[OPEN INTRO] Lost and confused

[dragon_ken]

The last thing Ken Amada remembered was going to his dorm room after a normal day of school. There had been nothing unusual at all that day, nothing strange going on. Just a strikingly normal school day, almost boring in its ordinary nature.

But now, there was nothing ordinary at all with the sight before him: a room all in blue, a man with a long nose, several doors, music, and the lack of any clue about how he had ended up here.

"Welcome," said the strange man, "to the Velvet Room. I am Igor, the master of this place. It is always a pleasure for me to meet a new guest."

The Velvet Room? What was that? Why was he there?

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter," pursued Igor. "If you have any concerns about the world from which you have come, you can rest assured that you are not truly absent while you stay here. Still, you should use your time wisely, and form bonds with the others you find in a similar situation to yourself, as you never know where they might lead you! So please, feel free to explore."

Ken took a deep breath. "So this is... another world?"

"Correct."

"And I'm... just living here now? Until I'm sent back home?"

"That is also correct," answered Igor, his smile unflinching.

"...Aren't you going to explain anything else?"

"It is up to the guest to find their own answers," continued Igor, his smile being almost creepy with how static it was. "But I believe one of our residents has compiled information that many have found useful," he added while gesturing to the conspiracy board.

Ken approached it and diligently read it. It was all... dizzying.

And then it really hit him, all at once. He was far from home, in this strange land where worlds collide, populated with vampires, demons, worlds inside TVs, strange things called "Personas", and more. He was there, and he had nothing, he had no one, he didn't even have any idea of what was going on or any skill of value. He was there, and he was nothing.

Ken felt himself starting to shake. He felt the tears starting to form themselves. He felt the panic rapidly settling inside.

Come on, hold yourself together, don't be a little kid about this...

He had to hold on. He had to be strong, for...

For what, really? The only reason he kept going was to bring justice to his mother's death. But this place, vast, unknown, and full of magic, made him understand how insignificant he really was. What was he thinking, really? That an ordinary kid like him could track down and confront someone who had a terrifying monster under their command?

Maybe that was why he was brought here. To bring him to his important realization. He was insignificant. He didn't matter. He should stop holding onto delusions of being able to change things.

He fell on his knees. If he didn't have his revenge, what was the point then?? What was he living for...?

Other people may:

A. Find him in front of the conspiracy board, on his knees, shaking, softly crying, his gaze empty.

B. Find him several hours later, after he calmed down, praying at the shrine.

Regardless of how they find him, for those of them who know other Ken Amadas, this one seems to be the youngest of them, around 10 years old.

Comments

A

[cognicat]

This is when one of the doors opens, apparently by itself, and there's just a glimpse of a black cat coming in—before, with a poof, it transforms into a still small, cat-like figure. Which is staring right at Ken.

"Oh," it says, in a strange, slightly panicked voice. "You're crying? Okay, I'll just leave you to it—"

Morgana turns to the door with a bounce, only to feel the weight of Igor's gaze on him. Damn it. What would Joker do? He turns back to the kid.

[dragon_ken]

Ken hears a voice coming from somewhere. He doesn't really understand what it says, but he turns around to look at its source-

What. I mean, he knew there was supernatural stuff around, but there was... some kind of humanoid cat? Huh. He takes a few seconds to process this. At least the tears stop falling!

"H-Hello? Who are you?"

[cognicat]

"I'm Morgana," the cat-thing says, as if it explains everything. It comes forward. "You just got here, huh?"

[dragon_ken]

"Y-yeah," he says, smiling through the tears, trying to appear friendly despite everything. "Is it common? How many people are here?"

Right after, he remembered something, speaking a little too fast to fix his mistake: "Oh, by the way, I'm Ken Amada! Nice to meet you!"

[cognicat]

"I know who you are. There are a few of you here already," he says, coming a bit closer to size the kid up. Something is wrong, though; something about the smell of the boy is... wrong. Other. He stops well out of reach.

"It's not worth getting sad about. Think of it as a vacation." Listen, it's worth a try.

[dragon_ken]

"Really?" he exclaims before he can stop himself. There are others Ken Amadas? What are the odds? Is there actually anything special about him...?

Or maybe they're all making the same mistake, and they all need that wake-up call.

"It-it's okay," he answers to the person's next statement. "I don't think I mind being here that much. It's not like I'm leaving much behind..."

[cognicat]

What a sad little story in those few words. Despite the smell, he's come closer before he knows it. "Yeah, there are a lot of people here who could say something similar. It really isn't so bad. You can learn all kinds of things here, and even change your future, if you get the chance."

[dragon_ken]

He lets the cat-like being come closer. He even makes the effort to sit properly on the ground, instead of staying slumped on his knees.

"My future..."

What future?

[cognicat]

"You think you don't have much of a future, huh?" He doesn't have much to do with the Kens, but he's seen them around, the way you can when you unfortunately look like a cat. And he knows some of the Akechis well enough, not least his own, now long gone.

[dragon_ken]

"I mean, I know it." The words left his mouth before he could stop them, like just a little kindness and empathy from that stranger was enough to burst the overloaded dam. "This very place opened up my eyes. Everything I did so far... it was all for nothing. In the end, I don't matter."

[cognicat]

"Everyone matters." It bursts out of Mona before he knows it. "Even if you think you don't matter, or can't change anything, maybe that's why you're here."

To learn different. To make connections that could change things. Mona has more faith in the Velvet Room's master than most.

[dragon_ken]

"Don't get me wrong, it's nice of you to feel that way, but..."

[cognicat]

"What matters is that you should feel that way. Here, do you want to wash your face, or something?" Yes! Things! Doing! At least getting the boy to move about should help, right?

[dragon_ken]

Thankfully, Ken was getting uncomfortable talking about this, and takes the distraction readily.

"I guess that could feel nice. Is there a place for it nearby?"

[cognicat]

"I know a place we can go, sure." Leblanc is always open, after all. And hopefully Frog will be around, or one of the Rens, and the kid can get a hot drink and a meal.

[dragon_ken]

"Then lead the way," he says while getting up.

[cognicat]

He does just that. "Watch this," he says, tail curling upwards as he jumps for the Tokyo door handle—and then he heads through into the alleys of Yongen-jaya, melting back into the sleek, blue-eyed black cat.

Come on, that was good, cat or not. He expects Ken to be impressed.

[dragon_ken]

"So you can turn into a cat!? I mean, I guess you kinda looked like one before, but you're not really a cat, right? Oh, sorry if that question was rude..."

He's also a bit fascinated by how the doors seem to teleport you somewhere else, but he had read about it on the board, so it didn't take him by surprise.

[cognicat]

Oh, Ken, you just won this not-a-cat's heart. "You get it! No, I'm not a cat! I just look like a cat. Anyway, this is Yongen-jaya. It's where I live with Joker, usually"—his tail droops—"but right now, I live here with a couple of the other Jokers. And Frog."

He heads for Leblanc's awning, tail held high.

[dragon_ken]

"So... alternate versions of people live together? Isn't it awkward?"

I mean, it'd be weird if he bunked with himself, right?

1/2

[cognicat]

"I guess kind of, sometimes? But they don't share the attic, so it's okay." With this cryptic comment, he leaps in the air, catching at the door handle with long practice. The door swings inward and he goes in...

2/2

[lakebrat]

... to reveal an older boy in a green apron behind the counter, who gives Ken a piercing look as he walks in, before Morgana leaps up onto one of the counter stools.

"Welcome to Leblanc," he says, face smoothing out, though he doesn't look away from Ken. "Hello, Mona. Found us a stray, have you?"

[dragon_ken]

"Um, hi," he answers, suddenly getting shy with this sudden new person staring at him.

1/2

[cognicat]

Mona has leaned up on the counter with his front paws, and is flicking his ears meaningfully at the boy behind the counter. "He only just got here. He needs the bathroom. And something to eat too, I'll bet."

2/2

[lakebrat]

Already understanding, his piercing look has softened to a smile, as if he was never dangerous at all. "I see. Well, I can certainly see to that—Amada-kun, isn't it? The bathroom is to your left, by the stairs. Do you like curry?"