in her chest, clouding her vision. “A-Are you okay? You don’t look very well…” “No, I am alright. Thank you for your concern.” “Yeah. You know, if something happens, tell me. I’m here for you if you need it.” “… I shall consider it.” The girl left the Velvet Room. Elizabeth stared at that closed door. How many more times would she be able to visit?