— –Elizabeth– —
With a delicate touch, she plucked a small crimson flower from the earth. Its petals, impossibly vivid against the dreary stone beneath, trembled in her grasp as if conscious of her gaze. For a long moment, she simply turned it between her fingers—her expression unreadable—until a spark of amusement lit her eyes.
"How auspicious…" she murmured, her voice carrying the lilting cadence of someone who saw more than she let on.
Her Fool's Journey had taken her far beyond the confines of the Velvet Room, into the chaos and mundanity of the real world. She had lingered there far longer than intended—drawn in by the contradictions of humanity, both grating and beautiful. But such was the path she was meant to walk.
She had begun to dread the idea of returning. The collective unconscious had grown twisted in her absence—distorted into something she barely recognized. A realm of reflection, yes, but also repression. A prison built out of the dreams of the masses. And yet…
The flowers were new.
They blanketed the grim paths in soft, surreal color—gentle things blooming in defiance of the desolation that surrounded them.
'Could this be the work of my Judgement?' she wondered, tilting her head. If so, then he had grown clever indeed. Not only had he planted the seeds of his trap in the collective unconscious, but he had done so in such a way as to hide his true intentions.
Truly, magnificent work.
She tucked the crimson flower into her hair, just above her ear. It glowed faintly against the pale shimmer of her skin.
"This does make things easier," she said with a quiet giggle, rising to her feet. Her gaze drifted to one of the branching tunnels. From within, a pair of headlights blinked to life, illuminating the stone corridor in a warm golden glow.
She didn't move. She knew who it was.
A sibling, perhaps—but only in the loosest sense of the word. He was young, absurdly so, yet built for things far beyond her. She had not understood him at first—this strange child with his endless energy and his obsession with humanity. But after meeting her Judgement, everything had become clear.
Her mind briefly drifted to her Judgement. What a cursed existence… and yet perhaps just like her, he might also find peace through The World.
The car skidded to a cheerful stop, and out sprang a familiar figure.
"You're back!" Jose exclaimed, nearly stumbling over himself in his haste to reach her. His whole face beamed with delight, and his energy was like a sudden gust of wind. "What do you think? Isn't this place so much more amazing now?!"
He lifted a hand with a dramatic flourish. The ground seemed to ripple beneath them as thousands of petals rose into the air, a flurry of color and motion that danced around them like living confetti. With a final sweep of his wrist, the petals shimmered and condensed into two glass cups, their surfaces rippling with an iridescent glow.
"Ta-da! I made these for us!" he said proudly, offering one to her.
Elizabeth chuckled, a silvery sound as she accepted the glass. For a moment, she had almost wondered how her Judgement had managed to grow so many flowers in Mementos, but now she had her answer.
Jose wasted no time—he tipped his own cup back and downed it in one exaggerated gulp before tossing it over his shoulder, where it blinked out of existence like a dream.
She took a sip—light, floral, sparkling with energy—and found herself smiling again, drawn in by the sincerity behind the boy's eyes.
"What do you think?" Jose asked eagerly, bouncing on his toes.
"I think…" Elizabeth's voice lingered as she glanced around the transformed Mementos. Her eyes eventually found their way back to his. "That someone is going to be in trouble."
"Eh—huh?" Jose blinked, startled.
"Tampering with Mementos in such a way…" she mused aloud, letting her words dangle with theatrical intent. "It's a noble gesture, trying to help him. Truly. But don't you think you might've… overdone it?"
Jose froze, glancing around with growing anxiety. "Wait, really? But—but I was careful! I only changed a little!!"
Elizabeth tilted her head, gaze drifting across the floral landscape. Some were rooted in cognition, others in memory. They were like an invasive species, and now, she was sure it was far too late to stop them from spreading.
"So be it, I'm sure you'll be fine." She said at last, ruffling his egg-shaped hair with one hand to reassure him.
Jose was still young, but he would learn in time. And she was sure he would be the one to have to deal with the aftermath of his actions. Perhaps it would serve as a lesson to help him mature.
Then interrupting her thoughts, she heard a set of footsteps going down the steps near the entrance. Just in time for their meeting.
Her Judgement.
— –Ren Amamiya– —
Walking down the familiar steps of Mementos, Ren adjusted his Phantom Thief outfit. Ahead, bathed in the pale glow of the tunnel lights, stood Elizabeth and Jose. Both turned at the sound of his approach.
Not long ago, Elizabeth had shown up in Leblanc in the middle of the night, and she had asked him to meet her here.
"You're back!" Jose exclaimed, waving his arms so hard he nearly lost his balance. He dashed forward, practically vibrating with excitement. "Perfect timing! I have to introduce you two!"
He skidded to a stop beside Ren, craning his neck upward and whispering in a conspiring tone, "Uh… should I introduce you as Ren? Or Joker? That's what your friends call you in here, right?"
"Don't worry, Jose, we've met." Ren answered with a smile.
"Huh? You have?" The boy asked with some surprise.
Ren tilted his head toward Elizabeth, who was watching their exchange with that same unreadable smile—sharp and curious, like someone quietly amused by a private joke. He still couldn't get a clear read on her. Even now, after everything he'd been through, she felt like a riddle with no clear answer.
"You didn't tell me that!" Jose huffed, puffing his cheeks in mock annoyance before breaking into a grin. "Well, cool! That saves time."
He bounced on his heels, the way he always did when excitement got the better of him. "Are you here to take more requests? I've been tinkering with the stuff you gave me—oh! Oh! And I think I might've figured out something really neat this time!"
Then, like someone flipping a switch, his enthusiasm faltered. His gaze drifted to Elizabeth, who still hadn't moved.
"Though…" he muttered, lowering his voice, "…maybe I shouldn't. I mean, is it okay to keep messing with this place?"
It was then that Elizabeth finally chuckled—soft and melodic, yet somehow disarming.
"I won't tell if you won't," she said with a smile, stepping forward with her usual grace. Her steps were so quiet they barely stirred the air. "In fact, I'm quite intrigued to see what you can create. Even I know not of your true potential."
Jose's head snapped up. "Wait—really?!"
"Why don't you join us?" she continued, her tone playful yet oddly formal. "You may find today's lesson… enlightening."
Jose's eyes sparkled like stars, but even in his excitement, he turned toward Ren, silently seeking his approval.
Ren gave the boy a brief nod.
"A lesson?" he asked, falling into step beside Elizabeth as she turned and began to walk deeper into the twisting tracks of Mementos.
"Indeed," she said with a sparkle in her voice.
Her pace was unhurried, yet every step rang with quiet certainty against the rails. The silence stretched for a moment—long enough for Ren to glance at the flowers growing on the walls.
Perhaps he should grab a few more for Takemi's experiments after they were done with Elizabeth's lesson. However, they were still quite close to the entrance of Mementos, the flowers here were not exhibiting any major mutations from how they looked in the real world.
No, it was only in the deeper levels that the flowers showed some real change. Part of him wondered what a flower would look like if planted directly in the heart of Mementos.
"Personas and Shadows," Elizabeth began, snapping him out of his thoughts. "such curious dualities, wouldn't you say?"
She cast a glance over her shoulder, smile as enigmatic as ever.
"They are the dreams and nightmares of humanity given form. Myths, desires, fears… all so deeply woven into your kind's subconscious that they become vessels. Some are terrifying. Others quite adorable." She chuckled, fingers brushing the petals of a spider lily as they passed it.
"I wouldn't be surprised," she added, voice turning whimsical, "if, years from now, Shadows based on the Phantom Thieves themselves began to surface. The ones who bring justice… such powerful symbols you've become."
"Hm." Ren offered a quiet sound of acknowledgment, unsure whether to feel complimented or mildly unsettled.
"You've noticed it, haven't you?" she continued, slightly changing the subject. "There are two kinds of Shadows. The first—projections of real people, born from their distorted hearts. Suppressed desires. Repression made manifest. The second… those that roam freely here and in Palaces, drawn partially from the collective unconscious itself."
She paused, glancing to a Shadow in the distance. Surprisingly, it had noticed their group, but unlike Ren expected, it simply stared at them from a distance.
"For today's lesson," she said, "it is the latter that concerns us."
Ren's gaze lingered on the unmoving Shadow, then returned to her.
"Partially eh?," he asked. "I always assumed they were just fragments of the Collective Unconscious. But are they more?"
Elizabeth's smile deepened, eyes gleaming with something unreadable.
"A question worth pondering. You're not entirely wrong," she said. "But I'll save the full answer for a day when time is more pliable."
She turned again, leading them forward.
"You've surely noticed—each Shadow has a personality. A flavor, if you will. All shaped by their Arcana and origin. Pixie is playful. Incubus… well, you already know. And don't get me started on Mara."
Ren nodded silently. Some encounters were difficult to forget.
Then Elizabeth's voice dipped, playful yet deliberate.
"Tell me, Ren," she said, tilting her head. "As the Fool and wildcard, you possess infinite potential. The power to welcome countless Shadows. To let them dwell within your soul."
Her smile widened, nearly mischievous.
"Do you never wonder… whether their presence changes you?"
Ren's steps faltered for a moment. But looking at her smile, he couldn't help but doubt her words. Or at least, he wanted to, but part of him was already starting to replay each and every shadow he had recruited, amongst which were some questionable encounters.
Before he could spiral further, Jose chimed in, huffing with childlike indignation.
"Elizabeth, you meanie! You're scaring him!" he pouted, arms crossed as he stomped beside them.
Elizabeth burst into a peal of laughter—light, melodic, and just a little eerie.
"My sincerest apologies," she said, holding a hand to her chest in mock sincerity. "I was merely curious to see how you'd respond."
Her expression softened—but only just.
"No, Ren. You needn't worry about being overtaken. That's not how it works. Not for you. Not for a Fool."
"But," she added, her voice dipping low, "perhaps it would be dishonest to say there is no influence at all."
Ren's eyes narrowed, meeting her gaze.
Elizabeth's tone became thoughtful, the laughter fading into something more reflective.
"You see, Shadows drawn from the collective unconscious are more than just beings. They are possibilities. Choices. Echoes of what humanity believes can be." She looked at him closely. "When you accept them, you do not become them… but you do gain the power to walk their paths. To borrow their truths. They shape your potential—just as you shape theirs."
"By allowing them into your heart, you do not sacrifice yourself. You expand yourself."
Jose blinked. "So… it's like having more tools in your toolbox?"
"An apt metaphor, young one," Elizabeth said with a nod. "But perhaps it is more like adding new threads to your tapestry. Or voices to your choir."
Then she stopped walking.
"And that," she said, turning to face Ren fully, "is what makes you dangerous."
Her smile had vanished.
"You are one who can become anything. And for that reason… Everyone, whether they realize it or not, is always watching what you choose to become. I trust you understand why I am telling you this, no?"
A beat passed before she clapped her hands together with sudden cheerfulness.
"Well! That is quite enough for today. No need to let existential dread ruin the rest of the evening," she said brightly. "But before I dismiss you, I have one final request. Tell me… what is the name of your Persona? The very first one—the mask you awakened when your journey began. It will help me tailor your next lesson properly."
Ren opened his mouth, yet felt a slight wave of discomfort before he could answer.
'You good?' Ren asked internally, feeling Tartuffe stir within him.
"I do not like her." Tartuffe's androgynous voice answered, yet after a few moments, it spoke up again. "But do as you wish."
"Tartuffe." Ren finally answered.
Elizabeth's smile faltered as she heard him.
"Tartuffe?" she repeated, her voice laced with genuine surprise—for the first time since their meeting. She raised a hand to her chin, her fingers tapping gently in thought. Her face continued to change for a few moments, almost as if she were having a conversation with herself before she let out a chuckle.
Without warning, she stepped forward, stopping just short of Ren's personal space. Her golden eyes locked with his. Ren felt a chill up his spine as she looked, no, examined him. It was almost as if she could see every mask he'd ever worn.
Nevertheless, he held her gaze, holding back the urge to step back and avert his eyes.
At last, she stepped back and gave a graceful nod.
"I see," she murmured, her voice once again its usual enigmatic melody." I will make sure to plan accordingly." With a delicate gesture of her hand, she added, "You may consider today's lesson complete. I do hope you found it enlightening."
"I did," Ren replied. In short, he should try to fill as much of his compendium as possible.
Sure, she probably could have made it easier to understand, or be more straight to the point. But he supposed that was the quirks from her being his Moon. Then after a pause, he spoke again, his voice tinged with curiosity.
"Actually, before we stop… I have a question."
Elizabeth tilted her head in interest.
"The Shadows I recruit here in Mementos—how are they different from the ones I create in the Velvet Room?"
That brought a genuine smile to Elizabeth's lips, pleased by the question.
"Ah, a wonderful inquiry." She said. "The answer, dear Trickster, is that in terms of origin… they are not so different."
She extended her arms as if presenting the vastness of Mementos itself.
"Mementos and the Velvet Room are both woven into the fabric of the Collective Unconscious. Where one is born of depth, the other is born of potential. The wild Shadows you encounter here—chaotic, wandering—are born naturally from the flow of human cognition. The ones you fuse within the Velvet Room, however, are sculpted by your will. Through fusion, through purpose."
She turned toward him again.
"This is why the fused tend to be stronger. Their strength is focused—refined. They carry with them the strength and skills passed down by those before them. But I suspect… you already knew that, didn't you?"
"Still worth asking." Ren answered.
"Curiosity is never wasted," Eizabeth said with a chuckle. "And with that…" She turned toward Jose. "…it is your turn now. I want to see what you have created."
Jose straightened up instantly, practically vibrating with excitement.
"Ah! That's right!" he exclaimed, placing a hand to his lips and letting out a high-pitched whistle that echoed through the tunnels.
A low rumble followed. Moments later, the sound of tires screeching echoed down the tracks as Jose's vehicle came barreling toward them. It skidded to a dramatic halt in front of the trio, its contents jostling dangerously—yet somehow, miraculously, not a single suitcase fell off.
"I've been working on something really cool," Jose beamed, diving into the mountain of luggage in the backseat. "You know how you and your friends keep giving me those weird items you get after you beat Shadows? Some of them even had traces of their power left behind!"
He popped out of the pile with a triumphant grin, holding up a small, golden watch that gave off a faint glow.
Ren narrowed his eyes. He remembered that watch. It had belonged to a corrupt executive—one who had been embezzling money from his company.
"Well, I watched you fight a lot. And I wanted to try and… well, copy you, sorta!" Jose explained, strapping the oversized watch to his wrist and turning to face a nearby wall. "So I figured out how to do this! Dream Needle!"
The watch emitted a soft glow, and in an instant, dozens of sleek silver needles materialized in the air around him. With a sharp burst, they fired forward, peppering the wall in tight clusters.
Ren blinked, clearly impressed, a reaction that Jose didn't miss.
"Cool, right?" He asked, puffing his chest proudly. "Here, try it out!"
He tossed something toward Ren—a ring, small and unassuming, but laced with the same glow as the watch. Ren caught it smoothly and slipped it onto his finger.
The moment he did, a quiet warmth pulsed beneath his skin. He recognized the feeling immediately. It felt almost like when he was preparing to cast a skill with a Persona.
"Dia…?" Ren muttered aloud, somewhat unsure. As the faint green light bloomed, Jose was gently bathed in its glow. The healing skill was unmistakable… but so was the drain of mental energy it pulled from him. "You're replicating Persona abilities without a Persona?"
"Eheh… kind of!" Jose rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm still figuring it out, but I'm learning a lot just from watching you!"
"Can you make more?" Ren asked. If Jose could make them, then that meant they could expand their repertoire. Sure, he might be a wildcard, but the rest of his team was bound to the strength and function of their Persona.
Even something simple as simply giving Ryuji the ability to heal would allow them to be far safer should they ever be separated.
"Of course!" Jose said with a grin, throwing his arms into the air. "All I need are the right ingredients. But the ability I create depends on what the item is. Most of the stuff I've made so far isn't that strong, but if you can find rarer materials deeper in Mementos…" He trailed off, eyes gleaming. "Then yeah—I bet I could make something really good."
Then his expression faltered. Jose reached down, unstrapping the watch from his wrist and holding it out with both hands.
"…But uh, fair warning. They're still a work in progress. You can't use more than one at the same time. Or else…" He trailed off.
As Ren put on the watch he could feel it. It wasn't something he could quite put to words, but it felt as if he were constantly swapping back and forth between personas non-stop. Even just a few seconds was giving him a slight headache.
Turning to the side, he raised his arm and tried to use the skill in the watch, yet, before it could take effect, he felt the ring in his hand shatter. Only then did the sleek silver needles materialize around him .
"I was hoping that since you're a Wildcard, you'd be able to use more than one at a time…" Jose mumbled, disappointment in his tone. "But I guess it's still too unstable."
Ren glanced down at his palm, slowly opening and closing it a few times. The ache had dulled, but the sensation lingered—like residual static. Then, he turned to look at Elizabeth, whose eyes were almost sparkling as she saw them.
"Incredible," she whispered, barely containing her excitement. "Simply unbelievable. You have managed to trigger the dormant remnants of a treasure. Say, Jose…" she turned to him with a curious gleam. "If I were to give you some of my personal effects, could you create something from them?"
"Of course!" Jose answered with enthusiasm.
"Speaking of which…" Ren said quietly, reaching into the inside pocket of his coat. His fingers closed around something cold and sharp-edged. He pulled it free—a small, crimson crystal, faintly pulsing with inner light.
The Crystal of Wrath.
It shimmered with restrained violence, a fragment born of the raw emotion that had once consumed Futaba's Palace. They had never used it, but that was mainly due to the fact that they had kept Futaba's Palace a secret.
His mind then drifted to The Crystal of Vanity, the one that Yusuke held on to. Yusuke had insisted it remained in his hands and untouched unless truly necessary. And Ren, for his part, could understand that thought. Using it meant drawing on Madarame's distortion—the same grotesque force that led to the death of Yusuke's mother. No matter how practical the power might be Yusuke saw it as a violation.
In contrast, the Crystal of Lust had remained in Shiho's hands ever since Kaneshiro's palace. To her, the source of the Crystal didn't matter as long as she could use it to save the people she cared for. She had reclaimed the power as her own. In addition, it specially suited her, since she was able to get a clear view of the entire battlefield from her usual position and use it to reinforce anyone who might receive lethal attacks.
And then there was the Crystal of Gluttony—currently entrusted to Makoto. Though it changed hands depending on the mission, she had carried it most often as the second in command.
They were powerful tools—but situational. And they came with a price. Once spent, they required time—too much time—to recharge. If they used them unless absolutely necessary, they'd risk being caught in a moment of true crisis with nothing left.
Ren turned the crimson crystal over in his hand one last time before taking it out.
"Can you use this?" he asked, offering it to Jose.
Jose's eyes widened with awe as he accepted it.
"Whoa…! This is supercharged," Jose exclaimed, eyes lighting up as he turned the crimson crystal over in his palm. "I've never seen anything like it. If I study it, I might be able to make something really strong—maybe even something unique."
He gave the crystal a firm squeeze, holding it between both hands as he closed his eyes. A faint shimmer pulsed across its surface. A moment later, his eyes snapped open in surprise.
"Ah! So that's where it came from—it's from a Palace! That explains the intensity."
"You can sense that?" Ren asked, raising a brow.
"Yeah, definitely." Jose nodded enthusiastically. "Feels like it's soaked in one person's distorted desires. Hmm… probably from that orange-haired girl, right?" He tilted the crystal, letting it catch the dim light of Mementos. "The one who rides Necronomicon."
Ren didn't answer, but the way his eyes narrowed slightly was enough of a confirmation.
"Wait—waitwaitwait—" Jose suddenly gasped, spinning toward Ren with stars in his eyes. "Do you have more?"
He practically vibrated with excitement as he started circling Ren like a hawk, eyes darting over his coat and belt pouches. The anticipation in his voice made it sound like he was one second away from tearing open Ren's coat himself. His gaze landed on the evoker-styled pistol at Ren's hip, and his hand twitched.
"Not with me," he said calmly as he raised his hand to stop him, "but I can bring them next time we come into Mementos."
"Really?!" Jose beamed, nearly bouncing in place. "That'd be amazing! Just think of what I could build with all that distortion…" He spun around in a small circle before catching himself. "Oh man, oh man, oh man—!"
Before he could spiral any further, a soft voice cut in..
"How about this?"
Both of them turned as Elizabeth gently pulled an object from her book—a glowing blue crystal that shimmered with quiet dignity, its form shaped like a delicate feather, endlessly falling yet never touching the ground.
The light it emitted was different from the crimson crystal Jose held. Calmer. Heavier. Familiar.
Death.
Elizabeth held it out in the palm of her hand. "Could you make something from this?"
Jose's excitement vanished almost instantly.
His gaze fell on the feather-like crystal, and something in his demeanor shifted. His usual curiosity gave way to hesitation. Then discomfort.
"Ermm…" he muttered, scratching the side of his cheek. "I mean… maybe later? I-I'd want to get a bit more practice first. Wouldn't wanna mess it up before I understand how these really work."
But Ren caught it. The subtle change in tone. The slight step backward. Jose wasn't just being cautious—he didn't want to touch it.
And Elizabeth… she didn't argue. She simply studied him, her expression as serene and composed as always. But for the briefest moment—a blink, really—something flickered across her face. A faint, quiet disappointment.
"I see," she said, voice calm as she closed her book with a soft thump, the feathered crystal vanishing into it as though it had never existed. "Should you change your mind… do let me know."
Jose nodded quickly, still avoiding her eyes.
The air around them remained still. Too still. Like Mementos itself had paused to listen.
Then, as if nothing had happened, Elizabeth turned her attention elsewhere.
"Either way, it is about time I depart," she announced with a bright, composed smile, the tension dissolving like mist. "I hope to see you both again soon."
With that, she turned on her heel and began to walk away, her pace calm, almost theatrical. Humming softly to herself. The same enticing melody she'd sung during the firework festival. It echoed down the tracks, fading slowly into silence.
Ren watched her until she disappeared, a lingering sense of unease gnawing at him. Then, finally, he turned to Jose.
"…What was that?" Ren asked.
"It's uh…. I don't know," Jose replied, hugging the crimson crystal a little closer to his chest. "But I don't like it."
His usual cheer was missing. A quiet tremble passed through him before he quickly shook it off and held the red crystal up again, clearly forcing himself to refocus.
"Anyway—do you have anything else to do in here?" he asked, his voice returning to its usual tone, though a little strained at the edges. "If not, I can help you get back to the entrance. I really want to start messing with this thing."
Ren took a moment longer before answering, his gaze drifting once more toward where Elizabeth had vanished.
"…Yeah. Let's head back."
Jose nodded, a bit too quickly, already turning toward his car.
~Confidants~
Elizabeth (The Moon) Rank 3
Jose (The Aeon) Rank 3
— –A/N– —
You know, I never really introduced accessories into the story. Or at least I don't think I did lol. I did skill cards and chest weapons, but don't remember the accessories like we have in the game. And what better way to introduce them than with Jose?
Also, shoutout to Elizabeth. She is hella hard to write for. I'm trying to keep the vibes of the Moon Arcana (Illusion, uncertainty, confusion, secrets, deception, etc.) While still having her be helpful for the future. Slowly revealing more and more of what she knows. Also, she just speaks with wild vocab, hella refined but a little whacky at times.
Took me a bit since I kept having to research about the stuff I was writing, but my current goal is a chap every week. I hope y'all enjoyed, I'll see you all next time!