#can u tell i love ryuji

[proxythe]

i haven’t played p5/r in a while so forgive me that this entire thing is mostly off dome.

what i mean when i say “ryuji is the heart of the phantom thieves” is that i do genuinely believe that he is the glue that holds them together. without him, the group inarguably loses its charm, and would simply not function without him there. he’s outspoken, protective, and might be the only one who i feel has a genuine love toward every member of the group.

i need to replay to do a whole thinkpiece, but for now i do want to share the ryuji moments i remember the most, and why they are part of the concrete evidence that shows ryuji is the most important piece of the phantom thieves.

first of all:

such a casual dialogue that is amplified by a thousand simply because of ryuji’s unadulterated love for his friend… i am moved to tears by this interaction. i love him very much, and he is near and dear to the deepest parts of my heart.

secondly:

i admit im not in the know about a lot of persona fandom stuff, but i personally don’t see a lot of people talk about this? ignore joker on the right this ain’t about him. this is, i think, the first of many instances in which u notice how quickly ryuji jumps to defend his friends, namely his female friends, and it’s a huge part of him that draws me to his character.

since it’s atlus, it’s not hard to miss that ryuji is definitely victim to their “perverted male character” trope, but for me, the moments where ryuji is having genuine thought put behind his character, are the moments when he so intensely - and is usually the first to - defend the other phantom thieves.

another example:

the phantom thieves are each others biggest support system, as they’re a team, but ryuji is definitely the one we see show that off the most. i will not be going into details as this is all off the top of my head, but trust me i am thinking about his confidant and backstory as i write all of this out.

more:

this has always been on my mind as well, because not a day goes by where i don’t think about how quickly ryuji reassures his friends, since they r the most important people to him in his life.

more and more:

a less serious one, but i do genuinely enjoy the thought of ryuji just bragging about his friends because of how cool he thinks they are. when i say ryuji is the most obvious about how much he loves them, i am deathly serious. that is his family.

was excited to include this as well, as it goes to show even people ryuji has only known for a month are still worth going to war for. ryuji holds such an affection for his friends that it’s like i don’t even have to say more. he is literally speaking for himself here. i will never understand how anyone could dislike someone so passionate for the happiness of their own friends?

lastly:

i am personally not a huge fan of the negative dynamic atlus likes to portray between ryuji and morgana a lot of the time, so this is why this frenzy(?) is one of my favorites in p5d. morgana is the character ryuji fights with the most, and yet when morgana is feeling dejected, ryuji is there to pick him back up. obviously i know this is how the dance works and whatnot, but u cannot lie and tell me ryuji making him happy again didn’t make u almost cry a bit… it’s okay, i did too…

conclusion:

this ryuji shit gets serious, be prepared to die behind it.

[samarecharm]

Would love to explore some more shu/ake dynamics bc theyre both so interesting to me. Interesting as in they would not be in a traditional relationship; theyd be so incredibly dysfunctional it would genuinely get either of them killed if they were to attempt something prior to the end of base game. Goro is angry and volatile and full of self righteousness, but he is incredibly depressed and miserable and full of self loathing. Hes someone who has been alone for most of his life, and has an incredibly complex relationship with his public facing persona and his goals; he is not ready for someone who will make him challenge his worldview at every chance they can. He refuses to be patronized but he needs someone who will be gentle and understanding. And hell never get that in a normal way bc he views someone being gentle with him as patronizing 😭

So he needs someone who will actively call him out on his bullshit, on his self loathing, and his attitude. But he also needs someone who will be patient with him and remind him that he IS worth something, that hes NOT a failure (hello??? ‘Im…special?’’youre more than special dude’ it was so easy for the thieves to get to him by just validating the work he did, and the trouble hes caused them lol). Akira CAN do this, but i think, w the way ive characterized him, he is just as angry and volatile as Goro, and he wouldnt know how to diffuse their arguments in a productive way. It would be catastrophic as Akira tries to show that he fucking CARES, and goes blind w rage as Goro consistently taunts and defies him and ignores his logic. And Goro would spiral trying to rationalize Akiras behavior as anything other than Good; the assumption that he must be lying and trying to manipulate him would eat at him until hes forced to storm out.

Anyway. All of this to say that shu/ake TO ME is “akira and ryuji are dating, and sometimes goro is there in the background looking like this 👇🏾”

[yakuzacanons]

valentine’s day coming up!!

what do they boys do to celebrate w their s/o?

Anon how did u read my brain to find out I have been cookin this post for the last few days lol. Happy Valentine's to all of you, my lovelies.

Mild NSFW below. Also this is a long one, sorry in advance.

Kazuma Kiryu

Simple but classy. As it stands, he can't really do anything big or fancy and the Daidoji sure as hell won't let him do many dinner dates if any at all but he makes the most of it. Probably gives you a bouquet of your favorite flowers and a heartfelt letter.

Majima Goro

A chocolate thief is on the loose in Sotenbori and his name is Majima Goro. If a giant heart-shaped red velvet size box appears on your doorstep, it's from him. He might even be in it. Open it and find out.

Saejima Taiga

A mix of getting you some gifts and making you something handmade. He's typically torn between two strategies: making you a handmade gift and taking you out to dinner or buying you a gift and making you dinner. Heads up, he will at some point make a handcarved wooden figurine or statue for you one of these years.

Akiyama Shun

You'd think it would be beyond human capabilities for this man to get any sappier than he is but somehow he does it every time. A class act with just the right amount of cheese. Dinner, flowers, the works. You can't tell if you're just that starry eyed over this man or if he actually just fucking sparkles.

Tanimura Masayoshi

Can't afford too much on his salary, but he'll make you an adorable custom basket of all your favorite snacks. Will totally pull some strings at Homeland to get the restaurant open to just you two.

Ryuji Goda

Can afford whatever the hell you want and has no reservations about doing so. However, he DOES have reservations at your favorite restaurant with a bottle of your favorite wine, alongside one of every single favorite item of yours on the planet. Always gets you a piece of customized jewelry.

Nishikiyama Akira

Always gets you a customized bouquet of flowers. Actually pretty into the arrangement and colors and is particular about getting yours just right. Might just even make one himself one of these days. Also gets one of those customizable chocolate boxes or a luxury bag.

Daigo Dojima

Are roses and candles cheesy? Yes. Cheesy is also Daigo's middle name when it comes to Valentine's Day. Man's straight out of a 90's romcom. Probably got the idea from a 90's romcom, actually. Will also be down to watch a 90's romcom with you. Seriously, he prefers a cozy night in anyways.

Mine Yoshitaka

Same vibe as Daigo but sluttier. Seriously. He's a champagne and bubble bath type of hoe, followed by what can only be described as mind blowing sex. Out of all the boys, he's the one who's most likely to have sex on Valentine's Day.

Tatsuo Shinada

He will try his hand at baking you some homemade goodies. Be warned, the first few attempts will be a little wonky. He's doing his best though! He can't afford much so he likes to do homemade things. Would also be down to bake or cook something with you if you're into that.

Ichiban Kasuga

He'd take you on a date that includes all of your favorite activites and your favorite places. As long as he's spending time with you, that's what counts. Will totally end the day by just blurting out something sappy and romantic but would he be Ichiban if he didn't?

Yu Nanba

Likes to do something relaxing, particularly if it takes you two away from the city. Nothing like the peace and quiet of the countryside so you two can be as close as possible. Probably would take a weekend to go to a hot spring with you.

Adachi Koichi

Will actually ask you to be his Valentine. Total cheesefest with this guy. Type of fella to hold a rose between his teeth and say something dumb like "Hey babe, come here often?". In terms of activites, he doesn't have much beyond a nice dinner planned but his personality just oozes goofy, silly love.

Tianyou Zhao

If you thought he'd be doing anything other than cooking you an overly extravagant dinner all by himself, then you'd be dead wrong. Man's out here cooking all your favorite foods, baking your favorite desserts, and making them unbelievably pretty and fancy. He's out here making roses out of the freakin' dumpling pastry, for cryin' out loud!

Joon-Gi Han (Y7)

Sweetie boy is doing his best. Gets a nice cake with a custom message on it, or takes you to an adorable cafe and eats a bunch of sweets with you. Also, yes he's dressing in matching outfits, duh!

Joon-Gi Han (Y6)

This boytoy is taking you to the biggest, fanciest club in town and ordering the biggest, fanciest bottle of champagne they have. Also one of the boys who is likely to get down and dirty on Valentine's Day.

Osamu Kashiwagi

Total class. Years have given him enough knowledge and expertise to pull off a classic Valentine's Day without a hitch. Thinks of everything, from the flowers and dinner all the way down to what color tie goes best with what color suit that would match best with your outfits. Lots of kisses on the back of your hand.

[symphonic-scream]

I was left unattended there's a new au

Haru Sakura au for Persona 5

P5 au where Haru moves into LeBlanc's attic after she joins the team

Joker lives in the Sakura house by then, has his own room, and they've just been using the attic as a hideout

They go and get Haru and Mona back and. They all watch her sleep on the couch, and no one wants her to go back home.

"...you think Boss would let her stay here?"

"It's worth asking..."

So, Haru lives above Leblanc. She gets her stuff from her old house, so the attic has a bigger bed in it, a vanity, and they all build an Ikea dresser for some of her clothes

In this one she decides to take a gap year. A year spent, learning to love and to live. A year learning to be Big Sis Haru

Anyways.

Haru: I, I think I'm gay,

Akira: hey, hey it's okay, do you want a hug?

Sojiro: now, I'm not up to date with the world and stuff, but you love who you love, you can't choose that. Anyone that gives you hell? Just send them to me, and they'll never bother you again

Futaba: ...was it Makoto or Ann?

Sojiro: Futaba-!

Haru: Mako-chan, shes- gosh,, I could probably go on for hours,

Akira: I'll listen if you want. I'm sure Dad and 'Taba have other things to do

Sojiro: I can listen to anything else. Just, not love stuff. Don't wanna picture you kids getting older

Futaba: I have to bully kids on Roblox

Haru gets a room in the Sakura house too. Hers is, technically the attic again, but it's big. It was a surprise too, Sojiro paid Ryuji and Makoto and Akira to fix it up, make it liveable

Makoto goes away for the first semester. Kyoto, then back to Tokyo. She and Haru call and text, video call too. Haru praises her haircut, and smiles when she wishes Makoto luck with a date. Doesn't know why her chest feels heavy

Makoto's first day back is day one of strikers. Ann and Akira and Ryuji are going to pick her up from the airport, and Haru doesn't originally want to go, but. Makoto's last text before she loses service is just

"I can't wait to see you again, you don't even know how much I've missed you. Would it be too forward to ask for a hug?"

Haru leaps out of bed and down the stairs, and gets to the van just as they're about to leave

Ann: girl- you're in your PJs??

Akira: you said you didn't want to...

Haru: i- I want to be there! Please,

And she wrings her hands, waiting and listening to the others talk, and-

"Haru!"

Makoto is beaming, undercut and more unevenly cut hair. Wearing a flannel and some shorts, comfy clothes, but it still makes Haru forget to breathe

Makoto pauses, to ask for that hug, be a little cheeky, and Haru just. Crushes her. Sniffling slightly into her shoulder, mutters a soft "I missed you so much,,"

And they're friends. They're friends! Haru has to keep insisting this to her brother, and her sibling, and Ann-

Makoto sits close to her the entire time. Leans over to make jokes, and smiles at her with that, new, silly smile she's found

And. Makoto, at some point in Strikers, breaks the news that she's staying in Kyoto for the year. To finish her year. The program director likes her, it seems

Haru acts normal about it, but when she's alone later, Akira finds her and wraps an arm around his sister

Akira: it sucks, huh?

Haru, wiping her tears: it does,, but- this is good for her studying,,

And the others, they're talking to a more demure Makoto

Ann: got a girl in Kyoto?

Makoto: sort of? She, doesn't want to be exclusive. And, I'm thinking I might actually not like her as much as I'd thought

Ryuji: huh? For Real?

Makoto: ...there's someone else I'm now realizing I may be, in love with

Later on, it's like March now, the next school year is a month away, and

Haru: so, then Sojiro said-

Makoto: I'm coming back to Tokyo!

Haru: ...you are?

Makoto: I, I am. I'm going to Tokyo U for my second year. Is, does this make you, happy?

Haru: you silly girl, I'm ecstatic! But, is this what you want? What about your girlfriend?

Makoto: she broke up with me. I deserved it, it's. A long story. I'll tell it to you when I'm home?

Haru: yeah,, when you're home,,

The second airport reunion is much more emotional. Makoto sprints through a crowd, and swings Haru around, who's actually crying and just. They both missed each other so much

Makoto had a plan. She had it all worked out, but, in the moment, she just-

Makoto: I missed you so much, I love you, Haru, I-

Haru: *gay shut down as Makoto rambles a little, then springs up for a messy kiss*

So then they're dating. Haru starts her first year as Makoto does her second, and it's. They're both in much better places

Sojiro has to get used to his newest and oldest daughter coming down from her attic room in the morning with her girlfriend, who he knows already, but who gets so goddamn awkward around him now

Futaba snickers and teases as Makoto gets so red, and Akira winks and teases, and Haru gets pink and giggles back, and just. She's in a much better place in life

A gayer place

Makoto would have had a year of gay exploration and learning about herself in the background. She comes back to Tokyo knowing she's more butch, having a new style and absolutely sure she's head over heels for Haru

Haru's been growing her hair out. It's ponytail length, and she's just, more at ease with herself

Makoto spends her first night back in Tokyo at Sae's, but then, she meets Haru for a late lunch, and they go back to Haru's room, and, the giddy little make out, and the way they just. Talk stuff out while curled up in Haru's big bed

Makoto: I've had a crush on you since Beauty Thief

Haru: I, it took me a bit longer. Christmas Eve,

Makoto: I'm so glad I didn't stay in Kyoto any longer. Being apart from the others, from *you*, it was necessary for finding myself, but it was almost too much

Akira goes up to Haru's room the next day and finds the GFs playing Smash Bros or something

Haru, in Makoto's flannel and a soft skirt. And then Makoto, in a sports bra and butch boxers and just

Akira: oh. I didn't know Makoto, slept over

Makoto: we didn't-

Haru: she just slept over, 'Kira, take your horny brain elsewhere. What's up?

Akira: Dad and I are making hotpot for tonight, Ryuji and Yusuke are coming over, sleeping over in the living room. Do you two wanna join?

Haru: Mako-chan?

Makoto: I'm down. I- are we going to join the guys downstairs? Or-

Akira: ...you're staying over again?

Haru: mm! We'll hang out with them, but I'm still owed my solo Mako time

So yeah.

[angered-box]

anyway let me tell you how fucking insane the voicecast for bugsnax is.

Max Mittelman (Filbo, Noodler, Crapple) - ryuji from p5, saitama in one punch man, atsushi in bsd (what.), and like 500 more

Cassandra Lee Morris (Beffica, Lollive, Tacroach) - morgana p5, sothis fe3h, ringo in an upcoming puyo game (YIPPEE NEW PUYO . ayway), and like a billion more shes everywhere

Sam Riegel (Gramble) - prinny in disgaea, teddie in p4 but he's uncredited lmao, phoenix wright (in dual destines and like one other?) but he's uncredited there too, alphinaud in ff14, and also like five bajillion more

Yuri Lowenthal (Chandlo) - MINATO AND RYOJI IN PERSONA 3 (fes), Eiichiro Takeba in P3Re tho :>, peter parker in the spiderman games, marth in fe engage (marth <3), dainsleif genshin impact, yosuke in p4, five bajillion more yuri is fucking EVERYWHERE

Casey Mongillo (Floofty) - Shinji in the netflix redub of nge, chilchuck from dunmeshi, the protag in smt v

Tom Taylorson who i alrady told you abt

Todd Haberkorn (Chillynilly, Flapjackarack, Waffstackarak, Scropepper, Shishkabug, Megamaki) - Razor genshin impact, italy in hetalia (lmao????), hes in more stuff im just too lazy to keep looking

Robbie Daymond (Paletoss Grande, Buffalocust, Incherrito, Pineantula, Pinkle, Scorpenyo, Scoopy) - goro akeppi p5 . hes in a million billion other things but thats the important one

also i was wrong abt erika i swore she was here but nope skdgdk . u can find the full voicecast on imdb these r just the ones i know in particular

see the funniest thing was i knew i heard max mittelman and cassandra morris! i love their voice acting they do great (along with everyone else) but gawd. insane voicecast.

[egoistars]

🍓🌹❗for both and 🥀❤️💔🥩 for mayumi :333

(can u tell i really like mayumi)

MAYUMI MY GIRL!!!!!!! i love her sm she's a horrible person but idc 🔥

info under the cut

🍓 (strawberry) - Does your oc believe in anything? Are they superstitious? Religious? Atheistic? Has anything in their past made them this way?

already answered this one in the previous post!!

🌹 (rose) - What does your oc find attractive in other people? Are these traits found in their friends and/or romantic partners? Are they found in themselves?

mayumi's standards are LOWWW she'll fold for any girl but she doesn't fall in love easily. her kind of pining is staring at a girl from afar and giggling over scenarios at home (she needs to stay mysterious and nonchalant). she skips from crush to crush really fast though, a new one maybe every other week but she's got a thing going on with yuu that's been pretty steady

ryuji is an unapologetic gold digger LMFAO ever since the u20 match he's had his eye on isagi and hits on him every chance he gets (he's atrocious at flirting and isagi thinks ryuji is just fucking with him and it pisses him off). his feelings for isagi started because he saw isagis potential and exponential growth in the sport and from that MONEY!!! FAME!!! if he sees an opportunity to exploit, he'll jump for it cuz he's trying to do anything to get validation and also out of his life

❗️(exclamation point) - What was the scariest moment of your character’s life? Does it still affect them?

for mayumi it's when when her mom got hospitalized after her dad beat her. she was used to her parents always arguing and both of their explosive tempers but that time they got physical. after that she was left kinda jaded and cuz violence was all she knew, she flipped out on her schoolmates and ended up getting expelled her second year.

i'd say the most defining moment of his life is when he got alcohol poisoning and had a nearly fatal overdose of synthetic drugs one night, leaving him in several thousands of yen in debt because of medical bills in a city he doesn't live in. his family is already poor so that was a huge punch in the face about his lifestyle and living situation. also he used diapers until 13 and he lives in constant fear about that secret coming out

MAYUMI ONLY SECTION:

🥀 (wilted flower) - How does your character deal with stressful situations? Is their fear response fight, flight, freeze or fawn?

mayumi has horrendous coping mechanisms and immediately goes for fight. she's on edge like 24/7 and is 5 secs away from jumping everyone #angerissues

❤️ (heart) - Who is the most important person to your character? To what lengths would they go to protect this person?

MAYUU YURI!!!! mayumi honestly only cares about yuu and feels kinda bad because she sees herself as a horrible influence on yuu. she'd do anything for yuu but is also scared that one day she'll blow up on yuu and fuck up their relationship, leaving her alone

💔 (broken heart) - Who has your character hurt most? Physically or emotionally? How did it feel? Do they regret it?

i'm gonna be fr she's probably hurt everyone in her life bc that's all she knows of relationships. she's thought about getting physical but she can't hold her own in a fight like... at all.... so it's mainly emotional abusing others until she got expelled and that's when she was like "huh.... maybe i should .... not 😱 " and got sent to intensive therapy for half a year so yuu is her #1 #icon

🥩 (steak) - Does your oc have any coping mechanisms? Healthy or unhealthy?

her previous coping mechanism was severely bullying everyone in her vicinity but ever since she got out of therapy, she's been trying to manage her temper. she's still on edge 24/7 and a literal bomb so she turned to self harm and punishing herself #ROFL i was gonna include it in my scene!mayumi art but i thought it was too much so i cropped it out 😭

[takahashits]

HIIII 2, 4 & 9 from this ask game :3 !!!!! !!!!!!!!

THANK U VEL FOR THE ASKS !!! 🫶🫶

SAGE • How does your f/o show appreciation/affection and vice versa?

hands down, physical touch is his #1 love language! he LOVES hugging me from behind (especially when i'm doing a task, just so he can catch me off guard), and he also likes nuzzling his face in my neck when we cuddle. it's mandatory that he's touching me whenever we go outside - if he's not holding my hand, he has his arm around my neck. if he's not hugging me, he has his chin on my shoulder. that boy really likes my touch

physical touch is undoubtedly my primary love language as well LMFAO so i give him tons of kisses to make him blush like HELL!!!! i love seeing him embarrassed and shy, it's the cutest thing ever ! aside from physical touch, acts of service is also another main love language of mine. i like helping him with his studies and doing chores with him. it's very romantic to me and i hope it is for him too hehe

BUBBLEGUM • What is the most memorable moment or thing they have said to you and vice versa?

(warning: LONG STORYTIME ANSWER!!! we're talking ao3-level story)

okay, SO!! i have two, but for now i’ll only tell one ‘cause this post is gonna be long if i told both stories 😭 this happened before we started dating but still one of my most memorable moments with him.

to give you some context, it was around six in the evening. i was in a coffee shop near shujin academy’s campus, while ryuji was inside the school gymnasium, practicing for an upcoming track and field competition at that time.

while i was doing my schoolwork inside said coffee shop, some guy in front of my table started talking to me out of the blue before he went inside the shop’s restroom. when i felt like something was up, i noticed that the guy’s phone was weirdly positioned — it was leaning on a water tumbler, and the creepiest part was that the camera was pointed RIGHT AT MY DIRECTION !!!! so by that time, i was internally freaking out, thinking that i was being recorded w/o my consent.

first, i texted my closest friends if there was still anybody around the campus to come fetch me — i couldn’t go out the shop just yet because 1) i wasn’t finished with my donut and i had it for dine-in and 2) if i went outside, there's a good chance that guy would follow me. since classes already ended two hours ago, none of my friends could keep me company. that was when i remembered ryuji told me that he’d still be around by six because of his practices.

when the weird guy returned from the bathroom and sat at his table in front of me, i quickly texted ryuji in panic — at first, i asked him if he was available to come pick me up at the coffee shop. when he asked what was up, i explained the situation to him over text. he then told me that he’d come as quick as he possibly can.

around five to six minutes later, he shows up with sweat covering his forehead and a gym bag gripped in his right hand. he was wearing shujin’s PE uniform. i remember the way his head moved side-to-side, trying to find me. then, when he does, he smiles and waves at me, as he exclaims: “hey, june!”

i remember the side-eye he gave to the weird guy as he walked over to my table LMFAO,, ryuji sits in front of me, so as to block the guy’s view from seeing me. then, ryuji rests his forearms on the table, glancing at my schoolwork, my unfinished donut, then at me.

“that’s a big freakin’ donut, dude,” he comments, and i laugh.

“i have to finish it,” i tell him in a whisper. “i don’t want to let this go to waste just because of some weirdo!”

“don’t worry ‘bout it,” he answers. “take your time. i’ll be here for ya.”

even so, i STILL try my best to finish it as quickly as possible because i don’t want to be a bother anymore !!!!! at times, he’d chuckle and tell me to slow down, that “the donut ain’t got its own legs, it won't run”. when i was done eating my food, ryuji offered to carry my backpack.

after we left the coffee shop together, i gave him my thanks and told him a few more details about what happened. he’d throw in a couple comments, like are you for real?! or he’s lucky i didn’t throw any punches! i’d laugh at his responses, but then, as we were walking farther away from the coffee shop, i felt something was missing.

and then, it hit me: i think i forgot my envelope in the coffee shop.

the worst part? i had some personal papers that contain MY CONTACT DETAILS in that envelope. INCLUDING MY ADDRESS. the conversation went something like this:

“oh, shit.”

“what?”

“i think i left something in the cafe.”

“what? whaddya leave?”

“i left my pink envelope!”

“the one you always carry with you?”

“yeah! that one! fuck, i have to get it back.”

"are you sure it's not in your bag?"

"no, it doesn't even fit in there! could you— shit, sorry, could you go with me? i can’t go back and see that guy again."

“yeah,” he nods, worried, “sure, no problem.”

and then, as we briskly walk back to the cafe, i told him how i have some important documents in there, including the document i mentioned. after telling him about it, he seemed like he was contemplating about something. then, he removes my bag off his back.

“june, could you hold this for a sec?” he returns my backpack to me, and i’m confused. “stay put, yeah?”

then, he wears his gym bag over his shoulder, and suddenly — he FUCKING runs!

i thought he ditched me and went home already. i stand there confused with my eyebrows furrowed, and i’m convinced he left me there by myself to fetch for the envelope alone. so, i start making my way to the cafe, feeling a little betrayed by ryuji — that was, until i was a few feet away from the coffee shop’s entrance and saw him emerge with the pink envelope in his hand.

i am absolutely AMAZED.

he then sees me from a distance, walking to me with a tired smile as he hands me the envelope. “i told you to stay put, ya idiot,” he tells me as i take it from his hands.

“i thought you went home already,” i explain. “so i was going to get it by myself, until y—“

“yeah, whatever, that’s no problem,” ryuji brushes it off, panting just a little from the sudden exercise. then, he mentions to me: “y’know, i saw that weirdo again on the same table.”

“oh really?”

“yep,” he nods proudly. “i just shot him… one last death glare just so he remembers not to mess with you anymore.”

i laugh. “aren’t you returning to practice?”

“nah,” he shakes his head. “we were practically finished for today. tonight, i’m walking you home just to make sure no other creeps do somethin’ to you.”

he always walks me home after classes now. :)

tldr: ryuji picked me up at a coffee shop after some weirdo was recording me. when we were already far away from the coffee shop, i realized i forgot something important there. he ran back to the coffee shop to get it himself and return it back to me.

CRIMSON • How protective are you of one another? Do either of you get jealous in any way?

i'll be fr with you we're both prone to jealousy LMFAO .... but in terms of how we both show it, ryuji's definitely passive-aggressive with it (not towards me, but if he sees that some guy's hitting on me, he'll SHOW him that june takahashi is indeed proudly taken 🙏‼️). as for me, i usually hide my jealousy until both of us are alone so we can talk about it in private.

in terms of protectiveness: ryuji's very protective of me - not in a possessive way, but in a way that you can tell he's determined to protect me from any form of danger no matter what. the way someone treats me is how he will treat them back is the easiest way i can put it tbh. my protectiveness towards him isn't as strong or obvious -- i'm pretty resilient, but honest to GOD, if someone hurts that man i will hunt them down until justice is served

[sunset-bridge]

Ooooo yes I'd love to see them

Also, came up with some silly ideas for a persona 5 racing game would you like to hear it after you tell me your p5xpokemon ideas?

UHM HELLO???? YES OF COURSE !!!! atlus hellooo wheres the persona kart : (

ok ok, the visuals:

OK cute explanations. enormous shout out to my friend sage @thymeloop for having the biggest brain and discussing with me yesterday at 3am as to who should everyone be.

protag (in this case, my guy, sergio) : he is a zoroark, but he has disguised himself his whole life as other pokemon. most recently, a meowscarda. : ) aghhhhhhh

zoroark is the trickster pokemon ! with its ability ilussion it can appear as any other pokemon, and in the anime it can also copy their moves. obvs sergio has disguised himself as other pokemon because zoroark are seen as untrustworthy lying tricksters. a. mask if you will. and well meowscarada as his chosen outifit because. well just look at it. completely covers his face from the rest of the world. but also fits his cat-like image and his phantom thief motif.

ann: pyroar ! fire lion with cute nice hair : )

ryuji: luxio ! electric feisty lynx with huge fighting spirit. dyed his hair blonde.

mona: purrloin is perfect. its a dark type cat pokemon that is known to be a thief and have a lot of tricks under its sleeve.

yusuke: glaceon! we considered alolan ninetales too , but personally i prefer glaceon since it has more yusuke vibes to me! ice fox with a sophisticated apperance..

makoto: lucario ! we had a hard time with mako but i decided on lucario! bullet-punching steel and fighting type, known to keep a serious face and be stern with others. also keeps its own moral code up.

haru: hatterene. ehehehe. cute fluffy psychic/fairy lady with a lot of Violence in its heart.

fuba: orbeetle! cmon. funny weird psychic bug with UFO motifs. (hello g-max form) it also has telephaty. fuba..also made me like orbeetle way more hellooooo

goro: first a corvisquire, then after shidos palace, a corviknight. this pokemon was made for goro. crow knight of justice with a dark streak. look at corviknight. hello? black mask hello??? anyways in third sem outside the metaverse, goro doesnt actually have the usual corviknight face armor.. he just never seem to grow it outside the metaverse. so you can see his silly cute eyes : ) he tries so hard to be scary..

sumi: meloetta! ejheheh. i think, for her metaverse and her "kasumi" form, pirouette form with a ponytail is best! then, for her sumi form with glasses (that i didnt draw sorry.) , aria form is the way to go! a graceful, light-on-its feet kind pokemon !

thamk u : )

[arcplaysgames]

Okay I am fucking around in the Kamoshida Palace rn so lets recap.

Went back to meet with the doctor lady because she felt like an SLink I mean Confidant (which is frankly a WAY BETTER TERM for SLinks, they should backport that shit).

Punk Doctor will hook Reverie up with the good shit but only if he acts like a test subject for her. This is extremely inethical! I love it! Lets do it.

lmao okay having a doctor as the Death arcana is pretty funny even if that isn't what Death means. But given the nature of Death as an irrevocable transformation, a back-alley doctor is great for that. Hopefully the transformation isn't going to be organ failure or her selling my kidneys.

Reverie The Fifth has so much personality tbh and I love it. Even if I'm kinda cold on my team so far, he's vibrant enough to actually carry this story so far. I'm gonna need some ffffcuking weirdos soon tho.

these gym uniforms are bad, can we all agree on that

So far Ryuji is not thrilling me but I do like a book-dumb-emotionally-smart boy who loves his mother.

Also, finally getting the background on what the fuck Kamoshida did to Ryuji. It feels stupid at this point to say "jfc the lack of professionalism" but wow, telling your other students about one athlete's abusive father, you'd think that was a breach of SOMETHING. Goddamn.

anyway Ryuji literally says something like "well that's in the past now, we need to look to the future" so he's Chariot as fuck so far.

Morgana I don't like heights okay they are scary, what if i fall???? and crack my head on the shelf and bleed out and Sojiro already left for the night so I would die?????? did you think of that?

Sojiro would probably get mad at me lbr

I DUNNO HOW Y'ALL CAN HATE MORGANA. THEY ARE A TALKING CAT WHO SLEEPS IN MY DESK OR SITS NEXT TO ME WHILE I READ. Like, the degree to which Reverie is living the fucking Sailor Moon dream here is amazing. He is a fucking Magical Girl.

do i get petting rights someday. will morgana permit pets. i wanna pet them. is that like a rank 8 confidant thing.

god i fucking hate the VR. there's no one to flirt with in there.

I DO LIKE THAT OUR PERSONA ACTUALLY FUCKING HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH US? Like, Arsene stops to talk to Reverie before fusion, which is a nice touch.

Sorry did I say fusion

what in the everloving fuck

YANNO Persona 3 had to endure years of jokes about how edgy it was for having the summoning being a fake gun to the head. EVERYONE OWES PERSONA 3 AN APOLOGY. FUSION IS NOW EXECUTION AND THE COMPENDIUM IS THE INMATE REGISTRY.

B R U H.

man i don't wanna advocate violence on children but also i want to punt caroline through a goal post, what do.

anyway I'm working on the palace, bbiab.

[jazinerambles]

Let’s summarize my thoughts on P5R. To be transparent, I played the OG version of P5 and was coming into P5R basically knowing about 3-5% of the new plot and mechanics if that. I am going to separate my thoughts by gameplay, Sumi, Akechi, Maruki, story, and other. Spoilers.

Gameplay: I have mentioned repeatedly that I fell in love with technicals, the updated baton pass, the showtimes, the disaster shadows, and most of the new boss phases. Sumi and Ann/Yusuke had my favorite showtimes.

For bosses, I didn't like the new Shiho shadow at all for Kamoshida’s fight. I thought the Okumura one was the best and Futaba’s the worst for bosses. Also, I kept forgetting I was playing this game on hard. So many great features, and I felt I wasn't challenged to use them.

I would love to see technicals return. I am not asking you Atlus. I am telling you. Bring them back. Please? Yaldaboth is still a joke. And the final boss is still Yaldaboth's concept plus a bit more when it comes to moves? Hit appendages with different attacks. Got it.

Also, I hated most of the designs for the third awakenings except Sumi's and Ann's. Also, some of them just had plain everyday names. It was weird. Sumi: So part of Sumi's story and knowing we might fight Maruki at some point, were the only thing I kind of knew going in.

Sumi is, fine? I don't hate her, but she isn't my favorite of the phantom thieves. I think her background story is interesting. I love her design. I really do not have much to say about her tbh. Maybe if I was blind to his part, I would have liked her more?

Maruki kind of stole the show. Similarly, how Zenkichi did for P5S. Such a great character. I definitely think he should be in jail for..something. But even before the 3rd semester, he easily became 1 of my favs. Despite the manipulation and not knowing when to call it quits.

My heart definitely broke for him and genuinely wished for his happiness. But it also felt good punching him in the face and reminding him to just let go (BTW violence is not the answer.) I hope Shibusawa can still be there for him. I'm glad he made it out. I was worried.

Akechi: But guess who didn't make it out, or did he? Akechi really grew on me. I think he shines when he doesn't care about others' perceptions of him. I love how he is straight to the point. That twist at the end got to me. I should have known. But the implications of the end?

That is what doesn't make sense. Does that mean we are still partially in Maruki's reality? Does it mean he was just daydreaming? Could he have actually survived? Who knows. I like how they kept it speculative. Also my AkeRyu crackship. Good times. Thank you.

Story: P5R is still very U shape, but now with the right side of the "U" much higher. I HATED the summer months and Hawaii trip of P5. It's easily the lowest part of the game for me. Hawaii could have easily been scrapped. I felt it was included to "fill in the calendar."

And then there is the calendar. Waiting and waiting and waiting for deadlines. Also a really weak part of P5 for me and Royal doesn't change this.  But after the end of the Okumura dungeon, the game is amazing again. Some of the character writing could be better...

I am still not sure how I feel about the third semester. Someone described it as an OVA or a movie. And yeah, that's the perfect description. It still feels detached, despite Sumi and Maruki being in the main game. Yet,  I think Maruki's story really carries it.

I still can't call the third semester the best plot in megaten for me, imo, but it is very high and I can't find too many faults with it. At the very least, it was nice seeing everyone's dreams come true. But I couldn't help but think about a certain paradox boy...

Other factors:

I think Atlus censorship to drag for Ryuji was weird.

 Last Surprise and the OG P5 opening are better 

The final OG ending is better than the P5R one. 

I liked Mishima and Morgana much more this time around.

 Overall, an amazing game with some flaws here and there.

[transfemininomenon]

who's your fav p5 character so far? or if you feel like it, what do u think about each of the phantom thieves?

aside from the forced in "im gonna become a cop" bit I've always had makoto resonate with me a lot going back Years to the other times I've played but never Finished p5. just her entire vibe of feeling like a burden to those around her & making rash decisions to try and proof them wrong on top of her having to really learn to let herself rely on others instead of pushing them away whenever she has a problem all just really Hits Different for me

truly i love em all though genuinely a delightful cast of characters especially once royal came out and actually like. let the cast be friends with each other lmao

joker: love this guy, think it's so funny that he simply can't meet someone and not have them a month later be like "so you're a phantom thief right" because they mentioned a problem person in their lives who then mysteriously changes their ways

ryuji: he Tries so hard constantly and even at his rudest i simply can't help but cheer for him, hes also simply SUCH a good friend to joker he loves his bro so much. let him say fuck

ann: man she's just. so sad. poor girl is just SO sad all the time. but it really does just make it so much better when she does stand up for herself & commit to things because you can tell its NOT easy for her to do and when she does you simply feel so proud of her. i think she's like a year away from realizing she's a lesbian

morgana: fuck the haters i love this guy. "ohhh he's so annoying not letting you go out" that's the game! not him! if he werent there joker would just be like "im too tired lets not do that". yeah hes annoying and selfish at first pretty much every character is he GROWS he LEARNS genuinely he has some of the best character growth in the game. im a morgana stan first and foremost

yusuke: ADHD/broke bitch representation we need & deserve. hes also SO funny and you can tell he isnt even trying to be. his dynamic with futuba is one of my favorite character relationships in the game. dumbass to dumbass communication

futuba: very VERY closely behind makoto for me as favorite. as someone who has spent her entire life dealing with several anxiety disorders who has also made a LOT of big progress with those over the last few years her arc really did hit so close to home for me. im eternally gonna be such a fan of how her change of heart didnt immediately Fix her and instead more gave her the chance to fix Herself because its simply so real to how recovery actually goes. shes also just so Weird and silly that you cant help but love her in such a younger sister kind of way, which on that exact note her sibling style relationship with joker on top of her arc of really learning to see sojiro as her father ? incredible. cried when when she first called him dad.

haru: im only really just now getting to fully experience her because my first time playing p5 stopped at the end of her introduction and other playthroughts before meeting her, but i gotta say shes so NOT the character i was expecting but in a good way. love that shes kind of fucked up. she loves to kill. love that she has a Big Axe. love that she's otherwise very sweet & she gels so well with the rest of the thieves that you forget how late she joins

[samarecharm]

i love makoto so much but fanon does her so much better (the good parts of the fandom) because in the game her character is so lack luster. they butchered her confidant it is so borning and not even about her. they made her a cop. A COP. they pushed this "canon waifu" role onto her (before sumire came along and did it Even Worse). and it SUCKS because SHE IS SO MUCH MORE!!! SHE IS SO MUCH BETTER!!!! SHE COULD'VE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER!!! the way i feel about canon makoto is the same way i feel about the canon ryuji events post komoshida where he's horribly mistreated and used purely as comic relief: i ignore them <3 my game now <3 never happened <3 my ocs <3

You are so right. I generally apply this to all characters in p5 bc the game does such a shit job of staying consistent with character arcs and personalities. Theres a desperate need to throw in perverse jokes at the expense of female characters and a need to show that the police (as a whole) are reliable people who are not influenced by things like money and power; only the BAD cops do that. Not to mention this obvious fatphobia and homophobia but i feel likes thats a given.

But back to Makoto. Shes a victim of bad writing just like everyone else. Ryuji during the kamoshida arc was fighting with self loathing and genuine anxiety, and aside from the like. One comment on Panthers outfit in the metaverse, hes more than well behaved. All of that is shelved as soon as Kamoshida is gone and replaced with him being weird comic relief (and the focus of alot of sexual jokes that were nonexistent in the beginning of the game). Anns arc about self love and empowerment is completely dropped as soon as the nasty bad guy is put away (so that its good to be weird about her w the Good Guys). Makoto loses her a chunk of her personality to be the mature waifu which is INSANE to me bc shes like. Not okay or normal at all 😭😭😭 she THINKS shes responsible and so does everyone else on her team, but its an act! She doesnt know shit! And she doesnt know that she doesnt know shit bc shes respectful and adults dont care about anything as long as u respect them!

Its very telling that for literally every single thief (and goro), you can see the exact moment the writers gave up on adding anything of worth to their characters outside of the social links. Its like they didnt know what to even do w the characters at their disposal after their main arcs were complete. No mention of friends hanging out without you, no mention of having group hangouts. Everyone is treated as a core, important member of the friend group DURING their arc, but outside of it, they are acquaintances at best. Theres nothing in the game that convinces you that these guys are legitimately friends who care for each other and do Friend Things. And i describe it like that bc there IS a game that treats them all as friends, and its strikers! Strikers/Scramble genuinely feels like the game p5 wanted to be; a road trip w your team where they stay up at night talking to each other and hanging out and doing things together that dont necessarily include you, the player. Its refreshing and lovely but it sucks that u get that kind of attention to detail in a ‘spinoff’ title

[yakuzacanons]

I loved your nsfw kinky headcanons I'd love to request some more if you're comfortable!

So, dirty talk during funky time. What do they tell their partner (if they do at all) to turn them on? Who's the pro out of them? What do they like to hear in return?

Last post for the night, sorry for the delay on this one as well! Inbox is staying open since I got so many done today but if I peak above 30 asks I will close it again temporarily. This is a NSFW post so if ur not 18 yet I best not catch u peaking. Good night!

Kazuma Kiryu

Better at showing than telling. Not great at talking dirty if you put him on the spot. However, he does manage to say some pretty sexy things without realizing it. It's doing so intentionally where he gets all tripped up. What can I say, our Kiryu has always been more about talking with his hands.

Majima Goro

Doesn't do much dirty talking, although he will tell you in as few words as possible that he's in the mood. More into hearing how much you're enjoying things. He'll ask if you like certain things. I think he knows that he can just get you in the mood just like THAT so he doesn't need to talk it up.

Akiyama Shun

Sweet talker and he knows it. One of his shining attributes, especially in bed. Never degrading, always very loving and sweet, although he can be a tease to a fault. Loves it when you flip the script on him and do all the seducing. You could say anything and he'd like it.

Saejima Taiga

Doesn't say much and kind of prefers not to. Typically matches how vocal you are, otherwise he's just getting down to business as it were. Curses under his breath a LOT.

Tanimura Masayoshi

He gets too shy to talk dirty, honestly! He will try his best but he gets all flustered, the cutie he is. Like a deer in headlights if you talk dirty to him though, he cannot tell if he loves it or not at first. You could get him to do some verbal cop roleplay though. He's just not great at improv from scratch, give the man a starting point.

Ryuji Goda

For a guy who doesn't typically talk too much, he's pretty good at talking dirty. Does a pretty good job at getting you in the mood just with his words and without touching you at all. Once he's actually in bed with you, he'll talk less the more you two get into it. Conversation is good foreplay for him though!

Nishikiyama Akira

Talks big when it comes to flirting but not the most experienced with dirty talk. Plays off of your energy, so if you're really dominant, he will be more submissive or vice versa. Is pretty good at talking dirty once he gets going, he just has to gauge the mood first.

Daigo Dojima

Like Kiryu, Daigo suffers from a case of being good at dirty talk but mostly on accident and seldom on purpose. The difference between him and Kiryu is he's way more willing to get into it and can become pretty natural at it with practice. Could get into a little office roleplay if you asked him nicely, and by ask nicely I mean beg a little.

Mine Yoshitaka

Akiyama always gets the most credit for having a silver tongue but seriously Mine is actually king of dirty talk. He's legitimately the best at it out of all the boys. Only thing he wants to hear in return is that you're enjoying yourself, preferably a whole damn awful lot.

Tatsuo Shinada

Good luck trying to talk dirty to him because he'll just squeal then melt into a puddle of love struck goo. Don't get me wrong, it does turn him on but he cannot hold that excitement in. You just sound so cool saying it, how could he possibly attempt to match that? He's a bottom like that.

Ichiban Kasuga

Does not understand how to talk dirty. Does not even know what the concept is. He is baby. Even if you explain it, he'll be too embarassed to try! If you talk dirty to him, he just gets immediately and overwhelmingly flustered.

Tianyou Zhao

He's no Akiyama or Mine but he can rank pretty high when he feels like it, emphasis on actually feeling in the mood to talk dirty. He's the kind of guy that has to enjoy the act himself while doing it or it will just feel forced to him. Loves when you do it though. Nothing gets him going faster then you talking dirty to him.

Joon-Gi Han

Surprisingly quiet when he's turned on. Even though it's not uncommon for people to lust after him based on appearance, it takes a lot of pent up energy for him to express that vocally. When he does, it's typically only very short phrases but he makes great use of the sound of his voice. Mostly just wants to hear that you want it as badly as he does.

[teenyweenyeenymeeny]

I know u csn obviously tell who this is ;3 but who in ur opinion is the most to least CG coded of the phantom thieves im very interested to see what u think bc i cant decide

WELL you have definitely come to the expert. ough this will b difficult though. this will be. Biased especially since it has been soooso long since I actually played the game

Number one ummm Haru 🥺 mostly because of nepotism I will not deny that… but waaa mommymommymommy just imagine having tea parties with her… she would have lovely stuffed animals that she would let you cuddle all you want… even though she was the type of kid to keep her toys so neat and tidy you’d think they are brand new even now so maybe you would b worried about messing them up but she would not mind! she knows how to wash them without damaging them if they are properly messy and if they are just getting to look “well loved” she thinks that is sweet!! oughhhgh imagine wearing the sweetest little outfits she picks out for you… I love her sooo much waaa

Number two… is Makoto probably! She is more obvious I think than Haru? Because Makoto is the responsible one! She’s mama friend! She is good at planning and making sure everything goes well! Like she will make sure she always has some of your baby things with her even if you are big Just In Case and she prepares cute lunchboxes! You can go on picnics nd stuff with her or maybe they are for school :0 nd also. Buchimaru. Friend to you both. I like it when cgs like cute things as well 🤍

Number three is Ann iii am trying so hard to not be too biased I would put her higher if I let myself be more biased. She just ouuughg waaa she is so sweet 🥺 I’m SO sorry that I can’t have a coherent thought about her. Mmmmm sharing lots of desserts! Spoil. Each Other >:) even though uh oh sometimes you end up with tummy aches together also </3 cuddle all better 🥺 nd mmmm Ann does dress up with you waaa she is good at. Fashion so you know when she says you look soso cute then t means a lot!!

Number four is Ryuji ough he’s like. Big brother most EVER he deserves to be in a rank together with Ann I think together they r like. Cool big brother and sister who let you join in on their big kid games but r soso patient with you if you don’t get them. SO so sorry to Ryuji to not say as much about him as th girls I promise I lovlovlov him it is just. Hard to Organise My Thoughts the longer I spend writing this hdkdjdjd I like him so much

Number five is Yusuke ough he does. Arts and crafts with you mainly like ough wht f he draws a picture and then you colour it in… obviously fingerpainting. Nd mmm he can paint your face like your favourite animal if you want! You make a picture for him and he goes oh your attention to detail is exquisite little one and then he puts it somewhere special 🤍 he doesn’t put on a baby voice for you at all he doesn’t get the appeal

Number six is Akira I’m SORRY the only reason he is so far down is because he’s way more baby to me 🥺 I know this is not a cg → baby ranking but. It Does have an effect on his ranking. Although just a teeny one because if I didn’t have to give them all their own numbers they would all be number one 🥺 mmm he is good at caregiving but not a caregiver you know. Like he is. Thoughtful and kind and lovely but he’s also just a baby it is like a little kid with a hamster like… yes he is so good at taking care of it but maybe don’t leave him unsupervised for too long. You know. Like especially if you are doing something fun while little he will start to feel little as well 🤍

Number seven is Morgana I’m sorry but he is. Kitty adjacent. He cares for you as much as a kitty can!! He can cuddle with you and be a weight on your chest and nuzzle into you but he cannot make a bottle or be cuddled INTO or help you get ready for bed. He tries his best though 🥺

Number eight is Futaba I’m SO SORRY I like her SO MUCH and she is not BAD at caregiving she is like Akira… she is lovely at caregiving she just needs to also be reassured throughout or she would worry she is doing it wrong 🥺 she regresses too but like. Not quite baby she is like tween and perhaps then is when she does best with littler regressors cuz she can feel like a cool big sister and show off all her cool stuff

Number nine is Akechi. I’m sorry except I am not because this guy is the only person I am confident on the placement of. He is either the fussiest grumpiest baby or he is easily irritated by kids. If he is trying to take care of someone he would not SHOW that but. You know

Sorry to Sumire enjoyers. I do not remember her well and I don’t think it would be fair to her to rank her

[neitherabaron]

ooo you're playing persona 5?? O:!! how far are you!! what do u think of it? who's your favorite character(s)? :3c

I’m just past the Yakuza guy’s Bank palace, so perhaps 50 hours in given I’ve spent a lot of time exploring Mementos.

:readmore:

I’m having a lot of fun with it! And that’s saying a lot - JRPGs really don’t do it for me as a rule. I see why people like things like Xenoblade or Final Fantasy (and I actually adore FF XII btw) but that shit gets tedious very quickly for me.

But Persona 5… it’s charismatic as hell. I kind of love it, which again after 50 hours (and probably at least another 50 to go??) is something special. I think it’s the aesthetic and the story that grab me the most - the game’s pretty unflinching in its depiction of some …heavy subject matter but the upbeat characters keep it from feeling too grim. The music is gorgeous as well!

I guess I have found myself enjoying the “real world” time management and confidants side of the gameplay more than the combat and exploration though, and I wish my enjoyment was more balanced between the two main elements of the game. The palaces in particular feel like a series of empty rooms with monsters in them rather than places that tell a story about the characters’ inner lives, which feels like a missed opportunity.

The other modern (ish) JRPG I’ve recently played was Xenoblade Chronicles, which is not a game I personally enjoyed (mostly due to the combat) but I will say that every dungeon room in that game communicates something about the location it’s a part of - it feels more dynamic than Persona’s Palaces.

I also kind of wish your personas had more unique animations for attacks they can learn but the game’s already so stylish that it’d really just be the icing on the cake.

Ryuji’s my favourite guy - his slouching, bandy-legged awkwardness is incredible. Just the sheer energy that goes into every emotion he has. He only has big emotions. Awesome character!

So yeah tldr: I don’t really like JRPGs but I love Persona 5. The story and characters are top notch and the game is stylish as hell. There are some things I’d like it to do differently re combat and palaces but given that it’s not my preferred genre anyway I don’t think that’s important! Looking forward to seeing the rest!

[queen-ofsunflowers]

just discovered your shujin assassins AU after reading the third semester snippet and wowie I love it so far!! 💛

also now im thinking what if at least a couple members of 3-E wake up from Maruki's reality and see that Korosensei is alive? (like Itona since he's running the phansite, maybe also Karma and/or Nagisa if they're around for the third semester idk)

OH HECK maybe Maruki tried to erase their year in 3-E since he sees it as a whole year of suffering and training to kill instead of a chance to sharpen their skills and grow into their best selves? And whoever wakes up from Maruki's reality ends up helping a bit with Maruki's palace, since trying to erase that has made it personal for them?

Oh heck, would Korosensei come back in his original human form or his octopus form?? and Kayano's sister too maybe??

sjfsahkfdl sorry for the ramble, thank u for sharing this AU :>

Ahhh, I'm glad you like it!!

Karma, Nagisa and Itona are all present in Tokyo when the third semester begins, not so much when it ends. They went over to check up on Ren and make sure he isn't doing anything else stupid after what happened with Sae's Palace and him faking his death. Ren thinks that his friends are acting a little strange, but he just kind of brushes it off as them being weird after the fight with Yaldy.

And then everything gets weirder, and Ren's seriously thinks he might be going crazy. He's not, and his run-in with the living Korosensei proves it.

Ren kind of makes the mistake of telling Maruki about his last year of middle school and his teacher, as well as what exactly happened. Maruki was able to get his hands on Ren's records through the school, and figured it out through some leaked media photos. Not everything was what it was, and that's what Ren told him. Maruki also has a few run-ins with a couple of Class 3-E kids besides Ryuji and Ann who had been up in Tokyo and visiting. This gives him the idea to do something for them.

So he alters their last year of middle school in his reality. Takes away what happened to Korosensei by taking away the tentacles and the fusion process that he and undergone. Both Akari Yukimura and Korosensei live in this reality, with Yukimura staying as 3-E's homeroom teacher and Korosensei being her teaching assistant.

But, due to reasons -- along the same lines of the reason Akechi was conscious during the third semester -- Korosensei is quick to pick out something is wrong and manages to get into contact with his old students, the last people he can clearly recall seeing. (every memory after his death that maruki implanted in his head is kind of a blur, so what he does remember most clearly and recently is graduation day) That leads him to Ren and their encounter.

So, I can see Korosensei doing what he does best and acting as a guide and advisor for the Phantom Thieves during the third semester as a way to oppose Maruki. Things happen, and there's nothing you can do to change it. You have to live with it and move on, as much as it hurts.

He's not about to let Maruki uproot and destroy the final lesson he left his students.