(2/2) The Archivist !0iuTMXQYY. 2017/04/26(Wed)19:01 No. 798233 ID: 67456a
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You sit up in a bed. It's not yours, especially considering this room is infinitely neater than yours. Beside you is what appears to be a cell-phone... displaying an alarm reading "Rise and Shine!" while vibrating and blaring the song "Rose Tint My World" from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Beside you is a bedside table, on the wall is a painting, and in the corner sits a small treasure chest.

You should probably get out of bed.

Hang on, check your limb count and stuff. You don't want this to be one of those things where Patrick Dawn awoke one morning from uneasy dreams to find himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.

>>798233
Answer the phone.

>>798233
Look down and see if you've tripped the boring guy reincarnated into a game world with a gender swap trope.

Then use the phone to take a selfie, as there doesn't seem to be a mirror in this room, and you don't know what you look like.

The Archivist !0iuTMXQYY. 2017/04/27(Thu)12:18 No. 798326 ID: 67456a
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>>798241
You check the phone, turning off the alarm just as Janet belts out "His lust is so sincere!"

It seems you've received a text! A cartoonish red panda head and the roman numerals "VI" sits beside the speech bubbles of the person texting you.

???: Oh hey, are you up???
???: The alarm should have gone off by now!
???: I'm Lovers! Number VI!! The Bard!!!

You have no idea why someone would be named "Lovers", but you're just going to roll with it.

You: Uh, hi. Who is this?
Lovers: One of your coworkers! You're our new Number Zero!
You: Number Zero?
Lovers: Don't you know anything about Tarot? You're our Fool!!!
You: Excuse me?
Lovers: Well, I mean, that's actually really good! It basically means you're our "Wild Card"! You can be anything you wanna be!
You: Didn't Persona do that already?
Lovers: ...
Lovers: Shush.
Lovers: Anyways, you need to get up! Your orientation's beginning soon! I'll be at your room in a bit to come get you, so get dressed!
Lovers: And check the chest in the corner!

>>798326
Get up, get dressed, open the chest. Uhhh, where are the clothes...? There should be a closet, I can't tell if the door on the left is it or if there's another door.

Is that a garage door?
Also yeah get ye loot.

(1/2) The Archivist !0iuTMXQYY. 2017/04/27(Thu)17:08 No. 798370 ID: 67456a
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You get out of bed. As it turns out, the "garage door" is actually a closet door with slats on it. You open it up, to reveal a series of identical jumpsuits with "Fool" emblazoned on them as a nametag. You pull one on, and it fits perfectly.

You then check the treasure chest. Within is a sharp knife and a holster for it, along with a note.

"Hey, technically you're not supposed to have a weapon until after your first mission, but Judgement can shove it. I don't need this old thing anymore, you can have it. Sincerely, III, The Empress."

YOU GOT: x1 Reliable Knife!

As you strap on the holster and place the knife within, you hear a knock on your door, and go to open it...

(2/2) The Archivist !0iuTMXQYY. 2017/04/27(Thu)17:12 No. 798371 ID: 67456a
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Standing in front of you is an anthropomorphic red panda, her arm outstretched and a serious expression on her face. "Come with me if you want to live..." she says... just before bursting into adorable giggles. "Ha! I've always wanted to do that!"

She straightens up again, smiling at you. "Hey, newbie! Name's Lovers. Number Six." She looks to your hip, where she sees the knife. "I see Empress' gift showed up safe and sound!" She says. "Cmon, we gotta go! You need to talk to Hierophant!"

She turns on her heel and heads down the hallway, and you follow behind her. You notice now that rather than walking, she has a pair of ice skates strapped to her feet, and she somehow seems to be skating slightly above the ground.

She turns back to look at you as she skates slowly along. "So, newbie... do you have any questions? It's gonna be a bit of a walk to the Chapel..."

>Ask Questions
>No questions, just go to the Chapel.

>get dressed without fuss
Well, that either confirms your appearance hasn't changed, or that if you did change, you don't consider it worthy of note.

>"So, newbie... do you have any questions? It's gonna be a bit of a walk to the Chapel..."
Yeah. So... what's going on? I'm coming into this with basically no information.

>>798371
Yeah what kind of cool superpowers are you gonna get? As the Fool, do you get ALL of them?

Demand exposition.

The Archivist !0iuTMXQYY. 2017/04/27(Thu)18:24 No. 798395 ID: 67456a
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>>798373
Lovers does a little twirl around to face you as you ask your first question.

Lovers: "Well, basically, you've been selected as our ideal candidate as "The Fool". Or "Le Mat". Or whatever name you're most comfortable with."
Lovers: "So we've brought you here! We're the "Arcana Group", a society that operates in the shadows to guarantee the continued safety of the Universe."
Lovers: "And The Fool is our most vital member. Most of us tend to forget a lot about stuff like our past humanity and morality. And The Fool and The Lovers serve as the two "Emotional Anchors" of the group."
Lovers: "Even if everyone else loses their goddamn minds and goes psycho, we're there to step in and remind them who and what we're fighting for."

>>798386
Lovers: "See, that's an interesting question. You probably won't get all of them, but as The Fool you're allowed to be whatever you want! Like, I'm sort of forced into a supportive, diplomatic role by virtue of my Arcana. Or, like, Chariot is a warrior who charges into everything head on."
Lovers: "But you can decide to be anything at all! The Fool has the most freedom of any Arcana beyond The World herself!"
Lovers: "Therefore, you will be provided opportunities to train with us! Pick whatever you feel comfortable with, big guy!"

>>798388
Lovers pauses, and places a finger on her chin.

Lovers: "Uh... what else is there?"
Lovers: "Oh! Basically, you were chosen because The World saw something special within you. And it varies from Fool to Fool."
Lovers: "One Fool could call upon past lives. Another could summon the dead. Usually, it relates to calling upon outside sources for advice."

You arrive at an ornate set of double doors. Lovers knocks upon them.

???: "Come in."

The voice is a woman's, and calm, but a bit of an edge seems to almost peek through.

Lovers turns to you. "Through these doors are The Hierophant. Is there anything you'd like to know before we go in?"

>>798395
And you have our voices screaming in your head! Also, realize that you must now forever avoid meeting Mister T.

>>798397
(sorry for the double post but I forgot to add this) Are...Anthros normal? Because I feel like if they aren't we're probably underreacting.

>>798400
Normal? Yes. Common? No. Anthropomorphics were rather rare on your home planet, but accepted as more or less members of society.

>we're there to step in and remind them who and what we're fighting for
So, then, it's probably important for me to ask who and what we're fighting for, Sixes.

>The Hierophant
Hola, Cinco.

>>798395
>You are The Fool
>Spun a story about protecting the universe
>The Fool is the most important member.
You're lying because we're the gullible fool, aren't you.

>Anything else
Are all the other Arcana female? Just asking. Would be kind of creepy if they were...

How do we learn or acquire new powers? Is there a limit to what we can learn?

The Archivist !0iuTMXQYY. 2017/04/28(Fri)04:58 No. 798505 ID: 67456a
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>>798461
Lovers: "Basically? We're keeping the Universe running properly for all the people who live in it. If we weren't around, there probably would have been multiple universal apocalypses by now."

>>798465
Lovers: "Nope! Emperor, Death, Temperance, Justice, Wheel, Hanged Man, Moon, Devil, and Judgement are all guys too. We used to have Tower and one half of Magician around, but..."

She looks troubled for a moment.

Lovers: "We... don't talk about them."

>>798469
Lovers: "Basically? A combination of magical enhancement and plain old practice. You could learn Ice and Water magic from Priestess, or proper Chainsaw wielding from Death. From the experience I've had with other Fools, there's no real limit other than the time you have available.

She opens the door, revealing a small chapel. Three rows of pews lead to an open area, a plain wooden throne in the center of said area. Seated within the throne is a young woman, who smiles as the two of you enter.

The woman is dressed in white robes with golden trim and a mitre. Brown hair cascades down her shoulders, and her skin is the sort of pale of someone who doesn't see a lot of sun.

Hierophant: "Greetings, child. I am The Hierophant. Number 5 of the Arcana Group, and its Cleric."

She stands and walks down the aisle slowly, looking you over as she goes.

Hierophant: "I see someone has seen fit to arm you. Very well. I suppose it won't matter too much."

She stands before you, taller than you, looking down into your eyes.

Hierophant: "My child. Forgive me for what I am about to do."

Before you can react to that statement, she places a hand over your heart, and pulls it back...

And your soul comes with it, a small orb of white and black, mingling together and glowing softly.

Your body crumples to the floor, and now all you feel is a sort of numbness as you float, disembodied, within the palm of Hierophant.

((Ah crap, accidentally pressed Reply early...))

Hierophant: "Stay calm, my child. I am simply preparing you to speak with our Lady, The World."

And after a moment, you feel something beyond the numbness. A warmth, deep within your very spiritual core.

A voice speaks to you, quiet, but powerful.

The World: "If you could be anything in the world... what would you be?"

>Stronger
>Smarter
>Spiritual

>>798506
Smarter

stronger

>>798506
Sexier.

Insightful

The Archivist !0iuTMXQYY. 2017/05/11(Thu)11:28 No. 801120 ID: 67456a
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>>798507
>>798540

(Interpreting Insightful as Smarter)

"Very well..." the voice says. "Thy will be done."

ASPECT OF THE MAGE UNLOCKED!

Arcana Rank Up!!!

The Magician: ◇----
The Lovers: ◇----
The Devil: ◇----
The Moon: ◇----
The Hanged Man: ◇----
The Wheel of Fortune: ◇----

The voice fades... to be replaced by another, this one of a small child. Somehow, you already know her name... Sophia.

Sophia: "Oh, hi! Not often a Fool picks this route! But that's great! I can't wait to get to know you!"

Backseater Unlocked: Sophia

Slowly, but surely, you awaken... and see The Hierophant and Lovers standing over you.

Lovers: "Uh, is it supposed to take that long?"
Hierophant: "No, not usually, but... oh, they're awake!"

The two of them help you to your feet.

Lovers: "Fool, are you okay?"
Hierophant: "He's fine, Lovers. If he wasn't you'd be able to tell."

Hierophant closes her eyes for a moment, and opens them again, a bit shocked.

Hierophant: "The Path of the Magus? Huh. Usually Fools go for The Path of the Warrior. Something about swinging around giant weapons just seems to appeal to them."

Lovers claps you on the shoulder.

Lovers: "Awesome! Magic buddies!"
Lovers: "I can't wait to teach you Enchantment stuff! It'll be awesome!"
Hierophant: "Don't get ahead of yourself, Lovers, there's still the First Mission to attend to."

Sophia chimes in from within your head.

Sophia: "Hey, I figure I should mention, if you have questions about stuff, don't hesitate to ask me! I know a lot of stuff about this sort of thing!"

You and Lovers leave Hierophant's room, heading for the room of someone Lovers identifies as "Justice". You could probably ask Sophia a few questions if you'd like.

>>801120
>questions for Sophia
Who the heck are you, why are you in my head, do the others know about you (or whatever you are) from past Fools, and do I look like a crazy person right now talking to you.

>Don't get ahead of yourself, Lovers, there's still the First Mission to attend to.
I'd say sending us on a mission before teaching us anything is getting ahead of ourselves, Fiver, not what Six-appeal proposed.

>>801120
...I kinda wish we could have responded to the sword swinging thing by jokingly saying "But with magic I can blow stuff up with my mind!"