#and that missing part is Crucial bc otherwise it looks kind of like some sort of vague dick joke lmao

[neganium]

I'm sort of sorry for posting so much about the Willy Wonka thing, but in my defense, it is very funny. Literally Dashcon but almost Worse, Somehow.

[trainerbede]

HOPE PLEASE TALK ABOUT P5R I need to know how you feel about akechi at the end yudkdkfk and I'd also just love to hear your thoughts about the game and the characters in general! also, just to make sure, do you know what you need to do to unlock the extra content at the end of the game? otherwise you might miss it.

WAIT WAIT I was answering your other ask and I never saw this one. what. tumblr straight up did not send me an ask notification 😭

CELE AND I DID ACTUALLY FINISH P5R A FEW WEEKS AGO AND I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS, we unlocked all the extra content too, so no worries. somehow on a first try we managed to do most things: every Mementos request, all of the confidants with some free time to spare, and about 80% of the compendium. it'll be hard to put all my thoughts in one post but I'll try and just touch on the main parts!

first of all. Akechi. lmao. I definitely went in expecting to like him, since I've had a lot of mutuals who were very big into shuake from the time I've been into saiou and v3 (I guess they're ship-in-laws of a sort). I wasn't disappointed, because I did like Akechi quite a lot by the end, but I was a bit surprised that he didn't quite give me brainworms the way I expected him to.

if I had to give a character ranking, I think Sumire would be my top fave, followed by Maruki, and then Yusuke. Akechi probably comes right after him, and then I have a harder time ranking the rest (it's probably either Ann or Haru though).

I'm really, really glad we played Royal bc I cannot imagine only playing the original and being satisfied with that. especially when the Shido parts were so frustrating and had some of the weaker writing compared to the rest of the game. the 3rd semester was just such a better way to wrap things up and did a world of good for Akechi's character and fleshing him out a bit.

I really do find the relationship between Akechi and the MC so interesting. like, while I don't think Akechi will ever be quite as high up on my list of characters the way someone like Ouma is, I do think he shines best when it's as a foil for the protagonist. all of that resentment and feeling like things could have been so different if only he'd had the same opportunities or friendships, the whole "two sides of the same coin" thing, I LOVE that sort of thing in my ships. I also really wound up attached to the idea of the royal trio as an ot3 where Sumire and Akechi both just share the MC most of the time, lmao.

everything with the 3rd semester bad ending... I love it so much, those kind of "ideal worlds where something is actually very off and unsatisfying" is right up my alley. I kind of wish the game had gone even further with making the rest of the phantom thieves resist leaving Maruki's world and even getting mad at being told to doubt their own happiness, which was something they apparently touched on in some of the discarded voice files, but then they sadly cut them out and everyone came around pretty easily :(

the main reason I put Yusuke in my top 3 earlier I think is bc he actually gave me more of what I was initially looking for in Akechi's relationship with Shido, but with Madarame instead. I really was expecting the game to touch a lot more on Shido manipulating Akechi or essentially forcing him to become an assassin, you know, really focusing on the whole "kids trapped in their role in society by rotten adults" theme that is so crucial in the game, but there really wasn't... much of that? Shido didn't even know Akechi was his son (other than maybe some suspicions according to his cognitive self, but those didn't ever amount to anything so it's kind of the same) so he barely ever interacted with him outside of an employer-employee context. and Akechi was the one to actually approach him with the idea of murdering people in the Metaverse, so it's like... fkskjdjs agh, everything with Shido just really does frustrate me, I feel like he's got such weak writing but he's also impossible to ignore bc he's such an important part of the game.

meanwhile Yusuke and Madarame's relationship was such a more believably complex picture of abuse and manipulation (it reminded me a lot of Bede and Rose from swsh, lmao). I was actually really shocked at how well everything about the Madarame arc aged; usually Persona games have a few parts of them that don't age well at all, but it was totally the opposite here.

I had kind of gone through the early parts of the game back when it first came out without finishing the whole thing, but I remember thinking at the time that the whole Madarame plagiarism thing felt heavy-handed and too on-the-nose. now, living in an era where topics like art theft and plagiarism and art as nothing more than a soulless means of spitting out money is more relevant than it was 7 years ago... yeah, the Madarame arc just felt surprisingly relevant overall, and Yusuke's conflicting feelings of love and obligation vs. his growing awareness that he's being taken advantage of and seen as a tool was just the icing on top. also his autistic swag. I love him.

as for Sumire and Maruki—the game is so much better for them being in it. Sumire has one of the strongest arcs in any of the 3 "modern" Persona games, not just in 5. I'm usually a firm advocate for "girl they added in the remake game" supremacy (Marie p4g got done so dirty by the fandom and I'll never forgive people, she's a good character), so I was so, so happy that Sumire had such an interesting backstory and complicated relationship with her sister. her identity issues, her struggle with self-confidence, the way she can empathize the best with Maruki's view of the world bc she has also wished to just bury her head in the sand and run away. I love her.

meanwhile Maruki truly is the game's saving grace as an antagonist. Shido was god-awful and Yaldabaoth was, hmm... fine but not quite as interesting or compelling as either Nyx Avatar or (redacted p4 antagonist names bc I don't know if you've played p4 yet), but Maruki wipes the floor with all the other p5 antagonists. his tragic motivations, his fucked-up "I know best" attitude that dismisses human free will and autonomy, I love it. I think something about Maruki altered me and Cele's brains forever, lmao. also the choice to have him as yet another foil to the MC, from their designs (glasses, messy hair, sort of slouched/nondescript posture) to their inability to leave someone in trouble alone without helping them... it's just so interesting. I love you Takuto Maruki you messed-up man with a savior complex.

ANYWAY these were most of my thoughts 😭 I could go on and on even more but I've already rambled a lot! I'm still so mad Tumblr never sent me the message notif for this, I just looked back at my inbox after answering the other one and I was like. WHAT. at some point I really should talk about all my thoughts on the other main phantom thieves too but there are so many of them and I've already written so much fksjsksjsj

[delsinsrowes]

For you, what would Connor/Reader fluff look like?

entire like fuckin’ half fic under the cut bc i started listing things and then made those things into a giant linear thing instead of a list

ok so like just imagine this being written better and following the storyline of 1. Connor sees that him and the reader work well together 2. Omg connor is like…. .. . wanting to get close to the reader and hear their laugh and understand what makes them want to get out of bed in the morning???? Hmmm 3 the reader getting hurt, connor feeling terror for their life, and for once, not having any rational plan on how to fix it. 4 connor bringing this up with hank and hank just being like, “ur one of the smartest things on this godforsaken planet and you don’t understand how infatuation works????” 5. Connor bein like, :O omg I like the reader wtf howsmt in the world do I do this I am not programmed for courting 6. (this is my fave part and would be something I would really love to write if I did an actual fic) connor goes to a sex club and hires a lady just to teach him how to flatter women bc it is NOT in his program and since his deviation he has no idea about ANYTHING 7. He does it, the reader and him are in like with one another 8. The sex

After the revolution started (or ended, you still can’t tell which) police stations across the nation started hiring more and more officers and investigators to help carry the load of human on android crimes that were now legal to file. You got hired at the Detroit precinct – you were a shiny new member of the Android Crime Investigation team. This new team, while encompassing all crimes involving androids, focused on murders or assault with android involvement (whether that be a human killing an android or vice-versa).

          Your background in criminal investigation and forensics made you think you were almost overqualified for this job. However, all those thoughts leave your mind as you walk in on your first day you come face to face with the small team you’d be working with. You first saw an older man with grey hair pacing back and forth within the small room you’d been told was still “a work in progress,” by a human officer showing you around. You stand outside the room for a few beats too long and hear footsteps approaching behind you.

“Hello.” When you turn around to see who the voice belongs to you’re met with curious brown eyes peering down at you. “I’m Connor, the lead investigator for the Android Crime Investigation team, I assume you’re (y/n).” A small smile graces his otherwise expressionless face.

You give a nervous exhale that sounds almost like a laugh in return. “Yeah, that’d be me. I --uh, I didn’t know I’d be working with someone as significant as you when I got offered this job.” You realize that your phrasing was very casual for the first meeting with a superior and quickly try to backpedal.

“What I mean is, I’m aware of you and your work. I’m sure everyone is at this point. Your role in the revolution was… amazing.” You give him a shy but sure smile, which he returns. You notice the way his eyes change when he smiles. It’s nice, there’s a sense of comfort that lingers within your chest before he speaks again.

“Thank you. That’s very kind. I appreciate the effort you’ve put into the investigations assigned to you at your previous workplace. Your proficiency is why you’re the first person Lieutenant Anderson and I hired to assist us in this project.” Connor begins ushering you into the small room as he finishes his sentence, giving you no time to properly react to his praise. When the two of you enter, the man you’ve now learned is Lieutenant Anderson glances your way.

You notice three small desks placed in the room with papers strewn on top of them. The television spanning the eastern wall projects files on who you assume are those being investigated, you watch as it flickers between names and information.

“Hank, this is (y/n). As of today, she will be working with us.” The man gives you a weak smile. He looks exhausted and overwhelmed, you guessed that the desk littered with empty paper coffee cups belonged to him.

“Welcome to the dream team. As I’m sure you can tell we’re counting on you to make this,” he gestures faintly to the room around you, “a little less of a shit show.” Hank leans down on his desk turning his attention to the mountains of paper he’s been painfully trying to will away.

“Babysitting two grown men is not something I have experience with, but I’m not known for turning down a challenge.” Without making eye contact with either one of them you walk over to one of the desks – the one with the least clutter and sit, idly glancing at some loose paper before looking over to Hank.

He’s smiling a genuine smile when you meet his eyes. “Good to know you have somethin’ resembling humor. With him its all work and no play. Makin’ fun of him gets old after a while.” The two of you share a light chuckle as you hear Connor begin to shuffle files on his desk.

“He claims it gets old, yet he continues to berate me.” You don’t miss the smile in his voice when Connor speaks. You supported the revolution and never really saw the androids as just plastic imitating humans, yet it still takes you by surprise how warm androids were. Connor seems especially human due to the small mannerisms he possesses and the cadence that his voice holds.

Connor hands you a small stack of files, his voice taking on a different, more serious tone. “We currently have 12 open investigations. 9 of 12 cases are murders of androids by humans filed within the past 3 months. Due to the recent changes in the criminal law concerning androids, our authority over these cases is never guaranteed. We are operating in a grey area right now, so treat every case with caution, adhering to the law as closely as possible is crucial to our department.” You nod your head in agreement, your mind now focused on the task at hand.

“I say we begin with cases where evidence can be easily collected. The more abstract claims, like this one,” you flip the paper outwards on your desk showing the information inside, “an android tasked with taking care of a family – the Fletcher’s, was bought before the uprising and refused to work after. A death in the family is being blamed on the android, they’re claiming negligence. We can’t confidently arrest anyone in this situation due to the android laws concerning what is now ���work’ or what was then slavery hasn’t been settled. Today our verdict of not guilty could just as easily change tomorrow. Murders based on hostility with clear motive need to be dealt with first, as it seems they’ll hold up even after laws are changed.” You brought your hand up to your mouth as you thought.

You didn’t notice the look Connor was giving you. It was filled with admiration and determination. He knew bringing you onto the team would help both men stay on task. You had a clear reputation for getting things done no matter the severity of the situation. Connor was good at analyzing, excelling in tasks that offered a clear objective, and Hank worked well on the fly. Together, they did well out in the field where there was little waiting around. In the office, however, they both got antsy, too focused on finding whatever would lead them towards ending the investigation.

Since his deviation from his programming Connor has been finding his job… irritating at times. He still enjoys fulfilling a task and succeeding in his field, however, he likes being outside, looking for clues and stimulating his mind. Writing reports and being tucked away was part of the job but he understands the definition of menial labor now. He also understands its one of the few things he’s come to dislike.

He speaks up, pulling you away from your thoughts on where the investigation should start. “This is the proficiency I was mentioning before. I agree with your assessment of the situation. I’ll go and make copies of these files, then we’ll begin sorting them by priority.” Before Connor can take the files you quickly scoop them up and stand from your desk.

“Actually, I can do that. I’ll start filing them while I make copies, you two can work on sorting assessment profiles. Everything should start feeling more organized once we do that.” Peering between the two men you begin to feel nervous when they both say nothing. “Oooor not?” You tilt your head to the side slightly as a way of questioning them.

Hank is the first to speak up, “Nah that’s fine with me. Anything to make this fuckin’ job easier.”

You nod, letting yourself out of the room and to the copier, stealing a glance at Connor before exiting.

As soon as you’re out of the room Hank glances over to Connor, still looking down at the papers (y/n) sprawled out on their desk. “So, what do you think of our newest recruit?” His voice gruff with exhaustion.

“I think she’s quite skilled in her area. They’re able to adapt to new situations and provide–"

“No, I mean, what do ya think of her?” Connor evaluates Hank’s question for a long while. His face distorted, flickering between concentration and confusion before finally answering.

“She’s nice. I haven’t known her for a long enough time to properly evaluate my feelings. However, I do look forward to having her presence here, both for the benefit of work and personally. They’re… intriguing. Most people here, even after my effort to get relations between humans and androids as peaceful and diplomatic as possible, are hostile towards me. However, (y/n) seems to care a great deal about the work they do. It’s a change of pace.” Connor stopped himself there. He wanted to say more. Wanted to talk about what he was feeling, the utter fascination that settled deep within his chest, but he was still trying to separate his programmed ‘emotions’ from his true feelings. In addition, he still had a job to do; he didn’t want to find himself too off track. He was, after all, still a professional being hired to complete a mission.

Hank smiles, noticing the small jab that Connor threw his way. “Well, I like her. No evaluatin’ needed. Don’t want to piss her off though, she seems like the type that would be sweet until things got serious. I want my name as far away from her shitlist as possible.” He put his hands behind his head looking over to Connor, wanting to probe just a little further on his feelings, but deciding against it after seeing his LED flash red.

Following his line of sight, Hank saw that Connor was glancing over in your direction through the large glass doors. He smiles knowingly.

“Hey, kid! Focus up.” Hank’s voice carried throughout the room, making Connor look in his direction. A neutral look on his face, as his LED slowly turns yellow, and then blue before answering.

“Of course Lieutenant, I apologize.” Shaking his thoughts away from you, Connor begins to sort through files on his desk, looking for any reason to make the warmth in his chest dissipate. He didn’t know these feelings -- the ones that he could only assume resembled an ache, but he did know that you were the source and that only confused him more.