Sleep came quickly, heavy and deep.
Then, from the darkness, a faint melody began to drift in, a slow, elegant tune played on a piano, and soon, a voice followed. The voice was soft, etherial, not quite human, and yet it stirred something inside him.
When he opened his eyes, the world had changed.
He was sitting on a stage bathed in blue light. Everything around him, the floor, the curtains, the walls, was drenched in that same deep, velvety blue shade, trimmed with gold.
He stood, uncertain, his footsteps echoing softly against the floor. The massive curtains before him began to move on their own, parting to reveal rows of empty seats. An audience with no one to watch.
Or rather, no one except for a single man sitting in the front row.
The man's grin stretched wide across his long, pointed face. His nose was impossibly large, his bulging eyes bright with an almost childlike amusement. Dressed in a sharp black suit and white gloves, he began to clap slowly, the sound echoing through the empty theater.
"What a wonderful start to your first act this has been." The man said in a voice that carried through the room like a deep, resonant bell. "Even without a director to guide you, you follow the path laid before you without hesitation."
He paused, his grin softening slightly before he chuckled, placing a gloved hand over his chest.
"But before that, Trickster, allow me to welcome you properly to my Velvet Room. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those bound by a contract may enter. I am delighted to make your acquaintance."
Ren's eyes darted around, the stage lights shimmering faintly above him. Everything about this place felt distant and unreal, like a memory he shouldn't have access to.
The man's grin widened as his strange gaze swept across the empty stage.
"I am Igor, the master of this place. Remember that well. I have summoned you here so that we may meet face to face."
He leaned back slightly, the shadows stretching around him as though the room itself bent to his words.
"This is no accident, and yet, it is a pleasure to witness. The state of this room reflects your heart, and with it, your fate. Perhaps nothing could be more fitting than this grand stage for the role you are destined to play."
The deep voice of Igor felt strangely familiar. As Ren tried to remember where he had heard it before, his eyes widened in realization.
"You… you were the one that brought me here." He whispered. Yet even then, Igor seemed to have heard him loud and clear, the smile on his face growing wider.
A low chuckle escaped Igor before he spoke again.
"This room chose you as its Trickster, and so, I stepped in to offer you a contract, a second chance. However, that is as far as I can explain. Any more than this, and the life I have given you will be taken away. The very story you are meant to tell snuffed far too quickly."
The words sent a chill down Ren's spine. He could feel his pulse quicken, a faint sense of dread creeping up his throat. Still, curiosity outweighed fear.
"Why?" He asked quietly, taking a hesitant step forward. "What am I supposed to do? Why me?"
"You are not supposed to do anything, Trickster." Igor answered as he tapped his fingers a few times. "You are an actor, and the world is your stage. Anything you do is your choice, and so, there is nothing you must do in your story. However, as for the why, it is because…"
His voice trailed off as an ethereal butterfly glided between them, its wings leaving a faint shimmer in the air. For the first time, Igor's smile faded.
"You were chosen because you are a Fool." He said, his tone softer and less playful. After a pause, his smile returned, calm and knowing. "One without purpose, one who can be shaped to fit any mold."
"A fool?" Ren echoed, his brow furrowing. The title stung, though he wasn't sure why.
But Igor continued as if he hadn't spoken.
"Soon the threads of fate will pull you where you need to go, and our story may begin in full. Remember this, Trickster, I will be watching your every move. You are an actor, and this world is your stage. So do not fail me."
"So I'm here to entertain you?" Ren asked, his voice quieter this time. He wasn't sure what else to think. After all, he was standing before what could only be described as a god, someone who had brought him back to life and placed him in a space outside reality.
But Igor did not answer.
"Our time draws to a close, Trickster. Before we depart, I must introduce you to your stagehands. They will be your assistants on the path you walk."
From the far side of the room, two figures stepped forward. The sound of light footsteps echoed across the polished floor as twin girls approached, their movements perfectly synchronized. Both wore blue dresses that matched the room's hue and small ballet slippers that made no sound when they stopped. Their hair was a pale silver, their eyes sharp and steady, and each wore an eyepatch on the opposite eye of the other. One's hair was tied in a long braid, the other's in two neat buns.
"To your left is Caroline, and to your right is Justine." Igor introduced.
"It is our duty to assist you in the play you will create." Justine said, bowing politely. "We will do our best to ensure you have the freedom to put on a proper show."
"That's right!" Caroline added with a confident grin, standing tall. "So you better not disappoint our master by putting on something sloppy."
Ren blinked, unsure how to respond. Their energy felt oddly human compared to Igor's calm presence. Yet, once again, before Ren could speak, Igor's voice filled the room again.
"It seems your time here is up for now. All other introductions shall be postponed until your next visit. Until then, remember this: the world is your stage, and it is in your best interest to create proper entertainment. Be it chaos or order, we shall be observing you, Trickster."
Before Ren could react, the blue curtains separating him from Igor closed, and the room fell silent. The lights dimmed above him until there was nothing but darkness.
Then, just as quickly, his eyes snapped open.
He was awake again.
A faint flutter drew his gaze upward, where a small almost ethereal butterfly drifted away into the morning light.
— — —
He was an actor, and this world was his stage.
His purpose was to entertain the god who had brought him back to life, and so, he would play his part. That simple goal gave him direction. He couldn't quite understand it himself, but he could see the world a little differently now.
After all, every person around him might also be an unwilling actor around him in the play he was supposed to create.
The first day itself had been uneventful, just a formality to get him settled into his new school. Papers to sign, a few obligatory warnings, and the usual cold stares that came with his reputation. The faculty made it clear that he was walking on thin ice. Any mistake, any incident, and he'd be expelled. In other words, the curtain would fall before the show even began.
A challenge, then. A rule to test, a role to perform. If he started on a clean slate, it wouldn't be much of a story.
Still, the day hadn't been all bad. His new homeroom teacher turned out to be cute, though she looked about as thrilled to have him in her class as someone assigned a double shift. Her name was Sadayo Kawakami, a young woman with messy dark brown hair and eyes that looked permanently half-asleep.
She probably expected him to be trouble. Her gaze was cautious, even a little weary, as she guided him through the halls. Yet despite that, she still gave him a proper introduction to the school. He had half expected her to rush through it or hand him off to someone else, but she didn't. Beneath the exhaustion, she seemed to care, maybe more than she wanted to admit.
Ren asked a few harmless questions along the way, playing the part of a nervous transfer student just trying to make a good impression. It worked. Bit by bit, her guarded tone softened. By the end, she was giving him small pieces of advice, what other teachers liked, how to greet his classmates, even which hallways to avoid during breaks.
Once the tour was over, he was sent back to Leblanc, left to spend the evening preparing for his first real day. Morning came too quickly.
Rain tapped softly against the streets of Yongen-Jaya as he walked, thankfully, he had Sojiro's umbrella to cover him from the rain, an umbrella the old man had forced onto him after seeing the forecast. Perhaps even he too cared more than he liked to admit.
The air was cool and quiet, the city half-asleep, and he found the rhythmic patter of rain oddly calming.
When he left the train station, he noticed another student waiting near the exit, staring at the downpour beyond. Her platinum-blonde hair was tied into two thick pigtails. She looked lost in thought, or maybe just reluctant to step into the rain.
Ren didn't think twice. Stepping closer, he opened and lifted his umbrella so it covered her just before she stepped into the rain.
"Hey, sorry." He said with a small chuckle, offering a friendly smile. "Do you want to walk to school together? It's my first day, so I'm still figuring out the way. And, well, it'd be a shame to let you get soaked."
The girl blinked, surprised at first. Her eyes flicked down to his uniform, then smiled back. She stepped a little closer so they could both fit under the umbrella.
"Ah, you're the transfer student, right? Yeah, I can show you. It's not too far."
"Thanks." Ren said, rubbing the back of his neck. Then, acting embarrassed, he cleared his throat. "Sorry, I didn't even introduce myself. I'm Ren Amamiya. Nice to meet you."
"Ann Takamaki." She replied with a polite nod and a slightly conflicted smile. As they started walking, she glanced toward him again. "And, uh… I know this might sound weird, but I should probably warn you, there are some pretty nasty rumors going around about you. You seem nice enough, so I don't know where they came from, but people might give you some looks once we get there."
"Rumors?" Ren asked, raising an eyebrow. His voice carried a trace of amusement, though he couldn't help but feel a flicker of curiosity beneath it.
"Yeah." Ann sighed, kicking lightly at a puddle as they walked. "Don't take it too seriously. People here love to talk."
Her words were cut short by the sharp honk of a horn. A car slowed beside them, the tires hissing against the wet pavement. As the window rolled down, a man leaned slightly out, his expression confident, almost smug. He had short black hair, a square jaw, and a polished look that felt too clean for the weather.
"Do you want me to give you a ride to school?" He called out. "You're going to be late."
Ann froze for a second. Her shoulders tensed at the sound of his voice, though she quickly forced a small, polite smile as she turned to Ren.
"Sorry." She said softly. "Just keep following this street. You'll see a few more people in the Shujin uniform, and they can show you where to go."
Before Ren could answer, she hurried over and slipped into the passenger seat.
The man's gaze lingered on her for a moment before shifting toward Ren. His voice changed slightly, coated with a faint concern that didn't sound entirely genuine.
"Do you need a lift too?"
It was a reasonable offer, but something about it didn't sit right. The tone was off, too careful, like someone trying to sound polite when they'd rather not be.
Ren was about to decline, but then he noticed something strange.
For just a moment, the man's face seemed to shimmer, as if something invisible rippled across it. A mask flickered into view, ornate, regal, cracked down the center. One half looked like a king's visage, proud and commanding. The other half grinned in a twisted, mocking smile.
Ren blinked. The mask was gone. The man was just a man again, sitting behind the wheel, watching him expectantly.
"You good?" The man asked, snapping him from his thoughts.
"Ah, sorry, of course. Thank you for the ride." Ren smiled warmly, masking the flicker of recognition in his eyes.
He had found one of his fellow actors. And judging by the look the man had given Ann earlier, Ren could already guess the kind of role he was meant to play. Maybe this wasn't a tragedy after all. Maybe it was a dark comedy.
As Ren climbed into the back seat, he offered a disarming laugh.
"You must be Takamaki's dad, right? Thanks for picking us up."
The man's grin faltered for half a second before he recovered, chuckling with practiced ease.
"Ah, no. I'm Suguru Kamoshida." He said, glancing at Ren in the mirror. "PE teacher at Shujin Academy. I'm also a retired Olympic-level volleyball player. Surely you've heard of me."
The way he lingered on the word Olympic was almost theatrical. The pride in his voice made it sound less like a fact and more like a performance, one meant to remind others who he thought he was. Something meant to intimidate others into respecting him.
Ren tilted his head slightly, feigning curiosity.
"Oh, really? Can't say I have. Was that a while ago?" He gave a sheepish chuckle, as if realizing too late how that might sound. "From Olympic player to high school teacher though, that's a bit of a bummer, isn't it? My uncle's a PE teacher too. He used to work at a 7/11 before that. Guess you two ended up in the same spot, huh?"
For a moment, silence filled the car.
Ann shifted uncomfortably in her seat, glancing out the window to avoid looking at either of them. Kamoshida's smile stayed fixed, but something in his jaw tightened. Ren only smiled back, calm and unbothered, as the car rolled forward through the rain.
It was clear that the tension in the car was only growing the more time they spent in silence, but before they knew it Ren let out a delighted chuckle.
"Ah, well, would you look at that. Thanks for the ride Mister Kamushada." Ren said, deliberately messing up his name. "It would have been a pain to walk in the rain. I can't wait to play some uh… basketball was it?" Ren muttered, stepping out of the car with a chuckle. "See ya!"
Before Kamoshida got a chance to say anything, he began to stroll into the school with Ann quickly scurrying out behind him, obviously trying to get away before Kamoshida blew up.
Glancing back, he could have sworn he saw Kamoshida glaring at him before driving away to park his car.
"Umm, Amamiya… I think you should be careful not to anger Kamoshida… make sure you apologize next time you see him. He plays volleyball… and… well… I'm sorry, I gotta go…"
"Hm…" Ren mused as he saw her walking way, looking at the few stray glances he was getting from other students before starting to make his way towards the teacher's lounge.
He was supposed to meet with Kawakami now. Make sure to show her just how good a kid he was. A good kid who wouldn't get into any trouble, no siree. If anything, he had the purest of hearts. He had even made it to school early.