76 The Pyramid.
(Just to make things less confusing, a Shadow with an uppercase S refers to the Palace ruler, and a shadow with a lowercase S refers to a random shadow/enemy.
Also, should I create a discord? I know a lot of stories have them, but I don't really know anything about running a server. I already try to answer questions and stuff through here, so I don't really think it's necessary, but I am curious what ya'll think.)
— — —
The world around them warped; Ren and Futaba shielded their eyes as the dim darkness of her bedroom vanished, replaced by the harsh, relentless sun of an unforgiving desert.
As their eyes adjusted, they saw a crumbling pyramid. The once formidable pyramid had taken so much damage that one of the four corners had entirely crumbled onto itself, allowing a large amount of sand to break through.
Nearby remnants of what seemed to be a town were barely visible, engulfed by sand and debris from ongoing storms.
On the horizon was a chaotic sandstorm, churning furiously and drawing closer with each passing moment. The sandstorm was accompanied by lightning bolts that broke through the creeping darkness. The air all around them was charged with a particular trace of electricity, which only made the two of them more wary.
Ren stood firm as he looked around the mess, with Futaba using his body as a shield. Her eyes reflected some traces of fear. His outfit, however, didn't change into the Metaverse outfit he had grown accustomed to. Instead, it was his casual outfit, showing that Futaba didn't see him as a threat.
Together, the two of them marched forward, climbing up the steps leading to the pyramid.
"So… this is my heart…." Futaba murmured, a tinge of disappointment in her voice as she surveyed the ruins.
Yet before she could get lost in her own thoughts, Ren placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"No, this is your distortion. The fact that it's this damaged shows how much progress you've made."
Encouraged by his words, Futaba allowed a small smile to break through as they crossed the threshold into the pyramid. Inside, it was surprisingly cool and provided a stark contrast to the chaos outside. The walls, however, were fractured, threatening to crumble.
Turning to Ren with a question on her lips, Futaba paused, noticing a change.
"Your eyes… so that's what everyone sees, huh? They're… neat." she whispered, causing Ren to chuckle slightly.
As they walked into the pyramid, the two of them spotted Futaba's Shadow waiting for them. She was adorned in a strange yet majestic outfit: a sleeveless top fashioned from wraps that extended up her neck and left her midriff exposed, a flowing white skirt connected by bands to her bracelets and armbands, and a golden headpiece crowned with a serpent and red jewels.
"You are…" Futaba began to speak before being interrupted by her Shadow.
"I am your shadow, your true inner self," her Shadow declared, a small yet sincere smile gracing her lips. "I'm glad to finally see you here."
Turning towards Ren, the Shadow's golden eyes momentarily glowed before she gracefully bowed.
"Thank you for helping us, Ren."
Futaba shifted uncomfortably at the sight of her Shadow, her hands involuntarily clenching into fists. With a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, she asked.
"So, what now…? Do we head to the treasure... or what?"
The Shadow shook her head slightly, her gaze fixed on the path ahead.
"Follow me. You need to remember everything. Only then can we truly heal."
Futaba paused, looking to Ren for reassurance. Encouraged by his supportive nod, she started walking alongside her Shadow.
Though the pyramid was in ruins, a path seemed to form wherever they walked. The debris would even move out of the way as if it were alive. At one point, the three of them even arrived at a place without a floor, a massive pitfall that led to who knows where. Yet, as Futaba and her Shadow led the way, a bridge formed under their feet.
As they walked, Ren was amazed by how the countless guardian shadows parted to stand by the side. His eyes flickered with interest as he continued to observe the behavior of the shadows, which resembled mummies and hounds.
It was a unique opportunity to observe them without having to worry about being attacked.
The shadows' ability to abandon the palace and join Ren as one of his personas meant that they were not genuinely attached to it. They also had their own personalities and traits, each resembling that of the mythological creature they represented.
From what Ren could observe, there were two types of shadows: those who were the inner self of a person, kind of like the Shadow Futaba leading the way, and those who were created by human thought, by the collective unconscious, which were the shadows that protected the Palaces and Mementos.
They represented the myths and legends of humanity, and because of that, they embodied the essence of such characters.
As they neared their destination, an idea struck Ren.
"Hey… Futaba… Can you command the shadows?"
At his question, they halted. Shadow Futaba turned, a flicker of understanding crossing her face as she smiled slightly.
"Yes, to a certain extent, I can. Guards!"
At her command, a multitude of guards swiftly assembled around them.
"Ren... what are you doing?" Futaba's voice trembled with worry as she instinctively stepped behind Ren for protection.
"This man right here is our protector, so I command you all to lend your strength to him," Shadow Futaba declared authoritatively.
At her command, the gathered shadows froze in place. The masks adorning their faces began to glow ominously before igniting brilliant flames.
The flames surged towards Ren. And just before the flames made contact, his mask suddenly appeared on his face. The flames merged with his own mask in a spectacular display of light and energy. However, the sheer number of shadows exceeded the number of personas Ren could assimilate.
This sudden excess didn't go unnoticed as Tartuffe stirred awake and began to consume the leftover shadows. For a tense minute, Ren felt a continuous flow of new shadows joining his sea of soul. Each shadow briefly left its imprint before being replaced by another in rapid succession.
Had Ren been in the Velvet Room, he would have been astounded at the speed with which the masks began to fill the wall, which, thanks to his time spent in Mementos and fusing, had started to look less empty.
Futaba could only look on with amazement at the sudden display, slightly dazed by the countless ethereal flames flying towards Ren. Once the flames vanished, so did his mask.
"Will that be enough?" Shadow Futaba asked, a knowing smile on her lips as she noticed Ren's slight stagger.
With a nod from Ren, the trio approached a door that swung open to reveal a single crimson will seed.
"This is the beginning…" Shadow Futaba murmured, gently urging Futaba forward.
Taking a few hesitant steps, she stood in front of the Will Seed. She stared at it for a moment, and after her Shadow placed a hand on her shoulder, she reached out to the seed. The moment her hand graced the seed, the three of them were instantly transported.
The world was bright and colorful, almost magical, as a 13-year-old girl ran across the house. She had dark hair and glasses, and as she saw her mother entering the house, she ran to her before crashing with a hug.
"Mom, mom! I wanna go on a trip! You said that if I got good grades, we could go, and they are perfect." she exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over as she embraced her.
Wakaba, her mother, laughed softly before giving her a reluctant look.
"I can't right now, honey… I'm too busy, and I have to finish my cognitive research as soon as possible." she explained, her smile tinged with regret.
Futaba's excitement then turned to frustration.
"But Mom, you've been at it forever! I wanna go on a trip! I'm bored! It feels like you care more about your research than me. We never do anything fun," she complained, her voice rising slightly.
Despite her frustration, Wakaba reached out to gently stroke Futaba's hair, cupping her face to make eye contact.
"My research is almost over. Once it is finished, we can go wherever you like, ok? I'm sorry I've left you alone for so long. Please try to understand, though. This research is really important. I need to complete it even if it cost me my life." she explained earnestly.
Futaba's expression softened to a mix of annoyance and understanding.
"You promise?"
"I promise," Wakaba affirmed with a tender smile, kissing her forehead. "I'm doing this for us. Once it's finished, we'll have enough to never worry again, and I can spend all my time with you."
The world trembled, and suddenly, the scene turned to the young Futaba walking with her mom. They were heading to Leblanc to eat some food and hang out with Sojiro, so Futaba had a large smile on her face. They were just about to cross the street when her mother clutched her chest in apparent pain.
"Mom?"
At that moment, the illusion shattered, sending Futaba collapsing to the ground.
Futaba and her shadow crumpled, clutching their heads as a cacophony of whispers filled the pyramid. Accusations hurled at Futaba melded into an almost ear-piercing sound.
"It's not true! I know it's not true! It's all a lie!" Futaba began to shout, almost as if in pain.
"Futaba!" Ren's voice cut through the chaos as he rushed to her side. He tried to snap her out of it, but she seemed lost in a daze, unresponsive to his calls.
In her turmoil, she curled into herself, shrinking into a tight ball in an instinctive attempt to shield herself while the entire pyramid shook violently around them.
As Ren struggled to bring her back from the edge of her panic attack, a distinct voice echoed in his head, devoid of its usual playful and over-the-top tone.
"Alas, how I do despise tragedies, especially when they befall those whom we hold dear," Tartuffe lamented, his tone somber and unusually serious. "I am thou, and thou art I. Thy pain is mine as well."
The shadow at Ren's feet widened, and from it, the figure of Tartuffe emerged. A solitary speck of light shone brightly against his typically pitch-black form, drawing Ren's gaze as he cradled Futaba.
Through his bond with Tartuffe, Ren sensed the persona's intention to help her.
"'Tis a pity, yet for the small one, I am content to part with this." Tartuffe spoke, as the radiant speck in his form ascended to his fingertip. With a gentle gesture, he transferred the starlight to Futaba. Once he was done, he vanished back into Ren's shadow.
The instant the star touched her, the trembling within the pyramid ceased, and Shadow Futaba found the strength to rise.
Looking towards Ren with a weary sigh, she moved to sit beside Futaba, her expression solemn.
"It's only going to get worse from here… Thank you for helping her… for helping us."
Shortly after her declaration, Futaba slowly sat up.
"I… that was the last day I saw my mom." she confessed, her voice tinged with sadness as she faced Ren.
Her hands clenched in frustration, Futaba punched the ground, releasing a pent-up shout.
"They made me think that she hated me, that I was nothing more than a bother, that she would have been happier without me! And I let them fool me; I believed them."
Ren gently pulled her into a comforting hug, allowing her to vent her anger and grief. After a moment, she pulled away and wiped her face, her resolve hardening.
"Come on, we need to get to the next one. The faster we get this done, the faster we can pay them back for what they did." she stated with determination as she stood up.
No sooner had she spoken than the pyramid began to tremble again, the sound of crumbling echoing in the distance.
