#and just- help me i love maruki

[redjaybird]

[may or may not have been contemplating Dr. M.aruki just a bit >>]

[doodleodds]

Happy Valentines, Akira. Happy Valentines, Asshole.

If you can’t read what Akechi’s secondary inner-dialogue says cause I obscured it too much behind his regular dialogue, here’s a transcription in panel order: Hello, you fucking- Ah- Hello, Akira! Fuck off, why should I tell you- Just a soda- there’s a new flavor.

I don’t want your shitty gift. Oh- haha! You’re so sweet.

I hope I choke. They’re lovely, thank you.

Like hell. Likewise. There’s no way it’s just a coincidence. Still though, it’s a funny coincidence.

[autism-disco]

ok handels messiah is just as wonderfully dreadful as i remember it why does he write tenor lines like that. what the hell man

[manias-wordcount]

HEAR ME OUT!!!! Wriothesley from Genshin with an S/O that gets easily depressed from the lack of sunlight in the fortress.

Honestly from there, go crazy! At this point, after seeing the MASTERPIECE you made from my previous Maruki request, I trust you with all my boys💖

-🧃anon (if you don't have one already) (if you do I'll think of a new one next time I make an ask)

Mourning Sun (Wriothesley x Reader)

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗶 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗼𝗱, 𝗶 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

It’s nearly mid-afternoon when he returns to your shared bedroom. And you’re in the exact position he left you in early, early this morning. It makes him frown.

  He’s due for a meeting relatively soon. And there are a few things he needs to take care of before the afternoon shifts are completed, so he has to be quick about this visit. Still, that doesn’t stop him from taking near-silent and utterly slow steps as he crosses the room to see you, a cup of your favorite flavor of freshly brewed tea in his hand. You’re still curled up in a ball, blankets tucked all around you except for your uncovered head. Your eyes are closed gently, and your breathing is steady and even as you doze quietly. You’re as beautiful as you’ve always been, but this sight always makes him worry. He wonders if you've woken up at all since he last saw you.

  A quick glance at the bedside table where your brunch lies, cold and untouched, tells him exactly everything he needs to know.

  “Sweetheart,” Wriothesley murmurs as he places a hand on your shoulder to shake you awake. You make a small sound. Something so sweet and sleepy it makes his heart soften. But he knows better than to let you carry on like this. So he tries again, shaking your shoulder a little more forcefully and speaking to you a bit louder than before. “Sweetheart, it’s time for you to get up, alright?”

  “Mmm,” You make a non-committal sound underneath your breath, but at the very least, he spots you starting to stretch your legs and uncurl yourself from beneath the blankets. Though he can’t help but notice the slight shiver in your body as you start to straighten out. You’ve been doing that a lot lately, he realized. Every time he leaves the bed, really. Is the bedroom too cold for you? Should he invest in another heater? More blankets? It’s going to become winter soon, and even the Fortress of Meropide manages to feel the seasons as the nights grow longer and the wind blows harder. He’ll have to work out something soon to address this problem. For your sake. “W-Wriothesley?”

  At the sound of your voice, the man in question is broken out of his thoughts. He turns his attention back to you in enough time to see you struggling to sit up in the bed. Your hair is a bit of a mess, and you still look exhausted despite getting well over the typical eight hours of sleep necessary for most people to survive. He tries not to let his worried expression show, and for the most part, it doesn’t. Though he’s not confident you’d even be able to understand the emotion behind his eyes given the way you’re too busy rubbing at yours and blinking them slowly as you struggle to adjust to the dimming light in the room. 

  Still, he holds back his sighs and his frowns whenever he’s met with this familiar sight. Because above all else, he just doesn’t want you to think that it’s your fault. And it isn’t. If there’s anyone to blame it’s him. It has to be him.

  For loving you too much to let you go.

  “Hi sweetheart,” He greets you again, a small encouraging smile on his face. He takes a seat on the side of the bed and almost instantly, you’re scooting a little closer to the edge to be near him. Once you’re settled, your body leans into his a little bit. There’s a blanket wrapped around your shoulders and plenty covering your lower body as you sit up in the bed. But he can feel your body mend into his through the fabric as he transfers the cup of tea into your hands. You light up slightly at the sight, and there’s a small smile on your face now as well. It’s no longer steaming in the mug, but you still lightly blow at the liquid on the very top so as to not accidentally burn your tongue. But it doesn’t take too long for you to place the mug to your lips and to tilt your head. You must have been so thirsty. Wriothesley should have come to visit you sooner. “You should eat something, too. It’s already the afternoon.”

  You don’t respond for a little bit, too busy sipping down at your tea with greedy little gulps. So Wriothesley takes the time to look at you. Really look at you. Not a passing glance he gives you when he’s seeking a quick little serotonin boost throughout his day. Not one of those long looks of admiration that he gives you when all he can see is the beauty and perfection of your form. But a look at the true, true version of you as it appears in front of him. And it takes him only mere seconds to spot just how sickly you seem. 

  Your skin doesn’t have the same shine to it that it used to. There are bags under your eyes despite all the sleep you do whenever he’s not around to entertain you. You’re well-fed here- Wriothesley makes sure all the meals you receive are to your liking- but there’s still a weak and fragile look about you. Should he call Sigewinne to come in for a check-in again? The thought has crossed his mind more than once after he noticed just how much you’ve been sleeping and losing interest in all the new books he brings down for you. But deep down inside, he knows the reason you’re like this. He knows it all too well.

  You haven’t taken well to life in the Fortress of Meropide. 

  If he’s being honest with himself, you belong on the surface. You belong where you can receive as much sunlight and warmth and bright colors whenever you want. But he fell in love on one rare day when had to attend to matters outside the Fortress. He just saw you from afar and with one small look, he fell for you. And you fell for him too. But he wasn’t willing to sacrifice his role as the Administrator of the Fortress to live a life so foreign to him after spending years and years beneath the surface. It felt like all he had ever known since his arrival. But you were willing to make that sacrifice. You were willing to stay in the Fortress of Meropide and live a life by his side. Even though he wasn’t willing to do the same.

  “Thank you for the tea!” You tell him as you pull the cup back from your lips. Your voice is cheery, and there’s a smile on your face- one that’s bright and big and happy. But you still look so tired. So ready to curl up and go back to sleep the second he leaves. He knows he shouldn’t be surprised. He knows, he knows, he knows. But part of him just hopes that if he wished the problem away enough, you’d be okay. That you wouldn’t have to struggle like this if could just snap his fingers and make a little magic happen. But the other part of him? The more sensible, logical, sympathetic side of him? The side that would do absolutely anything to keep you by his side? “And I meant to eat sooner. But I just got really sleepy all of a sudden, and wanted to take a quick nap before-”

  “I’ll take you outside soon.”

  That part of him knows exactly what he has to do to make things right.

  When he speaks the words into existence, you instantly freeze. A long silence follows as you’re both unsure of what to do. Of what to say. You’ve never asked about leaving the Fortress before. And he knows you want to. He knows you need to at this point. And not sure for an hour or two. You need a couple of days at least outdoors. Enjoying the sun. Breathing in the fresh air. Existing in a world that isn’t covered head to toe with metal walls and pipes. 

  But you never asked. You just didn’t. And you won’t. You never request anything other than a couple of letters to your family and friends on the surface being delivered here or there. You know Wriothesley is a busy man. One who can’t just drop everything for a little vacation because he’s feeling down or wants a break. But this is completely different. Because he wouldn’t do this for himself. 

  But he would absolutely do it for you.

  “I’ll take you outside soon.” He repeats himself, a little more quietly this time. His eyes are gazing forward and bearing into your own. He moves his hand and places it on your blanket thigh and squeezes it gently. He owes you the whole world. Because that’s exactly what you are to him- his world. “I promise.”

  But he needs to start taking better care of it. He needs to start taking better care of you.

  Because your depression is obvious, even if you try to hide it. He’s known it this entire time, but it’s been hard to admit it when he knows that this decline in your overall well-being wouldn’t exist without his selfishness. He doesn’t know much about the you who existed outside of his swift courtship. But he always noticed the decline in your health and personality and presence. From the first few weeks of your arrival to now, you’re a different person. Less energy. A little quieter. No longer interested in the things you used to like. A little more melancholy. A little less you. 

  You’re still the person he fell in love with. But you’re also the person he failed to protect. The person he failed to provide for. Because when you said you would go with him, he promised that he’d make you happy. He promised that he’d make the Fortress your home. Someplace where you could thrive. But will that ever happen? Will he ever succeed? He doesn’t know. It’s his first time taking a sunflower away from the sun. There’s more he knows he has to do. But at the very least…

  “Okay, Wriothesley…I’d like that, please.”

    …he can start with this. 

[senblades]

Hi :)

I love your art and your writing, and you have such a great grasp of these characters that I was wondering if you have any fic recs? Rating doesn't matter ;)

boy do I! (and ty for the compliment <3 <3 <3)

[cracks knuckles] alrighty:

The Dissapearence of Goro Akechi by Kupowonders - Probably my favourite fic ever, honestly- it's like. derailing the plot of persona 5 post-medjed thanks to the persona 4 accomplice ending years prior. (So, spoilers for p4 in that, too) it's. very good.

Marigolds by Colbub - Akechi gets ng+'ed to right when he started working for Shido, and has to take a good look at the future to come and be like "Aight how the fuck do I fix this". Fun times!

Daredevil, You've hit the wall by ez_cookie. Essentially, p5 Strikers but Sumire and Goro get to be in on the fun, too. And, there's a direct sequel currently being updated that's a similar premise for p5 Tactica. very very good stuff

A Tale of Two Tricksters by Zoe2k8 - Murder boyfriends! ...sort of? Angst! Angst and murder boyfriends! An oversimplification, obviously, but I'm not kidding when I say this fic is amazing and is also over a million words holy shit-

Throw away your mask by MollyPollyKinz - Another ng+ situation for Akechi, but this time the poor guy gets thrown all the way to 2009. You can imagine how well that goes (For the audience, less so for Akechi himself.)

The Crow Cries at Midnight by Dorked. hehe this one is very fun. Basically, a series of coincedencs causes Akechi to get thrown into the plot of persona 4. No time travel here! Just a grumpy 12/13 year-old Akechi trying to solve a murder mystery

The entire Tales of Chaos series by Eternalmomentss (The first one is called Like sand between your fingers) Very very good stuff! Something of a character study, I would say, of Ren and Goro. Plus, all the funky plot stuff that comes from trickster-typical bad luck and poor descision making. I really love this series hehe

uhh this post is getting very long I need to make this less wordy- lightning round?

Hunger for a life by Leonawriter - do you like vampires? I sure do! Mix that and the p5 plot and you get shenanigins. [evil laughter] a lot of shenanigins

Fishbowl by KivaEmber - Akechi has a terrible time in Maruki's reality. And I mean a terrible time

You have a beautiful smile underneath that mask by Saposaki - Akechi has a crush on Akira and Joker has a crush on Crow. No one is aware of the other's secret identity. Dramatic irony and hilarity ensues.

MASTERMiND by StumblingBlock - No Metaverse au where Akira really doesn't want to follow in the footsteps of his crime family, and fails miserably

Rose and Rot by SixteenJuniper - Read this!! I'm serious!! "A fun fantasy adventure" don't listen to Juniper. You'll be in tears by chapter two. (/pos, of course) (Seriously this fic is incredible)

Redressing the Balance by Convocated - ...almost a ng+? Ng+, in the sense that shuake are getting funky visions that are very quickly derailing the standard plot of p5r. This causes problems of the "Someone get the popcorn and maybe the tissues" variety

She's got a heartbeat full of lead (And she's aiming straight for the head) by Dots - This fic haunts me, often. In the best way possible, of course; but seriously, read it

Cracked into by SydneyHorses - Ren makes bad descisions and it becomes Akechi's problem. 2/2 timeloop, perhaps most notably featuring HaruGoro friendship! Love love love this fic

Okay that wasn't as "less wordy" as I intended but it'll do

Aaaand that's a wrap! Sorry for the long post.. and this is by no means all of the fics that I've ever loved (nor are the ones here in any particular order) but I swear we'll be here all week if I keep going HAHA

ty for the ask (and again for the kind words), anon! Hope this was helpful and to your tastes! (I... hope you like Shuake HAHA it's present in most of these- I assume you do, since you came to me (points at literally everything shuake I've made) of all people, but uh. Some of these fics are gen if it's not to your liking?)

[vashtijoy]

I was wondering if you could possibly clarify one of Akechis lines for me, its during one of the safe rooms in Maruki's Palace and its got me wondering what it could be referring to or is it not meant to refer to anything or what it could be, Im not sure. The line is something along the lines of "This seems to be the warehouse area huh? I bet there are plenty of ... well that doesnt matter in the slightest now...e I wonder is it just a joke Im not getting or...? And I wonder how does it compare to the Japanese version of the line and stuff.

Sorry if its a bit too vague but if you know anything about it please let me know so. =)

It's a cute line, isn't it?

Akechi 倉庫か…中身はおそらく、研究の… souko ka… nakami wa osoraku, kenkyuu no… A warehouse, eh…? I bet there are plenty of— [lit. A warehouse?... Its contents are probably study—]

In short, Akechi mentions research (研究 kenkyuu) in Japanese, when he doesn't in English—perhaps because it's difficult to make "research" into an adjective, as he does with his kenkyuu no. "<something> for research", "<something> for study".

The English "plenty of—" leaves this very open. Surely he's talking about weapons, or something else nefarious or evil or downright hilarious, right? Come on, we've all seen his navigation chats!

But the addition of "research", in the Japanese, turns this into yet another line that's rather sad. Remember Akechi in Sae's Palace, getting carried away with the the things he was learning, about the Metaverse he thought he knew so well? With that obvious innate curiosity and that detective's love of a puzzle that he couldn't quite suppress?

This line is him doing the same thing. In the third semester, now truly alone with everything he alone knows, outcast from the party and mostly tolerated at best, he still has that innate curiosity. He can still get carried away by the promise of learning.

Except now, he squelches it. Because it doesn't matter; it doesn't help the mission, and he's just as dead either way. And unless it's about the mission, nobody cares what he has to say any more, anyway.

[moonlit-doodles]

while recording another part for my p5r playthrough today, i went a little bit crazy over these two pieces of dialogue from his first counseling session with ann and akira respectively (which occur on the same day).

bear with me.

i really had to bite my tongue not to say anything about it since i'm trying to keep my playthrough spoiler-free - but this is textbook groomer behavior. calling a teenager mature for their age, expressing awe over how they've made it as far as they have, etc.

while i think that a lot of the maruki scenes with the rest of the phantom thieves after this are incredibly forced and really just used as a plot device to get third semester to work out the way it does, these two scenes (as well as ryuji's) really strike me because i feel like

- and, disclaimer, i do genuinely believe maruki to be a kind person, but i don't think he is a GOOD person because he enforces his kindness upon others rather than recognizing what the ideal outcome for THEIR LIVES is (not his own ideals!) -

i feel like maruki's discussions here with ann and akira are heartfelt and true. he really is trying to connect with them and help them, but his idea of help is different from theirs. he's prodding for their ideal, without recognizing that a teenager's idea of what is ideal may not necessarily line up with the words that come out of their mouth

and in pushing for this, he is grooming them to be more receptive to the way that he prods at them for their wishes and what he perceives as their ideal presentation of reality

this ramble of mine isn't exactly comprehensive and articulate but all this to say that maruki is outright grooming the phantom thieves, ESPECIALLY akira through the rest of his confidant

(discussion i had with one of my friends the other day)

i think my point is that maruki is NOT a saint by any means and in fact on replay when you know what his goals are he comes across as outright predatory even if you know that he IS trying to do what he believes is the kindest, most just thing. and somehow he really has spoken to people - not only the people in-game, but also the people in the fandom -

and it's BRILLIANT writing because he has captured the fandom in the same way he captured the phantom thieves. it's so incredible to have an antagonist who is genuine, heartfelt, and kind, and is truly trying to prevent the protagonists from being hurt, but he just doesn't understand that the things that hurt them to begin with are not only what made them strong but also what made them who they are

(from discussion with my rp partner about maruki and akira's likeness, & how much more like him maruki would have been had he the strength to overcome/overturn rumi's unjust fate)

maruki is INCREDIBLE and he is a STUNNING piece of writing and that's why he is such a powerful antagonist to round out an already brilliant work about the powers of love and grief, trust and loss...

i just think it's worthwhile to point out that from the very beginning he was looking for ways to excuse his own ideals as for the benefit of other people, mistaking words born from pain as the truth - as reality.

this game is so incredible and third semester does not let us down. there is SO MUCH to dig into and it's just..... incredible. truly.

[kekisu]

a very popular headcanon people have (i Think its popular. at least a lot of my twitter mutuals agreed with me a while back) is that joker comes from inaba, and if youve played p4 you know that theres literally nothing to do there

so a big headcanon that i used to be obsessed with is that he would spend a lot of his days skateboarding or biking around listening to music and exploring old dirt roads.. and he ended up getting a special interest in bugs and reptiles because hed come across so many during his little solo adventures. hes also very well versed in fishing its not a fixation or anything but just something hes pretty good at

this is why i tend to draw joker like some sort of skater boy. i think hes always stood out a lot in this small town even before the false assault charge, like he wasnt disliked or bullied but he just didnt really fit in. and this didnt bother him. i think he only realized how boring his life was when he became a phantom thief and got all these new friends in this new big city that understood him despite the circumstances that led him here. like man i really used to live like that and see nothing wrong with it? i didnt yearn for more?

it makes it even more painful when he has to leave and they naturally drift apart. because they all have dreams and ambitions, and the best years of their lives are waiting for them around the corner. but joker is back in this small town where theres nothing to do but hang out in some food court or poke around in the woods. i imagine this newfound loneliness is really hard on him, not to mention the guilt for feeling like hes somehow to blame for. well, whatever happened with goro

to me personally i think goro lived. i think he mustered up the perseverance to bite and claw his way out of shidos palace after seeing that even someone like him has a chance at being loved, he just didnt really remember this in marukis reality because it was all a blur. so both goro and joker were completely clueless as to what his fate would be if they went back to their true reality, which is what was so scary. the uncertainty. he could very well be dead but how could they know for sure? i just dont like the thought of him dying before he could truly live, even though i understand the tragedy of it can be poetic, i just cant stand for him going out like that because i relate a lot to his struggles. and i think it would go against the overall positive message of p5r. sure not everybody gets to have a second chance or a happy ending, but. man. anyways

joker fully believes goro is dead though. he wouldnt be crazy to assume this considering how they parted ways in shidos palace. but it eats away at him and maybe he really does go crazy. maybe his life feels like its stuck in time and while his old friends are out chasing their dreams, hes stuck. broken and shattered over feeling like he couldve done something to save him, knowing jokers savior/martyr complex

im running out of steam and i didnt mean to ramble on about my post-p5r headcanons but, to wrap it up: goro is in rehab somewhere and has a service dog to help with his dissociation and mood swings. and a couple other stuff. he feels like if he walks back into jokers life itll mess something up like joker will just break down or something. so he keeps his distance until they cross paths again. im just very obsessed with the idea of goro getting his life together vs joker wanting so badly to chase that high of phantom thievery again but failing and being actually so depressed

man morgana must be exhausted

[hanafubukki]

Diasomnia: Throw Away Your Mask

Book 7 and Persona 5 spoilers ahead

So I’ve been listening to the Persona 5 soundtrack.

There’s a song called Throw Away Your Mask and it is such a Diasomnia core and especially Malleus esque song. It truly speaks about how Malleus feels and his actions. Please give it a listen, it’s such a bop.

The lyrics:

I listened to this song and I was astounded at how relatable it is to Malleus and his message to Silver and Lilia.

It just requires guidance from above

We don't need to have this conflict

'Cause I can take you to the place of delight

Give peace of mind to the whole world

Here we can see how Malleus tells his feelings and thoughts. Why live in a world of conflict? Why fight? Malleus, with this power that he thought was useless before, can give you peace and happiness.

Don't sleep through dreams that can come true

No more tears shall drop from your cheeks anymore

You won't need to strive for greatness

Believe in me that you don't need to suffer from anything

Now these lyrics are Malleus' words to Silver. Malleus OB because of Silver, it was him crying that finally broke Malleus. Malleus is soothing Silver in these lyrics as he has once done when Silver was a baby.

“Don’t cry Silver,” he says, “You don’t need to try so hard anymore.” Malleus tried to soothe him, tells Silver he could be happy with Lilia. He doesn’t need to struggle with these feelings anymore. It will be alright. Malleus will handle it so Silver won’t have these worries and struggles and he can live a happy life with Lilia.

Big Brother will take care of it. 🥹😭

You can throw your mask away, no more pretending

You've been tied down for the longest of the time, be free

You deserve better, you should forever be

These lyrics! The way I can interpret these lyrics in so many ways!!

But these lyrics stands out to me as Malleus’ message to Lilia.

Malleus is telling Lilia that it’s okay. You can take off your mask. You don’t have to be worried about keeping up a facade.

But also, Lilia doesn’t have to be tied down anymore. Namely, Lilia doesn’t have to be tied down to Malleus anymore. He can be free.

We have seen how Malleus disregarded how his hatching was Lilia’s happiest moment. In these lyrics it also speaks how Malleus believes he is the ball and chain to Lilia.

It was because of him that Lilia has suffered so now Lilia can be free. Let him live a happy dream with his family or let him have a peaceful life with Silver. Let him be happy and free from the suffering that Malleus has caused.

That Lilia deserves better than the suffering that was brought about because of Malleus’ birth. So now, be happy. He’ll make it so Lilia has his happiest dream.

There’s also a character in the Persona 5 series that’s similar to Malleus, his name is Takuto Maruki.

Maruki is a psychologist who lost his wife. He ended up in a high school to help teenagers. He is great at his job. He truly helped them and cared for them. He ended up getting a persona and made it so all their dreams came true, but at the cost of their free will.

What makes this “villain” so well written and likable is he honestly was trying to help in his own way. He wanted them happy. Even the protagonists questioned if what they were doing was right.

Just like Silver and Sebek, the protagonist wondered if taking away this happiness was the right thing to do. And they fought back because it wasn’t right to take people’s will away.

But they never said that Maruki was wrong or evil, after all, he just wanted to help and heal the pain of others so they wouldn’t suffer. And in this case, you can see where Malleus and Maruki are similar.

Just like Maruki, Malleus doesn’t want his loved ones to cry and be in pain anymore. He is doing everything in his power just for that reason alone. It will cost him his life but at least they will be happy.

Can you really call him a villain then? When all he wanted was the happiness of his loved ones. Something that we all want?

I am curious to see how they end book 7 because in Persona 5, Maruki and the protagonist had a fist fight before both just fell exhausted.

When Maruki almost fell to his death, the MC saved him even as he begged to be let go.

I can see a similar take with Silver and Malleus. Both of them saving each other. One holding on and the other not letting go.

There’s a line that I think fit for both Malleus and Silver that Maruki told the MC.

“I said I’m done. Please let go of my hand.”

I can see Mallejs saying these lines to Silver, beaten and tired. He’s done. Everything he has tried was rejected by those he loved. He’s done, but Silver won’t let go.

“Your eyes are as bright and honest as ever. You keep your head up no matter what. I must have always been afraid that you and I wouldn’t wish for the same reality.”

Malleus telling Silver how bright and honest he is. How Silver has always done what is right. But Malleus was afraid, this entire time, Malleus was afraid of loss and being alone. How Malleus might have known that Silver would be the one to not want this perfect reality Malleus made.

And in time, he would be stopped. Thus, Malleus would also have to come to terms with his reality. Not only loosing Lilia, but all the future losses as well, and in the end, he would be alone as he always has been.

And it just?? Ahhh, just thinking about book 7 ending and the potential??? My heart hurts thinking about it. 😭💔

[Here's another post if you want to read more Twst x Persona]

[akechi-stole-my-heart]

a (relatively) minor (in that i'll usually tolerate it if the characterization is otherwise solid) pattern i see in fanon akechi is people writing him as if he is actually motivated by logic and reason when i assure you. his ass is Not Logical!!!

sure, he'll justify his actions by logic retroactively. he'll think what he's doing is logical and reasonable and will have a ready list of reasons why. but this man is motivated wholly by emotion. look at this creature who destroyed his entire life and moral code just to get revenge on one (1) man and tell me. with a straight face. that he did any of that because of logic.

akechi's emotionality extends to everything he does. it's what underlies pretty much every action he takes--just taking third sem for example, he despises maruki because he despises being controlled, not for logical reasons, but...because of his trauma with shido, in short. he'd back up his hatred of maruki with philosophical arguments, but that isn't the crux of it. and he doesn't distance himself from joker and the thieves because of logic, though he could justify it logically. it's because he can't emotionally stand being loved or cared about when he is dead. he doesn't feel he has the right to be on the team at all, let alone their friend.

this extends to a lot of small things too. for example, people writing akechi going to therapy post-canon. after all, he logically knows he's got a fucked up psyche and therapy helps, right? i think this can work, but going to therapy would not be an easy or simple choice for him. because he emotionally does not like the idea of accepting help or being vulnerable, even in a clinical setting--especially after maruki. if he did go to therapy, he'd absolutely have a ton of shame over it and try to keep it a secret.

in short, akechi's an emotional guy. he couches his choices in reason because he does want to think of himself as logical, but emotions are what drive him at the end of the day. and it affects characterization in a lot of tiny ways when people don't understand that about him.

[mioxeno]

My personal reading of Sumire Yoshizawa who I read as a lesbian who suffers with comphet and identity issues:

A big aspect of Sumire's character is the desire to live up to her parents's and society's expectations for her. Sumire struggles to reach those expectations and her identity starts to spiral and deteriorate overtime. Both before and after Kasumi's death, Sumire's self-deprecation hurts her in a way that she feels obligated into comparing herself to her 'normal' sister Kasumi, who is beloved by everyone. Based on Sumire's comments throughout the game before Kasumi's death, her parents focused all their attention on Kasumi because she was everything they desired out of a daughter. Popular, outgoing, gifted in everything they did together, everything Sumire wasn't. So Sumire tried to live up to their expectations by trying to be like Kasumi in everything, their hobbies, personalities, and even looks.

It's clear that beyond her issues with her family (which she downplays likely due to Sumire thinking she doesn't deserve better), Sumire was noted to be 'different' by others around her, and her parents just ignored it because it was likely more convenient for them not to bother and focus their attention onto Kasumi. Due to this, it made Sumire start to feel she doesn't deserve to live unless she was exactly like Kasumi. Kasumi's death just kick-starts her mental breakdown, and Maruki's rash decision to change her cognition to believe she was Kasumi likely prevented Sumire from taking her own life.

Sumire's 'crush' on Joker started during the period where she believed herself to be Kasumi. Kasumi was likely straight, as she was just a 'normal girl.' Sumire idealized herself to be in a desire to conform to society. The Sumire Joker interacted with for most of the game wasn't really Sumire but instead Kasumi, Sumire's attempt to conform to the society that The Phantom Thieves are trying to reform.

When Sumire's cognition of Kasumi is broken by Maruki during the 3rd semester, after Joker and Akechi went to confront him, she latches onto the love she formed while she was 'Kasumi' as a way to cope and latch onto the sense of normalcy she felt. It's due to this that she begins to believe she loves Joker. However, whether Joker accepts her confession or denies it, they part at the end of the game. It personally reads to me as a way of showing that the crush was namely 'Kasumi's' and not Sumire's.

Sumire has a long way to go with accepting herself at the end of the game. With her sexuality, herself, and starting to overcome the survivor's guilt she has over losing Kasumi. I personally believe she'll likely start to bond with Futaba slowly due to them being in the same year at Shujin Academy and likely learn to accept herself with Futaba's help given her own experience with identity issues and blaming herself for the death of a loved one.

In conclusion, I believe Sumire is a lesbian who represses her sexuality due to fear of it making her an outcast moreso than she's already treated by those around her. The game ends with her trying to accept herself and find her own identity independent of Joker or Kasumi in her own time.

[kroosluvr]

Ive been wondering lately, how would have P5 played out if Kasumi had failed to save Sumire. For all the times Sumi says or feels that Kasumi would be able to still succeed at Gymnastics and life through the pain, and wouldnt need as much help as she need...i feel like Kasumi would have been fucking destroyed emotionally.

Would she have really been able to move on more quicly like Sumire felt? Would she end up asking a similar wish as Sumire if she went to Maruki's counseling? Would she become friends with Joker and the Thieves like Sumi did?

You have such a deep understanting of Sumi, im curious to hear your thoughts on the other Yoshizawa

OMFGGG this is such a good concept.... i havent tried to get into kasumi's head that much but off the top of my head:

(under the cut bc its a bit long)

kasumi's love for gymnastics, surface-level, seems to run much deeper than sumire's love for it. i interpret sumire's love for gymnastics as more like "its because i did it with my sister that i really enjoyed/loved it" so since that was the main factor, when kasumi died, sumire drifted away from the sport (also due to traumatic factors but like yeah)

so i think, opposite to sumire, she would throw herself TENFOLD into the sport, and be more grating to herself if she failed: kind of pinning her entire identity on the sport (the way sumire did prior to her death) and basically she invests all of her time into gymnastics, because of the guilt and distress and sadness she feels, maybe if she's at the top-of-the-top, she can figure it out more.

SO LIKE she didn't move on any better than sumire did but she deals with it in an opposite way (in my headcanon)

thinking about it.. i don't think kasumi would wish to become sumire, but maybe she'd allude to something (i.e. i'm trying to become the best gymnast in the world but this guilt and sadness is holding me back) that maruki would take as "oh maybe if u forgot about sumire u'd be better off"

so that's something that's Just As horrific and jarring as literally becoming your dead sister, and it'd lead to like interesting moments like (interview) "so kasumi how are you coping with the loss of your sister" "ah, if you're talking about the loss of my latest competition, i just had a few mistakes with thsi apparatus but i'll be back in tip-top shape for the next one!" optimistic to a fault.. she glazes over anything that doesn't fit Her Reality.... everything goes back to her gymnastics

and i think, because of maruki's "intervention", it works! kasumi suddenly does rocket up to the top in gymnastics! that's something that's absolutely terrifying to kasumi when the delusion breaks: was i really willing to give up the beloved memories of my sister just to get an edge in gymnastics? would i really give it all up? did i really think i'd be better off without her?

it'd def be interesting if she befriended the thieves!!! i think her boisterous sort of personality and her intense, almost overwhelming dedication to her sport...... that confidant w akira seems interesting..... i think, at least, her sudden "switch" in terms of gymnastics prowess would draw media attention (kind of like the opposite of a mental shutdown... goro akechi ON THE CASE///SHOT DEAD)

but no like fr that'd be interesting if goro had a sort of "confidant" with her, trying to get to the bottom of the case abt dr. maruki.....

SORRY IF THSI MAKES NO SENSE I LITESRALLY JUST THOGUHT THIS UP JUST NOW. HEHE THANK U FOR THE ASK!!!

[symphonic-scream]

Okay.

New Arcana Swap

(tag for now is Transboy Haru I need a new name for this I know)

Anyways. It's been like 2 hours here's everything I have so far

So it's a Fool Haru au, but as a trans guy. He's been transitioning since the year before he started high school, and he's had top surgery. Now he's in his final year, and he's being shipped out to Tokyo after a summer in Juvi, all for something he didn't do

Toranosuke Yoshida as the Hierophant with Goro as the Hermit too it's. This ex politician who has been adopting these kids who's rich and important parents abandon them

Emperor Makoto. And then with Makoto, she's been "staying" with Kobayakawa as a pupil and StuCo Prez, and once he's confessed, she reaches out to her sister and returns home to live with Hanged Man Sae. She's sorta non-binary genderfluid? She doesn't have a term coined yet. But pronouns vary each day

Makoto: thanks, so much. For saving me, for helping me find my sister again, for accepting who I am, and- and for loving me,

Haru: oh, Mako dearest,

Makoto, crying: d-dont look at me like that, Loverboy. Just- let's hurry, the others are waiting

(in case you couldn't tell yet, this is Okujima)

Haru: hey why are you so close with that pharmacist?

Yoshida: oh, cause. I take pills?

It's cause Goro's on anti-psychotics lmao

It's how he so easily got Haru in with the counsellor Death Maruki

Maruki: yep, I see your files are completely true. So, I'll get you set up with your old regime of hormones

Haru: just like that?

Maruki: yep, but I also have to give you anger management sessions. Your parole demands it

Haru: ...I understand. Just, thank you. For understanding who I am

Chariot Shiho and Lovers Futaba, and the Temperance is Kanji-

Cause his husband is the Judgement and their wife is Fortune-

Moon Joker, Magician Ryuji (he's a lil lizard), Star Ann, Empress, uh, Yusuke?

Shiho a recovering amputee. She got in an accident that ended her volleyball career, but she's trying to not get too depressed about it

She cost them the national title. She ends up starting her training again to aim for the Paralympics, and manages the school team

Shiho: hey, why was Shit Head calling you a girl?

Haru: I, I'm trans,

Shiho: THAT BASTARD! Urgh, I'm so sorry, I know a teacher who'll help report that bullshit. I'm Shiho Suzui, school cripple. Nice to meet you, transfer boy

Haru: thanks, I'm Haru Yoshida. Thanks for not, freaking out on ke

Ryuji's a little bearded dragon in the real world

And MORGANA! He's like, Shinya's age? Human

He's playing the hero, trying to take down the Yakuza that ruined his family and left him alone, but he's young and scared, and the group saves him and he moves in with Yoshida too and he's like Haru's little brother

Goro: you're getting soft, old man.

Yoshida: maybe I am. Or maybe, I'm finally doing what I was meant to all along

He runs a homey beef bowl shop and Haru helps out, and Morgana sits at the counter slurping his noodles and Goro studies away in the back booth. Little family of three brothers

Goro: thanks for changing my heart, I guess

Futaba: no problem, man

Goro: ...I, feel like I need to tell you all. My mom was schizophrenic, and I've been being treated for it since Yoshida took me in. I, I'm gonna get myeds adjusted too. So I can be reliable for you all as navigator

Shiho: whatever you need to be yourself, and to be healthy

Haru: and if you end up like that again, we'll race back in and save you

It's shown in how his palace would change every other day. Like if you wait too long the infiltration route changes

Once he's doing better again, he gets back into school, and ends up in the other third year class with Makoto

Goro: your partner is a pain in my ass. They're making it hard to get that #1 spot

Haru: isn't my love so smart?

Goro: fucking gross. Bleh. I'm going to go watch a documentary on serial killers.

Toranosuke and his three sons, such a proud dad

Haru doesn't leave Tokyo at the end of the year. He gets formally adopted, and moves from the attic to the proper Yoshida house

Naoto: so. You're the leader of the Phantom Thieves?

Haru: ...what's it matter how I answer? They got their signed confession.

Naoto: I knew it, there was no way they'd have gotten a genuine one so quickly... Those bastards... Well, hopefully our chat can clear things up. Tell me, why'd you do it? How? The more I know, the better I can help you out

Naoto recognizes the boy from his husband's class roster, from his chats about the transfer boy that seemed to affect everyone around him

Naoto: so. Your dad kicked you out?

Haru: yes. Not for being a boy, he accepted that part of me. No, I caught on about some of his shadier business deals. So, he framed me for assault, disowned me. I got lucky, that Mr Yoshida agreed to house me, otherwise I would have probably ended up back in Juvi,

Okay this is getting too long so MORE UNDER THE CUT BUT WHAT DO YALL THINK LEMME KNOW

Okay. More

Shiho with her slight hobble cause of her prosthetic, and when she just *can't* wear it, she's on crutches, Like at the beach

She wears her leg to the beach, but takes it off when Makoto and Morgana egg her into running out to the water with them. Makoto loads her onto their back until they reach the water and then it's just. Splashing and fun

Goro's reading a book while Ryuji lies on a towel in the sun, soaking in the heat. Haru and Futaba are munching on popsicles and watching the others

Two Jokers

Moon is Akira, and Ren was in Shiho's role

They're Futaba's foster brothers. So that's why Futaba really wants to join up. To avenge Ren. And it's why Akira helps out

Futaba: hey, so Ren's awake. He's going to need physical therapy, but he's keeping all his parts. He's, also going to testify. He won't be returning to Shujin,

Akira: he's going to finish at Kosei. It'll be a better fit for him

Makoto, fluid, having more they or he days but still having she days. Masc she days, but still

Coloured bandanas around their upper arm for their different days. Now embracing their baby punk side

And smiling so much more, back home with their sister and able to be themselves with support, and having friends and a sweet boyfriend

Hifumi for the Faith and. Justice Kasumi and Sumire TRSUT ME

Haru: hey!

Makoto, wearing a dark red bandana: hey Loverboy, can I get a kiss?

Haru: course, love. How's my girl today?

Makoto: feeling great, Sis and I are going out tonight. She said you're welcome to join if you want? And then maybe come over after later to "study"?

Haru: how can I say no to you?

[flightofgoro]

📱 — @yoshizawaviolet (another one so sorry BUT i love this text message prompt so ehehehe FEEL FREE TO IGNORE AS WELL)

( goro – yoshizawa kasumi ) — Hello, Yoshizawa-san, I hope you are well. I was pleasantly surprised to see that you knew Kurusu-kun as well. I'm glad to have your point of view on the Phantom Thieves, it's quite interesting to talk about topics like this and see other people's perspectives. Next week, would you be able to go to Jazz Ji Message Deleted at 5:02 p.m. (goro deleted his initial message and just saved sumire onto his phone. she probably wouldn't receive it anyway with her crappy phone, he thinks.)

( goro – yoshizawa-san ) — Good morning, Yoshizawa-san. I apologise for the sudden invitation, but I was wondering if you'd like to come with me to Café Leblanc. Kurusu-kun works there, which I had not expected. Here I thought that he worked somewhere else? Hm, isn't that interesting? Well, let me know if you can come. Message Deleted at 8:35 a.m. (goro thought it was stupid.)

( goro – yoshizawa-san ) — Hello there, Yoshizawa-san. Apologies for the sudden message, but I wanted to know when I could see you perform. Message Failed To Send at 12:15 a.m.

( goro – yoshizawa-san ) — yoshizawa, we need to talk. come to the — Message Deleted at 7:54 a.m. (akira had already called sumire when goro was about to send the message. he decided to delete it since it'd be redundant.)

( goro – yoshizawa-san ) — apologies for the late message. i am aware that coming to the realization of a family member's death is hard. and being manipulated (by someone you believed was helping you, no less) into thinking you were your deceased sister is inhumane. but listen to me when i say that you need to think for yourself. you need to understand that you are your own person. you are not yoshizawa kasumi. you are yoshizawa sumire. she may be gone, but you're here. i'm sure she'd be proud. you can't let maruki manipulate you further into making you stay in this pathetic excuse of a reality. decide from your heart, not the heart that was forced into yours. Message Failed to Send at 1:28 a.m. (goro's phone died. instead of charging it, he let out an exhausted groan and fell asleep and forgot about the message.)

( goro – sumire ) — hey there, sumire. if i do not appear tomorrow, just know that i admired what you did for yourself. you overcame what you had thought was reality. you chose for yourself. you know who you are. i admire that. i wish i had time to see you perform as sumire. i hope you find happiness in what you pursue. if you continue to pursue gymnastics, be sure to do it with confidence in yourself. i will see you when we cross paths again. Message Sent at 11:37 p.m. (goro decided “fuck it” and decided to be sappy on his last day alive.)

[definedvines]

i get so tired of people saying that akechi is only alive in 3rd semester because akira wanted him alive, and therefore coming to the conclusion that akira is only happy in a world with him there, making it out to be that his state of happiness and entire being revolves around akechi. blegh, a thousand times over.

listen, i do love a lot about akechi but while so much of p5's writing is genius and brilliant in my opinion, akechi's and especially his parallels with joker are MESSY. even in royal it never felt like enough had happened for his little "death redemption" to really make sense or anything. but the writing sure tries to convince us that they're So Alike and akechi Totally Didn't Hate Joker and to me it comes off as contrived and rushed. it's totally fair to disagree but how i view this scene is the Phantom Thieves are overly empathetic, and give him the grace they haven't given palace rulers because he is their age, because he's been abused and manipulated like them, because they are guilty and regretful they couldn't turn him around in time, their one failure, because of the time they spent with him as friends if on a false basis, because of selfish feelings that he would absolutely hate to see.

3rd semester goro is wonderful, though, he is the same merciless person who acts for himself-- but this time fighting against control over him, rather than as a puppet. it's his choice in this world, he'd rather die a free man than live out what he desires inside (having a rather normal relationship with joker, a true friendship or what have you where they can just enjoy their time together) because then he'd become a shell with no rebellion, no will, fully under the hand of maruki. (it can be said it would likely not be possible to have this sort of regular, healthy relationship either, which adds on to the pile of horrific control... it wouldn't be true, but he'd be happy, wouldn't he?) but this time around he's got nothing to hide, and develops a little alongside the PTs, having a little romp with them before facing his fate.

and of course his life is a matter of contention because of the feelings i mentioned before: regret, guilt, empathy, what have you, and akira has strong feelings and care in this field, which is why akechi stalls its reveal. but here maruki also mentions it was his personal doing-- he intervened and brought akechi back to life with the help of these desires. and a true ending shows us an akira agreeing with akechi that this is a farse. that they must return to their true reality. that the worst may happen but it is best if they stay true. if they give everyone a chance to grow on their own and acquire their own strength. this is growth, because otherwise, it's selfish. otherwise, it's against both their resolves of justice. otherwise, akira's letting his feelings reach across and disrespect akechi's choices and AUTONOMY. which is against everything he's ever stood for!

anyways, to conclude there's a lot that goes into akechi's appearance in 3rd sem and there are far more implications as well as just general stuff in text than, "he was akira's wish and him being alive is his ideal reality." like that's a really dense and anti-nuanced way to put it. stuff goes into it on both their ends, not just joker's. it's explained in ways that aren't just yearning feelings, though for clarity i'm not against that being a factor. and, the Phantom Thieves are all involved in ways, too. i didn't go in depth but they all have stories in 3rd sem that are important to akira too! it's hard for him to choose a world where they've never suffered, but would be out of character for him to ultimately allow it, because their bonds, strength and growth over the game are what's most important, and central to the Phantom Thieves's personal core! thanks for your time!

[every-character-ever-poll]

TAKUTO MARUKI - Persona 5 Royal

PROPAGANDA (UNDER THE CUT):

The Persona fandom might pounce on me for this one, but Takuto is such a sweetheart! He's a cringefail malewife high school counselor! He's awkward, naive, and clumsy, he's the "how do you do, fellow kids?" meme. He's a great cook and he's always taking little sippy sips from his little apply juice box during his counseling sessions. That man sure loves his apples!

Takuto is the only adult in the game that's willing to support the teenage protagonist fully and enthusiastically from the get-go, no questions asked. He's tired and horribly traumatized but that won't stop him from trying to be a ray of sunshine for his students, all while repressing his own pain. He also goes out of his way to help total strangers. Basically he really thinks he needs to be the one giving and giving but never taking.

HOWEVER, he is not a pushover and this is important! He WILL speak up if he considers someone is being treated unfairly. He supports changing the system and believes in restorative justice for literally everyone except his One (1) sworn enemy which I think is funny.

Anyways, he might be a lovable dumbass but he is incredibly passionate about his research into cognitive psience. He could ramble on and on about it all day and I swear his eyes light up whenever you talk to him about it or show the slightest interest in it. You cannot convince me that man is neurotypical. Either way he seriously believes in his research's power to change the world for the better and will do ANYTHING to achieve it.

:)

[MAJOR SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ONWARDS] Sooooo if the protagonist helps Takuto with his research, he's eventually bestowed the power to rewrite the very fabric of reality with no warning! Of course, being who he is, Takuto decides to use this power to rid the world of pain, to erase everyone's memories of their trauma and bring their loved ones back from the dead, and create a reality that's easier for everyone according to himself!

My favorite thing about Takuto's writing as an antagonist is that his motivations never change. Yes, he goes to some fun and cool extremes to achieve his goal, but he never does anything for himself even now that he has the power of a god, and he still really believes he's only sacrificing himself for everyone else's happiness. He's a great example of thinking "the ends justify the means," and "the road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Even if the protagonist chooses to confront him, they both still respect and care about each other like they did before. Takuto is genuinely distraught when he hears the protagonist doesn't approve of his vision for the world, because he really does think this is all for the best. He's just brainwashing people to make them happy! He also has some cool religious symbolism going on. He's convinced that the universe chose him specifically to guide humanity into a better, happier world. He misses his wife, Tails. He is perfect.