#✕ ▒█ ▌» ❛ verse 005: embodiment of pride. ( persona 5 au. )

[detectivetheory]

MAY THE WINGS OF REBELLION SHATTER THE CHAINS OF JUSTICE ! 

THE PALACE OF KIRIGIRI KYOUKO : THE COURTHOUSE OF PRIDE.

BGM   :   justice - genesis.   DEADLINE :  AUGUST 31  ( days until the victim is wrongfully condemned. )     FULL NAME OF OWNER   :  KIRIGIRI KYOUKO  /    霧切 響子    (  obtained from the files given by det. AKECHI GORO )    LOCATION IN REALITY :  ikebukuro police precinct.   KEYWORD   :    DAMNATION.    TREASURE   :   the in-vitro rose.

YOUR MISSION, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT !

a young man by the name of karuisawa ichiro has recently been taken into custody for the probable cause of working alongside the phantom thieves. he, being a peaceful and innocent man as well as a ‘phan’ of the phantom thieves of hearts, is more than willing to take the fall for his rebel heroes.

at 12:46pm on a sunny tuesday afternoon, the TV in the leblanc cafe turns to an image of a young woman. she stands before the ikebukuro police precinct, chest lifted and eyes proud. a young detective is identified by akechi goro, who has been seated in the cafe for over an hour. KIRIGIRI KYOUKO , a private detective from shibuya who has been spending quite a bit of time in jongen-gaya, has detained mr. karuisawa through what she believes to be intense and rigorous deduction.

akechi identifies the woman as ambitious, ruthless, and ready to strike -- he even goes so far as to compare her to niijima sae, whom he has worked with for multiple weeks on the phantom thieves of hearts case. upon being asked if he’s WORRIED that kyouko has seemingly caught an affiliate, he shows no emotion one way or another. 

a family member of karuisawa ichiro’s will put in a request on the phan-site, pleading with the phantom thieves to change the heart of the lawless detective and free their relative. akechi goro, who has been working with kyouko for multiple weeks as her referendum to the phantom thieves of hearts case, will effortlessly hand over the profile he has been compiling and offhandedly mention that  ‘ those who cross her path are practically sentenced to damnation ’.

IN THIS HOUSE, I AM THE JUDGE, JURY, AND EXECUTIONER !

kirigiri kyouko’s palace is done in the style of a roman basilica, in which kyouko herself is the dominus . the walls and flooring are both marble, and the seemingly minute structure of the japanese police station has been transformed into a large and grandiose building. columns keep the building upright, and fragments of broken laurel-leaf crowns have been scattered throughout the building. the color palette, even of those entering the palace, has been muted -- seemingly monochrome and desaturated in nature. this is a physical manifestation of the CONTROL she wishes to have over her own cases, and how her desire to do the right thing and desire to put criminals behind bars triumphs over her willingness to abide by the precedent her fellow detectives have set for her.

THE ENTRANCE is a large, open entryway in which people are free to come and go. on the WALLS OF THE ENTRANCE are imagines ( roman death masks, connected by string in the form of a family tree ) detailing the entire kirigiri family. each of these masks are porcelain ( representing the fragility of humanity ) and the masks above kyouko’s, representing her mother and father, have had the features filed away. the mask of her grandfather, kirigiri fuhito, has a red ribbon crossing over the face of jin, her father, and connecting directly to kyouko’s.

THE GROUND LEVEL ( I AM THE JUDGE ! ) is what someone would expect a roman courthouse to look like ; there is an open floor plan, marble floors, and the same columns keep the first level upright. in the center - back corner of the room are a series of three throne-like chairs. the seat of the center chair has a golden laurel crown abandoned in the seat. in the center of the room is a large marble statue of JUSTITIA, ROMAN GODDESS OF JUSTICE.  upon entering, the phantom thieves of hearts will encounter a little girl of eleven years old wearing the white toga of the CONSUL, with bright purple hair hiding behind the statue. before they can interact with her, she runs away. 

the shadows in the first level are done up in either the white toga of the roman senator ( dictating that they are weaker / magically inclined shadows in their true forms ) or the scarlet-red battle armor of the roman legionary ( dictating that they are stronger / physically inclined shadows in their true forms ). personas that may be picked up in this palace, especially on the first few floors are of the JUSTICE ARCANA.

THE SUB-TERRA FIRST LEVEL ( I AM THE JURY ! ) is a labyrinth of long, marble hallways, each adorned with what appears to be the WRECKAGE OF A FAILED ROMAN TRIUMPH. embedded in the walls are portions of the bodies of those that kyouko has conquered over -- male detectives who tried to outrank her, criminals that she has put behind bars, friends who have tried to make her choose between her job and her social standing. at the center of this labyrinth is a toppled golden chariot, where the phantom thieves of hearts can hear the sobbing of a young girl.

as they approach the chariot, they lay their eyes on a fifteen-year-old metaverse version of samidare yui, who is holding the burnt, bleeding body of an eleven year old kirigiri kyouko. she appears to make no movement other than to wail and to sob over the tragedy that has happened, and as the phantom thieves try to reconcile with the girl, she and the burnt image of kyouko melt into the floor. the shadow essence seems to ooze past their feet until they are faced with the miniboss of the dungeon: kirigiri fuhito  ( PRAETOR OF THE COURTHOUSE ) -- see bossfights: praetor.

the shadows in the second level appear to move slower, more elegant -- as if they themselves are no longer part of the great and honorable triumph but instead part of a funeral procession. each of these shadows wears an imagine of someone in the kirigiri family, and the masks are repeatable.  

THE SUB-TERRA SECOND LEVEL ( I AM THE EXECUTIONER ! ) is what appears to be a funeral grounds. one of the members of the active party ( defaults to sakamoto ryuji, if he is present ) mentions that he’s frightened by the image of a woman in white walking around. another party member dismisses this train of thought, but the party agrees to be on their guard. the grounds themselves are dark, as if an endless night has been brought upon them, GIANT CRUCIFIXES sprout up from the ground, and if they are investigated, they will see that these are KYOUKO’S REGRETS, hung up to die in the worst form of execution. examples of these regrets are “not loving more”, “saying goodbye to my father”, “visiting my mother’s grave”.

the shadows in this area are the REGRETS that fall from the crucifixes as the phantom thieves of hearts walk by them. ( it is in the best interest of the party to avoid the crucifixes, but sometimes they sprout just before / just after the phantom thieves walk by them, making it inevitable to comes across them ). each of these shadows take a moment to adjust themselves in the land of the “living” again, which gives the phantom thieves time to run away if they are in no shape to fight.

( it has been said that ‘ death ’  walks these chambers, but that’s a baseless rumor, right ? )

at the end of this long series of crucifixes and catacombs is the entrance into the final chamber : the entrance of the SUB - TERRAN THIRD LEVEL / FINAL LEVEL is a burial grave for one kirigiri kyouko , and her imagine is presented multiple times around the arch of the doorway, in different expressions. the image of lady justice has her sword sheathed and the scales upturned.

THE SUB - TERRAN THIRD LEVEL  / FINAL LEVEL  is the beginnings of a burial mound, with a beautiful marble coffin settled in at the top. the aforementioned woman in white stands with her back to the phantom thieves atop her mound, and only after she’s called out does she appear to the group of rebels. this is the present day kirigiri - kyouko , age seventeen. she wears the white-and-purple garments of the DOMINUS now, exerting her will over this place and her desire for control in her own life. when confronted, kyouko speaks in a regal tone, similar to that of a goddess or queen -- and when defeated, a single silver tear rolls down her cheek. see bossfight: DOMINIA.

MY SWORN DUTY IS TO PROTECT MY LINEAGE ! 

bossfight: praetor. the praetor is the cognitive version of kirigiri fuhito, kyouko’s grandfather. fuhito was present in kyouko’s life after the dismissal of jin and the death of her mother, michiko. however, kyouko has only recently learned that jin’s actions did not necessarily deserve the consequence that he was given, and kyouko was manipulated by her grandfather into hating her father so that she could become the next successful kirigiri detective.

in this cognitive state, the PRAETOR is a shadow of the HANGED MAN ARCANA. he stands as a massive, hulking guardian who has been sworn to protect the dominus even at the cost of his own life so that she may be molded into his form. the praetor is an evil man who wishes to use the dominus as a figurehead ruler. he prioritizes his glory and the continuation of his lineage over everything else-- even his own life. 

on a strategic level, the praetor is immune to dark and light attacks. the best way to strike him down is to raise the physical critical strike rate in your party and down him that way.

NOW , I AM MASTER OF MYSELF !

bossfight: dominia. the dominus is the cognitive version of kirigiri kyouko herself. in her dormant state, kyouko appears as herself, with a braided crown of hair atop her head and a circle of golden laurel leaves adorning her head. her eyes are yellow with the cognitive distortion of the shadow. 

in her active form, she appears as LADY JUSTICE, with long violet hair and the toga of the senator wrapped around her. in one hand, she wields the scales of justice (of which she casts her magic) and in the other, she wields her sword (of which she uses her physical attacks). as a shadow of the JUSTICE ARCANA, she utilizes predominantly light-based attacks. as such, she ABSORBS light and is WEAK to darkness attacks ( playing on the tropes of hope & despair from her source canon ).

however, NONE of the phantom thieves get the final blow on the DOMINUS. when she is at 50hp or lower, the dominus runs herself through with her sword and utters the notable words of cato the younger : “ now, i am master of myself. ”

[detectivetheory]

kiss ?

kiss the kyouko !  ( 1/5 )

‘ you’re the leader of the phantom thieves. ’  her voice is breathless as they stand in the alleyway, soaked by rain. midnight coasts over the japanese town, and she is sick to her stomach with every passing moment. a change of heart has taken place inside the woman ; that much is evident. kurusu akira has been a thorn in her side since day one of entering this godforsaken town, and now they stand underneath the same unbitten moon. weeks – no, months of work have led up to this moment, and both of them are speechless.

kyouko is the one that closes the gap between the two of them, walking five paces forward to stand underneath the balcony next to him. her eyes do not move from his own, violet against scarlet. ‘ does he know? akechi-kun, that is? ’

( silence. empty violence. he smells of ground coffee and vindication. )

WHAT about him fuels that rebel heart? WHO is the individual or group of individuals who have pushed him to this edge of roguish behavior? WHEN did he feel the need to turn away from the life of the lawful man?  WHERE did her changed heart lie, now that he and his cohort have been inside her mind’s palace and tore it to shreds?

she’s not sure which one of them initiates the contact, but they are both on edge. their profiles are similar, if not shockingly similar. neither of them are to be TOUCHED WITHOUT PERMISSION, both of them have been WRONGED BY THE HAND OF JUSTICE, and both of them seek homes without caring if they are a branch grafted onto a different family tree. it could potentially be meaningless, but in the moment under the city lights, they are fueled with [ THE EXHILARATION OF CATCHING THE INFAMOUS JOKER  /  THE THRILL OF BEING CAUGHT BY THE DETECTIVE PRINCESS ].

and it is so goddamn liberating.

[detectivetheory]

@trickstred , are you feeling okay?

       ‘ you look a bit under the weather; is everything going okay for you? ’ 

[detectivetheory]

💏

kiss me, kiss me, say that you miss me –   /  accepting!# 09 : in public !

she’d been watching the pair of individuals for a while ; the darker-haired man walked forward, going about his afternoon as if it were nobody’s business but his own. the second was a man in a suit whose intent was more than malicious. of course, but it took kyouko a moment to identify as to whether or not this was worth her time. 

and of course, it always was.

‘ there you are! ’  she calls out to the darker haired man, slipping her arm through his and leaning up to press an affectionate kiss to his cheek. this effectively stops him in his tracks, and she smiles, leaning in to whisper against the shell of his ear. to anyone on the outside, it would look like two teenage lovers sharing a moment of flirtation, but to the two individuals, it was a very serious conversation.

‘ my name is detective kirigiri kyouko, ’  she informs him, a gloved hand on the small of his back to continue the illusion of a stoic girlfriend playing tricks on her mature partner.  ‘ you’ve been followed for a couple of blocks, and i’m going to do what i can to make sure you get back to your home safely. in order to do so, i need you to follow my lead and play along. if you have a cellphone, get it out and begin to text your friends or family to pick you up at the closest heavily-populated area. i won’t leave your side until you get there safely. ’

pulling away, she smiles up at him in her own kirigiri fashion ( close - lipped, softened eyes, a quirked brow : confident, calculated, competent. ) and tightens her grip ever-so-slightly around the other’s arm.   ‘ well, shall we go? ’

[detectivetheory]

@dolgelo , the deed is done.  /  sc.

‘ madam kirijo, i’ve done a proper analysis of what it is you’ve requested, and i can confirm with 100% certainty that whoever allowed this leak of information from your company is not a whistleblower. ’  she sets the folder of evidence that she’s collected down on the desk in front of the redheaded woman for her to peruse at her leisure.

‘ though, the trail goes cold, unfortunately. all this talk of a ‘seal...’. it doesn’t show up anywhere else in the files i’ve been given access to. only in the ones that were affected. you’re going to have to tell me what it is i’m searching for so that i can serve you properly. ’

[detectivetheory]

@trickstred , god may know your name but so do i.  /  sc.

she enters into leblanc  with a careful stance. not a yongen-jaya native in the slightest, she’s careful to look around before tentatively taking a seat at the bar. this is as the other detective detailed it to be:  ‘ cute, quiet, and curious. ’  ( she can practically hear akechi-kun’s voice grating in her head. )

however, the smell of coffee is enough to keep her sated for a while, and with a curious glance up from her notebook ( beautiful violet script is scrawled across the pages : kyouko is a visual learner, so she has graphs and arrows all over the page of the moleskin journal ). ‘ excuse me, ’ she calls out to the young bartender, a polite semi-smile on her features. ‘ i’m waiting for a young man by the name of goro akechi. has he happened to come by here in the last ten minutes or so? ’

[detectivetheory]

more meta about kirigiri’s palace in the persona 5 AU:

full name of the host: kirigiri kyouko location of the palace in reality: the JPD shibuya precinct title of the host: executioner form the palace takes: courtroom full title of the palace: courtroom of pride

kyouko’s palace is stemmed from the cognition that she is an executioner of a detective who has sent many people to the gallows out of pride. she does not realize that by doing so, she is bettering humanity, as she truthfully indicts those that are guilty and never pursues a case unless she believes the culprit can be convicted. in her palace, the police officers of the shibuya precinct are found handcuffed to the jury pews, and she stands by the judge’s platform. sitting in the judge’s platform is a cognitive version of her grandfather, kirigiri fuhito, and he speaks for kyouko unless she is personally prompted by someone visiting the palace. this is to represent how kyouko feels as if she speaks only for her legacy as a kirigiri instead of for herself; she idolizes and loves her grandfather but is burdened by his overprotectiveness of her even in her adult years. kyouko is covered from head to toe in a black robe, similar to that of a traditional executioner, with white gloves covering both hands. if the robe is removed (if asked by someone visiting the palace or before a fight for the treasure), underneath would be a black leather bodysuit (similar in fabric to ann’s) and her white gloves would extend to the elbow. in her hands would be a traditional executioner’s axe, and black lines resembling teardrops (see icon 2) would be painted down her face. these are allusions to her source material, dangan ronpa; the black bodysuit represents the sexualization of her in fanart and of female police officers/detectives in general. white gloves that extend up to the elbow represent “purification” by burning, as her hands are burnt. kyouko is more explicit in her shadow form, claiming she “fucking hates the phantom thieves” and “wishes everyone would shut the hell up”. this is to represent kyouko’s anger that is hidden behind polite and professional diction. she is easily angered by minor annoyances but subdues her feelings for a professional look. her voice is distorted, as shadows are. the fight that unlocks the treasure is not with kyouko herself, but with fuhito, who claims his executioner must not be harmed. after kyouko is revealed from underneath her executioner’s garb fuhito ( camio-hito, from ‘camio’, great president of hell ) is defeated, kyouko will willingly give up the treasure-- a pair of black studded gloves. she begins her change of heart. should these be given to the kyouko in the real world, her change of heart will be apparent to the thieves, she has given up the case and leaves it to akechi to finish, facing backlash for deciding that the thieves were “not worth her time” ( should she learn of the thieves’ identities, she will tell them that she believes in their cause and will assist them with what she can-- and she thanks them. ) and is more outspoken to her grandfather / the public. she returns to lebanc periodically for a cup of coffee, but the commute is rare.

[detectivetheory]

@picarexque has entered the courtroom of pride.

she stands at the steps of the judge’s platform, and she feels near naked now that her executioner’s garb has been removed. gloved hands grip her axe, imagining it swing over and over and over, taking head after head in the name of justice. her lips are dry, and YELLOW orbs make their way to look at the intruder. distorted voice echoes throughout the courtroom.      ‘ what is it you want of me ? ‘

[detectivetheory]

@trickstre could have turned the volume down.

they were playing her interview on tv. ‘ [ and i accept this as a challenge. if these so-called ‘thieves’ want to take something that belongs to me, then i dare them to come and take it. ] ‘ kyouko’s voice emanated from the television inside the cafe, and she pokes at her curry with a disinterested face. hearing a recording over her own voice always irritated her. ‘ do you believe in the phantom thieves, sir? ‘ the question is pointed at akira, should he be listening.

[detectivetheory]

the monster in your head won’t surface again; be still, my child. wash away the sin. AND I, AS FUTURE QUEEN WALK OFF THE EDGE, HOLD ME BY MY NAME -- HOLD ME ‘TIL THE END. ( VERSE #005 : EMBODIMENT OF PRIDE - PERSONA 5 AU )

called to shibuya after graduating from rikkyo university at the age of twenty-two, kirigiri kyouko upholds the kirigiri family name by working alongside police efforts. she is in no way related to the current case that AKECHI GORO and NIIJIMA SAE are working on; instead, she simply wishes to uncover the names of the ‘ [ PHANTOM THIEVES OF HEARTS. ] ‘ she finds their efforts interesting, to say the least, and she appreciates the evidence they leave behind. during the events of persona 5, she has a close investigation with the events surrounding the OKUMURA FAMILY, as it is the latest breakthrough to her case. while her clients with the JPD  are pushing her for answers, she has received a call from her grandfather saying that the case is not one she could -- or should -- take on at her skill level ( DSC 905 ) and worries for her well-being when he sees her interview on TV ; he tells her she isn’t well and needs to come home to ikebukuro. she finds his notion not only INSULTING but APPALLING and refuses to come home, staying at a rented apartment in SHIBUYA, kyouko crosses paths with AKECHI and SAE a number of times, finding them both delights to work with (the latter moreso than the former from time to time, and vice versa; she acknowledges that they are both masters of their craft, even if they have mentalities or viewpoints that differ) and good sources of information. it isn’t until she finds herself at SHUJIN ACADEMY that she realizes she’s made a breakthrough. a black cat swishes at her ankles, as almost as if to gift her bad luck ( however, the only thing it does is make her miss WATSON, her own black kitten back home ). incessant things they are, teenagers, and she grows ANNOYED with the stress of the case. to find the [ PHANTOM THIEVES OF HEARTS ] would bring  P R I D E  back to the kirigiri name, to stitch the hole that JIN had left. she takes to the streets of kabukicho at night, of shibuya during the day, working day in and day out to make advances on the phantom thieves’ plan. it isn’t until she checks her mailbox and finds a RED & BLACK LETTER that she knows she’s made a breakthrough. they’ve come to steal her heart.

[detectivetheory]

@windskills has a relatable temper.

     ‘ why, i’m not sure just who it is you’re speaking to, but i’m only trying to help you. ‘ her hand is extended, ready to assist the fallen girl. ‘ i apologize that you had to witness that. i don’t quite like having someone impede an investigation. are you alright? i believe i’m carrying a bandage on my person... ‘

[detectivetheory]

@lacedice is a master of her craft.

     ‘ that was a lovely performance you put on the other day. ‘ a cup of coffee is set on the table between them, gesturing for her to take it. ‘ my name is kirigiri kyouko; i am a consulting detective at this precinct. are you aware of the assault that went on in your neighborhood last night? i have reports that place you as a key witness. ‘

[detectivetheory]

@oinaris is just a little short.

     ‘ i’ll take care of it. ‘  gloved hand extends a couple of yen coins to the vendor, which he gleefully takes, knowing that he’ll be paid. whatever it was that the person in front of her had purchased is extended to him, and kyouko sips her drink. fuhito always said to perform an act of kindness every day to soften your heart, and she couldn’t just watch as he came up slightly short for lunch.

[detectivetheory]

"stop pretending to be okay." ( he, too, would not yell ajsjdks )

     ‘ akechi-kun, with all due respect, there is a time and place for you to speak, and this is not one of them. ‘  she does not mean to be so rude in such a way, but venom drips from her lips as tear-stained cheeks are hidden from the man. she presses her hands to her desk, the leather of her gloves cool against her skin as she aches with phantom pain. there are days when she is fine. when she walks across the street with the gait of a goddess and the finesse of a queen. there are days when ‘ kirigiri ‘ is synonymous with ‘ truth‘ and ‘ kyouko ‘ is synonymous with ‘ champion ‘. there are days when she is filled with pure, unbridled, raging hope for the future, and there are days when she stares down the barrel of a loaded gun and does not blink.today is not one of those days.there are days when kyouko wonders what a cold knife against her neck would feel like. if the continuation of her narrative is something that should have happened. she is not the religious type, but she does believe in at least one god, and there are days when she asks god why she was chosen to stay alive. there are so many beautiful and intricate minds lost every day to different reasons, so why is she– someone who is vain and proud and wrathful– still walking the earth?     ‘ i’m sorry, ‘ she apologizes, letting her jaw unclench and her hands ball into fists on her desk. ‘ i– there was no need for me to be so rude. ‘ akechi is a coworker, not an enemy, and he does not deserve to be at the throat of her wrath. she turns, leaning her hips against the desk and resting herself on the furniture. now, in all of her CORPSELIKE BEAUTY can she be seen; flawless makeup is nonexistent. dark circles are underneath her light violets, BLOODSHOT WITH FATIGUE & ANGST, and her nude lipstick is smeared at the edges. she looks like she’s been through hell & back– on a normal day, she makes the trek without issue. today, she just barely made it out alive.    ‘ can you just… leave me be for the night? you can tell niijima-san that my report will be alongside yours in the morning. just– not right now. ‘