Persona AU meme

[rikimaru]

Personas are manifestations of the soul, a mask worn by the wielder to face life and its hardships. Those with the ability to summon their persona are able to do battle against shadows, which embody the negative aspects of the heart. Shadows, much like personas, can take countless forms based on the person themselves. Despite the distinctions, both are derived from people, typically with shadows representing the part of yourself you deny and personas the parts you accept.

Both come from you. How you deal with both is entirely up to you.

NOW THAT WE GOT THE FLUFF OUT OF THE WAY, it's a generic persona AU meme. Borrow elements from the games, make up your own shit, it's your life; shape it to what you want it to be. The games generally mix slice of life with RPG shenanigans and both allow your characters to draw strength from their personas, from their true selves. Have fun with that.

A better summary of personas
Arcana alignments since every persona has one. Your call if you wanna bother with these.

How much you wanna AU your characters is up to you! Literally canon but with personas, suddenly high school setting with magical spirit monsters, whatever as long as you're having fun! Find your characters' arcana, make or borrow personas

SOME PROMPTS I GUESS:

1. Awakening: Sometimes, people gain the ability to summon personas after a crucial moment of intense emotion. A desire to protect, a yearning for revenge, maybe even the will to live. What's just as important as what brought on your awakening is who's around for it and who's about to get their asses kicked?

2. Shadow self: Those who have difficulty accepting who they are may have to deal with their shadows, their "darker" selves. Shadows emphasize (even exacerbate) the traits the person denies, growing violent and murderous when denied and potentially becoming personas when accepted. If you find your shadow, chances are you're in serious trouble. This could end in a fight if talking doesn't work. Just be careful about fighting a being that represents part of someone...

3. Dungeon crawling: Maybe this'll lead to a shadow confrontation, maybe it won't. Good on you if you're honing your fighting skills! Regardless, you're probably not alone in doing this, so take your pals and go beat up shadows. Dungeons shape themselves after a person's desires and personality, much like the shadows that inhabit them. If you're gonna go to a friend's dungeon, at least make sure they're okay with it; it might be too personal for them to deal with.

4. Social links: As most of the persona and shadow stuff happens behind the scenes, there's still the rest of your life to deal with. School stuff, work life, personal problems, it's all here. These are people you ride into battle with, so it's good to know who's on your side. It's as if actually being friends with someone will make them stronger allies or something!

5. Persona vs Persona: I mean. No one's stopping you from fighting. Maybe shadows aren't enough training for you. Maybe you're practicing tactics. Maybe it's a social link thing, maybe one or both of you are really pissed at each other. Your personas are doing the talking now, so hopefully you remembered your opponent's weaknesses you're unquestionably giving it everything you've got.

6. Mandatory smut option I guess: It doesn't count if we touch personas, right?

7. Wildcard joke goes here: I'm not your dad; make up your own damn prompts if you want!

But Riki, I want more details than this! What about a setting, better prompts or less vagueness on your part?

Comments

Ryotaro Dojima - Persona 4

[detectiveforhierophant]

[You know you always wanted Dojima to get a Persona. Here's your chance.]

BRING. THE. PAIN.

[topgun_textiles]

[Just when you thought everything was cool again, this shit happens!

It's easy enough popping right through one of the televisions and enduring that stomach-dropping sensation as he fell an impossible height, only to land in a fuckin' heap somewhere, but it was another thing entirely to enter from somewhere else.

It wasn't from Junes. Stupid, he knew, but he didn't have any other choice. Everyone could go scream at him later for deciding to look in the TV world instead of searching Inaba for Senpai's missing uncle. But feeling Takeji Zaiten buzzing in his heart and his glasses on lockdown to drive away the fog, he had the confidence to improvise and play it by ear nevertheless.

Kanji wasn't a 'think then act' kinda guy. Whatever.]

Naomi Kimishima | Trauma Team

[chatwithdeath]

[OOC: Not too far off the mark of a Persona character anyway. Whether she has a Persona or not, it's up to the thread. However, she is of the Hanged Man Arcana and her Persona is Persephone.]

Rosalia Rossellini | Trauma Team

[bloodinbloom]

[OOC: Have another kid predispositioned to an unfortunate life, but with the ever so bright Sun Arcana. No number 6... nooo number six ever. Her Persona is Itzpapalotl.]

Guzma | Pokemon Sun & Moon

[yaboyguzma]

[Endgame Guz, so he's a big fat Moon Arcana. Interested in playing with his Shadow and awakening.]

2

[titanianblade]

(For someone with an upper class upbringing, Cornelius doesn't have too much trouble fending through the more urban dungeon, even with the dense population of insect-type shadows. On the other hand, the pooka fights his way through it on his own, with little in the way of backup. It's dangerous and stupid, he tells himself, but he's heard little in the way of others coming to save the shadows' next victim. Every life is worth fighting for, he assures himself, even if one must fight for it alone.

Despite his affinity for acrobatics, Cornelius rushes towards the dungeon's end, praying that he wasn't too slow in his rescue. In his hurry, he decides against the stealthy approach, bursting through the doors, a shimmering blue blade in his hands.

He just hopes whoever's trapped here is still alive.)

[yaboyguzma]

[Bugs, bugs everywhere, all with a tendency to use their smaller bodies to swarm any intruders upon the rundown, ever-raining domain. Other shadows took the form of listless, wandering, moaning zombies almost, while others tried to strike poses and intimidate from afar. The streetlights were broken, flickering amid the deepening rain, illuminating shards of glass blown about from every last broken window in the place.

That mansion seemed the best bet, and with it were its own shadows, all humanoid and trying their best. But they fell to Cornelius' keen and otherworldly blade, scattered to smoke in the unseen wind.

The doors didn't throw open as much as they splintered and collapsed, aged and neglected. Inside was a ruined and dirty bedroom bearing torn and dusty old posters advertising battle tournaments and childrens' scribblings on construction paper. The walls were lined with silver and bronze trophies, each collecting dust. The very rare gold was bent as if it had been used like a weapon. Snack wrappers, pencils and balled up pieces of notebook paper littered the floor.

Guzma stood with his hands on his hips, staring down his double sitting comfortably on an equally-dirty and beat-up throne, eyes bright gold and wild.]

Yo, yo... the cavalry's here!

[Guzma turned his head, furrowed his eyebrows on confusion. What the hell...!? But the copy just looked delighted.]

Ha hahah! No, wait, nevermind. Just a Buneary. Wow... no Plumes, not even one of the Grunts, huh...? We really are a pile of useless trash.

[juggernut]

[Well, wasn't this a cheery place.

Thankfully the Shadows here weren't too bad so far; most of them looked big and tough, but one or two hits in and they'd just start attacking themselves instead. Not that he'd complain about having an easy win, but...

The broken windows were bad enough on their own, and the constant scrawling and spraypainted messages of "GET GOOD" weren't nearly as unsettling as the innumerable knuckle-shaped indents in the wall that always surrounded them.

The brick wall.

Hopefully he'd reach the end soon enough. Something about this one just made him... sad. ]

[yaboyguzma]

[Lucky for the grass-type, the sky was always falling; the rain was a cool and heavy plodding against the dirt, the broken cement, adding that heady sweet scent to the air. But it made forgotten crayon drawings soggy, made the colors run, and left bent and broken golf clubs sitting in deepening puddles.

In the distance there was the sound of a shout and something shattering to pieces coming from the ruins of a Pokémon Center. A pair of voices were chattering about something, but Chesnaught couldn't be sure what. All the while, shadows that weren't hurting themselves wandered aimlessly, assuming half-hearted poses. But when Chesnaught was near, they seemed to reach out for him, wanting to touch him, the gestures almost imploring.]

4

[bloodinbloom]

[Meeting Guzma for the first time had be... really terrifying. He was loud, brash, and always seemed angry. However, there was a reason - there was always an underlying reason why someone turned out the way they did. And now, he was a fellow Persona-User like her so she needed to make an effort to get to know him better.]

[... How did she do that?]

[Really, she had no idea. The first thing that just popped into her head was approaching him and asking if he wanted to hang out. No destination really in mind, they just ended up at the park... when did they arrive at the park?? She must have defaulted and thought of flowers again and just automatically led the way here.]

[At least the flowers were in bloom, and there were lots of bugs around.]

Wow! Look at all the bees today!

[yaboyguzma]

[Really, he had no idea what this girl's deal was. But he had no reason to dodge the opportunity to be out on a nice day like this. All slouch and hands in his pockets, he followed along without a word, keeping his shades down. Too bright to let 'em sit on your face like an idiot.]

So, they finally opened up, huh? Kinda late in the year, but I guess it's been too dry to really bloom.

[She wasn't kidding, though- the honeybees were out in full force, working their way through the blossoms and drinking away, all while getting their little fuzzy bodies all dusted up with pollen.]

Wonder if they've been dying to get at this field- no other places to hit up for miles.

Adrien Agreste/Chat Noir | Miraculous

[modelcivilian]

[OOC: Two for the price of one. Adrien is a cheerful exchange student who really sees this as an opportunity for time away from his normal life back home fitting of the Star Arcana.

[Buuut, if we wanna lean more on Persona 5-ish themes, the bright boy with so much to do and so little time is the Temperance Arcana.]

[Unless you still want Miraculous to play, then that makes him Star Arcana by day, Magician Arcana by suit, but Social Link only. His Persona is Bastet.]

Prince Cornelius | Odin Sphere

[titanianblade]

(A human by day and a rabbit by dungeon, Cornelius is of the Emperor Arcana. He just wants a happy life, but too often does he get caught in others' affairs. Willing to take up a blade for others, Cornelius' persona is Liu Bei.)

Mikasa Ackerman | Attack on Titan

[essucasa]

(Possibly the most aggressive Lovers Arcana representative around. A well-rounded girl who's at her best when working with others, despite a cold and distant demeanor. As such, her persona is Demeter.)

1! Let's just say Junpei gave her a nick name at school or something...

[blazeoflife]

"H-hey! Hoops-chan, what are you doing here?!"

Oh shit, oh shit, did she hear that weird voice that had gotten to Natsuki before? Normal humans being, well, human in the Dark Hour was never a good thing for them--!

"Are you okay?!"

His longsword resting on his shoulder, and his evoker at his side, Junpei scanned around the empty street. It seemed clear for a moment... but if Hoops-chan was like him when he first saw the Dark Hour, it might be bad, and he'd have to try and keep her safe and get her back to the dorm while she was crying--

...Then again, she was so stoned faced, he'd probably not be able to tell if she was feeling out of it...

SHE HATES THIS NICKNAME but I love it

[essucasa]

To her credit, there's some actual emotion on the girl's face right now! A restlessness brought her out so late at night, an inexplicable urge to get out of the dorm for a little while. So suddenly is Mikasa learning of the Dark Hour's existence, with most of the people who are out here in coffins. Except herself. It's strange enough that she can believe this is a dream.

Her look of confusion faces Junpei as he calls her out. This isn't the time to mention her distaste in his nickname for her, especially when she sees a sword in one hand and...a gun?

"Junpei?" She may be keeping herself calm, but he seems...ready. Expectant. "Do you know what all of this is?"

Oswald | Odin Sphere

[ashadowofhope]

[OOC: He hasn't had the most fortunate life. Representing the Tower Arcana, he's not the easiest to get along with, but he's worth having as a friend or ally. His Persona is Lü Bu.]

3/4

[titanianblade]

(While the two certainly had difficult lives of their own (comparing them was admittedly pointless), it didn't stop Cornelius from trying to get to know one of his few remaining family members. The recent discovery of that fact came as a shock, as he thought himself the only child had between his father and his uncle.

The Titania Corps heirs were basically the Mishima family but with hopeful kids.

Still, Cornelius remains determined, inviting Oswald to train with him after school. There's common ground to be found, he's certain, and being persona users in the same family offers plenty. There's still the matter of his form changing into an animal upon entering the other realm, a change that happens the instant they cross over. Cornelius himself doesn't seem bothered by this.)

Just as I thought; the atmosphere is the same as before. Perhaps our training will truly be without interruption.

[ashadowofhope]

[It was worth noting that Oswald was making an effort to go along with Cornelius and get to know him better. However, it was apparent enough that he was still... outside of his element. It just wasn't possible to go from being raised as a hitman back to being the heir of a corporation overnight... or after several weeks.]

[But he was better being around large groups of people and not being overwhelmed... and not resorting to threats.]

[So today was just another step going with his cousin to train. Fighting and training were fortunately two things they were both familiar with. It still weirds him out though that Cornelius turned into a rabbit upon entering the other realm, but he's better about staring.]

It would still be wise to keep our guard up. We don't want to waste our energy on healing or use up our rati-- supplies. [He almost said rations again.]

Azami Narukami | Persona 4 AU (genderswap protagonist)

[thegoddessizanagi]

[Speak with the Wild Card! Possibly get your ass dragged out of the fire! Create Social Links! Bring to life her dream of a harem!

Really, anything at all works!

Naturally, being a PC, she's Fool Arcana with multiple Persona (Personae?), but her main one is Izanagi.]

Madoka Kaname | Puella Magi Madoka Magica

[bornofhope]

(A Star Arcana representative. Her parents know she's a persona user and fully support her choice, even inviting her fellow persona users over. She summons the Cheshire Cat.)

4

[topgun_textiles]

[A knock on the door, and now he had to wait. Today was the day he was gonna teach a new member of the team the ins and outs of makin' a goddamn pie that'll blow the socks off of everybody who eats it. It'd be double the punch when Madoka serves it up, because let's face it, she's got that thousand-watt smile and he was a little envious of her for it when he creeped people with his attempts.

He opened the bag and checked everything: Apples, cinnamon, butter, shortening, flour... the staples would be here already, and he'd promised he'd pick up the special things that were needed for a killer crust and the perfect pie filling.]

[bornofhope]

(Dad likes to cook, so there's definitely enough spices and basic ingredients to get them started. He and Madoka made sure the kitchen was spotless and ready for baking, too! Kanji's a good guy and the family took a liking to him, even aside from being one of their daughter's "persona" friends, so when he offered to teach Madoka how to bake a pie? They were more than happy to lend them their kitchen.

That same thousand-watt smile greets him as the pink-haired girl opens the door, beaming brightly with anticipation.)

Hi, senpai! The kitchen's all clean and ready for baking!

Chesnaught | Pokemon X [PSS AU]

[juggernut]

[Because whether a dog, a bear, a cat, or a giant thorny glyptodont-rodent-knight-thing, every installment needs its adorable little mascot party member, doesn't it? Here's yours- quite adorable, not-so-little, and with his own Strength Arcana Persona, Siegfried.

...so surely someone wants to party up with him, right? He even brought his own armor!]

4

[bornofhope]

(The Kaname family is surprisingly accepting of everything their daughter tells them. It sounds ridiculous when you phrase it like that, but Madoka's an honest girl who had an honest upbringing. She wouldn't lie to her parents or debate matters unless it really meant something to her, so when she spoke to them about attaining a persona and battling shadows and finding others who do the same? They roll with it. Hell, they even invite Madoka's new friends over from time to time. The house is big enough to easily be used as a meeting area if they wanted. But when Madoka told them that one of her persona friends doesn't have a home and is also a big, friendly talking monster person?

Honestly, the only surprise was how quickly Tatsuya, Madoka's baby brother, took a liking to the big lug.

Chesnaught's been offered the guest room to sleep and have a private space all to himself, with a great view of the town from his window! The sun's settling in on this calm morning, shining down on the usual hustle and bustle of waking Mrs. Kaname (seriously, that's a task in and of itself). Once that's all settled, there's a gentle knock on Chesnaught's door, with Madoka still in her PJs.)

Good morning, Chesnaught! Dad wants to know how you feel about pancakes.