Challenge: Write “Challenge me!” in the day’s post’s comments and challenge other people by linking a song prompt (or multiple) to them. Optionally, choose multiple prompts.
The challenges I got are the following: Sand by Dove Cameron from bunnythewriter, Fly At Night by Chilliwack from mrbluebunnie, Palm Brinks from the Dark Cloud 2 soundtrack by Tomohito Nishiura from Damon L. Wakes, Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan from Holly and Yellow Light by Of Monsters And Men from wizardandgalaxy.
Like the maniac I am, I decided to combine them all.
- Sand is the most major influence, as that is to blame for the fact that this became an angsty ShuAke fanfic. The lyrics in italics are from it if not otherwise noted. I also got the general vibe from it. It’s definitely the theme song of this story.
- Fly At Night: The title was used in the first section as inspiration (and originally the story title too but then I scrapped that as things evolved).
- Palm Brinks: I picked up its composition style (or whatever it’s called), waltz.
- Subterranean Homesick Blues: I used lyrics loosely (Learn to dance, get dressed/Get blessed, try to be a success).
- Yellow Light: I grabbed some lyrics (I’m looking for a place to start/And everything feels so different now) and the general vibes too.
Do note that this story has massive spoilers for Persona 5 Royal and major spoilers for Persona 5 Strikers. Knowing P5R‘s story is needed to understand the story properly and knowing the plot of P5S is recommended too.
I’ve been struggling to get words onto the digital paper this FFM and now my brains overcompensated by giving me 1100 words. This was a pain to edit because of that as well as the fact that I only had the time to start this in the evening. Editing the wording after cutting 100 words put this well beyond midnight.
Bunny, I blame you for this curse that your prompt inflicted on me. /j
A crow’s call pierces the quiet countryside. Akira looks up just in time to see the black-feathered bird cross the star-lit horizon. The plushie keychain that resembles it stays by his side, attached to his zipper puller, resting over his heart.
The plushie is a constant reminder.
~~~
What’s worse
Being wanted but not loved or loved but not wanted
“I’m just glad they’ve left me the hell alone,” Goro mused, his fingers idly twirling his straw. “I’m done being a celebrity. It was exhausting, having to keep smiling like a sweet little prince all the fucking time even when I was pissed off.”
Even though the reality shimmered uncomfortably around them, Akira could not help but smile at the sneer. “I’m glad about that too. I like your real smiles more.”
That gave Goro a pause. He hesitated, faltering just like when he had mentioned the engine room incident at the laundromat. Then he smirked. “I see our circumstances have done nothing to your sentimentality.”
They could never, Akira did not say. Instead, he noted, “Maruki didn’t change me.”
“Indeed.” Goro said. “He changed everyone else. Your entire support network that you spent all last year cultivating is trapped in his reality and from the sound of it they’re not keen to break free.”
Akira tensed.
Goro’s smirk faded into a cold, calculative look that reminded Akira of a predator — which was exactly what Goro was in the Metaverse. “It stings, doesn’t it? Seeing how as soon as you’re no longer needed by those you gave so much to, they won’t lift a finger to help you do what’s right.”
Akira looked away, a single word — stop — on his tongue. It never left his lips.
It did not need to. Goro did not need his ears to hear it.
He never did.
What’s worse
Hearing what you wanna hear or hearing what’s honest
~~~
The plushie is a constant comfort.
Morgana says that he understands, but Akira has a feeling that his cat-like companion does not truly understand it. Nevertheless, he bears the brunt of the sticky delinquent label and holds the crow plushie when anxiety grows too great to bottle up.
Holding onto it reminds him of how strong Goro was throughout Yaldabaoth’s game and Maruki’s reality — a tempest he could trust with his wings.
Akira cannot help but smile at the memory of their Showtime attack.
When a creative writing assignment asks him about his goals, Akira quotes a song Yusuke sent to the Phantom Thieves group chat one evening, I’m looking for a place to start and everything feels so different now. -Of Monsters And Men, Yellow Light
People around him discuss their takes, none of them caring to include him. Someone whose name Akira no longer bothers to remember talks about becoming a famous dancer.
~~~
“I tried waltz the other day,” Akechi mentioned. “It was quite an… experience.”
“Because of the fangirls?” Akira asked with a smirk.
“That is one way to put it,” Akechi admitted. “I figured adding dancing to my repertoire would be good for my image but partner dance brought more headache than success.”
Akira leaned in. “Maybe you should try it with a rival.”
Akechi chuckled. “Are you interested, Kurusu-kun?”
“Yup.”
“Very well.” Akechi smirked now too. “Perhaps we should organize a private session then. Do you know how to dance?”
“Not waltz specifically, but I have an excellent sense of rhythm.”
“Good.”
~~~
The plushie is a constant source of confusion.
The other Phantom Thieves do not understand the crow plushie when they see it on Akira when he returns to Tokyo for the summer vacation. Akira does not have the heart to elaborate beyond “it’s a keepsake”. Everyone moves on.
Later that evening, Morgana asks, “Why didn’t you tell them? About what the keychain means to you?”
I don’t want to show them how much he means to me, Akira does not say. Instead, he notes, “I don’t want to hurt Futaba and Haru.”
A single sentence — I don’t want to hurt everyone by showing how dear Goro is to me — remains in his throat. It never even comes to his tongue.
It would need to. Morgana needs his ears to hear it.
He still does, because Akira still continues his tried-and-true method of keeping his soul in a bottle.
A part of him wishes for another Metaverse, another instance where that bottle could break and become a live Molotov cocktail that summons Satanael once more.
His wish comes true the next day. Praying that it will work, he wishes for Crow’s strength and hints of a black-masked intruder too.
~~~
I tried to bargain with the stars for more than half your heart
All Akira gets is Zenkichi Hasegawa, whose position of “do as I say or go to prison for crimes you didn’t commit” keeps reminding him of where everything started to actively go wrong last year.
He hold the crow plushie tighter and tries to keep the hazy memories of the underground room at bay.
It does not help.
~~~
The only black-masked individual Akira hears about is Sumire, who keeps apologizing in the group chat for missing out on the mission by being a literal ocean away at a gymnastics camp.
>>Sumire: Still no sign of Akechi-san?
<<Akira: Nope.
>>Sumire: He’ll come back. I’m sure of it. If Morgana-senpai came back, then Akechi-san will too. I believe in that.
>>Sumire: I believe in him.
Akira smiles in the real world for the first time since shit started hitting the fan. Out of everyone, Sumire understands the best.
Thank you, Akira does not write. Sumire already knows.
<<Akira: Me too.
But you have more pieces of me than the desert has sand
~~~
And I have less pieces of you than I can hold in my hand
Another wannabe god falls without a hint of Goro. Akira boards the train to his hometown again.
Holding the crow plushie tight to his chest, he stuffs his soul back into the bottle once more.
WindySilver 