The Velvet Room Attendant – A Lavenza Quest (Persona 5/Multicross)

A beat passes in contemplative silence. Mami's television continues playing in the background, it's sound having been previously muted by your sister.

Elizabeth purses her lips as she sits on one of the sofas, expression drawn in quiet frustration. You walk up to her side, resting a gloved hand upon her shoulder in reassurance.

"Perhaps…" you start. "It would be advisable to put a hold on binding decisions before extracting all available information from the Incubator."

"Agreed." She says, her troubled mood clearing up as she offers you an affectionate smile.

You turn to the waiting Kyubey. "I possess a number of outstanding curiosities regarding your system, Incubator. Would you mind if we went through them?"

It replies promptly. "Of course not. I will strive to answer your concerns to the best of my ability."

"First of all," you say, holding up a finger. "The secrecy the magical girl system adheres to. I wish to know the reason for its existence, and how it benefits you."

It tilts its head. "I believe I previously addressed this." It says. "It's in place in order to prevent unnecessary chaos and panic in underdeveloped species that have no knowledge of the existence of magic. Perhaps we will reveal ourselves in due time, but doing so now would only result in needless disruption of our operations."

"Secondly, the origins of Witches." You count down another finger. "If they are an existence that is only kept in check by an artificial system, how do they arise?"

Kyubey pauses for a moment. "They are born from the corrupted souls of humans." It reveals. "It's the reason that cities with large populations see an increased rate in their appearance."

A cold feeling blooms in your chest at Kyubey's words. It's something you had partially suspected since your examination of the Witch back in the mall.

You're not pleased with its confirmation.

"...I see." You say impartially. "How can... humans become corrupted? I..." You trail off, at a loss for words.

"Through the same Grief that fills the Soul Gem's of magical girls. Their souls become blackened and distorted with curses, transforming them into the monsters you know."

"Why didn't you inform me of this earlier?"

"You never asked." It says. "And to avoid this kind of reaction. You are an emotional being, and strong feelings are capable of impairing your judgment. It's in our interests to keep you as calm as possible."

What is it referring to? You're calm. Not a single face muscle has twitched, your fingers haven't shaken, and your body isn't frozen. Your composure is flawless. The alien is simply being ridiculous.

You glance at Elizabeth, and frown when she appears unfazed.

"I already knew." She explains, looking particularly displeased. "One of the more interesting tidbits of our telepathic conversation."

You nod at her as you hear the doors of the apartment open.

"I'm back!" Calls out Mami as she steps into the apartment proper. She stops when she notices the stillness in the room. "...Is everything alright?"

"Why, yes," Elizabeth smoothly explains. "We are merely having an informative discussion with Kyubey."

"Oh." Mami blinks, seeming lost. "...By all means, don't let me stop you." She clears her throat. "Actually, Elizabeth-san, I wanted to ask whether or not you will be staying over for the night? I can prepare one of the sofas for you, but I'm afraid it won't be comfortable."

She holds up a hand. "Yes, I will stay for the foreseeable future, but preparing accommodations will be unnecessary. After all, we do not sleep."

Mami frowns, turning to you in confusion. "Then… how did Lavenza-san sleep last night?"

Elizabeth turns to you, disbelief clear in her expression. "You… slept!?" She echoes, her incredulity almost palpable. "...How did you even accomplish such a thing?"

You huff. "I closed my eyes and rested my mind." You say, glaring at her. "Just because you are incapable of certain feats, it does not mean I am handicapped in the same manner."

She barely acknowledges your insult. "Interesting. Perhaps I should try it as well…"

Mami shakes her head. "...There are a few things I must do before dinner." She says. "I'll be right back." The magical girl vanishes into the hallways of the large apartment.

You sigh. "We've veered off-topic long enough." You hold up a third finger as you turn back to an impassive Incubator. "Third concern, the means by which wishes are implemented. If you are capable of such feats, what is even the purpose of the human?"

"We are nothing but an intermediate between the wish of a magical girl, and their magical potential. Everything depends on those two factors alone." It says. "If we could manifest wishes out of thin air, we would not be having this conversation."

Another finger goes up. "Fourthly, the criteria for magical girl candidacy. By what means is potential determined, and why does it exclude the majority of the population? What is the reason adults and males do not qualify?"

"...We do not know." It hesitates. "As with the many constants in our universe, like gravity or entropy, prepubescent girls amassing an unnatural amount of karmic potential is a simple fact of reality. One we have exploited to the fullest of our capabilities."

...Odd.

"And lastly, the long term effects of magical girl conversion. Is there a reason why all known magical girls are children? And can more experienced magical girls be consulted?"

"You've only met two magical girls, so your pool of knowledge to draw upon is limited." Its tail keeps swaying rhythmically as it speaks. "Nevertheless, you are correct. Contracting halts the aging process of a magical girl. Something I suspect is not an issue for you?"

Elizabeth nods. "That's right."

"As for your second request, it can certainly be arranged." It sprawls lazily in the glass table. "Though it will take some time. What one could consider 'experienced magic girls' do not perform such favors without a price."

You nod. "Understood." You say. "And… you call this a contract, yes? Can we see a standard copy of it? In hand, for us to study at length, in a language we can understand and in a reasonable letter size?"

The Incubator stops, looking up at you. "A peculiar request, but one we have encountered before." It sits upright. "Though a copy of the 'standard contract' would not apply to both of your cases, due to the alterations previously established with Elizabeth. Please wait for a moment."

It goes silent, and a handful of seconds later, two written documents materialize into existence on the low table of the living room. Elizabeth swiftly snatches up the one closest to her, and you do the same.

"Two copies of a modified magical girl contract, in standard Japanese font size for documentation of substantial importance."

"You have my gratitude." You say as you start pouring through the pages.

It's… surprisingly concise. You expected a whole book of incomprehensible jargon, but it barely numbers eight pages.

--the Incubator Collective assumes no responsibility for the unforeseen consequences of the magical girl's wish. By verbally agreeing to this contract, the Incubator Collective is absolved of all fault--

--due to special circumstances, the soul of the magical girl will remain intact and the creation of a Soul Gem will not be carried out, with the implications that such a condition carry. The Incubator Collective will be absolved of all fault from any unintended spiritual side effects that may occur from the experimental procedure--

--By verbally agreeing to this contract, the magical girl consents to the manipulation of their karmic potential, and the modification of their physical bodies. Should the magical girl be dissatisfied with their new form, the Incubator Collective is absolved of all--

...You're starting to notice a pattern.

"What are you reading?" So absorbed you are, you barely notice Mami step up to your side, curiously peering over your shoulder.

You look up at her. "It's a contract for becoming a magical girl." Her eyebrows rise at your words. "Elizabeth is apparently interested in the subject."

"...R-Really?" Stutters the blonde girl, caught off guard. "May I… see it, Lavenza-san?"

Kyubey creates a new copy upon the glass table before you can respond. "Here you have, Mami-san."

With a tentative smile, she accepts it and sits down next to your sister as she begins reading through it.


A few minutes later, you put down the document. Nothing you weren't already aware of appeared, though it's strangely comforting to have everything laid out in understandable writing.

You did learn that the Incubators would prefer to remain blameless should anything go horribly wrong. With the amount of unpredictability around this entire mess, you honestly cannot really blame them.

Elizabeth has long finished reading, you notice, though she hasn't said anything yet, apparently lost in thought.

What do you do?

[] Return to the Velvet Room, and consult your master in this subject matter. Progressing anymore without his explicit permission would be unwise.
-[] Assure Mami you will be back shortly.
--[] Explain the situation to her? How much are you willing to tell her?
--[] Something else?
-[] Ask the Incubator some questions first.
--[] Topics?
-[] Do something else?

[] Defer the next step to Elizabeth. She's the one who wants to see her wish realized, after all.
-[] Suggest a specific course of action to her.
--[] Wait for Kyubey to arrange for her to consult an experienced magical girl.
--[] Something else?
-[] Speak in private with your sister. What does she truly want? What does she wish so much for?
-[] Do something else?

[] Write-In.

"A most enlightening read." Your sister says as she notices your look.

You raise an eyebrow. "Where the terms of the contract to your liking?"

She shrugs, as carefree as always. "In part. I suppose I should have expected something of the sort when a contract was first mentioned. Still..." Elizabeth looks down at her hands, her voice turning subdued. She chuckles. "It's not as if I have any other options left."

You frown as Mami puts down the contract and eyes Elizabeth with concern. "This has to do with... your wish?" Asks the magical girl. "The reason you want to form a contract, yes?"

Elizabeth nods. "Correct." She fails to add any further comment.

Hesitantly, you speak up. "If you truly lack any other alternative path for what you seek, then I shall defer to your better judgment, sister." You say, voice brimming with confidence in her. "Nonetheless, I would advise waiting for Kyubey to arrange for you to consult an experienced magical girl."

"Very well." She offers you a grateful smile. "We will do as you say."

Mami turns to you, puzzled. "...Consult an experienced magical girl?"

"It's a topic that Lavenza-san brought up while you were gone, Mami-san," Kyubey says from its perch on the table. "She is concerned about the long term effects of contracting, so she has requested to speak with a veteran magical girl."

She blinks. "Oh."

"Negotiations are currently underway with a magical girl from the urban zone of Helsinki, in the European nation of Finland. She has held the capital city for over thirteen years, and been a magical girl for fifteen."

"O-oh..."

Kyubey's red eyes turn to you. "Will the language barrier be a problem? I can provide translation of course, though it will not be instantaneous."

...You glance at Elizabeth.

She shrugs. "In all my travels, I still haven't stumbled across a tongue I could not understand. I'm sure it will be fine."

The alien stays silent for a moment. "Perhaps a test is in order?" It asks. "Can you understand my words?"

You resist the urge to roll your eyes. "Of course."

Mami's jaw opens in shock. "I- Wha-"

"We are currently speaking in Finnish." It pauses for a moment. "Now it's in English. Can you still understand me?"

Elizabeth laughs. "Was there ever any doubt?"

Kyubey's head bobs in acknowledgment. "I would never suggest your outlandish claim was an attempt to deceive us. It is, however, useful to have confirmation of your ability to fluently speak different human languages."

Mami sighs heavily as she massages her brow. What's wrong with her?

"For… whatever my insight is worth," begins Mami, looking up at Elizabeth with apparent conviction in her eyes. "I believe that… you should go ahead with your wish, Elizabeth-san."

"Interesting." Your sister says. "Why is that?"

"Not... many have the privilege to carefully consider their wish, a reason to give up the life of an ordinary girl. I still stand by what I said earlier." She smiles slightly. "But… clearly, this is a matter you care deeply about." You see Elizabeth's eyes narrow. "I'm very curious as to what someone as powerful as you would need a miracle for."

You cross your arms, giving your sister an impatient look. "As we all are."

Elizabeth sits straighter. "It's... a long story."

"It will take a few hours to appease Helsinki's magical girl. We have time." The Incubator says. "We cannot determine whether or not your wish can be granted to its fullest capacity without knowing as many details as possible."

"Fair enough. I suppose there is no harm in telling you now." She sighs dramatically. "I shall begin with... a fairy tale of sorts, then."

...A fairy tale?

"Back in our world, at the far reaches of the Sea of the Soul, there stands a large, looming door. A human soul which devoted itself to permanently sealing that door slumbers there."

"That soul is risking itself to prevent those who have lost sight of life's brilliance from luring the world to self-destruction… It is the guardian of the door... of the whole world, in fact."

Mami listens with rapt attention. "What is the soul protecting the world from?"

Elizabeth grimaces. "A horrible, undying monstrosity, born from the darkest desires of humanity. Should that monster ever cross beyond the boundary of the seal, the end of the world will occur. Hence, it is my target."

...An undying monster in the Collective Unconscious? ...What? "Undying? You cannot destroy it?"

She shakes her head. "That wasn't the appropriate word." She says. "The thing crumbles before my attacks just like any other. However, it's no ordinary Shadow. As long as humanity longs for death, then their combined wish will keep reviving the beast in due time. I need a permanent solution. Without it, I cannot save that soul from his eternal fate."

You raise an eyebrow. "His?"

"Yes, him. He is someone very dear to my heart."

You look down. "When Margaret informed us of your… departure, I asked for a reason." You say. "All she ever told me was that it had to do with a former guest of yours. This is that guest?"

Elizabeth nods.

"I was never informed of any of this." You declare firmly. "I will insist on an explanation, Elizabeth."

She shrugs. "Our master doesn't believe that we have the right to intervene in what he considers to be 'human affairs'." She says. "I disagreed, so I left." She raises a curious eyebrow at you. "I do believe you are familiar with this kind of situation, sister."

...She's right. You willingly stood behind and did nothing as your Trickster and the Phantom Thieves faced down a fully empowered Grail.

But… it was your duty! Who knows what would have happened if you had gone against your master's orders and intervened? Would Yaldabaoth be forgotten ashes, as it is now? Your foolish sister is simply taking everything out of context.

You shake such thoughts away.

"...I see." You remark, backing down for now.

"We will take careful note of this," says Kyubey. "Unfortunately, until we can examine this door firsthand, anything we could tell you at the moment would be pure unfounded speculation."

"Understood." Says Elizabeth, turning to look down at the alien. "How long until we can speak with this magical girl?"

"Unknown. It could take a few minutes, or up to a few hours, depending on what she wants in return. I will inform you when it is time."

Silence descends once more. Mami looks around. "I… I'll go prepare dinner for everyone." She says quietly. "Is noodles with vegetables alright for the both of you?"

You give an indifferent answer, while Elizabeth nods.


Dinner is a quiet affair. You only eat the food out of politeness for Mami, but your mind is elsewhere.

Mami asks for descriptions of the monster, and Elizabeth delivers. A towering, four-legged beast with two horned heads that hold sharp red eyes on each side of its oozing body. ...Fitting for the herald of armageddon, you suppose.

After the meal is done, you ask Kyubey for an update, yet the cursed alien remains adamant in its vague estimation.

...You'll just have to wait some more, then.


Time passes as you fume in mortifying boredom. According to the clock ticking seconds away in the entrance wall of the living room, only a few hours have passed. To you, it rather felt like days.

Clearly, Mami felt the same as she went limp on the couch. You briefly panic but sigh with relief as you notice she only fell asleep. She embarrassingly begs off upstairs when you wake her up, asking that you wake her up should you need anything.

Your sister, on the other hand, long decided to endure the wait with one of Mami's many books; she seems content with it, at least. You wish you had her patience.

You stare at the television as the images play before your eyes, but you're not paying any true attention as you sit in one of the bigger sofas.

You bring your Grief Seed out of your pockets, delicately holding it up for inspection.

Witches come from humans. Corrupted humans, obviously. But it does not change the fact that, whatever you're holding, it used to be a human. You'll have to ask the Incubator for details- that much is clear- but… you'd almost prefer not knowing. You can't even begin to fathom how a human could transform into one of those mindless creatures. Is this 'Grief' truly so powerful?

You've killed a few Witches. You even tried to communicate with one, to no avail. ...If you had tried just a little harder, could you have done something, anything to help them?

You grit your teeth. Now you understand why Kyubey decided to keep their origins from you. That doesn't mean you don't want to stomp its smug round head into mush for doing exactly that.

Light from the television glints off the reflective surface of the Grief Seed as you continue thinking.

So many things to consider, as of late. Your life has become far more hectic than you ever expected when you first set foot outside the Velvet Room.

But that's just what you wanted, isn't it?

You wonder what Theodore thinks of your departure; you were so caught up in the excitement of it all, saying farewell to your dearest brother failed to even cross your mind. Oh, well. He's not one to hold grudges, thankfully.

Gently putting down the Grief Seed in the table for a brief moment, you pull out Margaret's letter, quickly reading through its contents one more time. If all goes well, you predict she'll be having some… strong words with you in the near future.

You are startled as the light of the television suddenly cuts off. Looking up, you see Kyubey standing by its side, it's tube-like bizarre appendage extended as it touches the machine with it.

"Everything is ready." It says as Elizabeth comes closer. "Video transmission will begin in one minute. You will have ten minutes to speak with Miss Mila Eskola. This time can be extended, though it would be preferable if you took advantage of the amount given now."

Elizabeth hums in affirmation. "Anything in particular you could tell us about her, Incubator?"

It tilts its head. "She is an extremely dangerous and skillful magical girl, though she relies entirely on physical magic, so she will be unable to bring any harm to you or your sister through the video call. She has been warned off attempting anything suspicious either way."

You hesitantly put away the Grief Seed in your pockets. You urgently need somewhere better to store it in... "Good to know."

The screen comes to life, and a young girl's face appears in it, a brightly lit room standing as the background. Nothing particularly remarkable stands out from her demeanor as she nods respectfully at the both of you. "Good day. I have already been briefed on your situation. Please, ask away."

What do you do?

[] Let Elizabeth lead the conversation for now.
-[] Step in when she finishes. You have some questions of your own…
--[] How does the corrupting of humans into Witches work, exactly?
--[] She's been a magical girl for fifteen years. Anything irregular she has noticed after performing her contact?
--[] Something else?
-[] Wake up Mami from her rest. Perhaps her insight could be useful.
-[] Do something else?

[] Lead with the questions for now.
-[] Be polite with her. No sense in angering the powerful human.
--[] Was her wish granted in full? Any unexpected drawbacks?
--[] Would she recommend becoming a magical girl in the first place?
--[] Something else?
-[] What has she been told by Kyubey, exactly? Is she aware of the modifications made to the contract?
-[] Do something else?

[] Write-In.


Kyubey's so serious about this, he made me bring out an OC. The horror.

OOC, you can assume she knows everything about the magical girl system.

Kyubey's ear appendages slowly return to their normal size as it steps away from the television. In the low light of the room, you briefly consider going upstairs and waking Mami from her slumber, before dismissing the idea. Unless something of crucial importance happens, then her presence is not absolutely necessary for the conversation. You should let her have her rest.

As you both cordially greet the magical girl, you decide to back away for now. Elizabeth seems dangerously resolute in achieving her goal, and standing in her way isn't in your schedule.

"Straight to the point, I see," Elizabeth comments. She brings a hand to her brow, apparently pondering on what to ask. "My grievances are... not many, I'm afraid. They mainly lie in the magnitude and limits of Kyubey's wishes."

The black-haired girl pauses. "You are concerned over... their effectiveness?" At your sister's nod, she gestures vaguely with indifference. "That's something you should speak about with Kyubey himself. It's not my area of expertise."

"Hmm."

The magical girl picks something up outside the view of the screen, and you raise an eyebrow when you recognize it. "The modified magical girl contract," you remark.

She glances at you. "...Yes, that... is one name for this." She looks down, briefly paging through it. "With Kyubey's permission, I've gone through it as meticulously as I could with the short time provided."

Elizabeth crosses her arms, lazily dangling her Grimoire from her grip. "And what, pray tell, are your findings?"

She looks up. "The document itself checks out. Overlooked fine print won't lead to your timely transformation into a Witch. However--"

You frown. What?

...Oh. O-Oh.

It... It makes sense… if you take a moment to think about it. Magical girls are humans. If Witches come from humans, it's only logical there would be Witches from magical girls.

You look up at Elizabeth. She… didn't even blink at the possibility she might turn into one of those monsters...

"--experimental procedure or not, not having a Soul Gem is extremely unusual. It's our soul, the source of our power as magical girls. I'm left wondering how one would even use magic without it?"

You glance backward, toward the stairs leading to the upper floor of the apartment where your host rests, her golden soul shining brightly through your senses. You know two magical girls. ...Are they at risk of succumbing with Grief and transforming into a Witch?

...The mere thought of this happening unnerves you.

Kyubey interjects into the conversation, hopping off the television's side and into the floor. "Your concerns are noted, but they are ultimately irrelevant. Elizabeth and her sister possess the baffling capability of regenerating their own spiritual power after it is spent. They have no need for the measures like the one all magical girls must rely on."

The magical girl makes a strained expression. You can sympathize. "I see you have everything already worked out between yourselves." She says with finality. "I've done all I can. If there's nothing else--"

You raise your hand to stop her. "Wait! I… I struggle to imagine how a human could be corrupted into a Witch, especially the magical girls…" You trail off. "I must know how it works, exactly." She pauses, then immediately directs a scorching glare at Kyubey.

"You didn't tell them anything, Incubator." She accuses.

"That is incorrect. Lavenza is aware of the fact that Witches come from the corrupted souls of humans, which--"

Mila Eskola cuts it off, anger in her voice. "Don't even get me started. That's bullshit, and you know it." She turns to you. "Magical girls are the Witches. All of them."

…

What?

What do you do?

[] Be calm. Surely there has been some kind of misunderstanding, and you are lacking the entire context of the situation.
-[] If she is right, then the alien is responsible for everything. The magical girls, Witches, their familiars…
--[] Call off the negotiations and denounce the Incubator's actions. You have been played for a fool.
-[] Do something else?

[] Explode. Immediately demand an explanation from Kyubey.
-[] Should his explanation not satisfy you, call off the negotiations and destroy its body. You have been fooled.
-[] Question Elizabeth. Why is she so damned calm!?
-[] Do something else?

[] Write-In.


Shorter update for the occasion.