01 - Who's Who

[deathboss]

So uh, I had this really scary memory come back to me, and I need help identifying either of these two...individuals. I drew them from memory so they might not be exactly like this...



The guy on the left is called Philemon. I saw him in a place that I can't quite remember but there was a checkerboard floor and Greek columns. His mask looks like it came from a bargain bin theater play. He said the place was a gulf between the conscious and the unconscious. Not sure why that would have a checkerboard floor, but there you go.

It's what he said that's got me confused. Something about the land of Sumaru being a netherworld where rumors are reality and we had to use our power to fight back. He called it Persona? Something like summoning the selves inside of you...angels and demons...breaking the chains of karma...sounded really important if the guy bothered to summon us for it...OH RIGHT! He was a golden butterfly before turning into a man.

...I promise this is a memory and not substance abuse by the way. Even ten cups of Coffee wouldn't give me that kind of freaky vision.

Anyway. I guess the monster on the right would be something from the netherworld? I don't know, that was my first memory before this one. Someone else was with me doing motorcycle noises to it for some reason...I don't think his 'Persona' was doing that...heck I don't even know what a "persona" is supposed to be. And with a bunch of people off somewhere, I figured asking everyone might be better than just bothering my bros...

Your help is greatly appreciated. If you know something about anything I just wrote, or just want to share your thoughts, I'll make it up to you if you can help me.

-Michel Mishina

Comments

[maskreant]

i wouldn't call ourselves heroes considering two of us like eating weird stuff for fun.

like grass.

also, not everyone has a costume?

[deathboss]

I'd consider that a quirk! I mean,
there was a guy in the group I was in making motorcycle noises...who knows what else they were doing to...

...I mean grass is pretty weird but...

That's okay! Maybe we can get some made!

[Michel, you do not know these people, you do not know what this means, why are you even excited?]

[maskreant]

a quirk or a bad habit?

really? i wouldn't want us to look like a gang.

[ ... ]

maybe we can be a bike gang.

[ HE CHANGED HIS MIND FAST ]

[deathboss]

A bike gang?

...I don't have a motorcycle license...

[But then, a vision in his mind, of a place in blue, and a man with a large nose and--]

...ahh I guess the bike guy is the hero, after all...

[Yes ignore everything else about this new vision, get disappointed you aren't the leader of the team.]

[maskreant]

it's not too late to learn. i know someone that knows her bikes.

are you the sidekick?

[deathboss]

That might be fun, honestly.

And...hey! I think we were more like rivals. But I just...had another vision inside of a blue room. Motorcycle noise guy was talking to a guy with a large nose. Does that sound like anything you know about Persona?

[You're the only one who mentioned Persona so far. So you are the Persona expert.]

MOVED TO PRIVATE INBOX cause i'm lazy

[maskreant]

[ Oh... What the fuck? This guy is like... The Real Deal. ]

you can enter the Velvet Room?

The most private of inboxes

[deathboss]

[??? Why are they going private?]

Why are we going private?

[Yes, thank you Michel.]

But yeah! That's the one! Me and the other two people were inside of it. Igor say something about helping us because Master Philemon asked him to and he could create new Personas for us. I remember a few other details...some guy playing the piano, a lady singing, some guy with sunglasses painting?

[maskreant]

in case the other people that use it don't want it known.

i didn't remember that many people in the Velvet Room, just the master and his attendants. was Igor nice to you?

[deathboss]

I'll trust your word.

[For now anyway.]

The master...isn't that Philemon?

[He's already confused by his own memories...but what an odd question to ask. Should he be expecting something bad?]

Igor seemed nice from what little I saw him. Sitting on his sofa with this weird skull telephone and saying he could make us Persona...his nose reminded me of a human colored tengu mask, but he sounded like a jolly old grandpa? What really struck me was the woman singing. I think her name was Belladonna...she was like better than any opera singer I've ever heard. Just the memory of the song is strangely calming right now.

[maskreant]

never heard of him.

[ damn, he's a slightly bitter bitch about this, but he won't admit to it. A JOLLY GRANDPA? ]

i remember him a little differently and his attendants are different between all of us Velvet Room guests. is she the one that sings the song? i don't think i've ever seen her. either way, none of them are in the Velvet Room here.

are you interested in joining our persona meet-ups? since it seems like you're connected.

[deathboss]

Weird.

[Out of everything, somehow that is the weird thing. A grandpa that redecorates the Velvet Room, Akira.]

The song? I dunno if it was the same as yours but yeah she was the one singing it. The Nameless guy was on the piano. I dunno if that was his name or if he really was just name less...but are you saying this Velvet Room exists here?!

[He can almost feel himself sweating at the idea.]

I won't mind. If it means figuring out a bit more about this...

[maskreant]

if i could rename myself, i would name myself Nameless Guy. it's right next to pizza port if you want to check it out. you need a key if you want to go in, though.

sounds good. we might not have one anytime soon since everyone might want a break after the trip, but you'll get a message about it when the date comes around.

[deathboss]

Really? I passed that place so many times...

Does this mean that Igor might be someone's parent right now?

And sure, let me know. I was gonna do a few things here myself, since I'm stuck in the city anyway.

[maskreant]

yeah. you might not have been able to see it until recently. if you're really a guest, you should see a blue door there.

i don't think i want to imagine Igor as a parent. people sometimes change to their old selves overnight. be in his shoes? wake up in the morning with a long nose.

[deathboss]

Hold on I have an idea...

[A short while later, he's getting a view of Michel startling to walk away from his home and going towards where the other mentioned before. It might take a while, but hey, plenty of time to talk?]

Oh my god that sounds horrible. Both for Igor and whoever is their family. Would doctors even question it?

[maskreant]

okay, holding on.

[ he sends a short audio clip of elevator music. ]

maybe? it's weird. people that don't have Retrospec notices some changes momentarily, but forget about it later. or they accept it without question.

it makes me wonder if we're living in our own bubble.

[deathboss]

[Michel can't help but laugh once the elevator music starts playing. Whoever this guy is, he has a pretty sense of timing and humor.]

Bro, that's perfect.

[He probably looks stupid laughing in the station out loud, but here we are. He continues to type afterwards.]

That explains why I didn't figure out the chocobo or the color blue before it was pointed out to me...

Well, there is a dome above us right now, right? PS - don't try to hit it for too much. Knocked me right out for a video...

[maskreant]

nirvana.

i already tried that in January, but luckily someone found me and i was dressed well, so i didn't freeze to death.

[deathboss]

Nirvana? Sorry, you lost me?

[Granted right now he feels waaaay out of his league. But he is getting closer to his destination! Only about 2 or 3 minutes now if he walks a little faster...]

I did a live video about it. Some guy kept trying to get me to moon it...tch. I'd get banned for shit like that.

[maskreant]

i mean you've reached enlightenment. you've seen the truth.

good call. you don't want to be arrested, either. you never know when police are looking for a deviant.

[deathboss]

OH! That makes sense.

I've seen a few guys survive being arrested and becoming more popular in their channels due to it.
Personally, I'd rather have a clean conscious.

[It does help when your parents cared for you and also know the business. But lo! Finally they arrive. Or get close. Michel stops before getting to the next block where the door would be. Part of him, afraid that it he doesn't see it...]

So did you guys see the door as soon as you awoke or did it just pop up for you?

[..a sudden fear of failure creeps up on him.]

[maskreant]

bad publicity may be publicity, but that doesn't seem worth it to me.

it kind of showed up? maybe you need the key. i don't remember too well.

[deathboss]

It's not. At least to me. The other guys can be the black sheep of Youtube...

[Okay. Then. He takes a breath before turning over and..., it switches completely to video feed for him.]

Oh! There it is...

[Thankfully he's whispering to himself more than the others. Tentively, he takes a step forward, afraid it will disappear if he blinks and then...]

Oh. Locked.

[He looks down on his messages. Enjoy the view of him furiously typing.]

Hey it's there! All blue, right? But it's locked.

[Then he notices what Akira had sent him.]

Oh. It's supposed to be locked. Makes sense, I think?

[maskreant]

the Velvet Room almost seems like an elusive and exclusive club.

you can only get your key from Retrospec, but who knows when it'll come. there's no request form or anything, either.