The Bonds that Shape the Universe Again (A Persona/Batman Adventure)

Part 7: The Velvet Room

[X]Reach Out: "Let me help you?"
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You looked down at your hand, watching as the skin glowed faintly in the dim light, the shackles still biting into your wrist. With a deep breath, you focused on the chains, willing your arm to be free. Slowly, impossibly, the iron links loosened, slipping away as if the very metal had softened at your command. You moved through them, your arm reaching forward, fingers trembling as they extended toward the butterfly hovering just beyond your reach.

"Thank you," a soft voice echoed in your mind, almost too quiet to be real. You blinked, the world around you blurring, the edges of your vision darkening as everything began to fade away into shadows.

How does it feel to float in a dream that isn't a dream? That was the only way you could describe the strange sensation washing over you—a feeling of weightlessness, of being untethered from your body as the world seemed to shatter, dissolving into an endless expanse. An infinity of darkness.

But the darkness wasn't empty. It was filled with a calm, almost indescribable—a sea of souls, flowing around you like a vast, peaceful current. You felt no fear. Instead, an ethereal melody played softly in your ears, soothing in its simplicity. You floated there for what felt like an eternity, trying to grasp the enormity of where you were, and what was happening. Where were you?

Then, a voice broke the quiet. "Welcome… to the Velvet Room."

You turned toward the sound, and the surreal tranquility around you warped. A scene emerged from the void—a strange room, both familiar and alien, bathed in a cool, velvety light. There, amidst the shadows, you saw a man who looked like he was pure energy, entangled in wires, his face twisted in pain as he struggled against them. He was screaming, though the sound felt distant as if it were muffled by layers of fog.

"Sorry for the... mess," the voice came again, this time from the man himself, though he seemed barely able to speak through his suffering. His eyes darted frantically, then locked on you. "We haven't had a guest in a while, and well, I didn't expect to talk to anyone who was human ever again. Uh... Boss, help! We have a visitor!?"

You barely had time to process his words when another figure entered the room. A woman, tall and elegant, carrying a large, ornate book. Her attire was unlike anything you had seen—bizarre, yet somehow fitting the dreamlike atmosphere of this place. Her expression shifted from annoyance to confusion as she caught sight of you.

"Nathaniel," she said, exasperation lacing her voice. "We talked about this. We would've known about a new guest in the Velvet Room long before they arrived, so it's not like a guest would appear when-." She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes landing on you fully, and her frustration turned to bewilderment. Slowly, she brought a hand to her forehead and sighed deeply. "Why does upper management never tell me anything?"

She straightened herself, taking a deep breath before addressing you directly. "My apologies," she said, her tone shifting to one of professionalism. "I was expecting someone else."

"Um… that's fine," you stammered, still trying to make sense of the surreal experience unfolding around you. "But where am I?"

The woman's eyes softened slightly, though she remained composed. "You are in the Velvet Room, among the sea of souls in the world's collective unconsciousness, somewhere in the land of Dreams. Don't expect to see upper management, Dream is a bit busy dealing with problems right now. Personal ones." she repeated, her voice calm now. "A place between consciousness and unconsciousness. A realm that exists beyond the physical world, where only those chosen by fate can enter."

Nathaniel, still tangled in wires and visibly uncomfortable, interjected weakly. "You've… been chosen. Though, uh… we weren't exactly expecting you. Uh, Margaret."

The woman shot him a sharp look before turning back to you. "As you might have guessed, this is not a place most people find themselves in." She glanced at her book, flipping through its pages. "But it seems your arrival was written into the fabric of fate, even if it wasn't communicated to us directly."

You tried to wrap your mind around her words, but everything felt slippery, like trying to hold water in your hands. "Chosen? For what?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

The woman smiled faintly. "That, I believe, is something we'll discover together. Fate has brought you here for a reason. The Velvet Room is not merely a place—it is a crossroads. A place of decision. And your choices, from here on out, will shape more than just your path."

You swallowed, the weight of her words settling over you. This wasn't just a dream. It was something far deeper—something that could change everything.

Nathaniel groaned from behind her, pulling at the wires. "Yeah, yeah. Big decisions, fate, all that. But can someone please help me out of these damn wires already?"

"Nathaniel, we've talked about this," Margaret said with a calm yet firm tone. "You have to remain connected to the wires until we stabilize your body's energy. Otherwise, it could, well... violently explode on contact with solid matter."

"You said you were working on that!" Nathaniel shot back, his voice strained, frustration clear in every syllable.

"We are working on it," she replied, her tone softening just a little. "Please, be patient."

You swallowed hard, trying to process what you were witnessing. The tension in the room, the bizarre situation, the strange beings around you—it all felt overwhelming. "Uh… so… who exactly are you?" you asked, trying to focus on something more grounded, anything to make sense of the situation.

Margret blinked as if only just realizing she hadn't properly introduced herself. "Oh, my apologies," she said, her cheeks flushing slightly with embarrassment. "I'm still getting used to this. I was promoted recently, and well… you're my first guest."

You nodded, though the word "promoted" in this context did little to ease your confusion. "You seem to be handling it pretty well, all things considered?" You were trying to make her… and yourself, feel better.

Margaret smiled, clearly appreciating the sentiment. "Thank you," she said. "My name is Margaret, and I am the new head of the Gotham Velvet Room. You are Adam Romero."

"Gotham Velvet Room?" you repeated, the name sounding both intriguing and strange. But it was worrying that there were other things like this place… and one specifically for Gotham. "How do you know my name."

Margaret then smiled. "Because your fate is written in my book that you were meant to be here." she said, her voice regaining its calm, professional cadence. "It's a special place, existing between the waking world and dreams, between fate and chance. My master, Igor and his master, wanted to ease me into the role, and give me something manageable. I requested something that would allow me to use my specific talents, so he chose Gotham." She gave a soft chuckle, almost as if amused by her own circumstances. "There are other Velvet Rooms, some of which we interact with from time to time. One in Japan seems to be quite active, almost every year." She waved her hand dismissively, as though this was merely an interesting side note before returning to the matter at hand. "But for now, we are here, and this is your place of decision."

Her hand gestured toward the glowing figure still tangled in wires. "And that's Nathaniel Adams, my assistant and... well, in some ways, an unfortunate guest as well."

Nathaniel grimaced from his tangled position, though his tone remained dry. "Unwitting prisoner in the Velvet Room, stuck here because of... something." His eyes darted sideways as if searching for the right words. "But you can call me Nate. Let's just say I'm the guy who got trapped in this place for reasons beyond my control."

There was something odd about the way he said it. His voice, his expression—something didn't sit right. It was almost as if he himself wasn't entirely convinced of the explanation he was offering. The wires flickered with a strange, eerie light as if reacting to his unease.

Margaret's expression faltered for a brief moment, her eyes shifting toward Nathaniel as if she, too, sensed the tension in his words. She quickly regained her composure, turning back to you. "Don't worry too much about Nathaniel's... situation. We're working on his condition."

You glanced at Nathaniel again, noting the beads of sweat on his brow, the way he tensed against the restraints. "Is he... okay?"

Margret hesitated. "He's... stable. For now." Her voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of concern that slipped through the cracks.

Nathaniel let out a small, sardonic laugh. "Stable's a generous way of putting it. But hey, at least I haven't exploded... yet."

His attempt at humor didn't do much to alleviate the growing sense of unease, but it was clear he was used to dealing with his precarious situation. You couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his story, something that neither he nor Margret were sharing fully.

Margret cleared her throat, redirecting the conversation. "In any case, we're here to guide you. The Velvet Room exists to help those who are at a crossroads in their life, to make decisions that shape their fate. And it seems your path has led you here."

She paused. "What do you want it to be?"

"What do you mean?" You asked.

"You have a choice to change the Velvet room to whatever you want, to represent your journey." She smiled. "Would you like to change it?

"I would love that."

What do you change the Velvet room too?:

[]A Prison, with you behind Bars, with Margret sitting at a large desk.
[]A Plane, high in the air. You are sitting in first class with Margaret walking towards you.
[]A Pirate Ship at Sea. You were on deck, next to the wheel that controlled the rudder. An officer was walking towards you. It was Nathanial
[]A Rest Stop, You were at a gas station in the middle of nowhere. Behind the counter was Nate, who was connected to a comically large wire on his hand.
[]A Train Station, where the train had not arrived yet. It was the Gotham Subway?
[]Write in

AN: Enjoy.

Part 8: A Home and Persona

[]Write in: A Comfortable Apartment: If there ever was a place you seemed to want more in life it was a home, Nate even looked comfortable here even with the wires connected.
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"You closed your eyes once, twice, and suddenly found yourself in an unfamiliar apartment building. The world shifted in that strange way dreams do, blurring the edges of reality. Outside the window, beyond the shadowy outline of the apartment complex, stretched the vast sea—a boundless, velvet expanse, rippling with hues of souls and something deeper, something unknowable.

The apartment was small, almost cozy in its simplicity. A modest kitchen stood in the corner, cold and quiet—no fire on the stove, no sounds of bustling life. A refrigerator hummed in the background, and a single table stood by the wall. Across from the kitchen was a small leather couch, aged and worn, but somehow still inviting. Seated at the table was Margaret, her face illuminated by the faint light coming through the window. Her large book lay open before her, though she didn't seem to be reading. Instead, she smiled, her eyes reflecting the quiet transformation of the room around her, as if she were privy to a secret you hadn't yet uncovered.

And there, sitting on the floor, was Nathaniel. The wires, still tangled in the walls and threaded through outlets, were no longer restraining him. He appeared calmer, almost comfortable—a stark contrast to his former state. He noticed it too, glancing at you with a wry smile. "Well, at least I don't have wires coming out of my chest anymore. Just my back." He stretched slightly, leaning forward. "Thanks, Adam. I mean, I might not be able to sleep on my back, but this is *much* better than being strung up like some puppet."

Margaret's gaze flicked to Nathaniel, then back to you, her hand idly scratching her chin as she thought. "I didn't expect the Velvet Room to change to your desires," she mused aloud. "Usually, it takes a form shaped by the journey itself, a reflection of what lies ahead. But this... this is different."

Nathaniel chuckled softly, resting his arms on his knees. "Maybe the journey isn't about a destination, but about belonging to something." His voice grew softer, more thoughtful. "Why did you choose this?"

You hesitated, the question settling in your chest. The room had formed around you, bending to your unspoken needs, but you hadn't consciously realized it until now. You looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar surroundings, feeling the weight of your answer. "I never really had a home," you finally said, your voice quieter than you expected. "Maybe this... maybe this will help me find one."

Margaret's smile returned, soft and understanding. "Very well. I hope that this place brings you the peace you're searching for." She gestured for you to join her at the table. "Come here."

Apprehension stirred in your stomach as you moved closer, your eyes drawn to the large deck of cards spread before her. They gleamed faintly, their intricate designs catching the dim light.

"What are those?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

"Tarot cards," Margaret replied, her tone light but laced with significance. "They help us glimpse the possible futures of your journey."

"Are they accurate?" you asked, eyeing the deck with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Margaret gave a soft laugh, though her smile carried a knowing edge. "Not always. They don't predict the future with certainty, but they can guide you. In the end, you're still in control of your own path."

You looked up at her, your heart unexpectedly heavy. "Does that mean… I might get to be adopted?"

For a moment, the warmth in Margaret's eyes dimmed. Her smile faltered, replaced by something more somber. "I can't answer that," she said gently. "But perhaps the cards can offer insight. Draw one."

Your hands trembled slightly as you reached for the deck. The air in the room seemed to thicken with anticipation, as if the very walls were holding their breath. You drew the first card and flipped it over.

The Fool.

Margaret's expression softened into a knowing smile, her eyes twinkling. "Ah, the Fool. A symbol of new beginnings, innocence, and infinite potential. It means that your journey is wide open, filled with possibilities. Your powers, your desires—especially for family and connection—are limitless."

You blinked, trying to digest the meaning. "What does that mean, exactly?" you asked, glancing between the card and Margaret's face.

She smiled again, this time with a touch of mystery. "It means your path is one of discovery. You may not know where it leads yet, but it holds great promise. And," she added softly, "the Fool reminds us that, sometimes, the search for family begins with finding yourself."

You swallowed, but caught yourself, forcing down the rising uncertainty. "So what now?"

Margaret's gaze softened, her usual calm tinged with something heavier, like a truth she was reluctant to reveal. She exhaled slowly, her hands resting on the open book in front of her. "You need the power to save your friend," she said quietly. "Your connection to this place, to the Velvet Room... it can give you that power."

There was something else in her voice, a hesitation you hadn't heard before. She seemed to wrestle with her next words as if they were difficult to admit. "But there's a choice you need to make."

"A choice?" you repeated, frowning. "Why would I need to choose?"

Margaret's lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes searching yours. "To be young is to be full of infinite possibilities," she began, her tone thoughtful, almost philosophical. "But... you're also too young to fully understand the shadows that dwell within you. The kind of shadow you would need to confront in order to gain true power."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. She looked as though she wanted to shield you from some deeper truth, but couldn't. "Even with the trauma, the fear, the pain you've already faced... you're not yet ready to confront the deepest parts of yourself. Not yet."

You turned toward the window, where your reflection stared back at you, a haunting silhouette against the sea of velvet beyond. In the dim light, your face seemed older, as if the weight of these decisions had etched unseen lines on your soul. Margaret's voice softened, almost tender now. "You don't need to face those parts yet. Despite everything you've gone through, all the darkness you've seen… you are still you."

Your reflection flickered, as though caught between two worlds, one foot in this strange space and one in reality. "And you will always be you," Margaret continued, "as long as you keep that noble heart. As long as you never lose sight of who you are."

The words settled deep within you, but they left behind an unsettling question. "And what am I?" you asked, your voice barely audible over the soft hum of the room.

Before Margaret could respond, Nathaniel spoke up, his voice carrying a certain weight of its own. "That's for you to decide," he said, his tone steady but filled with understanding.

You turned back to look at him, his body still tethered by wires but his eyes were clear and certain. There was something different about Nathaniel now, something less burdened than before. He was watching you closely, as though he understood exactly what you were feeling.

Margaret's gaze followed yours. "Power... true power, the kind that can save your friend, can't be given lightly," she said. "It comes from understanding who you are, from facing your fears and your pain—but that's not something you need to rush. Not yet."

"So… I just wait?" you asked, unsure if you were relieved or frustrated.

Margaret smiled faintly, her eyes glimmering with some hidden knowledge. "No. You keep going. You keep making choices, small ones and big ones. Each choice will bring you closer to understanding."

You looked back at the window, your reflection solidifying again, staring back at you with a kind of quiet determination. Despite everything, despite the confusion and the uncertainty, something within you began to feel clearer. You weren't sure what lay ahead, or what power would eventually be within your grasp. But for now, you could hold onto that one truth—whoever you were, whoever you were becoming, was entirely up to you.

And that, perhaps, was the greatest power of all.

Choose your Persona:

[] Jean Valjean: The Redeemed Soul
Jean Valjean is a man transformed by kindness and driven by an overwhelming need for redemption. Once a criminal, he spends his life trying to atone for his past by helping others. You walk the path of sacrifice and redemption, constantly striving to right the wrongs in your life.

[] Perseus: The Child Bound by Fate
A hero of legend, but one eternally caught in the cruel cycle of destiny. Perseus, who slays monsters, is more than just the slayer of Medusa. He represents a soul burdened by the weight of an inherited fate, cursed to repeat cycles of abuse and torment. Yet, despite this, Perseus is a symbol of hope, someone who strives to break free from those chains and become better, not only for himself but for those who depend on him. You embrace the cycle of destiny... and the will to break it.

[] Fletcher Christian: The Rebel Seeker of Freedom
Fletcher Christian, the man who led the mutiny on the Bounty, stands as a symbol of rebellion and the desperate yearning for freedom. But freedom comes at a cost, and Christian's defiance against the natural order and the laws of men led him to uncharted waters, both literally and figuratively. You Embrace change, no matter the cost.

[] Icarus: The Dreamer Who Soared Too High
Icarus, the bold, the fearless, and the reckless pursuit of dreams without heeding the warnings. He flew too close to the sun, driven by his desire to escape the confines of his world, only to fall in tragedy. You embrace ambition and the will to push beyond limitations.


[] Antigone: The Defiant Voice of Moral Justice
You take on the burden of standing for justice, even when it comes at a personal cost. You may face isolation, resistance, and punishment, but you do so knowing you are fighting for a higher principle.

AN: enjoy.