History Fanfic / SpringOfHope

* BiTheWay: Kaz [[spoiler:isn't really turned off by the idea of being in a relationship with Ryoji, and admits to having feelings for him - but has much stronger feelings for Aigis]].

* ShoutOut: To a lot of things, really. To ''{{WebAnimation/RWBY}}'', to ''{{Franchise/Danganronpa}}'', to ''{{VideoGame/Tekken}}'', to ''{{Videogame/Drakengard}}'', to ''{{Videogame/Kingdom Hearts}}'', [[UpToEleven to]] ''{{Disney/Frozen}}''...it's kind of hard to keep track. Unsurprisingly, the most shout-outs go to ''{{Franchise/Shin Megami Tensei}}'' games.

* ShoutOut: To a lot of things, really. To ''{{WebAnimation/RWBY}}'', to ''{{VisualNovel/Danganronpa}}'', to ''{{Videogame/Tekken}}'', to ''{{Videogame/Drakengard}}'', to ''{{Videogame/Kingdom Hearts}}'', [[UpToEleven to]] ''{{Disney/Frozen}}''...it's kind of hard to keep track. Unsurprisingly, the most shout-outs go to ''{{Franchise/Shin Megami Tensei}}'' games.

* RageAgainstTheHeavens: Kazuto has some...issues with religion. Seeing as how the ruler of the ''SMT''-verse is a worship-hungry despot ''FAR'' from the loving God seen in TheBible, it's not very surprising.

* GuileHero: Kaz [[CloudCuckooLander may not act it from time to time]], but he's shown to be pretty smart. And really good at deductions. [[spoiler: When a murder took place in the school, Kaz was able to find out that it was supernatural in nature before anyone else, just from environmental clues]]. It also helps that he's been exposed to some [[DarkAndTroubledPast pretty weird stuff]] when he was young, so he's a little more GenreSavvy than most of the other characters.

* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler:Taken straight from ''TheEmpireStrikesBack.'' Kazuto and Aigis proclaim their love one last time before Kaz faces off in his personal final battle against Philemon.]]

* CanonWelding: Canon Welds the ''Persona'' series with several other JRPG series. We've got ''{{Videogame/Drakengard}}'' elements, ''{{Videogame/NieR}}'' characters, elements from the ''[[Franchise/TalesSeries Tales]]'' series, characters from ''[[Videogame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance Revengeance]]'', and: of course: ''abundant'' [[ContinuityNod Continuity Nods]] to ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei SMT]]'' games. The author even threw in a bit of ''Videogame/DevilSurvivor'', with Frosty!

The author is planning a ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' fic as a direct sequel, and has created a {{Crossover}} fic with fellow fanfic writer [[https://www.fanfiction.net/~lastdragonborn LastDragonborn]] titled ''VideoGame/PersonaQ: [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10346641/1/Persona-Q-Shadows-of-the-Heart Shadows of the Heart]]''.

* ShoutOut: To a lot of things, really. To ''{{WebAnimation/RWBY}}'', to ''{{Videogame/Danganronpa}}'', to ''{{Videogame/Tekken}}'', to ''{{Videogame/Drakengard}}'', to ''{{Videogame/Kingdom Hearts}}'', [[UpToEleven to]] ''{{Disney/Frozen}}''...it's kind of hard to keep track. Unsurprisingly, the most shout-outs go to ''{{Franchise/Shin Megami Tensei}}'' games.

** [[spoiler:He ultimately goes through with it.]]

* {{Reincarnation}}: [[spoiler:Kazuto Takeba is technically a reincarnation of Kazumi Tsukino ''and'' Shiori Mikami, as Philemon fused both of their souls together to make him. Additionally, Kazumi Tsukino is the reincarnation of ''Nyx''.]]

* Irony: [[spoiler:Minato Arisato gave his life to seal Nyx away. Kazuto Takeba gave his life to release Nyx onto the world.]]

-->-- [[spoiler: '''Aigis:''' I love you.]]
-->-- [[spoiler: '''Kazuto:''' I know.]]

-> [[spoiler: '''Aigis:''' I love you.]]
-> [[spoiler: '''Kazuto:''' I know.]]

** Kazuto is [[spoiler: not human at all. He's a ''replica'' of a human. Having been created by Philemon, who used elements from different universes to help create a proper personality for him, Kazuto is merely a puppet used for the sole purpose of being TheHero of his universe, destined to save the world and sacrifice himself in the process of doing so. When he figures this out, Kaz goes into a ''massive'' HeroicBSOD because he ''was never his own person'', along with the fact that the ideals that he had stuck to for so long were merely borrowed, never his own. Kind of makes his identity issues HarsherInHindsight, huh]]?

** And now, [[spoiler: it's giving Meta Twists to ''itself,'' as Kazumi Tsukino, the original protagonist of the universe, turns out to be alive, is slowly being given the point of view of the story, and it's quite possible that she will overtake the role as protagonist.]]

It has a premise similar to AFoolNamedFortune and LusnatiStyle, replacing the blue-haired protagonist of the original game with a fresh OriginalCharacter. However, it is ''very'' different from both fics, in that basically, it's a {{Deconstruction}} of the SelfInsertFic, playing out things how they'd normally play out from the beginning (to the point where the main character's initially named after the author himself) and eventually rearing its ugly, roaring head when you'd least expect it to, shedding some new light on the trope.

** And now, [[spoiler: it's giving Meta Twists to ''itself,'' as Kazuto's original counterpart, Kazumi, is slowly being given the point of view of the story, and it's quite possible that she will overtake the role as protagonist.]]

* [[spoiler: DecoyProtagonist: The fic is ''slowly'' gravitating towards Kaz not being the actual protagonist of the story, and indeed is shifting the point of view over to his original counterpart: Kazumi Tsukino.]]

* NotQuiteDead: [[spoiler: Kazumi Tsukino, the person whom Kazuto had been based off of, is alive, despite having been left by Philemon in Monad to die.]]

* NiceGuy: Kaz is this through and through. Except when something hurts the people he loves. [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown Then...]]

* ThereIsAnother: [[spoiler: Kazumi Tsukino, Kazuto's original counterpart, is ''alive.'']]

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: [[spoiler: Kaz is deeply affected by this when he realizes that he's just a replica, forged by Philemon to be TheHero of the universe]].

* CrapsaccharineWorld: [[spoiler: The universe was literally so incomplete that Philemon had to fix it by cherry-picking elements from ''other'' universes]].

* BerserkButton: Don't touch the people Kaz loves, or he'll annihilate you. Don't hurt Aigis: ''especially'' not [[LoveInterest Aigis]]. In fact, just don't hurt people in front of him in general. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And don't call him old]].

* ChildhoodFriend: [[OriginalCharacter Hitomi Tono]] is Kaz's childhood friend. The two have stuck together through thick and thin, having had a tight relationship for many years, which makes it [[spoiler: ''really'' difficult to not feel sorry for them when you discover that Kaz had to prostitute himself for funds to help with Hitomi's medical care years prior to the beginning of the actual story]].

* GoodIsNotNice: Kazuto, full-stop. He's pretty willing to do some ''really'' frightening stuff to those who cross him. This overlaps with HorrifyingHero from time to time.

* MetaTwist: The fic as a whole. Orpheus isn't his first Persona, it's Thoth. Thanatos isn't what comes out, it's the Demiurge. [[spoiler: And later on, Kaz eventually loses his Wild Card ability]], and then new can of worms upon new can of worms open up, as if you haven't had enough of the twists.

-> ''"To be thrown into a situation where the odds were constantly stacked against us, and to keep fighting even though we knew we were in over our heads. That's either bravery or stupidity. Maybe, if you twist the meaning enough, it can mean either of these things or even both. Brave and stupid, sums me up quite well."''

The author is planning a ''''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' fic as a direct sequel, and has created a {{Crossover}} fic with fellow fanfic writer [[https://www.fanfiction.net/~lastdragonborn LastDragonborn]] titled ''VideoGame/PersonaQ: [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10346641/1/Persona-Q-Shadows-of-the-Heart Shadows of the Heart]]''.

* LongTitle: The full title is: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES: Spring of Hope.