Yoshiko, Waruna, Kurane, Aiko, and Karen: the Aetheria girls all in pixelated form! In the form of Danganronpa pixel sprite style. Anybody is free to use these, I just wanted to give these girls some more of the spotlight.
You know, I wonder how Aiko would get along with Yuma had she been alive during the events of Rain Code. They’d definitely be friends at the minimum, but I can’t help but wonder if Yuma’s harem would have had one extra member~ 🤔
Given that Yakou's wife was researching medicine that could ironically help the revived homunculi who became zombified... I do have headcanons of Makoto/Amaterasu helping finish that research and reintroduce the "dead" homunculi back to society... XD
... And in those same headcanons, Yuma and the other detectives stay to help Yakou at the NDA while Kanai Ward is at that crossroads of getting better or not. :3 So it feels inevitable he'd meet Aiko at some point~...
Although at first, Yuma wouldn't get that close to Aiko. Not because he wasn't curious about her, but because he feels he's an outsider. Aiko is best friends with Kurumi, Yoshiko, Waruna, and Kurane. He shouldn't intrude on their happy reunion. For the first while, Yuma manages to leave them be and hang out with his girlfriends when they're free. He does kindly meet Aiko when everyone is eager to introduce Aiko to the detectives, but Yuma keeps a polite distance out of respect. (人◕ω◕)
Sure, his plan works out for a few months... But Kurane sees what Yuma's doing, and eventually talks Aiko into meeting with Yuma more one-on-one so that hubby can feel part of the family as it were. (人◕ω◕) It's awkward at first cuz Yuma's nervous about getting too chummy, and Aiko can see Yuma is much like Kurane in the way he carries himself. But Aiko knows how to navigate past Kurane's barriers, so bonding with Yuma goes pretty smoothly after the first little while of meet-and-greet.
For a while, everything's great. (人◕ω◕) Yoshiko, Waruna, and Kurumi are glad Kurane saw Yuma holding himself back on their account, and are patting her on the back for a job well done. They all get along as friends, and they continue to date Yuma without missing a beat.
... Not too surprisingly, however, there comes a time when Yuma and Aiko are... very chummy with each other. (人◕ω◕) This stirs up... insecurities within Yuma's girlfriends (well, Pucci was always on-guard because she's territorial like that; Fubuki doesn't seem to mind Aiko getting close with Yuma, but she's Fubuki). The Aetheria girls feel a bit... "lacking" when comparing themselves to Aiko. Aiko was always this ideal to them, loved by everyone and great at acting. To have her back is a miracle, but now she's back and quickly becoming best friends with their man...
It's vexing. (人◕ω◕) Even Yoshiko feels outplayed by Aiko, and wonders if Yuma would be better off just dating Aiko rather than all of them. No one wants to leave Yuma, but they certainly feel Aiko is best.
Yuma can tell the girls are bothered by something, but for the life of him can't figure it out. He still loves them, and wouldn't dream of breaking their hearts. (人◕ω◕) Aiko picks up on the problem, and sits them all down to talk it out. Aiko's not out to replace anyone, and she's willing to "back off" if it helps her friends cheer up. Of course none of them want to get in the way of Aiko's friendship with Yuma because it's coming along great, and they wanted it in the first place. (人◕ω◕) They agree to let Aiko date Yuma if their friendship ever matures enough to that point, though Aiko will have to put up with sharing like all of them do. Aiko's somewhat chagrined how chill they all are with dating the same guy... But there's a charm to it, too~... (人◕ω◕) Pucci's still grouchy about a new player coming to bat.
The real problem with Aiko coming back means Karen does, too... (人◕ω◕) And Aiko would want everyone to forgive Karen like she has, and to be friends with Karen because she needs them. If Karen ever got close to Yuma, that would be another story altogether... (人◕ω◕)
