#Adri's fic snips

[apostlearcana]

So @0heartangel0 was curious about what the fic was about and. Uh. What's bonkin', doods.

( Ryuji Reverse Bonk 2024 is almost upon us. And this is just one little snack I have. :)

[apostlearcana]

“…I’m sorry, I’m a what now?”

He brushed a strand of hair behind his head, unblinking as he brought forth a large book. “A prisoner of fate,” he explained calmly, placing it on the desk before turning back to the teenager behind the bars. “We call those who are chained to their destiny a ‘wild card’, trickster. And it seems fate has decided to choose you in the process.”

Danny gripped the bars, staring at the hooded figure and shaking the iron. “If you would start making some sense, that’d be kinda nice! The hell are you going on about?!”

The attendant gazed at the frantic boy without blinking. “Do you remember the being that came to your aid?”

---

“Don’t worry, Daniel,” the man hissed, pointing to the teenager on the carpet. “Your death will be quick and painless; I’ll make sure of that.” He snapped his fingers, his fingers dancing with a dangerous red energy. “Come to me, Plasmius!”

Danny’s eyes widened, trying to crawl backwards before the energy began to gather above the older man; the room seemed to condense with a frightening pressure as a creature materialized into existence. It could have been human if it did not let out a mournful, unearthly cry and raised clawed hands to the ceiling. Its cape billowed behind it, eyes red as blood as it towered over the owner of the mansion.

The energy from his fingertips was severed, and the man glared down at the boy viciously. “You’re playing with a force your parents cannot hope to understand, much less you. A boy sealing a contract with a demon? How stupidcould they possibly be?!”

Danny inhaled sharply, the being shrieking once more; its fangs seemed to glisten in the moonlight now, and the boy gritted his teeth. “…what’re you gonna do?! Waste me?! What about my parents?!”

“I suppose I’ll handle that when I get there,” his companion fired back, reaching a hand behind his back. “They’re a smart little duo of scientists- they’ll figure out what happens when a human dies in the cognitive world, won’t they?!”

‘Dies?’

The teenager swallowed, and for the briefest of moments— it stood still.

‘How cruel a fate you have been given, child of man,’ a voice murmured. ‘The wrong place at the wrong time- or perhaps, the proper place in time as it should be. And still, you do nothing. You want nothing but your life, the safety of your family… and your friends, even without the knowledge of what is to come’

Danny remained frozen, but his eyes flickered.

‘You have a chance. You have a chance to live… but the price is risky… and since I have reached you in time…’

Reached him in time? A chance? Before Danny could ask any other questions, another voice spoke.

This one was… deeper. Rougher.

‘I see you’ve made up your mind.’

Was that his voice? Was that… his voice?!

‘Or rather- do not wish to die.’

Danny stared up at the man, who pulled out a long knife with a maniacal glint in his eyes. The shadow behind him let loose another screech, its hands glowing with the same red energy hue its master had mere seconds before.

‘If you are to live, you must make the forbidden pact; to see the true half of yourself, to embrace your inner darkness. One you have held tightly to for years, not one thrust upon you by the gods. Vow to me!’

Vow?

‘I am thou… thou art I! In the sealing of this contract, you henceforth call upon the power of who you truly are- say thy name to the gods!’

Danny’s eyes flickered to a sickly yellow, his fingers glowing emerald as he raised them to the man that stood above him.

“P-Persona!”

The burst of flames pushed back the assailant from the teenager, a snarl escaping. “What?!”

The teenager’s fingers stopped glowing just briefly before blood spouted from the tips. The pain was nothing he had ever experienced, and Danny screamed in agony as both energy and lifeblood intermingled; the newly formed plasma slowly gathered behind the teenager, a creature with snowy hair and its own long nails shimmering in the selfsame light. The room grew cold, the hair slowly beginning to dance as if on fire now; its voice was frigid, calm.

‘Your resolve runs shallow, but that will change over time. It is natural to fear what you don’t understand, Danny- including the abomination of man that stands ready to run you through.’

Danny shook his head, panting softly and staring at his own bloody fingers. “Abomination…?”

‘There is no time to explain. Quick- to arms!’

---

Danny closed his eyes. “What the hell is that?”

“We call that a Persona, Daniel,” the attendant intoned. “Well… yours is a bit different from an original Persona, truthfully. I’d almost call yours an artificial Persona of sorts. Despite awakening it much like one would here in the cognitive ghost zone… well. Yours is a special case, much like Vladimir’s.”

The teenager let out a low breath. “That fruit loop? …wait, I’m losing track of things. Who the hell are you, and where the hell am I?”

The man gave a slight bow. “Ah, my manners. You’ll have to forgive me. My name is Clockwork- and I wish to welcome you… to the Velvet Room.”

What if Danny became a Wild Card instead of a halfa? Bonus points if there’s a connection to the events of Persona 3.

[writer-rider-flirty-thirties]

The Dress

A snip from my random Lukadrinette fic:

Anger and indignation spread through Marinette’s body at the blonde’s gall and words tumbled out of her mouth. “Be quiet, Chloe! You shouldn’t insult people when it’s obvious that you have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Chloe laughed. “Really? You think this guitarist and my Adri-kin’s have even the slightest bit of interest in you? That’s laughable.”

At the sound of his name, Adrien emerged from below deck, curious as to what was happening and why his name was being mentioned.

Marinette noticed his reappearance but she was too busy staring Chloe down to think of what he thought of the situation. “Really.”

“I doubt that, Dupain-Cheng. You…” she trailed off and her mouth dropped open in shock as Marinette turned, cupped Luka’s cheeks, and - after he gave her a slight nod- pressed her lips against his.

It was like heaven.

His lips pressed firmly against hers, matching her rising passion as it flowed out of her. Gently cupping her chin, he tilted her head and suddenly his tongue was sliding against hers and she was gasping into his mouth as a fire burned within her. A fire that had her longing to pull him closer until she wasn't sure where she stopped and he began.

Marinette would have been happy to kiss him for the rest of the night, but a throat cleared somewhere behind her and Marinette remembered herself.

Pulling away from Luka, who was grinning like a mad man, Marinette spotted Adrien looking at the stage in awed confusion and, encouraged by the spontaneous kiss that still lingered on her lips, calmly stared into Chloe’s soul as she called out to him.

“Adrien. Come here real quick.”

[apostlearcana]

🌸 - the scribbles of a madwoman trying to figure out an angry wolf's voice.

"You're nothing but a stain on our name!"

No. No, he never- he didn't-

"All you do is whine and complain, and I'm trying to catch him. I need time!"

He couldn't—

"So why don't you just fuck off and leave me alone while I clean up the mess you've made of our FAMILY, Akane!"

Joker gripped the knife, preparing to summon Raoul before a figure blitzed past him and sliced at the Lock Keeper with an unmistakable cry of anger. The right blade connected with the greatsword, the combatant shaking as he pushed into the sharp edge.

"Shut. Up."

Wolf's eyes blazed sky blue, lips peeled back in a snarl. "I'm not that man- she's been misremembering that night. This whole time."

"You believe her memory is tainted? How CUTE."

"VALJEAN!"

The scream tore through his throat, Megido blinding the small group as Wolf slammed his sword down on the Lock Keeper's once more with gritted teeth. "I won't let this FUCKING memory be skewed!"

Wolf landed on his feet, swinging the sword once again across his body with another howl. Noir had stopped attacking, eyes wide with shock as Morgana and Joker watched the newest Thief tear into his prey much like his namesake.

"I'M NOT THAT MAN ANYMORE! I'VE CHANGED. I'LL PROVE IT- RIGHT NOW!"

[apostlearcana]

[apostlearcana]

trying to chip the zenkichi block. Anything works.

"Well now. This is new."

Akira was smug, gripping the wrists over Zenkichi's head with a bloody lip and sweat dripping from his forehead. His hot and heavy breath washed over his sparring partner's chest, like fog over a lake. 

Zenkichi was unamused. "Konoe, get off me."

"Say uncle, Inspector."

"Eat shit."

Akira's grin only grew, leaning closer to Hasegawa and breathing on his neck. "I can tell you want something else."

The color seemed to drain from Zenkichi's face, struggling slightly with those eyes narrowing. "Real cute, Akira. If I have to throw you off, I will!"

"But see, you don't want to." Konoe's tone was almost devious, looking at the wolfish fighter dead on. "You like this position."

Zenkichi's face was struggling to remain blank. "N. No, I do not."

"That little lift in your pants says otherwise."

And Zenkichi was silent. Konoe released one wrist slowly, moving the hand down the arm and barely touching the skin. As he leaned in, the older man's skin grew goosebumps. It only got worse when the other whispered.

"It's been a long... long time... since you've lost control... isn't it, Wolf?"

[apostlearcana]

?!

[apostlearcana]

“The clippings are from her death,” Kitagawa observed. “Speculations and theories, ways to bring Owada down for what he did to her; anything and any way to drag him under.”

Zenkichi didn’t respond, choosing to nurse his hand and keeping his jaw clenched.

“You would not be the first to desire another to be drowned under the weight of the crimes they committed, nor will you be the last.” He gazed at the clippings and the map in front of them. “The question that begs to be asked, however, is after you put them away… what will you feel? Relief? Satisfaction? Emptiness?”

🎉

[apostlearcana]

I am once again yelling about the concept of Zenkichi and Valjean being able to communicate with each other.

—

It was a strange place to be, the subconscious. The birthplace of the rebel self, where Shadows roamed about until their other self was ready to accept the part of themself they had turned a blind eye towards for so long, could be cold and harsh; change could be harsh. 

Yet there was one space that was different from all the teenagers and kids and animals across the years that had awakened their Personas over time. At first, it was certainly cold and distant. Hell, it was even more-so than others before their awakening.

Twenty plus years fighting and pushing away the desire to change and not become stagnant, to keep the head down and tail drooped like a dog chained to the red tape of justice with no way to free himself except to yank off the metal links with a ferocity he had long forgotten and call upon the name that danced on his lips and rang clear in his head.

"Valjean."

It felt off to say the name in the bathroom at 1.39 AM in the wee morning hours of a Saturday, but it wasn't like he was going to be able to sleep much anyway. The kids were snoozing in the room next to his, and if there was any other time to speak to the demon he had forged a contract with months ago- but really, it felt like years- he didn't know when it was.

Now was as good a time as any to not feel like he was going crazy around those kids more than he already was.

Zenkichi sighed and ran his fingers along the mirror, tracing his body outline. "I know you've been quiet since the bar, Valjean. And I want to talk about it."

Two long minutes ticked by. 1.41 AM. He wondered if the demon was sleeping. …could they sleep?

Suddenly his visage began to shift and distort. He lost his glasses, his hair loosely back in that familiar ponytail; his eyes were yellow, scars on his face and leaning against the sink in the same posture as his contract.

[There's nothing to discuss.]

"Considering you've been quiet since Ren's been here and the bar, I'd say there's something to talk about. There's a lot to talk about." Zenkichi squinted. "Not like we have a better time to, too."

[Why are you so curious?] Bitterness was clear. [You've never worried before about me.]

"You never seemed to worry about me until the night we went to go have drinks with Maruki and…" He took a deep breath. "…I don't know what you did. But you've changed, and not for the better."

Valjean didn't answer. In fact, he looked away from the other.

"What happens to you affects me."

—

'You treated him like a prisoner. Or a dog. The arrest position, chaining him until he rebelled, going berserk and breaking his bones. Don't you regret anything you've done?'

—

"What happened, Valjean?"

[… …you deserve better than me.]

Zenkichi didn't blink, eyes still softening. "What?"

[You don't deserve me as your Persona. You deserve better.]

Zenkichi's jaw tightened.

[I couldn't stop a cognitive trauma loop. I put you through so much before your awakening, and even now…] Another bitter laugh. [It must be satisfying to finally see me put into my place after everything I've done to you, Zenkichi. To see your Persona doubting himself and wondering if he's done more harm than good by existing.]

Zenkichi's ears were ringing, and he clenched the sink tightly. The quietest echo of a thought could be heard in his head. Defeated.

'...but then... they rarely know me for my gentle self.'

"I'm not satisfied. Happy. …actually, I'm kind of pissed at you."

Valjean looked back now, throat tightening. [Zenkichi?]

"You're putting words in my mouth and assuming things about me- like I assume things as well." 

He took a deep breath.

"Just like how we're both ashamed about what happened after her death."

[!!!!!]

"I figured it out, by the way; you were that push. The one egging me on about chasing the ones who knew information about Owada. And I know you're as afraid as I am about them knowing, finding out. All of it." He bit the inside of his mouth. "That we won't have anyone."

[...Zenkichi...]

"But they need to know, Valjean. They deserve to know. If you want to tell them you did it and take the blame, I won't stop you." He sighed. "But I followed through."

Valjean was quiet.

"That vow you made me take to seal our contract wasn't just something stupid or fake. You're my Persona for a reason, and- I wouldn't change that. For anything."

[What…?]

"I'd take any kind of pain for those kids, for Akane. And I'd do anything for them too, no matter what. And if that means I could get hurt regardless of the circumstances?" His gaze hardened. "It's a risk I'll always take, Valjean. Even with your self-destructive abilities. Besides, it's not always about fighting; isn't it about being the one not-so-shitty adult in the room that can support them when they don't want an adult's touch?"

[... ...I suppose so.]

Zenkichi closed his eyes. "I don't want you to ever say that again, that you're not good enough for me. That's a lie- and you know it. We were made for each other; I have the brains, and you've got the brawn. Right?"

Valjean smiled faintly in the mirror. [Hah...]

"What's so funny?!"

[Nothing. Just- proud of you. Proud of the little police dog that's grown into his own as a protective papa wolf.]

"Hearing praise from you is weird."

[Then I suppose you'll have to get used to it.]

[apostlearcana]

Adam shrugged, palms out as he rolled his eyes. “See, some people actually liked what I did last January. Even the children you so desperately crave affection from took my alteration with open arms. …all except for one. He didn’t want any of the fruits of my labor, and he decided to destroy it. And not to brag… but I do believe your own contract yearned for those days with his dead lover. And he was oblivious as can be, happily spending lost time with his child without a care in the world.

“My point is… you do not speak for everyone.”

Uh oh.

[apostlearcana]

The murmurs and chattering began to fill the space, but he couldn’t bring himself to listen in; hell, he couldn’t bring himself to talk to any of the kids. The graveyard was eating at him, but more than anything were those thoughts- well, Valjean’s thoughts really.

Constant rebuttals, snide remarks, taunting him and pushing him further and further down a path of…

‘Ne me dis pas que tu as peur, Wolf.’

The French was certainly a new thing, and Wolf gritted his teeth. “What did you just say?”

‘Does my pup not speak the language of his Persona’s origins? Oh, this is certainly a pity indeed.’

“Now you’re fucking mocking me.”

["IS THAT-"] Chapter 20 snippet? It might be.

[apostlearcana]

I was going to make Chapter 20 this big canoodle with the kids and Gramps and Noir and Joker and stuff but it's slowly devolving into "Valjean taunts Wolf with French derogatory comments that the kids end up seeing for themselves how much he really can't stand himself in his esteem, and Skull sees him at his lowest with Joker at his lowest as well, and somehow, things manage to slowly get better after this."

[apostlearcana]

Chapter 20 without context.

[apostlearcana]

Now the silence was deafening. Ren’s mouth had dropped open, Morgana’s meowing ceasing as Akane’s mouth clamping shut and Kayda gingerly sat in the chair across from her son; Daisuke let out a laugh. It was a genuine bark of amusement, unfolding his arms and shaking his head. “I’m sorry, did you just suggest—?”

“—that your son come and live with me in the midst of your tirade about his own well-being?” Zenkichi interrupted smoothly. “Sure. What about it?”

I want him to get feral.

[apostlearcana]

Look, I just think Zenkichi finally working out his issues both inside himself (and outside on the surface level) is a neat idea, and I was not at all inspired by Final Fantasy XV and the point of Taylorson voicing Gilgamesh in Episode Gladio, which leads to all the Valjean battle lines reflecting on his other self.

Ahem.

-- --

Like a dream or even in the Metaverse- that was what it was called, right?- it was too dark for him to see a thing in this darkness. It also felt way too familiar, like before he had a grumpy and challenging demon that constantly pushed his buttons at every single moment he had. He took a look left and right before closing his eyes and pulling his glasses off his face. “...what the hell am I doing here? ...better question, where is here?”

‘I’ll give you both of those questions; they are fair things to ask.’

Zenkichi Hasegawa could not stop the scowl coming to his face. “...last question: why are you here?”

‘Because you’re a stubborn mess.’

“And that’s never stopped you- or me- before.”

The light was so bright that he was glad he had his eyes shut, covering them with one hand before it disappeared and he opened them once more. The giant knight towered above him, Zenkichi sliding his glasses back on with a soft snort. Valjean could always be seen wherever he turned: mirror in the bathroom, the window reflection in the car, even the shadows behind his user seemed far more ominous than they were before that day he ripped his face off. Even with the giant Persona looming over him, Zenkichi glared up at the demon. “So. Are you going to answer any of my questions?”

‘I could.’

“Fine. I’ll bite: where the hell are we?”

‘Mh. I suppose you could call it the collective unconsciousness- or rather, your own unconsciousness,’ the creature rumbled. ‘Where you roam in your daydreams, where you wander when you sleep- where I hide in the depths of that self-loathing mind of yours… which your paws are still stuck in, by the way.’

“Oh, because it’s so easy to change after years and years of thinking you’re never going to be good enough- all thanks to a bunch of kids,” Zenkichi snapped. “Sorry, big guy. It doesn’t work like that.”

Valjean stared at his other half. ‘Then am I to assume my suspicions are all but confirmed?’

“What suspicions? That I’m insane? You kn–”

‘That you feel you do not deserve to wield my strength- and are unworthy of even calling yourself a parent to this very day. That others should not even look in your direction, no matter whose lives you have saved, humanity should scorn you for your actions… that even your own daughter and the Trickster you successfully gained the respect and gratitude of- they, too, should deem you as weak-hearted?’

Zenkichi gritted his teeth, breaking away his gaze from the Persona he was attached to; the being knew the answer without a word needing to be spoken.

‘...then I ask you this, Zenkichi Hasegawa. What do you believe- is true strength?’

That certainly wasn’t a question he was expecting. “What?”

‘Who do you believe is worthy of such strength? Whom do you believe should and should not rebel from their fate? What gives someone the reason to rebel of their own free will? …why do you still fight if you find yourself unworthy of such power, why do you believe– you have no right to hold such anger at society, such fury and scorn for those that have wronged others?’

If he had been wearing armor, each question would have pierced the steel plating and dropped him where he stood. Yet he did still stand, jaw clenched and staring at the floorless, dark space they were trapped in. 

His wrists felt heavy, ankles pulled down by a weight he knew had never really gone away. He stared at his hand, the familiarly illusory shackle and chains wrapped around his wrist and floating in the air without any rhyme or reason. The same could be said about his ankles, weighed down by illusion that should have allowed him to walk through the mist-like bindings. 

‘And still, you remain weighed down by such thoughts.’

Zenkichi nearly bit out a retort at the chess-like creature, but he merely clenched his jaw. “...I told you before. It’s not that simple to just- reject society after twenty years. It isn’t.”

‘Yet here you stand, back in such a position as you were before- without the hanging-from-the-ceiling part, anyway.’

“Yeah, real funny.” He was unamused. “Is there a point to this?”

‘Actually, yes. There is.’

“Well don’t keep me in suspense, big guy. Spill the details.”

‘If you believe so much that you are unworthy of my strength and unwilling to move forward… and yet you do not fear me as you could and should, instead raging against me like a feral beast… I believe it is time to figure out why that is the case. Not based upon speculation, upon lies falsified as truths- but through one thing and one thing alone that you are incredible at.’ Valjean turned his back, raising a caged hand before a dark gray pathway appeared at his feet.

Zenkichi’s frown began to slowly melt away, exhaustion beginning to show in his eyes.

‘Through stubborn force of will- brute, stubborn force of will.’

“You want me… to fight through my crap in some meta-cognitive hellscape and work out my problems here while Ren and I try to get through this shit at the surface?” he asked tiredly.

‘And you claimed you never had a brain.’

“Let me guess: the end prize is dealing with you and your Almighty ass.” Zenkichi approached the walkway with a bitter laugh. “...man, I bet the kids never had to go through this.”

‘They’re also exactly that: kids. Now then, shall we begin?’

Zenkichi sighed heavily, looking down at his broken-chained hands and ankle before down the beaten pathway; Valjean disappeared in a blink of Almighty energy, and he shook his head. 

“What the hell have I gotten into?”

[apostlearcana]

my sleep was not great last night, and I definitely had some moments today, but. i have an extreme rough draft of a scene from Arcana for you guys. <3

-----

Even after the voices subsided, the Thieves were silent and looking between one another with stunned gazes. One by one, each pair of eyes turned to the newest member of the group; his hand was trembling, jaw tightening as he lowered his hand slowly and bowed his head.

Panther was hushed. “…was that…?”

Sophie’s head tilted to the left in confusion. “…I don’t understand.”

“It can’t be. R-Right?” Skull rubbed a hand through his hair frantically. “We didn’t just… lose all our minds at once, right? We all heard what the hell was going on, yeah?”

Joker stared at the one still standing at the entrance to the temple, walking towards Wolf and resting a hand on his shoulder. “We sh-“

“Don’t touch me,” the Thief muttered. “Don’t. Just…” He looked down at his hand and squeezed his eyes shut behind the blindfold. “I want to get out of here.”

The leader nodded once, looking at the others over his shoulder. “Oracle.”

She gave him a two-fingered salute, the entire world swirling and shifting as the kids and their plus-one adult materialized back into the real world once more. Hasegawa was going to have to get used to that- or not.

Who knew.

The stares all turned back to Zenkichi once more, clearly keeping his distance from the kids as he shakily reached in his pocket for his cell phone and kept his gaze pointedly on the screen. Ryuji bit his lower lip, Makoto folding her arms with an unreadable gaze. There was a soft ping from Ren’s phone, and he pulled it out to see Sophia on the screen. “Ren?”

The leader placed a finger to his lips, pocketing his phone before walking around to face Zenkichi person-to-person. “Zenkichi.”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“Zenkichi—”

“I don’t want to hear it!” he snapped furiously, clutching the phone tightly in his hand and glaring at Ren. “If you heard the same thing, I did, then we don’t need to discuss what the hell just happened. You kids go… get some sleep or whatever, and we can. Go do this thing.”

“You don’t even know what we’re doing next,” Ren countered swiftly. “We haven’t even had time to discuss—”

“There’s nothing to discuss. If that’s supposed to be a glimpse into my daughter’s trauma, then you can put two and two together.” Zenkichi shoved his hand into his pocket and stalked past Ren. “Just… text me what the hell we’re doing or whatever and… and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The Thieves watched the man climb into his car and slam the door, the engine roaring to life as he swung out of the parking spot and sped down the road at too fast a speed for nine o’clock at night. Sophia pinged once more, Ren slowly pulling out his phone and looking down at her. “Hey.”

“Why did… why did he run?” she asked quietly. “Did Zenkichi…?”

Behind him, Ryuji kicked the dirt and stared at the grass. The other Thieves could only watch the cloud of dust settle, and Ren turned around finally to the group. “So. Who wants to say it?”

Haru took a deep breath. “The voices we heard at the cell door- that was Akane-chan and Zenkichi-san, wasn’t it?”

Yusuke closed his eyes. “As loathe as I am to say it, indeed it was. Is this to say that Gramps is, in fact, the source of her trauma?”

“Maybe not the source-source of it, but it sure sounded like he didn’t help matters at all,” Makoto stated tiredly. “And from what we know of their relationship already, this could make things extremely difficult if we go where that trauma was tomorrow.”

Ann looked down. “You don’t think…?”

Ren shook his head. “I don’t want to think so, either. But where else did that sound like it happened?”

The group was quiet at this; there were no words necessary. Their target was the apartment- or more aptly put, Zenkichi’s home.