Chapter Text
My my... Who might you be? You don't belong here, do you child? Be that as it may, you are welcome to stay. Adding another player to the game could be interesting. However, I must warn you. Tread carefully through this world. One wrong step could prove fatal...
April 10th. Sunday. Morning
You groaned as your phone alarm blared through your room. Blindly, you reached over to the nightstand beside your bed, and felt around for where your device should’ve been sitting.
Last night was rough for you. You had spent nearly three hours filling out applications for scholarships, even though you were only about to start your senior year of high school.
While filling out forms wasn’t difficult, it was definitely tedious and repetitive. By the time you were done, your brain felt like mush, and simple tasks like brushing your teeth and remembering to breathe gave you a headache.
You took a deep breath, and rubbed the sleep from your eyes. You squeaked as you brought your arms above your head, and stretched out your legs, trying to wake up your tired muscles. The only reason you were waking up fairly early on a weekend was because you were planning on spending the day with your mother. Although, you really wanted to sleep for a bit longer, so you kept your eyes closed. Five more minutes wouldn’t hurt anyone.
Huh? You thought to yourself, taking another deep breath with your eyes still closed. Your bed sheets smelled off. They didn’t smell bad. They actually smelled fresh, or new, like they had never been slept in before. While you had washed them recently, they didn’t smell like your usual laundry detergent.
As the sleepy fog that covered your mind was slowly lifting, you noticed something else. Your mother was always an early riser, so she would’ve started making breakfast by now. However, you couldn’t smell anything, even though your room was right next to the kitchen.
Your mother usually made breakfast on the weekends, so waking up to the smell of nothing was a little strange for you. You hoped she would start on breakfast soon. You’d need the energy for the day you had planned.
The fresh scent of your bed sheets invaded your senses once again as you inhaled, bringing back your previous thought of why they smelled different. A part of you felt like you were just tired, and smelling things that weren’t actually there. Your dream had certainly been strange, so you thought it might not be that weird that you were smelling things.
What did I dream about again? You thought, wracking your brain to recall the memory before it was discarded.
You remembered feeling like you were frozen in place while the world was spinning all around you. Everything had become greyed out, and the sounds of chains were surrounding you. The sound of someone speaking was the last thing you remembered.
That voice sounded so familiar… You thought, knowing for sure that you’ve heard it before. The name of the person who produced the voice was on the tip of your tongue, but just barely out of reach. You groaned to yourself for being unable to remember whose voice it was, but you knew you’d remember it eventually.
He said something about adding another player to the game, and something about treading carefully? You chalked it up to the amount of caffeine you had drank while filling out those scholarships. Consuming two cups of coffee and a can of soda within three hours wasn’t something you were proud of, but it needed to be done if you wanted to survive.
Finally, you decided you’ve been laying in bed long enough, and opened your eyes. You lazily sat up and glanced around your room.
An icy chill slithered its way down your spine as your brain processed what you were looking at. This wasn’t your bedroom.
The sudden urge to scream pushed its way up your throat, but you managed to keep your mouth shut. This wasn’t your home, meaning you had no idea who could be on the other side of your closed bedroom door. You knew that if you screamed, someone would most likely hear it, and you weren’t sure if you wanted that.
You slowly turned your head and looked at the phone that was sitting on the nightstand.
Is this… some kind of android? You thought as you reached for it and carefully inspected it. You’ve never seen this kind of model before.
Turning it on, you quickly noticed all of the notifications that were piled up on the lockscreen. There were nearly a dozen emails, a handful of text messages, and three missed phone calls, all from emails and numbers you don’t recognize.
Why is everything in Japanese? You wondered, silently thanking yourself for the interest you had in the language, and your Grandma who convinced you to study Japanese instead of Spanish for the last three years.
A bizarre, and overwhelming urge to laugh and lay back down coursed through you. You wanted to go back to sleep, so you did just that.
You laid your head back on the fresh scented pillow and closed your eyes, hoping that sleep would quickly take you. You prayed that this was all some weird dream, and that you’d wake up back home, in your bed, and to the smell of bacon and eggs.
No matter how long you kept your eyes shut, sleep eluded you. Your mind raced with possibilities as to why you were here, and what was possibly going on.
How long have I been trying to go back to sleep now? 20 minutes? Maybe an hour? You were almost too scared to check. You squinted your eyes open, and peeked at the phone that definitely wasn’t yours, finding that only about five minutes had passed.
A horrific sense of dread settled into your bones as you realized that you weren’t dreaming. Somehow, someway, you were in what seemed to be Japan. At least, that’s what you believed, considering the language of your phone. You wouldn’t be able to confirm it until you actually got out of bed and looked around.
Was I drugged and kidnapped? Wait, why was I given a completely new phone? I haven’t heard anything from outside this room. Am I alone?
After taking a few deep breaths so you didn't start panicking, you slipped out of bed, and yelped in shock when your feet touched the cold hardwood floor of the unfamiliar bedroom.
Quietly, you shuffled towards the door, and twisted the doorknob, opening it just a smidge so you could peek out of it. On the other side was a short hallway that led to what looked like a small conjoined living room and kitchen area.
On your left, in the middle of the hallway, was an open door. From your spot, you could see what looked to be a two in one laundry machine. The glass door that sat in the middle of the machine reflected the shape of a sink. If you had to guess, that was the bathroom.
On your right, in the center of the hallway, was a closed door, which you assumed was probably an extra closet.
Am I really alone? This is an apartment, isn’t it? The owner will probably be coming back soon, right? You thought to yourself as you gazed at the wellkept room in front of you.
You took a deep breath as you dared yourself to step out of your room. Your first few steps were slow, and taken on the tips of your toes so you wouldn’t make any noise.
As you passed the room with the laundry machine in it, you looked inside, finding that it was a bathroom. The toilet sat not too far from the sink, and the bathtub was beside it.
When you entered the living room area, you found a large sliding glass door to your left that led to a small railed platform with stairs that lead up and down the building. You assumed that was the fire escape.
The curtains were pulled back, letting the warm sun cover the couch and TV that sat not too far from the glass door. The TV was fairly large, and sat upon a dark grey TV stand. The sofa was light grey and could sit three people.
A desk sat against the wall that separated the bathroom from the living room, about a foot away from the entrance to the hallway. A single laptop sat on it, looking like it had just come out of the box.
Okay, if I’m somehow in Japan, where am I? This place looks brand new, so maybe Tokyo, or even Kyoto? You wondered, unsure if anyone had lived in this space before you had “moved” in.
As your eyes swept across the space you had somehow ended up in, you spotted a tan manila folder sitting on the edge of the dining table. A few papers stuck out of the opening, as if to invite you to look at them.
Your feet carried you to the folder so you could read what the papers said. You desperately hoped for some answers. After plopping yourself in one of the chairs that surrounded the kitchen table, you carefully opened the folder.
You noticed that on the top sat information about the apartment you were in. Apparently, the apartment was on the third floor, and was situated in the bustling ward of Shibuya. That dread from earlier made your bones feel heavier as you thought about what you had just learned.
Shibuya, seriously?! This is one of the most densely populated cities in Tokyo. You practically screamed to yourself. You didn’t mind people all that much, but the thought of suddenly living in a crowded city made your hands begin to shake.
As you continued reading, you found out that the rent was about ¥180,000 a month, which equaled around $1.7k.
Who’s paying the rent for this place...?
That question was answered when you looked at the next page. The apartment had been put down in your name, meaning you’d be paying the full rent. This was your apartment.
You stared at the page for what felt like an eternity before you slowly curled in on yourself, feeling the unsettling urge to laugh again.
This is ridiculous. How did I even get this apartment? Does this mean I have to find a job? Will I even be able to pay rent this month?! How do I even pay rent in the first place?!
This was all so much for one day. You took a moment to bring your knees to your chest, and rest your forehead against them. You closed your eyes, and took slow, deep breaths. If this really was happening, you couldn’t let yourself panic, or you might not be able to bring yourself out of it.
Finally, you pulled yourself together enough to continue looking through the papers. The next important one was an enrollment application for a prestigious private high school called Ichiryu Academy. You’d never heard of it before, but apparently, you had managed to snag a full ride scholarship thanks to your perfect grades and “achievements.”
What does it mean by “achievements?” You wondered. The only thing you really considered an achievement was your fluency in Japanese due to how hard you studied it.
However, you understood when it came to your grade. You worked nonstop to keep a 5.0 GPA with the help of the advanced placement classes you took, as well as the college classes you took at your local community college.
Another thing you noticed on the enrollment application was the date. It stated that April 11th was the day that school would begin again.
You hesitantly glanced at your phone to find that it had somehow become April 10th. The new school year in America typically started in August, so suddenly being thrown into the past only made this all seem even more like a dream.
Something tugged at the back of your mind. There was something about this date that seemed familiar to you. Whatever it was, also brought up the memory of the voice you had heard in your dream.
A cold sweat began to form on your back as you slowly stood up. If this really was all real, then you needed to make sure that you were ready for school tomorrow. At least, that’s what you told yourself in order to distract yourself from the numbing sense of impending doom.
When you entered your room, you opened your closet door and found three familiar looking tan peacoats, and seven black skirts.
Wait… I recognize these… The school symbol sewn onto the left breast pocket… Is this the same uniform Goro Akechi from Persona 5 would wear?! You thought, shakily removing a coat from its hanger and backing up until the backs of your legs hit your bed, where they promptly gave out and forced you to sit down.
Have I been brought into the world of Persona?! No… That’s impossible.
A dry chuckle escaped your lips as you laid out the jacket on your bed. You could no longer deny what was clearly in front of you.
This is definitely the uniform he wears. Maybe it’s just a coincidence. Maybe Atlus just used Ichiryu Academy’s uniform for Akechi’s outfit. Or maybe the school stole the detective’s iconic suit? You thought, continuing to try to deny that you had somehow been brought into a different universe.
Is… that what the voice in my dream meant when it was talking about “another player?” You knew that Akira or Ren, and Akechi were considered the two tricksters. Does that mean… that I’m a trickster as well? You hoped to whatever god was out there that it wasn’t true. If you really had been brought into the Persona universe, you knew you couldn’t interfere with the plot.
Slowly, you shuffled back to your kitchen table, unable to wrap your poor brain around what was going on. When you reached the table, you looked at the next few pieces of paper.
They were forms detailing your temporary residency in Japan, and explained how you could apply for full citizenship once you graduated high school. Your mind was still struggling to comprehend the fact that there was a possibility that you had been sucked into a video game universe, and the gnawing in your stomach was also making it difficult to think.
You walked to your fridge, hoping that whatever had brought you here had been kind enough to leave you some food. To your surprise, you found a half dozen eggs. Even though that was the only thing in your fridge, you thought it was good enough for now.
Looking through your kitchen cabinets, you found a handful of different spices. Thankfully, you had salt and pepper, so you wouldn’t be eating bland eggs for breakfast.
After you whipped yourself up a few sunny side up eggs, you began going through your phone while you ate.
There were a few social media apps, a weather app, a maps app, and what looked to be a banking app. For the millionth time this morning, you were surprised when you opened the banking app. Whatever, or whoever, had brought you here, had given you enough money to pay rent for the next few months, as well as buy groceries so you wouldn’t starve. You knew you’d have to get a job eventually, but with the money you had now, you’d have enough time to find a job that you’d be good at.
You also took the opportunity to look through your emails and texts. They were all from different schools around Tokyo. Each of them were from principals who were asking if you’d be interested in tutoring English at their school. They even offered to pay you. However, the amounts weren’t nearly enough to cover your rent, but it was a start.
By the time you went through all the messages, you had finished eating. You decided to look more into these offers at a later date. For now, you need to pull yourself together and start figuring out how you’re going to live here in Japan.
To keep yourself from going crazy, you jotted down a grocery list on a notepad you found in a drawer. Doing normal, everyday things would be your saving grace today as you soaked into your new reality. You also decided that taking a walk to familiarize yourself with your new neighborhood would be a good idea.
Despite today being Sunday, you thought that wearing your school uniform might be a good idea. Your poor logic was that if you wore the uniform, you’d get used to living in this world faster. You knew in the back of your mind that this was dumb, but you couldn’t let the shock of being in a new world consume you. You’d make sure you’d survive so that you could go home to your family.
Once you had gotten dressed, you wandered into your bathroom, and stared at yourself in the mirror. What the f*ck is happening?
As you made your way back into your kitchen, you thought about the meals you would make yourself. Even when you were little, you were always helping your parents cook, so you had a ton of experience. You knew cooking would make for an easy distraction so you wouldn’t lose it when you were alone.
Thankfully, you found a debit card further in the pile of papers in the folder. After you had your keys, phone, and wallet, you nervously made your way out of your apartment, and towards the elevator at the end of the hall.
The further down the building you went, the more anxiety began filling your body. By the time you reached the bottom, your hands were trembling and your mouth was dry.
You immediately became self conscious once you stepped out of the elevator and into the main lobby. It was beautifully furnished, and there were two wealthy looking businessmen sitting at a glass table near the entrance.
Their eyes snapped to you as you briskly walked through the lobby, obviously judging you.
Your apartment building was situated in a small residential area. Although, there were people all around you. To your left were more apartment buildings, and to your right was a busy looking street.
Pulling out your phone, you tapped on the map app, and began searching for the closest grocery store. You had to do a double take when you realized it was only around the corner. It would take about a five minute walk to get there. You also noticed that the nearest subway station was also an unbelievable five minute walk from your apartment as well. You weren’t sure if you had been blessed, or cursed with these amazing travel times.
As you made your way to the grocery store, you felt panic once again rise in your chest. The amount of people around you was overwhelming. You had been hoping that your apartment was tucked into one of the smaller recesses of Shibuya, but it looked like the street you lived on was popular for commuters.
Finally, the grocery store was coming into sight. Despite the amount of people that flooded the sidewalks, it didn’t look like it was that busy.
However, before you could make your way inside, you stepped on something soft. Whatever that soft thing was yowled in pain.
You quickly looked down at the poor creature you had stepped on, only to freeze. Those bright, piercing blue eyes, the white muzzle, the white paws and tail tip, and the yellow collar around his neck immediately made your heart sink.
Morgana...
“Ah! I’m so sorry kitty!” You gasped, putting on your best worried face. You prayed that he didn’t notice that you had recognized him.
You bent down and reached your hand out. Morgana had his back arched, and his tail was puffed up. He was angry.
“Are you alright? I should’ve been paying more attention to where I was going…” You mumbled as you shuffled closer to him. His back lowered and he leaned closer towards you to sniff your hand. “Aww. You’re so cute! What are you doing out here alone?” You asked, melting a little when Morgana pushed his soft kitty face into your hand when you called him cute.
He looked up at you and meowed, relieving you a little. It was good that you couldn’t understand him.
“I feel a little bad just leaving you out here on your own with so many people around, but I can’t take you inside with me…” You said, trying to look like you were sad. Acting was never your strong suit, but you’d need to get better if you wanted to live in this world.
Morgana meowed and walked closer to you. He’s so adorable. You gushed internally as you gently rubbed his cheeks and cooed at him. After a minute, you stood back up and smiled down at him.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go. Stay safe, okay?” You told him before you speed walked into the store. You knew he’d be fine.
You made a beeline to the restrooms. When you got yourself into one of the stalls, you sat on the toilet and tried not to hyperventilate. I really was brought into the Persona universe. How the f*ck did this happen?!
It took you nearly 20 minutes before you felt like you had calmed down enough to leave the restroom. By the time you were standing at the checkout line, you were exhausted. It was barely noon, and you were already ready to go back to sleep.
The cashier was friendly at least, meaning you left the grocery store in a decent mood. Although, you weren’t sure what to feel when you ran into him again.
Morgana waited for me? Once the peppy cat noticed you, he jumped to his paws and trotted towards you, meowing the entire way. Your heart melted at the sight of him. He was too precious.
He pawed at one of the bags you were carrying, then looked up at you with his pupils fully dilated to beg. You realized that he was just hungry, and wanted you to feed him.
“Oh. Are you hungry?” You asked as you reached down to pet his head. Morgana purred and pushed his face into your palm.
You had bought some salmon that you were going to be using to make breakfast for the next few days since your budget allowed it, but you figured he could have one of them instead.
“Alright. Come over here.” You said as you walked towards the side of the store that led into an alleyway. You dug through the bag until you found a small salmon fillet.
You were barely able to unwrap it before Morgana began devouring it. Poor thing. I bet running around in the Metaverse all day is exhausting.
“Well, I should be getting home. Bye. I hope you get home safe.” You cooed, petting him behind his ears. He meowed and looked up at you as you stood, then went back to eating as you began walking away.
You weren’t sure if feeding him would impact the story in any way, and you were beginning to worry that it would. Does Morgana even come out of the Metaverse before he meets Akiren and Ryuji? What if he gets sick from the fish, and is unable to fight alongside Joker when they escape? Have I already messed up?
You were starting to think that you wouldn’t be surviving the rest of the day considering how you immediately ran into one of the soon to be Phantom Thieves.
Someone please explain to me how I’m supposed to “tread carefully” if I’m being forced to go to the same school as Akechi, and instantly run into an important character? Does whatever being that brought me here want to meet them…? You had a feeling you’d end up running into the other main characters eventually.
After putting your groceries away, you decided that you should take a small nap, then you’d do some research, and try to figure out how to get to Ichiryu Academy. You hoped you wouldn’t run into any more important characters. One was enough for today.
Once you were in the final stages of falling asleep, that voice from your dream last night seemed to whisper in your ear.
I... stabilize our... will never... able... to face... accept... reality.
You were too tired to focus on his words.
