Fanfic / Blackened Masks

"The reason the Phantom Thieves empathised with Akechi Goro was because he was just like them, really. Without the support of their friends and the guidance of a certain not-a-cat, each of them could have walked a similar, bloodstained path."

Blackened Masks is an ongoing Persona 5 Anthology Series by Hawkfire. The main premise involves what would happen should each of the different Phantom Thieves members became the perpetrators behind the Mental Shutdowns instead of Akechi, and the Disaster Dominoes that follows suit for their villainous careers.

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.

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This fic has examples of:

• Adaptational Badass:
  • Whoever becomes Black Mask in each chapter becomes powerful enough to give the entire Phantom Thieves team a serious fight single-handedly.
  • Mishima (in Ryuji and Ann's chapters) and Hifumi (in Ryuji and Yusuke's chapters) become Phantom Thieves.
  • In Ann's chapter, Akechi is shown wielding Hereward as his Persona. In canon, Hereward is a third-tier Persona that Akechi doesn't get access to until the final moments of Royal's third semester, long after Yaldabaoth's defeat.
• Adaptational Heroism:
  • By virtue of the fic's premise, Akechi is not the Black Mask and/or the culprit behind the mental shutdowns in any of the chapters.
  • Black Mask Ryuji, compared to Black Mask Akechi. While both are assassins for Shido, Akechi volunteered himself to Shido as part of a selfish revenge plot while Ryuji was strongarmed into the conspiracy at literal gunpoint.
  • Akechi in "Lovers, Seperated". Though still under Shido's thumb, the worst he actually does is use his fame as a vehicle to promote Shido's 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, 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.
• Adaptational Upbringing Change: This is an Anthology Series that puts the different members of the Phantom Thieves in the position of the Black Mask killer. Because Goro Akechi, who was the original Black Mask in the main game, is no longer a Dragon-in-Chief, he ends up having a much healthier upbringing as a result of him being Happily Adopted by much more well-meaning people like Yoshida, resulting him in undergoing Adaptational Nice Guy or straight up Adaptational Heroism.
• Adapted Out: The author mentions that a variant with Kasumi and Zenkichi would not be included in the Anthology Series, with the author mentioning that the story was initially written before they played Royal for the former. Sophia is also not included due to her nature as an AI.
• Adaptation Relationship Overhaul:
  • Naturally, any character that's put in the Black Mask role will go through this, but while Ryuji still sees them as companions and Yusuke considers them Worthy Opponents, Ann straight up hates them for Kill Stealing her targets.
  • Due to Mishima and Hifumi becoming Phantom Thieves, they are also considered True Companions to Ren rather than just another confidant.
  • In canon, Akechi had a very complicated relationship with Ren, and at least part of him hated Ren's guts since he found it unfair that somehow, Ren was able to make meaningful connections despite his stained reputation, and saw Sae as a means to an end in his quest for revenge. In "Lovers", Akechi and Ren are genuine friends to the point where he has Ann agree to take the heat for Ren's crimes as a Phantom Thief just to protect him, and has pure respect for Sae as a partner. However, the author notes that he still has some of his asshole-ish traits from canon, he just now has a Positive Friend Influence, thus making him a Jerk with a Heart of Gold and a downplayed Token Evil Teammate.
• Adaptational Villainy: Obviously, given the subject matter, though how intense each members go through varies by chapters.
  • Ryuji originally only used the Metaverse to finally put down his abusive father along with any minor annoyances that looked down on him, only to end up Trapped in Villainy thanks to Shido employing him as his assassin by threatening to kill his mom if he doesn't comply.
  • Ann is so far the worst out of all thanks to her putting Revenge Before Reason, turning her into a mass murderer that puts Canon Akechi to shame, as her notoriety completely eclipses the Phantom Thieves' existence. Ironically, she is also the only Black Mask character so far to have a Heel–Face Turn and actively rebel against Yaldabaoth.
  • Yusuke ends up being A Lighter Shade of Black. While still not a good person, he at the very least tries to be a Noble Demon, and has enough Villain Respect for the Thieves to admit when he's been beat.
• Adaptational Wimp:
  • Ann in "Chariot, Crashed and Crumbling" remains a regular human and does not become a Phantom Thief due to Kamoshida being dealt with early.
  • The author's notes for Yusuke's chapter note that that version of Akechi is not a Persona-user and is Ren's Emperor confidant, taking Yusuke's place.
• Armor-Piercing Question: Black Mask Ann gives an excellent one to Yaldabaoth when it claims that its rule is what the people want. "If that's the case, then why are they screaming?" Yaldabaoth has no answer, and Ann immediately attacks.
• Artistic License – Law: Just like in the original game, Black Mask Ann is implied to have seriously faced the possibility of the death penalty in her trial. Ann is a minor during the events of the story, and it's against international law to execute minors.
• Asshole Victim: The mental shutdown victims very often have it coming. Kamoshida and Shido are two particularly stand-out examples.
• Bittersweet Ending: As per the author's words, it's a Black Mask AU. No one's having a good time.
  • "Chariot, Crashed and Crumbling": Ryuji is shot and killed by Shido's cognitive perception of him, but holds back a Shadow horde long enough for Joker and the others to escape their confrontational arena. Ryuji dies, and Ren comforts his grieving mother while noting that he was never as alone as he thought he was.
  • "Lovers, Seperated": Ann is able to weaken Yaldabaoth enough for the Phantom Thieves to land the killing blow, saving the world. However, that still doesn't stop Akechi from arresting Ann; she receives a life sentence, and while she does get the occasional visitor, her parents and Shiho refuse to see her. Her tale ends with Zenkichi offering her some sort of deal, though.
  • "Emperor of an Empty Domain": Yusuke realizes that his nihilistic worldview was wrong the entire time, and ends up agreeing with Ren that Humans Are Flawed. Though still getting imprisoned, Sae agrees to pass his last art piece on to Ren before getting locked up, which is a recreation of Joker and the Phantom Thieves standing up to Yaldabaoth.
• Black-and-White Insanity: How Ann operates as the killer. Cross her or her friends once? You Are Already Dead.
• Break Them by Talking: Shadow Sae gets this in twice, the first when she deconstructs Ann's motivations by stating that she enjoys getting High on Homicide, rather than be the champion of justice she claims she is in the Ann focused chapter, and the second is when she goes on a Motive Rant to Yusuke in his focus chapter, 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.
• Butterfly of Doom: Each of the villains discover the Metaverse far earlier than they should in canon, and things goes wrong for them due to a lack of a Positive Friend Influence. Ann subtlety lampshades this when she's arrested, figuring that Ren and Ryuji was in Kamoshida's palace to try and force a change of heart rather than kill him like she did, and laments that her life would've been better had they actually succeeded.
• Crapsack World: In "Emperor of an Empty Domain", Yusuke's targeted attacks towards dangerous politicians eventually resulted in the city falling into absolute chaos, with the Phantom Thieves struggling to pick up the pieces.
• Create Your Own Villain: Black Mask Ann is unique in that she only gets access to the Metaverse thanks to the Phantom Thieves and truly starts her killing spree after the Phantom Thieves become public figures. Okumura's change of heart is what drives her to decide that the world needs to be purged of its scumbags.
• Dark Is Not Evil: Akechi still wears his old Black Mask colors as a genuine member of the Phantom Thieves in Ann's chapter. This also applies to his personality, as he retains some of his "asshole-ish" characteristics from canon Royal's Third Trimester but is unambiguously one of the heroes.
• Death by Adaptation:
  • "Chariot, Crashed and Crumbling": Ryuji's father was the first of his victims, and Ryuji ends up suffering from Redemption Equals Death at the end.
  • "Lovers, Seperated": Kamoshida, who was persuaded by the Phantom Thieves to confess his crimes in the original storyline, 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. Nakanohara would later be one of many Ann's victims, with her final one being Sae. 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.
  • "Emperor of an Empty Domain": Yusuke killing Madarame is what leads to his Start of Darkness, and he succeeds in killing Shido much later on whereas the Phantom Thieves was able to make him repent in canon.
• Death Glare: Makoto gives a look of pure hatred towards Black Mask Ann after the latter shoots Shadow Sae.
• Defiant to the End: In Yusuke's chapter, Shadow Shido insists that he is God's chosen one right up until the end.
• Demoted to Extra:
  • Akechi, in “Chariot, Crashed and Crumbling” is a non-entity with little to no mention of his presence, though the author mentions that Akechi in that story had lucked out and was taken in by Yoshida, Ren's Sun confidant. Ann is also similarly in the background in the Ryuji focused story. He's never referenced in "Emperor of an Empty Domain" either, though the author states that he takes Canon!Yusuke's place as the Emperor Arcana (for obvious reasons).
  • Sae is only mentioned a grand total of once in "Chariot", as Joker gets betrayed in the palace of the SIU Director instead of Shadow Sae's domain. Yaldabaoth is also never mentioned, though that's because Ryuji dies before he becomes a factor in the story.
• Died in Your Arms Tonight: 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 is able to save Sae, albeit barely, by casting Samarecarm on her Shadow.
• Dies Differently in Adaptation: Like in canon, Isshiki dies to Black Mask at the request of Shido. However, Akechi killed her two years prior to Ren's imprisonment by having her walk into oncoming traffic mid-Shutdown, and became a Posthumous Character as a result. In "Chariot, Crashed and Crumbling", she lives long enough for the Phantom Thieves to target her heart, and dies almost instantly when Ryuji kills her shadow during her public confession.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: Nakanohara gets a solid art career and a happy ending in the wake of Madarame's death in Yusuke's chapter.
• Entertainingly Wrong: In Ann's chapter, Makoto notices Ann's suspicious behavior and comes to the justifiable if erroneous conclusion that she is a member of the Phantom Thieves.
• Et Tu, Brute?: Makoto is furious to realize Ann was using her to get to Sae in Ann's chapter.
• Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Ryuji, and Shido threatening her life is the reason why he can't afford breaking out of his control. Even when he's dying, his last request to Ren is to look after her and make sure she never finds out about his life as an assassin.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: In Yusuke's chapter, Shadow Sae might be the living manifestation of every one of Sae Niijima's worst qualities, but she still unabashedly loves Makoto. This causes Yusuke to stay his blade against her.
• Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: 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.
• Fatal Flaw: The story explores on how each of the character's own flaws drive them to ruin without the Positive Friend Influence in their lives when they found the metaverse.
  • Ryuji, when angered, lashes out easily and doesn't control his temper as well as he should. Ryuji also targeting only those who wronged him or annoy him made it easy for Shido to track him down to use him.
  • Ann is the most emotionally driven and easily falls under Black-and-White Insanity when she manages to kill Kamoshida, and continues to employ Revenge Before Reason before analyzing the situation beforehand. Ann nearly goes through with actually killing Makoto for the fallout of Kobayakawa's stolen heart before confronting Makoto's shadow makes her realize that she assumed too much about Makoto too soon... though unfortunately not enough to stop her from trying to kill Sae.
  • Yusuke's Selective Obliviousness means that he won't consider that he had been wrong about some of his stances until it's shoved right in his face, and his tendency to get defensive when challenged prevents him from properly self-reflecting and admitting fault even when it is shoved right in his face.
• Forced into Evil: Ryuji is forced into Shido's service on pain of death for both himself and his mother.
• Foreshadowing: The title's for each story gives a good look to how the featured Black Mask's ending would look like. Ryuji dies, Ann received a life sentence and is shunned by her family and Shiho, the latter of whom she started her murderous rampage for, and Yusuke is forced to face that his initial ideals about Humans Are Bastards and his killings had amounted to nothing and turned himself in.
• Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: Black Mask Ann dismisses Shadow Nakanohara's claims about Madarame as the pathetic excuses of a misogynist prick before murdering him.
• A God Am I: Shido refers to himself as chosen by God. Yusuke twists this as his Pre-Mortem One-Liner, finding it fascinating that no one has called him a god before.
• Graceful Loser: Black Mask Yusuke accepts his final defeat with grace.
• Guest-Star Party Member: Black Mask Ryuji and Yusuke both have temporary stints fighting alongside the Phantom Thieves.
• Heel–Face Turn: Black Mask Ann immediately tries to fight Yaldabaoth upon meeting it, and softens it up for the Phantom Thieves.
• Hero of Another Story: The Phantom Thieves' activities are only alluded to due to the stories focusing only on the Black Mask version of each story's focus character.
• Hero with Bad Publicity: 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.
• Humans Are Bastards: What Yusuke believes in his stint as the main antagonist, since the first person he killed was his former mentor Madarame. This ends up getting challenged as he finds out that Futaba and Sae's palaces were not born out of any selfish desires, but out of misguided guilt and love for their family.
• In Spite of a Nail: The author outright states that Sae still has a palace in "Emperor of an Empty Domain" despite Akechi being a non-factor and Yusuke nipping the Conspiracy in the bud.
• Lone Wolf Boss: Black Mask Ann fits the mold as she has no allegiance to Shido or Yaldabaoth throughout her murderous career. She actually tries to kill Yaldabaoth after three minutes in its company.
• No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Makoto beats the ever-living shit out of Black Mask Ann for killing Shadow Sae.
• Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: Shadow Sae insinuates that Black Mask Ann doesn't really kill because she thinks it's the right thing to do, she kills because it makes her feel powerful.
• The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Author comments note that Akechi is never pleased in stories where he has no direct hand in Shido's downfall.
• Outside-Context Problem: Yaldabaoth's existence is this to Ann and Yusuke. 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.
• Passive-Aggressive Kombat: Late in Ann's chapter, Akechi passive-aggressively snarks that Sae has recovered from her mental shutdown and might relearn to walk and talk in a few years. Ann promptly lampshades it.
• Patricide:
  • Black Mask Ryuji's first victim is his own abusive father.
  • Black Mask Yusuke's first victim is his adoptive father Madarame.
• Pet the Dog:
  • Black Mask Ann makes the completely conscious decision to leave Shadow Makoto in peace after hearing her Hidden Depths.
  • After Black Mask Yusuke learns about Shadow Sae's motivations, he chooses not to go through with murdering her, and instead turns on Shido (a solid-gold grade-A Asshole Victim if there ever was one).
• Precision F-Strike: Sae delivers a massive F-bomb when she accidentally ends up in the Metaverse with the rest of the Phantom Thieves in "Emperor of an Empty Domain".
• Role Swap AU: Each chapter casts one of the Phantom Thieves as Black Mask, with Ryuji's chapter in particular acting as a straight retelling with the roles recast.
• Saying Too Much: Each of the Black Masks get found out in one way or another due to a minor mistake they make, as a Call-Back to Akechi's canon "Pancake" moment:
  • Ryuji was found out because he had accidentally been brought to the Metaverse on Ren's first day in Shujin and warned him off from trying to tell anyone that Ryuji had access to the Metaverse early.
  • Yusuke was close to being able to get away with his killings unscathed, but he makes the mistake of unmasking himself in front of Sae's Shadow.
• Selective Obliviousness: Yusuke, as the antagonist finds himself challenged about Futaba and Sae's Palaces and briefly ponders if he had killed those who had Palaces but were actually innocent and formed them due to turmoil in their lives, but he has come too far as a killer to consider the idea that he had been wrong.
• Serial Killer: All of the Black Mask characters qualify, committing several murders over the span of their stories.
• Spared by the Adaptation: In canon, Akechi kills Kobayakawa in order to put pressure on the Phantom Thieves by framing them for murder. In the chapters where Kobayakawa is mentioned, he doesn't die and instead becomes a target for the Phantom Thieves, with him resigning after his confession.
• The Stinger: "Lovers, Separated" ends with Zenkichi approaching Ann with a deal.
• Sympathy for the Devil: Make no mistake, Futaba hates Black Mask Ryuji for killing her mom, refusing to show up to his funeral because of it, but she recognizes that he was only trying to protect his own mother (it's also made clear that for what it's worth, Ryuji took no enjoyment out of it).
• Taking the Heat: 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.
• Tarot Motifs: Subtle, but the Role swap elements means that the canonical arcanas that the thieves had are swapped to something different. Akechi in Yusuke's chapter takes Yusuke's canonical 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.
• Throw the Dog a Bone:
  • Due to the Role Swap AU element, Akechi often ends up in a better position mentally and emotionally in some of these stories. In "Chariot, Crashed and Crumbled", for example, the author mentions that Akechi was taken in by Yoshida instead of Shido.
  • In "Emperor of an Empty Domain", Nakanohara gets a happy ending due to getting out from under Madarame's thumb. Yusuke hears over the years that he has managed to corner a small but well-paying clientele with his art.
• Villain Protagonist: Each story focuses on that particular universe's Black Mask, a murderous assassin (Ryuji)/serial killer (Ann and Yusuke).
• What If?: Each of the Phantom Thieves were the culprit behind the Mental Shutdowns plaguing Japan?
• Worf Had the Flu: Black Mask Ann might be a far more active user of the Metaverse than the Phantom Thieves, but when the Thieves corner her she has just been completely worn down by Shadow Sae and is thus quickly reduced to Makoto's punching bag.