Fanfic / Persona: One Last Promise

Persona: One Last Promise is a Persona fanfic by dangstaBOI, or Dangsta. It features OCs as well as characters from past games.

When his parents died in a car crash, Kazuhiko Sukima had been branded an outcast by just about everyone around him. Unable to bear the pressure any longer, his godparents send him to Yasoinaba to wait it out. Ten years later, he returns to his hometown of Nuzoko. There he will encounter a strange case in which people are committing suicide. What’s the cause of all this, and what does it have to do with this strange world within the mirror?

Because the story features characters from Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5, all spoilers for those games are UNMARKED. You Have Been Warned!

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Examples:

• Acceptable Breaks from Canon:
  • It's heavily implied in the game that Persona 5's events take place in 2016. Here, Dangsta has them take place in 2020, so the Phantom Thieves are around the same age as the SPT.
  • Except for Wild Cards, Persona users can only have one Persona. Daichi, on the other hand, has two, Hugin and Munin.
• A Day in the Limelight: Chapters 46 and 47 both focus on Nanako.
• Adaptation Origin Connection: In canon, there was nothing that indicated Chisato Dojima's death having anything to do with Personas, much less the Kirijo Group. Here, it turns out that she was killed by an artificial Persona user stationed in Inaba when his Persona went berserk. Because the Persona in question took the form of a car, the incident was covered up as a car accident.
• All Just a Dream: What the omakes for chapters 38 and 39 turn out to be. However, they’re the dreams of the REAL Kazumi Sukima rather than Kazuhiko.
• All There in the Manual: The questionnaires for each character can reveal information about them that isn't stated in the story itself. For example, Mikan is a fan of Danganronpa.
• Answer Cut:
  • Happens in chapter 10. Kazuhiko wonders if there's a way to get rid of Pyro Jack. Then it cuts to Igor saying that there isn't. But he can fuse him instead.
  • There’s another one in Chapter 44, which clarifies how Shirou was able to deal with the kids breaking into his cemetery.
  • In chapter 52, Kazuhiko briefly wonders where Sho is at the moment. The chapter then cuts to deeper into Niflheim, where Sho is with Labrys and Elizabeth.
• Anything but That!: Dangsta apparently did not have a good experience with Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and warns Nanako to not get involved with any alien cat.
• Arc Words: “Break the chains of despair”, which appears whenever Kazuhiko forms a new Social Link.
• Art Shift: Apparently, striking a pose from JoJo makes you look like you were drawn by Hirohiko Araki in the omake of Chapter 46.
• Ascended Extra: Downplayed. While Nanako is already a major character in Persona 4, she is likely to be a member of the SPT sometime in the future. She joins at the end of chapter 51, after she awakens to her true Persona Sigyn.
  • Also an Out-of-Universe example, as Dangsta originally wanted her to be The Cameo in chapter 2, playing no major role in the story. That changes when he asks the reviewers regarding the prospect of Nanako being a main character in chapter 22. They approved of the idea, and in chapter 24, it was confirmed that Nanako will move to Nuzoko.
• Ass Kicking Pose: The iconic poses from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in Chapter 46's omake. It's to the point where the SPT gets a bit of a power boost when they use them.
• Author Appeal: According to the author's note in chapter 13, Dangsta's favorite pairings are Yu/Yukiko, Chie/Yosuke, Minato/Fuuka, and Minato/Mitsuru. While who the girl Minato chose is up for debate, Yu is said to be with Yukiko and Chie with Yosuke in the story.
• Bait-and-Switch: It seems that while the Mitsuru the SPT talked to at the beginning of chapter 50 is the real Reflection, she ends up being taken much deeper into Niflheim and in her place is the fake Shadow Mitsuru who shot Kazuhiko. And the actual Reflection is so much deeper than it requires Sho, Labrys, and Elizabeth to rescue her because the SPT wouldn't make it in time.
• Beach Episode: Chapter 24, which is earlier than usual in Persona games.
• Beige Prose: The narration in the story is very little and doesn't offer a lot of description. One reviewer calls it "barebones".
• The Bet: In chapter 25, the boys make a bet to get the first kiss from a girl they like, with the penalty being to walk into the girls' hot springs area while they’re in there or die trying. All of them fail miserably, and while Kazuhiko did get a kiss from Nanako, it was way before the bet was made, and thus didn’t count.
• Big Bad Ensemble: The Harbingers of Death, a group consisting of about 8 Persona users, not unlike our heroes.
• Bland-Name Product: Pepsi is called Pepshu in this fic, as shown in chapter 37. Doubles as a Take That! to Pepsi itself.
• Blatant Lies: In chapter 5, Kazuhiko asks whether Igor pulling him into the Velvet Room is going to be a regular thing. Igor assures him that this will be the last time, but anyone who has played the games will know he's lying.
• Breaking the Bonds: The SPT’s method of calling their Personas evokes this, as they are quite literally breaking the chains that bind them.
• Brick Joke:
  • The whole stealing Daichi's wallet in the omake of chapter 14. It was mentioned in Daichi's interview, and he finally gets his revenge in the omake of chapter 21.
  • In chapter 2, Nanako smacked Kazuhiko with a hard book. In chapter 31, he does the same to Johei.
  • In Persona 4, the Investigation Team got Drunk on Milk from the juices in Escapade. On the Omake of chapter 48, they drunk the real alcohols, and of course, Rise is drunk.
• Butt-Monkey: Aside from Johei and Loki, Dangsta himself can be one in the omakes.
• Call-Back:
  • In chapter 2, everyone uses Yosuke's credit card to pay for Kazuhiko's farewell party without his permission, just like when Chie and Yukiko paid for Teddie's clothes in Persona 4.
  • Nanako slapped Yu in the butt in the same way she slapped her dad back when Yu came to Inaba. The difference is that now she's tall enough to slap the butt instead of the leg.
  • Nanako falls off the edge of the platform when saying her last-minute goodbye to Kazuhiko as he's leaving Inaba, just like Teddie did when Yu left Inaba. Even Yu feels like it's happened before.
  • Futaba references the time when Ryuji and the others tried hitting on some girls at the beach, which ended with them being ambushed by those guys from Shinjuku.
  • Nanako references the King's Game that the IT played when she mentions soda can make someone feel drunk.
  • In chapter 48, Nanako didn’t like the idea of Yu comparing her new life afterschool at Nuzoko compared to Inaba. Because it sounds like Yosuke when Yu first met him.
  • Elizabeth decides to go to Wild Duck Burger to use a limited-time coupon there in chapter 52. It seems to be doing well in spite of competition from Big Bang Burger.
  • The SPT encounter a fake version of Mitsuru's Shadow, much like the one seen in Ultimax.
• Calling Card: Played With. It turns out that the function of the Suicide Order is to manifest a Reflection. The matter of life or death depends on the person themself... or if an outside force killed the Reflection
• The Cameo:
  • The Sleeping Table makes an appearance in the omake of chapter 17, with Hugin and Munin refusing to attack it.
  • Yuuta Minami appears during the Tokyo field trip during Golden Week.
• Canon Character All Along:
  • The waiter at the cafe turns out to be Ken Amada.
  • Later on, the woman in the second photo is revealed to be Minako Arisato
• Caught on Tape: It turns out that Nanako has been recording the Personas' discussion, which Ken listens to in chapter 37.
• Cathartic Exhalation: The SPT does this after their encounter with the Reaper in chapter 38.
• Censored for Comedy: The omake for chapter 37 pokes fun of the lack of the word "Fuck" in Persona games. This is shown with Johei by saying the word, with it being censored. Dangsta tries to get Ryuji to say one, which ends with Ryuji having to be taken back to Atlus Headquarters by security for a glitch check.
• Central Theme: Breaking out of despair.
• Character Development: During the ten years since Persona 4, Dojima became more willing to let go of Chisato’s death when before he was obsessed with finding the killer. He comes home around dinner more often, as well as attend parent-teacher conferences and even spends Golden Week with Nanako. When Nanako asks him if there was a possibility that Chisato’s death was a part of a larger conspiracy and that he was lied to, Dojima immediately apologizes after snapping and says that he still wouldn’t risk anything he has now.
• Chekhov's Gunman: The waiter who keeps appearing recurrently whenever the SPT hangs out at the Café. Chapter 32 reveals that he's Ken Amada, and it is implied that he was sent by the Shadow Operatives to keep an eye on the SPT.
  • In chapter 39, there was a teacher marked by the Harbingers in the photo they gave to the SPT. The very chapter reveals that this teacher was none other than Minako Arisato, then a college intern.
• Class Trip: The top ten students of each year in Nuzoko can visit Tokyo during Golden Week^note chapters 23-25. Yasogami High School has something similar.
• Classified Information: A lot of the documents kept in the Kirijo Research Center is off limits to a trainee like Nanako. Yu grants the SPT clearance to view them thanks to his rank in the Shadow Ops, but even then there are parts of the documents that'd have been cut off.
• Closet Shuffle: The SPT hide behind numerous objects in the Ikebukoro Residence to hide from Yuriko's parents. Unlike most examples of this trope, they succeed in getting away by using their Personas.
• Continuity Nod:
  • Kazuhiko's lived for ten years in Inaba before he returns to Nuzoko. He even managed to befriend the whole Investigation Team and Nanako in particular.
  • Teddie is in charge of Junes after Yosuke left for Hokkaido, and Chie becomes a police officer.
  • A Kanji-made pink alligator from a certain story makes an appearance as a gift for Kazuhiko.
  • Kazuhiko remembers that Yu and Yosuke got in trouble for brandishing weapons in public when he and Johei are out buying one for themselves.
  • Starting from chapter 22, Alexandria begins giving requests to Kazuhiko, in a way similar to Elizabeth. It's revealed that the reason she does this is that she wants to find out why Elizabeth left permanently.
  • Kazuhiko and Tyr are reading Magical Witch Detective in chapter 22, with Kazuhiko wondering how did Yu finish it.
  • The whole school trip in Golden Week. The SPT goes to Tokyo, visiting Shibuya, Shujin Academy, Leblanc Café, and the Miura beach. They sleep at the Wilton Hotel. They also meet the Phantom Thieves along with Kawakami, Mishima, and Sojiro. Futaba is also a second year. Yasogami High is also having a similar trip.
  • Futaba's nickname for Yusuke, Inari, is known throughout the art world.
  • As always, Mitsuru’s “executions” are feared by just about everyone who knows of it, including Nanako.
  • The Animal Crackers are shown in chapter 41, but instead of someone looking for the penguin cracker, this time the crows are wondering if it's dangerous for Daichi to eat.
• Contrived Coincidence: What're the odds that the file that reveals the truth of Chisato's death just so happens to be by the doorway? Likely subverted in that the Harbingers could've placed it there.
• Conveniently Timed Distraction: Daichi’s Big Damn Heroes moment in chapter 38 gives Kazuhiko enough time to disarm Jujunna and have Iselin use the Harbinger’s knife.
• Crazy-Prepared: Turns out Mitsuru has set up multiple bases for the Shadow Operatives within the Kirijo Group's branches across Japan.
• Creepy Good: When Black Frost appears in chapter 51, Johei notes that it's "freakin' creepy".
• Cutaway Gag: In Yuriko’s interview omake, Dangsta assures her that their interview is in limbo, and thus no one can hear them. The next shot shows Rise and Futaba and their respective Personas listening in on the conversation.
• Cutting Off the Branches: In the author's note for chapter 51, Dangsta states that the original version of Persona 5 is canon to OLP. This means that the events of the third semester never happened, as well as presumably the death of Kasumi Yoshizawa.
• Dead Guy Junior: Discussed/Defied. When Iselin wonders what name did the Colburnes give to their name child, Kazuhiko bets it’s Rika or Iselin if it’s a girl. It is unknown whether the emphasis on her response means that she agrees or it’s sarcasm.
  • At the end of Nanako's interview, Sigyn reveals that one of the names Nanako was considering for her future children was Chisato.
• Death by Despair: Kokatsuna reveals that the deadline of one’s suicide(including their reflection) in the Mirror Dimension is determined by how much they succumbed into despair. The closer they are to despair, the closer they are to death. It explains why Yoichi’s deadline had changed so quickly, and why Yuriko's took so long.
• Despair Gambit: The Harbingers perform one whenever they find a potential member of the SPT.
• Divine Intervention: It turns out that Elizabeth is attempting to help Kazuhiko, first by having Sho keep an eye on Yuriko’s rescue operation.
• Don't Call Me "Sir": Dojima tells Kazuhiko not to call him “Officer” when he’s not on duty.
• Double Standard: Abuse, Female on Male: This happens quite often, especially from Mikan and Skadi.
• Dramatic Irony:
  • The SPT seems to already be familiar with Ken, to the point that they know his name, but they aren’t aware of his true role.
  • Daichi said that Kazuhiko might discover what Nanako’s hiding in her involvement with the Shadow Business, but the readers already know that he’s more oblivious than Daichi thinks. Eventually, Kazuhiko got suspicious that Nanako is involved in Chapter 48, and it's revealed to him in Chapter 49.
• Drawing Straws: This is how everyone solves the study partner problem in chapter 33.
• The Dreaded:
  • The Reaper. One encounter alone certainly made the SPT know that.
  • Apparently, the female Personas of the Investigation Team, as Izanagi advises Loki to not flirt with them, and that he's better off with the SPT's, which should really say something.
• Drinking Contest: Kanji challenged Chie for one in the omake of chapter 48. Everyone, even Kazuhiko is betting on it.
• Driven to Suicide: The fate of anyone who has their Reflection destroyed.
  • Chapter 37 reveals that Hikari Amano also hung herself after seeing how Soratsu was corrupted by involving himself with the yakuza.
• Early-Installment Weirdness:
  • When the fic began, it was set in August of 2021, probably because Dangsta thought Japan followed the American school year format. Later chapters change it to April, keeping in line with the Japanese school year.
  • The first half of chapter 1 was told in first-person, before switching to third-person.
• Elemental Powers: So far the element distributions are Kazuhiko with lightning, Johei with wind, Mikan with ice, Daichi with light and dark, and Iselin with fire.
• Eldritch Location: The Mirror Dimension is this, as per the usual.
• Erotic Dream: The second omake of chapter 52 involves some of the SPT's dreams, which to some degree involve romance and/or sex.
  • Johei's has him praised as the most handsome student in school, beating Kazuhiko despite the latter having the wild card ability, and getting a kiss from Mikan.
  • Iselin gets carried by Daichi in her dream, who then goes to kiss her before the alarm wakes her up.
  • In her dream, Yuriko confesses to Kazuhiko, and they quickly move to have sex...only for it reveal that Yuriko apparently has a penis. This is because she fell asleep after reading a futanari doujin.
  • Nanako's dream has her almost kissing Yuriko, even after she protests that she's straight. Upon waking up, she decides to keep it to herself.
• Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The Stealthanol.
• Extranormal Institute: It appears that SEES has been made into one, acting as a training program for future members of the Shadow Operatives.
• Failed a Spot Check: While the SPT are checking the files regarding SEES, none of them seem to notice that Ken was also a member despite meeting him a couple of times. It could be attributed to the fact that he was a kid back then, but it's still noticeable when they easily recognize Minako.
• First-Person Perspective: The first chapter is done in first-person before it switched into the third-person. First-person finally returns in chapter 46 with half of its content is done from Nanako’s perspective.
• Five-Second Foreshadowing: In chapter 52, the SPT are unable to detect their latest target's Reflection and the gate blocking them was able to open without them understanding the source of her turmoil. Just on the other side is not Mitsuru's Reflection, but rather a Shadow made in her image.
• The Food Poisoning Incident: While Iselin is a good cook, she bakes a pecan pie without knowing that Daichi is allergic to pecans, which leads to him getting food poisoning.
• Fourth-Wall Mail Slot: When a new party member joins the SPT, Dangsta asks the reviewers to submit questions to the characters.
• Freak Out: This is a common reaction for those who meet their Personas for the first time. So far, Yoichi and Yuriko don't follow this 'trend'.
• "Freaky Friday" Flip: The omakes for chapters 28-31, and chapter 33 is this. Johei and Loki switch places with Mikan and Skadi, Daichi, Hugin, and Munin switch places with Iselin and Hildr, even Igor and Alexandria. Kazuhiko and Tyr jumped over bodies with each other, Naoto(along with Sukuna-Hikona/Yamato-Takeru), and Minato during the July Operation where he was slapped by Yukari.
• Gambit Roulette: The SPT does this in chapter 37, intentionally ordering Soratsu’s suicide to talk to him in Niflheim. Of course, they have to do this quickly before he dies. Thankfully, they succeed in convincing his Reflection, but not before having to fight him.
• Genre Throwback: Unlike in Persona 5, there are no shadow negotiations, and the team fights the Shadows from Persona 3.
• Heads or Tails?: Kazuhiko's solution to solve the debate between Arcade and Karaoke in chapter 12. Karaoke wins.
• Heel Realization: Much like in Persona 5, those whose Reflections were convinced by the SPT are trying to atone for their actions, such as Soratsu and the Colburnes.
• Hero of Another Story: Sho,Labrys, and Elizabeth are tasked with a rescue mission in Niflheim by Mitsuru. Sho says that the SPT should be the ones to handle it, but Labrys tells him that they won't be able to make it in time. Since the SPT fight a fake Shadow Mitsuru at the end of the chapter, it's possible that they were tasked with facing the actual Reflection of Mitsuru.
• Heroic BSoD: Chapter 17 is this. The entire team(along with Iselin who hasn't joined them yet) is wallowing in despair as a result of Rika's death. They quickly recover.
• History Repeats: Like in Persona 4, Dojima is once again looking into a case involving the supernatural, and his daughter has become involved. The difference is that now Nanako is more directly than simply being a Victimized Bystander.
• Hope Spot: In chapter 50, it seems as though Kazuhiko can free Nanako from her chains of despair without much issue. Then he get shot down, and it all goes to hell..
• Hot Springs Episode: Has one. Though this story has it happen much earlier than in the games.
• Imagine Spot: The omake of chapter 36 is an homage to E3 2018, with Johei imagining that the SPT will be in a game… while they are having a meeting.
• Innocent Innuendo: In the Omake of chapter 43, the SPT reacted to the cosplay of them as if it’s R-18 Fanarts of them, and it turns out that it's intentional to juke the readers into thinking that it’s you-know-what
• In Spite of a Nail: Despite Nanako having a Persona by that point in time (at least partially), she apparently disappeared along with the rest of Inaba in the P-1 Climax. Dangsta says that this is because Sho was specifically targeting Yu and Mitsuru's group and so Sho skipped Nanako.
• Invisible to Normals: Along with Personas, the 'Chains of Despair' can only be seen by those possessing a Persona.
  • Chapter 37 reveals that Personas can't be heard by normal people either. However, their voices can be recorded, as demonstrated by Ken.
• Ironic Echo: In chapter 41, then Yuriko stormed off, Iselin asked: “What’s up with her?” A little bit later, Daichi asks the same question when Iselin also stormed off out of frustration due to his obliviousness.
• It's Personal: This is the main reason why Kazuhiko ends up refusing Minako’s offer. It’s very similar to both the Investigation Team and the Phantom Thieves, as Minako herself notes.
• Kimodameshi: The SPT(along with Nanako) does this in Chapter 24, using the Personas as ghosts.
• Lap Pillow: In the omake of chapter 48, Yukiko sits on Yuu’s lap while the latter have a constant -_- on his face. Naoto rests her head on the lap of the Nosebleeding Kanji. And Nanako also becomes a Lap Pillow to Kazuhiko, complete with some dose of “Ara Ara” Syndrome.
• Laser-Guided Karma: In the omake of chapter 14, Dangsta steals Daichi's wallet, leading the latter to blame the Phantom Thieves. In the omake of chapter 21, Daichi kidnapped Akira and the rest of the Phantom Thieves, and Dangsta gets arrested by the Atlus Police because of the theft.
• Leaning on the Fourth Wall: The story tends to do this a lot, especially in the omakes.
• Lightning Reveal: Inverted. Coupled with Dramatic Thunder, when Dojima slammed the table in response to Nanako’s question if Chisato’s death is covered up, his expression is obscured by the lightning.
• Like Brother and Sister: Kazuhiko and Johei have this type of relationship with Minako.
• Locked Out of the Loop: While Daichi and Iselin know about Nanako having Toyotama and her training, they are indeed known nothing about what happened to her since the infamous chapter 47.
• Long-Distance Relationship: Defied. If Kazuhiko had stayed in Inaba, then he and Nanako may have confessed their love for each other. Instead, they decide to renounce their attraction for the time being. Keep in mind that this was before it was revealed that Nanako moved to Nuzoko
• MacGuffin: The envelopes the Harbingers leave behind, as they contain hints related to Nuzoko Elementary and what happened ten years ago.
• Maurice Chevalier Accent: The jeweler in chapter 46 initially speaks this way to denote a thick French accent. Dangsta later drops it, saying it was too hard for him to write.
• Mental World: Kazuhiko visits Nanako’s heart because he got dragged into her Shadow Self. Because of that, he was able to understand what Nanako has gone through.
• Mexican Standoff: Happens between Nanako, Daichi, and Iselin in chapter 43.
• A Minor Kidroduction: The first chapter takes place when Kazuhiko is a little kid, about ten years before the story kicks off.
• Mirror World: The Mirror Dimension.
• Moment Killer: In chapter 2, Kazuhiko tells Nanako that for a girl, she's got huge balls. She reacts by smacking him with a hard-cover copy of War and Peace. Kazuhiko repents by kissing Nanako for five seconds.....until Teddie ruins it again by asking when their wedding is.
• Morality Chain Beyond the Grave: Many deaths of a character's closest person leads to this. So far, this includes Johei, Mikan, Iselin, Yoichi, Yuriko, Soratsu, and Nanako.
• Mr. Exposition: After Daichi becomes a Persona user, the Harbingers of Death have played this role. It’s usually the main antagonist of the arc.
• Mundane Made Awesome:
  • Kazuhiko avoiding one of Mr. Ozuma's chalk throws, complete with a super cool anime battle perspective.
  • The omake of chapter 27. Acting out Shakespeare in an airsoft war.
• murder.com: The Harbingers of Death have this, though they sometimes pick targets by themselves.
• Mythology Gag:
  • Kazuhiko's first visit to the Velvet Room is just like Yu's, where he falls asleep during his train ride to this story's setting.
  • In chapter 3, Kazuhiko and Mikan get mistaken for dating on his first day because he walked up to the school with her, just like Minato and Yukari.
  • In chapter 15, Kazuhiko, Johei, and Daichi try to pick up girls and fail miserably, which Johei calls Operation Chick Farmer, which the others found rather disturbing. This is the fic's version of Operation Babe Hunt.
  • Akira mentions that he has a sudden urge to start a dance crew. This alludes to the rhythm game Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight.
  • Mikan “executes” the boys for peeping on them with a Mabufula. No points for guessing this one.
  • In chapter 26, Johei suggests the name 'Investigation Team' for their group, but Kazuhiko and Tyr refuse because they felt that it was already used.
  • Nanako at one point mentions the memetic tendencies of a certain Phantom Thief.
  • At one point, Yuriko thinks that Kazuhiko is a manwhore after he says he has relationships with multiple girls at once. This references a scene in Persona 4: The Animation where Nanako asks if Yu is one himself, thanks to an encounter with Margaret.
  • Johei eats the infamous Meat Gum in chapter 43, and he immediately regrets it.
  • In the omake of chapter 43, Johei lampshade a fanart of Nanako’s P4 self.
  • The omake of chapter 45 pokes fun at the costumes in the Persona series, having the SPT dress up in costumes based on Crusade Heroes^note Based on the medieval costumes from My Hero Academia, Underwatch^note With Mikan being Widowmaker, Yoichi as Soldier 76, Yuriko as D.Va, and Johei as Junkrat, and a loincloth.
  • The omake of chapter 51 touches upon the "Door-kun" and "Chair-kun" memes, with Minato and Akira speaking to Kazuhiko through any door and chair he encounters, though Kazuhiko himself didn't hear them.
• Named by the Adaptation: The protagonists of Persona 3, 4, and 5 are named Minato Arisato(including his female counterpart, Minako), Yu Narukami, and Akira Kurusu respectively.
• New Year Has Come: The Omake of chapter 48 explains a New Year Eve that leads to the implementation of the Household Rule of the Dojimas.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
  • Discussed. Daichi wonders if the SPT saving potential victims are actually part of the Harbingers’ plan.
  • Had Mitsuru told Nanako the truth about Chisato's death when she joined the Shadow Operatives, she likely would not have lashed out as she did.
• No-Sell: The SPT even lampshades how nothing they do works against the Reaper, or at least in their first encounter.
  • The car Shadow that attacks Nanako in chapter 46.
• Noodle Incident: Averted. In chapter 48, it was mentioned that something happened on New Year's Eve that made Dojima limit drinking to only on Saturdays. Said incident is the subject of the chapter's omake.
• Not-So-Fake Prop Weapon: In the omake of chapter 18, Kazuhiko dies shooting himself because he thought the pistol Minato gave him was an Evoker. Minako tries to stop him, but it was too late.
• Not-So-Imaginary Friend: Mikan uses the 'imaginary friend' alibi against Shirou in chapter 22. Well, Personas exist but a normal person can't see them. Loki lampshades this by saying she's not that far off.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: When Nanako arrived at Nuzoko, the Ship Tease between her and Kazuhiko became increasingly blatant, to the point where everyone teased them about it. But in chapter 50, Tyr explicitly turns down an opportunity to tease Kaz when he goes to save Nanako, which drives home how dire it has become.
• Official Couple: Among the P4 cast, Yosuke and Chie are confirmed to be dating, as well as Yu and Yukiko. For the Phantom Thieves, there's Akira and Makoto and Yusuke and Futaba.
• Oh, Crap!:
  • The SPT has this reaction when Yuriko’s parents arrive home in chapter 36.
  • Daichi and Iselin also have one in chapter 44, when they hear rattling chains, signifying the Reaper’s approach.
• Old School Building: There is an old, abandoned second-years building in Kyuto, which served as Sejimura and Yumo's secret spot during their school days.
• Ominous Fog: Nanako’s dream in chapter 45 is set in a world full of fog, much like the TV World.
• One-Winged Angel: The transformed forms of the characters and Reflections as a result of fusing with other Shadows, much like in canon.
• Paintball Episode: The omake of chapter 27.
• Panty Thief:
  • In the omake of chapter 19, Loki tried to make Kazuhiko, Johei, Tyr, Hugin, and Munin perform a panty raid as homework for his lecture. However, Mikan, Iselin, Skadi, and Hildr managed to bust them before they could do anything.
  • Happens again in chapter 34. Naturally, the girls suspect Johei of being the culprit. It's the work of a girl named Yuriko Ikebukoro.
• Person as Verb: In chapter 33, Johei tells Iselin to make her move on Daichi before he either hooks up with another girl or get John Lennon'd.
• Poker: The SPT played Poker in the Omake of Chapter 49, along with Dungeons and Dragons, and Monopoly.
• Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: The SPT, which is more or less a tradition in the Persona series.
• Recurring Boss: Once again as a ‘tradition’ in the Persona series, the Reaper has made its appearance (starting from) in chapter 38.
• Red Herring:
  • In the Daichi's stolen wallet incident, Daichi blames the Phantom Thieves. However, it turns out that the real culprit is Dangsta himself.
  • In the panty thief incident in chapter 34, the girls suspect Johei and/or Loki. The real culprit was Yuriko.
• The Reveal:
  • In chapter 38, Kokatsuna reveals that the Suicide Order’s sole function is to manifest one’s Reflection and that whatever happens next depends on how much its real-world self has succumbed to despair...and if there’s an action from an outside force taken at it.
  • Chapter 47 reveals that Chisato Dojima was killed by an artificial Persona user when his Persona went berserk, which was covered up as a car accident. The user died about a week later, which explains why Dojima wasn't able to get any leads on the killer.
• Rule 34: Parodied in Nanako's interview. While she insists that her dating Yuriko is a joke, Dangsta notes that there is (non-existent) fanart of them together, including a popular doujin.
• Schmuck Bait: In chapter 46, Despite Toyotama’s warning, Nanako is baited into watching and then peeling a Shadow that eats a figure that is most likely a Reflection to be examined in a lab later. Then, that particular Shadow turned into a car, creating a similar situation to Chisato’s death.
• Script Fic: The omake are frequently written like a script. The number of ones that don't can probably be counted on one hand.
• Sentient Vehicle: A Shadow in Chapter 46 takes form as a car, creating a similar situation to the car crash that killed Chisato. It turns out that the Car Shadow is likely to be an embodiment of Vimana, a car-shaped Persona that killed Chisato.
• Sequel Hook: The omake of chapter 42 sort of is one for the fic, teasing a possible sequel where the SPT team up with the Shadow Operatives, the Investigation Team, and the Phantom Thieves to free Minato from the Great Seal. Unusual for the trope, the story was not finished when the omake was written.
• Shadow Archetype: The A/N of chapter 43 reveals Dangsta’s other self, called Hokano Dangsta. His name derived from Hoka no Dangsta, meaning The Other Dangsta.
• Shout-Out: So much the fic has its own page.
• Ship Tease: Dangsta does not shy away from certain couples from being teased, such as Kazuhiko/Nanako, and Iselin/Daichi.
• Sir Swears-a-Lot: The seagulls from chapter 24 swear a lot. Iselin thinks that it's because they spend a lot of time around sailors.
• Speech Bubbles: Parodied in the omake of chapter 39, where a bunch of them stab a rather timid boy as he’s being rejected by Kazuhiko/Kazumi. Doubles as a Visual Pun of “her” words hurting him.
• Spirit Advisor: Unlike in canon, Personas are portrayed as being capable of speech here.
• Spiritual Successor: With Personas being capable of speech, and the mostly comedic tone, One Last Promise seems to be one to Kisdota's Split Personalities. Not to mention, it's snow that Nanako first interact with Toyotama not long after her kidnapping, probably around the same time as Izanagi and Amaterasu's visit in Split Personalities.
• Stock Room: As seen in chapter 43, it is revealed that the SPT uses the Safe Rooms to stock up their Mirror Dimension supplies and items.
• Tempting Fate: At the start of Nanako's interview, Dangsta stresses that the production must be absolutely perfect. Cue Nanako crashing through the ceiling.
• The Tease: Clotho is this to Masamune, teasing him about cutting his life string.
• They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!: Kazuhiko seems to always call Kanji “Mr. Tatsumi”, something Kanji says he doesn't need to.
  • Later, it’s shown that the SPT does the same for Ken Amada.
• Think of the Children!: Dangsta tells this to Yuriko in chapter 41’s omake, after she tells Nanako that she touched herself just thinking about her in the “bloopers”.
• This Is Gonna Suck: The SPT's overall reaction to Johei getting hit with Marin Karin by the fake Shadow Mitsuru.
• Trauma Button: As chapter 44 shows, the rattling chains of the Reaper have become this for the SPT. Not without reason, of course.
• Unexpectedly Abandoned: Chapter 33 reveals that Nuzoko Elementary has been abandoned for ten years.
• Unprovoked Pervert Payback: Whenever Loki is doing something perverted to someone who can't see him(also Yuriko in chapter 34), Johei(or Loki if he's not the culprit) will always be the one to blame.
• Villains Act, Heroes React: This how the arcs have gone so far. This is justified in that the SPT doesn’t know what the Harbingers are going to do, and so they can’t do anything. Daichi, in particular, isn’t pleased with this.
• Where the Hell Is Springfield?: It's never stated where Nuzoko is located. Kazuhiko takes a train from Inaba to get there at the start of the story, yet when he goes to Tokyo during Golden Week, he has to take a plane, despite Inaba being based on Fuefuki in the Yamanashi Prefecture, which is about 116 km from Shibuya, Tokyo.
• Wham Episode:
  • Chapter 47. The reviewers even note its nature as one. It turns out that Nanako's mother was killed by an artificial Persona user named Takumi Fujinomiya, who was stationed in Inaba at the time. Due to his Persona taking the form of a car, the cause of her death was written off as a car accident. This revelation explains why Dojima was never able to find the killer even after many years of potential leads. Naturally, Nanako is super pissed at the Shadow Operatives and decides to take her anger out on some Shadows. It's heavily implied that this has caused Toyotama to revert into a Reflection, thereby setting Nanako up as the next potential victim.
• Wham Line:
  • At the end of Chapter 24:
  Nanako: Yeah… Kazuhiko's here too… don't worry, I'll be fine… Do they have what?… Oh, yes. Definitely, they do have Personas… Don't worry, Naoto-senpai, I'll get to the bottom of this.
  • Chapter 38 has another one from Nanako.
    Nanako: Alright Toyotama. Still, though, why can’t I see you?
  • And yet another one in the omake of chapter 39, which creates a bit of a Mind Screw.
    Kazumi(?): I’m just the same old Kazumi Sukima I’ve always been.
  • At the end of chapter 41, Minako asks Kazuhiko and Johei something that completely changes the topic of their conversation:
    Minako: *showing the Mirror App QR Code* Do you know anything about this?
• Wham Shot:
  • Chapter 33 ends with the SPT gasping at the remains of Nuzoko Elementary School.
  • Chapter 48 ends with Mitsuru's image on the Harbingers' site, with her now under the Suicide Order.
• What Could Possibly Go Wrong?: Nanako tells Yukiko she's not sure if the party would go alright. And the results are… utter chaos, only Kazuhiko is not drunk from this. Even Nanako herself is not safe from this.
• Willfully Weak: Implied. She is holding back her skills with the gun when she’s with Daichi and Iselin, and she doesn’t want to be around the others when she goes full force.
• Wild Goose Chase: An unintentional example. Dojima's hunt for his wife's killer has turned out to be one, as her killer died a week after his Persona went berserk. The Kirijo Group intended to cover it up as a hit-and-run and leave it at that. However, they didn't expect Dojima to look into it.
• Wistful Amnesia:
  • It seems that no one remembers what happened during Kazuhiko's last month in Nuzoko. Not even Kazuhiko himself. As of this writing, the reason behind this remains unknown.
  • Tyr also appears to have this regarding a frail, black-haired child, whom he obeyed as though he was his master. It's heavily implied that the child is Kazuhiko.
• Writer on Board: Dangsta dislikes the dancing games in the series, and a couple of omakes have had the characters, both canon and original, treat the games as some sort of Fate Worse than Death.
• Written Sound Effect: Utilized every so often.
• Writing Around Trademarks: Averted for the most part. The story mentions real-life franchises such as JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
• Yaoi Fangirl: According to Iselin, boys-love is such a big fantasy of a lot of the girls in her dorm, it influences her to become one in some way.
• You Can't Thwart Stage One: No matter what happens, you can't prevent the fusion of someone or their Reflection in despair and the Shadows surrounding them, triggering the transformation to their One-Winged Angel state.
• Youkai: Strangely, a Gashadokuro appears in chapter 29, within the Norse-themed Niflheim.