This Idea came to me a while back, with the idea of what if Akira was a magus and could use his Persona powers like advanced magecraft near the level of true magic. The story will focus on the P5 Royal story with a few changes. Okay, a lot of changes.
For starters, I'm gonna play pretty fast and loose with the timeline, here. According to Canon, P5 takes place in 2016, but Fate stay night takes place a decade prior to that, in 2004. In this story, the fourth grail war took place in 2009; this P5 story takes place in 2018, before any version of the 5th grail war takes place.
I own neither Fate Stay Night nor Persona 5. The former is owned by Kinoko Nasu and the latter is owned by Atlus & Sega.
A Wildcard's Moonlit Origins
"CHEERS!" three friends and their cat, one that claims he is not a cat, toast their first victory. These four are currently celebrating their success in forcing a change of heart, and bringing justice to their target's many victims.
Akira Kurusu, the delinquent student with a record, who stumbled into the metaverse on his first day of school and unlocked the power of persona to escape with allies. He then gained allies and led them into the Castle of Lust to defeat the King. The Wildcard, the Fool, Joker.
Ryuji Sakamoto, the former track star once brought low by the Kamoshida, now standing tall. He stood up to him, faced down his past and unleashed a storm on the bastard that hurt his dream and his friends. The Renegade, the Chariot, Skull.
Ann Takamaki, part time model and former target of Kamoshida's lust. She fought with them and brought the bastard down; now she stands strong against adversity. The Huntress, The Lover, Panther.
Morgana, the cat being Akira and Ryuji met in the depths of Kamoshida's dungeon and offered his aid in exchange, The Mystery, the Magician, Mona.
These four are currently eating at a fancy restaurant. a victory celebration for taking down their first target as Phantom thieves.
"Damn, That's Good!" Ryuji cheered. "The real 100 Percent stuff is so much better!"
"Oh Come on!" Ann chastises him in good humor. "Did you have to be that extra about it?"
"Uhh…" Akira looked at all the food that his friends brought to their table, then gave his friends a deadpanned look. "Are you sure we haven't taken a little bit too much?"
"Oh, Hell No!" Ryuji shook his head. "And how 'bout some gratitude, huh? I was the one who found a buyer for that fake Gold Medal Y'know."
"Of course we're grateful! It's not every day that we get to come to a famous Posh Buffet like this." Ann was enjoying her cake. "Soo Good!"
"Hey! How come all I get are Beans?" Morgana hissed. "Bring me fish! Milk! Rice! Dessert!"
"Shh!" Ryuji motioned for Morgana to keep quiet. Other people couldn't understand what he said, but they could still hear the cat noises. "If they find us with a cat in here, we'll be kicked out."
Akira chuckled as he watched the two argue. "I saw some fish platters at the table, I can get them for you."
Morgana's eyes sparked with joy. "You're the best apprentice I could ask for! Way more reliable than this muscle head."
Ann giggled, then put down her food in thought. "...Still… we actually did it. We changed his heart for real." She was still trying to accept it.
"Yeah, 'was worried 'bout that too." Ryuji added on in between bites of his beef. "But we seriously got Kamoshida to turn himself in! Now we know that change-of-heart stuff is the real deal."
Morgana huffed. "Have some more faith in me. Our success should never have been a surprise."
"Speaking of surprises…" Ryuji took out his phone and opened up a recently made website. "Get this. Someone made a Phantom thieves website. The Phandom Afficianado Site. People have already posted requests for a change of heart. There's already more than a hundred posts on it!"
Akira raised an eyebrow. "How many of those requests do you think are serious, and not just jokes people wrote for fun?"
Ryuji shrugged. "I don't know… I mean, some of the posts gotta be real. Although…" Ryuji opened up the site and scrolled through it, then frowned. "Okay, yeah, a lot of them are just jokes. 'Change my dad's heart so he'd stop bothering me about school.' 'My sister stole my brush. Make her give it back.'' 'Make my bodyguard less serious and strict. Please Oda-kun?'" Ryuji never saw Akira's flinch. "Who the hell wrote that post?"
"...No Idea." Akira said. Ryuji believed him and started scarfing down more food, so much so that he nearly choked. When that failed to upset him, the food started to hurt his stomach.
Akira gave him a 'you-did-this-to-yourself' look before he escorted him to the bathroom, which was on the upper floor, for some reason. He helped Ryuji up and to the elevator. He was a bit worried that Ryuji would hurl on him, but he was able to get him to the bathroom in time.
"Ahh, That's better!" Ryuji said as he left the men's room. "Man, I wasn't sure I was gonna make it in time."
Akira shook his head. "That's what happens when you inhale that much food that fast. All of it meat too." He said the last part more to himself, but Ryuji still heard it.
Ryuji gave his best friend a grin. "Hey! If you're gonna eat at a pricey joint, you gotta go for the meat!" The elevator came down and opened, before the pair could get in, a group of older men in suits cut them off and entered. "Hey! What'd you do that for, Huh!?"
"We're pressed for time." One of the men said, waving him off.
"But we were here and got on first!" Ryuji got up in his face.
The man gave Ryuji a disapproving look, then turned to a bald man with glasses and a goatee. "Sir, I deeply apologize for the fuss."
The bald man, clearly the boss, frowned. "Have they opened a day care service in the time since I last visited?" he checked his sleeve, not even bothering to look at the two boys. The elevator doors began closing. "The standards of this hotel have certainly…Changed." The door closed and men went to a different floor.
"What an asshole! Do you believe this!? What did he think we were a bunch of toddlers or something?!" Ryuji ranted. "The nerve of some people."
Akira ignored his friend's 'justified' rant and focused on the bald man; he recognized him from the incident that landed him with a record. 'Couldn't get the name of him at the time, but now there shouldn't be too much of an issue. Payback would be nice… seeing him writhe in agony as he begs for mercy would definitely be nice, but…' Akira shook his head of such violent thoughts. 'I got better things to focus on than an old goat with a stupid ego.'
"Tch, Now I'm in a pissy mood." Ryuji shook his head and let out a tired sigh. "C'mon Akira."
Akira nodded. "Alright."
The pair of teens returned to their table where Ann was sitting, eyes downcast and fiddling with her drink. She looked at the pair and huffed angrily. "Took you long enough."
Ryuji took his seat. "What's got you so mad?"
Ann let out a sigh. "I went to get dessert when this lady ran into me. She dropped her plate, broke it, and blamed me for it, as if it were my fault."
"Well that's a load shit." Ryuji narrowed his eyes.
"I Know right!" Ann agreed. "That's not all. The servers and some of the other adults are giving us looks, like we don't belong here. It's kinda depressing to think about."
Akira sighed. "...We do seem a bit out of place here, but they don't need to be jerks about it. We're not hurting anyone so they should just mind their business."
"Thank you." Ann agreed.
"Do you think we could change their hearts too?" Ryuji asked.
"You mean…everyone here?" Akira asked. "We'd need their Names, Distortion and Location, and that's for every person so…" he started counting on his fingers.
"No, not them. What I mean is…" Ryuji shook his head. He wasn't sure if his friend was being serious or just kidding. "There are other adults out there like Kamoshida. If we break into their palaces and take their treasure, they'll have a change of heart right?"
Morgana nodded. "That's how it works, yeah."
"Then maybe we should keep doing it…" Ryuji put down his food and got a serious look on his face. "We were able to Stop Kamoshida by changing his heart, but there are probably other rotten adults like him. They'd be putting on a pretty face in public but hiding their crimes in the background."
"There are probably other people suffering because of those guys who abuse their power. If we can help people by changing hearts and exposing those guys, then I think we should."
"Yeah…" Ann thought about it. "People don't always have the means to stand on their own against them. We can be their strength, and give them hope by changing hearts. Let's do it."
Akira looked between the two of them, feeling a bit torn. 'I don't want to stick out. But Ann and Ryuji bring up some good points. Plus, Mona's request will most likely involve the Metaverse and we did promise to help him.' Akira saw his friends and made his choice. If they wanted to take the risk, he'd join them.
"I'm in." Akira decided. They'd need his support if anything else, even with Morgana's guidance.
"Then from here on, we're the Phantom thieves of hearts!" Ryuji raised his fist into the air, and then pointed to Akira. "Akira, you're the leader."
Akira would have done a spit take if he was drinking something. "ME!?"
"Duh!" Ryuji nodded. "Between the 4 of us, you're the best thief, prowling around like a true phantom and with the ability to alternate between Personas. You're literally the best choice!"
"I have to agree with Ryuji on this." Morgana added in. "You held your own pretty well in the Palace the first time. And you noticed the crown just as I did."
"You are our trump card, and we all trust you, so you're the best fit." Ann Added.
'So much for supporting them from the back, I'll be leading the charge.' Akira groaned in his head. "Alright. I'll do my best."
"Great!" Ryuji got up. "I'm gonna get some more grub. Be back in a bit."
"Try not to choke on any of it!" Akira teased. Ryuji laughed it off and went for more food. "...Hey Ann… How's Shiho doing?"
"She's doing… Okay." Ann fiddled her thumbs looking sad. "She said… she still plans on transferring, though. Too much stigma from what happened."
Akira nodded. "I can understand that. Rumors can be tough to deal with. Even if we've both handled it fairly well."
"Yeah, I guess…" Ann trailed off. "I'm still hoping to stay in touch though. I never…thanked you for what you did for me, and Shiho. You didn't even hesitate to bring us to Leblanc that night.
"I did what I felt was right. Nowadays I try to always do that."
Ann "Yeah, right. Thanks."
The two were interrupted by Ryuji, who brought back more food and some fish for Morgana. Morgana dug in and the others spent the time talking and chatting. By the end of it, they'd all been full and satisfied with their food. 'Thank god I went with Ryuji that morning, you're a good friend.' Akira thought as they joked about Phansite requests.
_Later_
"You just had to get so much stuff for our table, huh Ryuji." Akira mumbled to himself. They finished their meal and headed home for the night. They almost failed to finish it all, but Akira, black hole stomach that he had, finished most of it. If he failed, they'd have to pay a penalty for wasting food.
Morgana was secure in his bag, resting after the heavy meal. Akira passed by Sojiro 'Boss' Sakura on his way to his room. They greeted each other well enough, and Boss went home for the night.
Akira entered his makeshift room, the attic of Le'Blanc and put his bag down, and sat at the desk in the corner. "Can you show me how to make flash grenades?" He asked the cat that wasn't a cat.
Morgana stretched. "That's some advanced stuff. You sure you can handle it?"
Akira gave his signature grin. "Try me."
Morgana showed him his blueprints, and the components. Akira did the rest, and made a set of three of them, ready for use. Morgana inspected them and was pleased and surprised by his work. 'Kid's a genius at this. I'm lucky to have him. The shadows won't know what hit them.'
Morgana let out a soft yawn. "I think after that, it's the right time for bed." Morgana shook himself awake as he got out of the bag. "Dontcha think?"
"Sure, I could get some shut-eye, but first..." Akira sat down on his bed and patted his lap. "Come here, I wanna give you a massage."
"Huh?" Morgana blinked. "What for?"
"Because you helped a trio of kids get through the metaverse in one piece."
"I didn't do that much…" Morgana jumped onto the bed and got near Akira. "Hell, you took to being a phantom thief better than a fish takes to water. You're a total natural."
Akira grinned but waved it off, "Stop, Stop, you'll make me blush. Even so, you taught us about it so we could take his treasure and bring the change of heart. You also proved the MVP when you knocked his crown off."
"He shouldn't have called me a cat."
"His mistake."
"That's right!" Morgana agreed. "Ok, I'm convinced, you may massage my illustrious self."
Morgana got onto Akira's lap, and relaxed. Akira massaged his back, neck and head. It was so soothing that Morgana drifted to sleep. He barely noticed the blue streaks on Akira's hands, or the similar veins appearing on his own back. Pleased with his plan Akira stood up, and massaged his fingers. It was time.
'Morgana's asleep, so now I can get to work.' he set Morgana gently on the bed, giving him room to sleep or sit up. Right now, he did the latter, and raised his right hand. On his arm formed blue lines forming blue circuits that began to light up with a dull glow.
"Zealot. Report." The air in front of him ripples with energy, and a second later, a figure cloaked in dark robes and swathed in shadow kneels before him. Her face is partially obscured by a veil, though her golden eyes and some long strands of raven hair are clear to the sight.
She shook her hood off to reveal her raven hair. To his light surprise, she unfurled her hair, extending it in all directions, and sweeping all across his room. She kept the motion light, not disturbing a single object, despite being able to destroy the room with ease. He knew she was capable of such a feat but was unsure why she did so until she opened her mouth. "I felt we were being watched, and removed the means by which it was happening."
Akira narrowed his eyes. "My family?"
Zealot shook her head. "Unlikely, unless they started using modern tech." she revealed the bugs she crushed with her hair, placing the remains on the floor.
Akira shook his head. "I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Either way, what's the progress on the safehouses?"
Zealot nodded. "I was able to set up 3 locations for your future use. I'd already stocked them with provisions and established a suitable bounded field for each, though it would be best if you checked each one yourself in person."
Akira hummed and gestured for her to continue. "Moonlit Presence in Tokyo?"
"Minimal." Zealot replied. "There was only one church in the whole city, and it's a short walk from Le'Blanc. At most, I could detect 3, maybe 4 magi families at most in the entire city. Naturally, the DHOs presence here is minimal as well.
Akira scoffed. 'One of the biggest cities in Japan, and I consider it a boonies. What a joke.' "Good job. Continue to monitor Le'Blanc. Also, see if you can find the source of these bugs."
Zealot kept her gaze. "What about your… friends? Should I keep watch over them as well?"
Akira shook his head. "No, leave them be. They're not in any danger at the moment." Akira thought about it for a moment, then added on. "Although, if you have the time and learn of a threat to their well being, please act upon it. We were luckily able to protect Shiho from Kamoshida, but I don't want to risk any of my friends if I can."
It was a stroke of fortune that Akira sent Zealot to the school while speaking with Ann at the store. Zealot interrupted Kamoshida before he could… 'harm' Shiho too deeply. Ann was still hurt by what happened, causing her, Ryuji and himself to confront Kamoshida. Thus the trio - Quartet when Morgana joined them - began to dive into his palace to steal his heart.
"What of the Yoshizowa twins, Sumire and Kasumi?" Zealot asked.
Akira shrugged. "I'm not as close to either of them right now, so no need to worry about them for now. I mean if you notice anything, you can protect them, but otherwise leave them be." Another stroke of luck that allowed innocents to be saved, mostly due to him arriving in Tokyo weeks ahead of schedule. Akira was just at the right time at the right place to keep both twins out of harm's way. It was a good day by his standards.
Technically speaking, he wasn't allowed into Tokyo yet, but snuck in anyway to get a lay of the land. His mother allowed it; they agreed on the terms of their… wager. The timeframe and terms established and honored by Geass Contract. 'One year, starting from the past new year. I live as an honest student till the new year, I'm free.'
Akira bid Zealot to disappear and laid down in his bed, still mulling over his past. 'Zealot disapproves, but her views won't change my decision. I'll start a new life apart from them, simple as that.' his thoughts turned to the other reality he journeyed into with Morgana and the others.
'Still, What is the Metaverse? By all rights it shouldn't exist, the age of gods has long passed. It can't affect the real world yet there is a connection. Shadows are a representation of creatures, characters, hell even gods from across the world. Is it related to the third True Magic? How does any of it exist…?' He kept mulling over the questions in his mind until he drifted off to sleep.
_In his Dreams_
Akira woke up, and instantly recognized where he was. "Not this shit again…" he stood up to see himself in a cell. Outside the cell he could see the short old man with a long nose and large eyes, grinning at him.
"Quiet Inmate! And show some respect to the master!" a blonde girl with her hair done in two buns yelled at him. She had an eyepatch over her right eye, and dressed as a warden. This was Caroline.
"It would be best if you took this seriously." Another blonde girl added, keeping calm. She had her hair done in a braid and had an eyepatch over her left eye. Like her twin, she wore a blue warden's outfit. This was Justine.
"Caroline, Justine. Nice to see you again. That just leaves…" Akira looked from the two warden girls to the hunchback old man with a long nose and large eyes. The creepy old man in the suit was called Igor, and this isn't the first time the creature has called Akira to the Velvet room for a chat.
Igor smiled at him, and spoke in a deep, rugged and intimidating voice. "Congratulations are in order. You have taken the first steps towards your rehabilitation. You have formed close bonds with a group of allies, those who will side with you against-"
"I'm not gonna let you win, ruin be DAMNED!" Akira yelled at him. "I don't know what game you're playing or what angle you're looking at but I Swear- Gahh!" he felt Caroline swat him with his botan, knocking him down. The strike hit more than it should have; Akira trained to be able to take hits worse than that. Akira glared at the girl.
Igor gave a dark chuckle. "It is alright, Caroline. The Trickster seeks answers, Despite not needing to know them. Yet. Nevertheless, he will pursue those truths to the end…it is nothing less than a Magus would do."
Akira got up and glared at all of them, mainly Igor. "Damn right. I'm not taking shit from some dream demon with weird fetishes. I have enough shit to deal with regarding my own…" Akira grunted, but held his tongue. he wasn't going to waste his breath on these creatures before him.
Igor hummed, and leaned back in his seat. "Your past and affiliation with the Moonlit world would normally make you…unqualified to be chosen. Yet here you are, the noble trickster who must stand against ruin. You are not ready."
"You, who can claim lineage of an old and powerful alliance of Magi in these lands. You who was trained by the Magus killer himself before his passing years ago. You whose eyes reveal the truth, a second sight gifted to you by myself to aid your journey. You who are the one and only Trickster."
Akira huffed. "I can think of plenty of people who qualify as tricksters. Knock off the false flattery."
Igor ignored him. "The bonds you have gained have granted you a Modicum of strength. Even still, you must strengthen your bonds, and gain many more if you are to avert your ruin. You call upon the power of Persona in the Metaverse, and perhaps…" His grin grew wider. "Unlock a fraction of its power in the real world as well."
Akira felt his vision get blurry. 'Bastard's putting me to sleep… or rather, waking me up from it. Damn him, I still have questions!'
Igor kept smiling as Akira fell back into the prison bed. "You have found a place of belonging among your cohorts. Continue on your current path to achieve the future you desire. Let no one stand in your way. A simple concept for your kind and seek out your future… we will meet again…" That was the last thing he heard as his world went dark.
This is my first ever post- Second actually, since I rewrote this to include the post and pre script - but still technically my first work. The story is basically where the Persona 5 story takes place in a Nasuverse world, one with a secret magi society with gray morality views in general and negative view of the modern world and 'Mundanes' (Non magic people).
I plan on using a few characters from other series - not just the Fate and Persona series, but other anime in general - refitted to fit into this story and world. I'm also making changes to the canon characters as well; the most obvious being that the original Kasumi survives. I doubt I'll feature any characters from the main series, but I'm not sure. I might feature a character as a cameo but no major role in this story. (Sorry Waver Fans).
Basically, the Clocktower is the most prominent Magi society, but Japan has its own Magi society, most of which fall under the control or influence of a major clan. I'll be teasing bits and pieces into the Persona 5 story line; Akira will mostly follow the P5 royal storyline, with some… alterations.
The magic system in the fate verse places a high emphasis on mysteries and ancient stories. The Metaverse works on human cognition, with human perception affecting their shadow/Persona. There is some solid overlap, like how magi use spells/incantations to perform a self hypnosis, allowing them to cast spells. They end up forcing an impossibility to become possible; like how the metaverse would be seen as impossible to them in the first place.