Fandom: Persona 5 (Royal)
Characters: Goro Akechi, Futaba Sakura, Haru Okumura
Pairings: Goro Akechi & Futaba Sakura, Goro Akechi & Haru Okumura
Words: 23k+, ongoing
Summary:
Just as the flap of a butterfly’s wings can influence the direction of a tornado, a small white lie can overturn a false god’s predetermined fate.
Following Wakaba Isshiki’s mental collapse, Goro Akechi neglects to mention her child’s identity to Shido, knowing all too well what Shido does to ‘loose ends’. He just doesn’t expect that loose end to be a new beginning for him; one that opens a path to family, friendship, and—dare he say it—happiness.
. . . He just has to get past Masayoshi Shido, with Futaba Sakura and Haru Okumura as his unlikely allies.
Read on AO3
My piece for the @gorobigbang2020 and partner to @isntfateartistic‘s lovely art! This event’s been so much fun and it was so nice to participate!
The fic is currently ongoing, and will likely update every Friday/Saturday, so stay tuned~
Wakaba Isshiki. Research laboratory. Forest Kingdom.
Beginning navigation.
Goro Akechi takes a deep breath as he stabilises himself on the grassy floor, the soil crumbling away under his polished shoes. Straightening himself, he dusts off the crumbs of dirt that flecked onto his pants, a stark contrast from the unblemished white.
“He’s here!” a Shadow titters excitedly, its faerie wings quivering in excitement. “The Conquestor has returned!” She zips around him, boosting him with a spell for luck. “Best of luck with your journey, Conquestor!”
Nearby Shadows and other woodland inhabitants—bunnies, squirrels, birds, deer, and the like—look up from what they’re doing to offer Goro polite waves or greeting glances.
Isshiki had told him that these beings were manifestations of cognition, formed by distorted desires that had often gone out of control, but no matter how many times Goro comes to her own cognitive world, he never finds himself unwelcome by its inhabitants. It’s probably because I’m helping Isshiki-san with her research, and if the world manifests from a desire for it, it makes my existence here absolutely essential, he thinks, pleased.
He can sense a quiet rumble from Loki—a newfound companion alongside Robin Hood; one that Isshiki had roused from deeper within Goro—but he tamps it down. The Shadows here seem far fonder of Goro with Robin Hood, despite Isshiki’s adamance in her preference for Loki. Idly, Goro wonders if she’s lying about it, but he brushes it aside.
After all, today, he isn’t here for reconnaissance. Today, he has a mission.
He sets his shoulders and takes a step towards what Robin tells him is one of the deeper parts of Isshiki's cognitive world, unhindered by the woodland creatures—he suspects those are likely other people who work at the lab—and the faerie-like Shadows that wave cheerfully in his direction. From the corner of his eye, he can see a bright-eyed young girl chasing after him, and his breath hitches. He knows who it is albeit only through what Isshiki has told him herself: Futaba, Isshiki's daughter and, in her own words, “the light of her life.”
And in this realm, the Faerie Princess, who doesn't leave the Shadow Isshiki's mansion.
“Heyyyyyyy! Gorooooooo!” she calls, waving her arms at him.
She's the only person in this realm who doesn't call him Conquestor. Goro figures that it's probably because she's mostly unrelated to Isshiki's research, but there's something about being addressed so casually for the first time in so long that sends a shiver down his spine.
He has to remind himself that this Futaba Isshiki is not a real person, and what she says has no effect on the one in reality.
“Futaba-chan,” he smiles politely. It's not quite the smile he reserves for Shido, and not quite the smile for Isshiki either. But it also isn't the smile he used to save for his mother.
“Whatcha doing?” she asks eagerly, her white dress billowing behind her as she runs to catch up to him. “It's been a while since you've been here. Why don't you play with me anymore?” she sulks.
Goro doesn't have the heart to tell her that his intention had never really been to keep her company, real or not.
“Mom's never even home anymore so I'm all alone. It's so totally unfair! She won't even take us for a holiday!” Futaba whines, before latching onto Goro's waist. “Can't you tell her? Pleeeeease?”
She isn't the real one, Goro reminds herself, patting Futaba lightly on the head. “I don't really see why she'd listen to me, but . . . I'll see what I can do, okay?”
“Yay! You're the cooliest Julius!”
“The . . . what?”
Futaba doesn't offer an explanation, instead turning on her heels and running back in the direction of the mansion, leaving Goro to shake his head.
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