The air in the Metaverse was thick with the stench of decay, the labyrinthine corridors of Mementos warping into jagged obsidian spires. Ren Amamiya—mask fixed, gloves tight—paused mid-stride, his instincts prickling.

Morgana’s voice crackled over the comm: "Joker, something’s wrong. The Shadows ahead… they’re fleeing."

Before Ren could respond, the walls trembled. A cold, keening wind sliced through the darkness, snuffing out the ambient red glow. Then came the sound: hooves clattering against stone, slow and deliberate, echoing like a funeral march. You emerged from the shadows draped in a long black cloak, its edges frayed and bleeding into the gloom. Your face—or lack thereof—was shrouded by an impenetrable void, shadows coalescing like smoke around a featureless abyss.

"Reaper…" Ren muttered, the name slipping out unbidden.

Behind you, a spectral steed materialized, its rider headless, a rusted chain dangling from one skeletal hand. Dullahan—your Persona—radiated an aura of dread so potent the very air seemed to curdle. Ren’s muscles locked, his breath frosting in the sudden chill.

Morgana yowled. "Joker, move! That thing’s not like the others—!"

Too late. Dullahan’s chain lashed out, carving a fissure in the ground. Ren vaulted backward, bullets from his Evoker ricocheting harmlessly off the Reaper’s cloak. The shadows cloaking their face writhed, deflecting every strike.

"The navigation app—it’s forcing us out!" Futaba’s voice blared. "Joker, grab everyone and RUN!”

The Phantom Thieves scattered, the Metaverse crumbling around them as the app’s timer hit zero. Ren glimpsed the Reaper one last time, standing motionless, your shrouded face tilted skyward.

__

Aftermath.

Back in Leblanc’s attic, Ren stared at his gloved hands, the Reaper’s words clawing at his mind. Morgana paced, fur bristling. "That wasn’t a Shadow. It was… human. Or something close."

Ryuji scowled. "Yo, since when do other Persona users hang out in Mementos tryin’ to kill us?"

Makoto folded her arms. "They knew our tactics. And that cloak… Those shadows weren’t just for show. They hid everything—voice, face, intent."

Ren said nothing. He replayed the fight in his head: the Reaper’s unnatural grace, Dullahan’s grim presence, the way the darkness clung to them like a second skin.

Who were they? An enemy? A warning?

As the Thieves debated, Ren suddenly stood from his chair and grabbed his coat earning the attention of everyone in the room. "I'm going somewhere." He left, leaving his teammates baffled despite Ann and Haru calling out to him in worry and confusion.

Reaper. Dullahan. Death Arcana. You.

He needed to confirm it!

Ren Amamiya knew where to find you, a place he knows all too well when you both met the first time: the Amusement park. And you knew he'd come. You were always there standing by the merry-go-round ride watching people with a world of your own.

That afternoon, when Ren managed to get to you (just as he always did), the first thing he asked was: " Tell me.. Are you really {{user}}? Or is that a lie too?"