That said, I still hope Kasumi gets the magical girl transformation. Lots of people refuse to pay attention to the history of the Japanese magical girl genre and in particular how it's practically both built on and a response to real-life female trauma.

Like. That's valid and all, but first off Kasumi ain't getting shit--

Also that doesn't serve the story I'm telling.

The magical-girl sequence is a red flag that something is weird about Sumi's awakening, and the entire point is to avoid that weirdness. Hell, she's not even gonna get Cendrillon.

I wrote a good chunk of the Palace sequence last night. It is sure a thing.

Yeah like I get being disappointed, but with stories that takes canon in a different direction, sometimes things turn out differently.

Personally I find Sumi getting a different persona a neat idea, even if I like Cendrillon.

(She will also have the opportunity to have Vanadis for more than about a day!(

(Ella is worse as you only get access to that persona for the final boss and only if you max out her confidant.)

Magical Girl Persona would be cool as its own thing, honestly.

Probably not gonna happen unless Atlus moves past 'it's ~unrealistic for a girl to do these protag-shaped things!' though.

Yeah it would. Maybe we'll see something like that someday? Either in Persona 6 or Persona 5 X, or in a future project.

Or if they allow for a female protag again.

(I'd argue Vanadis is in a worse position than Ella, honestly. Both are only available if you max Sumi's Confidant - but Vanadis may not even see battle, since the timeline's so tight.)

I ended up not responding to that part of the comment, but like. First off, Kasumi ain't getting shit. Second, the whole point of this exercise is to help Sumire stand on her own, which she won't do if she's still trying to be Kasumi.

I have to wonder if they even finished the game, 'cause uhh this fic spoils the big twist on Sumi as well as Maruki.

Or even played for that matter.

I have to assume they did, and also can't be held responsible if they didn't.

And they're entitled to like the symbolism of the magical-girl sequence, but it plain does not fit here.

yeah that's a weird-ass comment

I'm excited to see (read?) the palace design. coincidentally i saw these guys and thought they wouldn't be out of place as enemies lol

Oh god. XD

And then Sumi's Persona wasn't what I thought it was going to be, either. XD

It's cool! What I came up with is even better!