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It had been ages since Elizabeth had stepped out of the velvet room, declaring herself no longer an attendant. (Which did excite her at the time, she’s always loved doing whatever she wanted) It was close to...what the humans called a “decade” now? It didn't matter.
All that time, she had been searching for a way to free her beloved Kotone. She had never gotten a chance to reveal her feelings to the wildcard before she died. Is it death if you’re technically still alive? She didn't know.
But that's not important! She had experienced paranormal event after paranormal event, from the foggy days to arena fighting to random outbursts of shadow activity, hoping one of them had what she needed to free Kotone. Admittedly, she didn't know exactly what she was looking for, but was certain she would know when she found it.
Recently, or over the two years, Elizabeth would call that recently, there has been another shadow event, another chance for something to have her elusive solution. Something called The Metaverse? Last time she checked that was about some telephone website called facebook, but whatever. The current wildcard had defeated the false god Yaldabaoth, and Elizabeth had thought that was “a bust”.
But it wasn't. Soon after, a deranged therapist had obtained control over reality, and it seemed most humans, save for the “Phantom Thieves” that had destroyed yaldabaoth, were in some perfection perception.
She chuckled to herself at the wordplay.
Now obviously, when this man falls, reality will be returned to normal, but with a reality scale event, it would be just what she needed as it most likely had a way to save Kotone. This fake reality had a copy of the woman, actually. It was creepy, fake and stripped of a persona so there was no way to wake her up, but she didn't need to.
Her soul was still her soul, it even had the presence of her final roster of personas. It was more like the personas were sealed away, now that she thinks about it.
The timing would have to be perfect but if she could get into the sea of souls as the false reality was about to collapse, she could potentially save Kotone’s soul on its way back, and bring it out. She didn't exactly know if she would have to locate the body, but given how the metaverse works she’s pretty sure as long as she gets the soul there, it should manifest her body back.
Maybe?
Hopefully!
So that brings her to today. The third of february, 2017. Inside the madman’s palace. To be honest it looked more like a laboratory than a palace but she’s never been inside a real palace, so what does she know? The palace will be the first point of collapse and held an entrance to the velvet room close by. While she was unwilling to speak to them as her mission had more value, the velvet room waa the closest proximity to the sea of souls, meaning she could easily run to the sea of souls, assuming the wildcard had a decently wide layout for it to manifest an entrance.
Given that she had watched the trickster use many personas significant to other people, including Kotone’s Orpheus, Thanatos and Messiah, he very likely had the path to the sea she needed.
Her train of thought was interrupted as she hears footsteps behind her and the sound of several guns being drawn.
“Who the hell are you?!” A boy with yellow hair shouts, codename Skull. Code is something in computers and yet it is used as a nickname basis. Weird.
“Get out of our way if you wish to live.” Says a slightly older boy in a weird outfit. He looks like an evil candy bar. Stick? Ah. Candy cane ! His threat doesn't matter, for she could defeat all of them even without her personas if she wished to, but she has no need. She turns around calmly.
“Ah. I apologise for my presence, I am here on a very important mission.” She states, as if that explains anything. “Please don't mind me, be on your way”
The group of thieves all seem to nervously glance at each other as they lower their weapons and walk off, likely towards their battle, as they leave, she calls out to them again.
“Wait.”
All the thieves turn around, ready to act at a moment's notice. She walks up to the leader and gives him an Armageddon gem.
“Please use this if you are in a pinch. Now please go and ‘kick some ass’, my plan relies on you winning, you see” She informs them.
The leader nods and takes the gem, mumbling a short “thanks” as the team go on to their perilous (and honestly rather silly looking) foe waiting ahead of them.
Speaking of waiting, that's exactly what Elizabeth does. A Lot of waiting. Given that her next step cant commence until the palace starts crumbling. The scenery is pretty at least, although the actual palace itself is rather bland. Whites, whites and occasionally greys. Where’s the blue? All places need blue!
Speaking of blue, the velvet room door. It's glowing brighter, almost as if it's begging Elizabeth to return, to come back to her days of doing almost nothing while interacting with almost nobody.
Hah. Elizabeth laughs at the thought of returning. Once a place she never wished to exit, now one she never wishes to return to. Not after she’s managed to experience all the wonders and joys of life! Besides, she prefers the house she bought soon after she left more than whatever cramped room the velvet room has turned into.
She will have to go into the velvet room briefly though, so she’s hoping that there is nobody waiting to talk to her. She thinks. As Lavenza is literally standing outside the door, cautiously looking at her, as if the petite girl wasn't sure she was there at all.
Hm.
Maybe she could talk to her at least. She smiles at lavenza and taps a spot on the floor, inviting her sister to sit with her. The younger one lets out a gasp as she rushes over.
“Sister Elizabeth! Is it really you?!” She exclaims, sitting next to Elizabeth.
“Yes, Lavenza. I must say it is nice to see you again!” She responds.
“Does that mean you’re coming back with us after so long?” Lavenza asks, timidly.
Making the hard questions early on, huh? Lavenza never changes..but it would be rude to lie to her.
“I'm sorry, but no..i only require an entrance for a brief moment, for a personal goal of mine. And then I will be done.”
Lavenza frowns and looks down, almost with the expression Elizabeth could only describe as a sad wet puppy, but it doesn't deter her at all. She’s so close to the chance to save her beloved. A chance she isn't sure will ever happen again. And she is going to swing her shot.
“I see…I know there is nothing that would convince you to come back, but I will still miss you again.”
As Elizabeth is about to speak, the palace starts to shake and some of it starts to crumble. It goes on for a full minute but as she gets ready to run into the velvet room, it slowly starts calming down. The thieves must not be done yet.
“And I, Elizabeth, will miss you too. I do miss all of you, in fact. But I am doing what I think it's the right path for me, so I have no regrets.” Elizabeth confidently states.
“I understand. And I know it is selfish of me to ask, but could you please visit sometime?” Lavenza asks. “Just for greetings, maybe? You would not have to stay!”
Elizabeth takes a minute to ponder this. “Sure thing. It would be nice to play another prank on my brother after all this time”
The palace is still standing, what is taking the wildcard so long?
Joker Pov:
The thieves all looked in horror and fear as Maruki rose inside his giant persona. Adam Kadmon.
Adam Kadmon was far too strong for anybody to handle, as nothing any of his team could do even scratched it! Not even the strongest personas he had, such as Izanagi No Okami or Raoul had even made the slightest dent in the behemoth, and Satanael had lost its size since he shot Yaldabaoth, rendering him nearly useless along with the rest.
But, if nothing else. Everybody is trying to, no, determined to take blow after blow from the mechanical persona, despite all of their bodies searing in pain after each and every hit. One persona stands out against the rest when he searches his mind for one to help them.
Orpheus F Picaro. A weird persona in that it had been immensely useful despite being one he picked up on the tail end of the first palace he ever cleared. Her presence felt more empowered, as if asking to help. And so he let her.
“Leave it to me!” He shouted, determination flowing through him. As Orpheus healed the entire team and granted a heat riser buff. Hopefully it would be enough for the team to hold on for just a little bit longer. For Oracle to find a solution before they all fell to the persona.
“When he attacks, his defence drops to zero! That's our chance!” Oracle shouted, and everybody got into formation to guard against the fist of doom.
Except Joker. He had to finish him off. As the fist was being pushed back by the combined force of everybody’s personas putting them at a standstill, he climbs the arm of the persona, using his grappling hook to land on the face, and pulls his gun out.
He has no ammo, but the gem from the mysterious stranger just barely fits inside, so he slots it in.
“CHECKMATE!” Joker shouts, as the gem pierces through Adam Kadmon, and explodes in a catastrophic explosion, far stronger than any megidolaon or morning star he had ever used.
Elizabeth Pov:
Ah, there it is! The palace had truly started to crumble, it would be a sight to behold and watch if she wasn't here for a more important reason. She stands up and looks softly at her sister.
“Well, May we meet again, when fate decides it so, dear sister” She says, and runs into the velvet room before Lavenza can respond.
Entering the velvet room brings a honestly rather unnerving sight. The new wild card’s heart is a prison..? How creepy. Well, she imagined it would be unnerving for most people, but she's seen worse! She’s the fabulous Elizabeth, after all! She locks eyes with Igor who gasps, expression unreadable, as he was the last time she had seen him.
Igor was always a kind man, if not a little naive, and Elizabeth had no time to chat, so she merely waved and ran past the cell, and into the main cells where she found it. A crack. Just barely big enough for her to slip through, and she did quite easily, and found herself in the sea of souls.
It was honestly rather beautiful, she had never been here before! And she had no way to tell which soul was Kotone’s. She summoned her Thanatos in hopes it would react and go towards Kotone’s one.
And react it did! As it barreled towards a soul that had a faint orange and red hue to it, Elizabeth could sense Kotone’s personas inside of it. With a tender grab, she pulled the soul into her hand. And left the sea of souls the way she came.
As she re-entered the velvet room, the soul shone brightly and re-materialised her beloved’s body. The girl in question was still asleep, but very clearly alive.
Elizabeth calmly walked through the halls of the velvet room prison, sending Igor a final glance as she exited the Velvet Room itself. With that, she was back in the palace laboratory thingy. Which she left too.
When she returned, she noticed the group of thieves, excluding the leader and the candy cane man. But they were of little importance, she felt Kotone stirring in her arms!
“I finally did it..you are free from the seal. And some poor soul was forced to take your place, but nobody cares about them anyway.” She mused to herself.
“Wh…..where am i?” Kotone groggily slurred, finally awake after her 8 year nap. “Am i..alive?”
Elizabeth couldn't help herself, she hugged Kotone as tight as she could, tearing up. “Yes! I finally did it! I..brought you back. You will never suffer like that again, my beloved..I swear it by my status as an elevator attendant!”
Kotone slowly started to shift, as Elizabeth let her stand up, and the red head started to tear up, and then started sobbing into her dress. “Thank you so much!” She cried, over and over again.
“Please do not thank me, I only did what I thought was right. I love you like no other, leaving the velvet room to save my dearest is a sacrifice I would make again.” Elizabeth said.
Slowly, Kotone stopped sobbing, bringing a more confused look to her face. “Wait, you what?!”
Elizabeth chuckled to herself. “You heard me correctly. I, the radiant Elizabeth, have left the Velvet Room without her presence!”
“No, I meant the other part??”
“Oh. Yes, I have feelings of love and lust towards you. Despite being a complicated matter, I thought I had made it abundantly clear, I guess not.”
Kotone looked shocked at that, too shocked to respond. Luckily, Elizabeth did for her.
“Now with that out of the way this is the part where you say you’re obsessed with me and then we kiss, correct?”
That startled a laugh out of Kotone. “Not exactly, but you did save my life and I do like you, so sure!”
And just like that, they were kissing! It was amazing, and Elizabeth wanted more, but knew Kotone was still tired, which would be solved after a few days of good rest!
So Elizabeth led Kotone to her home.
“Of course literally the entire thing is blue…” Kotone sighed, clearly not a blue believer.
“Of course! Why wouldn't it be? But there are splashes of other colors to suit your taste, do not fret!” Elizabeth bit back. “Now let us go to bed!”
“What, at 8 in the morning?” Kotone asked.
“Why of course! I have barely slept all week in preparation!”
“Of course…so, you got a bed for me?”
“What? No, we will be sleeping together. As all couples do.”
“We will WHAT-”
Despite the complaints, Elizabeth knew Kotone didn't mind. The wildcard never liked to be alone anyway.