#A Change of Fate

[unnatural-happenings]

A Change of Fate

I've had an idea for a Persona fic and it's been sitting in my drafts forever. I have a ton written, but somehow not a single chapter is completed. I don’t know if I'm ever going to finish it, If I don't talk about it soon I swear I'm going to explode.

It's about a Player/Reader/OC(?) that gets transported to the world of Persona after meeting their end (normal isekai things yk). They wake up with no memories outside of some vague life they feel they didn't actually live. They end up at the arcade, run into Ryuji, have all memories but their finally moments come back to them and panic. Now they have to figure out how they want to go about existing in this world. Do they want to intervene in the plot or not? Do they even have the strength to?

Still not sold on making it an OC or a Reader Insert (drafts are a mix of both rn it's hell), but it's vague either way. I don't want to name or design the Player, I only do that when I'm drawing the more emotional scenes. For the most part they're merely a catalyst for my unhinged ideas and amusement.

If you want to hold out for the teensiest bit of hope that I finish the fic and post full length chapters, then stop here. There will be spoilers ahead in the form of a vague unhinged plot summary of its entirety (oops it's around 22k words).

If I do finish any scenes I find pretty good I may or may not post them separately. If I do I'll link it to my pinned.

(The rest of this is written in second person (you/your/yourself))

(ALSO a warning that comes with mild spoilers. By this ideas very nature this is—in way—a fix-it-fic, but the ending is still very bittersweet) (ALSO ALSO it has very minimal proofreading done. I tried but it is long. Though the AO3 version has more proofreading and is more up-to-date)

You wake up with no memories in a house by yourself, until you find papers saying you were accepted into Shujin Academy and start in a few days. Then you get vague memories of a normal life leading up to you deciding to study abroad at Shujin. Something about the whole thing seems off, but you shake it off and start to get ready to get the last supplies they need and to familiarize yourself with the area.

As you're walking around you keep getting hit with waves of nausea until you reach the arcade. Staring at the Jack Frost claw machine you nearly collapse, but someone catches you before you hit the floor. You thank him and end up talking and enjoying the arcade together for a while. At some point you mention you're going to Shujin and the guy seems pretty happy about it, but also warns them almost everyone there kinda sucks, teachers included. That's when you both realize you never introduced yourselves to each other so the guy goes first and—

He introduces himself as Sakamoto Ryuji.

Everything clicks after that and you remember that you are in fact, a player of Persona and you should not be here. You don't remember the events leading up to you waking up, but you remember the rest of your life and start having a panic attack. Ryuji—Sakamoto (they're real people now you can't just use their first name anymore) tries to help you through it, but when he does you look around and recognize all the buildings around you and panic even more.

You try to play off your panic as just being tired. You didn't realize how long they were out for and have to get back home! You make sure to tell Sakamoto you're happy you'll know someone when you start Shujin so he doesn't think you're running away from him then quickly, but cautiously, make your way back home.

You wake up the next day, realize not only are you in Persona, you're months before the arrival of Joker. You proceed to have a breakdown.

When you start Shujin you've sort of committed to not changing anything drastic in the plot, then Sakamoto steals you away at the first chance he gets. You can't bring yourself to deny him.

Of course hanging out with Sakamoto you eventually run into Takamaki Ann and Suzui Shiho, the track team (if you could kick them in the crotch you would), and unfortunately Kamoshida.

He warns you about hanging out with the likes of Sakamoto and tries to get you to join the volleyball team. You refuse as politely as possible and speed away from him.

You've been around for a couple months now learning to live on your own and start to wonder what your in-universe parents are like. You don't imagine it's anything good. Sure they're paying for the apartment and giving you a hefty allowance, but not once have they reached out to you. You don't know if they're expecting you to be the one to reach out either. As long as they don't bother you, you don't plan to bother them to find out.

All too soon the years change and you meet Yoshizawa for the first time. You never stopped to think about which version of the world you were in, and seeing Yoshizawa Sumire—currently Kasumi—makes you realize that Maruki is going to be an issue. It would be terrible for him to learn anything about you so you have to do your best not to stand out to the school when Joker arrives. Oh and he's arriving in a few days. Great.

You spend those few days trying to think of ways to subtly help and how what you might do could affect the future, but don't come up with anything in time.

When you walk to school and see Joker standing waiting for the rain to stop you don't know what to do. You're about to talk to him when a thought crops up in your head.

"Would you even be able to get a persona?"

You don't want to be a liability so you walk past him with your head down.

Or at least you tried to walk past him, but he ends up grabbing you. You're surprised and it looks like he's surprised himself that he did that and apologies. He struggles to put his thoughts together while you stand there awkwardly wanting to get away as soon as possible. He's giving you a look you don't know how to feel about. Then Takamaki shows up and basically saves you from that encounter.

Then Kamoshida drives up in his car.

You didn't want to get into an enclosed space with him, but you knew if you didn't join you'd end up walking with the boys and getting stuck in the palace (which is honestly worse). You also remember how Takamaki looked during the cut scene and couldn't stand to leave her alone with him, so you got in the car.

Waiting for the boys to get back from their kidnapping is agonizing. When Sakamoto finally arrives after lunch and you ask hum if he's okay he kinda avoids the question. Which is about what you were expecting.

After the final bell rings Sakamoto tells you to he has something to do and runs off without you. That's fine since you know what he's gone off to do and make your way out, accidentally bumping into someone in the hall. You hear the murmurs of the student body around you and glasses hitting the floor before you lay your eyes on who it is. Of course it's Joker.

He introduces himself to you. Amamiya Ren. At least now you know which name he goes by, but this is still not ideal! He's also still got that strange curiosity in his eyes when he's looking at you. It's intense. You don't like it, so you quickly make an excuse and leave. He has to talk to Sakamoto anyway.

You're watching the events of the game take place from the sidelines, wanting to help but to scared you'd change things for the worse. It's when Suzui falls from the roof the guilt sets in and starts to eat you alive. You make your way up to the roof to stew in it and cry when you hear the door slam open and Sakamoto shouting.

You forgot they resolved to take Kamoshida down with the Metaverse today. You're also surprised you can already understand Morgana.

Yet again you're put into the position to make a choice and let yourself be known to them. You're actually about to when you look over the edge of the roof. That's when the last bit of fog on your previous life's memories clear up.

You were pushed off of the roof. It was an accident, a sore loser who couldn't get over his own ego pushed your friend, accusing her of cheating in a tournament. She lost her balance and ended up crashing into you, making you tumble off the side. Everyone that was there tried to reach for you, including the egoist, but none of them were fast enough. You distinctly remember the feeling of your head caving in before everything went dark. It was dark for a while, before you woke up in that apartment.

Your vision blurs as you start hyperventilating. You scramble away from the edge of the roof and run all the way to the station, wanting nothing but to go home.

The next couple days you try to avoid every canon character, which isn't that hard since they're focusing on Kamoshida's palace. Unfortunately the man himself notices you're on your own and tries to harass you. It's both fantastic and horrifying when the thieves start showing up again and hanging around you until you get on the train. Something must've happened in his palace regarding you. If none of them can keep an eye on you before they enter then they always ask you to go to the store for them. If you didn't know what was going on you'd have a lot more questions, but you're content to do their shopping for them.

After they change his heart they strong arm you into hanging out with them as a group. It's not at the buffet so you guess they already ate there and solidified themselves as the Phantom Thieves.

You feel you're going to go insane waiting for them to find Madarame. Important people keep bumping into you and it's stressing you out. Amamiya keeps trying to get you to talk or hangout or something so you keep having to make excuses, Kitagawa asked to sketch you 'cause apparently your solemn look down at your coffee sitting alone at a cafe was the perfect scene for him, you keep getting asked if you want to study for midterms, and you literally bump into Akechi. It's the most shame and terrified you've felt in this world. You want the plot to start happening so you can get a minute to breathe.

Finally after exams are over they start Madarame and you expect your interactions with the main cast to go down. How wrong you were.

The thieves still ask you to buy items for them occasionally, though now Amamiya seems to use it as a way to talk to you. Sometimes someone will message you asking to buy something ASAP and bring it to the passage before bolting. You think they're using you to get items during a palace run so they can stay in longer, but you're not asking. Then Takamaki practically begs you to join her for a modelling gig.

You assumed she was talking about her actual job. Maybe she picked up a more free gig and she was allowed to pick someone to join her? Suzui still wasn't able so her next choice was you. You have trouble saying no to these people so of course you agreed to join her.

You're petrified when you end up standing in front of a shack and not a studio.

One thing happens after the next and you're on the verge of a breakdown inside the palace. You can't pay attention to anything. The only thing you notice is Kitagawa getting his persona so you move out of the way on autopilot. Before you all exit the thieves try to ask if you're okay, but you wave them off and ask to leave. As soon as you do you head home.

When you get inside and after a bit of hesitation, you call your supposed mother and learn she's really weird. She does what she asks of you though and now you're home bound for some terrible "illness." She somehow got the school to agree to send your work over while you're "recovering."

It's Niijima Makoto the school sends to hand over your work. They also give her your number. You message her to tell her she doesn't have to physically give you the work, that it's excessive and sending it through an email would've been fine for the school, but she doesn't relent. You have her drop your work off in front of your door and watch you pick it up from a distance, cursing the principal out in your mind all the while.

You receive an endless amount of messages from the thieves, but you ignore them all. They never stop as the week passes, but the contents change.

One day Niijima shows up at your door with Sakamoto in tow and he basically bullies his way into your apartment. They help you air out the place and try to cheer you up. Niijima takes the work you finished and organizes what you didn't while Sakamoto gives you a ton of games to borrow and asks you to play at least one of them to completion. None of this makes you feel any better.

A few days later you're sent a calling card.

??What the fuck??

You don't know why you were sent one or how it would even feel to get your heart changed. To be frank you don't WANT to know! You're fine! They're ignoring your messages now so you guess they've already jumped in. But to where? Mementos? A palace?? Was whatever they think is wrong with you strong enough to make a palace???

If you think about it any longer you feel you'll go insane, so you try to get some sleep, hoping you can skip whatever process happens during a change of heart. You barely get any when your phone lights up. Hoping it's a message from a thief you open your eyes only to be greeted to a black and red swirling eye.

You throw your phone across the room, turn to face the other wall and go to sleep.

Much later, you wake up to someone banging on your door. Just to get them to shut up you open the door and end up nearly knocking Sakamoto out. They came over immediately after they left and they're almost frantic as they explain the situation.

Yes, you had a palace—still have a palace. They didn’t change your heart. Not because they couldn't, but because it apparently wasn't a good idea. After the fight they got to talk to your shadow and they seemed to be much better than before.

You're able to piece together that they basically handled your palace like a jail in Strikers/Scramble. Now that the scare is over you realize you feel more… put together. This is the most at peace you've felt with your place here since meeting Sakamoto.

But beyond that you have no idea what they exactly talked about that made taking your treasure a bad idea. They don't explain, and you don't ask. You're too afraid of what they might've seen inside of it and you're sure stress radiates off you in waves, but they never push it. What they end up doing is reiterating multiple times that they're your friends and can and will help you through whatever you need.

You go back to school. Madarame apologizes and the student body clowns on him. The Social Studies trip happens but you don't go. You still somehow run into Akechi again and now he wants to use you as his rumour mill. Like always you have a hard time saying no to these people when you probably should.

A few days past with Amamiya insisting that he hangout with you. Sometimes the others join, but it's mostly just you and him. The last time you were together he left just a little agitated. When you asked he only said it wasn't anything you did, which obviously didn't answer the question. There's no time to ponder though when Niijima blackmails the group the next day.

They're scrambling to find any information, but refuse to go to you for any help. They don't even let you walk around Shibuya, blaming it on you needing more time to recover from your illness. They know you weren't actually ill they just suck at excuses. It makes sense since it's the mafia, but you’re itching to do something to keep them from getting blackmailed again.

Of course between your inability to come up with a plan to save your life and constant hesitation, Niijima ends up running into the lion's den and getting them all in trouble. They basically come to you after they've already gone into the palace with their tails between their legs. For a variety of reasons, including their stupidity (and cause of the location),the hideout changes to your apartment.

The first couple days is the same routine as before. They jump in and have you get items for them, but since you know you're able to bring them more things they could use. They don't make much progress in the palace despite this though to your confusion and their ire.

One day they don't show up at your apartment anywhere near the time they should be back. They haven't asked you for items either, so unless Amamiya brought a crapton with him it starts to feel like something's gone wrong. Your nerves get shot and after almost an hour of nothing when you remember you have the Metaverse app on your phone. Fearing more for them over yourself you input Kaneshiro's palace keys and go in.

After hyping yourself up, you force one of the ATM people to carry you to the floating bank. When it gets there you bolt out of its arms and through the secret passage into the building and immediately hear the sounds of a fight going on.

It doesn't take you long to find the source of it, and as you peak around the corner to see you find the Phantom Thieves fighting a bird. A really, really fast bird. They can barely land a hit on the thing, and when they finally do it barely does anything. The bird keeps moving around like it wasn't just stabbed, electrocuted, and burned all at once.

Morgana is also knocked out cold on the floor, his bandanna and fur singed at the edges. The rest of the thieves are extremely tired and must be running low on SP.

This bird shouldn't be here, hell it doesn't even look like a normal shadow! Despite knowing this is not a regular encounter in this palace it feels familiar somehow. Once you remember why it takes everything in your power not to groan.

Unfortunately not only were you a Persona player, you were a Persona player that modded the game.

Specifically, you modded it to make it harder. Much harder.

You are now seeing the consequences of your actions, but it's not like you thought you'd be forced to fight this dogshit in real life! How were you supposed to know your methods of self torture would follow you to merge with this worlds Metaverse and create nothing but problems. If you'd known you would've saved yourself the trouble. Unfortunately you can't go back in time to slap yourself in the face for thinking of downloading all of that garbage. You just have to deal with it, but you have no clue how.

It's obvious they were not prepared for a fight like this and you can't blame them, but you can't jump into the fight to give them advice. You don't have a persona, effectively making you a sitting target. A liability. You didn't bring any items to help you for this either. You can't help them, but they also can't afford to fall here.

You back away to root through any antiques or statues laying around, hoping to find anything, but instead get ambushed by a group of shadows. They knock you into a corner and radio in Kaneshiro. You think you're done for.

It's when you hear the thieves cry out at another member falling that your resolve strengths.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈✁━━━━━━━━━━━

"It appears this flickering lamp wants to shine as bright as the stars in the sky, but still allows darkness to cover their truest desires.

Is this still a game to you? Do their deaths not matter? Should they fall, are you expecting time to reset for many second chances?"

"Of course not. They aren't characters on a screen anymore. They're living people trying to change the world for the better, and I want— I need to help them! They can't die here!"

"Then stand and free yourself of your demons!

I am thou… thou art I…

I lend you my light to fight for what is right!"

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈✁━━━━━━━━━━━

It blasts all the nearby shadows away, leaving you standing. Not taking any time to marvel at your new power, you leap past them to save the thieves from the bird.

After reviving Morgana and Ryuji, you help guide the Thieves on how to take down the enemy. As soon as you do you're all rushing out of the palace in the Monacar and getting to your apartment as fast as possible.

When everyone recovers, They're all grilling you for answers, wondering when you got the app on your phone, how you knew what Kaneshiro’s keywords were, how you knew what to do in that fight etc. You reply with lies and excuses, which they catch you on every time. Eventually you run out and you gotta spill.

You tell them about the game (not about your original reality though), and you're surprised when they almost instantly believe you. They say it's because the way your palace worked and the talk they had with your shadow at the end.

Now that you've finally confirmed that for them they start to speculate where it could’ve come from. Yet again you're shocked they're worried more about the game then about you. They're honestly appalled and saddened you would even think that, so they reinforce you're their friend first and the knowledge you have of future events is now a really cool helpful bonus. None of them leave until you promise to use their first names from now on and confirming you're joining the team.

Amamiya—Ren stays behind for a bit longer to learn about his protagonist status. In turn he tells you he's been trying to get your confidant leveled since he learned about it (but really since he first laid eyes on you). You blame his fixation on being a protagonist to a player. He tells you he doesn't give a shit.

By the end he's relieved and explains your confidant kept locking itself, but now it's free of chains. He threatens you with the promise of him taking up multiple of your free days before leaving.

When everyone meets up again you get your code name Bug. Like a bug in a video game, you're a bug in their fate. You would’ve denied it if Ann hadn't called it cute. Ryuji called you weak for that, then was promptly hit.

On your first actual outing as a Phantom Thief you can see how bad your modding habits have affected the Metaverse. None of the bosses have become harder then they originally should be, but more shadows then you're expecting are from your mods. You highly doubt it'll stay this way moving forward.

Now that you're helping Kaneshiro’s palace is a little easier, but it's still confusing as to why modded shadows are even here. Morgana blames it on your preconceived perception being stronger than most because of the game. Basically the palace gets warped by both you and the ruler. You really wish you could call bull, but spot another bird in the distance and cry.

During down time you head into mementos by yourself to talk to Jose. You needed to know if he could tell you were from another world, and if he did to be quite about it before the rest came down for requests. You're having a nice conversation with him when fighting is heard in the distance. Peaking around the corner you find the Black Mask fighting off more of your modded shadows. He's not doing to good, and the shadows aren't making it easy to escape.

You're conflicted one whether you should help him or not. You know you should, but he's still very much Shido's lap dog rn.

Then a voice pops in your head asking if your efforts start and end with the Phantom Thieves. Of course not, so you promise yourself to save everyone you possibly can and you get your second persona.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈✁━━━━━━━━━━━

"It appears your meddling has cause problems for more than your own.

Then end you seek goes against the will of the world, continuing down this path shall will bring great struggle and hardship.

Do you still plan to defy the gods of this world, knowing all will be against you?"

"I don't care. In this world, I'll make sure—"

Your chest burns as you gaze upon the fight happening before you. It feels like daggers are stabbing into every inch of your skin, twisting, but you stand tall. Not once taking your eyes off of what you now perceive as your ultimate goal.

"—I'll make sure no one has to die!"

"Then it would seem you have finally clipped all threads tying you to fate. I shall lend you my strength to brave this future head on!

I am thou… Thou art I…

Carve out a path of your own and show fate its place!"

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈✁━━━━━━━━━━━

You don't allow yourself a moment to ponder the implications of getting a second persona before you're jumping into the fray to help Akechi.

After a long fight and subsequently long interrogation with a sword at your neck, you manage to convince him that you want to help. Also to wait to doubt the validity of your future knowledge by telling him about Shido's plans with Medjed. He nearly slit your throat for that alone though…

Going back to the thieves you don't say shit and you all take down Kaneshiro. Afterwards it's a barrage of studying and being dragged to hangout left and right before Akechi runs into all of you in the subway. He points out your group is sus as fuck and you can tell he expects to meet up with you later.

Meeting up in Mementos again he says he believes you and is willing to work with you to change the future cause fuck fate. Especially if it means he lives to see the fall of Shido. He also has a few choice words he wants to say to the gods you described… with his sword.

You both agree to plan in the background before revealing him or your full hand to the rest of the thieves. You try to at least get Ren in on it too, but Akechi can barely handle your sudden team up. He's not immediately jumping for joy at the thought of anyone else.

Alibaba shenanigans happen. The thieves try to pry who they are out of you, but you feel it's easier if they figure it out themselves. You don't know what would change if you told them and just went in. It's not worth the risk of Futaba not overcoming her perception herself or gaining her persona.

One break-in later you're in her palace and… It sucks.

Most of the palace has changed to reflect the many mods you injected into the game. Makoto thinks it's because her palace is so disconnected from everything else, your presence effects it more. All to say most of the shadows in here are beyond irritating. When you were playing the game, it was annoying and bullshit sure, but now actually having to fight these things has put the fear of God into you.

Every fight is life or death more than before. If a shadow can hit a weakness they will, if it has an insta-kill you better bet it's going to land it at least once, if it can inflict an ailment it just so happens it will use the more BS modded version. Burn will bring someone to the brink of death, despair saps every ounce of energy someone has left, rage is now a worse brainwash, and a ton of new ailments you wish you could remember from the mod. Of course they can access moves that shouldn't exist too.

The bosses are a whole different nightmare themselves.

Slow as you all were, you were able to make through a majority of the palace. Only to get stopped by a boss only weak to bless. You're able to get around it for now, but you need to go that way eventually. Ren doesn't have anything of value and you're no help in this case. To not risk all of your lives in this shithole he chooses to grind in Mementos to fuse a decent bless persona.

You know it won't be enough though, so you rush to inform Akechi that he might be needed earlier than planned. He asks why so you tell him how everything's gone and he blames you. After staging a meetup in Mementos Akechi joins the team as Crow to everyone's disappointment, besides you and Ren.

When you fight the boss again it's still a struggle, but Akechi makes it so much more bearable.

The palace crawling goes a little smoother than before with the extra member, but it still takes a few days to get to the end. During this time you and Akechi are desperately trying to rework your plans. You also ask him how he's holding up going through Futaba’s palace, but he brushes you off redirecting you to how she would feel with him here. You feel awful and resolve to tell her when she wakes up.

The Wakaba fight happens as normal, but this time with you and Akechi included. He hates seeing her again and Ren takes notice.

When summer break officially starts for everyone Ren basically kidnaps you and Akechi. He gets you to explain yourselves and becomes the next to be in on the planning. He asks when you and Akechi planned to tell everyone else and you don't have an answer, which disappoints him. He agrees to help with initial planning to avoid all the drama that happens during and after the Hawaii trip, but only if you tell everyone afterwards.

After that you're playing the waiting game.

You hangout with the thieves, explore Mementos with Akechi and Ren, more planning + stress over the Hawaii trip after remembering the principal dies, Ren informing you over the unique state of your soul— wait what?

Apparently soon after your Mementos trip, Igor informed Ren that your soul is beyond what he’s seen before. You're not a wild card, so you can't get personas on your own, but you can still wield multiple. Then when Ren asked how you could get more, he called you a leech. Someone capable of stealing personas, no matter how strong, and keep them forever. No matter how hard he tried to get it back, he wouldn't be able to without killing you. Fusing a new one would also be impossible if you were to ever obtain one, so he told Ren to be weary around you. Maybe break the team up altogether. Hell, that Akechi guy is also suuuper sketchy and untrustworthy so he totally shouldn’t be working with either of you at all.

Akechi had nothing to say about the obvious try at manipulation, while you went of on a rant about "Igor" calling you a leech.

One more Mementos trip and figuring out what the faker meant by "leech" you gain your third persona!

Around this time you also remember your palace still might exist. Out of pure curiosity you enter and find it's nothing like the thieves described. At least not anymore. Some time between now and your sudo change of heart it's shifted from a normal palace to something more akin to the thieves den. There's rooms where your personas reside in (you count six with no room for more) and what looks like a war table in the middle.

During one of your Mementos runs a door also appears for you, leading you straight into your palace. This instantly gives you an idea you can't wait to tell the planning committee.

It has to wait though because Futaba wakes up and puts a stop to the fake Medjed. The thieves then switch gears and put their efforts into making her more comfortable with all of you. Things proceed as normal, besides her outing you being a seer immediately. You correct her ("I wish. I just played a game where all of you were the characters" "Oh… What??") and move onto the beach episode.

Later on Futaba comes up to you and asks if you know what happened to her mother.

It's a very intense, emotionally driven conversation. You're trying desperately to explain why you had to bring Akechi in did you really though? and vaguely explain his side while Futaba is rightfully pissed off. She feels gross knowing her mothers killer was in her head.

She tells you to leave her alone and you do, now wondering if you're going about this the wrong way.

You spend the next day trying to finalize your plan with Ren and Akechi, while also trying not to let the guilt eat you from the inside out. It's also agonizingly difficult to focus when a major part of the problem is sitting next to you.

Akechi ends up pulling you to the side after one to many caught glances had his irritation bubble over. He doesn't take you brushing off the problem lightly with it impeding on the planning, so you spill and tell him what happened with Futaba.

He doesn't have much to say about this situation, not much positive anyway. Though he does say you’re the only one that can tell them what's happening, so you have to get your shit together. You fucked up, but you need to focus now so people will stop dying through the Metaverse.

The meeting concludes with no solutions made again.

There's still time before you have to call it a day, so you make cookies to act as a peace offering gift for Futaba. You knock on her door hoping she responds so you can apologize for the gross negligence of her feelings. When she doesn't respond you leave a note and homemade cookies before going home.

The next meeting you're able to stay on track and able to come up with a plan. You can't deal with Okumura, at least not yet. If you were to change his heart, Akechi will be forced to either kill him or go into hiding. Letting him die isn't an option, but going into hiding is too risky. Though you can't leave him alone either. Shido wanted him dead to begin with, if it doesn't look like the Phantom Thieves are interested in looking into him at all there's a chance he might send Akechi to kill him anyway. It's easy to forge a calling card, that's what they do with the principal after all.

So during the Hawaii school trip, Akechi will take Morgana (for the support. He says he doesn't need it but you insist) and try to recruit Haru to your cause. While he's doing that you're also waiting for the poll to pop up and fester for a little. Once it has, the idea is to make a big show of it being fraudulent and how all this evidence popping up against him is too sudden. At the end making sure to note that you will be looking into this yourselves later. Hopefully by the time everyone else comes back you'll have a new member and be ready to move onto phase two.

To change Sugimura's heart.

Haru still needs to be saved before October 11th, and the Phantom Thieves still need a public target. This kills two birds with one stone. Then on the same day you plan to send the calling card to change his heart, you'll also kidnap Okumura.

You're not actually going to do that, but the plan does involve making the public think he's gone missing. Both Ren and Akechi (and you tbh) can't believe this is what your plan devolves into, but the best way to make sure he stays alive is to keep him in somewhere safe where no one can find him. Somewhere you can easily bring him where not even he will know you're involved.

The Metaverse is the easiest solution. While Mementos isn't an option, your palace will keep him out of danger. It'd be easy to have Akechi go up, trick Okumura into the Metaverse (possibly with the help of Haru if she agrees to join), and convince him to agree to hide away for a while. Then Akechi brings him to your palace. Your personas will also make sure he won't even remember his time there.

His sudden disappearance should also cause the public's uproar a little more and Shido to question what's going on. Hopefully he's more focused on finding you guys than killing Okumura.

Safe to say you're not particularly proud of this plan, but none of you have come up with anything else and Hawaii is around the corner so this will have to do.

You're plan wavers into jot notes and vague ideas after this. Plans usually never stay on course so you have to revisit what to do when everyone's on the same boat. You have 45 days after the 11th before Shido's palace is initially supposed to start. Removing days you'll be focused on something else, that only leaves about 34 days for you to figure out something attention grabbing and follow through.

Before you can get there you still have to do the first part of your plan, and unfortunately the first part of the plan requires Futaba. She's the only one that can hack the Phansite to leave the initial message. Your positive Futaba's still mad at you and there's no way in hell she even wants to be in the same room as Akechi. That leaves Ren to try and get her on board so he leaves to go talk to her.

When he comes back he arrives with Futaba in tow. You tense when she comes over to you, but are surprised when she clings to your clothing.

"I'm still mad at you, but if you promise not to hide anything like that from me or anyone again I'll forgive you."

You give her your word and tell her you'll inform everyone once you get back from the trip to Hawaii.

She ignores the massive elephant in the room for a while longer before turning to Akechi. She starts by saying she'll never forgive him, but wants to hear why he did it though his own mouth.

He evades answering the question in any satisfying way until you heavily gesture that he should be a little honest. Once he provides the bare minimum he walks out and Ren goes after him, leaving you with Futaba. You accidental sigh out wondering if you're doing anything right. Futaba tells you you're trying to save a murderer with a tragic backstory, a rich guy that exploits the working class until they die, and are sad over not being able to help your pushover, sad excuse of a principal that happily endorses the man behind the slaughter. There's not many ways you can do any of that "correctly."

You thank her and she just reminds you that you have to tell her all about the game. When you try to say that wasn't what you promised she just turns around, pretends to not listen and threatens to rescind her forgiveness.

Ren comes back without Akechi. He informs the both of you he had to head back home, but he plans to follow through on his end of the plan. So you tell Futaba what she's going to be doing and head home yourself.

Now you're nervous about how you're plan's going to go. You hope well, but you highly doubt that after you let the rest of the thieves know Akechi is the Black Mask. Then you think about how you'd be telling them after he just killed someone and realize you should tell them a lot sooner.

School starts, you meet with everyone individually to explain what's going on. With Morgana, Ann and Yusuke it goes surprisingly better than you were expecting (though you suspect Morgana is only saving it to pester Ren about it later). Though it goes as expected with Ryuji and Makoto. They both already hated the guy so this was only adding fuel to the fire. You're hoping a talk with Ren will help Ryuji get his thoughts in order before he ends up lashing out at Akechi.

The Hawaii trip starts and the first part of the plan begins.

Futaba’s able to take down the poll on the Phansite and as suspected the public lashes out. Ren makes sure to inform Mishima not to put it back up. Morgana's and Akechi's side goes through a few hiccups, but in the end Haru agrees to join and Morgana helps her get her persona. Akechi had to leave at that point to get the principal on Shido's orders then lay low.

No one was able to enjoy the trip to Hawaii.

You all get back to Japan and things still do not go smoothly in the slightest. The meeting to explain who their next target is and why is… rough to say the least. Makoto is being more antagonistic than you hoped for, Futaba is giving him a wide berth and still doesn't really talk to you (though both were to be expected), Ryuji is calmer than you thought he would be but still aggressive, and Morgana clearly makes his disappointment known. Ann, Yusuke, and Haru are the only ones able to get through it without unworkable levels of aggression.

Ann is one of the kindest people you've ever met and willing to give him a chance (even if it's just 'cause you and Ren like him), Haru knew from the start this time around, and Yusuke can see where Akechi came from even if he doesn't understand how it got that extreme.

Everyone is emotionally exhausted by the end of the meeting, but you're able to explain what's going on to everyone else. The others are a bit upset to learn of this. They're disappointed you went off and planned on your own (and with Akechi which is super dangerous btw what were you thinking—) and force you to promise again to tell your teammates when something is happening. One by one. It's embarrassing but you do it.

Once that's done the hideout changes to your thieves den and you start Sugimura’s palace. It's… better and worse than you were expecting.

In terms of difficulty it's surprisingly not complete bullshit. You were expecting everything to be harder after the hell Futaba’s palace put you through, but it's a fair mix of "harder by Persona 5 standards" and "harder by your dogshit modded standards."

In terms of palace contents… it's more subtle than Kamoshida's, but still painfully obvious what's happening. You all want out of this palace as soon as possible. You're happy the war table in your thieves den is seeing some use though!

The treasure is located at the very top of this skyscraper of a palace. Futaba blames the height on his ego. When you all notice the treasure room shift occasionally to a bedroom, you secure your route and leave immediately.

The next day your plan is sent into motion. Morgana leaves to deliver the calling card to Sugimura, Akechi and Haru are sent to get Okumura, and Makoto and Futaba have to make sure there's no evidence left from either. The rest of you wait until Morgana comes back with word to enter Sugimura’s palace.

While you're waiting Ren gives you another persona that cost him nearly all the yen on his person. You would've scolded him right then and there, but you were much too focused on your new addition.

Once everyone shows up, they check on you to make sure there's no side effects of him being in your palace and your personas give you the okay. Everyone is still iffy on this plan, but Haru assures everyone that she'd rather they do this then have him found dead somewhere.

After one last once over everyone heads over to steal the treasure and encounter Sugimura's shadow. He's almost as gimmicky as Okumura’s and it annoys the fuck out of everyone, but you all get through it relatively fine.

While waiting for Sugimura's heart to change you all enter a period of limbo. You and Akechi want to plan ahead, but everyone else tells you to relax for a second. You've been stressed and need to take a minute before you explode. They also bring up that Sugimura hasn't even apologized yet so the waiting game begins again. During this time Haru tries to keep the business afloat as best she can before you can help with her father, Ren accidentally enters Maruki's palace with Yoshizawa, Akechi's keeping tabs on Shido, and you all enter Mementos a couple times when everyone's free to train and let off steam.

The celebration is still held at Destinyland. The trip is a little stained with stress, but you try to enjoy yourself anyway before you have to think about the future. You have more fun then you thought you would running around an amusement park just for yourselves. Akechi can't join since he has to play to Shido's whims and act like he's still looking, so you and Ren take a bunch of pictures and buy him souvenirs. At the end of the day you're all sitting around eating when Haru gets notified about a live stream and your blood runs cold.

For a brief moment you think you've failed at saving someone again, but your personas chime in and say Okumura’s still in your palace, and there was no way for Shido to know about Sugimura. It still does little to calm your nerves.

When Haru tunes in it appears to be a news live stream talking about Sugimura’s apology statement. He made what you could only assume was this worlds equivalent to a twitlonger. Explaining what he did and why he was so sorry and that he'd be stepping down to better himself. While there was no death on live TV this time around (thank god), this is still a little disappointing with no promise of jail time.

Ann and Yusuke note that this whole thing felt hollow. You all took down someone obviously deserving, but it feels like you didn't do anything. Makoto marks that on top of Sugimura not showing himself for his apology, it's probably because of the public's reaction.

They seemed.. split at best of this turn of events. A majority are unsatisfied to a certain extent. A lot of people where happy when they heard of everything Sugimura was doing, but a lot of people were still upset. No one knew who Sugimura even was (he's in politics so really that's their own fault but whatever), so the apology feels hollow. Yes you changed the heart of a scumbag, but how did you even find this guy? How'd you end up investigating him when the entirety of the internet was rallying behind Okumura?

Technically, this is still good for you. The Phantom Thieves just need to get their name out there—it doesn't necessarily have to be all positive, but it still leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Some of the others are more infuriated with the public perception as well.

Despite all your efforts, the night at Destinyland still ends on a sour note.

The next day during a meeting between you all (still minus Akechi), Okumura’s disappearance finally breaks out on the news.

This makes the public unrest even more palpable. A more than insignificant amount of people blaming the Phantom Thieves for not going after him first and letting him get away. Some people note that if the Phantom Thieves could find Kaneshiro, then surely you guys could find Okumura too! Some are also going so far as to suggest you kidnapped him, which isn't that far, but he agreed to be protected in the first place and it's wild they came up with that at all.

It makes every thief antsy and hard to keep their stress at bay. A new target—or at least something else eye-catching obviously has to be found soon. No one has any ideas though, not even you. Ann suspects the public won't be happy with whatever you do anyway. If it's not finding and changing Okumura’s heart they won't care.

Then Makoto reminds everyone that you all have to lay low for a while and act like normal students. Tensions are too high to do anything rash, and you have midterms to study for anyway. Disappointed and anxious, everyone splits off.

The next few days is a barrage of studying with your friends exams. You try your best to keep your mind off of everything and all of them are really good at acting like clowns or actually helping you study.

Coming into Shujin the day after you overhear some kids talking about the police. You… completely forgot about the investigation, so you quickly inform everyone over the group chat. Ryuji bashes you slightly for forgetting. Then Akechi is brought up and why he didn't say anything and hasn't said anything for a while now. He finally comes on, types out "I'm busy" and promptly leaves again. After Makoto remarks that everyone should be careful with what they say everyone shuts their phones off.

You're stressed during your interrogation, but they don't ask you much questions so you think you got through it fine. All they really did was ask easy yes or no questions you already knew not to lie about.

After school everyone meets at your place to discuss the interrogation, then move onto the investigation. They ask you if you remember what's going on, but before you can say anything Akechi appears out of thin air. When everyone shouts in surprise he's taking out the battery in his phone and tells everyone else to do the same.

He arrived at your apartment through the Metaverse 'cause he needed to be absolutely sure no one was tailing him. After they do that he finally divulges as to why he's been absent for so long.

He was busy dealing with everything at the precinct and trying to understand the sudden cold shoulder he's receiving from Shido.

Shido's still holding meetings with him, but all of them haven't been for anything important. No exchange of information, no targets—he's not even venting anymore, Shido's giving him nothing. It's all just to waste time, so Akechi can only assume Shido's become suspicious of him and trying to fish for evidence. A change in behaviour, connections he might have made, anything. All the extra work that's been piled on top of him is also probably to increase his stress and chances of tripping up.

To add onto the horrendous news he just dropped on you, he also informs everyone that Sae Niijima is on the brink of falsifying a case on the Phantom Thieves.

They ask how they managed to deal with all this in the game, and you tell them Ren just told her everything that happened and she joined their efforts. Before they get too happy about it though, you do note that Ren was locked in an interrogation room deep underground, beaten, and drugged. This was also after she received a calling card, so who knows if she'll listen as willingly as she did then.

"The police did WHAT!?"

"Long story worth over 100 hours of game play— look it's probably not going to happen so can we move on?"

"You can't just say that and expect us to get over it!"

Pushing aside the horrifying reality how far the police brutality and corruption goes, you can't talk to Sae Niijima without something more concrete to get her on your side. Since their ticket to taking it even a little easier is off the table, you all still have to lay low for a while. Makoto enlists all the second years to help in the festival executive committee to meet without suspicion.

Planning for the festival is as boring as you thought it was, and unfortunately the student body still want to see Akechi as their celebrity guest. He outright refuses to step anywhere near Shujin unless it's for an investigation, so you have to lie to the student body and get someone else "oh, we apologize, but we couldn't get Akechi. He's currently very busy working on the Phantom Thieves case and can't spare any time to stop by. So sad… anyway—"

The Cultural Festival is still a moderately fun time despite the impending doom it feels like your group is currently facing. Spending time with everyone takes your mind off of it at least for a little while.

The next day you wake up and remember the thieves are supposed to get slapped with a large bounty and hurry to watch the news. You played it the entire morning and even on the way to school, but no announcement of a bounty ever came. The Phantom Thieves still become wanted, but the police only ask for any information

It puts you on edge enough to inform everyone about the change. While they're glad there's no bounty on their heads, it's still concerning, and gives more credence into Shido putting his efforts into investigating Akechi. He is Shido's best asset, so having even an inkling that Akechi might have turned means a tighter leash on him and less opportunities for him to help you guys.

Not wanting to sit around and wait for Akechi to plan your next steps (he'd call you all morons if you ever did that anyway), Ren decides to at least scope out Maruki's palace to see if they could possibly deal with that earlier.

When you get in everything seems normal, but when you try and go beyond the entrance you all end up back outside. Going back in and trying another door yields the same results. Hearing laughing in the distance only makes the Thieves want to figure out what's going on more, so after Futaba checks the surrounding she says to try the front door twice. You walk in, turn around, and walk right through the door you just came in and somehow it leads you to… an empty hallway. Granted it is a different room, but it's still not really progress.

Everyone is already fed up with this palace when going back through the door again doesn't lead you back to the entrance, but into another hallway with more doors.

You are so lost at this point since none of this should even be happening at all. Yusuke wonders if this is some form of punishment for trying to do this "earlier" than intended, and Morgana thinks it might be some sort of defense mechanism.

Low and behold Morgana ends up being correct! Azathoth comes around claiming the cat is right and that he is protecting the palace in his rulers place. He laughs everyone for thinking he'd let them get anywhere, ignores any attempts made to fish for answers, and leaves.

Ryuji opens one of the doors in frustration and nearly gets punched in the face by a shadow.

You all spend… more time than you'd like to admit running around opening doors. Each new pathway always taking you back to the start at the end of it. Once everyone's to exhausted to continue and agrees that nothing's going to get done at this rate you finally leave.

You and Ren tell Akechi about everything that happened and he focuses on the fact Maruki's persona was personally talking to you guys. He thinks this would be a good opportunity to get information on Maruki without actually having to talk to him. He also notes that making progress in his palace might be impossible without learning more about his powers anyway. Ren agrees with him, so Akechi does his best to get time off for tomorrow.

Akechi manages to pull through, so the next day you're back in Maruki's palace with him in tow this time, hoping to gain something out of this visit. Be it information or by some miracle, progress.

Azathoth is there to greet you as soon as you step inside and calling your group "bold" for daring to come back. Akechi steps forward to try and manipulate it into telling him how Maruki's powers work. Azathoth see's through it though being able to read Akechi's mind, and instead offers to show everyone. Then it teleports everyone to different sides of the palace and places them under the effects of actualisation. It doesn't end up working on you since Azathoth isn't actually able to read into your deepest memories. There's not enough for him to draw upon to actualise into a fantasy for you, so instead to keep you out of the way he places you onto a pedestal. It's high enough that if you were to jump off you'd without a doubt break something.

When you're put up there all you can think about is the event that got you sent to this world in the first place, and break down. You're there for a while, hyperventilating and begging for someone—anyone—to get you down from there. You freak out when something starts to circle around your waist and pull you upwards until you're pulled into somebody. It takes a bit longer for you to calm down and open your eyes, and when you do your vision is filled with floating holograms filled with code and random hieroglyphs fluttering across the walls.

Futaba continues holding onto you tightly, trying to ground you and asks if you're doing any better. When you tell yes she says she's going to make her persona spit the both of you back onto the ground now. It's a short distance so you should be fine! You give her the okay and wait for your feet to finally touch the floor before you're thanking her profusely. She's a little embarrassed, but otherwise brushes it off. You're her friend and her teammate, she would never leave you in that kind of position. Especially when she knows how awful it is to feel that panicked.

Taking another moment to fully calm yourself, you remember everyone was supposed to be put under the effects of actualisation, and ask Futaba how she was able to save you.

She tells you she was, but her persona alerted her to you being in trouble. When she arrived and saw you in that state she realized she was in a fantasy and had to snap out of it to help you. You thank her again and set off to find the rest of your teammates.

You both end up coming across Ryuji and Makoto and freeing them from their fantasies, and afterwards you hear something collapse in the distance. Futaba brings you to where it supposedly happened, and when you enter you find the place has been utterly demolished.

Following the path of destruction leads you to Akechi. He's a mess. Breathing heavily on the floor and completely disheveled. He nearly cuts your head off when you try to walk towards him, but quickly puts his sword away when he realizes it's the real you.

The others stay off to the side while you're helping him up. Makoto asks him what happened here and Akechi's only response is to call this his hell.

They would've asked why, had the room not started to shift. Akechi's hold on you tightens as everything that was broken gets put back where it was in peak condition, and a couple people start to form out of the dust that was scattered across the floor.

Oh.

It's his parents.

You don't know much about his mother, other than the fact she killed herself, but watching Shido attempt to be fatherly towards Akechi is enough to make you gag. You can't begin to fathom how Akechi is taking this himself.

It quickly sinks in for the others what the gravity of the situation is. With the way his grip on you tightens even further, and the way his other hand twitches as if ready to throw his blade through their skull.

You're positive you're moments away from entering a fight, when lightning strikes them both, shocking them in place. It's Ryuji who announces it's time to leave, grabbing your other arm and bolting off with Futaba in Makoto's grasp running beside you.

"He's your dad??? No wonder you turned out the way you did."

"If the peanut gallery could shut the fuck up and focus on escaping I'm sure that'd be beneficial to everyone!"

You're all panicking running through hallway after hallway and coming to the realization that the house has suddenly turned into maze. You're weaving through the cognitions attacks and doing whatever you can to try and slow it down so you can backtrack if you ever come across a dead end.

Eventually you find the door you used to get in here, but it won't budge which effectively makes it a dead end. You quickly turn around to try and find a different exit, but the cognitions have caught up to you and trapped you there. They fuse together with a bunch of objects in the surrounding area and become an amalgamation of things you assume Akechi's supposed to love. There's no way around it now, so you're forced to fight it.

The only thing this… thing seems to be weak to is gun, but very quickly you all run out of bullets. It seemed like all anyone could do was scratch it when trying anything else, and soon the fight turned from "is this weak to any other element?" to "is there anything in this area I can throw at it to simulate gun damage?"

In the midst of everyone outside of Akechi rooting through household objects, Futaba is able to come up with a plan. A plan that requires Akechi to enter her persona with her for a bit while the rest of you keep the cognition occupied. Akechi's the only one with gun skills so it'd be a pain to let him off the front lines, but you all trust Futaba and tell him to get in the UFO. After a moment of hesitation he eventually does.

They're separated from the fight for some time, long enough for the pressure to start being felt by the rest of you, but Akechi soon descends from Necronomicon. He walks past everyone, only to aim his gun right at the cognition. Futaba tells the rest of you to stand back before starting to charge his gun. That's when you notice the green pixels flying off of his gun in sparks.

Once it's fully charged and Futaba shouts at him to fire, you're surprised when he calls out to Hereward and is actually able to summon him.

Hereward shoots its arrow at the same time Akechi pulls the trigger and creates a massive explosion on impact with the cognition. When the smoke dissipates and you see no part of that monstrosity remained, the doors behind you opened. Everyone is swift to make their exit, and while you are too, you can't help but ask about what you just witnessed.

"When'd you get Hereward!? You've been using Loki this whole time??"

"Just now."

"???"

You're utterly confused and Akechi refuses to elaborate. When you look towards the others to see if they have any answer, Makoto shakes her head, Ryuji shrugs, and Futaba looks away.

While wandering around looking for any of the other Thieves, Makoto and Ryuji waste no time asking what the hell all of that just was. Akechi for the first time willingly answers questions asked of him (no you're not upset he answered them and not you. Of course not). The questions he chose to answer end up with him talking shit about Shido and ignoring everything else, but it does help the three not in the know understand him more.

Finally you run into the Thieves not already with you and make a b-line to the exit. It's safe to say this try at Maruki's palace was also a bust, so you leave pretty dejected having made no progress at all.

Everyone's mood—though already sour—immediately gets shot when you bump into Sae Niijima as soon as you leave the palace.

Filled with confusion, suspicion, and righteous fury, she demands you come with her to her apartment.

She was looking for Akechi. It was urgent, and he wasn't responding to her messages. When she asked around, the last place people saw him at was the stadium. She went thinking he was following a clue, only to see all of you appearing out of thin air.

Once you get there, the conversation with her quickly devolves. It turns from Sae sternly talking to you all and everyone trying to provide her with answers, to her yelling about all the trouble your group has caused and everyone frantically trying to rebut her claims. She doesn't believe a word any of you say and finds it baffling that you're somehow the cause behind Japan's recent incidents. You're at your wits end when she starts to harp on Makoto for getting involved with the Phantom Thieves, comparing her to their father, then trying to walk away.

None of you can allow her though, not when she's still so wound up and will clearly sell you out immediately. Makoto and Ryuji block her way to the door and everyone is trying to get her to listen, but it only makes her more agitated. When all seems to be reaching a boiling point, you hear someone behind you starting up the navigation app and without delay you're all sent into the Metaverse.

The house for the most part looks the same, except now there are two Makotos. It's Akechi that passes from behind you, dressed in his red and white rebel outfit, and explains why he sent everyone here. The only way to make sure she couldn't leave and force her to listen to us was to show her. What better way to show her than with her own palace?

Sae's still angry, even when looking at two Makotos she just thinks it's some form of joke, until Morgana starts to speak. Almost instantly all anger turns into confusion, and gets worse when you tell her that's your cat.

Now she's finally willing to listen to you, Ren's able to explain what's going on from when he arrived to now with everyone else chiming in here and there. To help explain the concept of Palaces to her, since you were already in one you went towards where her casino is. It's a reality check for her, when you explain what's in there and she has a brief encounter with her shadow.

Afterwards you exit her palace. She tells you she understands what you guys are doing now and that she needs a moment to clear her head. You still can't fully trust that she won't tell anybody, so Makoto elects to go with her for support.

Now that you all can finally breath everyone nearly collapses where they are.

You melt into your chair while everyone else talks about the events leading up to now. You chime in a couple times when they're talking about Sae, then they start to talk about what happened in Maruki's palace.

They each go over their own experiences when you all were separated by Azathoth. You learn Ren wasn't one of the people completely effected by the actualisation. He was put into a fantasy, but couldn't be fooled into thinking it was real so he was able to escape and help the others you and Futaba didn't find.

Despite the others mostly opening up (Everyone involved in Akechi's skirts around the topic. Akechi just calls it shit and asks to move on) you're very brief about yours and completely downplay the event, only saying that Azathoth couldn't use actualisation on you for reasons unknown and just put you somewhere high up so you couldn't interfere. You don't get to move on from it though, because Futaba ends up mentioning how awful you actually felt. While explaining the fantasy that Azathoth gave to her brought her mother back, the only way she realized it was fake was because she ended up in the room you where kept in. You were near inconsolable and could barely hear a word she was saying. The only way to help was to snap out of the fantasy herself and use her persona to get you down from there.

You get sympathy looks from some that you wave off as just your fear of heights getting the better of you, but the others look at you with some form of guilt. That's when Ann asks if it's really just a fear of heights. You're confused as to why she'd even ask, then she brings up your palace and you freeze. Then you realize everyone looking at you with some form of guilt are the ones that explored your palace ages ago.

They explain the only way to defeat your shadow without killing it was to use your fear of heights against it. It screamed a lot and they felt terrible for doing it, and one of the many things it ended up shout at them was "Please, I'll do whatever you want, just don't push me."

You're horrified that they've known this the whole time and they feel bad for forgetting to ask. Now everyone is staring at you waiting for you to say literally anything in response, but you have no idea how to tell them. You still don't even want to think about it.

Before you can say anything and therefore can keep delaying processing all of that, the TV cuts to a broadcast. Unfortunately, it'd the SIU Director.

Everyone in the room glances to Akechi for answers, but he's unfortunately just as confused as everyone else. That in itself is terrible news.

He proceeds to go on and on about how the Phantom Thieves are an egregious danger to this society, how outside of hacking their ways of "changing hearts" are completely unknown. Are they getting blackmail? Are they threatening them in person? Could they possibly be staging every ordeal? Or is it something even more sinister? Then he blames the death of principal Kobayakawa on them, how there was a calling card found in his office yet statements on it were kept quiet, and suggests that something similar might've happened to Okumura. He states these "Phantom Thieves of Hearts" to be public enemy number one and offers a fifty million yen reward for any information useful to the investigation.

Everyone is shocked and outraged, but falls silent when Akechi's phone rings. He answers the call in another room while the rest of you sit in tense silence.

When he comes back he reveals he's been given a deadline. Find and kill the Phantom Thieves before the end of November. Shido didn't say what would happen if he didn't, but it's not hard to piece together what the consequences are.

Everyone takes a moment to calm down while waiting for Sae and Makoto to come back and tell them what just happened. Sae promises that she won't sell you out and suggests that you all should go home so you can think things through with a clear head tomorrow.

The next day when you all come together you get to planning. It's clear Shido and the Director are trying to goad you into delving into the palace of someone on the investigation team. That would severely lower the number of people Akechi has to look into. You can't go after the Director since that would still be falling into his trap yet again. It seems the only way to stop this is and save yourselves + Akechi at the same time is to go after the man himself to expose the conspiracy.

So now you have to switch gears and deal with Shido before Akechi’s deadline. The only problem is you still have Okumura tucked away in your palace. You don't know how much time you'll have after you beat Shido before the Metaverse takeover, so you're going to have to complete two palaces at the same time. Knowing how each palace has gone up to this point, both are going to be extremely hard as well.

Everyone is stressed and already exhausted, so you all decide to go home and rest for tomorrow. Before you get too far away though Ren pulls you aside and asks you to follow him. He brings you into Mementos telling you he has a persona for you. You're excited for about two seconds until he tells you it's Hell Biker.

"Are you being serious right now?"

"He has fifty in magic and sixty in agility."

"I'm listening."

Ren tells you he's been working on Hell Biker alongside Arsène since he learned he could give you personas. Now seemed like a good time to give him to you since you'll need all the coverage and firepower your team can get. Also because he's worried. He's worked on this forever (3 months) he needs you to have him.

You're overjoyed you get to have one of the skeletons on your team and at how much work Ren put into him.

When you accept him into your heart you're expecting the serene experience with slight hints to their element thrown in that the other personas given to you had. What you were not expecting was for a burn so intense to bring you to your knees and adrenaline to start pumping through your veins. It's even more surprising to watch his form morph into something else. Not by much, but noticeable enough to question why anything about it was changing in the first place. Then he speaks,

"So you are the one that changes fate? Very well. I am Ghost Rider, and together we will be the saviours of the innocent! Let us show those sinners the true meaning of Hell!"

Half of his moves also mutate into better versions of themselves, before the burn fades away and your body releases its tension.

Ren helps you up as you both watch the newly formed Ghost Rider hitch up his monster of a motorcycle in one of the side areas and everything around it change to match. Switching from looking at him to his stats you find they've all increased.

"… This is the best thing you could have ever given to me."

Ren, after getting over his shock, of course acts cocky about it before you check him in the arm. He laughs it off, then sincerely tells you he's happy it got stronger for you. He still needs to figure out what the best persona would be for your last slot, so the sudden mutation was beneficial in the meantime.

The next day you all meetup again to decide what to do. You only have around a month, given the deadline Shido's set for Akechi, but who knows if he'd pull the trigger earlier then that. That makes Shido top priority, but you can’t ignore the possibility of that being the catalyst of the Metaverse takeover. If that happens then you can't do anything to Okumura. Seeing as it'd be too inefficient to do one before the other, it comes to the terrible conclusion to do them at the same time. If you split into to teams, one to work on Okumura’s palace and one to do Shido’s, then the problems they could potentially face down the line don't apply.

No one really wants to, either because they know the next palaces are going to be extremely hard or because the thought of going in with a small group in itself is difficult, but you all know you can pull it off. You have to.

After some deliberation, you all manage to decide who's going to be on what team.

On operation Shido there's Joker, Crow, Mona, Panther, and Fox, while on operation Okumura has You, Skull, Queen, Oracle, and Noir.

It felt wrong to move either Ren or Akechi to do Okumura’s Palace since they both have a personal stake in Shido's. You, obviously, were sent to Okumura’s as the only other person with multiple personas and knowledge of his palace. As much as you'd love to help them deal with that piece of shit, the firepower is needed on Okumura’s side.

That does leave both wildcard's in the other palace, so you can't help but ask who's supposed to be the leader on your team. Everyone gives you various looks, from surprised, to disbelief, and amusement. It takes you a moment to understand why.

"… Wait it's me!? I don't know the first thing about leading a team!"

"Haven't you technically already lead our team to victory multiple times?"

"Yeah, in the game! This is completely different I don't know the first thing about—"

Ren places a hand on your shoulder to stop you before you ramble yourself into a panic. He only had one thing to say,

"You'll be fine."

You don't know if you should be embarrassed that was all it took for you to calm down.

Once you discuss a little more on how each team is going to operate you split off. Each group going towards their respective targets location to start their palaces. Ren does make sure to give you half of the coffee and curry supply to hopefully make up for the half of the team your missing. He also tries to shove a majority of his healing items and smoke bombs onto you since your team doesn't have a backup member. It takes a while before you get on the train to head towards Okumura foods.

You arrive with your members and find an alleyway nearby to go over his palace in more detail. When you're about to head inside so you can use the war table in your palace to help with descriptors, you get a message from Ren. He's telling you to hold on for a moment and saying he's leaving the final decision to you. You would've asked him what he meant if the answer didn't come barreling into you at top speed.

It's Yoshizawa. She wants to help.

You want to deny her help since this has nothing to do with her at all and the stakes have gotten extremely dire, but she's still insistent. Especially since she figured out you're going in with such a small group. You can't deny that you know she's good and having an extra person would only be beneficial, so after talking it over with the others, you acquiesce and let her on the team as Violet. Though, you make her promise that this is going to be the only palace she helps you with.

Now that your team has a party of 5 attackers, 3 of which can also heal (that's including you), and a navigator, it makes you feel a little better about diving into Okumura’s palace.

You head into your palace first to get Yoshizawa up to speed and describe the layout of Okumura’s palace (at least the games layout. You don't know if it's changed or not). Once everyone's got everything down you head into his palace proper.

You find Okumura’s palace has altered in ways that makes it all the more irritating to get through. He is simultaneously, more confident in his position, yet more terrified of getting taken down one way or another. The shaky agreement you currently have with him saves him from Shido, but now he also knows Shido wants him dead. Sure you've lent out your hand to help him, but the Phantom Thieves are still a rouge vigilante group that change the hearts of the corrupt, and the Black Mask is an assassin working for Shido. Even if siding with you guys is a safer bet, to him every side is a loss.

His shadow is… without a better way to put it, completely delusional because of this. He never physically shows himself, but he's constantly heard over the speakers and occasional TV broadcast. It drives all of you insane, though it does lead you to learning how to navigate the area faster.

On one of your runs through and quickly getting tired of hearing Okumura’s shadow mouthing off, you remark how nice it would be if Prometheus could carry you all. Futaba tells you she could fit one extra person in there at most. Ryuji then says it would be nice if they could all just ride their personas, before summoning Seiten Taisei and attempting to jump onto his cloud.

It works.

That in turn makes you summon Ghost Rider to try and get on his bike. After he scoots back a bit you perfectly fit on the seat infront of him.

Makoto gets on Anat in motorcycle form, Haru is able to join behind her, and Futaba lets Yoshizawa into Prometheus.

With this revelation the palace exploration goes by much quicker. You're even able to skip a couple of the puzzles thanks to both yours and Ryuji's lack of self preservation (you both mostly just want to reach the end to make Okumura shut up).

"I bet I could make that jump."

"I could just fly over."

"How about that's a long fall with spinning gears at the bottom so neither of you should do anything!"

In about a week, your team reaches the end of Okumura’s palace and secures the route to his treasure. When you reach the rendezvous point excited to tell the others about the news, it's dampened when you notice the other team hasn't arrived yet. Makoto then notes you've arrived a little early and to give them a bit more time to show up.

Over ten minutes past the meetup time and they still haven't shown up. Futaba checks to see if their phones are even getting service. They aren't, so they must still be in the Metaverse.

Worried for their safety, you all agree to go to Shido's palace. Though you make sure Yoshizawa gets on the train home first and promise to text her when you're out. None of you want her anywhere near the politician.

As soon as you enter, Futaba tracks their location and you all set off. It's when she notices there's a powerful signature in the area with them you get her to patch you all into coms.

"Joker! What's going on over there? Are you guys okay??"

"What the— What are you guys doing here!?"

"You were late!"

You're all speeding towards the location Futaba gave you when an explosion suddenly shakes the yacht. The others are frantic on the other side of coms and when you reach the side of the boat they're on you can see why.

They're fighting way off the side of the boat on pillars of ice. The side of the ship where you vaguely remember the IT President's room is lit ablaze. Almost like a meteor struck that exact spot. You assume that was the cause of the explosion earlier.

The others are trying to ask what the hell happened here. Key word trying, since they're frantic themselves and trying to figure out a way up that won't have everyone slip and fall into the water below. Eventually Ren breaks away for a moment to give you answers.

This is the IT Director. He was just some nerd in a suit, but then they accidentally pissed him off. He proceeded to turn into Oberon, shock everyone in the room, take the letter and fly off the side of the ship. They've been trying to get him back on the ship, but he's as fast as a bullet, and anytime they get close he summons a Titania to protect him. Titania also keeps breaking the pillars and it's taking a toll on Yusuke. Akechi then interrupts to ask if you're going to stand around and watch, or get up there and help.

Ryuji and Futaba fly up to get to the fight faster while you, Makoto, and Haru have to climb up the side of the yacht to jump over. It takes all of you to enact a plan to get the IT Director back on the ship, and when he is, you and Ren waste no time trapping him there. Surrounded by a wall of fire, he has no where to go as you both pummel him into the ground and take the letter from him. At that Ren calls it a day and you all head back.

(Of course you inform Yoshizawa about what happened and it takes a long time to calm her of her guilt and to stop worrying about you all)

The next day you're debating whether you should steal Okumura's treasure now or closer to Shido's. There's good points for both, waiting mostly in favour of his safety, but Akechi brings up how useful Okumura could be if done now. He could be an immense boon once they plan to write and send out Shido's calling card since he was deep into the conspiracy. While true, Futaba does clap back that they'd still have to wait for the change of heart to fully come into affect. Who knows how long that'd take or if it'd even get done in time. Then there's the obvious problem if Shido finds out he's back he'd just try to kill him.

It's Haru that steps up next, saying she could keep his return a secret from everyone. That way there'd be little risk in taking his treasure now. Even if the change isn't finished in time, they'll at least won't have to worry about it later. When everyone asks if she's okay with the possibilities of it going wrong, she solidifies her stance. She wants her father to get better, but she also wants to make sure Shido gets convicted for as much of his crimes as possible. So she'll make sure both succeed.

The only problem with the plan is the public's opinion since they wouldn't be able to make a grand gesture of Okumura's calling card, but at this point no one cares that much. If anything they're irritated that public opinion matters that much at all. There isn't anyone with a better plan that appeases the public while also dealing with both of their targets in a better manner so it has to do anyway.

Later on, you have Sae deliver the calling card to Okumura, feigning that it was left at the door and interrogating him over it. When she tells you he read it and looked manic your previous team absolutely dreads the fight. The others that have yet to experience his palace worry for the state of it at your reactions.

Okumura's fight, for better or for worse, has barely seen any changes. The only difference is him being more frantic in his decisions and overall being more unpredictable. Which sucks since all the shadows and cognitions have more nullifications and repels that always comes back to bite you. He's also yapping the whole fight, and while your team was used to his nonsense (unfortunately), the other team was not. You're pretty sure Akechi would've shot him if he wasn't trying to be as careful as possible.

When you finally win the fight and take his treasure, you're now waiting for it to take effect and acting as normal as possible.

During the waiting game, Akechi is almost never around since he still has to act like he's searching for the Phantom Thieves, but there is one day where he asks to meet you in your palace. When you arrive he's already there, and he doesn't wait long before he's

He tells you he's giving you Loki.

You think he's insane.

Then he starts to go off on how he doesn't really need Loki, Hereward and him are basically the same. Hereward is just stronger in every way and knows Rebellion Blade. He also doesn't even need Loki's ability anymore and Hereward has a more useful ability anyway. And he's not annoying like Loki is so—

Akechi's basically giving you the worst sales pitch in the world, but you start to figure out where this decision is really coming from. Without another moment of hesitation you stop him from further making a fool of himself to give your answer.

"Sounds like a pain. I'd be more than happy to take him off your hands."

After he collects himself, Akechi begins the transfer and Loki slowly comes into your view. The feeling is just as intense as it was with Ghost Rider, but instead of the feeling of fire coursing through your veins, it's a bone chilling freeze creeping up your spine. Though this time you're prepared and continue to stand tall. You don't want to collapse encase Loki would see that as a weakness and somehow reject you, but he breaks that train of thought quickly.

"YOU ALREADY KNOW OF ME, AND I OF YOU. YOU HAVE PROVED YOUR WORTH LONG AGO. WE SHALL CLAIM VICTORY OVER ALL AND LET NOTHING STAND IN OUR WAY. MAY THE GODS FALL BENEATH OUR FEET."

When Loki's fully accepted into your heart and the pain subsides, you watch as the last room in your Thieves Den morph into one perfectly fitting for him. Then you go to check his stats and can't believe what you're looking at. His move pool is so much larger than any of your other personas. You have to do a double take and count everything just to make sure you're not making things up.

You have access to everything.

Every move or ability Loki has ever used is available to you.

Including Call of Chaos.

You're staring at the list in shock while Loki is laughing somewhere in the room. If he's laughing at you, at the mayhem he thinks/hopes you'll get up to, or just at the situation you don't know. Akechi walks next to you looking more smug than he was before.

"I hope he does you well."

You're overwhelmed. So overwhelmed that you don't think twice before you're pulling him into a hug. He's stiff for a moment, then relaxes and just lets it happen.

"Thank you Akechi."

"… It's Goro."

While you're stunned at the next emotional bomb he just dropped on you, Akechi successfully pushes you away and promptly speed walks over to the exit. He informs you he's stayed around for too long and has to get back to looking like he's doing work, then makes his leave.

A couple days later with no sign of Okumura getting out of his slump or Shido making any sort of moves, you all head back into Shido's palace. Everyone's relieved to finally have the full party back together again. Especially knowing that this last letter will probably have them run into cognitive Akechi. A fight that sounds like it's going to be extremely taxing since they're expecting The Cleaner to be hard enough.

Once you take out his goons and follow him into the Engine Room, you're unfortunately proven right. He has no weaknesses, something you were expecting since the original is the same, but he's also immune to your strongest fighters. It's completely irritating, but more doable than the last guy was and you beat him without too much issue. The real problem comes after.

Everyone heals up and replenishes their energy before leaving the Engine Room, to unfortunately be greeted by cognitive Akechi waiting on the other side.

He spouts a lot of nonsense similar to what he originally said in the game, everyone disputes him, Goro tells him to fuck off and die, and the fight commences.

This world's Shido must've thought he was some unkillable god of some kind in the Metaverse 'cause the fight is utterly ridiculous. It doesn't help that he keeps summoning shadows to his side, making the fight more cluttered than it needed to be. You all know Shido's faith in Goro has waned though, so everyone tries to figure out where to poke to get the cognition to slip.

When everyone is on that, Goro slips over to you to ask if you know how to use Loki. When you reply that of course you do, he's your persona now, Goro just says that's great and to get ready. As soon as the others find cognitive Akechi’s breaking point, you and Goro strike. The look on the cognitions face when he realizes the real Goro’s no longer the one in control of Loki is absolutely priceless.

It's a thrill moving in tandem with Goro. There's a level of sheer violence that no one else has that's so invigorating all you can do is laugh alongside him. You don't bat an eye when he shoots his doppelganger in the face. If anything you feel lighter than you did before.

That's one fate you've finally managed to change for good. Even though you still have a ways to go before you're out of the absolute worst of it, it still feels like your efforts are finally bearing fruit. The cognition you just watched Goro wipe being the proof.

Now with all the letters in your possession, you're able to open the door and secure the route to Shido's treasure. Now all that's left is to see if Okumura will change in time, or if you have to continue without his additions.

A few days after, Haru informs everyone Okumura's change of heart has finally gone through. She had to do a lot of convincing to get her father to stay put and not make any sudden announcements, but he did eventually concede. With a little bit of negotiating with Sae and a few scant sightings of Black Mask, Okumura agrees to help the Phantom Thieves take down Shido (not that he needed much convincing, but some definitely needed to be made when it came to what information needs to shared to the public and what can wait for trial).

It takes a couple more days to get the footage, but when you do

It goes over about the same as it did in the game. The Phantom Thieves hacking multiple news stations to send out their video calling card to Shido. With the addition of you of course, but Goro refused to make an appearance. Despite everything he still doesn't want to openly associate with the Phantom Thieves, and says it's beneficial for it to stay that way.

One major change does happen at the end, which makes the public go wild (and you can only hope it drives Shido mad). Okumura makes his appearance at the end, openly apologizing for everything he's done and lifting the veil on the conspiracy. Shido is a maniac, and has an assassin he only knows as the Black Mask under his belt. He is responsible for all of the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns happening around Japan. All he can do now is apologize profusely for his appalling behaviour in taking apart of this and turn himself into the police.

When his section cuts off and the declaration to steal Shido's heart has been made you all jump in.

The talk with Shido's shadow at the start is… rough to say the least, but it's not like you weren't expecting that. It was already charged when it was just the Phantom Thieves with Ren. Now that Goro's here too it makes listening to him so much more infuriating.

The fight is also more or less what you expected. The horrendous fusion of Shido's ego and the bonus difficulty increase was comically easy to guess and plan around. Granted it doesn't make the battle any easier to actually fight against, but you're as prepared as you possibly could. Especially Ren, who's somehow managed to become over prepared, but at this point you can't even blame him.

When you get separated from the battle with the other Phantom Thieves, it leaves the only ones left facing Shido to be Ren Amamiya and Goro Akechi.

In any other instance you'd be worried, every fight up to this point has been made so much harder, but you already know they'd never let him get the upper hand again. No matter how much harder he may be, he's going down now, and you get front row seats for such a spectacle.

There is a moment where you're worried Goro may actually go through with his original convictions and kill Shido, but Ren manages to talk him down from that. Goro also doesn't want to squander their chances of getting the other criminal convicted and killing a god, so instead he says he hopes Shido rots in prison and dies at somebody else's hand.

That's when the palace starts to collapse.

Without another moment to spare, Morgana transforms into his bus form for everyone to hop on, while those that can ride their own personas take the lead.

It's anxiety inducing dodging all the falling rubble and trying to pick paths that whoever is driving Morgana is able to follow through. A few times you've had to go a different way or just blast your way through the falling ship, but you quickly make your way to the start of the yacht.

Not wanting to even attempt getting the lifeboat (even though your memory of the game has slowly faded with time, you will never forget the Ryuji scare) you have everyone drive immediately into your palace. You get stuck there for a bit while it's deciding where it should spit you out now that the original exit is gone, but no one cares. You've all finally accomplished one of the biggest hurdles in your way.

With both Okumura and Shido having a change of heart, the public and the police force are frantic. Sae outright tells you your group is highly suspected to be the Phantom Thieves at this point, but they don't have any evidence to make an arrest. You're forced to lay low and not draw more suspicion towards yourselves unless you want to tempt the police to take action against you anyway.

This still isn't ideal. Even though nothing happened immediately after Shido's change, Yaldabaoth could still make his move at any moment. You can't do anything if you get arrested though, so you all pick one day to celebrate your victory over Okumura and Shido to get your minds off of everything.

After waiting a few days, the police only seem to get busier and busier. Dealing with two high level people, to them, basically confessing to a heinous conspiracy at the same time, public pressure forcing them to comb through every other candidate, needing to take in the SIU Director into custody, and having the Phantom Thieves still be at large on top of all that. They are stretched thin and barely holding on, but it does let them move a little more freely than earlier.

At some point when trying to studying for final exams with Yoshizawa, you accidentally let it slip that Maruki may be your next target. This obviously concerns her, and after a bit of convincing on her end and not wanting to sit around waiting for the world to end on yours, you agree to search through the palace with her.

You don't think you'd get into any fights since you're only scouting, but just in case you inform Ren where you're going and who you're with. Ren tells you it's a bad idea and informs you Morgana will be very disappointed if you go in. You reassure them that you plan on staying outside and at the entrance, only enough for Yoshizawa to get the picture. He relents, but if you're not back in less than an hour he's going in for you.

When you and Yoshizawa get in, you walk around the perimeter with her, trying to explain why his ideals—even though are done with good intentions—aren't exactly great. You wouldn't even be here discussing this if his desires weren't distorted in some way.

You think she's starting to understand why his mentality isn't necessarily a good one, but when you open the front door to show her some of the things inside things start to go horribly wrong. Beyond the door lies bright flashing lights, accompanied by the sound of slot machines and people chattering.

This is clearly not Maruki's palace.

You ask Yoshizawa to stay by the door and go further in to see if what you think is happening really is happening. Walking around you only find more and more slot machines, until you come across a shadow at a desk. She's selling membership cards for fifty-thousand coins. You think you're going to scream.

On the way back towards Yoshizawa you notice a shadow behind her charging up some sort of attack.

Without thinking you pull her out of harms way, which unfortunately meant you pulled her away from the door. The explosion caused by that shadow was enough to close it behind you. It doesn't open again.

You both try everything you can think of to get it to open again, even just a crack, but it doesn't budge a bit. You actually do scream this time.

Knowing Ren will show up at some point to save you and to say "I told you so" has you stay put for as long as possible. You don't want to run off and make it harder for the rest of the Thieves to find you guys, but you eventually do have to move when what looks like security starts scoping out the floor. You don't know how strong they could be, so starting a fight with only two of you is asking to die.

The more doors you open the more you realize something's not right. Sometimes when you open a door you'll find yourself in a castle or a bank, but most of the time it's still the casino. Though not one of the doors has lead you back to the Science Centre. You thought the one time you were messing with a randomizer mod had somehow injected itself into Maruki's palace, but this is clearly more selective then that.

After speed walking past the fifth ass you and Yoshizawa had the displeasure of looking at, you end up in a different section of the Sae-but-not-Sae's palace. That's when you get patched through to coms and--

"Hey Glitch, we're here! Care to tell us what the heck is going on??"

"Why hello Oracle it's so nice to hear from you! I was just thinking about you. I managed to find a copy of Zephyrman earlier that we could watch—"

"Answer the question!"

While you're telling them what happened, you eventually get cut off by shouting in the distance. Looking around you realize it's coming from their side, and after they calm down they inform you they were separated. Now you all have to take part in this randomized maze of a palace.

Along the way you and Yoshizawa manage to group up with Ren and Goro, before finding yourselves in Maruki's palace again. You don't know whether to consider it good or bad that you end up in the room with the projection of Kasumi. Then her headaches start. You would tell her what's going on, but she wants to figure it out for herself, so instead you help her navigate through the areas.

After some time you finally come across a room filled with Maruki's research. It's in there Yoshizawa figures out what happened to her.

It takes a lot of reassurance, but she eventually calms down enough to continue moving. Ren and Goro lead while you stay behind with her to make sure she doesn't fall behind or get ambushed. When you make it back to the entrance of Maruki's palace, you find Futaba and Makoto are already there. Everyone else is still somewhere inside.

You lead Yoshizawa to sit on the side of the building and let her cry. Soon everyone's come over to offer their condolences, while Futaba and Makoto are able to offer more in the form of experience. When the others arrive they also go over their own false realities Maruki had them stuck in for a time, and how they pushed through it.

Yoshizawa thanks everyone and says she just needs a moment before they can move on, which everyone readily gives her. It shouldn't have been a surprise that when you were all distracted talking about what was wrong with this palace, Yoshizawa gets taken away by Azathoth.

You're all chasing after him, threatening the persona to give her back while he berates you for undoing Maruki's work.

"She was doing well under our guidance until you dismantled our hard work."

"Are you—look at where that's gotten her!" "Like she needs his shitty fucking therapy!"

With him holding Yoshizawa so close none of you can really get any good hits in that won't harm her in the process. So you're exhilarated when she starts to fight back herself. She's still distraught, but she wants to try and face herself and asks you all to call her Sumire.

Now that she's freed herself from Azathoth's grasp, you all get ready to fight him head on. Azathoth clearly didn't want to though, so in order to make sure more of Maruki's efforts to go to waste, he makes haste to eject you all from his palace. Trying to go back in leads to you getting an error message.

When you finally leave you offer to walk Sumire home before heading home yourself. You feel terrible for what you put her through, but she doesn't regret asking you to take her into Maruki's palace. She feels awful right now, but she wants to push forward like all of you can.

The next day you learn through Goro that Maruki's palace has been completely locked off. After much deliberating and learning most of the Thieves apps aren't even working properly anymore, the only thing that comes to mind is Yaldabaoth getting tired of things not going his way. This literally leaves you to sit around and wait for the apocalypse to happen.

You do as much as you can before exams start. Help Sumire get more comfortable with herself, finishing of the last of the requests that you had no time to do before, and of course studying for the actual exams.

When exam days finally roll around you're on autopilot. You're physically doing the tests, but in your mind you can only think about the upcoming fight. The others aren't doing much better than you, but you all always come together to try and do something other than worry. It's one of those times when the sky turns red and the pillars of bone start to protrude from the ground. Knowing what comes next, you all descend to the depths of Mementos to confront the false god.

The journey through Qliphoth World is surprisingly mostly normal. Sure the shadows in the area are still stronger than normal, but it's nowhere near as agonizing as the last couple palaces have been. Morgana thinks since this area is the depths of Japan's psyche, you would have much less of an effect on it. Probably the reason why the shadows are even stronger is because they all were expecting it at this point.

You reach the bottom and are greeted to the cup of giant proportions. His monologue is about the same as it was, with the addition of him openly hating on Ren and Goro for veering off the guided course of the world, and you for daring to interfere in the first place.

This fight is much harder than any of you were expecting. You let the rest of the area lower your guard and paid the price for that. Though whether fortunate or unfortunate, the rhythm of the fight is still the same. After making enough progress, the masses simply heal him to full again and eject all of you back to the real world where you begin to disappear.

Another wrench is thrown to your expectations again when you find yourself floating somewhere in the void, instead of the Velvet Room. You're wandering around completely confused, hoping to find something—anything to help you figure out where you are when you see a sliver of blue. You rush to it hoping to find a possible entrance to the Velvet Room, but when you reach it you're only left more confused. You found the Velvet Room, it's just below you.

You stand there and watch as Ren frees everyone from the cages they were locked in while Goro and Morgana wait with Igor and Lavenza. Even after everyone enters the main area, Ren continues to run around. It takes you a moment to realize he's probably looking for you. The goal to find the exit becomes more urgent since you don't want to leave them to freak out, but you still don't know where to even start. When you turn around to continue looking, you're surprised when you bump into someone.

You jump back and begin to profusely apologize, afraid whoever you ran into could be a different Velvet Room attendant (god you hope it's not Elizabeth that would be a terrible first impression), but the laugh that you hear makes you pause. It's not one of the female attendants, but it doesn't sound like Theodore either. You look up to see who could possibly be talking to you and nearly blank.

It's Philemon.

Philemon is standing in front of you and he's laughing.

You think you're about to short circuit. Never in your life—even once you got transported here—did you ever think you'd be meeting one of the Gods of this world (by your heart of hearts Yaldaboath doesn't count), it wasn't even a thought that crossed your mind, yet here you are.

He starts to talk in what you think is a teasing way, but you're still struggling to process that he's standing right there. When you're brain's finally caught up, you accidentally cut him off to ask why he's here and why he's talking to you.

He wanted to converse with you since he finds you "interesting". Of course that tells you nothing so you ask him to clarify. Then he brings up your status as an outworlder. You're just about to roll your eyes when he continues speaking. It's much more than just you being from another world. He's the one that brought you here.

He's the one who gave you a second chance at life. He grew interested in your universe when he noticed a copy of his had been made in the form of a game. He wanted to know how pulling someone who already knows of this worlds future events would affect how things change. Since he was still recovering from his last major hurdle, he couldn't simply pluck someone from your world and bring them to his. Especially with all the barriers already surrounding it. Though when he saw you fall off that roof he couldn't help but to try and at least pull your soul over. Now here you are.

You honestly can't believe anything that just came out of his mouth. He summoned you over because you happened to be at the wrong place at the right time? Truly you can't believe it. You don't want to.

God was actually just fucking with you.

You can't entirely hate him for pulling you from your original universe. If he didn't you would've died and never had gotten to meet any of the Phantom Thieves you now hold even closer to your heart. You got to improve the lives for people you care about and for that you'll forever be grateful. But none of that changes the fact he did all of this on a whim.

He continues to go on about the changes you've made to fit your perception of a happier ending. He applauds you for your commitment and ability to preserver through strife despite this being completely unthinkable territory for you barely a year ago.

You stop him for a moment to collect yourself. You have a ton of questions you could be asking, but only one rests at the forefront of your mind. Why is he telling you this now?

His gaze almost turns somber in the way he looks at you. It makes you dread his response.

"You're being has become intrinsically tied to the Metaverse. There was no other way for me to tether you to this reality whilst lacking my full capabilities. What do you think will happen once it's gone?"

It barely takes you a moment to think of the answer, and it makes your blood freeze. Philemon can only look sorry for you (as much as he's willing to allow himself). He says that's all he had to impart onto you, and that he prays you find some way around it. With that being the last thing he had to say, he teleports you into one of the many back areas of the Velvet Room.

You sit there for a moment, needing to process this alone before you run into the main room where all your friends are waiting. The thought of Thieves nearly makes you cry.

A glowing butterfly makes itself known in the corner of your vision. It reminds you of what you're currently fighting for, so you pull yourself together. There's currently a god whose ass you have to help kick, you can feel sorry for yourself and your friends later.

As soon as you walk into the room your friends are immediately on you. They're completely panicked when they ask what happened to you, and you have no idea how to tell them the news. They still don't know you're from a different universe entirely, so you'd have a lot to explain. Time you don't really have. You guess you faltered for long enough for Igor to step in your place. He doesn't explain your predicament though and only brings the conversation back to Yaldobaoth. You feel guilty and you're sure some of the others notice, but you delude yourself into thinking it's fine and that you'll have time to tell them later.

Everything from then plays out like in the game. The climb up the tower of bones, fighting the archangels, and then Yaldabaoth himself. He still hates you all for steering everything off course and making this more complicated then it needed to be. He thanks you though for the new status ailments to use and you can only flip him off. He knocks you all down, Morgana makes his big speech and you earn the belief of all Japan. Ren summons Satanael and shoots the false god in the face.

It's when the Metaverse starts crumbling away and everyone is saying their 'goodbye's and 'see you later's to Morgana that you start to disappear.

You're freaking out. Some of them are freaking out, but a few are also mad at you. You don't get to explain yourself before you're dragged away by what's left of the Metaverse.

It's dark for a while. You don't know what you were expecting when you died, but it wasn't sitting in the void for an eternity. Soon you see a butterfly flying towards you from somewhere beyond the darkness, it's glow being the only thing eye-catching in this place. It comes close enough to land on you, but when it does a shock is sent throughout your entire system. Then something you aren't able to decipher starts to pull you out of what feels like the bottom of an ocean of oil. As soon as you breach the surface—

You wake up.

You take in your surroundings, groggily, but still with rapt attention. You don't even know why you're looking around in such a fervor, your room is exactly how you left it. Though the Persona merch does make you pause. It makes you uneasy, but you can't understand why for the life of you.

Then someone barges into your room and it's… Ren? Foggy memories start to come back to you and you're starting to freak out. Then the Ren look-alike re-introduces himself as Akira Kurusu and says you must've had some lucid dream to confuse his name with Ren again.

Apparently everyone's been waiting for you to come to Leblanc to study. When you never showed up he was sent to come looking for you at your house.

You're getting a headache listening to him. Memories start to clash against each other trying to take up the dominate space in your mind. Though when Ren—Akira leaves to allow you to change, you can't find any scars on your body. At least none that would look like battle wounds, so you'll take his word for it.

When you finish getting dressed, he Akira leads you to where everyone else supposedly is. You don't know why, but you're actually surprised to find everyone actually is waiting for you.

Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, Haru, Goro, Akira's (lovingly) annoying ass cat, and your old friends. You don't know why, but you cry upon seeing them again.

The next few days are fairly normal to you. You go to school, hangout and play games with all your friends, and study. Despite everything proceeding as normal, you can't stop this nagging feeling that something is horribly wrong here. It all comes to a head when Akira visits you out of the blue.

He's acting a little off. He's much more silly and charming than he usually is, but there's also a sadness—a yearning in his eyes when he looks at you. Every one of his actions and every word he says also seems to be meticulously chosen in a way. Almost like one wrong move and he'd mess everything up. You can't figure out what he's so scared of getting wrong, he's only visiting you. You don't know what's gotten into him, but you're still finding it a nice change of pace from the laid back dude he usually is.

Once he's finished looking over your room with an attention to detail you didn't know he had, he confuses you with what he says next.

"This is a nice dream, but when are you going to wake up?"

You don't even know what to say to that. You're already awake. It's not like you could talk to him without being awake?

Akira leaves shortly after, but when he does you find a figure of Joker sitting on your shelf.

This repeats with all of your friends over the next few days. All of them telling you to "wake up" in various ways, either kindly, desperately, or… aggressively, and leaving behind a Persona figure eerily similar to them. Now you're having a hard time remembering what the Phantom Thieves actually looked like, but you can't find the game anywhere to check.

This whole thing is so confusing to you, you already woke up! Multiple times now in fact! You're starting to suspect they're talking about something else, but no matter what you can't put your finger on it.

Then everything sort of collapses in on you when you run into a new girl.

She introduces herself as Sumire, and she has the same yearning in her eyes that everyone else has had, along with their determination to confuse the fuck out of you.

"Have you even seen what's beyond this neighbourhood?"

When you tell her you've lived here all your life, she's adamant that you come with her to experience something new. You should be more weary of random people telling you to follow them, but something deep within you tells you she's trustworthy.

When you both reach the edge of your neighbourhood, you notice a line drawn in the ground to signify this is the end. You're a bit apprehensive, but Sumire is very patient and encouraging with you. Though before you can even take a step towards the line, you hear someone calling out to you.

It's some doctor. Apparently your therapist. Your instincts tell you not to trust a word he says, and the feeling is only furthered when Sumire talks back to him.

Soon the rest of your friends arrive on the scene and block your "therapist" from getting any closer to you. While he's distracted, Sumire tries to bring you across the line, but a barrier stops you from making anymore progress.

Not able to just drag you out anymore, Sumire starts talking about events that you swear never happened, but sound way too familiar. You shouldn't know this person, so your head is splitting when memories of you together crop up. She must see that what she's saying isn't helping at all, so she switches to hold your hands instead.

"You never gave up on me, so I'm not giving up on you."

Then she takes a figure of Violet out of her pocket and gives it to you, completing the set you didn't even know wasn't finished. You're trying to remember where this Thief comes from, and while staring at it your memories finally click into place.

The Thieves are extremely happy to finally have you back, while Maruki is disappointed he couldn't figure out a more surefire way to keep you affected by actualisation for longer. Your unique constitution made it incredibly difficult to figure out how to get it to work on you at all. Eventually he found if he kept you separated in your own little pocket, it'd be harder for you to tell what was real.

You're honestly appalled he put you in a bubble at all, but he promises it was only until he found a different solution, like that somehow makes it any better. Sumire starts to argue against his logic, so you go to stand next to her and give your own

"This is not the future I fought for! It's not the one we went through all that pain and suffering for! This fantasy you put me in might be happy, but it's meaningless without any of our past achievements!"

Maruki tries to argue that no hard work could get you your old friends and family back like he could, but you tell him they're just sock puppets performing on a stage. Even with all his new powers, you know those aren't and never could be your actual friends. Sumire also arguing that she wants to live her life in honour of her late sister and to make her proud through her own efforts, instead of trying to be exactly like her.

At the end of your speeches, you feel the power of your original personas combine to create something stronger, while Sumire's persona awakens into Ella. With them, together you destroy the bubble keeping you all contained.

You all head back to the real Leblanc, and the entire time their both celebrating finally getting you back, and teasing you for what they found in there. Though you can feel the underlying tension in the way they hold onto you and make sure you never leave their sight.

When you reach the cafe and the conversation goes silent, you all can no longer avoid the elephant in the room.

Goro's the one to bring up your disappearing act first, suspecting you knew that was going to happen and angrily asks why you didn't tell anybody.

Emotions are high on all sides of this conversation, but you're eventually able to get it through that yes, you had died, though technically you were already dead, your soul is tied to the Metaverse, so once it's destroyed by extension that includes you, one of the gods of this world told you so and unfortunately he's a trustworthy source.

They're not pleased in the slightest you kept this from them, but are still extremely confused as to why your life is connected to the Metaverse in the first place. There's no reason to hide anything from them, especially now, so you just come out and tell them everything.

They're wondering why you thought you had to keep this from them, and thinking about the answer it forces you to face the facts. This whole time you've been running away from your problems. You didn't want to think about dying, and you didn't ant to think about leaving your friends they way it happened, or about how guilty they must feel, or how you'll never be able to talk to them again. That life is over, but you avoided thinking about it after you got your own persona and threw yourself into this one.

You tell everyone as much and apologize. They're all completely distraught, but no one holds it against you.

Now that everyone knows this is most likely your last month to live, when you're not exploring Maruki's palace you always have at least one person with you.

The palace is also more or less the same. There are some rooms that take the aesthetic of a different palace, but it's still the same layout as it originally is. The real kicker is the shadows, that are basically all their modded variants.

The section in Mementos is also harder than usual. Unlike the other floors, this also added more difficult shadows in. You assume its because this is Maruki's personal addition. Fighting in both areas is extremely annoying, but much more doable than before with everyone's third tier personas, Ren finally getting access to some of the broken moves, and an overall increase in skill.

After handing Maruki the calling card, the walk to the top is slow. Everyone knows what will happen to you after, and prolong the confrontation to say goodbye before getting swept up in the fight.

In many ways, Maruki and Azathoth are harder to fight than Yaldabaoth. The false god had used the aliments you ended up bringing to the world, but Maruki is trying everything at his disposal. They basically use your memory against you, going in to find what annoyed you the most and using it in the battle. It ironically gets easier when they ultimately switch to that gigantic gold monstrosity. Especially once he resorts to just trying to punch all of you. You help the others block his next punch for Ren to shoot him in the face.

The palace starts to crumble and Ren falls further down with Maruki, while the rest of you end up in the Morgana-copter. Watching Ren beat the shit out of an older man in real time is funnier than you thought it would be, but all amusement is cut off when you start to fade away again.

It's another tearful goodbye, even more so on your end since Ren's not even there, but they all promise to never forget you.

You're just glad you got to say goodbye.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈✁━━━━━━━━━━━

AAaaaannd that's the gist of it. This ended up taking a lot longer then I thought it would, but that's my fault for constantly switching from describing the plot to "hey this scene is important I should make it sound important". Then it started getting too long so I had to cut things down lol.

Again, I am such a slow writer and I'm still rehashing plot points that don't really work + filling in gaps. This probably won't even be one to one once I finish it. My memory is dogshit and I think it's a little obvious where I'm forgetting what happened in the game and what I might need to change after I finish my *checks notes* seventh playthrough? Idk I feel like I've played this game both 0 and 100 times lol. This did help me flesh out certain plot points that were giving me a hard time though :)

Obviously there'd be more interactions in-between with the Phantom Thieves + Akechi & Yoshizawa. This is just going over the main plot, but there's a ton of bonding. I nearly have the whole timeline of events planned out (I put it all on a fckn calendar—) and Bug's constantly juggling who to spend their time with after getting past their "these people are characters that I can’t possibly befriend or be useful to in anyway" phase.

I've put the entirety of this group and their interactions in a microwave and they've been spinning for almost a year in my head. I don't actually think I'd ever finish this—and if by some miracle I do, I don't even know if I'd post it. I just gush over this so much I needed to share something about it, so here we are!

Here's a few more bits of this fic/au/interactions in my brain that happen in my planning document:

Bug is Joker's Aeon and Akechi's Fortune confidants

Bug has a special cognition in Kamoshida’s palace his shadow labels as "Temporarily Unattainable" or "Surprisingly Entertaining." Depends on if Bug is fem or masc I'm not sure yet.

Morgana sometimes calls Bug precious. No one will explain why and they don't think they want to know anyway.

In fact everyone has a nickname for Bug:

Joker’s is "my Aeon" and every cheesy soulmate term under the sun

Ryuji's is "Frosty"

Ann's is "Peaches"

Yusuke’s is "Muse"

Makoto's is "Angel"

Futaba’s is "Player 1" (Joker’s changes to either "Player 2/3" or "Protag" (also switches to "Glitch" when she's mad at Bug))

Haru's is "Bell"

Akechi’s is "Charm[y]" or "Luck[y]" (depending on Prince or Crow, though Crow will also use "Charmy" just to piss them off)

Bug is a pretty good crafter, and after they finally join the team they start making things for Mementos trips instead of buying. If this was a game mechanic it would be like asking Bug to make the gadgets you don't have time to, or getting them to make something only they can.

After a combination of Bug talking about their experience playing the game, the insane difficulty curve Bug's modding habits added to each palace, and Akechi being way stronger than the rest of the party when he joins, has turned Joker into a min-maxer. Whatever he has must be OP, and if something he really wants isn't, then he has to force it to be. If it's unattainable then he'll cry, get over it, and move on to the next strongest persona (He is devastated that Izanagi-no-Okami isn't actually an accessible persona for him. Bug regrets telling him.)

Joker never completes Maruki’s confidant. Unfortunately, Azathoth is a snitch, so it didn't matter anyway.

Bug is petrified of heights and that never goes away. Assume they're cowering like a baby whenever they're any substantial height above the ground. Unless they're facing Yaldabaoth. Then it gets pushed aside because they hate this guy more then their fear of heights.

Bug has a different rebel outfit for each persona (may or may not keep this. It was related to a plot point I might not write about anymore. It was waay earlier in the drafts lol)

When Bug gets Loki, Joker is a little sad that they couldn't brainstorm what their last persona could be together. Akechi may or may not have been a little smug over it.

Everyone's personas talk to them occasionally. Bug's head instantly gets more lively once Loki is added and they wonder how Akechi dealt with that for so long.

Bug does end up telling Futaba about the other Persona games and she becomes as well versed in the lore of the world as Bug is.

At some point Futaba also asked Bug who their favourite character was, which was the catalyst event to everyone constantly asking. Bug avoids the question each time.

I'm not sure if I'll write full length chapters for the spin-off games (or yk… at all), but they do happen and Bug takes every opportunity to gush over the other protagonists. They like abusing the fact no one will remember (even if they are sad they technically won't either)

[enchantingfirenightearthquake]

Ferncloud

Fernkit was born to Brindleface of ThunderClan along with her siblings, Ashkit, Elderkit, and Tulipkit. She has no father, though she could guess who he was based on her brother’s face and the color of her fur.

While living in the nursery, she grew up on stories. One of those stories was about the former ShadowClan leader, Brokenstar. Hearing about the damage he did to his clan and the lives he stole both young and old broke Fernkit’s little heart.

Despite being just a kitten herself, she swore no other kit would come to harm under her care.

***

Brindleface doesn’t talk about their father, though Fernkit could guess who he was based on her brother’s face and the color of her fur. For the longest time it was just her, her mother, and her brother after Elderkit and Tulipkit’s passing. That was until Cloudkit.

Cloudkit came to camp thanks to Fireheart, as many things in the clan came to be. The white kit’s mother had wanted him to be a warrior and was siblings with the orange tom. Due to how young Cloudkit was, Brindleface offered to take him in.

Many cats did not care for Cloudkit, but from the moment he arrived in their lives, he became Brindleface’s son and her and Ashkit’s brother. The two kits had agreed unanimously.

The other unanimous decision the now three kits made was Fireheart being their father. They hadn’t understood at the time that Fireheart was Cloudkit’s uncle, though it mattered very little to the three. Fireheart was Cloudkit's papa, and so now he was Fernkit and Ashkit’s papa. Fireheart never bothered to correct any of them.

***

Darkstripe is not a good mentor. Ashpaw and Cloudpaw are lucky they have Dustpelt and papa as mentors.

He isn’t kind or patient. She doesn't feel safe with him around. She wonders if he knows.

***

Many assume that her feelings for Dustpelt are romantic in nature. They would be wrong.

Dustpelt is everything Darkstripe isn’t. He is kind, and patient, and even though he isn’t her mentor, he takes her and Ashpaw together to train and hunt. He listens when she needs an ear, and he makes her laugh when she’s feeling down. Ashpaw agrees with her as he always does.

It is unanimously decided that Dustpelt is papa too.

***

When Cloudpaw disappears, Fernpaw’s heart broke in two for a second time. The whispers that her clanmates say behind her family’s back fills her with rage. Darkstripe’s slander of the white tom makes her want to rip her mentor to shreds.

Ashpaw and Fernpaw knew he’d been sneaking away to Twolegplace, he wasn’t as sneaky as he thought he was. Neither ever held it against him. They knew he would never choose being a kittypet over them despite what Fireheart had said.

When Fireheart brings him back, Fernpaw and Ashpaw are the first to rush over to the white apprentice, curling themselves around him.

*** Fernpaw wishes she had done more to convince Swiftpaw and Brightpaw not to go to Snakerocks. She’s the first to tell her papas about the missing apprentices.

When the two paws are brought back heavily scarred and the fear of death high, she along with her brothers and Swiftpaw and Brightpaw’s siblings all collapse in a pile in front of the medicine cat den.

Relief floods the entire clan when both Brightpaw and Swiftpaw survive.

***

Fernpaw’s eyes sometimes follow Dogscar. And her heart beats when he’s nearby.

“It’s because you have a crush on him,” Brindleface informs her when she asks her mother. She’s wrong. The only toms she needs in her life are her brothers and papas.

Still, her eyes continue to follow him.

***

Fernpaw’s heart breaks again the day her mother dies. Tigerstar killed her.

Except she can’t even grieve in peace because the dogs that attacked Lostface and Dogscar are being led right to their camp to slaughter them all.

And then Dogscar speaks up. “What if we lead them away from the camp?!” The clan of course argues about it until Lostface volunteers herself to lead the dogs to the gorge. Her speech inspires both her and Ashpaw to help lead the dogs away from camp.

Fernpaw has never been more terrified in her entire life. But it’ll be worth it. For Brindleface.

***

Darkstripe tried to kill Sorrelkit.

She should feel bad that her…mentor…is being exile. She does not.

The only cat she feels sorry for is Sorrelkit.

***

Fernpaw is ecstatic when her uncle becomes her new mentor. She feels like she can finally breathe.

***

Fernpaw sits with Dogscar and Bramblepaw when Tawnypaw disappears.

She feels for them. There's no pain deeper than losing someone you loved.

***

Ferncloud wants to be a mother. The problem is she has no mate and her options are limited.

So it comes as a surprise to her one day as Snowear asks her to have a litter with her.

“Do not take this wrong way Snowear,” she signed. Brackenfur and Speckletail had worked long and hard in order to make it so the rest of the clan could communicate with the white warrior. “But I was under the impression that you and I were just friends.”

“I am. We are. But there is no one I wish to be mates with, and my options are limited. And Cloudtail informed me you would like kits too.”

Ferncloud was going to wring her brother’s neck. “How would this even work? Am I expected to just hand them over to you and not be apart if their lives? What if one of us found someone? Would they be involved with raising them?”

“Of course you’ll be in their lives. We’d raise the kits together. Obviously, you’re allowed to take a mate, if that’s what you want.” His maw turned down as he continued. “I am unsure if others should be involved. But presumably any cat involved with us would be involved with them.”

Ferncloud considered all that the tom said. She wanted this. Wanted kits so badly. But… “May I have time to think it over?”

“Of course. This is your choice as much as mine. Take all the time you need.”

***

“Who was your guys’ sire?” Ferncloud and her brothers were laying about the camp watching Spiderkit and Shrewkit playing with the clan’s other kits. Cloudtail was the one who spoke up.

“Brindleface never told us,” Ashfur commented as he laid on his sister’s back.

“We never asked,” Ferncloud added. She has no sire, though she could guess who he was based on her brother’s face and the color of her fur.

Cloudtail hums. He’s still looking at the kits. Looking at Shrewkit’s ears that look like his uncle’s and eyes that match no one in their family. Looking at Spiderkit’s dark fur, darker than even his mother’s. “Was…,” he starts. “Was it…?” He doesn’t finish it. He knows. Both siblings nod. Cloudtail nods back before laying down next to them. “Well…good riddance. He was never good to you, or for you.”

Ferncloud and Ashfur both purr into their brother’s ear.

***

Squirrelpaw and Brambleflower disappear. The forest is being torn apart. Cats are being taken by Twolegs. Shrewpaw…Larchkit…Hollykit…

Ferncloud doesn’t know how much more her heart can take.

***

The missing cats return. All but Brambleflower. Sootfur, Goldenflower, and Dogscar are devastated at the loss of their mate and kin. As the toms’ friend and a doting mother herself, Ferncloud is dutiful in allowing them to lean on her.

The clans have to leave the forest, the only home they’ve ever known, or risk being eradicated. No one wants to leave, but they are survivors. They will do whatever it takes to survive. They stay a few nights with Scourge and BloodClan. On the morning they plan to leave, Dustpelt pulls her and Ashfur aside. “I’m staying here with my brother.”

Ferncloud is shocked. Looking at her brother, it’s obvious so is he. “Why?” he manages to sputter out.

“We need you,” Ferncloud whines.

Dustpelt doesn’t immediately answer. “I lost so much time with him. I…I thought he was dead, and I was alone.” Tears form in his eyes as he rubs his head against the two gray cats. “Until you two. I have enjoyed every moment getting to be a part of your lives. I am so proud of the cats you’ve become and will continue to be.” He pulled apart. “I know its selfish. And I’m deeply sorry. But you two don’t need me.”

“We’ll always need you, papa,” Ferncloud says wetly. She wraps herself around him. Ashfur says nothing. He does not move.

“Not as much as you think you do. You’ll have each other, as well Cloudtail and Firestar and all of ThunderClan.”

Ferncloud is all but sobbing now. “You’re sure of this?” Dustpelt nods. “Ok, then. I love you, papa.”

“I love you, too. Both of you. Until we meet again among the stars.”

Ferncloud repeats him. Ashfur does not. Looking back on it, Ferncloud wonders if this was the moment her brother was sent down a dark path.

***

Daisy is not like the kittypets or loners that have joined before. She cannot fight, nor can she hunt. Ferncloud has heard the other Clans mock the she-cat and ThunderClan as a whole for taking in more handouts.

“I just feel like a burden to you all,” she admitted. “What do I offer you all? Other than more mouths to feed?”

Ferncloud nuzzled the molly. “I don’t see it that way. It is true, you cannot hunt or fight, but you offer us your kindness and your friendship. That is more than enough for me. And it should be more than enough for anyone else too.”

Daisy rests her head on her paws. Following her gaze, Ferncloud finds her watching Berrykit, Hazelkit, and Mousekit playing with Darktail.

“You know…” Daisy’s eyes shift to look at her friend. “…Darktail was born a kittypet.” Daisy’s eyes widen at the revelation. “Firestar and Cloudtail too.”

“That’s different though.” The cream molly’s ear lay against her skull as she speaks. “They’re all warriors. They’ve proven they worth.”

“Worth has nothing to do with it,” the gray she-cat growls. “The elders can no longer hunt or fight, but we do not throw them away. Kittens do not have the skill or knowledge to either, but we allow them to eat and stay. You are no different.”

Daisy sighs. “I don’t know if I believe that. If I ever will.” She bumps her head against her companion. “But thank you all the same. I’m lucky to have a friend like you, Ferncloud.”

“And I you, dear.”

***

Icekit looks just like her father. A true shock to their family. Not a single one of her other children had their father’s fur. Snowear was ecstatic.

Foxkit looks nothing like either of his parents. “He takes after his grandpa,” Cloudtail jokes.

He really does. She smiles at that.

***

Ashfur scares her. Ever since Squirrelflight rejected him for Crowrunner, he’s turned into a vile, hateful thing. For the life of her, she cannot understand why Firestar thought making him Breezepaw’s mentor was a good idea. But she holds her tongue. It could maybe work. Maybe it would be good for him.

This all came to a head one random afternoon.

***

Breezepaw has always been a bit of snippy little thing. So is Juniperpaw. So is their father. So, no one notices right away when his attitude gets worse.

The other mentors scold him often, and the other apprentices minus his siblings complain, and everyone is just tried.

Ferncloud wonders if it would ever been revealed if she hadn’t literally ran into the young tom. Neither had been paying attention and he stumbled. In order to catch himself, he had put his front right paw down. He hissed in pain.

“Are you ok?” the she-cat asked. She hadn’t knocked into him that hard. And she definitely didn’t touch his paw.

“I’m fine,” he grumbled. Ferncloud noticed he wasn’t leaning on the offending paw. Ferncloud had a decision to make.

Dogscar and Yellowpool were met with a screeching Breezepaw as he was literally dragged into the medicine den by Ferncloud. In hindsight, Ferncloud was thankful that Hollypaw wasn’t there at the time. That would have been a disaster. He was inspected. His paw was broken. No one knew how. Breezepaw refused to say and no one else, not his parents or siblings or the other mentors and apprentices could account for the injury.

“What’s happening?” Ashfur had made his way over at the commotion. As the situation was explained to her brother, Ferncloud noticed Breezepaw flinch at the gray warrior’s voice.

Break.

“Ashfur?” Everyone turned to look at the gray queen. Her tone of voice was cold. No one had ever heard her speak that way to her brother. “How did your apprentice injury his paw?”

His ears twitched. “I couldn’t tell you.”

Ferncloud’s blood runs cold and her heart drops. “You’re lying.” The whole den goes quiet. Breezepaw is looking at her. “Your ears only twitch like that, when you’re lying. Now, I’ll ask again.” Ferncloud gets in her brother’s face. “How. Did your apprentice. Get hurt?”

“I told you,” he snarls back. “I don’t know.”

“Tell me you didn’t!”

“He’s clumsy!”

“He’s a child!”

“He’s doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”

“How could you?!”

“You would choose him over me?!”

“YES!” Everything went silent. As she glared at her brother, all she could see was her father’s face glaring back at her on the day he was exiled.

“Fine,” he spit. “You want him, take him. I refuse to train him anymore.” And with that, he left.

“I’m going to kill him,” Crowrunner growled.

“Not if I beat you to it,” Squirrelflight raged back.

“You two are the last two cats that should be doing anything right now,” Brackenfur reasoned.

“Brackenfur and I shall deal with Ashfur. Right now, we need to assign a new mentor to Breezepaw,” Firestar placated.

“I hope you don’t expect him to train with a broken paw,” Dogscar commented.

“Of course not. That’s completely mousebrained.”

“I’ll do it.” Everyone turned back to Ferncloud.

“Are you sure?” Yellowpool asked. “You haven’t been an active warrior since…”

Since before the Great Journey. Since she lost her babies.

“I’m sure.”

“We’ll need a new den mother,” Brackenfur pointed out.

“Daisy is more than capable.”

“This is a big decision.” Firestar was using his leader voice, rather than his papa voice. “And you’re clearly very upset. It would be better to-.”

“With all due respect, Firestar, I do not need a clear head. I am certain that this is the right decision.” She pauses here. “Unless Breezepaw thinks otherwise.”

The apprentice blinks. He didn’t think his opinion mattered. “I…I…” He looked so small right now.

“How about this?” Dogscar started gently. “We let you heal first. Once he’s deemed well, we can come back to that decision.”

All parties agree.

***

Ferncloud feels nothing when her papa exiles her brother. As he leaves, she doesn’t see Ashfur. All she can see is her father.

***

Ferncloud visits the apprentice every day as he recovers. Dogscar already warned her if she is doing this with the intention of convincing him to be her apprentice, he’ll bar her from the medicine den. She promises him those are not her intentions.

She feels guilty. How could she not see what Ashfur was doing? How could he do this to an innocent kit? And over what? Because his mother didn’t return his feelings for him? Because she chose someone else?

“Why did you do it?” Breezepaw asks one day out of the blue. She had just brought him a mouse from the fresh kill pile for them to share.

“Do what?”

“Stand up for me. He was your brother and I’m just an apprentice that gets on everyone’s nerves.”

Ferncloud nuzzled the black tom’s head. “What my brother did was disgusting. Any issues he had with your parents should have been dealt with them. Not taken out on you. You didn’t deserve what he was doing to you.”

Breezepaw went silent after that.

When Breezepaw was finally cleared from the medicine den, Firestar asked him who he thought should be his mentor.

He looked around the clearing until he spotted the cat he was looking for. “Ferncloud.”

***

When Daisy tells her she’s expecting kits, Ferncloud was ecstatic of course. “So who’s the lucky tom?”

Daisy shuffles her paws in front of her. “…Spiderleg.”

Ferncloud blinked. “My son?” Daisy nervously nodded.

Despite her shock at the news, Ferncloud purred and nuzzled her friend. “I can’t say that I’m not surprised. But I am happy for you and him. And I look forward to meeting my new grandkits.”

“You don’t have any other grandkits,” Daisy said with an eyeroll. Less sarcastically, she asked, “You’re sure you’re ok with me and him?”

“If you make him happy, and he makes you happy, then so am I.”

***

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!”

The day had finally arrived. After being held back by at least a moon, Breezepaw, Hollypaw, and Juniperpaw were going to receive their warrior names. Breezepaw had come a long way from the bitter tom he once was. The cat that stood before her was someone Ferncloud couldn’t be more proud of.

As the oldest of his litter, Breezepaw was expected to go first. Ferncloud mostly tuned out the speech. She had heard it all before. It was only when she heard Breezepaw’s new name did she react.

“-you’ll be known as Breezefern.”

Ferncloud blinked. Had he…?

It wouldn’t be until the next morning that the grey she-cat was able to speak with the tom. “Congratulations, Breezefern. Though I must ask how Firestar came to the name?”

“I asked him for it.”

“You asked him for it?”

Breezefern nodded as he made his way over to his former mentor. Bumping into her he said, “If it wasn’t for you, I’d still be training under Ashfur. If I even survived him. I owe everything to you.”

A loud, deep purr rumbled up the older warrior’s chest.

***

Ferncloud loved all her children equally. But she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t deeply disappointed in one of them.

“What do you mean we need to stop being involved with them?” she all but growled. The whole clan noticed how the black tom tried to avoid Daisy and his kits at all cost and Ferncloud had finally had enough.

“What I said. I don’t want you two to be involved with them.”

Snowear rolled his eyes as they signed to his son. “They’re our grandkits, Spiderleg. We love them. Neither of us are abandoning them. Not even for you.”

The two cats started to walk away when he muttered, “There just a bunch of kittypets. That don’t belong here.”

Ferncloud spun around to face her son again. “Excuse me?”

Snowear looked confused as he watched his friend get in their son’s face. “Do you know who my father is? My brothers? That half the clan came from kittypet blood? Do they not belong?”

Spiderleg glared right back at his mother as Snowear stood between them. “That’s different.”

“How?”

“What do you mean how? What does she offer? She doesn’t hunt or fight for the clan.”

“I don’t do those things either. Do I not deserve to be here?”

“That’s diff-.”

“No, it isn’t!”

The entire camp went dead silent.

“You don’t want to a part of their lives, fine. But can’t force me to help my friend and grandkits.” With that, the gray molly turned around and headed for the nursery.

Daisy was waiting for her. The kits were thankfully fast asleep. As the gray she-cat curled up next to friend, the cream molly mumbled, “You didn’t have to do that.”

Nuzzling her, Ferncloud responded, “Yes. I did.”

***

Ferncloud never fell in love. Many speculated that perhaps she and Snowear were secretly together. It would make sense; they had three litters together after all. But no. Nothing ever blossomed beyond friendship.

She was content with this. She had her friends and family and never saw reason to take another mate. But like many things in her life, StarClan loved to throw the unexpected at her.

With Lionflower becoming a full medicine cat, Dogscar came to the decision it was time to retire. In Ferncloud’s opinion, Dogscar deserved a good long rest before StarClan claimed him after everything the tom had gone through.

With Ferncloud returning back to her role as den mother and Dogscar’s retirement, the two cats found themselves in each other’s company more often than not. The more time the two friends spent together, old feelings that the she-cat thought she had buried deep within her started rising to the surface.

Talking about this was out of the question. She already made the mistake telling her friends and siblings, who were insistent on her telling the former medicine cat. Even Firestar had gotten word of it. She just didn’t want to burden the tom with what she assumed were unrequired feelings.

“You know I used to have the biggest crush on you.”

Ferncloud blinked at. “What?”

“I had a crush on you when we were apprentices.”

“No, I-I heard you the first time.” She sat there in silence, just taking the new information in. “How come you never said anything?”

“You were always upset whenever someone brought up how you and Snowear were clearly in love with each other. You made it very clear how you felt about the subject. And it didn’t matter anyways because I ended up becoming a medicine cat. I’m not a code breaker.” She took notice of him pulling up dirt as he said that last line.

A sympathetic look crossed her face. No one really commented on it because no one wanted to admit it but there was no way Tigerstar could have been Dogscar’s father. Even if he was, Ferncloud knew what it was like to be ashamed of where you came from.

Rubbing his head as she purred. “Well, if it’s any consolation, I had feelings for you too. I uh I still do if I’m being honest.”

Dogscar returned the rubbing.

***

A fire nearly destroyed the ThunderClan camp. Ashfur died during the fire.

Despite all that he’s done, Ferncloud sobs when Squirrelflight tells her the news.

***

Between having three litters and helping other queens throughout the seasons, Ferncloud knew how to raise kits.

So, when Breezefern showed up with a random abandoned kit, she was more than willing to help. Lostkit was adorable. The silver and white tabby followed Breezefern around the camp like she was his shadow. She tried to copy everything he did.

“I can’t thank you enough, Ferncloud. I feel like I’m failing at everything.”

“Nonsense. You’re doing a fine job. And I don’t mind helping. It’s my job, mousebrain.”

The two looked over to see to Lostkit and Moonkit play fighting. “You ever think of having more kits?”

Her and Dogscar had talked about it, but Dogscar was content being childless (“That’s debatably,” Cloudtail teased. “Dogscar, if you deny our daughter as yours too, I’ll rip your other legs off,” Brightheart threatened.) and Ferncloud didn’t want another litter.

“Helping you and others is more than enough for me. I do look forward to more grandkits though.”

Breezefern went quiet as he continued watching his and his sister’s kits. “Is…” He shuffled his feet. “Is Lostkit apart of that category?”

Ferncloud looked at her former apprentice. “Do…you want…her…to be?” Do you want to be in that category?

Breezefern hesitantly nods. Ferncloud pulls her son down to groom his fluffing up fur.

***

Something strange has been happening in the clans. There seems to be a divide in ThunderClan. One half siding with Breezefern and his family and the other siding with some unseen force. Ferncloud herself feels stuck in the middle. Breezefern and Birchfall are on opposite sides of this divide. She doesn’t know who she’s supposed to help?

The son StarClan gave to her? Or the one she chose?

***

The night before the Great Battle, Breezefern admits to his mother that he was responsible for Ashfur’s. He spoke quickly and wetly.

“He wouldn’t move. And he had Squirrelflight pinned. I had to protect them. I’m sorry.”

Ferncloud said nothing.

*** Ferncloud was born to Brindleface of ThunderClan along with her siblings, Ashfur, Elderkit, and Tulipkit. Darkstripe was her sire, but Dustpelt and Firestar were her fathers. Her family was small until Cloudtail joined them, and her family only grew bigger from there. She had become so many things in her life. Warrior, queen, mother, sister, mentor, mate, child, friend, survivor, defender.

When she was a young kit, she grew up on stories. One of those stories was about the former ShadowClan leader, Brokenstar. Hearing about the damage he did to his clan and the lives he stole both young and old broke Ferncloud’s heart for the first of many times.

Despite being just a kitten at the time, she swore no other would come to harm under her care. So Ferncloud sees it as fitting that her life would end defending ThunderClan’s kits from that same monster she heard so many tales about.

Ferncloud would die surrounded by her loved ones that still remained. She was ready. It was time to go home.

[lets-imaginerwby]

A Change Of Fate, part 2

Ruby was very thankful of the fact she had super speed in moments like this.

Those moments where you’re traveling outside the kingdoms and giant grimm start chasing you.  

She ducked her head as wood splintered and flew by, the creature not caring how many trees it ran into.  Death stalkers were so annoying with all their armor plating. Still, she couldn’t help but glance back and admire the beauty of how that armor fit together, and that stinger! Gods, imagine having a weapon like that. Maybe she should build one when this job was over…

The death stalker let out a hoarse screech that made Ruby shiver. Right, maybe she could admire this thing after it was dead.

She knew she’d reached her destination by the little black string stretched tight between two trees before a clearing. It was set too high to properly trip a person, but if you were, say, a big, lumbering monster, it would work just fine.

Without breaking her stride, Ruby leapt over the string and kept running toward the cliff face ahead. She risked a glance back to see the creature trip over the string and be thrown off balance, stumbling with its momentum. She’d known Blake’s trip wire alone wouldn’t be enough to knock it over, which was why Yang was waiting in the trees just past her. As soon as the creature began to pitch over, before it could regain its balance, Yang’s right arm glowed a fiery red, packed with a fresh round of explosive dust. She angled herself behind the creature and punched the air before her. A glowing round shot out of her knuckles and exploded beneath the grimm already losing its battle with balance. It was thrown forward, landing on its back, legs flailing pathetically in the air.

Its tail still thrashed about as Ruby turned back to look ahead of her. That wouldn’t be an issue though, not as Blake lodged her blade into the soft flesh beneath its stinger and she and Yang pulled and pinned it to the ground. Now for the fun part.

Ruby neared the cliff face, trusting Weiss to be in position. She leapt toward the wall, but her feet didn’t just connect with rock. A glowing glyph appeared beneath her, and a few more above her.

If she paused she would lose her momentum. She sprinted halfway up the cliff, to a section that jutted out at an angle, before one of the glyphs darkened. Ruby spun to face the ground again and the death stalker below. The way she was positioned now, it was a straight shot to the thing’s exposed underside. She grinned, legs bent and Crescent rose held spear like before her. She nodded her head, the signal for the glyph holding her in place to turn a deep red, and launched herself into the air.

There was a sickeningly loud squelch when her blade pierced the death stalker’s skin, followed by an even louder screech. Ruby looked up at the legs waving around her. She’d love to get a closer look at how this thing worked, but it was one of life’s greatest tragedies that grimm disintegrated upon death. With a sigh, Ruby made quick work of dicing up the creature’s unprotected underbelly. Even as the thrashing stopped, she stood in the center of the wrecked beast, letting the black smoke wash over her.

When the dust settled, Ruby found her team staring back at her. Team RWBY’s leader beamed “Great work, guys! I love when a plan comes together!”

Weiss hummed “Yes, go team. Though, this could have been avoided if Pastel would lend us, oh I don’t know, an airship so we didn’t have to walk across the continent.”

Yang stood next to her, loading new rounds into her arm. “Please, you know how she is. If we asked, she’d say something like,” She cleared her throat and imitated Pastel’s higher tone “’Why, I know my darlings can handle a little hike through the forest. After all, if you couldn’t, then you wouldn’t here.’ And I still can’t tell if stuff like that is a threat. Besides, a good journey is marked only by how many things you can kill along the way.”

“Haven’t you been the one whining for the past several weeks that pretty much all we have to do for fun is kill grimm?” Blake said

Yang reached over to ruffle her partner’s hair between her ears “This is different! That was just busy work, now we’re actually going somewhere! “

Ruby steped forward “Yang’s right, this is our first real mission from Pastel. Even if we’re just shadowing one of the higher ups, we need to stay sharp. I’m sure that’s why she’s having us walk.”

Weiss closed her eyes and sighed “She always has her reasons, doesn’t she?” Her braid swayed as she turned to look north “We should be getting close, anyway. Shall we set up camp for the night?”

Ruby nodded “Blake, scout the surrounding area, make sure there are no surprises. Yang, start setting up the tents. Weiss,”

Her team mate raised an eyebrow, daring her leader to give her manual labor to do.

“Weiss, uh, why don’t you just help me go over the plan again. Soon,” Ruby pumped her fist dramatically before her “Operation Infiltration begins.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not what Pastel called it.” Weiss said

“Well that’s what I called it, and I’m the leader so that’s its name.” Ruby claped her hands “Alright team, get to work!”

Blake melted into the growing shadows of the forest while Yang grabbed her heavy pack from where she’d stashed it. Ruby led Weiss over to a rock for them to sit on while she fished the documents from her pack.

“Once again, our mission is to aid in the fall of beacon from the inside. The basics are;” Ruby cleared her throat and read from one of the papers before her “’Team RWBY shall follow the commands of ‘Cinder Fall’ for the duration of your job in Vale. Under her watch, infiltrate Beacon academy and work with a mister ‘Roman Torchwick’ to cause unrest in the city.”

“I’ve looked into this ‘Torchwick’,” Weiss settled on the rock next to Ruby, crossing her ankles and folding her hands so she looked like she was attending a tea party rather than slumming it in the forest. “He appears to be nothing more than some low level street thug, did Pastel say why we’re even bothering with him?”

Ruby shrugged “Think of it like fighting a death stalker, if you want to disrupt a city, start with its seedy underbelly. Except in this case, we’re not stabbing at it, but riling it up. In any case, Cinder is supposed to fill us in on the details as time goes on.”

Weiss leaned over the documents “She’s going to tell us exactly how they plan to take down Beacon. Hm, aiming right for the death stalker’s stinger, aren’t they?”

Ruby nodded “Exactly, take out its defense, it’s symbol of protection, and they’re left all alone.” Just like she was. Everything in that kingdom was twisted.  This had to be done, before they could ruin this world any further.

[thewriterofmanythings]

A Change of Fate-Chapter Three

What happened to Mary Poppins before she became nanny to the Banks children? A prequel based partially off of the movie but primarily the Broadway musical.

You can also find it here and here. Shout-out to saxonsfierytemper for being my super amazing beta reader!!

           After getting over the initial shock from the words that came out of Auntie Clara’s mouth, Mary quickly glanced back and forth between Bert and Clara before bursting into laughter.  “Oh, I see!!” She laughed.  “You both had me convinced for a moment that I was going insane! Magic? Oh my, you two are quite mischievous, aren’t you?”  Her momentary fit of giggles ceased quickly however, as she noticed the look that the two exchanged. “What, is something wrong?” she asked, beginning to grow concerned.

           Auntie Clara reached over and clutched Mary’s hand. “Darlin’, I know this isn’t somethin’ that’s easy ta ‘ear, but I need ya ta listen ta me carefully. The reason ya where able ta see that apple jus’ now and the ball earlier was because ya ‘ave magic. I know it’s-“ she started to say, before Mary interrupted her sentence.

             “Oh, no! I’ve seen street artists like you two before. Street magicians, con artists.  No no no, this is just another one of your tricks. A sleight of hand, if you will.” Mary started to pull her hand away but became alarmed when Clara grasped onto it even harder.

             The urgency in the old woman’s eyes sent a shiver down Mary’s spine. “Mary, I know this is something’ very strange for ya ta accept, but magic isn’t simply somethin’ we joke about.  I’m sure it’s quite a messy concept for ya ta get in your ‘ead, but I ‘ave no reason to lie ta ya.”

             What could only be described as a nervous laugh escaped from Mary’s throat as she forcefully wrenched her hand away from Clara’s grasp. “No, I don’t think you understand. I don’t believe you in the slightest. Honestly, I’m not sure what I was thinking, following Bert and coming here tonight. That was incredibly dangerous and stupid.  You have all been wonderful hosts but I really must be getting home. Please excuse me.”

             Without waiting for a reply, Mary leapt up from her chair and rushed through the building. She thought she heard a cacophonous noise from the band as she exited, perhaps with a strangled “Wait!” coming from Minnie, but she paid no heed to the sounds behind her. As she burst through the door, she gathered her skirts in her arms as best as she could and began to run, for fear that if she stayed any longer near the building she would be kidnapped by these insane people, or something equally as horrifying.

             She had just made it about ten meters away from the building when she heard Bert’s voice screaming her name at the top of his lungs.  Mary ran a ways further, contemplating the possibility of refusing to hear him out, before she slowed to a stop with a gasp for breath. Turning around, she said, “No matter what you say, Bert, I won’t change my mind.”

             As he caught up to her, he waved the small bundle that he was holding at her. “ ‘ere, Minnie refused ta let ya leave without this meat pie ‘o yours that ya seemed ta like so well.” Gingerly, she took the pie, which was covered in a cloth to keep it safe.

             “Thank you,” she said meekly, unwrapping the bundle a bit to take a small bite out of the delicious meal.  “But as I said, I am not changing my mind in the slightest. I don’t care what you have to say.” The warm meat filled her mouth and she chewed slowly as she listened to the young man’s response to her statement.

             Giving her almost a smirk, he said, “I understand, Miss. I was the same way when I was told it. But whether ya choose ta accept this or not is not what I’m ‘ere for right now. It’s awful late, an’ I thought ya might like ta ‘ave an escort with ya as ya ‘ead ‘ome.”  His strange half-smile was replaced with a genuine look of concern for her.

             Mary realized suddenly that she had made an extremely brash decision by running away during that party. She had stealthily escaped from her own house to wander the streets of London many times before, but they had always been during the day.  As a woman, running around by one’s self was ill-advised and extremely dangerous at any time of the day, much less at night. Despite how insane she might have thought Clara and Bert to be with their “magic” charade, she realized that she was probably quite fortunate to have run into Bert before anyone who truly wished her harm had caught her.  Despite the strange feelings she had in the party, she could tell by looking at him he truly meant no harm to her.

             Nodding, she said, “Thank you Bert, I greatly appreciate it.” A grin broke out across his face and he extended his arm to her.  With her meat pie in one hand and Bert’s arm in the other, she began to walk back to her home.

             The walk back to her estate was relatively lacking in conversation; mostly just Mary directing Bert on where to go.  She thought he could tell that she was still tense over the whole encounter and had decided not to push the issue with her.  When he did say something, it was just an off-hand comment, like asking her if she ever bought wares from the lady at that street corner or pointing out his favorite constellation. Contemplating it, she found that he had an effortless charm that made people around him relaxed.  He was the kind of gentleman that she had heard her father make mention of before, the kind of man that would find a beautiful flower and give it to a little girl on the street in passing, that other men would tip their hat to, that older ladies would stop for to let him pet her dog, and that would perform a little magic trick for any young boy he thought might be looking a little blue.  Bert had that aura about him, although Mary wasn’t quite sure if he was aware of it or not.

             As they neared her house, she directed him towards the side of the estate, where a large tree grew next to the wall. She said “I greatly appreciate you walking me home, Bert. It’s been a great comfort having someone along.” She handed back the grease-stained cloth that had held her pie. “I hope you will understand why I left tonight. Perhaps it was an overreaction but I think if you can understand where I’m coming from. I did have pleasant time though.”

             He gave a bow before responding.  “It was my pleasure, Miss. I ‘ope we didn’t scare ya too badly. Auntie Clara is a nice lady. If ya ever change your mind, I’m in the park ‘most every day, if ya’d like ta come visit. Goodnight, Mary Lawrence.” He nodded at her once more before heading back off the way they had come.

             Mary had climbed over the wall using the tree numerous times before, in a dress and heels even, but never in a ball gown with layers of petticoats.  As she attempted to descend into the garden of her estate, the part of her petticoat that had ripped during her earlier escape got caught and almost caused her to fall to the ground. She quickly caught herself however, and proceeded to untangle her dress from the branched before slowly lowering herself down using the branches that hung over into the Lawrence garden.

             Rushing over to the side door that the servants used, Mary quickly slipped inside without a noise. She wound her way through the house and up the side stairwell, and had almost reached her bedroom when she heard the familiar squeaking noise of her maid Cecilia’s door. “Miss Lawrence, is that you?” she heard from down the hallway.

 Silently cursing her luck, she whispered, “Yes, Cecilia. Sorry I am so late. I don’t need any help getting undressed, you can go back to bed.”  Mary thought she was free but quickly realized she would have to fight her way out of this one, as she saw a faint light appear from Cecilia’s candle and move towards her.

 “Oh, but your father was worried sick about you! We should inform him that you’re all right and home safe.” The candlelight bounced off of her silver hair and eyes in a way that almost made her seem ghostly.

 “Dear me, I’m sure that’s not necessary. He’s probably fast asleep, we don’t need to wake him. You can just tell him in the morning.”

 “Tell me what?” came a booming voice from behind her. The imposing figure of her father appeared, with the small flame casting shadows on his face that made his glare seem even more intimidating than it already was. Mary loved her father, but their tense relationship kept things constantly on edge between them.

 “Sir, we were just going to tell you that she’d arrived home safely. We knew you were worried. Nothing to fret over anymore!” Mary felt a rush of gratitude towards Cecilia for her attempt at settling things before they blew up. She knew it was a fruitless effort, however, and braced herself for what was to come.

 “Well, that’s all pleasant and jovial now, isn’t that?” he asked, and Mary and Cecilia both involuntarily tensed up from the tone in his voice. “But perhaps what I’m not so worried about you coming back as I am about the fact that you left in the first place? Why did you leave the party, Mary? Do you know what people were saying about you when they couldn’t find you? Everyone was gossiping! People were asking me left and right where you were, especially the eldest Redmayne boy. I had to tell them all that you’d gone home early because you were feeling ill! And what on earth did you do to your dress?” he said, noticing the dirt on the bottom and the ripped petticoat peeking out from under the skirt.

 “That’s nothing, Mister Lawrence, I can fix that in a jiffy!” Cecilia interjected. She had a hopeful look on her face, as if her brushing off the dress would fix everything.

 “Thank you, Cecilia. Goodnight,” Edward Lawrence said firmly. Cecilia took the cue, bowed, muttered something that sounded like “Yessir”, and retreated to her room with a last pitying look at her young mistress. Now there was nothing standing between Mary and her father.

 “Father, I’m sorry I left, I had to! There were so many people! I have never seen so many people!” This was a blatant lie, but her father had no idea about her forbidden adventures into the London marketplace. “I was overwhelmed and exhausted. Maybe if you let me out more I would be used to the crowds…”

 “Not this again,” her father said sternly. This was a point of contention between the two parties; Edward believed that the best way for a young woman to be educated was to stay at home with her tutor, and that she should feel privileged that she was born into so wealthy of a family, as she would likely never be educated otherwise. Mary, on the other hand, desired to learn by getting out there and learning through experience.  Her father felt that it was too dangerous and impractical for young women to go out in public in their formative years.  Since she was now eighteen and of age to make a decent match in marriage, he had eased up on this rule, but most of her outings tended to be strictly social gatherings and parties like today, where she could meet eligible young bachelors. Obviously, this was not what Mary had in mind with her outings.

 Tired and hoping to avoid the endless circle of fights that she always seemed to be embroiled in with him, she decided to accept defeat this time.  “I’m sorry, father. You’re right, I should not have run. I was simply attempting to get away from an unfamiliar situation and I got carried away. This will not be something I repeat. Please forgive me.” She lowered her head so that her chin touched her chest, a gesture that she hated because it showed surrender, but it was one that Mary knew would win her father over.

 Sighing, Edward said, “This once I will let it pass. However, you will not be allowed to leave the house for the remainder of the month, not even for the picnic with Elizabeth. You must learn to behave and obey my rules. You may now go to bed.” Without another word, he turned and walked down the hall to his own quarters.

 As she slipped into her room, Mary began to cry from frustration and sadness. She would never understand why her father was so unfair, why he couldn’t understand her and her desire to see the world. Perhaps it was because she was similar to her mom in that aspect, and since he had already lost his wife six years ago, perhaps he harbored some fear that if mother and daughter led such similar lives he would lose Mary too. No matter the cause, the Lawrences seemed to be eternally at odds.

 As she unlaced her corset by herself, a difficult task she had learned to do out of sheer stubbornness, Mary contemplated the fact that she’d have to send a messenger to her friend’s estate tomorrow saying that she could no longer partake in the picnic that they’d planned for next week. Elizabeth understood Mary better than her father, but being naturally more timid, what she couldn’t understand was how Mary constantly kept challenging Mr. Lawrence. Elizabeth was some sort of middle ground between Mary and Edward at times; whenever she was around, there was often peace and laughter in the house for a while. That would be the plus side of cancelling the picnic, Elizabeth would likely offer to come to the Lawrence estate for the picnic instead, which meant that there would be at least one pleasant day out of the next twenty four that Mary was confined to the premises.

 Slipping into her bed, Mary’s thoughts drifted back to Bert and Clara. She couldn’t help but wonder whether they were crazy or if there was truly something to this magic thing. She focused on her perfume bottle that was sitting on the vanity, attempting to make it disappear. However, her eyelids felt so heavy that she gave up on the experiment and drifted off to sleep, without noticing that the object had briefly flickered out of existence for nearly three seconds before reappearing on the other side of the dresser.

[goggles-girl]

starlordsdickmessage replied to your post“So I think I’ve got the first chapter of my Mary Poppins prequel...”

Ill check it out, provided its not smut xP ^^

Haha, oh, it's not smut. I barely even read smut much less write it. But I appreciate it! I'll send you the Google Docs link in a sec!

[calm-mysoul]

A Change of Fate

This is a poem that I wrote several, several years ago. It is one of the only works I've ever written that I still value/enjoy - I think that it was God-inspired, although at the time of writing this, I had very little understanding of that concept. Thank You, Lord, that I still have this poem written down!

A Change of Fate

It's when I can't escape this place,

when it's my own blood I can taste.

I want nothing more than to change my fate.

But I know this will not work out.

What could I do? Just sit and pout?

No, a change of hairstyle, maybe, or personality?

Yet inside myself, I know this will never come about.

All around me, the emotions

of others, manipulated by foul love potions.

Humans, mortals, so easily succumb

but I wish that I'd never become

one of these people

yet it seems inescapable.

How can I change my fate?

I delve deep inside myself,

pulling out all that's left

to examine it in my mind

trying to leave most of it behind.

I know my fate is my destiny,

it must happen, only to me.

I see my life go down a path,

an unexpected one I don't know about.

I don't know if I like it or not,

there's only one way to find out.

But surely I can see ahead,

and find the path to which I'm led,

to see the end of every one

would be my heart's desire.

But as my life goes on as I let it,

I realize all the paths meet at the end,

converging as one togther.

Indeed at the end, between life and death,

my fate is not my own to choose.

It is decided by a greater Power

whether I win or I lose.

Determined by my choices in life,

surely my own fate is.

whether I choose to follow the Shepherd

or stray away, like a lamb into a lion's den.

by: Rebecca H

[unnatural-happenings]

Bug's first Persona!

[enchantingfirenightearthquake]

A Change of Fate: My boy

Firestar stretched as he woke up. Life in ThunderClan was good. The orange tom was of course happy to help reform SkyClan, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t happy to be home with both his mates and clan. Speaking of his mates, he and Graystripe were ecstatic to learn about Sandstorm’s pregnancy. Firestar wouldn’t be surprised if the other Clans hadn’t heard from all the shouting done that day.

The clan would be brimming with more kits soon and not just because of Sandstorm. Brightheart had given birth to her and Cloudtail’s daughter, Whitekit, and Ferncloud had recently announced her second litter with Snowear. Firestar was thrilled for his nephew and the others. All of their kits had big families that already loved them deeply. On top of that, Firestar was thrilled to say Brambleflower and Whitestorm’s kits were doing swimmingly as a new warrior and apprentices.

Firestar was finally able to slip out from under Sandstorm and made his way out into the camp. As he left his den, movement caught his gaze. Dogscar was coming out of the medicine cat’s den, probably on his way to see Brightheart and Ferncloud. Dogscar had really come into his own after becoming a medicine cat. Firestar’s heart still sometimes ached at the loss of two great warriors. But it was Cinderpelt and Dogscar’s decision. He was happy so long as they were happy.

Not everything was wonderful of course. Willowpelt’s death and Longtail losing his eyesight were still tragedies. But the clan would always remember Willowpelt fondly and Longtail got along well with the other elders. All in all, life couldn’t be better.

“Firestar!” The leader startled at the call. Coming into the clan entrance was Dustpelt, Ashfur, and Mousefur. It was the brown tom that called out to him. Dustpelt and Firestar’s relationship had never been a good one, but it downright went up in flames after the reveal that Dustpelt’s brother, Ravenpaw now Scourge was still alive.

Maybe Firestar should have felt bad, but the orange tom didn’t. Dustpelt had been awful to both him and his friend. StarClan, Firestar wasn’t even aware the two toms were brothers until after Ravenpaw fled! Firestar refused to feel sorry for a cat that had not been trustworthy at the time.

Behind the three warriors, Firestar was surprised to see his sister. Along with them was a long-furred gray she-cat Firestar had not seen before. Dangling from the newcomer’s jaw was a white kit with black spots covering his face and body.

“Princess!” The orange leader jumped down from the Highrock to meet the she-cat. The tom bumped heads with his sister when he reached her. “What are you doing here?”

Princess turned towards the new she-cat and kit. “This is Smoke,” she introduced. “And she requires your help.”

“What can I do for you, Smoke?” Firestar asked. The gray she-cat looked around the camp, a stressed look on her face. “Is this WindClan?” the she-cat asked.

“No. This is ThunderClan. Do you have business with WindClan?”

Smoke shook her head. “I do, technically. But I don’t believe they can help me. Not like your sister said you could.” She pushed the kit forward. “This is my son. I lost my Twoleg recently and can’t take care of him. His…father…is a warrior. But refuses to help.”

“A ThunderClan warrior?” the orange leader questioned. He didn’t believe so, not with how she spoke about WindClan, but he wanted to be certain. If it was in fact one of his warriors, he would have their head. Abandoning a kit in need was unacceptable.

“No. I wasn’t even aware there were other clans until I spoke with Princess. She told me how you were once a kittypet and what you did for her son. Please, I don’t have any other options,” the she-cat pleaded.

Firestar looked down at the kit. He knew what he wanted to do, but he still remembers how the clan treated him and Cloudtail when they first showed up. He loved his clanmates dearly, but it’s hard to forget sometimes how cruel they had been in the beginning.

“Of course we’ll take him in!” Firestar turned to see Graystripe coming towards them. Up on the Highrock, he spotted Sandstorm coming out of their shared den. She must have woken out when she heard the commotion. She was slowly making her way down the rocks to come standby her mate.

Graystripe pressed up against his mate to get a better look at the kit. “Oh, yeah. He’s definitely WindClan. Look at those ears. Only a WindClan cat could have ears like that.”

“Graystripe-.”

“Aw, I’m just teasing Firestar. Don’t get all pouty on me.”

Sandstorm had came up on Firestar’s other side as the toms continued to tease each other. The she-cat investigated the kit. A look of surprise crossed her face as the kit pressed his face to hers before her expression melted into a small smile.

A snort on his right caught Firestar’s attention. That had been Cloudtail. “You planning on adopting another kit, Firestar?” his nephew teased.

Firestar blinked. “What makes you think I’m taking him?”

That statement was met with silence for a brief moment. From the medicine den, Cinderpelt erupted with laughter. The she-cat pushed her way out into the clearing. “You’re kidding, right?” she called. “Half the clan calls you dad, Firestar. Who else would raise him?”

Murmurs of agreement filled the clan cats. No one seemed to be displeased with the idea of taking in another kittypet. Which was good. Great even. Stars above, Firestar thought. Was he really that predictable? Despite the teasing and gossip, the thought had crossed his mind, but that wouldn’t be fair to put that on Sandstorm or Graystripe. 

“You’re thinking too hard,” Sandstorm commented. While Firestar was distracted, the she-cat had laid down to allow the kit to nurse her. “I don’t mind claiming him as ours if you two don’t. Graystripe?”

On his other side, Graystripe had started purring. “It’s fine by me.” His gaze turned towards Smoke. “Does he have a name?”

The gray she-cat shook her head. “I was afraid of getting attached. I’m sorry.”

Looking at the kit’s features, a name kept popping into Firestar’s head, but he didn’t say it. He didn’t think it would be appropriate to name him after that cat. Instead, he asked Smoke, “If you don’t mind me asking, who is his father?”

“Onewhisker.”

The whole clan froze as everyone’s eyes landed on their leader. It was no secret that the orange tom was friends with the WindClan warrior, and this? This was devasting.

“I see,” Firestar said in a neutral voice. The calm tone filled the clan with dread. It would have been less concerning if he started yelling. “I’ll be right back.”

Firestar made his way towards the camp’s entrance before he was blocked by his deputy, Whitestorm. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere. Move Whitestorm.”

The senior warrior didn’t. “Firestar, you aren’t planning on going to WindClan? Are you?”

“He abandoned his own kit.”

“Firestar-.”

“No. He abandoned his own kit. I want to know why.”

“No. You don’t. Because whatever answer he gives you is going to hurt. Because you know and I know what the actual reason is.”

Firestar continued to glare at his deputy. Firestar was the leader; he could technically do whatever he wanted. If he wanted to go all the way to WindClan to yell at his – Stars, did Firestar even want to be friends with Onewhisker still? How could he ever look at the tom the same way again? Because Whitestorm was right. There really was only one explanation, wasn’t there? Did the other tom think the same way about him? That Firestar was still just some kittypet playing pretend?

“Well, it’s his loss then.” That was Longtail. Shocked coursed through Firestar’s veins. The former warrior had been one of Firestar's biggest dissenters and even though time had passed and Longtail was civil with the now leader, he didn’t actually think the warrior’s entire opinion had changed that much on the matter.

“Anyone who leaves a kit for such a mousebrain reason,” Longtail continued, “as who’s their parents are or what blood runs through their veins, isn’t worth anyone’s time.”

Once again, the clearing filled with murmurs of agreement. Firestar didn’t know how to feel about this. He was of course glad no one was fighting him on whether or not they should keep the kit. But…

But he remembers how hard Longtail fought him on his first day. He remembers how hard he had to work just to receive the same praise as his clanmates. Remembers the way they talked about him and Cloudtail behind their backs, especially after Cloudtail’s disappearance.

Whitestorm bumped into him from behind, interrupting his dark thoughts. “Don’t look so surprised, Firestar. You and your nephew have proved time and time again just by existing that we were wrong. Stars, if we want to continue to hammer the point home, cats like Tigerstar and Brokenstar prove not every Clan cat is trustworthy.” In a quieter voice as to not embarrass his leader, Whitestorm admits, “I know it doesn't take back how you were treated when you arrived here, but we’re sorry. You deserve to be here. As does this kit. If Onewhisker can’t see that, then that’s on him.”

Firestar looked around the camp at all the cats he had come to know. It wasn’t always easy to forgive them, and he would never forget, but they were trying. That would just have to be enough.

“Alright,” he said turning to Smoke. “We’ll happily take him in.” The kittypet beamed at the answer. Before anyone could change his mind, he added, “You’re more than welcome to stay too, you know.”

The she-cat just shook her head, “I wasn’t meant for your life.” She looks down at the kitten. “But he can be.”

Firestar nodded before turning to his sister. “Will you two at least stay for a bit? It’s been a while since we last spoke.” Princess seemed surprised. She wasn’t a warrior; she had no business being here. But the she-cat would be lying if she said she didn’t miss seeing her brother.

The day was filled with stories and laughter, the kittypet and any cat really who wanted to trade tales about their leader and brother. Yes, Firestar thought. This would be enough.

***

Later, when Firestar, Sandstorm, and Graystripe were alone, they would discuss what to name their son. Though saying the three of them were discussing wasn’t quite accurate. Graystripe hadn’t spoken much. He had been fine earlier. But throughout the day, he became more withdrawn. Was he maybe having second thoughts?

“You alright, fluffy butt?” Sandstorm asked from underneath Firestar. The kit was curled up next to the she-cat’s stomach, fast asleep.

“Do…” he paused, gathering his thought. “Am I like Onewhisker?”

“What do you mean?”

“Onewhisker abandoned his kit. I’m not exactly in Feathertail and Stormfur’s life either. I sometimes feel like a failed them.”

“You went to go live in RiverClan with them. And Leopardstar got you kicked out. You didn’t exactly have a choice. Onewhisker did,” Sandstorm pointed out.

“I could have fought to stay harder.”

“Graystripe you go out of your way to see them any chance you get,” Firestar said rubbing his face against the other tom’s. “Maybe you don’t see them every day, but you try to be in their lives in any way you can. These are two very situations.”

Graystripe didn’t respond. He just continued to sit and stew. That’s when Sandstorm spoke up again. “Hey. How about you name the kit?”

The gray tom blinked. “Me?”

“Why not? Everything Firestar and I suggest keeps getting shot down. And you’re going to be raising him with us.”

Graystripe continued not to say anything, though his face was no longer saddened. Finally, nervously, he asked, “What about Darkkit?”

The two other cats shared a look. “Is that really a good idea?”

Graystripe rested head on his paws. “I know it’s mousebrain. Honestly, I don’t understand why I want to name him that. It’s not like me and my brother were even close. But I…” The two other warriors wait. “I just want to honor the cat he could have been. The one I remember back when I was a kit. I want this kit to be better than Darkstripe.”

Firestar and Sandstorm share a look. It’s a lot of pressure to put on a kit. To be better than your namesake. But Darkkit was not Darkstripe. They would not let him fall.

“Well, that settles it.” Firestar turned to face his son. “Welcome to the clan, Darkkit.”

[unnatural-happenings]

[unnatural-happenings]

Some concepts I made for Bug's rebel outfit. I hate the first one soo much, but it matched their original persona at the time. Now that it's changed I got to design something else! yay :)

[unnatural-happenings]

Here's a few mask ideas I came up with when I wanted to draw for this!

I still won't describe the Player's outfits outside of it making them look like a Bug, I just needed something to draw lol

[enchantingfirenightearthquake]

A Change of Fate: Reclaim

No one was prepared for Brindleface’s death.

By now everyone knew that a pack of dogs had attacked Brightpaw and Dogscar, but the discovery today made everyone aware how much danger they were all actually in. Longtail had seen Tigerstar feeding the pack. When they went to further investigate, they found poor Brindleface.

Ashpaw and Fernpaw were devastated. The two apprentices were curled up into Longtail and Frostfur, the two warriors also mourning their deceased sister. Dustpelt sat near the grieving family. He had taken a shine to the family, filling a fatherly role in Ashpaw and Fernpaw’s ever since the warrior had been named Ashpaw’s mentor. Cloudtail sat apart from them, seething with rage. He looks like he wants to murder someone. He probably does…

“We must all leave.” Everyone looks at Fireheart. How the orange tom was able to keep calm at time like this with truly a gift from StarClan. Murmurs of dismay filled the camp. They would go to Sunnigrocks, climb into the trees. But this plan could not last long term.

As if he could read Dogscar’s mind, Dustpelt called out, “And what about the pack?! What are we going to do about them?!”

Fireheart sat in silence as the rest of the camp continued to murmur amongst themselves. Dogscar knew they could not fight the dogs head on. Brightpaw and him had tried and failed miserably. But maybe they didn’t have to fight them…

“What if we lead them away from the camp?!” he heard himself call out. Every cat was looking at him. More murmurs of how Dogscar must have lost his mind could be heard, but Dogscar was only looking at Fireheart. The deputy had a twinkle in eye as he mumbled something, before saying louder “We’ll steal the trail!”

He jumped down from the Highrock to address the Clan. “Tigerstar wants to lead the dogs right to our camp? Fine! We’ll let him do that. And when they arrive, we’ll be long gone, with the trail leading to the gorge. If cats can drown, why not dogs?”

“But we’d have to lead them over there!” Mousefur called out. “How do plan to that? We can’t just move the whole trail! We’d be slaughtered!”

The camp fell silent.

“We’ll be the bait.” All eyes turned to Brightpaw. “Mousefur’s right. Physically moving the trail is too dangerous. We need live bait to lure the dogs there.”

No one spoke at Brightpaw’s idea. She was correct. They all knew she was correct. But no one wanted to volunteer. How could they? After seeing what the dogs could do.

“Well,” Brightpaw continued. “Seeing as no else wants to, I’ll do it.”

The camp erupted in shouting. Brightpaw held her tail up for silence. “I understand everyone’s concerns. But I need to do this.” She looked down at where Brindleface’s body had been. “Tigerstar had my father killed, and now my aunt.” She looks up, first looking at Cinderpelt, then Dogscar. “It is because of him that I as well as my sister and dear friend were grievously injured.” She points up at Bluestar’s den. “Because of him our leader has gone mad, wanting to start a war with StarClan. We’ve lost too many to Tigerstar already. I won’t stand by and allow him to continue.”

“But Brightpaw,” Brackenfur quietly spoke. Terror filled the friendly tom’s voice. “You can’t possibly outrun them. You’ll get tired before they do. You’ll never make it.”

“Then she won’t do it alone!” Everyone turned towards Ashpaw as he and his sister pushed themselves off of Longtail and Frostfur. “Fernpaw and I will help Lost…” he paused before continuing, “Brightpaw,” the apprentice smiled at the brave she-cat her, “lead the dogs!”

Murmurs filled the camp once more, but it wasn’t like before. They were now filled with hope. “Does anyone else want to volunteer?” Fireheart called. It was decided that along with Brightpaw, Ashpaw, and Fernpaw, Fireheart, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, Longtail, Mousefur, and Whitestorm would lead the dogs from camp.

The cats heading to Sunnigrocks gathered by the camp entrance, ready to move out. Before leaving, Dogscar made his way over to his friend and mentor. “Are you two sure about this?” he asked.

“We’re warriors,” Longtail answered. “We’d give out lives if it meant our Clan’s survival.”

“I’m sure,” Brightpaw says. “I have to this.”

Dogscar bumps his head against theirs before leaving with the rest of the Clan. He fell into step next to Cloudtail. He looked just as tense as Dogscar felt. In a moment of shared worry, Dogscar pushed his body against the other tom. Cloudtail understood and pushed back.

***

Adrenaline pumped through Brightpaw’s veins as she ran. The dogs were hot on her heel after being passed from Dustpelt to Longtail and now to her. Her job was to get them to Ashpaw and Fernpaw.

Don’t look back, just keep running. Don’t look back, just keep running.

Brightpaw had never considered herself brave, not when there were cats like Cloudtail, her sister, and Swiftpaw. But upon seeing Brindleface’s lifeless corpse, something in Brightpaw snapped. She would not allow someone else she cared for to be harmed.

Just a little bit more…

With one final push, Brightpaw broke from her path and jumped into one of the nearby trees. She watched with her one good eye as the dogs passed by her hiding spot, now going after the two apprentices.

Good luck.

***

Bluestar was dead. She had died saving Fireheart’s life. More surprisingly though was Mistyfoot and Stonefur of RiverClan helping bring her body back to camp and revelation that came with them. They we’re Bluestar’s kits. Dogscar didn’t even know Bluestar had kits much less that they supposedly went missing.

Dogscar took note his mother was staring at the three gray cats. “Are you alright mom?”

Goldenflower didn’t immediately speak. “I sympathize with Bluestar. When…I discovered I was pregnant with you I was unsure of what to do.” She nuzzled her eldest son. “Cats assumed it was Tigerstar. And I let them. It was none of their business and I didn’t expect him to help me.” She laughed bitterly. “If I knew than what I knew now, I wouldn’t have agreed to be mates with him.”

“Do you actually mean that?” Dogscar asked in a panic. He had no love for the cat who helped raise him now, but no Tigerstar meant no Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw.

Goldenflower sighed. “No. I don’t. Believe it or not but Tigerstar and I did have a good relationship, and I could never regret having his kits despite everything that’s happened.”

“How exactly did you and Tigerstar end up together? Neither of you ever mentioned how.”

“He confronted me about your parentage. He knew he wasn’t the father, and he oh so kindly,” she says the last part teasingly, “demanded I tell him what was going on.”

“What happened?”

“I flipped him on his big, fluffy butt.”

Dogscar cackled.

***

Firestar and Cinderpelt return from the Moonstone with Firestar as ThunderClan’s new leader. Though it was not a happy event as it should have been. There was an incident involving Sorrelkit and deathberries. Brightpaw hoped the kit would be ok.

In an attempt to settle the Clan’s nerves, Firestar called a Clan meeting, where he named Whitestorm the new deputy and finally gave Thornpaw – Thornclaw – his warrior name. The second her brother stepped away from their new leader, Brightpaw rushed over to him. She promised she would be the first to say his name. She was so enraptured with him, she didn’t notice the look Cloudtail and Firestar shared.

“Before you go,” Brightpaw’s hears perked up. “I have something more to say. I want to give thanks to Fernpaw and Ashpaw, for showing bravery of warriors in the race against the dogs. And although they are still too young to receive their warrior names, we honor them.”

Brightpaw looked at the overwhelmed apprentices, both basking in the praise from their clanmates as their eyes shined bright.

“In addition,” Firestar continued. “There is one more ceremony to perform. I want to honor the two cats who almost gave their to keep us all safe from the pack. Lostface. Dogscar. Step forward.” Both cats shared a look before stepping forward, Cloudtail following behind them.

“Spirits of StarClan. You know every cat by name. I ask you now to take away the names of the cats you see befo-.”

“Wait.”

A hush fell over the Clan as Swiftpaw interrupted Firestar. “I appreciate the thought Firestar, but if its all the same to you, I would like to remain Dogscar.”

“What are you doing, mousebrain?” Cloudtail hissed.

“Are you sure, Swiftpaw?” Firestar asked.

Swiftpaw took in a breath as he looked down at his feet. “I know Bluestar named me in an act of cruelty. And I know now that what happened wasn’t my fault.” He met Firestar’s gaze. “But I’m not the cat I was before the attack. I’m sure of this.”

A soft smile graced Firestar’s face. “Alright, Dogscar. If that is your decision, so be it.” The leader pressed his muzzle to Dogscar’s head as the young warrior pressed his to Firestar’s shoulder. He turned to Brightpaw. “Do you also wish to keep your name?”

“With all respect to the dead, Firestar, I never want to hear the name Lostface ever again.”

Firestar grinned before continuing where he left off. "I ask you now to take away the name of the cat you see before you for it no longer stands for what she is." Dogscar and Cloudtail both pressed into their friend. The she-cat was beaming. "By my authority as Clan leader, and with the approval of our warrior ancestors, I give this cat a new name. From this moment on, she will be known as Brightheart. For though her body has been gravely injured, we honor her brave spirit and light that shines on with her." The leader and she-cat repeated the action the former and Dogscar had done before. Firestar turned to his nephew. "Well? Is that fair enough for you?"

“It’s perfect, Firestar,” he mumbled as he pressed further into the two warriors. Brightheart and Dogscar pressed back. They couldn’t agree more.

[enchantingfirenightearthquake]

A Change of Fate

A Second Chance

Snowkit

Reclaim

The Decision

Worries of a Hopeless Romantic

A Fitting End for my Demons

Flowers

My boy

I’ll Lead You to the Light

Ferncloud

[unnatural-happenings]

[unnatural-happenings]

Thank you to everyone who sat through the bungled mess that was my "A Change of Fate" overlook!

I plan on writing more scenes for it! I'll upload them whenever I finish one, so they'll most likely be out of order, but I'll keep it organized in the masterlist.

[enchantingfirenightearthquake]

A Change of Fate: Flowers

Bramblepaw paced the ThunderClan clearing. Today was the day he was about to receive his warrior name. Any other cat would have been excited. And he was, but…

He stopped as he saw his older brother come out of the medicine cat den. It was still a little odd seeing Dogscar as a medicine cat. Back when he was an apprentice, all Dogscar ever talked about being a warrior. He sometimes wondered if the only reason he did was because of Tigerstar.

“Hey, kit,” the older tom greeted with a purr. He licked the top of Bramblepaw’s head as the apprentice tried to get away. “Are you excited for your big day?"

Bramblepaw nodded, but something must have shown on his face because Dogscar asked, “Is something wrong?”

“No, Dogscar. I’m excited.” He shuffled his paws. “And nervous. It’s nothing important.”

“Nonsense.” Dogscar nuzzled Bramblepaw’s face. “If it has you worried, then of course it’s important.”

Bramblepaw continued to shuffle his paws. “Are…Are you really ok with your name?”

“Of course, I am. It was my choice in the end. Why? Do you think Firestar is going to give you a bad name?”

The tabby looked at his feet. “It isn’t that I think he’ll give me a bad one. But I’m worried he’ll name me after someone.” At Dogscar’s disgruntled look, Bramblepaw continued. “I-I know I look like Tigerstar. Everyone knows it.” His gaze shifted to Firestar’s den. “I’m afraid that papa might name me after him.”

“Oh, Bramblepaw.” Dogscar nuzzled his younger brother again. He didn’t know what to say. Surely Firestar wouldn’t, right? Surely he wouldn’t pick such a cruel reminder of the monster that haunted the clans, right? “I don’t know what Firestar will choose. But he wouldn’t do that to you. You’re his son. He adores you.”

A weak purr rumbled through Bramblepaw and into his brother’s pelt. “Tell you what? How about we go out into the forest and find a big, fat squirrel to share?” Bramblepaw shyly nodded his head.

As the two brothers left, neither noticed the hidden eavesdropper slipping away.

***

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!”

Bramblepaw’s heart beat rapidly in his chest. This was it. He was about to receive his warrior name. Oh StarClan, please, don’t be claw, the tabby tom pleaded. I’ll take any name, just please don’t be claw.

Bramblepaw looked solemnly up at his father as he leaped down from the Highrock to meet him. Firestar’s face softened as he reached his apprentice. Firestar had every reason not to trust him due to his father. For a long time, Bramblepaw thought maybe the orange tom only saw the cat who sired him when the leader looked his way. But Firestar knew what it was like to be an outsider. He made sure that Bramblepaw knew he would always have a place in ThunderClan.

“I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice! He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn!”

Bramblepaw met his father’s gaze as he continued. “Bramblepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code? And to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?”

“I do.” No cat could doubt how much Bramblepaw meant it.

“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Bramblepaw, from this moment you will be known as,” Bramblepaw held his breathe, “Brambleflower.”

Shock coursed though the new warrior’s body. Brambleflower? “StarClan honors your courage and your loyalty,” Firestar continued. “And we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.”

Tears sprang to Brambleflower’s eyes. Firestar thought he was loyal. Firestar named him after his mom. As Firestar pressed his muzzle to the tabby’s head, the orange tom whispered, “I am so proud of you, son.”

Brambleflower licked Firestar’s shoulder. Before pulling away, he whispered back, “Thank you, papa.” His eyes glowed with warmth as his clan called his new name.