#black mask/codename crow

[the-silver-peahen-residence]

~~Facility Ruins~~

"So many. I'm so happy for you Tae. I always knew you would make wonderful life friends. I really can't wait to meet them." Mr. Seon smiled petting her head but blinks hearing that. "Ah right of course. I think I should." he laughed rubbing the back of his head.

~~~~

"Your welcome Ink I didn't mind and all of us are happy things are safe again." He smiled knowing it was over. No more bugs and it seems life was returning back. It will take time to heal and rebuild but it was going to be alright now.

~~Timeskip: A few days later~~~

A full recovery is going on right now in Tokyo or from what Ren and the guys heard when seeing the news in the Leblanc Cafe seeing everything was big news right now. A few was the following:

*About 23,000 anti-Pro heroes were arrested and sent to jail for life.

*Blitz was sentence to life in prison of 100 years for creating a pandemic of her quirk and hurting millions all over Tokyo, Yokohoma, and New York City. That tells the boys she'll die there.

*Lost documents were found regarding old cases and thanks to that, it seems Mr. Seon was proven innocent and clear of all charges for false crime. A public appology was given to him in regards towards it.

*They even cleared the charges of Hana, Yoshi, and Kune so they were safe and recovering right now in the hospital.

"Seems things have been busy." Ryuji mutters eating something to see Yusuke drinking something to agree.

"Well, you know how it is. With everything being fixed over, others are recovering. I just hope our friends are doing alright after the last time we heard from them."

~~Facility Ruins~~

Deku was happy to see that things were alright again but he saw the tears on Ink’s cheeks. He didn’t know but something tells him he was happy for everyone being safe and sound again. That tells things are starting to get back to normal even if it’s going to be a slow recovery.

~~~~

“I believe you but you always had a good heart Tae. I’m happy even more that you made such kind yep protective friends. I should thank them for helping you and being there for you.” he smiled then remembers. “Hana and Kune are in the hospital?” Ah that was right, from before when he figured they were recovering even seeing Yoshihiro being safe.

“Well, I know they will be happy to see you safe and even Hana too..”

~~~~

“Yes, we are alright Gerald. Glad to see you all are too.” Joker smiled with his group nodding. “Thanks to this, everything is good again..”

“Yeah, we did it!” Skull grins with a smile and Fox nodding. However as Hellmare said this, they knew that was their cue to leave.

“Seems so. Seems our work here is done. Come on guys, lets go before they start asking questions. “He turns to see everyone leaving but Joker looks to the DBT but gives a two finger salute to say bye.

"Till next time you guys…” he smiled happy to know Ink was afe too before rushing off before the police noticed.

[kroosluvr]

look at my royal trio dawg im cooked

( joker and crow swap au, normal outfits here! )

notes???

crow feels a little "wild west" to me which is funny and i kinda like it... (i was about to add spurs to his boots but didnt bc ok maybe THAT doesnt make sense KFSHKDAJ) maybe its not 100% "crow"-like but its bird of prey vibes i think??!?! i like it heh. also added in the black ribbon so the carry over to sumire makes sense! (also since shujin!goro in this au has his hair up until 3rd sem rolls around) and kept princekechi's white gloves.. adds a kind of classy vibe i think with the other "rustic" ness of the outfit

JOKER (throws tomatoes at him) clown aesthetic joker my beloved. his mask is silly and half of it kinda hugs his cheek and the other flares out, kinda like a masquerade mask? and ofc his outfit is very bright white and flashy... and he keeps that kinda swept hair style. ofc he is a massive show-off and loves drawing attention... always flourishing his fluffy cape and all that. oh yeah keeping the red gloves was important to me O_O i think it adds to his clown-ness too.......

black mask: keeps the "half on" cloak look (though it's a tattered coat instead) and the cloak is attached to his bodysuit with red threads. marionnette kinda... alluding to how he's a puppet.... also callback to orig. black mask's stripes the way they crisscross over his costume (and also his 13290573928 belts). only half of it has the checkered pattern btw, like his joker outfit. the mask itself takes shape from satanael's horns! and the red star-like "choker" is from satanael's halo. same w the sillay little bat wings on the back of his booties. i think akira as black mask is way more showy than goro is, so the bright red on him makes sense i think?

violet <3 MY SPECIALEST GIRL i think codename rose for her is cheeky and cute. in my head since crow names himself / is named after the birdlike patterns of his outfit he volunteers the name rose for her based off the rose on her hip as well as her rose-like leotard/dress. also included some subtle callbacks to crow's outfit!

the true awakening violet design is smth i made up a while ago, and is also my true awakening alt design for like. canon violet. but the gold bits r silver now THATS IT BASICALLY i think the colorscheme is very serene and swanlike.. very elegant classy and suits her i think!!!

also this is all subject to change bc i highkey made half of this up at 6am yesterday night teehee bonk. LOVE ROYALTRIO FOREVER

ADDITIONALLY theres a lot of 4-point star/diamond shape patterns and that is because it is my crutch. SO SORRY. LKDSFJKLS459034902590

[primrosepurple234]

I just realized something amazing about the two animals that are used to represent Chris and Jill.

-Chris in the modern games (RE8) is associated with wolves, pack animals who are fiercely loyal and protective of the others in their pack(family), this fits Chris to a T. His codename also alludes to this, the Alpha of the pack is normally the wisest and most experienced of the pack, the one who protects.

-Jill is associated with birds, more specifically, crows/ ravens. For the sake of this idea, I will use ravens. Ravens are very intelligent, mysterious birds. Their symbology often associates them with death, wisdom, and ill omen. Which works for how she's seen in Re5, Sheva and Chris often see this lady in a black bird mask, almost taunting them with bad events to come.

-together, ravens and wolves have a symbiotic relationship, ravens telling wolves where dead animals are through their calls. These animals will even play together, with ravens creating special bonds with individual wolves in the pack.

[morpheusic]

lonan, the black bird: childe

main focus: childe/ajax - post abyss childe, pre + post! harbinger childe warnings: depictions of injuries, mentions of death, trauma (childe), unrequited love/onesided feelings, jealousy, age gap (reader's age isn't specified, childe is much younger than the reader), slight canon divergence, Damslette/Columbina mentions, implied Columbina x reader, reader is referred to as lonan; codename short story - teaser/prolougue: living enigma next part: a monster from hell notes: First post after half a year that's crazy 😭😭

He spent three months down there, and yet when he returned- only three days had passed since his disappearance.

Ajax remembers it all clearly.

He remembers the panic and terror etched on the faces of his mother and father when he came back to their home, a living enigma. They practically all over him. He remembers his mother's tight embrace as she cried, tears falling onto him while his father's voice was raised, a mix of anger, panic, sadness and relief. He remembers hearing his mother's whispers, thanking the seven for returning their son home- despite the amount of scars on his skin. He remembers his father's lecture while he tended to his wounds, hearing his whispers that were filled with confusion on how his son had gotten so many scars despite only being gone for three days.

He remembers the week after that, how his mother commented that he wasn't as shy as he used to be, that lately he's more competitive, more out-going, more...

"aggressive."

He remembers the hesitance in his mother's voice, how it seemed like she didn't want to say it all. He remembers the bead of sweat that rolled down her face when she said it, the look on her face and his father's silence. He remembers the joke his sister made to break the silence, and the laughter that followed along with it.

He'd never forget the look in his father's eyes during that day.

He remembers when his father first enlisted him into the fatui, in hopes the military would hone his temper and tendency to pick fights. And instead, it ended in a mere child who they saw as inexperienced toppling grown men who had been training for years. Amidst the chaos, Ajax remembers locking eyes with a man who was watching him. He remembers when he was approached by the same man with a distinctive nose, who gave him a warm smile. He recognized him, one of the harbingers. "Your skills are impressive." He said.

And for just a second, Ajax's eyes strayed away from him, landing on a figure who walked in the background. He remembers the figure he saw, walking around with a crow mask on their face, accompanying a short woman who had feathers in her hair, humming a faint tune. "Ajax?"

Pulcinella's voice brought his attention back to him, and his eyes quickly shifted back to the man in front of him. He watched as Pulcinella continued whatever he was saying, knowing his eyes couldn't help but look back at that same figure, interest piqued.

Who was that?

[meloriri]

AKECHI GORO — PERSONA 5 NAME ANALYSIS

Major p5r spoilers, minor “The Boy Detectives Club” spoilers.

First and foremost, I’m starting with Akechi because I thought his name was the most obvious, so I know the references in his name better. I will be making a post about Joker too, and hopefully more if I find enough material.

Akechi, meaning wisdom and intellect, Goro meaning “Fifth son.”

You might think that it was smart of the persona devs to name him Akechi for this reason, but it actually goes far deeper than that. (There’s reason for the name Goro too!)

(i promise this is relevant) Edogawa Rampo is a Japanese author who is highly important to mystery and thriller genre. He lived through the 19th-20th century and wrote many books considered classics.

Being a mystery writer, of course Edogawa had a main detective character. Known in the stories as “Japan’s greatest detective” is Akechi Kogoro, a private investigator inspired by Sherlock Holmes. That being said, naming your detective character “ Akechi” is pretty much equivalent to naming your detective character “Holmes.” Funny, right?

Akechi Kogoro is undeniable a genius, but quite eccentric. (For any BSD fans, the character Rampo is somewhat based off of Kogoro!) He appears in MANY of Edogawa’s books, as well as Edogawa’s juvenile fiction series, The Boy Detectives Club. Kogoro is a master of disguise, particularly good at disguising as young women. (Perhaps explaining Goro’s more typically effeminate appearance?)

Of course, Akechi Goro in Persona 5 is inspired by Akechi Kogoro, but it goes farther than that! I believe Goro is specifically based off of Kogoro in “The Fiend Of Twenty Faces,” the first book in Edogawa’s juvenile fiction series. The fiend of twenty faces is a gentleman thief based off of Arsène Lupin. I don’t want to spoil his name, So I’ll be calling the gentleman thief Kichi. Kichi and Kogoro have a relationship of mutual respect despite being rivals. Kichi is particularly well known for a character inspired by him, that character being Joker from Persona 5. I’d say Kichi is a notably worse person considering he threatened a group of ten year olds, but thats another story.

I won’t get too into whatever Kichi has going on since that’s more related to Joker than Goro, but you get the idea. Initially however, Kichi was going to be called “The phantom thief of twenty faces” but it was ruled out because… It wasn’t appropriate enough for kids..? Regardless, Joker and Goro are clear parallels to Kichi and Kogoro, from Mutual respect to their rather dramatic rivalry.

SECTION TWO - Akechi Goro & Akechi Mitsuhide

Goro’s name holds a genius double meaning — The other being historical figure Akechi Mitsuhide. Considering this is based on reality rather than fiction, this part may be a bit disturbing. I’ll be using Goro for Akechi Goro and Akechi for Akechi Mitsuhide, because it feels wrong to use his given name.

PS: Im a random canadian teenager, Please tell me if i got any history wrong!!!

Akechi was a samurai in the Sengoku period, but also a grand traitor. Best known as Oda Nobunaga(One of the three great unifiers of Japan)’s killer. Akechi was Oda’s bodyguard, but rebelled against him and forced him to commit seppaku, which is essentially suicide. Goro’s use of mental shutdowns is likely a reference to this, as is his rebellion against the Phantom Thieves.

SECTION THREE - Crow, Kuro, and Karasu.

Goro’s codename “Crow” is pronounced in Japanese as “Kuro”, which is “coincidentally” also the word for black. Because of this, as soon as the Black Mask was mentioned (i had already been spoiled on Goro’s codename) I immediately knew it was going to be him.

Crows represent misfortune and death, but also self-reflection and intelligence.

And finally, something that was most likely unintentional but I found funny nonetheless. When Akechi first teams up with the Phantom Thieves, he suggests his codename be “Karasu”, meaning crow. The other members suggest Crow instead since they all have english codenames. The first time (I think?) Joker is given an official name is in a spin-off manga, in which they call him Akira Kurusu. It probably means nothing, but I found the idea of codename Karasu working with Kurusu pretty funny, so I decided to mention it anyway.

That’s all I caught on to!! Let me know if I got anything wrong :)

[dc-sideblog]

Tim Drake redesign compilation

[id: five images. The first is Tim as Red Hawk in a red and black bodysuit with a huge gold bird emblem on the chest that extends down his under arms. He has red knee pads and boots. His cape is shuttered like wings, red on the upper part with gold tips on the bottom. The next image is a take on his fanon Blackbird design, but with spiraling gloves and orange boots. The third image is him as Reverse from my Batkids age reversal au. He has a cape that hooks on the side with a brooch and three cascading dots, and is wearing a belted, double breasted shirt. There are also three descending dots on his hip. The shirt, the dots, and the underside of his cape are white. His utility belt is gray. Everything else he is wearing is black. The fourth image is of Tim as the Red Dragon from my Batman-less batfamily au. He has huge spiked shoulder pieces and a purple to red gradient cape, with rods in it to look like a dragon's wing. He has sectioned and gradient gloves and boots. There is a lot of gold accents. He has a gold utility belt and further utility wraps around one arm and one leg. His suit is mainly black with large red and small purple sections. The final image is a design of Tim using the codename Crow. Tim is in a mainly black body suit with green, blue, and purple accents, creating a slight iridescent effect. He is holding his bo staff and has a gold belt. His mask covers the entire top half of his face. His hair is pulled into a half bun.]

[p5x-theories]

Just For Fun: Differentiating Separate Units

So far I’ve done a lot of theorizing that there will eventually be multiple units for the same character, at least for Phantom Idols.  Nothing confirmed yet, but fun to speculate about.  But if they do go this route they might want to differentiate the units a bit.

I’ve suggested a new metaverse outfits before.  This would be an immediate, obvious difference that would make it clear that there’s a new thing being sold.  And even if they’re also selling skins they could lock having the new skin to having the new unit.  Maybe you’ve pulled you favorite character and you’re happy with them, but if you want their cool new outfit you have to pull for the new version.

But if they wanted to differentiate the characters even further maybe they could also give the units different names.  This would make it clear what specific unit you’re referring to, which would be important when discussing gameplay.

And they might not even need to come up with new names from scratch, some of the rejected codenames from the base game could work.  Like “Rider”, a rejected suggestion for Queen, could work for a unit that uses her Agnes Persona.  And there are characters with different aliases due to localization like Navi/Oracle and Risechī/Risette, both could be used for separate units.  Or remember my suggestion to use official but non-canon names as codenames?  “Minato” could have Orpheus and “Sakuya” could have Messiah.  And the kanji used for “Akira” means dawn, which would match up well with Satanael because the Devil is often called the Morning Star.

Just to lay it out by example: if there were three Akechi units for his three Personas “Crow” would use his prince outfit and Robin Hood, “Black Mask” would wear the dark suit and have Loki, and “Karasu” would use Hereward and have a brand new outfit.  (I know I talk about this character a lot despite him not properly appearing in P5X, but he’s an easy example to bring up when discussing multiple units.)

Huh, yeah, that’d be interesting! I could also just see them making it “Prince” Crow, “Black Mask” Crow, etc. like, nicknames/modifiers in front of their codenames? Might be a little simpler than fully new codenames... or maybe not, I dunno, haha.

[justwritesstuff-xox]

Bandori x Persona 5 Crossover

Title: Moca enjoys giving Ran a migraine

A.k.a Aoba Moca joins the Phantom Thieves as its newest member, Hun Gree. Ran becomes Moca's Knight in Shining Armor, with an impending migraine happening. Moca just want to have fun.

Moca becomes a persona user. Hence saying, all kinds of chaos ensues. It now becomes the same as always as for the last four weeks, Moca has been joining Ran in Mementos, fighting against shadows. Ran couldn't lie, they are a great team, they have known each other for years. The trust is always there. But now that's the thing, since Moca is now a persona user, Ran has to tell the rest of the Phantom Thieves. 

That's the problem, she wasn't sure how to explain the situation to them. She didn't really tell them about herself. Another part is that Moca is a little shit. Something that Ran noted even from the day she met her. Hence, how can Ran explain about Moca, and how can she try to tell them without being in trouble. It's been a week since Himari went home, Ran and Moca have started to do self rehearsal for the revival of the band. At first their guitar skills need improvement, and Ran usually sings in Mementos. Although, everytime she sang, especially in Mementos, it made her feel strong. 

Yes, She and Moca trained together in mementos, leveling up their personas and improving themselves. They have mastered their version of teamwork. Even her fellow Phantom Thieves have noted that Ran has become powerful. Although, that made Ran flustered in embarrassment. Anyways, it was after rehearsal. The Phantom Thieves wanted to do a meeting, and Ran thought it would be alright for her to introduce Moca. When Moca knows the plan, she chuckles, she gets to do a surprise prank, in which Ran is not amused. 

Anyways, it ends up as a Mementos mission. Ran couldn't introduce Moca, but Moca seemed to know what to do. Everyone was now on Mementos as they got themselves ready to fight the shadows. Mementos is a grim place according to Ran, a dark and red combination with an eerily scary feeling. She was always nervous when visiting this place. Akira-kun seemed to know as he smiled, although he suddenly felt calm. 

They got ready, and drove around Mementos. The Phantoms Thieves fought the Shadows who were in the way. Going down deep the levels. But luck wasn't always by their side, as a reaper lurks underneath. 

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶

Aoba Moca, with her preferred codename, Melonpan, was currently in her metaverse form. Her outfit, inspired by mostly the cyberpunk version of her band outfit, made her different from the dark views of mementos. What was Moca doing here? She wanted to train herself, after all, no matter what, she wanted to be on Ran's side no matter what. Moca felt something weird, her gut telling her something weird is going to happen. Then a young man with a crow mask came out of nowhere. Moca pulled out her spatha, as if her body was controlling her by instinct, telling her to stay on guard. 

“What are you doing here?” The black crow asked. That made Moca confused, but she was in the mood to play with the guy.

“Who~?” Moca playfully said. 

“What are you doing here?” He asked once more, getting madder. 

“You don't have to get mad, I was just wandering around here~” Moca shrugged lazily, “Melonpan-chan just being curious~”

“Do you even know how dangerous it is here?” the guy hissed. 

Moca just shrugged. The man sighs, he was still pissed of course, or is he naturally that pissed, “I will leave you here. . .idiot,” The guy disappeared.

“What a weird guy~” Moca said loudly, as she walked in front. Moca was lucky she hadn't gotten killed yet. . .wait. A familiar chain sound, it gets louder every second. Moca looked at her back, and the reaper was Infront of her.

“Yabai~” Moca's eyes widened. 

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶

Mitake Ran had a bad feeling. As a Phantom Thief, these bad feelings are a norm, especially when it comes to predicting future battles. Even as a vocalist, these feelings help her be able to navigate, to create the greatest concerts. But this dread, it felt like something is going to happen to someone she knows and cares to the very end. “Moca. . .” She thought. She was at the level, and everyone was getting ready, before she heard Oracle said, “There's a reaper up ahead, wait, it's attacking someone,”

Ran didn't know any persona users, except. . .no. her eyes widened, she pulled out her Katana, before running to the direction told by Oracle. 

“Scarlet!” Joker exclaimed. Ran (Scarlet) looks at him as she runs, “No time to explain, I'm helping her out,”

The Phantom Thieves joined Scarlet without hesitation. The amount of trust, especially to her. She didn't realize it at first. But it'll someday give warmth to the Vocalist of Afterglow. 

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶

Aoba Moca was fighting for her life. Summoning her persona to create an attack, while slashing the Reaper. It was fast, agile, and Moca wouldn't be able to stand a chance alone. She needed back-up. “Ran. . .” She felt herself wanting to scream as she fought on her own. “Scheherazade. . .Triple Down!” Moca summoned her persona. 

But she was injured, everything hurts. She fell to the ground, on her knees as she bore her spatha. She was breathing heavily, but in her mind, she thought of one thing. 

She owed herself more bread for this.

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶

Scarlet came in as she saw everything. Melonpan (Moca) was on her knees bearing her spatha, and a reaper still standing bearing its fangs. That is enough for her, and Scarlet exclaimed, “Mulan. . . Blazing Hell!” 

Scarlet's persona was summoned, attacking the Reaper with a burning fire. Her eyes burn as she pulls out her katana, slashing the reaper and protecting Moca. The silver-haired girl was not in good shape, injured every spot, but there's one thing Scarlet knew. She gave it her all. 

“Ran. . .” Her voice is low, with her signature laziness can be heard, “Your here~”

“Moca. . .” Scarlet, no, Ran said, “Please hang in there,” 

Moca nodded as Scarlet lay her near the walls. Scarlet stood up and attacked the Reaper herself. Combined with her skills and abilities, as well as her resolve to protect Moca. She felt herself thrumming with power. She fought, using both her persona and her sword, it felt like she was singing, as if she was performing in front of the audience alongside Afterglow. 

Joker and the rest of the thieves were just on time. They fought the Reaper, with Scarlet dealing the killing blow. When the battle is over, the red rock-punk phantom thief runs to the silver-haired bread-lover. 

“Moca!” She said as she checked on her fully. Scarlet checked her pulse, the girl is still alive.

“Johanna,” Queen summoned her persona, “Diarahan,” with that Aoba Moca’s HP went to full. Scarlet smiles, “Moca, wake up,”

“Ran~ 5 more minutes, Hii-chan is. . .” Moca is definitely sleeping. Scarlet sighs before Ryuji asks, “Now what?”

Ran sighs and pulls out her bag, pulling out a paper bag from Yamabuki Bakery. “Moca, wake up. . .” Scarlet/Ran said as she takes out the melon bread, “Or I will be eating the bread,”

Moca sniffs and wakes up, before taking the bread from Ran’s hand. The bread-loving girl eats the bread as if she was breathing it. “Oishi~” Moca enjoyed it and Ran sighs, “Moca, you scared me,”

“Gomen Ran~” Moca sheepishly said as she stood up, then she looks at everyone, “You all must be the Phantom Thieves~” Moca smiled, “Aoba Moca on your service~ also known as Melonpan, I am also Scarlet-chan’s best friend~”

“Scarlet's best friend?” Panther asks, never expecting that. 

“Yes sir~” Moca said, and Ran sighs, “Moca. . .let's get you up,”

“Ran~ can we go to Yamabuki Bakery after this?” Moca asked. Ran sighs, “How about we go to Leblanc first, then we go to Yamabuki Bakery, there is some things I need to explain,”

All of the Phantom Thieves have no objections. 

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶

The discussion at Cafe Leblanc went smoothly. Everyone got to know Moca, and welcomed her as a member of the Phantom thieves. Ran sighs as she leaned at the chair as the others talked to Moca. Akira came, giving her a warm black coffee, making Ran smile. 

“Akira-kun, thank you,”

“Why do you need to thank me?” 

“For accepting Moca,” Ran said, “I am not usually be this sappy, but thank you,”

“Anytime, Ran-chan, Anytime,”

“Ne~ Ran, I'm hungry, feed me~ Moca-chan wants to go to the Yamabuki Bakery~” Moca said, tugging Ran. The red-highlighted girl sighs, as she said, “I have to go, thank you,”

“I can't wait to buy all those bread, all for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner~” Moca listed.

“Then let's go before the Yamabuki Bakery closes,” Ran said. 

“Life without bead. . .is not life at all~” Moca dramatically exclaimed, making everyone laugh.

“Moca-chan really loves her bread, doesn't she,” Ann said.

“Very much, let's go, Moca,” Ran said, as she waved to the others. 

“Bye bye~”

The two left the cafe. Before the rest of the Phantom Thieves look at each other, with Ann saying, “Who knew Ran-chan is such a knight in shining armor,”

Although Kurusu Akira didn't realize it, he suddenly felt jealous of one Aoba Moca. 

Author's Notes: Please welcome the Bread Goddess, The April Fool's Icon, Chaos Incarnate, new Phantom Thief, Melonpan (Aoba Moca) on service. Poor Ran, the source of her unending migraines comes from Moca, and jeez Akira, you're now crushing on Ran now. Getting information about Ran is no easy task after all.

Moca is a chaotic little shit. I had to swear, because it's true. But anyways, I hope you like my MocaRan angst. You definitely did not see this coming. LOL. I swear this is the longest ramble I have ever done for Tumblr.

[the-lost-crow-thief]

You know, I know of this other timeline where you were adopted by Nightwing. Because of that, instead of the detective prince and the black mask, the bat version of you has Robin and Crow (still keeps the Crow codename only this time it's because it was his planned Adult codename since he was 13)

He still has Robin Hood and Loki, but the two represent the two halves of being a vigilante. Robin Hood for comforting and protecting the victims, Loki for Vengeance against the wrongdoers. The reason other you ended up back in Tokyo? Shido was preventing the Justice league from investigating a massive meta trafficking ring that mostly moved those of Japanese origin, so given that the other you has Japanese citizenship till he's twenty-one. He was put undercover in order to investigate. He meets Ren, awakens both of his other selves, and helps form the Phantom Thieves, and the rest goes on from their. Though Hilarious fact about the Bat raised you because he can from proper bonds Ren is his Lovers Arcana. The other you is still his Ren's Justice, but while your justice was personal justice, other you is about vigilante justice

Huh... interesting

[arcanaswap]

Persona 5 Roleswap Canon Call

[Zuko voice] Hello, Joker here.

Akechi and I are interested in chatting to anyone kin from P5 who might remember some variety of role / arcana swap between the two of us. Or those who don't, and would just like to be friends. We aren't looking to reduce anyone to their kintypes.

Some vague key points we remember:

Goro and I were the primary roleswap, most of the Thieves at the very least were largely the same. We know there were some slight differences with others (may have been arcana swapped but not role?) but we're still trying to sort out our memories regarding that.

Goro's codename was Knight, though I would jokingly call him Crow at times in reference to his mask.

My own codename was Seraph, and rather than Black Mask, my true identity was known as Joker.

There was some variety of NG+ timeloop going on, largely without anyone having memory of the fact it was happening.

I tended to infiltrate the Thieves earlier, typically before or during Futaba's Palace.

Note that kin is spiritual to us; we view ours as past lives. We don't choose our memories or lives. If you do, you aren't a potential canonmate - but we still wouldn't mind chatting just to be pals.

Both of us are in our mid 20's. We don't mind talking to older teenagers, we're fond of kids. Just be mindful of your comfort levels and safety as with engaging with any adult. ♥️

[jasminelyoko57]

Detective Yuu (Meitantei Conan AU) [Masterlist]

Ahem, before navigating, I would like to introduce myself first: READ INTRO HERE

You can share your thoughts by click on the ask! But, read this first!

OCs masterlist here | TWST retro drawings collection

Endless Night Detective ([illust] read it on AO3, HERE)

(Note: Yuu is referred as they/them here. This took place outside of Twisted Wonderland setting, aka the modern setting (London, UK))

Introduction (you’re here!) - characters’ nationalities - memes (#2 | #3 | #4 | #5) - SHIRAYUKIHIME_1812 - drawings

Groups: Junior Detective League -  The Octavinelle Mafia - The MI6

Special: a wolf’s story

Cases involving Junior Detective League

Trapped in the Department Store = discovery - noise - chaotic

Big Adventure in the Eccentric Mansion = The Pond [#1]

Crewel’s Vase Video = curry troubles

The Phantom of Baker Street = [teaser] | [drawing] - critique - takeover - terrible period

Cases involving the Octavinelle Mafia

The Farewell Party Encounter = Crossroads of Betrayal [#1] - March of the Mourners (under way) [#2] - March of the Mourners (arrival) [#3]

Countdown to Heaven = nobody understands my feelings! - attempting to cross - among the evacuees - destined with explosions - fly across

Head-to-Head Match with the Mafia = the invitation - the confrontation

Cases involving the MI6

World History Teacher vs. Ace Trappola = Questioned suspicions

Secret Silence at the Film Development Studio = the viper

BEST TO LISTEN TO: “Revive” and “PUZZLE” by Mai Kuraki, “Tsukamaete, Kon’nya” by Leon Niihama, “Mysterious” by Naifu, “Misty Mystery” by GARNET CROW

---

Since Detective! Yuu is a thing, I’ve been thinking about Yuu is a famous yet sassy teen detective. 

(Image by 13番目に)

However, when they discovered a shady deal after solving a murder in a concert, they were knocked unconscious by two men in black (Leech brothers), then Jade force-fed them a lethal apple-flavored poison which left the remnants untraceable when examined by forensics, to silence them.

However, the two wouldn’t thought that Yuu survived, because their body has been turned into a child instead! 

With the help of Professor Divus Crewel, our stylish yet sadistic scientist and inventor, they have to keep their identity secret from the world, lest the two will come back to eliminate them for good. 

(Image by Pixiv Id 4300140)

Besides Crewel, Yuu meets the people who ended up as invaluable allies in their quest to take down the mafia - one of them is Epel Felmier, codename “Sleep Kiss”.

(Image by Chinen Rimi)

Epel Felmier (child identity: Ronald Crewel) is a scientist who formerly worked under the Octavinelle Mafia headed by the powerful and well-connected boss Azul Ashengrotto. He is the creator of the lethal apple-flavored poison called “SHIRAYUKIHIME_1812″. 

(Image by Pixiv Id 3299532)

When he heard that his cousin was silenced, he immediately rebelled against the mafia, which ended up him being locked in a gas chamber. Desperate, he took out the aforementioned poison to take his own life, but he instead shrunken too. He escaped from captivity and he passed out in front of Yuu’s house before taken in by Crewel.

However, their existence doesn’t go unnoticed by a mysterious man, Jamil Viper. A MI6 agent who spies on Yuu and Epel, and hunt the mysterious Octavinelle Mafia. He seems knows something about an Epel Felmier more than anyone...

(Image by Kuroiwa Madoka - Pixiv Id 40130971)

Notes:

- Azul and the tweels are just... too perfect to be villains (well, they’ve been that way since the beginning lol).

- Yes, Epel is Haibara here, like they shared the same motif = poison.

- I was about to put Crowley to be the role of Professor Agasa, but he seems too absent-minded (and I DON’T TRUST YOU, YOU MASKED HEADMASTER). Sam was almost perfect for this, but there’s something missing. 

- In the end, I chose Crewel instead, because he’s also knowledgeable about chemistry, just like Haibara. I bet that his jerk-with-a-heart-of-gold personality can spice their lives, ayeee.

- Yep, Jamil take the role of Akai Shuichi here, but he’s in the MI6, while Akai is in the FBI. Both possess a certain allure that I can’t even describe.

- The codenames used by the mafiosi is based on their personal unique magic.

[the-silver-peahen-residence]

The 6 humans showed up at the door. Asami was telling them all to behave. Gavin was picking on Ryu and Kaname was trying to get him to stop. Haruka was hiding by Asami and Sam was bouncing around happily

"Guys!! We have guests!!" Alexia calls out while she was going to see the door get answered by Goro. He looks to see 6 humans standing at the door while tilting his head. "Well, hello there. Welcome to the silver rose peahen mansion.." he smiled showing a friendly look on his face.

[leonawriter]

There's this idea I've been having and I don't know how on point it is or whatever, but-

The reasoning for the Phantom Thieves having codenames is so that the person whose subconscious mind they're in doesn't start thinking about them, or making connections between their real self and the Phantom Thieves, or something like that, right?

But...

When they're in Shido's ship-Palace, and Akechi drops in on them, the Thieves are still using codenames. Akechi even calls the protagonist "Joker" if I remember right, or doesn't name him at all, while they speak.

And yet, for Akechi? They're calling him *by name*. Multiple times, even!

And this... it's only after this that Shido's palace throws up its defense mechanism against Akechi himself.

The working theory I've got, is that everyone shouting Akechi's name is basically what brought Shido's Shadow's attention to his presence there. Shido wouldn't know to keep an eye or ear out for a "Crow." He would for a "Black Mask" though... and he *definitely* would for "Akechi."

So... the codenames did do something, and when they stopped using them for someone they didn't see as a teammate any longer, that endangered him.

[twilighthiro]

There's someone else in the safe room.

They're sitting at the table, resting. Their arms are folded and their face buried in sleeve.

Two long 'wings' of black with golden tips cover their back, connected together by a tiny chain at the ends.

They're injured-that much is clear. Despite the small stains of red on the table, in their brown hair, and on their wings, their breaths are deep and slow.

In one hand is an unfairly long and absurdly thin rapier, and in the other is a blue bird mask with exaggerated features, (the nose is pointed and sharp, digging into the table slightly-the wings at the ends lengthened and curled into upright horns) and their fingers tighten around the objects when the group enters.

Joker watches the balls of blue-white flame dancing around the mask before gently speaking.

"We are here to rest and recover. there are..." he turns around, counting heads for a moment. "ten of us. Again, we are here to rest and recover."

Then his voice drops to a whisper, asking everyone to stop clogging the doorway.

It's hushed as they spread throughout the small safe room-Crow and Skull don't start fighting as they take their places (leaning against the wall and sitting on the table respectively) and the healers don't start summoning their personas to fix up the physical wounds as the strength of Reality begins refueling their SP.

Joker would've taken his place at the end of the table nearest to the door-but since the wounded persona-user was occupying it, Joker instead sat next to them.

After a moment of silence filled with the persona-user's deep and deliberate breaths, Joker spoke up.

"May I heal you?"

The wounded persona-user is silent and still.

After a testingly-long silence in which Skull begins to get restless, the persona-user's head shifts slightly as their mask almost becomes completely covered in the blue-white flames of summoning in their hand.

Joker simply rests a hand on his face, whispering a command to the fairy behind him.

"Diarama."

The effect is instant-the slightly tattered protective suit is whole once more, and the persona-user's stubbornly deep breaths are replaced with gentle and light snores.

Lulled by the safety of the safe room, they all eventually get to sleep-even Crow.

TAKE YOUR TIME~

His awakening is both sudden and slow, but without the pain he'd been plowing through for the last hour and a half as the influence of Reality leeched the poison from his wounds.

And yet the safe room isn't empty.

People; persona-users, no less.

Like their spokesman had said, there's ten of them-all deep in slumber.

Quietly, he sheathes his blade, the hilt clicking satisfyingly against the sheath.

He stands up while pulling the chain from under the bench and adjusting his weapon so it doesn't catch, carefully as to not disturb the sleeping persona-users. Then he picks up his mask.

The click of a boot stops him from leaving the safe room, hand flying to his blade.

It's the black-clad user, now awake and still leaning against the wall. His visor is in hand, although it's now lifted to his very familiar face.

It is only silence for a moment as the two size each other up.

"Who is the leader here?" the Akechi clad in silver and black and white and gold asks.

"Joker." Crow replies, pointing at his fellow black-clad persona-user.

"And you?" he asks, red eyes blinking inquisitively.

"Crow." Crow replies stiffly.

Akechi nods, taking a long look at them all.

"Prince."

Crow snorts, locking the visor onto his helmet. "Detective Prince much?"

Prince twitches. "No." he deadpans, "One of my companions coined the codename as a joke and it stuck."

"Hmmm."

Prince left, although not without a vocalized promise to repay his debt.

[thepancakeboi]

53. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

Divergence AU Part V

Previous | Next (coming...soon) | AU list | Prompt source

Fanfic under cut

12/10

“Do you really think the others will be okay on their own?”

My question, although probably unnecessary, is a valid one. Queen, Noir, Panther, and Fox are going to deal with the IT president, while Mona, Skull, Joker, and I are going to find the third Will Seed that Mona sensed was nearby. I know that we only have a week left to secure the infiltration route, but the idea of us splitting into two different groups is a little concerning.

“Don’t worry, Crow,” Skull replies. “They got this.”

“They aren’t weak,” Mona adds. “That letter is as good as ours!”

“My apologies,” I say, adjusting my white gloves out of habit. Even if they know who I am and what I’ve done, Joker is the only one who has seen my other outfit. I shouldn’t care what they think of me, but I’ve kept it a well-guarded secret for so long. Force of habit, I suppose. “Shall we continue?”

Joker nods, taking my hand in his as he leads the way. He’s been doing this ever since that night in Leblanc. I’ve stopped questioning it after the first fifty times. It’s...nice. The rest of the thieves haven’t commented on it yet, nor do they seem confused. Maybe they already knew of Joker’s feelings.

The fight to get into the room is all too simple, largely in part due to Joker’s damn Shiki-Ouji, a Persona that I have come to despise. It, alongside Arsène and Jack Frost, is one of his main Personas. Shiki-Ouji, though, nullifies nearly all of Robin Hood’s attacks...as I found out the hard way during our duel last month. Not even Loki would have been much more help against it. That thing has become the bane of my existence.

I’m just glad Joker doesn’t see me as an enemy.

He leads the way back to the large double doors, slashing the rose vines with unerring grace before pushing the doors open. With this task done, the four of us enter the room. We’re greeted by harsh, indeterminate whispers. Their content means nothing to me-

“I trust no one but myself.”

I recognize that voice. Shido. I grit my teeth as his voice rings and echoes off the walls. The others don’t seem to notice, but it’s as clear as day to me. I tune the others’ voices out as Joker takes the Will Seed from its pedestal, straining to hear the inner thoughts of that bastard. For a few seconds, it remains incoherent whispers, until...

“The enemy is coming...in more ways than one.”

It takes nearly all of my willpower to not react to this. These are his inner thoughts, aren’t they? If that’s the case...could he know? Is Shido starting to realize the suicide-murder shtick was faked, that Ren is still alive and currently traversing his Palace? And...oh no.

In more ways than one.

That can only mean one thing...

Shido knows.

He knows I’m not on his side.

Or maybe it’s his normal paranoia? I can’t be certain. It isn’t like I can ask Shido himself. He’d lie and say he trusts me, the action almost as natural to him as breathing. If he does know, what am I supposed to do...?

“Hey, you okay?”

Mona’s query snaps me out of my thoughts. “I’m fine,” I easily lie. “Just a little nervous, I suppose.”

Skull, the dense idiot that he is sometimes, buys it. “Man, you looked like you’d just seen a ghost! Warn us next time, will ya?”

“I will,” I respond, looking at the others to gauge their reactions. Mona doesn’t seem entirely convinced, but it doesn’t seem like he’s going to probe further. And Joker...I can’t read him. All I get is the feeling that he sees through my lie. “Anyway, we have the Will Seed. What’s our next move, Joker?”

Joker thinks for a few moments before answering, “There’s nothing else here. Let’s meet up with everyone in the safe room.”

His hand slips back into mine as we leave the room behind us. This close to him, I can finally see that he wasn’t convinced in the slightest. I know he’d try to get me to open up to him if it weren’t for Mona and Skull. Despite this, his eyes plead with me under his mask, trying to get me to tell him what’s wrong. I refuse to look at him as the last statement I hear from that cursed room echoes in my ears:

“The only thing you have to do is follow my order.”

We arrive at the safe room to find the others already there. “How did it go?” Queen asks as Skull and Mona sit down. I choose to stand a little way back from the group, side-eyeing Joker as he rests his head against my shoulder. What does he think he’s doing? Judging by the cheeky smirk on his face, he’s trying to be as distracting as possible.

“Joker got the last Will Seed!” Mona replies, simultaneously answering Queen’s question and taking my attention away from the menace next to me.

“Aw yeah, and we got the fourth letter!” Oracle says. She is beaming as she holds up the envelope for everyone to see, apparently proud of her group’s accomplishments.

“Sweet!” Skull exclaims. “All that’s left is the cleaner dude! Let’s go find him and kick his ass!”

“Wait!” Panther interjects. “We don’t even know where he’d be.”

“Who cares? Can’t we just cause some trouble again?”

“We could, but...”

“Then-”

“As much as I would like to take the cleaner down now, we should wait,” I say before Skull can get another word in edgewise. “He’s stronger than any of the VIP’s we have fought so far.”

“How about tomorrow?” Noir chimes in. “It’s Sunday, so we won’t have school.”

“I agree,” Queen adds before looking at me. “Will you be joining us?”

I wish I had more time to think things through. If only we could wait a few more days. Time, however, is in short supply. “I should be able to, though if anything comes up, I’ll let Joker know,” I say while gently pushing Joker’s face away.

That smirk from before fades away, replaced with a carefully crafted neutral expression. His voice rings with authority as he says, “Sounds like a plan. We’ll meet up tomorrow afternoon.”

Tomorrow afternoon. That’s when the deed will be done. If my revenge plan is going to work, I’m going to have to kill him, for real this time. There’s no going around it. My mind is so preoccupied with planning how to accomplish this that I don’t even notice everyone else has left until I’m startled out of my thoughts by the kiss Joker plants on my cheek. He looks concerned. “Is everything okay?”

“What makes you think it isn’t?” I ask back, dodging his question.

“You seemed tense earlier. And a little scared. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’ll be fine. Soon, this will all be over.”

Over in ways neither of us would want, yet it’s the only way this could ever end. This is how it was meant to be from the beginning: with one of us dead.

12/11

I tap my fingers idly against my leg as I wait on one of the catwalks in the engine room. Earlier, I had texted Ren saying that I would be running late and to go on without me. He must have bought it because when I had entered Shido’s Palace, the Phantom Thieves were nowhere to be found. I had told them the cleaner would likely be in the engine room. They must be farther inside.

My suspicions are confirmed a moment later when the group comes walking out, celebrating their recent victory. How delighted they must be now that they have the final letter. That happiness is about to be destroyed. Joker is the one to notice me, of course. He halts, looking up at me. “Crow?” he asks. “What are you doing up there?”

I leap down, doing a flip before landing effortlessly in front of the thieves. Damn Joker’s habits rubbing off on me. I expect to feel some level of anticipation, or maybe regret, but I feel...nothing. I don’t see Ren or Joker in front of me. All I see is another obstacle, blocking my plans from coming to fruition. “Did you really think I would let you leave this place alive?”

“Huh?”

My gun is out, pointed at him in an instant. I won’t give Joker the chance to say another word. Time to pull the trigger.

...except I don’t.

What’s stopping me from firing, from killing this menace? My hesitation wastes valuable time, time that the rest of the thieves use to prepare themselves to fight if necessary. I no longer have the advantage of surprise. Why didn’t I just kill him first? “Keeping you alive was a terrible decision.”

“What’s gotten into you, Akechi?” Queen asks. I don’t miss the dropping of codenames. “You were the one who suggested this plan.”

She’s not wrong. I had been the one to plan most of this heist, due to my knowledge of Shido’s Palace. “Nothing has changed. This camaraderie between us has all been an act.” The lies slip so easily off my tongue, and I find that I’m starting to believe myself. “When Joker started to piece things together, I knew I would have to change my plans, and in order to do that, I had to make him aware of my original plan. I’ve been planning this from the start. You all were simply so foolish as to trust me.”

“All an act...?” Joker asks, hesitant. It’s as if he’s trying to deny the words I’m saying.

I refuse to answer his question, instead deciding to say, “I’ve never shown you my true power, have I? Here, I’ll show you...while you die. Persona!”

I can feel Loki’s presence as two Shadows materialize from thin air. A Cerberus and a Cu Chulainn. Perfect. I direct Loki to use his signature Call of Chaos on the two Shadows. Their complexion turns black and red as their true destructive potential is unleashed. I can hear Cerberus growl as it paws at the ground in anticipation, waiting for my command to kill these wretched thieves.

“What was that?” Oracle asks, voicing everyone’s surprise at Loki’s brief appearance. “That wasn’t Robin Hood.”

“You’re right,” I confirm with a grin, “but that’s the least of your concern. You better not underestimate these two.” I leap back, putting the berserk Shadows between me and the Phantom Thieves. In a mad rush, the two Shadows launch themselves at their foes. I don’t expect the Shadows to win; they’re just meant to wear the enemy down.

Mona’s voice rings over the din of the fight. “Go, Joker! If anyone has a chance of getting through to him, it’s you.”

I see Joker nod, and, before I can even react, he’s using his grappling hook, sailing over the Shadows and landing a few feet away from me. The absolute fool. “You just made a grievous mistake,” I snarl. “You’ll need your teammates if you have any hopes of defeating me.”

He shakes his head. Cocky little shit- “I don’t need to defeat you.”

That catches me off guard. Just what the hell is he planning? “Then what is it? Are you going to abandon your teammates, just like you wanted before when I suggested leaving them to work with me?”

“I’m not abandoning anyone.”

“Oh, is that so? Then maybe we should put an end to our duel, striking and striking again and again until one of us is dead! Unless you’re so spineless that you’ll run away with your tail between your legs. Is that your master plan?”

“No,” he replies, his voice firm. “I love you, and I’m not leaving you.”

I laugh. He’s more foolish than I gave him credit for. “Then tell me, Joker. Will you love me for this?” His eyes widen ever so slightly as I point my gun at his face, aiming right between his eyes. It’s a pale comparison to the terror Sae’s cognition of Ren expressed. He’s too naive to be afraid. “There’s no cognitive double to save you this time.”

Joker, the absolute idiot that he is, doesn’t have the common sense to back down. Why is he just standing there? Move, damnit! It’s as if he’s deaf to my silent pleas. He refuses to move. He even has the gall to smile a little as he replies, “Hey, I’ll always love you no matter what. I’ll take a bullet for you, even if you’re shooting.”

I could do it. I could shoot him right now. But now, in this critical moment, I find myself hesitating once again.

Do it.

But he’s the only good thing in my life-

Do it! Watch as the light leaves his eyes!

I don’t...I don’t know if I can do it again...

What about your revenge? He’s in the way!

I tighten my grip on the gun...but I still can’t pull the trigger. Why...why can’t I kill him!? “How stupid are you? Would you really let your irrational feelings get in the way of your goal?” I have no idea if I’m asking him the questions...or myself.

“It seems you let your ‘irrational’ feelings get in the way of your goal. Aren’t you going to shoot?” he adds, almost sounding a little cocky at the end.

How dare he...

“Don’t lecture me!” I yell, whipping the gun away from his face. It clangs against the floor, the sound echoing in my ears. It’s clear I’m not going to shoot him point-blank anyway. “You think you know me, that you’ve got me pinned down. You don’t know anything about me! All you are is some criminal trash living in an attic who thinks he’s in love with an ace detective, a celebrity! You’ve deluded yourself and refuse to see the truth. How foolish you were to think that you meant anything to me, Joker!”

“You’re wrong!” He grabs my hand, the same hand that a few moments prior had been pointing a gun at his face. “I love you, and I’ll always love you. And...I know you love me too. We don’t have to fight-”

“I will get my revenge,” I interrupt as I pull my hand out of his grasp, refusing to listen to another word of his, “against Masayoshi Shido...my father. And you’re in my way.”

That makes him stop. The shock on his face is undeniable. “Shido’s...your father? Were you ever going to tell me?”

“What would’ve been the point?”

“Goro,” he starts; he must be taking this seriously if he’s using my first name, “we can still change his heart. Just let me hel-”

“I’m warning you. Stand. Down.”

“Please. I love y-”

Something inside me snaps. “NO! Just shut up, and die, Joker!”

There is only one way I can think of that’ll make me able to kill Joker. I welcome it with open arms. Loki’s mad power washes over me, my outfit changing in an instant. The world is tinted red, though I’m not sure whether it’s from the intense desire to murder or the lenses in the black mask. Maybe both.

But that doesn’t matter.

Nothing matters.

The only thing I want is to kill!

Destroy!

Massacre anything that stands in my way!

...starting...with...Joker.

A lopsided grin creeps on my face. Oh, this will be fun! I wonder how far I can go with this...

Let’s find out.

With little abandon, I rush straight at Joker with my serrated blade. It’ll tear him into pieces!

My sword clashes against his signature dagger. Somehow, he stands firm. How? How can he...?

Oh, so what!? He can’t possibly last for long! I go for another slash, but he yet again blocks it with that damn dagger of his. Our blades continue to strike against each other, neither of us able to land a hit on the other.

Again.

And again.

And again!

But then, as I throw all my strength into another frenzied slash, he weaves out of the way, kicking the sword right out of my hand as I start to stumble.

No way. How could this attic trash possibly be stronger than me!?

Joker lunges at me, the dagger no longer in his hand. Somehow, he manages to knock me off balance. He tries to restrain me as I thrash while screaming insults at his face.

One of my hands reaches my mask. Perfect.

I don’t even think.

I just act.

Only one thought rages in my mind.

I will kill Joker!

I command Loki to use Maragion. He won’t be able to block this attack. Screw his Shiki-Ouji!

For a brief moment, the flames surround Joker...but suddenly, they turn on me. I grit my teeth at the searing agony radiating through my body. Damnit...of all the times he wasn’t using that Persona-

My mask reforms, but is quickly pulled away from my face. Joker tosses it to the side, once again trying to hold me down. He flinches as my claws rake across his face, but he doesn’t budge.

He’s saying something to me, but I can’t hear him.

I don’t care what he’s saying! He should be dead!

I almost manage to hit him a second time, but now he’s able to use his hands to pin mine down. I try desperately to claw at his hands, but they’re just out of reach.

Damnit!

Joker’s still talking. Now I can make out his words. “...love y...please...it’ll be...”

What is he thinking!?

Even now...

As the seconds slowly tick by, the psychotic rage that overtook me starts to dissipate. Joker keeps on saying the same thing over and over: “I love you, Goro. Please, calm down. It’ll be okay.”

Over.

And over.

He sounds so distraught as I continue to fight against him. Repeating those same words. It’s no use. Joker’s determined to stop me.

Eventually, I stop struggling, panting as I try to catch my breath. I finally manage to gasp out, “What are you doing?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“I...I didn’t want this.”

“I know. You didn’t want to shoot me.”

“I-”

Our conversation is interrupted by a pained scream. We both look over as Cu Chulainn falls to the ground. Cerberus must have fallen earlier in the fight, as it’s nowhere to be seen. The rest of the thieves look a little tired but otherwise no worse for wear. I turn my attention back to Joker, frowning as I see blood dripping from the thin slashes marring his beautiful face. “It’s fine,” Joker says, noticing where my attention is. “It doesn’t hurt. But are you okay?”

My laughter is strained, forced. “That’s what you’re concerned about?”

“But you got hurt.” He moves his hand to gently caress my face. “If I had known you were going to use that move, I would’ve used a different Persona.”

“Why would you even care? I just tried to kill you, damnit!”

“Because I love you, Goro. And I always will. You could’ve shot me, and I still would have loved you just the same.” Is it just me, or did his voice crack just a little there? “Goro, no matter what happens, I just want you to know I love you dearly, and-”

“Ugh, can we save the cheesy romance for later?” Oracle butts in.

Oh. That’s right. We’re not alone here. And with how things currently look... “Joker?” I start.

“Yeah?”

“Get off me.”

“Aww, I was enjoying this,” he says with a chuckle. He waits a second before moving so that I can push myself into a sitting position. The sudden movement causes me to hiss in pain. “You didn’t answer me earlier. Are you okay?”

“I have been through worse.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“I’ll be alright. Any other questions before we leave this wretched place?”

“Just one. Why did you do this? Did something happen yesterday?”

I almost tell him. My lips part, about to answer, but I realize it might take too much time. “How about we save that question for Leblanc? It...might take some time to answer.”

“Okay. We should head back to the central hall,” he adds, addressing everyone with that. He then turns back to me and, with a smirk, kneels down and puts one arm behind my back and the other under my knees. I realize what he’s doing just as he proceeds to pick me up bridal style with little regard for if he gets jabbed by the pointy parts of my true outfit. The rest of the thieves seem just as surprised and shocked as I am. Meanwhile, Joker grins at me as he says, “Hi, Akeppi.”

“Joker, what are you doing?”

“Showing you how much I love you.”

“You stupid, insufferable-” The rest of what I was going to say is cut off by the soft little kiss Joker gives me. He looks like he would love to kiss me more, but he’s not about to test his luck when I have so many ways to potentially harm him right now. It takes me a few seconds of mulling my response in my head before I begrudgingly finish, “...lovable menace.”

“I know. But I’m your menace.”

That alone gets me to smile. He’s right. It only took me trying to kill him to see it. “Yes, you’re my menace, and nothing is going to ever change that.”

[endysgirl]

Sailor Mars Birthday Tribute

I am so late on posting this but I just did not have time to edit. For Mars I wanted to talk about her 90s anime version and her much better manga version.

Let me start by laying my bias wide open. I never liked Sailor Mars. As a kid I thought she was unnecessarily mean. She was and still is my least favorite, besides ChibiMoon. She’s beautiful, and her powers and attacks are awesome. As for how she fits into the overall scheme of things, I have major issues with how the anime portrayed her compared to how Naoko intentioned her. Frankly, I can’t help but view 90s anime Rei as an imposter and I’ll explain why...

Ok, first let’s talk about 90’s anime-Rei. We know she’s very hard working, goes to an elite girls’s Catholic school and wants to be an independent career woman when she grows up. Yet, for some reason (*cough*patriarchy) she sees Mamoru in season one and thinks he’s perfect so she’s gotta have him. She embarrasses herself going all boy crazy over him (he literally steps on her head and just walks away) and he seems like a typical clueless dude who doesn’t realize she *likes* him. I relate hardcore to Mamoru here. She’s so thirsty and he is so not. Then fast forward to after Endymion gets taken and Rei slaps Usagi calling her a coward. It’s meant to be some great emotional scene that some fans latch on to. Yet, it’s not Rei’s slap that motivates Usagi. It just hurts her. Go watch it again (epi35); it’s the voice of Mask from her memory, gently and patiently encouraging her, as always, that she is strong and can fight that spurs Moon into action. We’ve seen over and over that Usagi responds to patient encouragement over violence, just like when she does when she faces the baddest villains. Yet, the 90s anime always has Rei cutting her down. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just the patriarchy at work, trying to convince young girls that the boy or girl who’s mean to you really does care about you. It’s toxic and just plain stupid.

Now, am I saying 90s anime Rei doesn’t really care about Usagi? No. Not at all. She’s her Senshi and they share the same heart and the same dream to protect those they love together. Of course she loves Usagi. My issue is how the 90s anime portrays that dynamic. It’s spreading toxicity within female friendships and trying to sell it as genuine. I also understand that Mars’s fiery personality is what a lot of her fans love about her. I’m not saying that’s bad either, even if it’s an inaccurate representation of the character Naoko created. Apparently, it was Ikuhara that wanted the anime to change her cold and aloof personality to “fiery”. To perpetuate the patriarchal tropes I’ve mentioned, the anime tried to paint her as Usagi’s bff of the group, usurping Minako’s place. In the manga, Minako is the Leader of the Senshi and the one closest to Usagi in personality and in her role as the Leader of Serenity’s guards. Yet the anime is constantly trying to make Mars the one that is extra special to Usagi. Case in point, at the end of Stars the first voice we hear address Eternal Moon after she defeats Galaxia is Rei but in the manga, Usagi is drawn hugging Minako first. These little moments bother me, probably a little too much.

Then there’s the love triangle they tried to created with her and Mamoru. Fucking kill me. The love triangle garbage is just typical, patriarchal tropism within the storyline that has no place in the SM story in regards to Mars. Let’s make two friends like the same dude bc that’s drama that people have been conditioned to enjoy. It’s lame as far as I’m concerned. Let’s take a moment to remember the random, stupid and pointless scene in the curry episode where ChibiUsa and Mamoru run into Rei and after a moment of awkwardness they decide to go find Usagi together. Tell me that’s not the patriarchy trying to validate one woman’s place by using another woman as comparison instead of letting her stand on her own. 😒 And they’re trying to backtrack on the whole Rei liking Mamoru episode. This isn’t Rei’s fault obviously, I’m just using this scene to explicate why I don’t like the dynamic the anime created, and why that makes Mars a difficult one for me to get excited about.

There’s no way you can convince me that Mars’s bitchiness wasn’t a direct result of a “male perspective” (as Naoko called it). The idea that female bffs bully each other and cat fight all the time is ludicrous. As a 32yo woman (and lifelong Moonie) with a tight circle of girlfriends, there isn’t a single one of us who would tolerate such toxicity from the other, even at 14yo. It just isn’t realistic, unless it’s a bad relationship. I’ll give the anime credit for getting one thing right - her bravery. In both the manga and the anime, Mars is fearless. She charges into battle and gives it her all. She doesn’t let any doubt get in her way. She does not hesitate or dwell on self-doubt. And that alone is reason enough to love her.

Now, let’s discuss Manga-Rei. Because Adult-Moonie-Me LOVES manga-Mars. She actually appears in Codename Sailor V outside the arcade. She says the atmosphere is “disquieting” and leaves. In the manga, she’s very quiet and reserved. There is no bickering or cat fighting between her and Usagi. She’s also probably the most objectively beautiful of the Inners. She’s suppose to be “slender”, with long black hair and brown eyes which are sometimes seen as purple. When Usagi first sees her on the bus, she thinks she’s soooo beautiful. And another time, when they’re at the beach/pool, guys keep buying Rei drinks but she’s not flirting or giving them any attention, bc she is not boy crazy. Sis is enjoying those drinks tho.

Her awakening in the manga is very similar to the anime with the exception that’s she sees a premonition of Usagi and Jadeite that makes her go find the bus. Like the other Senshi, she is drawn to Usagi.

In her manga profile, her dislikes are television, modern society (the anime has her immersed in pop culture, going so far as to make her write her own songs and dance at the school festival), canned asparagus and men. It’s implied that she doesn’t like men or care for them bc of her father. He never had time for her and she doesn’t have a good relationship with him. Plus in a short story, she has a guy she likes but he chooses to follow her father’s footsteps into politics. So she kisses him and is like, boy, bye. ✌🏽 She considers men emotionally weak, untrustworthy and is generally disinterested in them, even if they’re buying her drinks and fawning over her. Same, Sis.

She is described as beautiful and “reserved”, but “scary” when she’s angry. She so beautiful that when Mamoru’s underclassman, Asanuma, sees her, he thinks she would be the perfect girlfriend for Mamoru (who Asanuma thinks is perfect) and that she should be Mamoru’s ideal type. He’s really surprised that Usagi is so *ordinary*.

Rei has strong precognition and has an affinity to fire. Ironically, there is nothing in Shintoism about fire reading, so that must just be a shoutout to the Greek influence on the manga. I love her psychic abilities in both the anime and the manga. Random fun fact: Naoko worked at a Shinto temple for a while before or maybe during college.

Mars is one of the only Senshi, like Michiru, who can use an item as an attack in her civilian and Senshi form. Her “ofuda” (Shinto talismans) are powerful enough to disperse evil and make regular people faint (remember anime epi w/Unazuki’s mouth getting sealed and in the manga/crystal she accidentally “purifies” Usagi, causing her to faint). Mikos (shrine maidens) are known to use archery attacks, so civilian Rei was already proficient in archery before awakening as Mars. Also, just like Jupiter’s earrings stay on her when she transforms, Mars is always wearing a pendant and when she transforms, it attaches at the waist to her fuku.

Mars also, uniquely, has her own guardians: the Crows, Phobos and Deimos. In the anime, the crows never take human form as they do in the manga. In the Dead Moon arc, Jupiter and Mercury power up by speaking with their inner consciousness. But Mars powers up by speaking with the human forms of her crows. This is a great moment in the manga bc Phobos and Deimos basically tell Rei that’s it’s ok to not want or desire men and marriage. She is the asexual goddess everyone overlooks and I love this aspect to her personality. The Crows are the ones to give her the Mars Crystal which is her starseed. We also find out here that Mars pledged a vow of Chastity to Serenity in the SilMill. They don’t explain the reasons behind the vow, but considering Rei’s spirituality and serious conservatism, it’s understandable. Also, while Phobos and Deimos are named after the moons on Mars, in the Stars Arc it’s revealed that they’re from the Coronis and were acquainted with Sailor Lead Crow.

For the most part, Rei in the manga seems more boring than Rei in the 90s anime, but personally, I don’t think so. Reading the manga in middle school and seeing a female not *give*a*fuck* about marriage was awesome to me. She’s also kinder and she has far more respect for Usagi. She’s extremely popular at her school and has her own fan club. She carries herself with a certain dignity that reminds me of Michiru. She’s second in command after Venus. And let me end this by saying that Crystal gave Rei justice, and for that I am happy.

Happy Birthday, Mars! 🔥 🌙 ⭐️

P. S. Check out Allison Yarrow’s book “90’s Bitch: Media, Culture and the Failed Promise of Gender Equality” for more detailed analysis on how women in the 90s who wanted to have a home and a career got turned into the bitchy boss, bitchy girlfriend or bitchy best friend to subvert their quest for gender equality. I think Rei is the perfect example of this narrative. Especially when you consider men changed her nature in the anime from what her female creator intended for her. Also, check out the podcast on it https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unladylike/id1333193523?i=1000432317654 (podcast name: Unladylike episode 45. how to free the 90s Bitch)

Thanks for reading all this you wonderful Moonies!!!