#LIKE JUNPEI HAS TO DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT SHES THERE

[katsona-the-katsequel]

Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad Activity Report

Part 1

(As I mentioned before, all of this was retrieved and translated from the P3 Club Book)

4/6 (Mon) - Reporter: Mitsuru Kirijo

It's Kirijo...

Today is April 6th... No, it's already past midnight. So, to be precise, it's the early hours of the 7th. A new member has arrived at Iwatodai dorm. He is a boy who seems a little quiet, but exudes a mysterious air about him.

Yes, to use a cliché phrase, he has that kind of aura that makes you feel like there is something shining there.

The Chairman had told us about his "potential" beforehand, but to be able to walk the whole way from the station to the dormitory without getting flustered during the Dark Hour... Marvelous! I'm really surprised!

It seems that he has not yet Awakened, but I am sure that he will be a great asset to our team. Today may be a fateful day for us.

Hehe... I seem to be in a surprisingly good mood. Let's hope that my hunch is correct and that I'll finally be able to put an end to my sadness of the past 10 years.

4/7 (Tue) - Reporter: Yukari Takeba

Well, it's Takeba. There are no club activities today. Oh, I guess escorting the transfer student who arrived last night to school this morning counted as part of the activities. He is, to put it nicely, "calm and collected," but from my perspective, he's way more than cool, and I don't know what he's thinking... well, you shouldn't say anything bad without knowing the facts.

Also, that idiot Junpei Iori from my class is getting a little too close to the new transfer student, so I made sure to tell him not to mention the Dark Hour thing. That's it. This is Takeba.

4/8 (Wed) - Reporter: Akihiko Sanada

Following on from last night, I was on a shadow patrol again tonight. The patrol area was the main street from Iwatodai Station to Moonlight Bridge.

Since the beginning of this month, there have been more and more rumors about shadows, but contrary to expectations, there are not many of them. To be honest, it's not enough.

I guess we have no choice but to build up our fighting power as soon as possible and begin our assault on that dreaded tower, Tartarus. They'll be gathering there. It should be a more efficient way to proceed with our operations than patrolling in the hopes of a chance encounter. Well, now is the time to lie low...

Ah, that's right. Tonight I found an unexpected find. A detailed report will be provided at a later date.

It's unclear whether it will be an effective fighting force, but it looks like it could be interesting in many ways.

Oh, and a message from Takeba to Ikutsuki-san: "It's embarrassing, so please stop the indiscriminate attacks of puns."

4/9 (Thu) - Reporter: Mitsuru Kirijo

It's Kirijo. During the Dark Hour, we were attacked by a large Shadow unlike any we had seen before.

The Arcana was the Fool.

For more details, please see the attached report.

…Today's report may be a little too brief, but due to a series of shocking events, I'll have to be forgiven.

Above all, he is a newbie... He seems to be a little out of control, but he awakened to two Persona at the same time.

What if...

Anyway, the confusion on this matter has subsided.

I will provide a written report as soon as possible.

Oh, and there was some damage to the exterior walls and windows of the dormitory, but the overall damage seems to be minor. We plan to place an order for repairs with a contractor from our group as early as tomorrow.

4/10 (Fri) - Reporter: Akihiko Sanada

The damage caused by the large Shadow last night was greater than expected. Mitsuru said it wasn't a big deal, but it was a big burden on Takeba, as it was her first real fight. She's probably not going to be able to use her Evoker for a few days, especially due to mental fatigue.

The damage to the dormitory itself was even worse than it appeared, with several optical fiber cables for the internet broken.

Also, the newbie collapsed after the battle and remains unconscious. It seems that the cause was excessive mental concentration in order to control his Persona, but it is unclear when he will return.

It's true... I can't help it. I'll fight for anyone who can't fight for themselves... Hey, Mitsuru, what's with you all of a sudden... Whoa, wait a second...

(Some loud bang sound)

...Additional information from Kirijo. Akihiko has been diagnosed with a broken rib and will need one month to fully recover. For the time being, the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad will be effectively suspended.

...Correction: Akihiko has suffered a head injury. An additional half month will be added to the time until he is fully recovered. That's all.

4/11 (Sat) - Reporter: Yukari Takeba

Uh, this is Takeba.

Dark Hour activities will be suspended for a while, but today I went to visit our new member, so I thought I'd let you know.

He's still unconscious, but the doctor said he's in good health.

From what I saw, his complexion was good and he had regained consciousness.

I think he might have gained weight from all the infusions. I'm a little worried, so I'll go and check on him again tomorrow at noon.

Maybe he will be cured completely.

4/12 (Sun) - Reporter: Yukari Takeba

Well, it's Takeba for the second day in a row.

Kirijo-senpai is out today, having gone to the Kirijo Group headquarters to report on the recent large Shadow incident. Sanada-senpai was about to go out for some personal training when he was spotted by Kirijo-senpai, who gave him a cold shoulder... well, not metaphorically, but more like, physically.

Oh, and I believe Ikutsuki must be feeling lonely without a supervisor...to be honest, it's painful. I hope the new guy returns as soon as possible. That's all from Takeba. Phew.

4/13 (Mon) - Reporter: Akihiko Sanada

As for the cleanup of the large shadow from the other day, it seems that it has finally come to an end, according to Mitsuru's report yesterday.

The rest is up to the Chairman and the specialist team. We just need to focus on defeating the shadows. That being said, we are currently overwhelmingly underpowered... Anyways, patience makes perfect, so we'll just have to be patient for a while.

That's right. Today at school, the Student Council election was held. Mitsuru was running for president, and it seems likely that she will win. The results will be announced at tomorrow's morning assembly, but should I start thinking about what to say to congratulate her?

4/14 (Tue) - Reporter: Mitsuru Kirijo

It's Kirijo.

There is nothing to report from the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad today. The new recruit hasn't regained consciousness yet. I wonder if he'll be okay...

Also, I apologize for talking about my personal matters, but as a result of the Student Council elections held yesterday, I have been officially appointed as student council president, starting today.

Let me report on it.

I have a lot of things to do this week to take over the Student Council. However, I am confident that I can achieve good results by utilizing the experience I gained as a Student Council member from my first year.

I hope that with this, I can be more confident in defeating shadows as well...

No... that's not it. That's not it. Why would I have confidence in the Student Council, in school life? My life may not be in danger, but the future can't be perfect either...

I may have been... a bit complacent.

I'm grateful for this activity report. Just having to say it out loud and record it is a lot easier than thinking alone.

It teaches you things that you would not notice on your own.

Thinking about it, I've always been told that I'm taking on too much on my own. Akihiko often lectures me about this.

Well, I'll make sure to keep this in mind when I deliver my inaugural address next week.

4/15 (Wed) - Reporter: Yukari Takeba

Uh, this is Takeba.

Today is a day off for the Archery Club, so I went to Tatsumi Memorial Hospital again. …He is still unconscious, so I'm starting to get worried.

The other day, I was asked to read a report about his upbringing, and I did, but it was pretty sad that he doesn't have any family to help him if something happens.

It's pretty tough without someone...

I really hope he gets better soon.

That's all from Takeba.

Oh, that's right. I forgot to mention it, but congratulations to Kirijo-senpai on being appointed president.

4/16 (Thu) - Reporter: Shuji Ikutsuki

…This is Ikutsuki.

It seems like everyone in SEES has been pushing themselves too hard lately, so I've decided to let them go to bed early tonight. There's nothing of note to report regarding shadows.

It's really nerve-wracking to record in front of a microphone in this empty space.

I was so nervous that I had to go to the bathroom...

When recording, that is, when inputting sound, going to the toilet is inevitable, just kidding...

Ah, if no one listens to me, it's not worth it.

4/17 (Fri) - Reporter: Yukari Takeba

It's Takeba! Well, he's finally woken up! According to the doctor in charge, he's in good health. He'll still be staying in the hospital tonight just to be safe, but starting tomorrow, he'll be fine to go to school.

Also, the Chairman said that he will finally tell him about SEES tomorrow.

I'm a little worried about whether he'll understand SEES' activities because he's a bit shy. Well, I can't force him, so it can't be helped, but if he joins, I think he'll be very reliable. I'll try not to get my hopes up too much and wait for tomorrow. This is Takeba.

4/18 (Sat) - Reporter: Mitsuru Kirijo

Good news! The new guy has been officially accepted into SEES.

…Honestly, even though it was an accident, I put him in a life-threatening situation, so I thought it was inevitable that he would refuse, but he seems to have a more flexible way of thinking than I had imagined. I can expect him to be an even more valuable asset in the future.

Oh, and by the way... I may have been a little too strict during the recruitment meeting. Sorry, Akihiko.

However, I need you to act a little like an injured person and exercise more restraint.

I don't want anyone to be forced to miss out...any more than this.

4/19 (Sun) - Reporter: Akihiko Sanada

The new recruit I picked up during the recent Dark Hour, whose situation had been left unresolved due to the large Shadow attack incident, is finally being allowed to move into the dorms.

The new recruit's name is Junpei Iori.

His detailed information should have been submitted separately, but he was in the same class as Takeba and the transfer student.

I had planned to keep it a secret until the last minute and surprise him, but Takeba's reaction when he moved into the dorm was better than I expected, and it was quite fun. If he continues like that, I think he'll fit in with the group quickly and do well.

He has a unique talent for creating a good mood, and in a sense, this is an advantage that surpasses his Persona abilities.

He has a unique talent for creating a good mood, and in my opinion, this is an advantage that surpasses his Persona abilities. Maybe I should follow his example.

And... finally, starting tomorrow, we plan to begin our search for Tartarus. Unfortunately, it seems Mitsuru won't allow me to join in, but even so... it's finally here...

4/20 (Mon) - Reporter: Yukari Takeba

Uh, this is Takeba.

Today was my first time in Tartarus...and I'm kind of tired from all sorts of things...

But I'll try my best.

No, I think I can do my best.

The field leader, the transfer student, is amazing. I have my own goals, but I don't really know much about them.

I know I shouldn't rely on him, but it still seems like he could be relied on.

Now... if only we could do something about Junpei's stupidity, it would be fantastic.

Well, it's short, but I'm going to sleep now. This is Takeba.

4/21 (Tue) - Reporter: Junpei Iori

…Ah, ah...Is the sound properly? Ahem.

Hey, I'm Junpei Iori, a promising new recruit. Well, this is my first report. ...What should I talk about? The activities that seem to be part of SEES are, ah, I was told by Sanada-senpai to go to the Tatsumi East Police Station with the transfer student to buy weapons.

But if you think about it, that's just black market sales, isn't it? Is that okay?

I heard something on TV, but the number of Lost people, shadow victims, is increasing.

Well, that's where we come in... but it's hard to get used to the Evoker.

I don't think it's right. Isn't it possible to make it a more gentle design?

And then... Oh, by the way, Kirijo-senpai's inaugural speech as president was really powerful. I didn't really understand it though.

Is that it? Yes, it's all over.

SEES Members Talk!

Mitsuru: In addition to directing the daily attack on Tartarus, he is also involved in student council activities... right, he is also in the sports club.

Fuuka: Although he doesn't go every day, he participates in the same cultural club as me. The club president seems to think highly of him.

Yukari: So what was it called, that club thing... you do that too, right? Come to think of it, it's a really hard schedule.

Mitsuru: Even when he comes to school, he sometimes looks pretty pale. I wonder if he is tired after all. I am worried because he never complains or anything...

Yukari: Sometimes he falls asleep during class so soundly that his eyes roll up, or he goes to Mr. Edogawa's after school.

Fuuka: That's right, and then he takes this very suspicious drug that seems to emit smoke, and looks so happy... It's actually kind of scary how he becomes so refreshed so quickly.

Mitsuru: Sometimes during the Dark Hour he mutters to himself something like "The end is coming..." ...Could it be that he's in quite the dangerous situation...?

Yukari: ...

Fuuka: H-how can I cheer her up? Oh, that's right, how about equipping her with high leg armor and sexy heels!

Mitsuru: Wh...! Yamagishi, don't be so casual about it as if it's someone else's problem.

[digital-dulci]

Currently shedding real tears (again) over jundori persona 3 is amazing

[goatyuuji]

itfs week was ages ago I KNOW PLEASE FORGIVE ME...anyways itfs week fic rec list 🩷💙🩷

solar flare by HamsterQinghua (G, 3.8k)

“You…” Fushiguro starts slowly, and the hair on Yuuji’s arm raises at his low tone. “You’re… Sukuna’s vessel.” Yuuji wonders for a brief second if he’s been the one slapped with the way Fushiguro’s words tunnel into his gut and burn in his throat. He swallows. Even Kugisaki, next to him, has her brows drawn together in confusion. “What?” Yuuji asks, and his voice is small, even to his own ears. “No, I’m not—” He cuts himself off. He couldn’t say he wasn’t Sukuna’s vessel, right? --- or, Megumi forgets only Yuuji after an unfortunate encounter, and Yuuji's handling it well. really. Check out their entire itfs week fics: here

lovesick by xiaoscribbles (G, 2.5k)

“You say that so easily,” Megumi’s frown deepens, the hurt in his chest growing with every word she says. She doesn’t mean any harm by it, but sometimes, she’s too blunt. “I know,” Nobara sits up again. She leans into his space, brown eyes twinkling with mischief. “I’m not saying you need to get over it. I’m saying that this doesn’t have to hurt.” “And if I lose him again?” He snaps, his aura no longer light and airy, but deathly serious. “It happened once. I don't think I can deal with it if it happens again.” Or, Junpei exists. Megumi is jealous. Nobara is overworked and underpaid.

Lawfully Yours by tamarsilan (M, 18.6k)

He holds up his pinkie, in the way his new fathers had recently taught him meant business, “I promise.” She wraps a small digit around his own, smiling wide with her crooked front teeth. Check out their entire itfs week fics: here

wasteland, baby! by uriekukistan (T, 2.5k)

Fushiguro cupped his face gently, guiding Yuuji’s eyes to meet his own green ones. The look in his eyes brought a fresh wave of tears to Yuuji’s. Yuuji recognized the look on his face, the same one he wore at the detention center as Yuuji bled out on the sidewalk in front of him. His expression was soft, loving even, far too loving for someone like Yuuji. He was a monster, but Fushiguro looked at him like he was so, so human. “What is it?” Fushiguro said softly. “Talk to me.” OR the Culling Game Arc hotel scene we all deserve Check out their entire itfs week fics: here

as all friends do by staromantic (T, 2.6k)

“Wow, wow, wow,” Megumi interrupts her, immediately sitting up as he hears her words. “What boyfriend? I don’t have a boyfriend.” “Are you drunk, Megumi? Or high? What the fuck are you on about?” Nobara exclaims, stressing her words and moving her hands wildly. “Are you fucking with me?” or : Megumi has a boyfriend he doesn’t know about, Nobara is surrounded by idiots and Yuuji teaches Megumi that kissing your homies is actually not platonic behaviour Check out their entire itfs week fics: here

a condition called love by earthtodora (T, 3.3k)

Megumi gets injured, and the whole incident is causing Yuuji the realization that he might, in fact, be in love with his friend. Chaos ensues.

in hindsight, we were fated by getosmanta (G, 3.8k)

“Nah.” Itadori simply says, watching the dogs with a smile. “You know, Geto and I talked about you a lot.” Megumi freezes. “About your technique, how you tried to face Sukuna,” Itadori continues, rambling with pink cheeks and wind-bitten lips. “How I didn’t realize that I’d miss you until I couldn’t see you.” or 5+1 times Megumi wonders about Soulmates

You are my type, and I am yours by Gelafour (T, 3.8k)

Megumi is in love with Yuuji, but his crush has a preferred type of person. And everything changes on the day Yuuji asks, out of nowhere, about Megumi's type... Check out their entire itfs week fics: here

In the public eye by meyers (G, 3.7k)

There was something disgusting about all that stupid theater. He couldn't stand it. What did they know besides nothing? What did they know about Yuuji? He didn't like to look like a superstar, even though people said he would be one someday. He was just like any normal seventeen year old boy and he didn't need anyone to stare at him assuming the most erroneous things that could be assumed. It was something that was killing him inside. They didn't know him as well as he did! ----- Where Yuuji becomes the new sensation of his school after a basketball game, and Megumi can't stand others talking about him. Check out their entire itfs week fics: here

ALSO CHECK OUT THE OFFICIAL ITFS WEEK WORK COLLECTION

PS: lots of love to the mods of this fest and all the artists and the writers that participated, you all are so awesome and it was such a good fest <3

[linkspooky]

With all the recent development in the story and Gege's trend of deconstructing the mindset of those who places value in 'strength' over anything else and their overwhelming sense of self, where do you think is he going with Megumi? Especially with how he's been narratively intertwined with Gojo, Toji and Sukuna, all of which are embodiments of 'with strength comes solitude'.

Good question, anon. Gege has been focusing on the mindsets of larger than life characters like Sukuna, Gojo and now Kashimo lately, on people who are so self-centered and egotistical that other people barely register t them as "people." Sukuna imagines them as insects trapped in a spider web's, Gojo calls them plans, Kashimo clods of dirt. They've been getting so much focus as of late some readers are even questioning why we're taking so much time to pity characters like Sukuna for being lonely while he's actively stealing a teenager's body and destroying Megumi's life.

As you said Megumi's connected to this too. All three of these characters, Toji, Gojo and Sukuna are connected to Megumi in some way. His father, his teacher, his violator. They also represent someone Megumi could have been. He could leave sorcerer society like his father and live as a curse user. He could have grown up to unlock the full potential of the ten shadows and surpass Gojo in strength and serve as an even stronger lynchpin to Jujutsu Society. Even Sukuna saw potential in Megumi that Megumi didn't see in himself, hence why he stole his body.

They also all made the opposite choice that Megumi made. Megumi is selfish yes, he even admits so, but he values his connections with people over being strong, his job as a sorcerer, or even himself. While the characters we're talking about made the choice to value strength over everything.

Oddly enough though, Megumi has been punished so far for valuing other people while people like Sukuna keep getting what they want. Why is this? Is the manga advocating for Sukuna's point of view? Is it telling us to sympathize with him?

Twitter user @ det_critics has a good thread [x] on Sukuna's narrative role in thestory, and how the world itself seems to support him because Sukuna keeps winning unhindered continued here too [x].

It is a great thread, and it definitely is a trend that characters with strong egos and self-centered goals tend to achieve what they set out to achieve in the manga. Just to compare quickly with other characters before we dive into Sukuna.

Yuji who's goal is to help others achieve a natural death, fails consistently at every turn. Fails to help Junpei. Fails in his goal to let himself be executed to reduce the total number of deaths in the world by letting Sukuna out at Shibuya. When the option to let Angel kill him come up so she can execute sukuna and then release Gojo as a promise, he ends up letting Sukuna escape and take Megumi's body. In fact, Yuji not counting "himself" as a person that Sukuna wasn't allowed to harm in his binding vow is what allowed Sukuna to accomplish this.

Megumi who's goal is straightforward, stop Yuji's execution and find a way to fix Tsumiki's curse. When he tries to find a safe way for Tsumiki to escape the culling games he is blindisded by the fact that Tsumiki was possessed by Yorozu and he didn't notice which meant there was no saving her from the beginning, and he's also immediately taken over by Sukuna after the fact. Sukuna kills Tsumiki shortly afterwards and will proceed to do the same to his friends.

Kokichi who only wants to rejoin his friends with a healthy body, is butchered by Mahito in the forest unable to meet up with the others and warn them in time about Shibuya. While he had selfish reasons for making a deal, he was also in a way trying to protect them behind their bacs.

Miwa who is only a sorcerer to get money for her family, doesn't put in her 100% and isn't strong enough to be someone who Kokichi trusts, so he lies to her face and by the time she realizes the truth she's helpless to do anything to save him from his fate and he's already dead.

Mai who's goal is to be reunited with her sister also doesn't put her all into training as a sorcerer, and because of that she's unable to help Maki get out of the pity when they're both inside it, and the only way to escape that situation for her is to sacrifice her life to give Maki power.

All of these characters who either have selfless goals, or their actions are oriented around other people rather than themselves are relentlessly punished by the plot. It's like Gege is Gojo, chastising Megumi for making a sacrifice bunt instead of swinging for the fences.

If there are clear plot consequences for every time a character has selfless goals, while characters like Sukuna seem to only ever be rewarded then is the author agreeing with Sukuna? Sukuna whose whole philosophy is just "burn everything to the ground and do whatever you want."

Remember, there's another character who espoused a similiar philosophy before. A character who Yuji aligned with Sukuna as being "a true curse."

Don't limit yourself to just being indifferent. There's no reason to live by such a resitrcting philosophy. If you're hungry, eat. If you hate, kill. I support everything you represent, Junpei...

It's right of the strong. "All inequality in this world come down to the competetence of the individual" as Tokyo Ghoul would put it.

The strong can do whatever they like with their strength, unless someone strong enough to physically stop them comes along. It sounds simple, but Sukuna and Mahito are so poetic they make it sound like pseudo-enlightenment.

This is just me, but I don't think Gege is writing this manga with the message that "If you're strong then you should be able to do whatever you want." If only because that is a little too simple and so far Jujutsu Kaisen is a manga where no character is ever one hundred percent correct, or one hundred percent wrong in their viewpoint. To make one character right above all others strikes me against the trend of the manga thus far towards more balanced look at its characters philosophies.

Rather, I think the world so far favors Sukuna's point of view for two reasons, one Jujutsu Society is a society designed to exploit people for the favor of a few people on top. Therefore people who look out for others like Nanami dying as a cog in that society, as one of the people that society is designed to exploit, whereas people like Mei Mei who are focused on crawling to the top and being the exploiters rather than someone who is exploited benefits... well then, that's showing what Jujutsu Society is like. It's not agreeing with it. It's showing the inherent unfairness of the world and a society designed to exploit and victimized people like Mai, Kokichi and

The second is that by siding with Sukuna so much, the story shows how tempting it is to think like Sukuna. To take before your taken from, to always be the victimizer and never be the victim. The story does invite you to feel sympathy to Sukuna for an extent, but it's sympathy for the devil.

Sukuna's known as the "disgraced / fallen one" and he's being hunted by a clear analogue for a christian angel who claims to be following the beliefs of their god. Gege is likely, taking a miltonian angle with Sukuna.

Paradise Lost is an epic poem written by John Milton depicting Lucifer's fall from heaven, and then his actions in tempting Eve to eat the apple in the garden causing the fall of mankind. It's well known for making Lucifer into its protagonist despite him being the antagonist of you know... christian theology, with most of the story depicting the fall from his point of view.

One of it's most famous quotes takes place right after the fall, where Lucifer has been kicked out of heaven and he tells everyone he's totally cool with this fact. Really guys, it's great here in hell.

The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heav’n of hell, a hell of heav’n. What matter where, if I be still the same, And what I should be, all but less than he Whom thunder hath made greater? Here at least We shall be free: th’Almighty hath not built Here for his envy, will not drive us hence: Here we may reign secure, and in my choice To reign is worth ambition, though in hell; Better to reign in hell than serve in heav’n.

Satan justifies his disobedience because he may be cast out of heaven as punishment, but at least he's king here. It's a little bit like Sukuna's dilemna. Sukuna's philosophy is strength at the cost of everything else, you should burn everything in sight and only care about yourself. The flip side of that is that Sukuna's left all alone standing in a wasteland. He's king where he is, but he's king of absolutely nothing.

Sandman by Neil Gaiman already came up with the perfect counter to Lucifer's "Better to reign in hell"

Who in hell, doesn't dream of heaven?

Anyway, John Milton's epic is often accused of having too much sympathy for the devil, but that's actually the point. Lucifer is the narrator and he wants you to sympathize with him. He's trying to paint himself as a brooding anti-hero, who's suffering in hell because he's in the right. He's painting himself as the hero and the victim. It's about the tempting nature of sin itself.

Lucifer's not the villain of the story because he does bad things or sins however, but because he does bad things and refuses to self reflect and change on them.

In essence, Paradise Lost presents two moral paths that one can take after disobedience: the downward spiral of increasing sin and degradation, represented by Satan, and the road to redemption, represented by Adam and Eve. While Adam and Eve are the first humans to disobey God, Satan is the first of all God’s creation to disobey. His decision to rebel comes only from himself—he was not persuaded or provoked by others. Also, his decision to continue to disobey God after his fall into Hell ensures that God will not forgive him. Adam and Eve, on the other hand, decide to repent for their sins and seek forgiveness. Unlike Satan, Adam and Eve understand that their disobedience to God will be corrected through generations of toil on Earth. 

The theme of Paradise Lost is that any sinner, even Lucifer, can stop at any time and seek forgiveness instead. However, Lucifer chooses not to do that. He could leave hell at any time but he chooses to stay. He's fine in hell after all. He's totally gotten used to the temperature by now. Everything is fine Lucifer says, while everything is on fire.

Lucifer would rather stay in a hell of his own creation because it gives him the illusion of control over his life then admit he was wrong or give up that control. Even though as I said before the king of hell is still in... hell. He may be the king there but he's stuck in hell along with everyone else.

You could also connect this briefly with the budhist idea of impermanence, and the idea unhappiness is inherent to life. Sukuna and Kenjaku are both immortals who've persisted for more than a thousand years, but if from a budhist perspective life on this shithole rock is inherently unhappy for everyone then they're still stuck on this shit hole with everyone else. Neither of them are satisfied with their lives either, despite being seflish people who can take from others and get whatever they want out of life. Which once again, Budhist themes would say that anyone stuck in the cycle of reincarnation will live a life riddled with unhappiness and the only way to truly escape is to break free from the cycle, something neither Kenjaku and Sukuna will every achieve because they're postponing they're lives indefinitely.

Kenjaku's lived for a thousand years but he's bored. Nothing ever surprises him. Nothing ever happens beyond his expectations. He's constantly manipulating others to get what he wants, but he can't even vocalize what he wants.

To illustrate this concept further let's use a character from another anime who is a luciferian archetype. In Revolutionary Girl Utena there is a character named Akio, who used to be the prince Dios. A sort of deity who was once able to save every princess in the world. He was overwhelmed by the number of people demanding for his help and his sister sealed his power away in order to save his life before he worked himself to death.

Now he's reinarcnated as a mortal Akio Ohtori, who rules over Ohtori Academy, a place where children never grow up, where time doesn't seem to pass, a place that may just be purgatory. He's the chairman of the academy who also uses his power and infleunce to control the students, and manipulate them into joining a dueling tournament where they fight over his sister the rose bride, in order to try to find a student strong enough to try to unseal his old power.

WIthin the halls of Ohtori Academy Akio can do whatever he wants, he can sleep with whoever he wants, he's got this really cool car guys and he jumps on the hood and sits like this.

However, Akio may be king there but he's trapped as much as everyone else. Since Utena is about deconstructing toxic masculinity, every lie about Akio that he's powerful, that he's in control, that he's someone special is shown to be false. He's in control yeah, but that's because he's an adult manipulating teenagers. He's a teenagers idea of masculinity, which is just having a cool car, being super attractive and sleeping with wo you want. He's just an empty person, who only has power because he actively takes it away from others. The ending line of the series is his biggest victim just walking away from him, proving how powerless he is.

Akio:  I've got to rebuild the Code of the Rose Signet from scratch. Akio:  I'm counting on you, Anthy. Anthy:  You don't know what happened, do you? Akio:  What? Anthy:  It's alright now. Please go on playing make-believe "Prince" in this comfortable little coffin forever. Anthy:  But I must go. Akio:  Go? To where? Anthy:  That person hasn't vanished. She's merely left your world. Akio:  What're you talking about? Akio:  W-wait a minute! Anthy! Akio:  Anthy!! Anthy:  Farewell.

Ohtori is a coffin and Akio is trapped there the same as everyone else. Akio isn't a prince or a god, he's a corpse. He's willingly choosing to stay in hell rather than go anywhere better because that meant giving up power and control.

Doesn't that sound familiar? Kenjaku may get a lot of victories in the story, but all of his power comes from taking, manipulating, he is like Akio in the end a rapist who gets power from using and abusing others.

Literally, in both Kenjaku and Sukuna's cases because their current powers are stolen from the bodies they stole as well. As annoying as the Fraudkuna memes are theydo somewhat have a point, that Sukuna gained power from violating and taking the body of a sixteen year old boy. Without said sixteen year old boy he wouldn't even have a body to move around in because he's long dead.

They have taken, stolen, and robbed to get wat they want but arguably they are just as trapped as the main characters. Kenjaku and Sukuna get constant victories over the main characters yes, but do they get what they want? Kenjaku is still bored and he's always disappointed with how his plans turn out. As for Sukuna I have a hard time vocalizing what he wants. He lives to fill his apettite but he's always hungry. He lives to fight strong opponents, but he's number one the strongest that means there's no challenge, and number two he'll cheat, to win when he's in a corner so he deprives himself of the satisfaction that say Gojo won when he lost to a stronger opponent after giving it his absolute all.

Sukuna and Toji and Kenjaku and really whoever's philsophy of take before you're taken from and right of the strong only works as long as they are the strong ones. Mahito follows his philosophy of if you're hungry eat, and if you hate kill and it works for him right until someone stronger comes along.

That philosophy only works for you when you're the strnogest. If you show no mercy to those beneath you, then once you're no longer on top why would anyone show mercy to you? Mahito is suddenly no longer the wolf he thought he was, when he's the rabbit he acts just as frightened as all of is victims did.

The thing with all of these characters Gojo, Toji.. The second someone stronger appears they're reduced back into being human. Toji has a hole blown in him, Gojo is cut in half, they even die the same way they both die standing up. They both follow right of the strong, and kill or be killed until it's logical endpoint. They die when they're no longer the strongest.

I can go on about Toji's life and how while characters like Maki and even Gojo hold him up as some kind of paragon because he is strong, he's someone utlimately pathetic. He's so strong, but he shoots a sixteen year old girl in the head. Sixteen year old schoolgrils aren't even that strong dude. Toji is strong enough to ill any sorcerer that's not Gojo, but all the money he makes he gambles away. He jumps form women to women. He just drifts through life unable to grow up or cope with the trauma of his youth in any real way. The one thing he does care about in his life is Megumi, and his connection to Megumi is his dying thought for both of his deaths. He's strong enough to do whatever he wants, but clearly the one thing he did genuienly care about wasn't strength but Megumi considering he stabs himself in the brain rather than continue to fight Megumi once he realizes who it is. It's something that stops Toji who was apparently on a rampage as a puppet of carnage.

Toji, Gojo and Sukuna are all characters who represent who Megumi could be. They even push Megumi into thinking more like they do. Megumi believes his father didn't care about him and he's off living it up somewhere. Toji has modeled to Megumi he should dodge his responsibilities towards the ones he love and only live for himself.

Gojo has pushed Megumi into being a sorcerer with the intention of cultivating a sorcerer that's just asstrong as he is. Not all of his advice is bad "It's okay to be seflish" isn't bad advice, but he's also trying to make Megumi into a mini-Gojo. He wants to push Megumi into someone who can use the ten shadows to surpass a limitless user into taking consideration with what he wants.

Sukuna also pushed Megumi to fulfill his full potential, but that time too he had the selfish intention of you know... taking Megumi's body for himself.

Even Reggie tells Megumi he should learn to fight like a true sorcerer, and true sorcerers are con men. Megumi himself is tempted to act like them at times too. He kills a man while he's already down in cold blood, and then justifies it that it's for Tsumiki's sake when it's really just a power play. He almost mauls the girl with the scorpion hair because he finds her personality to be disgusting, once again lashing out with violence and power.

Megumi has been pushed to act this way, and Megumi himself sometimes embraces his power and uses it like this. To the point where now Megumi has been possessed by someone who is his anti-thesis, if Megumi wishes to use his power for the sake of his loved ones in his life Sukuna has no loved ones and only uses his power for himself.

In Paradise Lost, Lucifer corrupts Adam and Eve so they'll be dragged away from paradise just like him. Sukuna makes Yuji feel complicit in his massacre in Shibuya, and wants to make Megumi feel guilty for Tsumiki's murder. He also makes a point of pushing Megumi from early on to live out to his full potential.

Is Gege endorsing Sukuna's way of thinking, or is he merely showing the audience how tempting it is to think that way?

Yes, so far Sukuna has gotten away with everything while the protagonists struggle, but so did Mahito. So did Toji.

Everything he did against the protagonists in Hidden Iventory went exactly according to plan because they were worrying about protecting someone else and he only cared about wearing them down, looking for a weakness, and protecting himself until Gojo dropped his guard. Everything worked out for him until someone stronger came along.

Why would Sukuna be the exception to this rule? The entire philosophy that Sukuna builds his life around says that if he loses, than he'll be eaten too. Since he's prolonged his life for one thousand years by cheating and taking from others why exactly would he be any more satisfied with his death then Gojo or Toji was?

Is Sukuna really winning? Is he a corpse like Akio? Is he in hell like Lucifer? He's gotten everything he wanted out of life by taking from others but is he really satisfied?

Megumi may be tempted to walk the same path that they did, but I believe in the end just like Toji was saved by is connection to Megumi in his last moments we'll see Megumi be saved from Sukuna's grasp by the one thing that Sukuna doesn't have. A connection to another person, based upon love instead of power.

Because, hey, it worked for Yuta.

[ebbing-terror]

SOUL SWAP PT.3!!! (+bonus!!!)

TO BE CONTINUED!!!

+++Bonus!!! The significance of this panel!!+++

Lynn has a high pain tolerance. That's not to say she is unbothered by certain degrees of it or doesn't feel it until a certain point but she deals with injuries quite well, often laughing it off unless it's something severe. Lynn also tends to neglect injuries she does sustain. In this panel Lynn has suffered a hard hit (And it hurts like hell) But instead of reacting to the pain she lashes out of anger at the fact Junpei got hurt, instinctively craddling his body in a comforting/ defensive manner to protect him. While inhabiting Junpei's body Lynn isn't so reckless and is tentative of Junpei's wounds- because they are his.

She also wasn't begging for mercy. She was TELLING Mahito to stop hurting Junpei.

[ran-orimoto]

The fact that I don’t drink, smoke also means I rarely thought about hcs for the Frontier kids as adults on this topic.

I like imagining Junpei develops a liking on limoncello and maybe drinks some wine. Has also got some cigars hidden somewhere and Takuya often joins. So basically ‪there is the tenor who smokes once or twice a year , the football player who smokes along with him whenever he comes over, on some hammock or deckchair, in the garden.

Takuya does give me the impression he would like drinking beer ? Football players in italian teams are surprisingly drunkards. After victories he would get loose along with his team and probably post embarrassing photos Izumi will scold him about with a call in the early morning (get that, Takuya). Junpei would just say, “Che cazzo. What the fuck is Takuya doing?” And show Izumi who will get pale and shocked.

Our older googlehead also has to deal with Kouji who will come from his trips with new stuff to try. Special liquors, alcoholic beverages from all over the world and , of course, Kouji would try narghilè. He is opened to anything and hates how skeptical Takuya will act whenever he proposes different nights.

Tomoki used to be the purest, but when he becomes a politician he doesn’t only gain weight but also starts drinking at important dinners.

Izumi gets drunk once and when she does everyone is actually amused. She spends her whole teenage years refusing drinks during nights with friends. Her parents estabilished rules, she absorbed those steel rules like a sponge and she is very straightforward in her no. Still, maybe she will get drunk when she gets to win some important cooking contest and everyone finds her on the floor with a glass of strawberry vodka in her hands. Maybe she doesn’t even drink a lot. She is just not holding her liquor AT ALL. Probably there is a second time during her wedding but everyone is drunk, so who remembers about what happened ?

This means Kouichi is the only one who will keep his discipline as the good doctor he is and just will start refusing getting to hear about Kouji’s adventures for the sake of his heart health.

[misrepresentedmorallygrey]

PROPAGANDA

Katara Propaganda

"She's smart. She's powerful. She an eco-terrorist. She's got the ability to grow as a person. She's a victim of misogynistic fans who codify her as an annoying bitch (sadly not affectionate) cause she's the "mom character." And that's all she will ever be is "The mom character." She bested Azula and could blood bend your ass but won't cause she's chosen not to be a monster! But she's the annoying mom instead."

"if i have to hear ONE MORE *touches necklace* joke i’m gonna mcfreaking lose it"

"despite being one of the most well-written feminist characters of children’s TV, the fandom decides to define her based on her very realistic 14-year-old girl flaws. Ignoring her complex independent arcs and motivations, people love justifying their hatred towards her based on her one line directed at Sokka that he didn’t love his mother as much as she did. Which, if we’re being nitpicky, isn’t so harsh given that it was Katara who shouldered most of the burden of her death, as well as Sokka’s admittance that he doesn’t even remember his mother. Not to mention that ALL the characters make selfish mistakes given the fact that they’re all aged 12-15??? (Aang hiding Katara and Sokka’s father’s letter, anyone???) She really is an elegant breakthrough of the typical female character molds of “girl who is badass” and “girl with a crush on the mc who sits on the sidelines” and it’s so frustrating to see her get the most hate out of the Gaang"

Yukari Propaganda

"YUKARI PROPAGANDA: SHE IS LITERALLY SO CORRECT ABOUT EVERYTHING. People call her a bitch for uhh [checks notes] having a a brief freak out after she's shown live footage of her father's gruesome death? For [checks notes] accusing Mitsuru of lying to them about important information (which turned out to be COMPLETELY TRUE, by the way, but fans still mock her for this)? For [checks notes one last time] being mean to Junpei, who gives as good as he gets with rude and sometimes sexist comments in response? And even then, several times she apologizes or reassures him that she was just kidding when he seems genuinely upset by her words, so it's not like she isn't compassionate towards him. She is also routinely mocked and villainized for (huge spoilers) wanting to risk it all to attempt to save the protagonist after he passes away saving the world. To be fair, this turns out to have been the wrong choice, but let's be real -- she was a grieving teenager trying to save her friend slash crush. Yes, she was emotionally all over the place during The Answer. Of course she was! THE WORLD ALMOST ENDED AND HER FIRST LOVE HAD TO DIE TO SAVE EVERYONE. LIKE, THAT JUST HAPPENED TO HER. And everyone somehow just expects her to behave perfectly rationally when she's a 17 year old girl who just lost someone important to her and also almost died with the rest of humanity. Girl is traumatized and grieving and all people can do is call her a hysterical bitch or whatever other shit they wanna come up with." (by @ragecndybars)

"she's NOT a bitch she has a hard time opening up to people + she's a 17 year old dealing with grief after one of those people dies leave her alone!!"

[p3ta]

For the ask game - you have anything for Fuuka?

Of course I have some for Fuuka! P3 spoilers ahead.

Send me any character here.

favorite thing about them

Her bad parents.

Hear me out.

Specifically, the way her bad parents are shown to us and how it impacts here.

Fuuka is defined by many events in the story, but one of my favorites comes at the end of the spring semester. On 7/18 where SEES are officially introduced to Ken (beyond Junpei and Yukari talking to him at the shrine), Natsuki runs out as asks Fuuka if she'll stay to study with her.

Natsuki recognizes her situation, but also how this early in the game Fuuka has conveyed to her that the dormitory is her "home" home. It's different from her normal poor conditions, where it's shown Natsuki is running out to buy her more time away from her parents.

There's also another element at play. Due to her ostracization, she might be the person who bonded the quickest with the idea of SEES as not just a job, but a group of friends.

But what makes it is Fuuka's response.

Even though Fuuka vastly prefers the Iwatodai dorm, it doesn't have to be an excuse. She likes being around Natsuki. You don't see a home life used for that kind of character beat often, at least not in such an implicit manner.

It's realistic. A mature, subtle moment of storytelling that I appreciate. There's a lot of Persona characters with parental issues, but Fuuka's are by far the most "show don't tell" of the bunch. You can still derive intent, but it isn't hamfisted.

Fuuka alludes multiple times to her poor home life due to her parents' expectations of her. Persona 3 is a game about dealing with what life throws at you. Despite the fact that Mitsuru could throw her weight around and have the cops or the school or someone intervene for her, they don't. Fuuka takes it on the chin without complaining. She's eager to move into the dorms and be of use, even as Yukari expresses how she shouldn't have to.

I think it's a fascinating microcosm of how the game represents societies and how we – in particular, women – should conduct their lives.

And ultimately, Fuuka is okay. Her hobbies and life revolve in affairs outside of her family's influence. In having common friends she's able to come to peace with how she views herself without compromising her identity.

least favorite thing about them

It's kind of hard to pick. I'll admit, I tend to be a capricious player and insult my team as I play. Fuuka catches the brunt of this but it's in jest. It's hard to think about something I genuinely dislike. Maybe her blushing sprite?

(Side note, this screenshot is from the Let's Play Archive's FES run and this is way too late to be efficiently talking to Fuuka. You've got Mitsuru in two months, hurry up! Jokes aside, not a fan of Dragonatrix's playthrough. If you're going to read one, I recommend My Life is a Goddamn Mess.)

Wait. I do have an answer.

Her FES video. Or the video they first gave her in FES and has been in every subsequent version. What a waste of a characterization moment. It's supposed to be a masturbation joke too, which is weirdly placed. I say "weirdly", but all the girls' tapes are sexualized in some manner or another. I guess what makes it different from maid dress Yukari for me is that hers was around a specific event in-game and Fuuka is concerned with. . . losing weight. For their beach trip. It's not as cohesive? And she's a stick. It hits the right amount of ick for me.

favorite line

Okay, okay, okay. I cannot find a screenshot at hand, but this is a Reload exclusionary experience. When Fuuka levels up, she cuts in like a jump scare. When you get this for Oracle, however, she says something to the gist of:

"I've unlocked a new ability. Um, I don't know what it does. . ."

That's it! That's the game's explanation for an ability that absolutely will get you killed. And you should try and use it like she suggests later. Doing a cursory search you'll find mass gamer hatred for this which, in my book, is practically an endorsement.

brOTP

Fuuka & Junpei!

Look at Junpei go. He's two for two so far. These two are sweet for a number of reasons, but I like that even though earlier in the game Junpei seems exclusively concerned with her looks, her body, and her cuteness, in December they come together as friends while making their decision. I like how Junpei admires her strength and can verbalize aspects of her growth that she can't give words to.

Likewise, Fuuka gives me the impression of not have many male friends. Her bond and solidarity with Yukari and Natsuki appear to paint a portrait of the person whose company she enjoys. Brash, yes, but also distinctly feminine. But her empathy for Junpei and his respect for her as well as her strength gives her a solid bond outside of her comfort zone! I can imagine Junpei pre-P3 never picturing he'd have a female friend and be satisfied with that. Post-P3, I could see the two living out in the countryside as neighbors. I think that'd make them both happy.

OTP

Fuuka/Natsuki.

Natsuki Moriyama my beloved. She's one of my favorite non-party members in the game, which is saying a lot because she doesn't even partake in a Social Link.

I practically consider her half of Fuuka's character. If any human couple in Persona 3 is getting married (or spending the rest of their lives together) it's Natsuki and Fuuka. They'll reconnect. For how much Fuuka likes tech, it wouldn't surprise me if they talk on Skype every day until they're able to reunite.

They're also another excellent theme microcosm; relationships enduring throughout life's circumstances.

nOTP

Fuuka/Mitsuru.

I'm particular with Mitsuru's relationships and I am not a fan of the power dynamic here. I think I've seen them together once, and the more popular nOTP is Fuuka/Shinjiro, but they're fine. The idea of it is literally Big and Small's cooking fiasco. Shinjiro's dead, anyway. Mitsuru (I believe) likes women, and she appreciates people who are useful.

It's like a pushover Andy and Miranda Priestly from Devil Wears Prada. Not for me.

random headcanon

Fuuka would be one of the best adjusted after the game. She's also the third poorest member of SEES.

She was close to P3 Hero, but she has bonds outside of SEES and doesn't want to prolong the fighting. Fuuka, I feel, is eager to return to a normal life because she's acknowledged her own power outside of combat. She doesn't enjoy being support, but she's the only one who can. She's also deeply connected and loving of life and its various forms, like the plants she tends. She'd be wounded and it would define her high school experience, of course. I'm not concerned for her though. Again, she has Natsuki and seems content with the world around her.

As far as the poverty, I like thinking about the dynamic on display between how the richest members of SEES act (Mitsuru and Yukari) interact with who I see as some of the poorer ones (Shinjiro, Junpei, and Fuuka). She makes herself small, she's ever apologetic, and she views her own skills as something belonging to a collective. It adds a nice flair to her character.

unpopular opinion

She's the best navigator but not because Rise or Futaba are annoying. I've seen a lot of ironic and then post-ironic love of Fuuka, but it tends to include bashing the other support characters. This is especially prevalent with people who ship Fuuka/P3 Hero. I've seen the claim that she's the least sexualized? Which is a wild claim for any female character in one of these games, there's a reason the writers have Junpei comment on her in her swimsuit and her FES recording is the way it is. She's simply a different type of appealing than the others.

song i associate with them

That's Fuuka Navigator Track #3 - ペルソナ! Oops, this isn't a character one, it's a literal piece of game music. Since it didn't survive the jump to Reload though I feel like I can put it here.

I played the game in reverse order so this isn't Persona 1 music to me. This is Fuuka's grinding in Tartarus solo jam.

favorite picture of them

Don't make me pick between sprites! I'll cheat and pick two: her neck out portrait and her silly one.

Fuuka had some of the best portraits ever. A modern style's too polished to do it justice.

Thanks for the ask! I had more to say than I initially thought. Despite Reload's popularity, I'd still consider her underrated.

[bluevelvet-room]

PERSONA 3 RELOAD TRAILER SPOILERS AHEAD

as promised, i am typing up my thoughts about reload with in depth discussion on the 2 most recent trailers. i'll put that in a read more - but before that, a disclaimer: first of all, these are my own thoughts and opinions and i will not be debating anyone about anything subjective i say. second of all, i'm only discussing the most recent 2 trailers because the other ones make me unreasonably angry so i might be missing stuff. anyways.

as a persona 3 fan, i havent necessarily been excited about reload for so many reasons i wont really be going into, but these new trailers have given me some amount of hope, and i will just be mostly ignoring the glaring issues.

some things almost definitely confirmed by the two most recent trailers as well as the demo they had at the sega event the other day:

3 physical attack types confirmed to still be in the game. this is a good thing

kouha and eiha have been added to the light and dark skill set, but no evidence of nuke or psy. this is an okay thing (im glad no nuke or psy - they have no real place in the game. but i dont necessarily think that ken and koro needed to deal damage because theyre both op as shit anyways if you build them right) (this might need fact checking, but i saw several people saying it, so)

despite prior claims, there is in fact fes content in reload. "the answer" may not be in it, but there IS fes content. so it's less original persona 3 as claimed and more the journey without the answer, fes edition. we know this for certain because a fes/portable exclusive scene is shown in the character trailer (mitsuru calling the cops because she thinks junpei's room has been burgled, as seen in the hidden cameras, an fes/portable exclusive feature)

new outfits that have been affectionately dubbed "tacticool" by my brother, and i will be using that phrasing to refer to it from now on. tacticool outfits are not an immediate addition - the old armbands do exist in the game for some amount of time. from trailer analysis, i've concluded that SEES switches to the tacticool outfits after fuuka joins but before aigis does, presumably at the same meeting where fuuka is asked to join. tacticool outfits standardly include the new armband, which is uniquely numbered to each character - minato is 3, and i've been able to catch junpei's number as 5. if anyone can figure out the other numbers, let me know i'm so curious. they also include a new coat and 3 magazine clips, which (speculatively) probably mean an evoker upgrade at the same time, possibly to be able to shoot shadows - though i'm not sure how well this would work as bullets would be pierce damage and almost entirely defeat the point of ever using aigis

we got clips of the additional male teammate "scenes", which i'm very excited about. it's confirmed they wont be social links, but they will have moments with minato, which is all i've ever wanted.

the demo apparently includes a version of baton pass, which is. fine. sure. i can deal with that

new ost/battle music which i am withholding judgment on until i can hear the full thing

dlc outfits - p4 uniform, p5 uniform, and phantom thieves outfits which look ugly as hell on the persona 3 characters and do not match the vibes at all thanks atlus. why does junpei still wear his hat

when a battle ends with an all out attack, the initiating character gets an end screen like in persona 5. we've only seen minato's thus far, though

TACTICOOL OUTFITS - IN DEPTH

now imagine if you will that i spent like an hour watching a two minute trailer because i care about these outfits so hard so i am going to describe my thoughts about them in so much detail

as i said earlier i think these come hand in hand with some sort of evoker mechanic upgrade/change, and theyre only introduced after fuuka

if i had to guess, the armbands are numbered with mitsuru as 1, akihiko 2, minato 3, yukari 4, junpei 5, and so on

they all have SHEATHES for their weapons which is sick as hell as well as everyone wearing some form of glove which is also sick as hell!!!

mitsuru has a cape. this is the most amazing thing that could have ever happened ever, and i support her in her cape endeavors

fuuka has a tactical poncho and headset (probably to make it more clear how she's speaking to everyone), but no clear evidence of having an armband. if she did have one, i'm pretty sure it'd be covered up by her poncho, so ??? but it's it's possible that only the fighting members of SEES get the new armband

ken with the oversized coat is so sick. i cannot even begin to stress how cool i think this 10 year old is. atlus was like would you like the world's sickest 10 year old with a sick ass coat and im EATING IT UP

if i think of more things i will reblog this post or make a new post idk i just needed to get the Melting Brain out. i hope everyone enjoys these ramblings and gains something out of it

[theoneprecioustome]

Aikoto Moments Masterlist: P3P (Makoto Route)

Now that I've finally played P3P for myself, I figured I should replace the old Masterlist with an updated one!

As usual, lots of images and SPOILERS for the entire game below the cut!

Since we already have a P3FES Masterlist, I'll only be focusing on the stuff that's different between FES & P3P.

I won’t include Aigis’s S-Link, since it’s optional and I want to focus only on the non-avoidable Aikoto moments.

I organized everything chronologically.

Most important ones are in Bold.

Additions

✤ The game makes a big deal about Aigis hugging him, it won't stop mentioning it. She hugs him for way longer here than she does in FES, where she stops hugging when Ikutsuki shows up.

✤ For the summer festival, Makoto can actually go with Aigis and Mitsuru. He also gets to hold hands with Aigis. Most importantly, this is the default route: the one that happens when you have either rejected every other invitation or have received none. In fact, it’s the only one the player CAN’T reject.

✤ When Aigis visits his room, she sits on his bed rather than on the floor.

✤ During the Ikutsuki betrayal, Aigis says “Makoto-san…” as she fights to regain control of herself.

✤ They make it even more obvious that Aigis wanted to be assigned to the same room as Makoto during the Kyoto School Trip.

✤ Nyx Fight: Aigis' calling out to him is the last thing Makoto hears before he falls unconscious.

✤ Aigis is the one to notice Makoto coming back after sealing Nyx. We also get a sprite of Aigis crying.

✤ Rooftop scene: This short description was added before Makoto ultimately closes his eyes.

Omissions

Since P3P has no cut-scenes or character models, a lot of things are missing Aikoto-wise. Much of Aikoto comes from Makoto reacting to Aigis and interacting with her outside of player input, which is sadly missing in P3P because Makoto either becomes a dot moving through the map or simply isn't visible on-screen lol

✤ Since we can't see the models, we don't see any implication that Makoto is attracted to Aigis at first sight just like Junpei and Akihiko. There is no heart, no disappointment at not being able to approach her first, etc.

✤ In FES, Junpei and Akihiko are disappointed that Aigis is a robot and Makoto isn’t. In P3P there is no contrast because the only one shown to be disappointed is Junpei.

✤ During the Ikutsuki betrayal in P3P, we get a description saying that Aigis looks at Makoto. However, there is no mention of the fact that Makoto is looking back at her and that it's this silent exchange that snaps her out of it.

✤ During the 11/30 scene we lose Makoto hanging back looking at Aigis as everyone else leaves. In P3P, the description just says "Your friends have gone back to their rooms".

✤ 11/2 Scene: He takes her hand on his own too and we do get a description for it (one of the only times Makoto is allowed to do anything on his own in P3P). However, we're missing the bit where he reaches out to touch her head.

✤ During Koromaru's last walk, Makoto is with Aigis and Koromaru but P3P doesn't say this. So, we miss the part where "making the most of this moment" for him involves hanging out with Aigis.

✤ Since there are no cutscenes, we don't get to see Aigis looking at Makoto and trying to draw the strength to stand after doing so. We can't see her reaction to Makoto levitating towards Nyx either, all we get is her "Don't go!"

✤ While Aigis is the one to notice Makoto coming back in P3P, we aren't told that Makoto gets emotional when he sees Aigis cry.

✤ In the rooftop scene, everything that comes from Makoto is pretty much gone. We aren't told that he wipes her tears away and that Aigis holds his hand in hers, etc. Instead of laying on Aigis' lap, he is laying on the bench with Aigis sitting by his side — in the English translation, at least.

The Japanese is more ambiguous (>枕元には、寄り添うように アイギスが座っている…) and while it does say that Aigis is sitting near Makoto's head, it also uses vocabulary that means 'cuddling close together'. So, in the Japanese version at least, the Rooftop scene is likely meant to be the same as it is in FES.

✤ The final cutscene didn't make it to P3P, either, so we're missing Makoto's gorgeous smile and Aigis being depicted without her mechanical parts.

✤ In P3 and FES, the ending credits open with Makoto and close with Aigis. In P3P, the ending credits just follow the order in which everyone joins SEES... Somehow, they still managed to have Aigis show up during the first "I'll never leave you."

Extra

✤ When you become lovers with one of the SEES girls and go to Tartarus with them, they have have special dialogues. Here is Aigis:

“When I’m with you, Makoto-san, I feel… like I’m in pain. I don’t know how to describe it well, but it’s like my heart is full… This must be what it feels to have your heart pound.”

✤ In the NG+, the game allows the player to choose who they want by their side in the rooftop scene. In Japanese, this person is the player's 'precious person' (same words Aigis uses to describe Makoto). This, coupled with the fact that two out of the three possible options (Yukari and Fuuka) pretty much quote Aigis' lines to Makoto, says a lot about how meaningful it is that Aigis is the True Endings' default choice.

✤ To add to this, in Kotone's (FeMC's) route the player is given the option to remain friends with the social links. The only exception is Aigis, who automatically locks onto the romance route. It is safe to assume that if they had gone back to modify Makoto's social links, the same thing would have occurred there.

P3P Remaster

✤ It’s worth noting that the lines missing in translation are, sadly, still missing in translation.

[viofficial]

courtesy of this post for making me think abt this but . godddd the akane and delta parallels r There. specifically the paragraph abt delta's perception of love had me thinking

both akane and delta rlly do have a twisted idea of love huh!!

akane pushes ppl away and manipulates them so they can help her forge a better future.. out of Love. she recreates the same scenario out of love, just like how delta recreates clones of sean and left only to treat them like shit

she thinks she's doing junpei a favor by dying in the ab project to owe him back for saving her younger self. she tries to owe it to him again in the ztd timeline by killing carlos after his severed head is found

love him or hate him, u cant just ignore the interesting aspects of delta's character specifically in his relation to akane (both wanting to make a better world, espers, catholic/christian references/imagery, twisted idea of love)

but they have opposing views on fate. delta believes that fate is set in stone, that life is simply unfair and u have to learn to live w it. u have to deal w the cards ur dealt. but akane thinks differently. she believes that u can change fate, which is why she goes thru multiple histories trying to right the wrongs of the world. junpei also has a similar philosophy, although he doesnt agree w akane that theres a "one true timeline" bc the other histories r just as important

also the fact that their goals for their respective death games are to ensure their own existence. they recreate the environments they were traumatized in

idk i just think its neat and i wish we got to see their dynamic more

[katsona-the-katsequel]

Persona Fun Facts Pt. 2

Everyone seemed to like the last entry so here's the sequel. Reminder that all these facts were taken from Atlus' fanbooks and novels (and some even from the Persona Stalker Club).

Another reason Mitsuru worried about Minato was because he had a tight schedule, was pale, and never complained about anything nor mentioned if something was bothering him 🥺

Iwai likes to watch reruns of old Western films (I wonder what's his favorite movie).

Ryuji's mother has the personality of a loud, older sister.

Lisa knows how to snowboard.

The necktie Adachi is wearing is probably Dojima's.

Shiho is "drawn to what she doesn't have".

If he won 700 million yen, Akechi would travel the world.

Tatsuya's handwriting is shit.

In his briefcase, Akechi carries a set of student supplies, food, water, and free samples of sweets and cosmetics people give him.

Yu was the type of person who wanted to be seen as wise beyond his years and more of an adult than he really was. He grew out of it by the end of the game by becoming an actually mature person.

Chihaya redesigns clothes.

The first thing Ulala did after realizing her ex was scamming her was call Maya to a restaurant where they got drinks.

Yusuke would be okay with crossdressing if he felt it would help him discover the secret of beauty.

Junes wages are 690 yen per hour for high school students and 900 yen per hour for the rest.

Jin was the member of Strega in charge of raising funds and taking care of meals.

Maruki is aware of the relationship between food and mental health, so he always tries to eat a balanced diet (with cheap ingredients that won't affect his mental health by being a financial burden).

Yukari's mother, Risako, was financially blessed and came from a good family associated with the Kirijo Group.

The Shiroganes have a butler named Yakushiji who has served them for three generations. He, along with Grandpa Shirogane, was Naoto's main caretaker growing up.

The place where Ken's house used to be is now a parking lot.

Junpei's father failed in business.

Akechi's ideal type of lover is "someone who can give [him] space".

Dojima bought Nanako's clothes at Junes.

Maya always keeps a can of crab in her purse... that's her lunch at work. 😔

Futaba is more specific when it comes to her ideal lover. I'm just going to copy and paste here: "Their specs must be just as follows: must be more of an indoors person more than an outdoors one, won’t barge selfishly into people’s room to clean without the owner’s consent, old fashioned romantic and can sing all the theme songs of Neo Featherman."

Yosuke and Kanji aren't the only ones who dye their hair. Chie also dyes hers.

Kandori sealed his deal with Nyarly by strangling his lover/coworker, Mayo Miyashita, to death. He seemed kind of in a trance while he did so (a lot was from Mayo's POV), so it's up to you to decide how much agency he had in that murder.

Members of Strega don't even know their real names (this won't deter me from the "Chidori is Natsumi's daughter theory"). They also steal household goods and clothes during the night.

Elly has twin sisters.

I can't remember if I included this one in the last post, but here it goes again. After Makoto pointed out how difficult taking care of lobsters would be, Yusuke ate them with tears in his eyes.

[back-to-the-frontier]

Have we ever asked for Junpei headcannons? i feel like we haven’t

anyway

Jp headcannons mika?

I don’t believe we have, SO.

Let’s do this.

So for our dear Junpei “JP” Shibayama:

Honestly, I don’t think he ever gets over his crush on Izumi. In fact, I think the more he hangs out with her, that crush continues to grow.

That being said, he’s not the jealous type. He’s the patient type, and he doesn’t let his feelings get in the way of being a good friend.

I think he does start working out, and he enjoys doing it. For him, it’s a great way to work out his stress after a long day, and he feels great afterwards.

He also starts running with his magic tricks- starting a little side business of performing said tricks at parties. Sometimes he will pull someone from the squad as an assistant- Kouji is the usual pick.

Tbh he might be the most stable in the friend group? I think everyone goes to vent to him about their problems… but he does have his limits, and to cope he will either go work out or hang out with his Aunt Mabel to get it off his mind.

My hc is that he lives with his Aunt Mabel. Idk what happened to his parents, really, but Aunt Mabel is a super cool parental figure. Also she definitely has one of those purse dogs.

He likes to watch the food channel when he has some alone time, and I think he likes having the alone time to give his brain a chance to reset.

I have mentioned this one before, but at one point JP gets a girlfriend, who he likes a whole lot. But he knows, and she knows, that his feelings for Izumi are way stronger, so she lets him go.

That being said, they probably remain friends.

He has nicknames for everyone in the squad. Takuya is Taky, Takuyaki, and/or Goggle Man. Kouji is Wolfy or Ponyboy. Izumi is Z. Tomoki is Bud or Tommy. Kouichi is The Quiet One or Mr. Whiskers.

Usually the ones who get referred to by nickname are Takuya and Kouji, though.

For some reason I think he’s the most tech savvy out of the group, like eventually he studies something like IT in college.

Kouji has no patience dealing with his dad’s constant questions about his computer, so he always says “Ask Junpei”.

He tells Aunt Mabel a lot about his friends. He also knows Aunt Mabel will give any of them a place to stay if they ever need it.

I think he says goodbye to the jumpsuits and starts wearing jeans and sweatshirts. He cringes whenever someone mentions the jumpsuit.

His star sign….. god, he might be an Aries. I get slight Aries vibes.

And yes, he still loves chocolate. Very much.

I think that’s it! For now, anyway.

[goatyuuji]

AND I AM BACK TO THE FIC REC GRIND BABY...Hope you enjoy them and give love to all the authors <3

Short fics:

he slips in to relieve the pain by weeb_grass (M, 3.3k, Complete)

Yuuji cannot sleep now that he's got another soul picking at him from within his own mind. Megumi keeps replaying the moment Sukuna ripped his friend's heart out. Both find ways to cope with the pain of emotional manipulation. "You stupid boy, Sukuna whispered into the deep crevices of Yuuji’s heart. You stupid, love-sick boy."

My Love Mine All Mine by darlingscurse (T, 8.1k, Complete)

“Not to worry, Yoshino,” Gojo announces brightly and while Megumi can’t see his eyes he feels them flicker to him for the smallest fraction of a second and something in his stomach drops. Oh no. “I just know what to do. Don’t you worry about that, your teacher has it all figured out!” Megumi opens his mouth, impending doom hanging over his head like a storm cloud, but by then it’s already too late, lightning has already struck. Gojo, the biggest ass in human history, flashes thumbs up in the round and then goes: “I’m sure our brightest little shikigami user would love to help you.” (or: Yuji comes back from the dead, comes back from the dead with a shiny new friend and Megumi is totally cool with that. Everything's peachy. Really.) PS: this one for all the people (me) who LOVEE Megumi absolutely loathing Junpei for no reason except the fact Yuuji befriends him (sorry Junpei)

kiss me not him by tamarsilan (T, 9.4k , Complete)

Still, her mouth had nearly hung open in shock at the news. “Junpei and I are dating,” Itadori had said with a smile on her face, holding up her and Yoshino’s intertwined hands. In their shared college dorm, Yoshino’s socked toes had dragged against their carpet, unsure. Fushiguro had been glad that she was sitting at the time. Between her hands the bunny-adorned coffee mug, Itadori had made her, threatened to shatter Or: Fushiguro Megumi and the five stages of grief

Conbini Kisses by Anonymous (T, 2.1k, Complete)

Itadori’s anger, Megumi can deal with. His silence, however, is torture. ————— Now they’ve reconnected, Fushiguro and Itadori have a much needed conversation.

The Brotherly Code by awkwardtypeos (T, 2.8k, Complete)

He sighs heavily, and looks his best friend dead in the eye, and finally delivers the news. “You cannot court Fushiguro. He is not worthy of you. I must ask you to put a stop to this.” Itadori blinks at him once, twice, several times, and then absolutely squawks, high-pitched and certainly not manly, “W-what do you mean? Todo that’s-that’s none of your business!"

sweet disposition by Nicolefrickle (T, 3.1k, Complete)

Itadori needs touched, and Megumi needs to heal

Long Fics:

you may bury my body by movequickly (M, 32.9k, Complete)

In all the worst ways, Yuji is just like Suguru. PS: I could not sleep for 3 whole days after reading this...this fic is intense i won't lie, the gojo and yuuji scenes are hard to swallow, gojo and geto scenes even more but all in all this also feels like a love letter to Yuuji

Saving You by earthtodora (T, 73k, Ongoing)

Yuji dies in the battle against Sukuna in Shinjuku. When he wakes up in the infirmary, he finds that he's in the past, before the events of the Culling Game, and the Shibuya Incident. Yuji must try to avoid making the same mistakes, and find a way to defeat the King of Curses and save the people he cares about. But first, he must find a way to deal with his own trauma and come to terms with the future he left behind. --- "Sensei," Yuji spoke up suddenly, snapping Gojo out of his thoughts. Gojo looked over at him. "Yes, Yuji?" "I want you to kill me."

tears of a tiger (there is no night without dawn) by rugbratz (T, 53.9k, Completed)

Yuuji understands that most people in his situation would be excited for the promise of tomorrow and what it may bring. But that’s not him. Yuuji can’t even begin to explain the conglomeration of emotions that he feels, but he knows that all of them are horrible and that he’s not ready. He never is.

[sirthisisa-wendys]

The General (Part 8): Geto Suguru x Fem!Reader

synopsis: Going home seems impossible now. And it should be, now that your definition of home has changed. 

wc: 2.4k

tw: none

masterlist

Waking up in the embrace of the General is the closest thing to heaven. His strong arms enclose you and press your back against his chest, which rises and falls evenly as he sleeps. Home, heaven… how are they any different from each other when you’re here with him? You look over your shoulder slowly, trying your best not to awaken him, and take a look at the dragon tattoo on his bicep. You had almost completely ignored it in the passion of the night before, but now, you witness it fully at rest. There’s no movement, no motion, no twitching.

You pray that this moment would stay the same for the rest of your life - and in the silence of the morning, you can hear the whisper of the prayer being carried off on the wind. But it returns back to you with a resounding ‘no’ in the form of a breathless Yuta entering the tent. 

He completely ignores the sleeping General and announces: “Master Geto, the village elders have denied the terms of negotiation.”

Suguru immediately awakens from his sleep and groans. “We ride out in an hour, then.” Yuta leaves, no doubt to announce the news to Nanami, but you’re laying in the bed, heart flailing around in your chest. Geto leans over to press a few kisses to your cheek, then rolls out of the bed with ease. “I will call for Kaori to come and bathe you, then pack your things. You’ll head home within the hour.” You tumble out of the bed, still naked, and approach Suguru from behind, wrapping your arms around him tightly. He places a hand on yours in acknowledgement, stroking it with care. 

“Please stay safe,” you croak, and he nods slowly; his only response to your request. 

_______________________________________________________________________

Your tears are freshly scrubbed from your face and your body is fragrant with rose oil when you emerge from the tent, dressed in a lavish, silk kimono that didn’t belong to you, but had been presented by Kaori as a “gift”. The head maid is following behind you, and Nanami behind her as you trudge toward the waiting carriage. Suguru is standing beside it with Yuta, and at the sight of you in the kimono, his lips turn up slightly. 

When you finally reach the door of the carriage, Suguru bows his head slightly. “You are absolutely radiant in my mother’s kimono, my love.” You spare a glance back at Kaori, who shrugs, smiling. Suddenly, careening out of the camp comes three panting children: Nobara, Yuji, and Junpei, who have hands full of random wildflowers. 

“For you!” Yuji announces, shoving his share of the flowers into your hands. Junpei and Nobara follow his lead, and you can’t help but laugh and smile at the displays of affection. 

“Thank you, thank you,” you reply, and they line up behind each other. You wait for a signal of what to do, and Yuji gives it to you, clearing his throat and pointing to his forehead expectantly. “Ah,” you immediately realize they’re all waiting for a kiss goodbye. Your lips peck one, two, three foreheads, and then they take their palace beside Nanami, who shakes his head at the scene.

You turn back around to face the General, who is handing you two letters. “These are for your family. They will explain your return.” You nod your thanks and he holds his hand out as you step into the carriage, settling into the seat comfortably with the wildflowers in your lap. Kaori joins you - to your surprise - and you look to Geto for answers. “And I am sending her with you. She will not be separated from your side, it seems.” Kaori gives him a wide grin, then grasps your hand tightly.

“I have no greater desire than to remain with you, Lady y/n.” 

“My General, you are too kind,” you murmur, staring into his onyx eyes for what feels like the last time. 

“I will not spare any comfort when it comes to you,” he replies, and you reach a hand out of the carriage window to touch his face. He closes his eyes as he leans into your palm, then kisses it tenderly. You lean out of the window fully, capturing his face with both hands and kissing him in front of the entire camp but not caring. 

“Come back to me,” you whisper as you pull away. “Please, come back to me.”

“Wait for me, then, my love,” He replies, taking both of your hands and kissing your knuckles. You slide back into your seat, the sting of fresh tears pricking at your eyes as he orders the driver to go ahead. The horses pull your carriage away from the gathered group, and you watch them disappear into the distance until you could see them no more. 

That’s when the real tears begin to leak from your eyes. And unfortunately, these are the ones you can’t stop. 

_______________________________________________________________________

“Y/n!” Your mother rushes to meet you, squealing with joy at the sight of her youngest child returning home. Your father is behind her, standing in the open doorway with the ghost of a grin on his face. 

“Mother,” you greet her, hugging her tightly and inhaling the scent of jasmine from her hair. 

“You look so beautiful - oh, and who is this?” She peeks over your shoulder at Kaori, and you smile widely. 

“This is Kaori. She’s my maid from the ca--” 

“From the Imperial Palace.” Kaori corrects you quickly, and you nod, remembering your ruse. 

“She’s very skilled at her job and wouldn’t be parted from me.” You remember the letters Suguru had given you and present them to your mother quickly. “These are for you.” 

“Oh, come inside! You’ll probably want to get settled and rest before dinner.” You look up at the place you call your home and remember the way it looks, the way it smells, the way the walls feel as you run your hands over them… but it doesn’t feel like home. Nothing feels like home anymore. 

Even your old room seems foreign compared to the General’s tent, despite everything being as you left it. Kaori looks around the space and you give her a grim smile, hoping it would ease her fears about the new space. But when she gives you a genuine, loving smile, you know it’s going to be alright. 

“Y/n,” your mother calls out, entering your room with a letter in her hand. “This is for you. Not sure if you got it mixed up or not, but here you go.” 

“What did yours say?” you wonder, taking the letter in your hands with trepidation. 

“Oh, the Prince made it very clear that he would be taking care of you financially while you’re here, despite the fact that you’re so terribly far from the palace. He’s sending money to take care of all of your needs for as long as you’re staying in the village.” You frown at this, wondering why he didn’t just give you money outright, but you nod anyways. “Also, he’s asked someone to come and be your bodyguard… but he wouldn’t say who it was. I thought you should have come with one, but the Prince says he’s a specialist, so…” You blink twice, trying to make sense of her rambles, but shake your head and fiddle with the letter you hold in your hands. When you open it, you slowly read each and every word written by Geto.

“My dearest, 

I write to you knowing that you are feeling alone, even though you are surrounded by your family and Kaori. Do not worry; you all are safe and well-protected. I will be sending Toji Fushiguro to your home, where he will protect you and your family should something go awry. I have paid him a hefty sum and will continue to pay him, regardless of the outcome of this war, so make sure Kaori doesn’t lose her head trying to deal with him. He’s a special breed.

Communication will be impossible. Do not send a letter, speak of, or attempt to get anyone from your village to contact the camp. This is for your safety as well as theirs. Yuji, Nobara, and Junpei’s survival depends on you keeping this secret between you and Kaori. Even Toji is not aware of the camp’s true whereabouts, which benefits everyone involved. 

Lastly, I love you. Life was terribly boring before you came along, and I look forward to the day when my eyes can rest upon your face again. Without you, things look bleak. 

Wait for me. 

I’ll come back for you as soon as this is all over.” 

_______________________________________________________________________

A massive brute of a man is standing in front of you, holding a toddler who looks almost exactly like him in his arms. A black shirt is stretched thin across his chest, as if he were some man who only wore one thing ever. You stand in the doorway, arms crossed over your chest while you look him up and down, scowling. 

“Geto didn’t say you’d be bringing a kid.” You jerk your chin at him, and Toji rolls his eyes.

“He also didn’t say he’d fallen for a brat, so I guess both of us were left out of the loop.” When he pushes past you and lets the child slide off of his hip, your mother instantly goes into her nurturing mode. 

“Oh, you must be her lovely bodyguard!” She circles around him, eyes glowing with a light you’ve never seen before. “He never mentioned you’d be so… so…” 

“Let me guess… handsome?” Kaori grumbles beside you, mirroring your stance. 

“Yes, so handsome.” Toji grins at your mother, now the epitome of manners and poise. 

“My lady, you are too kind.” 

“And look at your son! Ah, he’s the spitting image of you. What is your name, darling?”

“Megumi,” the child replies, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands and looking around the foyer of the house curiously. 

“Megumi and Toji, we’ve made the guest room up for you and dinner will be ready shortly, if you’re hungry.” Toji clasps his hands together and smiles while your mother retreats to the kitchen, then looks over to his son, who's taken interest in the painting hanging on the wall. 

“This is perfect. I’ll have to give Geto my thanks if he returns…” Toji disappears into the kitchen, Megumi following not too far behind him. 

_______________________________________________________________________

A few weeks later, the idea of visiting the village square feels familiar enough to you that you’re not anxious as you walk around to get some fresh air and shop at your leisure. Kaori is beside you with a basket full of fruits and vegetables, eagerly perusing the carts of fresh fish and meats. 

Anything that could get you out of the house and away from the stony gaze of Toji Fushiguro was welcome, and shopping seemed to be just the thing that he wouldn’t even dare get his legs up to do. He had waved you off when you mentioned your plan - instead, choosing to teach Megumi how to spar - and Kaori and you had quickly ran to the gates, anticipating the excitement of being somewhat free from his supervision. 

“We never had this at the camp,” Kaori mentions and takes a sniff of the ginger root she had purchased earlier. “I love this idea - everything is on display to pick and choose from.” You acknowledge her comment with a hum, keeping an eye out for one particular person as you roam about the square. But even when you peek your head into the potter’s shop, you see no one except his betrothed - perhaps, wife - sitting among the various articles of clay. 

“Is Yuko here?” You inquire and she looks up from the kaolin to see you. Her brown hair is tied up in a bun and her green eyes drift over your attire before she gasps.

“Oh!” She stands immediately, hands chalky. “You’re back!” You don’t know the woman, nor have you ever known her, but the fact that she knew you was a little concerning. 

“I’m sorry, do we…”

“Yuko has told me so much about you, Lady y/n. Please, come with me. I’ll clean up and make you something nice to e--” 

“Yuko’s spoken about me?” you ask, and the woman smiles widely. 

“Of course he has; you’re Suguru’s lover.” Kaori starts a little next to you, gripping the basket with both hands. Before you can ask how she knows so much information about you, she shakes her head quickly. “I’m sorry, I must’ve forgotten to mention: I’m related to Yuta; we’re siblings. We know all about your trip, and we’ve been expecting you.” 

“And where is--” The woman wipes her hands on a towel and approaches you.

“I’m afraid you’re a few days too late. Yuko got the call that he would need to serve the Emperor in the Imperial Warriors and left. Rest assured, he hasn’t turned coat, though. Like many of those who are with the General, we will fight on the other side then become informants or turn against our squads at the last minute.” She pats your elbow and then steps back, remembering her place. “The General will win the war, my Lady. And he will come back. Yuta has given us the assurance that everything will go to plan.” 

“Are you sure?” you whisper, and she winks at you. 

“Trust me, the General is much stronger than you think. I’ve seen the way he can decimate a village first hand.” 

“You have?” 

“My lady, I think that we should g--” You shrug Kaori’s hand off of your shoulder before taking a seat beside the pottery wheel. 

“Tell me everything.”

Before the woman can open her mouth, however, a massive commotion begins outside. You jolt out of the chair and peer out of the door, watching a crowd of people begin to gather at the square’s fountain. 

You hadn’t been gone so long that you didn’t remember the thrill of news from the town’s announcer, and you’re fortunate that you can hear the man from the doorway. 

“From the Imperial Palace! The forces of General Geto Suguru have been surrounded at the foot of Mount Takadashi and completely wiped out by Prince Naoya’s army. The Emperor is ordering a week of festivities in celebration of Prince Naoya’s victory, which will begin tomorrow at noon!” Riotous cheers erupt around the square, and for a moment, you’re stuck in the doorway, your mind going absolutely blank. 

Kaori drops her basket, Yuko’s wife gasps, and you...

Gojo. Haibara. Yuta. Nanami. The children. Geto. 

Gone.

The world shakes furiously under your feet, and you careen backwards, losing all of your senses at once as your knees buckle and you black out. 

_______________________________________________________________________

TAGLIST: @kamisamaundercover​ @jotazinha​ @just4readingfics​ @mxhi​ @sammytamaki​ @brownskinnedgirll​ @keelyshayee​ @leanne-tamashi​ @vabybizzle​ @amaris9​ @fuegy-fuegy​ 

[bibiana112]

would u like to explain homestuck classpects ? i wanna understand how youre categorising ze characters with em :o

Oh my god yes, but also I wanna pretend I was never a Homestuck as much as possible, but also I can't help how relevant this whole system is to how I think about a bunch of stuff, but also did you know I have a 25 page messy ass google doc on this for like five kh characters that I think only AJ ever read, did you know I started on the equivalent to that for ze like last week but it's a very low committal sort of thing, I am absolutely torn between trying to give an abridged version as best I can and just grabbing what little I have already succinctly typed out hmm I think I'll go with the former? Okay I can't for the life of me do that actually and I tried it still goes on for longer than it should anyway, like, the alternative would be making it sound far too shallow and uh yeah idk ya could wait 'til I have the bare minimum to show or ask specifics on stuff? I'll write what the headcanons are here though, I think they always sound funky without much context

It's also just for the 999 cast, what a surprise

Little crash course on what these even are is that they're two notions, a class and an aspect that interact with each other and form a hero title which is pretty much like an overall archetype, since each of those has 12 different ones the total number of possible combinations is 144. A class is things like Witch, Thief, Knight, Mage and those are more tied to personality traits and how one approaches situations, but aspects are the ones I tend to put a larger focus on, those are things like Space, Time, Doom, Life they each represent a great deal more than the namesake though and they're each so very interesting to me for the nuance, they're concepts that are all always present to some extent, what varies is the concentration or how much of it that is present in someone's overall journey, and they're not like teams or houses or anything in fact they're supposed to be as diverse amongst a group as possible and also they come in sets! Both classes and aspects do, they're 6 complementary pairs each, the way it works on classes is that they're divided as active or passive which is really more about either directing energy towards oneself or towards those around you, and for aspects they're complementary concepts the way two sides of a coin are, for example there's the Social aspects Breath and Blood, one is about freedom from social bonds and the other is all about nurturing those attachments and that's an oversimplification but it's serviceable, I really didn't realize it was this complex to explain until now and I probably didn't do a grade A job at it

Ace - Prince of Breath

Snake - Mage of Void

Santa - Rogue of Heart

Clover - Maid of Blood

Junpei - Witch of Time

June - Seer of Mind

Seven - idk

Lotus - Sylph of Doom (?)

Fun little factoid that will not make any sense to anyone, but, with Junpei and Akane I sort of feel like they switch their aspects from 999 to vlr and ztd? Akane suddenly has many more Time player motifs and reasoning and Junpei is the same, suddenly his behavior has so much more Mind vibes in full display. It's a fun observation and by nature of this whole thing drastic shifts in a story can mean recontextualizing a character's role in it, and thus, their aspect and I kind of think that's neat but still like to keep in mind the ones I put up there when writing the two, cause that's something I do

So yeah, hmm my goodness I really never got like any ideas for the rest of the cast? I feel like we either don't get much insight aside from very literal and plot related motivations on most of them at best and shallow characterization at worst, like, freaking Carlos? Idk he's firefighter of murica my dude not much else, Diana can be a Life player because she's a healer/caretaker I guess and Phi and Sigma kind of fuck me up because it almost feels like they're different characters in ztd altogether (Sigma kind of is?? Although I can see Dr.Klim as a Space player maybe) and idk I guess my biggest issue is I have a hard time imagining them just being people separate from the story with a very narrow framing we witness unfold with them which makes this difficult? WAIT I got it, so much of vlr and ztd's plots rely on the characters not being themselves that it makes this murky, like, with radical-6 and mind hacking bullcrap, y'know? My first instinct for everyone in vlr almost would also be Mind but that's probably because of the plot y'know? Except Luna? She could be Hope or Breath idk and share a class with Diana but idk which one that'd be, Dio being a Bard makes sense I guess? WAIT MIRA MIRA THIEF OF HEART WOULD BE SO FUNNY BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'D BE IT LMAOO

Okay that's what I have, I hope this made no sense I will be working on my google docs to show u later if u want akdjkasj