History Fanfic / BlackenedMasks

* DiedInYourArmsTonight: [[spoiler:Sae suffers from her Mental Shutdown as Makoto gives her one last hug before falling asleep together. What made it worse is that Sae didn't even know she was dying. Thankfully, Akechi's Samarecarm on her shadow was able to save Sae.]]

** Ann is the most emotionally driven and easily falls under BlackAndWhiteInsanity when she managed to kill Kamoshida, and continues to employ RevengeBeforeReason before analyzing the situation beforehand.

* TarotMotifs: Subtle but the Role swap elements means that the canonical arcana's that the thieves had are swapped to something different. Akechi in Yusuke's chapter took his place as Ren's Emperor confidant while Black Mask! Ryuji is Ren's "Tower" confidant in his focus chapter according to the author, for an example.

** Ryuji was found out because he had accidentally been brought to the Metaverse on Ren's first day in Shujin.

* ThrowTheDogABone: Due to the RoleSwapAU element, Akechi often ends up in a better position mentally and emotionally in some of these stories. In "Chariot, Crashed and Crumbled", the author mentions that Akechi was taken in by Yoshida instead of Shido.

* AdaptedOut: The author mentions that a variant with Kasumi and Zenkichi would not be included in the AnthologySeries, with the author mentioning that the story was initially written before they played ''Royal'' for the former.

** Yusuke was close to being able to get away with his killings unscathed, but had made the mistake of unmasking himself in front of Sae's Shadow.

* ThrowTheDogABone: Due to the RoleSwapAU element, Akechi often ends up in a better position mentally and emotionally in some of these stories. In "Chariot, Crashed and Crumbled", the author mentions that Akechi was taken in by Yoshida.

* DemotedToExtra: Akechi, in “Chariot, Crashed and Crumbling” is a non-entity with little to no mention of his presence. Ann is also similarly in the background in the Ryuji focused story.

** Akechi in "Lovers, Seperated". Though still under Shido's thumb, the worst he actually does is use his fame as a vehicle to promote his election campaign along with covering up some of his crimes. Though he has admitted to wanting to kill him, he never acted upon these thoughts, [[spoiler:and the chance he does get thanks to Ann's arrest has him instead pass insight over to Ren over how to take him down for good and help put the Phantom Thieves on the map]].

* DiedInYourArmsTonight: [[spoiler:Sae suffers from her Mental Shutdown as Makoto gives her one last hug before falling asleep together. What made it worse is that Sae didn't even know she was dying. Thankfully, Akechi's Samarecarm was able to save Sae.]]

* AdaptationalWimp: The author's notes for Yusuke's chapter note that that version of Akechi is not a Persona-user.

* BreakThemByTalking: Shadow Sae gets this in ''twice'', [[spoiler:the first when she deconstructs Ann's motivations by stating that she enjoys getting HighOnHomicide, rather than be the champion of justice she claims she is, and the second is when she goes on a MotiveRant to Yusuke, [[IDidWhatIHadToDo stating she only did the things she's not proud of]] in order to ensure that Makoto doesn't have to suffer in life like she has]].

* DemotedToExtra: Akechi, in “Chariot, Crashed and Crumbling” is a non-entity with little to no mention of his presence.
* DiedInYourArmsTonight: [[spoiler:Sae suffers from her Mental Shutdown as Makoto gives her one last hug before falling asleep together. What made it worse is that Sae didn't even know she was dying.]]

** Akechi in "Lovers, Seperated". Though still under Shido's thumb, the worst he actually does is use his fame as a vehicle to promote his election campaign along with covering up some of his crimes. Though he has admitted to wanting to kill him, he never acted upon them, [[spoiler:and the chance he does thanks to Ann's arrest has him instead past insight over to Ren over how to take him down for good and help put the Phantom Thieves on the map]].

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: In Yusuke's chapter, Shadow Sae might be the living manifestation of every one of Sae Nijima's worst qualities, but she still unabashedly loves Makoto. This causes Yusuke to stay his blade against her.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Black Mask Yusuke's nihilistic mindset prevents him from understanding how Futaba or Sae could be fundamentally sympathetic and still form Palaces. He rationalizes them away as aberrations in a fundamentally rotten system.

* AdaptationalHeroism: Akechi in "Lovers, Seperated". Though still under Shido's thumb, the worst he actually does is use his fame as a vehicle to promote his election campaign along with covering up some of his crimes. Though he has admitted to wanting to kill him, he never acted upon them, [[spoiler:and the chance he does thanks to Ann's arrest has him instead past insight over to Ren over how to take him down for good and help put the Phantom Thieves on the map]].

* TheStinger: "Lovers, Separated" ends with [[spoiler:Zenkichi approaching her with a deal]].

** "Chariot, Crashed and Crumbling": Ryuji's father was the first of his victims, [[spoiler:and Ryuji wound end up suffering from RedemptionEqualsDeath at the end]].

* TakingTheHeat: [[spoiler:The end of "Lovers, Seperated" has Ann also take the fall for everything Ren did as leader of the Phantom Thieves, since Sae had enough evidence piled up to put him away should someone else decide to pick up where she left off. Unlike in canon, Akechi and Ren are actual friends when he made the deal, and Ann agrees due to her having nothing left to lose]].

Naturally, spoilers for the main game are inbound, but the author confirmed that any content from ''Royal'' or ''Strikers'' will not be accounted for barring a few minor references

* OutsideContextProblem: As in canon, Yaldabaoth's existence is this to Ann and Yusuke. [[spoiler:While Yusuke's mentality has him joining Yaldabaoth's side, Ann tries (and fails) to fight it. Ryuji never finds out about Yaldabaoth due to him dying in Shido's palace]].

** "Emperor of an Empty Domain": Yusuke killing Ichiryusai Madarame is what leads to his StartOfDarkness.

* HeroWithBadPublicity: [[spoiler:Because Yusuke's attacks have a clear pattern to them - unlike with Canon!Akechi, Ryuji or Ann before him - the public's opinion on the Phantom Thieves tanked practically overnight following Shido's death]].

* AdaptationalHeroism: Akechi Goro in "Lovers, Seperated". Though still under Shido's thumb, the worst he actually does is use his fame as a vehicle to promote his election campaign along with covering up some of his crimes. Though he has admitted to wanting to kill him, he never acted upon them, [[spoiler:and the chance he does thanks to Ann's arrest has him instead past insight over to Ren over how to take him down for good and help put the Phantom Thieves on the map]].

** "Lovers, Seperated": Kamoshida, who was persuaded by the Phantom Thieves to confess his crimes in the original storyline, [[BoomHeadshot gets shot in the head]] by Ann in his Palace, resulting in him dying from a seizure and blunt head trauma in the real world. Natsuhiko Nakanohara would later be one of many Ann's victims, [[spoiler:with her final one being Sae Nijimia. Subverted in the latter's case as Akechi reveals she was able to wake up from her Shutdown, but implies it would be years until she learns to talk and[=/=]or walk again]].

* AGodAmI: Shido refers to himself as chosen by God. [[spoiler:Yusuke twists this as his PreMortemOneLiner, [[AnswersToTheNameOfGod finding it fascinating that no one has called him God before]].]]

Naturally, spoilers for the main game are inbound, but the author confirmed that any content from ''Royal'' ore ''Strikers'' will not be accounted for barring a few minor references

** Sakamoto Ryuji originally only used the Metaverse [[TheDogBitesBack to finally put down his abusive father]] along with any minor annoyances that looked down on him, only to end up TrappedInVillainy thanks to Shido employing him as his assassin by threatening to kill his mom if he doesn't comply.
** Takamaki Ann is so far the worst out of all [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity thanks to her putting]] RevengeBeforeReason, turning her into a mass murderer that puts ''Canon Akechi'' to shame, as her notoriety completely eclipses the Phantom Thieves' existence.
** Kitagawa Yusuke ends up being ALighterShadeOfBlack. While still not a good person, he at the very least tries to be a NobleDemon, and has enough VillainRespect for the Thieves to admit when he's been beat.

** "Lovers, Seperated": Natsuhiko Nakanohara was among one of many Ann's victims, [[spoiler:with her final one being Sae Nijimia. Subverted in the latter's case as Akechi reveals she was able to wake up from her Shutdown, but implies it would be years until she learns to talk and[=/=]or walk again]].