Line #57 Fanfic/SpringOfHope


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/image_push.jpeg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:''"'You don't owe this world anything. You never have. You never will."'' [[labelnote:Pictured from left to right]][[RobotGirl Aigis]], [[OriginalCharacter Kazuto]][[/labelnote]]]]
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4	-> ''"To be thrown into a situation where the odds were constantly stacked against us, and to keep fighting even though we knew we were way 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. [[BigEater Also hungry.]]"''
5	-->-- '''Kazuto [[spoiler: Takeba]]'''
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7	''[[http://web.archive.org/web/20181102103445/https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9651479/1/Shin-Megami-Tensei-Persona-3-FES-Spring-of-Hope Spring of Hope]]'' is a ''Videogame/Persona3'' fanfiction written by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5001474/Emiya-2004 Emiya2004]].
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9	It has a premise similar to Fanfic/AFoolNamedFortune and Fanfic/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.
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11	Kazuto is a wandering young man who's had to constantly transfer from school to school ever since he was born. Having led a rather [[DarkAndTroubledPast tragic life prior to the events detailed in the story]], he arrives at the Minatodai Dormitory in Iwatodai, where he intends to reside in for the entire school year before transferring out again. However, he discovers that the inhabitants of said dormitory are part of an elite group called the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, whose ''[[GratuitousFrench raison d'etre]]'' has been to annihilate the threat presented by the Shadows: monstrous marauders that threaten the very lives of the people in Iwatodai during a [[TheHiddenHour Hidden Hour]] known as the Dark Hour. [[RuleOfCool And then he gets a pet dragon...]]
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13	As Kazuto learns more about the secrets of the Dark Hour, he learns more about the secrets of the very, very strange universe in which he lives. Determined to find the truth against all odds, Kazuto struggles with loss, the consequences of revenge, hatred, longing, and more as he strains to stay sane...
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15	...meaning that it's absolutely fortunate that he has [[TrueCompanions very good friends willing to stand by his side]], no matter what.
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17	'''NOTE: Due to the length of the story, there are indeed going to be spoilers for most of the early chapters.'''
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19	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/PersonaQShadowOfTheLabyrinth Persona Q]]: [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10346641/1/Persona-Q-Shadows-of-the-Heart Shadows of the Heart]]''.
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21	----
22
23	!!Tropes contained in Spring of Hope.
24	* AllLovingHero: To anyone who's not a Shadow, Strega, or [[spoiler: Philemon]], Kaz is this.
25	* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler:Taken straight from ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack.'' Kazuto and Aigis proclaim their love one last time before Kaz faces off in his personal final battle against Philemon.]]
26	--> [[spoiler: '''Aigis:''' I love you.]]
27	--> [[spoiler: '''Kazuto:''' I know.]]
28	* ArtificialIntelligence: Burroughs is this to Kaz.
29	* 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]].
30	* BewareTheNiceOnes: Kaz has a great big heart for everyone around him and is willing to do anything to help anyone in need. And if you cross him or the people he loves, he'll be more than willing to rip out your own heart.
31	** BewareTheSillyOnes
32	* BigBad: The Shadowlord is Kazuto's greatest enemy and is the one who deals a heapload of suffering onto him throughout the story. [[spoiler: Until it turns out that he's merely TheHeavy of the story. The true big bad is '''[[BigGood Philemon]]'''.]]
33	* BrotherSisterIncest: Kaz reads a book featuring this very trope he ultimately finds to be [[NightmareFetishist absolutely fascinating]] from a storytelling standpoint. In fact, he thought it was boring until he found out this was in it.
34	* TheCameo: [[spoiler:Minato Arisato is repeatedly referenced throughout the story and seen in visions as the "blue-haired hero" who saved the world from Nyx. And he appears to greet Kaz when Kazuto dies.]]
35	* CanonWelding: Canon Welds the ''Persona'' series with several other JRPG series. We've got ''{{Videogame/Drakengard}}'' elements, ''{{Videogame/NieR}}'' characters, elements from the ''[[VideoGame/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!
36	* CerebusRollercoaster: Constantly shifts between LighterAndSofter and DarkerAndEdgier than the original game, treating the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism like an actual Slip-N-Slide. Sure, Kazuto has an incredibly healthy relationship with his TrueCompanions, even more so than how the MC does in-game, but then we later on find out that [[spoiler: he's also had a past as a prostitute]].
37	* CloudCuckooLander: Kazuto. It's pretty difficult to keep up with some of the weird things he does. [[RuleOfCool Not that that's a bad thing]].
38	* ChickMagnet: A ''lot'' of women fall for Kaz. [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend Hitomi]], [[{{Tsundere}} Amane]], [[LethalChef Fuuka]], [[spoiler: [[LouisCypher Louisa Ferre]]]] (kind of), [[LoveHurts Rio]] and (since she's the LoveInterest and all), [[RoboSexual Aigis]].
39	* ChildhoodFriend: 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]].
40	* ChildhoodFriendRomance: Subverted. [[spoiler: Hitomi ''wants'' to have this with Kaz (and she actually gets her wish in one timeline), but ultimately realizes that Kaz loves Aigis, so she [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy decides to concede without any fuss]]]].
41	* CompositeCharacter: [[spoiler:In a more literal example than most. See Reincarnation below.]]
42	* ContinuityPorn: ''Tons'' of it to ''SMT'' games. Not on the level that ''[[Fanfic/FairlyEnglishStory Fairly English Story]]'' was at, but it's prevalent nonetheless.
43	* CovertPervert: Kazuto hides yuri magazines under his bed.
44	* CrapsaccharineWorld: [[spoiler: The universe was literally so incomplete that Philemon had to fix it by cherry-picking elements from ''other'' universes.]]
45	* DeconstructionFic: As stated above, the fic deconstructs the concept of [[SelfInsertFic self-insertion in fanfiction]] and [[spoiler:the general video game trope of CharacterCustomization]]. To elaborate...
46	** Kazuto is [[spoiler: not human at all. He's a ''replica'' of a human, specifically Shiori Mikami, a friend of the original protagonist of the whole story, Kazumi Tsukino. 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, precisely because Philemon discovered that the original person set to be the Hero of the universe was the reincarnation of the ''mother of all Shadows'', Nyx. When Kaz figures this out, he 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]]?
47	** The fic also deconstructs CanonWelding. [[spoiler: The reason there are so many elements from different JRPG franchises present in the fic is because Philemon needed to stabilize the universe during its creation, and he did so by cherry-picking elements from ''other'' universes]].
48	* [[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 another: Kazumi Tsukino.]]
49	* {{Determinator}}: Kaz ''won't'' quit. Ever. Especially when there're very high risks at stake. That just makes him stronger.
50	* EvenTheGuysWantHim: PlayedForDrama. [[spoiler: Kazuto had to prostitute himself to guys as well as girls to fund for Hitomi's medical care]].
51	** [[spoiler: Eventually a more straightened-out example when Ryoji expresses having feelings for Kaz]].
52	* GirlOnGirlIsHot: Isn't that right, [[YuriFan Kaz]]?
53	* GoodIsNotSoft: 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.
54	* 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 experienced than most of the other characters.
55	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Kaz knows he's most likely gonna die on the last Full Moon, against Philemon. And he does it because he loves his daughter, Aigis, and everyone else.]]
56	** [[spoiler:He ultimately goes through with it. In a blaze of glory.]]
57	* HookerWithAHeartOfGold: [[spoiler: To help with his childhood friend's medical bills, Kaz had to prostitute himself to both men and women]].
58	* {{Irony}}: [[spoiler: Minato Arisato gave his life to seal Nyx away. Kazuto Takeba gave his life to release Nyx onto the world.]]
59	* ItHasBeenAnHonor: [[spoiler: Kaz's mystical companions invoke this when it's apparent that he's gonna go on a SuicideMission to get his daughter back. It hurts.]]
60	%%* {{Keet}}: '''Kazuto'''.
61	%%* LargeHam: Kazuto again.
62	%%* LoveHurts: Poor Hitomi...
63	* LoveConfession: Subverted. Kaz gives one to [[spoiler: Yukari]], but it's more or less platonic. Eventually, [[ChickMagnet other female characters end up giving this to Kaz]].
64	* LovecraftLite: Has many elements which appear straight out of a CosmicHorrorStory type deal, but underlying it all are themes of companionship, courage in the face of adversity, love, hope, and compassion.
65	* ManChild: Kaz is still a little kid at heart, evident by his interactions with the other characters.
66	* 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 cans of worms upon new cans of worms open up, as if you haven't had enough of the twists.
67	** And now, [[spoiler: it's giving Meta Twists to ''itself,'' as Kazumi Tsukino, the original protagonist of the universe, turns out to be alive (despite having been thrown into Monad by Philemon to die), is slowly being given the point of view of the story, and it's quite possible that she will overtake the role as protagonist.]]
68	* MysticalWhiteHair: Kaz eventually sheds his normal brown hair and gets this. As opposed to blue hair.
69	* NiceGuy: Kaz is this through and through. Except when something hurts the people he loves. [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown Then...]]
70	* NotQuiteDead: [[spoiler: Kazumi Tsukino, the original protagonist of the Spring of Hope universe and one of the original foundations of Kazuto's existence, is alive and kicking, despite having been left by Philemon in Monad to die.]]
71	* OddFriendship: Kaz is friends with a magic book, a dragon, a [[spoiler: robotic dog]], an [[spoiler: angel]], a being that resides in a realm between mind and matter, a group of people who can summon monsters from their head, and [[spoiler: the BigBad of the original game, Nyx]].
72	* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Kind of subverted. The dragon seen in the story, Mikaeru, is a character from ''{{VideoGame/Drakengard 3}}'', and is written out as how dragons from that game are Different. Yes, this means that dragons in this rendition of ''Persona 3'' are ''[[UnusuallyUninterestingSight common knowledge]]''.
73	* PapaWolf: [[spoiler: Don't touch Hamuko, or you won't live to see the end of this [[KilledMidSentence sen-]]]]
74	* ThePowerOfHate: Surprisingly, Kaz partially runs on this whenever he gets into a scrap. At first, he hated the Shadows and treated them without mercy, and slowly started growing out of this as time went by. [[spoiler: It came back in ''full force'' when Philemon gave TheReveal, though]]. This is a variation of the trope, however, as while TPOH does [[HorrifyingHero wonders]] for him in every fight, he ''mostly'' runs on...
75	* ThePowerOfLove: If not for the trust and camaraderie he has with S.E.E.S., Kaz would be insane. Or silently weeping to himself in the corner. Or both.
76	* PragmaticHero: Kazuto ''wants'' to be a traditional Hero. It's just that [[TraumaCongaLine everything else]] is forcing him to be this.
77	* 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 Literature/TheBible, it's not very surprising.
78	** And then a Rage Against [[spoiler: Philemon]] adds to it later on...
79	* {{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''.]] [[spoiler:And ''again'', later on in the story, there appears to be some sort of third element in the mix that made Kazuto, one who goes by the name of Akame, the Red-Eyed Killer.]]
80	* {{Retcon}}: [[spoiler: In-universe; whenever the universe would go down a path Philemon doesn't like, he'd reset the timeline and hope things would go better the next time. ''Four'' times, this happened]].
81	* TheReveal: Ohh boy...
82	** Kazuto is [[spoiler: Yukari's brother]]!
83	** And he's also [[spoiler: Hamuko's father]]!
84	** And guess what? [[spoiler: PHILEMON'S RESPONSIBLE FOR ''EVERYTHING.'']]
85	* RoboSexual: It's pretty clear Kaz has a ''thing'' for Aigis. They are the OfficialCouple, after all.
86	* SemiDivine: Kazuto [[spoiler: and Yukari]] turns out to be [[spoiler: [[VerbalBackspace actually]], [[GrammarNazi turn out to be]]]] an Intoner [[spoiler: Intoner''s'']], which is a half-angel. [[spoiler: And then it turns out he's [[AvertedTrope not]], it was all a lie fabricated by Philemon. But he does have an angel for a "mom."]]
87	* ShoutOut: To a lot of things, really. To ''{{WebAnimation/RWBY}}'', to ''{{Franchise/Danganronpa}}'', to ''{{VideoGame/Tekken}}'', to ''{{Videogame/Drakengard}}'', to ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', to ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013''... it's kind of hard to keep track. Unsurprisingly, the most shout-outs go to ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' games.
88	* [[spoiler: SparedByTheAdaptation: Guess what, little boys and girls? Shinji doesn't die on October 4!]]
89	* StepfordSmiler: Deconstructed. Kaz hides a ''whole lot'' of issues underneath his smile, and those issues come out whenever something ''real bad'' happens. Which is a lot. So the fic goes high and wide to show just how these issues really would affect a person: and how different that person can be from the happy disposition he puts on.
90	* TeamPet: Koromaru, of course. But then we have [[Videogame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance Wolf]]...
91	* ThereIsAnother: [[spoiler: Kazumi Tsukino, the original protagonist of the Spring of Hope universe, is ''alive.'']]
92	* TookALevelInKindness: Every named character returning from the original game. Even [[spoiler: Ikutsuki and Nyx]].
93	* TrademarkFavoriteFood: "''Cookies''!"
94	** This is [[spoiler: Hamuko]]'s favorite food as well.
95	%%* TragicHero: See PragmaticHero up above.
96	* {{Tsundere}}: [[OriginalCharacter Amane Kitamura]] is Kaz's ex-girlfriend and a textbook Type A.
97	* TheUnexpected: [[spoiler: ''Nyx'' is an ally of Kazuto's in this fic]].
98	* 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]].

Context Fanfic / SpringOfHope