67 The Chariot's Mother.

(Nothing quite like a 4 AM chap, eh? Took a nap in the middle of the day, and now I can't sleep. Kids don't do napping. It leads to a messed-up sleep schedule, lol. In fact, that's why kidnapping is bad, no other reason.)

— — —

A few days following the park cleanup, Ren found himself stepping through the metaphysical doorway in Shibuya, crossing the threshold into the Velvet Room.

As the curtains parted, the space unfolded like an abandoned theater, save for a solitary, ethereal butterfly that danced away with the fabric.

As the melodic sound of piano notes began ringing, Caroline and Justine stepped out. Justine held the small blue notebook that Ren would use to experiment and keep track of his experiments and insights on forging stronger Personas.

"Have you come to fulfill more requests?" Justine inquired, the notebook poised in her grasp.

Ren's gaze lingered on the vacant chair before he shook his head.

"Not today. Where is Igor? He hasn't been in the Velvet Room lately…" Ren ventured, curiosity lacing his tone.

"You dare question the absence of our master?" Caroline's response was swift and sharp. 

Justine offered a serene smile before responding.

"The whereabouts of our master are beyond our knowledge, and it would be unseemly for us to speculate. Our master is beholden to no schedule but his own."

Nodding his head, Ren asked.

"In that case, how about we do something different today? Remember our conversation about visiting the outside world? I think today might be a good day for that. There is an arcade nearby we could visit." he suggested.

Caroline reacted, her brows furrowing slightly in an attempt to hide her anticipation.

"An arcade? We are not here to play games." she retorted, though Ren could see the flicker of curiosity in her eyes.

Justine let out a small, gentle smile, hearing her sister.

"It could be considered a form of research, understanding human entertainment and leisure activities. In addition, I am sure it will help us understand our Trickster better." she reasoned, her soft voice smoothing over Caroline's objections.

Ren couldn't help but chuckle slightly as he saw Caroline nodding her head as if she had been convinced before quickly walking ahead of everyone and leaving the Velvet Room.

As they stepped into the lively streets of Shibuya, the contrast between the Velvet Room's tranquility and the city's activeness seemed to spark a sense of wonder in the twins. Ren led the way. 

Arriving at the arcade, they were greeted by a cacophony of electronic sounds and flashing lights, a stark departure from the solemn ambiance they were accustomed to. The usual piano melodies were replaced by an idol's song, which was playing through the speakers.

Caroline's initial reluctance gave way to a cautious intrigue as she observed the various games and machines, while Justine seemed genuinely fascinated, her eye scanning the surroundings with earnest curiosity.

"Welcome to my Arcade. A place between fantasy and reality, joystick and pixel." Ren introduced them with a bow, causing Justine to let out a small chuckle. Caroline, on the other hand, was too distracted to even listen to him.

Walking through the Arcade with them, he gave them a short explanation as to how each game worked before letting them adventure on their own.

Caroline, unable to resist the challenge, stepped up to a fighting game, her competitive spirit ignited.

"This doesn't look so difficult," she declared, her voice carrying a newfound enthusiasm.

Justine, meanwhile, was drawn to a rhythm game, her head tilting as she watched the screen's patterns and lights. 

"It's interesting how music and timing can create such an engaging challenge." she mused, her voice reflecting her analytical nature.

As they delved into the games, Ren couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. Caroline, fiercely determined to master the fighting game, and Justine, methodically approaching the rhythm game, both fully immersed in the experience.

Throughout the rest of the day, Ren found himself in a tug-of-war between the two wardens, each deeply engrossed in their chosen game.

Caroline wanted to defeat Ren in the game, even though her inexperience with playing games showed through with her predictable playstyle. Seeing how focused she was on trying to win, Ren let her beat him a few times. With each win, a smug grin spread across Caroline's face.

Justine, on the other hand, exhibited a serene focus during the rhythm game, her movements graceful and precise. It was clear that she was captivated by the different dance styles she had never experienced before, especially since every time she fused personas, the dances were often inspired by ballet. She would call Ren from time to time to help her choose a song and try to do a few duo dances.

After a few hours passed, the three of them had to leave the arcade. Caroline and Justine were both holding a plushy that resembled the persona Jack Frost, and Justine was holding in her hands a small picture they had taken in a photo booth.

Justine, holding the plush closely, shared her thoughts in a gentle tone.

"Trickster, this has been quite the enlightening experience. To think that the human world held within it such strange yet delightful creations." 

She examined the plushy carefully before speaking once again.

"It's intriguing to consider how the real world shapes the collective unconscious. The appearance of Jack Frost, for instance, influenced by such novelties... It sheds light on the fluid nature of personas' appearances through the ages."

Caroline, initially hesitant, admitted.

"Yeah, it was fun… I mean- informative." Caroline said, correcting herself mid-sentence.

The three of them said their goodbyes before the twins returned to the Velvet Room. And once the blue door closed, Ren looked at his watch before remembering his promise to Ryuji.

— — —

After ending the call with Ryuji, Ren found himself heading to Ryuji's apartment complex, intrigued yet slightly bemused by Ryuji's plan to use an empty apartment below for their... unconventional meeting with a maid service. Despite his reservations, Ren was willing to go through it for Ryuji.

Upon reaching the designated apartment, Ren's knock was met with a slight opening of the door, revealing a middle-aged woman with short brown hair, her expression a mix of curiosity and caution.

"Can I help you?" she inquired, her gaze measuring.

"Uh, I'm looking for Ryuji. I might have the wrong place?" Ren ventured, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

The mention of Ryuji seemed to heighten her caution. 

"Ryuji? Is he in trouble again?" she probed, her tone laced with wary concern.

"No, nothing like that. He asked me to come over. I'm Ren Amamiya, a friend of his," Ren clarified, introducing himself.

A brief gasp was audible from the woman before the door momentarily closed, only to reopen fully after a series of locks clicked open.

"Amamiya! Ryuji's spoken so much about you. I'm his mom! Please, come in," she exclaimed, a warm smile replacing her initial caution as she enveloped Ren in a welcoming hug. "I'll get some tea ready. There's also food if you're hungry."

Ren, albeit surprised, returned the smile, finding himself ushered into the living room and seated before Ryuji's mom hurried away to prepare refreshments.

"Ryuji! Your friend's here!" she called out, bustling about to serve a quick meal.

Ryuji's hurried steps approached, and he appeared, school uniform and all, his face a picture of mild embarrassment.

"Hey, Ren, you're early. Was gonna meet you at the entrance," Ryuji muttered, his cheeks tinged with red as he noticed the flurry of activity his mom was engaging in for their guest.

"Don't be silly! I'm glad I got to meet one of your friends. Sit, sit, I've almost got everything ready," his mom insisted from the kitchen, her voice full of warmth.

With a resigned sigh and a sheepish grin, Ryuji took a seat beside Ren, leaning in to whisper conspiratorially.

"Man, keep it down about why you're really here, alright? Let's just say we're meeting up to study," Ryuji murmured just as his mom returned with an array of dishes, her hospitality shining brightly.

"Here we go, dig in! I hope it's to your liking," she said, beaming with pride. "It's been some time since Ryuji has brought friends over, so I am glad to finally meet some of his new ones. Things have been a bit tough since... well, you know." Her voice trailed off, a shadow of concern passing over her features as she remembered the past.

"Ma..." Ryuji interjected, a hint of discomfort in his voice, prompting a quick apology from her.

"Whoops, sorry, I didn't mean to dredge that up," she said, a sheepish smile quickly replacing her momentary lapse. "You're the one who encouraged Ryuji to start exercising again, aren't you?" she asked, turning her attention to Ren with genuine interest.

Nodding his head slightly, Ren answered.

"It was really a group effort. Ryuji was the one who put our training regimen together and found the spot for us. He deserves most of the credit."

Ryuji elaborated a bit, carefully steering clear of any mention of the Metaverse, focusing instead on the more mundane aspects of their workouts.

His mom's face brightened even further at this. 

"Well, I'm just grateful he's taken to exercising again. After his leg injury, he stopped following the doctor's rehab plan, convinced it wasn't helping. But now he's doing so much better. He always said his leg felt fine, but I worried. It's good to see him so active again," she expressed, her voice filled with a mix of relief and pride as she gave Ryuji a supportive pat on the back.

"Yeah…" Ryuji mumbled, exchanging a knowing glance with Ren before he seemed to decide to be more open. "Actually, I've been thinking about going back to the track team. Got a meeting with them this weekend to see if I can rejoin," he shared, his voice low but filled with cautious optimism.

"For real?" His mom couldn't contain her excitement, leaping up to embrace him. "I always told you, where there's a will, there's a way."

Ryuji caught between pride and embarrassment, met Ren's amused smirk with a resigned shake of his head, signaling a mix of annoyance and acceptance at his friend's silent teasing.

"I can't wait to tell everyone! My son, back on the track team!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of excitement and maternal pride, a stark contrast to Ryuji's bashful demeanor.

The meal proceeded amidst light conversation, with Ren sharing anecdotes from school and their extracurricular activities, skillfully navigating around the true reason for his visit.

As the dinner came to a close, Ryuji found an opening to steer the conversation towards their planned departure. 

"We should probably get going soon. Don't wanna keep everyone waiting too long for our study group." he hinted, glancing towards Ren for backup.

Ren hid his smirk before answering.

"You are right. I 'maid' have gotten carried away with the delicious food, Miss Sakamoto. My school notes are a bit messy, so I am going to have to 'clean them up' a bit, which is going to take some time. Thanks for the meal. It was really great." Ren said with a friendly smile as he watched Ryuji hold back his anxiousness.

"Oh, of course! Any friend of Ryuji's is always welcome here. Make sure you two study hard, okay? And Amamiya, feel free to drop by anytime," Ryuji's mom offered warmly, her hospitality unwavering.

With heartfelt thanks, Ren and Ryuji excused themselves and stepped out into the apartment complex. Once outside, Ryuji let out a sigh of relief mixed with appreciation. 

"Dude, you almost gave me a heart attack with those hints," Ryuji exclaimed, a mixture of amusement and exasperation in his voice. "Anyways, thanks for dropping by. Follow me. I'll take you to the apartment they haven't rented out yet."

Ren chuckled lightly at Ryuji's reaction.

"Don't worry. At worst, she'll just think I speak weird."

After letting out another sigh, Ryuji continued.

"I guess maybe it was for the best that you stopped by. I haven't seen my mum that full of energy in some time. I mean, you probably guessed it by looking at the pictures and stuff around the house, but it's just me and her. And that can be rough for her sometimes."

"Really?" Ren asked.

Looking back to make sure they were far enough, Ryuji continued in a whisper.

"You saw all the locks my mum has in the house? That's cuz she is still paranoid about my dad. He's a total ass. He would drink non-stop, and then he would get violent with us. One day, he just left, but my mom is still paranoid that he's going to show up out of nowhere…" 

Ren thought for a moment before asking.

"Do you want to change his heart?" 

Ryuji made a bit of an awkward expression.

"I dunno, man. It'd be effin' weird, right? Him just turning up out of the blue, saying sorry? Honestly, things are better with him gone. And part of me doesn't even want to know if he's still out there."

Ryuji's words lingered for a moment, a mix of frustration and reflection in his tone. Then, abruptly shifting gears, he shook his head, as if to dispel the heavy atmosphere.

"Dude, why the hell are we talking about all this depressive shit? We have a maid to call. Or, well, you do. Imma just hide and watch what happens. Wait, no- that's effin' weird. Damn it, dude, you're the smart one, why didn't you come up with the plan?"

~Condidants~

Ryuji Sakamoto (The Chariot) Rank 6

Caroline and Justine (The Strenght) Rank 4