Chapter Text
Opening - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bV65gXqjrc
"Now arriving at Gate C-2!"
Another busy week at the Tokyo International Airport as hundreds of people walked by each other, waiting in line, retrieving luggage, etc. It was the norm of how society runs in a similar fashion. Hell, everywhere in the world runs like that. It's not like anything will be changing anytime soon.
Walking along the path of the many people arriving at Gate C-2 was a boy who had black spiky hair, brown eyes and a pretty young looking face to boot. He wore gray plaid shorts, black lace less shoes, a black shirt depicting a dog with a wooden board with sushi rolls and Japanese writing, glasses he wears every now and then and a sling bag around his shoulder. He seems to be a little bit lost, considering it's his first time being in here. He always waited for the day that he can finally go there, but not without its challenges though, but he'll figure it out.
"Hey." The boy said as he gave his passport to the guard.
"Soren Rover?" The attendee asked.
"Yeah, that's me."
"How long will you be staying?"
"At least a month."
"Very well, enjoy your stay."
"Thanks." He gets his passport back as he walks around, exploring the many luxuries that the airport has to offer. After claiming his baggage, he calls for a cab and tells him the address and they're off.
On the way there, as he looks out at the window, he sees something out of the ordinary. He saw a ball with an unusual design which is split by one horizontal line and one thicker vertical line, which intersect at a specific point to the bottom left of the circle's center. From there, he saw nine figures standing side by side as the balls and nine entities hover above them. As he bore witness to the sight, fire sparked in his eyes. He shook his head in shock, not realizing what came over him.
"Whoa, what was that?"
"Is everything alright, sir?" The cab driver asked.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm alright. I was just wondering how exciting this whole experience can be."
"I'm happy to hear that, and while we're on the topic, here we are."
"Oh, thanks."
The cab driver helps Soren unload the bags out of the trunk and Soren pays the fare along with a tip as he makes his way to the apartment in Shibuya. It was pretty modest from the looks of it, but that was fine. He didn't need it to be too fancy. After all, the apartment complex at least has a restaurant and a laundromat that was included in there. As long as he has those two things, he'll be just fine. After all, he needed that vacation, away from all the noise and stress involving it. He decides it's best if he just relaxes for a bit and then gets straight to unpacking.
It was getting late, but he managed to sort everything out. Well, almost. There's still a few more boxes he still needs to unpack but he was already tired so he decides to hit the bunk. As he was about to pick a song, he saw something very unusual. It was an eye that had a star as the iris, and it was pulsating on the menu very eerily.
"Hmm? What's that?" He looks at the name of the app. "Metaverse Navigator? I don't know what that is but I don't need it." He deletes it without a second thought. And so he picks a song and dozes off to sleep.
Darkness is all around Soren. At least it was, until he opened his eyes. He stood up at his feet and looked all around it. What he saw was that he was standing on a floating island with 3 platforms floating above him. One on the top and one on each side. On the surface, there was debris being assembled to look like an artifact was once placed with moss and ice growing on the side. On the background, there are floating islands that may be similar to the one he is standing on although it's too far away to see it, and on both sides, there are icicles forming on the waterfalls and two temples with very intricate designs of their own. The only major difference is that the platform Soren's on is all entirely blue with an emblem he'd seen before.
"Oh my God. This place…"
"Ah, it seems our fighter has awakened!"
He looked up to see three figures standing on each platform. On the right was a tall, handsome boy with black, unkempt hair and was wearing glasses. He wears a blue hat, a blue dress shirt with four circles on the torso, black pants with blue accents and black shoes. The figure on the left wears a blue dress, and stylish matching headband with white butterfly ornaments and yellow roses, with white leggings and black shoes. She also carries a large grimoire on her left arm. And the figure on the top was sitting on a desk with paperwork on the left and a microphone, pen and lamp on the right. The old man has a long nose, pointed ears and bulging, bloodshot eyes. He wears a black suit with white gloves with a crazed grin plastered on his face. They all look down on him with anticipation.
"What the- Joker?!"
"Joker? I haven't heard that name for a long time." He gave off a smirk that can piss anyone off if done right. "Of course that was my codename, but I have long since moved on from it. You may simply call me Ren Amamiya. I now fully serve the very place you stand in now."
"You… you what?"
"Now, now, it is very rude for a servant to introduce themselves before the master." The old man said.
"Ah, my apologies, dear master. It won't happen again." Ren said playfully.
The old man then turns his attention to Soren. "Now as for the introductions, welcome to the Velvet Room. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a place that only those who are bound by contract may enter. My name is Igor, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"And you may call me Lavenza." The girl finally spoke, bowing politely.
"Okay, so Igor, the 'master' of this Velvet Room, Lavenza, the one carrying a large book, and Ren Amamiya, who no longer goes by Joker. Okay, so my name is-"
"Soren Rover. Yes, we heard so much about you." Lavenza finished.
"Wait, what? How?" Soren was dumbfounded.
"Well, we happen to find some very profound potential and you just happened to be one of them." Ren explained wistfully.
"Wait, so what does that have to do with me?"
"It's very simple. Those people we have scouted have the potential to be a Wild Card."
"Wild Card?"
"You see, Wild Cards are people who use the bonds they created into newfound strength and can use multiple Personas in battle, or in your case, Spirits."
"Persona? Spirit?"
"Ah yes." Igor chimed in. "Personas are the manifestations of a person's being, but they're more in control compared to a Shadow, whose thoughts are malevolent. As for Spirits, they are those who are like Personas but they are entities who lost their beings and thus are not your real selves."
"So they're similar, but different." Soren clarified that part.
"Indeed. While Personas are your true selves connected, Spirits are only temporary, but can function the same as Personas."
"Huh. That's pretty cool."
"Yeah, but what's not cool is that this world and the Smash world have merged together, and thus the Lord of Light, Galeem, has invaded this world." Ren said as his smugness died down.
"Galeem? You mean that floating orb thing with the wings?" Ren nods. "Oh, I remember him, like that one game I played."
"Yes, but this game has now turned into reality. He has appeared in this world along with the embodiment of Darkness, Dharkon. Both threaten to bring ruin upon this world." Lavenza adds.
"So Dharkon's here too? Damn… I was supposed to have a nice vacation but all of a sudden I hear this? Ugh, what did I do to deserve this?"
"I'm sorry. This truly is an unjust game. Your chances of winning are almost none." Lavenza said sadly. "However, you can turn the game around to be in your favor."
"Huh, what does that mean?"
"You will know soon enough, but I'm afraid our time is up. It is time for you to return to reality." Igor said.
Soren suddenly feels lightheaded and faints.