Persona: The Phantom Masquerade.

Entering Mementos, The Phantom Thieves were greeted by countless flowers covering the floor. It was a familiar sight, yet now, more than ever, it appeared as if the blossoms had experienced a sudden burst of expansion.

The blossoms of all colors stretched beyond the floor, crawling up the walls and even clinging to the ceiling, creating an almost surreal, overgrown garden. Even the trains and railroad tracks were starting to become overgrown with the flowers.

"Huh… it's kinda pretty." Ann remarked, her voice soft with wonder as her gaze swept across the scene. "Never thought I'd say that about this place."

 "It wasn't like this the last time we were here." Makoto, less enchanted and more suspicious, narrowed her eyes as she looked around. "The way they're spreading… it feels unnatural. Do you think this could harm the Collective Unconscious somehow? This doesn't feel like part of Mementos' ecosystem." 

Ryuji scratched the back of his head, glancing around before shrugging.

"Well, that one weird kid was planting them, right? He's from here, ain't he? If it was bad news, he'd know."

Ren inhaled deeply, the fragrance oddly refreshing, almost calming, despite their tense surroundings. Strangely enough, it reminded him of his room. His hand instinctively rested on the pistol Mitsuru had given him, felling the weight in his hand.

"Skull's right." Ren spoke at last, his voice measured. "Jose's tied to this place. If these flowers were dangerous, he would've stopped by now."

He took a few steps forward, eyes fixed on the nearest wall. 

"Moment of truth." he muttered, pulling out the gun and raising it toward the flowers clinging to the wall. He squeezed the trigger.

Click.

Nothing happened.

Lowering the gun with a curious expression, Ren couldn't help but glance at it again.

"So, I guess she wasn't lying." He muttered. "Not quite like the other guns."

"It looks real enough, but there's gotta be more to it than we're seeing…" Morgana murmured, examining the pistol.

"Here. Lemme look into it. I might be able to find out more about it." Futaba mentioned as she jumped onto her persona, Necronomicon.

[Hmmm….]

Going silent for a few moments, Futaba continued to hum to herself until she eventually spoke out.

[This is weird… it's like the gun is made of the same stuff as Shadows, but not exactly. It's hard to explain… but it's definitely unique. I'll need more time to analyze it properly. We can look into it later, maybe with Queen and Raven's help when we investigate the flowers.]

"That would probably be for the best. We only have so much time we can spend in Mementos today." Takemi agreed.

Ren flexed his fingers around the pistol, looking at the group to get their attention.

"Well, there's one more test we can try now." He said calmly. He shifted his Persona to Arahabaki to repel any potential bullets that might fire at him.

The others exchanged uneasy glances, sensing the shift in Ren's demeanor. He raised the pistol again, this time placing the barrel under his chin.

"Joker, wait—" Ann started, concern clear in her voice, but Ren smiled softly, offering a reassuring look.

"Here goes nothing." He whispered, trying to ease the tension.

"No." Tartuffe's calm voice echoed in his mind with a sigh.

The moment he pressed the trigger, it hit him.

Death.

A familiar feeling.

The sensation of his life slipping away. An overwhelming sense of loss. 

It wasn't fear, but a suffocating numbness that washed over him, stealing his breath. His vision blurred, vertigo pulling at him. For a split second, he was certain his heart had stopped. But the gun didn't fire. His hand trembled, unable to pull the trigger fully.

Ren staggered back, his grip tight on the pistol as he tried to regain his composure. His breathing came in shallow bursts, the lingering sensation of near-death still clinging to him.

"Are you okay?" Shiho's voice cut through the fog of his mind. She placed a hand gently on his shoulder, her expression filled with concern as she studied his pale face.

"Yeah…" Ren muttered, his voice uncertain. "It's just… strange." He stared down at the gun, frustration and confusion twisting in his gut. He raised it again, but the same paralyzing sensation gripped him. His stomach lurched, and he almost doubled over. "It feels like I'm about to die every time I try. It's like it's… I don't know."

Closing his eyes, he tried to reach out to Tartuffe, but he didn't get any answer, only simple silence.

Makoto stepped forward, looking him in the eyes to see if he was actually okay, and then after a moment, she spoke up.

"Maybe we should engage in battle and trigger those more extreme emotions. That might be enough to activate the gun. At least that's what the instructions said…" She suggested.

"But, ain't it supposed to let you summon your Persona too? We can do that with the masks, but it'd be cool to have an alternative. Plus we could use it in the real world with this, can't we?" Ryuji grumbled, shifting uncomfortably. He glanced at the gun in his own hands, then sighed. "Eff it, lemme try it."

Without hesitation, Ryuji brought the gun to the side of his head, closing his eyes and clenching his teeth.

Bang

The instant the gun fired, Captain Kidd appeared behind Ryuji, the air around them crackling with static as they felt their hair stand up. But in the blink of an eye, Kidd vanished. Ryuji staggered to the side, his face pale, and then he doubled over, vomiting onto the floor.

"Geez, that thing feels rough…" Ryuji muttered, wiping his lips as he slowly stood upright. "And tiring…"

Makoto let out a stressed sigh, shaking her head as she looked at him.

"Skull, don't just do rash stuff like that without warning. Joker can reflect the damage if it had actually shot out; you can't, remember?" Her voice held an edge of frustration as she lectured him, before muttering under her breath. "But at least now we know it works. Like I said, we need strong emotions. So, what do we say about venturing deeper into Mementos?"

Getting a nod from the group, Mona jumped into the air before transforming into his Catbus form.

"Alright, then, all aboard." Mona said, revving his engine slightly.

— — —

Driving through Mementos, the group twisted and turned, Mona and Futaba expertly navigating the winding paths as they crashed through Shadows that dared to block their way. With each level they descended, the air grew thicker, more oppressive. The further they went, the more unfamiliar the surroundings became, though the one thing that stayed constant was the countless flowers along their way. 

Just as they were about to dive deeper still, Futaba's voice suddenly pierced through the silence.

[Wait!] She shouted.

The Mona Bus came to a screeching halt, throwing the group against the seats in front of them with a collective groan, with the exception of Makoto, who was driving and wearing a seatbelt.

[There is another path…] Futaba announced, sounding somewhat surprised. [It looks different than before. The signal is faint, but I'm sure there's something nearby. Should we check it out?]

The Thieves exchanged glances with each other before they finally nodded and turned the Monabus around to follow the new path.

Eventually, they came upon a massive wall of thorns intertwined with small, glowing flowers that covered the area around it. Yet between the thorns, there was a faint, almost unnoticeable gap from which Ren could see what appeared to be a continuation of the railroad tracks.

[Yes. This is definitely new… I've never detected anything like this before.] Futaba's voice held a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. [I can't seem to find a way through, though. It's similar to the barriers we've seen that stop us from going deeper into Mementos unless we have more recognition from the world.]

"Should I try to burn it?" Ann asked, her mask vanishing as Carmen appeared behind her with fire in her hands.

"Maybe?" Ren replied, stepping forward and extending his hand toward the thorns. As soon as his fingers brushed against one of the vines, the entire wall began to tremble. The thorns slowly retracted, the vines twisting and writhing among themselves before, at last, they parted, revealing a path ahead.

[...]

[This is…] Futaba muttered, going silent for a moment before continuing. [There are strong Shadows in there, but none of them are moving… This floor is different.]

"What do you think, Joker?" Makoto asked, her gaze fixed on the now-open path. The corridor beyond was overflowing with even more flowers than the entrance. "It looks like Jose's been here."

Ren looked inside and saw what could only be described as a garden. The roots of countless flowers had overtaken the walls, their vines snaking through every crack and crevice. '

"Poppies, lilies, marigolds, lavenders, daturas, chrysanthemums…" Ren muttered, looking at all of the different flowers covering the room. Flowers he only recognized thanks to his time with Haru. "Jose has been busy…"

"Could this be like… his house?" Ryuji asked, glancing around in awe. "I mean, he's gotta sleep somewhere, right?"

"He might not have to… he isn't human." Shiho whispered.

"This is… magnificent." Yusuke's voice was soft, reverent even. "I wish I had brought my painting supplies. Alas, I shall have to commit this scene to memory, forever etched into my soul."

Ren hesitated before stepping into the garden, but as soon as he crossed the threshold, a wave of dizziness hit him. His body grew weak, his legs threatening to give way beneath him. A nauseating fog clouded his mind, and for a moment, he thought he might collapse. Then, as quickly as it came, the sensation passed. 

The flowers at his feet began to wither and die, and Tartuffe's shadow stretched out beneath him, creating a safe path where the flowers could no longer touch him.

"Be careful…" Ren warned, his voice low and cautious. "This place isn't safe."

He took another step forward, moving carefully along the path of withered flowers that Tartuffe had created. Unlike before, the oppressive feeling didn't return. He glanced back at the others, his expression serious. 

"Follow the path I'm making. Don't touch the flowers."

"Not yet… We need more stars…" Tartuffe's voice echoed in Ren's mind, a rare tremble of fear seeping through.

"Stars? What is this place?" Ren asked, expecting the usual silence from his Persona. But this time, Tartuffe answered.

"Home." Tartuffe answered before going silent once again.

"Uh… guys… Circe doesn't like this place." Shiho said, her voice filled with unease.

"Zorro says this place is dangerous… like a minefield," Morgana added, his tone laced with discomfort as his tail flicked nervously.

"Goemon calls this place… a boiling pot?" Yusuke frowned, trying to make sense of his Persona's cryptic message.

The group froze, exchanging worried glances. Despite their Personas using different metaphors, the message was clear. This place was far from safe.

"Did Jose really pass through here?" Ann asked, her voice tinged with doubt as she frowned at the overgrown path ahead.

The Thieves stared at the path, its beauty deceptive. The vibrant flowers felt like a trap, as if one misstep would mean being lost forever in this haunting garden.

[Uhmmm… guys… I don't know if I should tell you this, but there's a door nearby. However, it's past a group of Shadows. None of them are moving, though. Should we turn back or… keep going?]

The Thieves all exchanged glances with each other, and Ren looked at the path of withered flowers that Tartuffe had made for him.

"Home…" Ren muttered to himself, a conflicted expression crossing his face. After a long pause, he sighed. "We should turn back."

He wasn't willing to risk their lives just out of his simple curiosity. But noticing his expression, Shiho spoke up.

"I don't mind continuing… The withered path seems safe." She said, her voice quiet but resolute.

"Aye, dude, if you wanna go…" Ryuji chimed in, sticking his foot out of the path for a second before quickly yanking it back with a groan, nearly stumbling from the sudden wave of nausea. "I'll just… uh… be careful…"

"No…" Makoto interjected, her expression troubled. "It's not safe… at least not for all of us. The path is too narrow if we need to escape quickly… but…" She hesitated, her internal conflict clear before letting out a sigh. "Your Persona opened the path, didn't it?"

Ren nodded slowly, his gaze still fixed on the withered flowers.

"In that case, you should be fine to continue. I can tell you really want to." Makoto said cautiously. "You can always make another path beneath you. But only if you go with Mona. He can jump on your shoulders if things get bad, and you both can run out. But you have to promise to stay safe. At the first sign of danger, you turn back."

"Uhmm… Queen?" Ann asked, her voice filled with concern. "Are you sure you should be telling him that?"

"No… I'm not." Makoto replied, exhaling heavily. "Oracle, you said the door was close, right?"

[Yes, only a few minutes away… but the Shadows are still there, in the way.]

"What do you think, Joker?" Mona asked, with his tail swaying slightly in anticipation.

Letting out a sigh, Ren looked at the path ahead before clenching his fists. It was calling for him. He could feel it. Whatever was ahead wanted him there… or was it the other way around? Did he want whatever was in there?

"I will only take a quick look," Ren muttered, his voice resigned. "I'm sorry."

In the end, his curiosity had won. He wasn't ready to turn away just yet. Though he promised to stay cautious, the need to see what lay ahead had taken hold of him, pulling him forward.

Makoto let out a complicated expression, her lips pressed into a thin line as she exchanged glances with the rest of the Thieves. Despite their obvious concern, they nodded in agreement.

"Be safe… ok?" Shiho asked, her voice soft with worry. She lingered for a moment, only stepping back into Mementos after Ren gave her a reassuring nod.

"Guess it's just you and me," Mona said, carefully stepping forward beside Ren. "Just don't count on me turning into a bus here. It's way too cramped."

Ren gave a small smile in response before turning his attention back to the path ahead, the withered flowers crunching underfoot as he led the way.

It didn't take long before they stumbled upon their first Shadow. Its form was massive, a hulking figure sprawled on the ground, yet completely unmoving.

"Oracle… are the Shadows alive?" Ren asked, his gaze sweeping across another two Shadows in the distance, also lying motionless as though they were dead.

[They should be. Why?] Futaba's voice came through with confusion.

"Well… they aren't moving for one," Mona whispered, eyes narrowed in suspicion as he observed the motionless Shadows.

[Hmm… maybe they're under the effects of the flowers?] Futaba theorized, causing Ren to nod thoughtfully.

"They must be… we'll pass by them," Ren decided, signaling Mona to follow as he moved forward, keeping his footsteps light. They carefully passed by at least one or two dozen Shadows, all in a similar dormant state, before arriving at a massive navy blue door.

Unlike the rest of the path, there were no flowers surrounding it. The door stood on a simple stone platform, separating it from the floral floor. 

The surface of the door was etched with strange symbols, carvings of eyes near the bottom, and hands stretching downward from the top. In the center, a flickering engraving of fire dominated the door, glowing with an eerie blue light that sent a chill down their spines.

"This… what is this?" Morgana muttered, his voice laced with unease as he stepped onto the stone platform, curiosity driving him closer to the door. He reached out, his paw brushing against the engravings, but as soon as he touched them, the entire floor began to tremble.

The door creaked, slowly swinging open. A wave of suffocating oppression rushed through them, the weight of it nearly bringing Ren and Mona to their knees. It was a sensation they hadn't felt since descending to interrogate Kobayakawa, an overwhelming feeling that they were not strong enough to continue.

"Joker… I don't think we should go further." Mona said, his voice trembling slightly, the fur along his back bristling as he took a few steps away from the door.

Ren, however, was fixated. Looking through the door, he saw the floor beyond it was covered in a thin layer of water, reflecting his face back at him as he gazed downward. Without a word, he reached into his tools pouch and pulled out a small rock, something he usually kept in case he needed to distract Shadows. He tossed it into the water, and it bounced a few times before stopping still above the water.

The surface rippled thanks to the rock, yet he could now see that it wasn't deep at all.

But what truly caught Ren's attention wasn't the floor. It was the ceiling. He looked up, and to his surprise, the water wasn't just below them. It was above them as well, rippling and reflecting as if he had tossed the rock up there, too.

"Let's get out of here… we are too weak to continue." Ren muttered with slight disappointment.

~A/N~

Missed me? Sorry for taking a while. But I am planning on writing another two chaps after this soon. Been busy with my tensura story and life. But I made the resolution of not writing for Tensura until I write 3 total chaps.

Also, a new hidden path in Mementos? Wonder what it's all about. Hehe, guess you'll have to wait. As I usually like to say. It's a surprise tool that will help us later. But hey, I am more than happy to hear your theories.