gekigengar gargant III!!! (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
aestivalis) wrote2017-09-18 08:52 pm
aestivalis) wrote2017-09-18 08:52 pm
trick or treat! this took me seventeen years to type dear lord
Hello, Trick or Treater! Thank you for being here, and I'm so sorry if you saw this post back when it was still a placeholder—please forgive me!
I'm Gargant, and can be found under that name over on AO3 as well. c:
With regards to this exchange, the most important thing to me is that you create something that's fun for you. Consider this letter a kind of prompt list, but please don't feel restricted by anything I've written, or obligated to create something that doesn't interest you! I'm not very easily put off, and I'd say there's honestly very little that would really warrant a hard no from me. That being said, here's some general points about what I like!
General:
I'm Gargant, and can be found under that name over on AO3 as well. c:
With regards to this exchange, the most important thing to me is that you create something that's fun for you. Consider this letter a kind of prompt list, but please don't feel restricted by anything I've written, or obligated to create something that doesn't interest you! I'm not very easily put off, and I'd say there's honestly very little that would really warrant a hard no from me. That being said, here's some general points about what I like!
General:
♥ When it comes to media, there's basically nothing I'll turn away as long as it's handled with an appropriate level of self-awareness or gravitas. Feel free to go as dark or twisted as you'd like—there's a good chance it's going to find its audience with me! Incest is fine, dubious consent (or even lack thereof) is fine, any level of violence is fine.
That being said, I have plenty of love for lighter topics. Fluff is good, familial is good. Difficult questions don't necessarily have to spring from dire circumstances, and so it is that you can definitely explore heavy character themes without having to fall back on anything typically attributed to darkfic. Create content that falls within your own level of interest and comfort!
♥ Character exploration is good. "What if-" scenarios really appeal to me—I'm a major sucker for canon divergence AUs. For all the video game fandoms, I've always been interested in "what happens next" scenarios set after Game Over screens. Alternative life choices taking characters down different paths = A+ engaging content. In terms of art, how might some of these characters appear different if they'd made those different choices and subsequently lived those different lives?
♥ There are spoilers in some of these prompts! I would say that the Tales of Berseria prompts are particularly spoiler-heavy, although there are some spoilers for Tales of Graces and Tales of Symphonia in here as well. Be cautious of that if needs be! If you've been assigned to create content for one of those games but haven't actually finished the game yet, drop me an anon comment and I'll change that section to be less harmful for your play experience!
♥ ONE SQUICK. I would ask to avoid detailed medical fic as much as possible. Admittedly that was always unlikely to come up with these prompts! But it's one thing I would really not want to read about. Thank you for understanding!;;
Otherwise, go crazy!!
♥ Character exploration is good. "What if-" scenarios really appeal to me—I'm a major sucker for canon divergence AUs. For all the video game fandoms, I've always been interested in "what happens next" scenarios set after Game Over screens. Alternative life choices taking characters down different paths = A+ engaging content. In terms of art, how might some of these characters appear different if they'd made those different choices and subsequently lived those different lives?
♥ There are spoilers in some of these prompts! I would say that the Tales of Berseria prompts are particularly spoiler-heavy, although there are some spoilers for Tales of Graces and Tales of Symphonia in here as well. Be cautious of that if needs be! If you've been assigned to create content for one of those games but haven't actually finished the game yet, drop me an anon comment and I'll change that section to be less harmful for your play experience!
♥ ONE SQUICK. I would ask to avoid detailed medical fic as much as possible. Admittedly that was always unlikely to come up with these prompts! But it's one thing I would really not want to read about. Thank you for understanding!;;
Otherwise, go crazy!!
Now let's talk about some specifics!
Final Fantasy VI:
Characters: Celes Chere, Cyan Garamonde, Edgar Roni Figaro, Locke Cole, Sabin Rene Figaro
Final Fantasy VI is a cute looking game with a really bleak underbelly, and I'd love to see any works exploring that side of the game. The above characters (and Setzer, cough) are my favourites of the main cast, but I'd honestly be happy to see anyone else appear in any fic or art that speaks to you. They're an amazing ensemble and each bring something so unique to the table.
What if...: - What if... the Dream Stooges had found a time to target one of the other party members? Not to take anything away from Cyan! I loved that part of the game, and feel it really served his character well to have this reminder of just how much turmoil still took root in him. But even so, it's such a simple but classic conceit, and I'd love to see it portrayed with another character as the focus. Final Fantasy VI certainly isn't short on past trauma just waiting to be exploited!
- What if... Celes's genetic enhancements had unknown consequences...? This is more of a Trick prompt, although you could probably wrangle hurt/comfort out of this if you tried. What if the Empire's experiments on Celes started to take some sort of belated toll on her physical/mental health? You can try and stick close to canon with this (we know something like this happened with Kefka, after all), or you can just embrace the Halloween spirit and take this in whatever horror show direction you like. Unhinged Celes, what will you unleash?!
Alternatively, something with Celes reflecting on Kefka's downward spiral and being fearful for her own future would also be interesting and allow for some thoughtful character study! (note: if you go with this prompt, please no detailed description of medical stuff!)
- What if... Sabin had been the one to keep the throne? This is a classic FFVI divergence scenario, and one I don't think Edgar would have ever let happen, but let's just play pretend, shall we?! Does Sabin handle it well? Does he become embittered toward his brother? How does he contend with the Empire? And what about Edgar? Does he embrace his freedom, or find some lingering way to protect his brother from the sidelines? Art wise, I can imagine lots of imagery that could be tied into either brother in this scenario—particularly with Sabin being so awkward and unsuited to his throne.
Otherwise...: Any art or fic is good for this game, honestly. With Dreamscapes and haunted Phantom Trains to draw from, there's plenty of material for spooky creativity! Anything that deals with characters having to face the ghosts of their past is always delightful. As previously mentioned, please feel free to use any of the characters from the source material, friend or foe—they are all welcome here!
Pairings: Just about any FFVI ship can become interesting, I think, and I'm also happy with the characters just having platonic relationships. That being said, I do ship Locke/Celes (but specifically with the acknowledgement that it's a bit messy and messed up but they're trying their best), and I do like..... figarocest...... but I can appreciate that that definitely isn't for everyone, so anything Figaro brothers is absolutely delightful regardless of anything else!
Final Fantasy IX:
Characters: Any of them!
Final Fantasy IX was released on PS4 today, how about that! Final Fantasy IX is The Best One, a wonderful game with such a rich and realised world and a fantastic cast of well-connected characters. I absolutely adore this game and would be thrilled to see just about anything created for it!!
What if...: - What if... the Mist triggered a zombie apocalypse. Okay, I'll be honest, this is the main reason I requested FFIX for this exchange. It just seems like such an easy but effective way to get things Full Halloween really fast. With Mist enveloping the world, what if it began to effect the citizens of Gaia in some new and unexpected way? What if it caused the dead to rise again? Or triggered violent outbursts in the populace? What if things went full body horror on us? How would the cast respond to this threat? Would they even survive? Would any of them be effected?
This can be set pre-game, during the game, or even post-game if you're willing to have the Mist resurface and ruin everyone's hard-earned happiness! Also feel free to involve Kuja if you want, I like him enough to just throw logic to the wind on that one. If you go with this kind of theme, just so something that appeals to you and have fun with it! Be as adventure-driven or as relentlessly violent and bleak as works for you!!
- What if... Kuja did manage to turn Zidane and company into pillars to decorate his castle? Okay, hear me out. Don't focus on the details of how exactly this came to pass, just think about whether or not Zidane and the others would still be alive. Trapped as living statues, forced to watch as Kuja spirals down his path of self-destruction and his decisions to take the rest of the world with him. Would Kuja inevitably soliloquize at them, and if so, what do they think of him? How much do they hate him? Is there any room left for pity? This is more an opportunity to explore Kuja's desperate issues from an outside perspective. Art wise, the idea of Kuja in full rapturous monologue to a legitimately captive audience of his greatest enemies? Is pretty delightful. Although watching him confess all his existential fear to someone who can't answer back sounds very in keeping with his modus operandi as well. Oh Kuja.
Otherwise...: Otherwise, anything! I don't mean to be quite so broad, but I love all the characters in this game and I'd be just delighted to read anything involving any combination of them. The more horror-based scenarios above are appealing, but fluff or just general light-hearted antics are definitely welcome too. Anything in the post-game with Queen Garnet and her beloved tag-along Zidane revisiting the world together would be just too sweet, and can reasonably involve any other characters you'd want it to. If there's any particular part of the game itself that you'd prefer to visit though, then please, by all means! Just create something that speaks to you!
Pairings: Not at all a priority for this game! I don't strongly ship anything, I don't strongly dislike anything. Please feel free to write in absolutely any romantic pairing you like (I won't be mortified, I promise), or just avoid romance entirely! Whatever works c:
Love Live! Sunshine!!:
Characters: Kunikida Hanamaru, Kurosawa Dia, Kurosawa Ruby, Ohara Mari, Tsushima Yoshiko
Probably leaning more toward the Treat side of the equation with this fandom! This show was just the cutest, and I really enjoy playing the game as well. My ultimate best girl is actually H O N O K A - C H A N, but I feel like Aqours just lend themselves better to these kinds of stories, somehow. I think I'm just more invested in the overall Aqours dynamic than I am with u's, and love how they all relate to each other. So that being said, the listed characters are my favs (particularly Ruby!), but the whole ensemble is welcome in anything you create!
What if...: - What if... the Fallen Angel Yohane was allowed to plan a Halloween-themed Live Show? Or a spooky Live Show, at any rate. This seems like something that could actually happen within canon, and would likely lead to all kinds of disastrous hijinks, hahaha. I particularly like the idea here that Yoshi-- sorry, Yohane is actually allowed to call the shots, meaning strait-laced Dia and the other girls have to try and go along with the increasingly demonic and ridiculous suggestions. But I'm sure it all works out well in the end. Right?! Art wise this seems like a chance to draw something silly and light-hearted, or else just to make up some fun and spooky costumes for whichever girls you like!!
- What if... the girls performed a themed Live Show, only to discover their costumes... were possessed?! To give this context, with the recent Jobs set, You would be a detective, Kanan becomes law enforcement, and so on. You can go as hard as you like with this, making it a Trick prompt or a Treat prompt! You could use actual canon costumes, or just make something up. Would their costumes be something cute and harmless, or would you want them dressed as scary Halloween monsters and then have them actually become those monsters? Are the clothes haunted by the ghosts of former idols? And is there any way back for our Aqours girls? Will the effect wear off when Halloween ends, or when they remove the clothes? Or are they trapped like this forever? Go crazy, see where the idea takes you! And, again—fun costume designing time!
Otherwise...: FLUFF ME. You really can't go wrong when throwing these girls into fluffy situations. Sharing their hobbies with each other, supporting each other through moments of weakness, training hard together every day—whatever it is that might appeal to you, embrace it and portray it! Aqours as a whole are just the cutest, and I'd be glad of anything that celebrates that.
This being a Halloween-inspired challenge though, if you want to totally flip the script and create something dark? I'm not going to say no to something so intriguing!
Pairings: Just about any pairing is fine! I love any combination of the first years, including OT3. I don't mind Kurosawacest, but I'd actually prefer it to lean on the messed up side rather than the fluffy side if you're going down that road! Also, ship Mari with anyone. Ship Mari with everyone. I love Mari.
But really, no romance at all is fine too. Just follow your heart!
Tales of Berseria:
Characters: Any of them! All of them!
We've got just about every main character covered here, haven't we! I'm honestly happy with any focus, whether that be our heroic villains or our villainous heroes. Innominat delights me, Shigure cracks me up, and Artorius bounces off them both in wonderful ways. Teresa and Oscar are just a delicious mess however you look at them. As for the Lord of Calamity and her entourage, what can you even say? They're all amazing in their ways, and I'd be thrilled to see any of them explored further, together or apart!
(awkward note time: I didn't especially enjoy how the game dealt with Eizen and Edna's relationship, so that's one thing I wouldn't particularly enjoy seeing more of. Sorry for the caveat!)
What if...: - What if... Innominat had suppressed one of the party members? We know that Innominat essentially devours sinful malevolence from therions, but we also have that strange moment where he seems to take a bite out of the prideful daemon Van Aifread—something that subsequently makes Aifread more compliant. So the question becomes, what if Innominat had managed to do this to one of our party members, essentially suppressing their will and emotions? An Eleanor suddenly robbed of all her conviction, or a Magilou without her irreverent humour. A Rokurou with no desire to fight, or an Eizen divorced from his creed. Is it difficult for Laphicet to witness someone so lifeless and without will, just like he used to be? Does Velvet cope with the unwelcome sense of responsibility? This would never have happened if they hadn't gotten involved in her revenge, after all.
This prompt is walking a bit of a weird line between Treat and Trick, I think. You can go dark with it and have characters crumple under the strain of what's happened, or go for a bit of a hurt/comfort vibe as the party take the victim away from Innominat's sphere of influence and try to draw them back into being themselves again. Or heck, if you just want to focus on the actual act of Innominat voring people, I'm not going to complain. All that biting stuff was great, A+ work Berseria would rewatch scenes again. Also, if you want to make Zaveid present (or the victim?!) then that's absolutely fine. Zaveid is always welcome.
- What if... Teresa became a lust therion and then actually lived long enough for us to explore the consequences? I don't actually begrudge canon for going the way it did, but boy heck would I have liked to have seen that whole mess last a little bit longer. What becomes of her? How does Oscar cope with what he's just witnessed from his sister—first the betrayal when she struck him, and then her subsequent sacrifice and transformation. And the shape of that transformation as well—her desire to protect her half-brother led her to becoming the lust therion? Really? Even if you don't ship these two, that's pretty damning stuff.
This probably has to be a Trick prompt just because it's looking at stuff that's pretty messed up no matter how you cut it. Go as dark as you like! Character death, incest, whatever is required. But if you think you have a fluffier spin for this, I'd be curious to see it?! And art wise, therion Teresa had a beautiful design, so anything portraying her is automatically going to put stars in my eyes!
- What if... Shigure challenged Innominat to a duel? What reason would he have for this? Testing Innominat's worthiness, perhaps? I feel like Shigure holds a very high opinion of Artorius's skill, so it might be interesting to have someone question if the Empyrean is worthy of the Man rather than the other way around. Innominat can be quite haughty and self-confident, so it would be interesting to see what he makes of such a challenge. And what about Artorius? Would he be willing to let that duel take place? This isn't a prompt I have too much to say about, but that doesn't make it any less interesting to me. It seems like a great opportunity to explore an interesting triangle of potential relationships, either through the dynamism of Shigure, the petulance of Innominat, or the sombre lens of Artorius. Whichever aspect might appeals to you, just have fun with it!
Otherwise...: There's tons of opportunity for spooky creepy danger in the world of Berseria. With people constantly turning into monsters, and the constant exploration of newly discovered islands, it's just a veritable feast of potential Trick scenarios. Go wild! Do whatever you want! You can use the party cast, or else shipwreck some of the Abbey cast in some hellish circumstance if that tickles your fancy more. It all works for me! And again, feel free to get Zaveid involved if you want him there. I have always got time for Zaveid.
Pairings: I ship plenty of options here! Velvet/Magilou, Velvet/Eleanor, Magilou/Eleanor, Artorius/Shigure, Artorius/Innominat (oops), Teresa/Oscar—these are ALL good choices. Shigure/Rokurou doesn't really fit any of the prompts mentioned above, but it's something I'd love to see more of, so if this speaks to you then please embrace that! Make it happen! Strand them together if that's what it takes!
If you want to keep it gen, though, that's absolutely fine. I ship plenty of options for this game, but I also just generally love the relationships as presented in canon—so please just go with whatever works for you, and have fun with it!
Tales of Graces:
Characters: Any of them! I especially love Hubert, Cheria and Malik, but this whole cast delights me.
I really do love Tales of Graces, and although I do have a fairly heavy bias toward the three characters mentioned above, I really do love the bonds of friendship that bind this wonderful cast together, and I be delighted with anything that reflected that. Which is just to say, entire ensemble cast welcome!!
What if...: - What if... Lambda had been drawn to one of the other children present in the catacombs that day? This is a pretty MASSIVE prompt with a lot of ramifications, so please feel free to focus on whatever little concept or moment of it might appeal to you! How does Cheria cope with losing both Hubert and Asbel... but gaining a new friend, and one that's just for her? And how does Lambda cope when Asbel re-enters the picture, a rival for Cheria's exclusive attention but also a catalyst for her bitterest feelings? Or what about Asbel himself? Does an underlying connection with Lambda give him an edge in the Knight Academy? Does it isolate him from his peers? And what sort of an effect does it have on Asbel's attitude once things like Aston's death, Hubert's return and Cedric's coup begin to take shape (assuming Richard even survives the catacombs in this version of events)? Then there's Hubert, shipped off to Strahta against his will to become the child who never smiles. Accompanied by Lambda, it's easy to imagine how those negative emotions might have festered into something so much worse.
- What if... the party found themselves trapped within a haunted facility on Fodra? It's a planet with so much bleak history to explore, especially when it comes to things like the treatment of amarcians and humanoids. This prompt is an opportunity to take it a little further! Could the ghosts be possessing broken humanoids and acting out past grievances? Or could they even possess one or more of the party members? Would soothing these wounded spirits allow the party to escape, or do they have to find some other means? This is a bit of a vague prompt, but it's essentially just a free license to get a little spooky if that appeals to you! Although I do think possession is quite apt for this game, and would certainly draw an interesting parallel to Lambda. Make of it what you will!
- What if... Sophie hears of Lhant's spooky autumn festival, and wants all of her friends to participate! This is just a glorious excuse to have fun with Halloween themes, something that I'm certain Sophie could really enjoy. Would she be confused by the idea that something "scary" is actually supposed to be fun? Would she accidentally go too scary and end up terrorising the people of Lhant—and then would she try to make amends, disappointed that she accidentally ruined the fun? Would she want to dress up? I find it very easy to imagine Malik filling her head with all kinds of nonsense, and I can definitely imagine Hubert trying to pretend he's above all this silliness while becoming incredibly invested in everyone having perfect accurate costumes.
A little bit of melancholy sweetness with the Lhant triplets of terror reflecting on the last time they all did this together and how much things have changed would be really lovely to read about as well. This is definitely a Treat prompt, full of the cuteness that's so emblematic of Graces itself!
Otherwise...: Graces is generally a pretty cute and light-hearted canon, so even its moments of darkness tend to come with a veneer of silliness. I'm happy to see that replicated in some light-hearted Halloween themed art or fic! Darker takes are always welcome as well, and if you want to try and take Graces to some vicious places then I'd certainly be intrigued to see it! Just make sure you embrace the characters you love best, and have fun with it!
Pairings: My big Graces pairing as actually Malik/Hubert, and I will always be beyond excited to see any content that has the two of them interacting. Doesn't have to be romantic! Just any art or fic that features them both is going to have me grinning from ear to ear c: Otherwise, though, I'm pretty cheerful happy with anything! Malik/Richard or Hubert/Richard are both fun, and I've got an ugly soft spot for Cheria/Raymond if you feel like including him for some reason!!
My only caveat is that I prefer Pascal as non-romantic/asexual, so I would prefer her not to be paired with anyone romantically. Sorry!!
Tales of Symphonia:
Characters: Any of them!! I love this cast, I love this game—my very first Tales, and one that will forever remain close to my heart!
I am probably most biased toward Zelos and Colette, but I really do love all of them. Seeing that Regal had been added into the tagset really made me smile! And I'll just put my hand up and say that I'm the person who requested Mylene's inclusion, so if you really want to floor me then anything including her would just be beyond wonderful! But I really do love them all. Even you, old man.
What if...: - What if... the party had been overpowered in the Tower of Salvation? This is definitely a Trick prompt, because you're not going to get anything fluffy out of this one. There are two particular boss battles I'm thinking of with this! The first would be Kratos's betrayal—what might have happened if he had defeated the party at that point? Could he actually bring himself to kill any of them—to kill Lloyd, in particular? Would Colette be made into Martel's vessel, and would Martel still "reject" Mithos as she does late in the game? If Kratos did fall short in actually killing Lloyd, would Yggdrasil finish the job or keep Lloyd around as a hostage? Think bleak, people! This isn't a prompt intended for sunshine and rainbows.
The other fight that comes to mind is the OTHER magic swordsmen betrayal. What if Zelos had fought the party... and won? Much like the above, could he actually bring himself to kill them? It seems as though Lloyd and Sheena in particular might give him reason to at least pause. Was he really hoping that they would overpower him and stop Yggdrasill? Just how sick with disappointment and regret is he to somehow be the one left standing? Is this really what he wanted? Is it worth it for Seles's sake, at least? And what, again, becomes of poor Colette?
Come to think of it, both of these scenarios are terrible for Colette. I'm sorry Colette. I do love you, I promise.
- What if... the ghosts of Chosen past were haunting Zelos and Colette? Perhaps haunting their dreams, or maybe manifesting in a more literal physical sense—whatever works for you! I think there's a lot of morbid weight tied up into the Chosen lineage, and I'd love to see some of that explored. Maybe Zelos and Colette are going to be The Last Chosen now that Aselia has been reformed, but is that enough to appease the tortured spirits of those Chosen who came before? The likes of Spiritua, for example? They have a lot of reasons to be bitter about their fate.
This could just be a bit of character exploration for either Colette or Zelos, or it could be a bit more of a quest/adventure if you wanted the Symphonia gang to try and find a way to stop this from happening. Whatever works for you! If you want to set this during the post-game Exsphere journey with either (or both?!) of them travelling with Lloyd, that works too!
- What if... the Gaoracchia forest really was haunted? That'd shut Zelos up for once! You'd be free to go as silly or as serious with this as you'd like, really. A genuine horror story with menace and suspense, taking this is dark and vicious as you'd like to go... or something much more comical and slapstick, with the cast getting increasingly more freaked out and hyperactive in their fears. Is it even really haunted, or is it just a series of coincidences and Zelos accidentally buying into his own schtick?Go with whichever works for you, and make sure to have some fun with it! c:
Otherwise...: Kratos and Zelos have a fascinating relationship that I'm always thrilled to see explored, so if that speaks to you then please go for it! I'm also obsessed with the Chosen system in general, how it's affected the world and the characters, so if you want to create something alluding to any of those details I'd be really excited to see it. I have a mega soft spot for Mylene (again, because I'm interested in Chosen stuff in general), and I'm also always happy to see things set during the post-game Exsphere journey. So many great options with Symphonia!
Pairings:For the last thirteen odd years I've been shipping Zelos/Lloyd, and I really can't imagine that ending any time soon. I feel like there's so much you can wrap up into this pairing, and so many different ways you can opt to portray them—pretty well suited to an exchange built around Tricks and Treats! That being said, though, I certainly ship plenty of other options! Zelos/Colette is really lovely and interesting, and Zelos/Lloyd/Colette is just the perfect trifecta, hahaha.
I do really like Sheena/Colette though! I love the rocky start that builds into mutual admiration and affection between them—it's definitely my favourite ship for either character! And as messy as it would be, I've got a dark and cheerful soft spot for Kratos/Zelos as well. They have a horrible relationship with one another, and that delights me c:<
If any of that works for you then please, incorporate it! But if you'd rather keep it all gen, then that definitely works for me too!
Tales of Vesperia:
Final Fantasy VI:
Characters: Celes Chere, Cyan Garamonde, Edgar Roni Figaro, Locke Cole, Sabin Rene Figaro
Final Fantasy VI is a cute looking game with a really bleak underbelly, and I'd love to see any works exploring that side of the game. The above characters (and Setzer, cough) are my favourites of the main cast, but I'd honestly be happy to see anyone else appear in any fic or art that speaks to you. They're an amazing ensemble and each bring something so unique to the table.
What if...: - What if... the Dream Stooges had found a time to target one of the other party members? Not to take anything away from Cyan! I loved that part of the game, and feel it really served his character well to have this reminder of just how much turmoil still took root in him. But even so, it's such a simple but classic conceit, and I'd love to see it portrayed with another character as the focus. Final Fantasy VI certainly isn't short on past trauma just waiting to be exploited!
- What if... Celes's genetic enhancements had unknown consequences...? This is more of a Trick prompt, although you could probably wrangle hurt/comfort out of this if you tried. What if the Empire's experiments on Celes started to take some sort of belated toll on her physical/mental health? You can try and stick close to canon with this (we know something like this happened with Kefka, after all), or you can just embrace the Halloween spirit and take this in whatever horror show direction you like. Unhinged Celes, what will you unleash?!
Alternatively, something with Celes reflecting on Kefka's downward spiral and being fearful for her own future would also be interesting and allow for some thoughtful character study! (note: if you go with this prompt, please no detailed description of medical stuff!)
- What if... Sabin had been the one to keep the throne? This is a classic FFVI divergence scenario, and one I don't think Edgar would have ever let happen, but let's just play pretend, shall we?! Does Sabin handle it well? Does he become embittered toward his brother? How does he contend with the Empire? And what about Edgar? Does he embrace his freedom, or find some lingering way to protect his brother from the sidelines? Art wise, I can imagine lots of imagery that could be tied into either brother in this scenario—particularly with Sabin being so awkward and unsuited to his throne.
Otherwise...: Any art or fic is good for this game, honestly. With Dreamscapes and haunted Phantom Trains to draw from, there's plenty of material for spooky creativity! Anything that deals with characters having to face the ghosts of their past is always delightful. As previously mentioned, please feel free to use any of the characters from the source material, friend or foe—they are all welcome here!
Pairings: Just about any FFVI ship can become interesting, I think, and I'm also happy with the characters just having platonic relationships. That being said, I do ship Locke/Celes (but specifically with the acknowledgement that it's a bit messy and messed up but they're trying their best), and I do like..... figarocest...... but I can appreciate that that definitely isn't for everyone, so anything Figaro brothers is absolutely delightful regardless of anything else!
Final Fantasy IX:
Characters: Any of them!
Final Fantasy IX was released on PS4 today, how about that! Final Fantasy IX is The Best One, a wonderful game with such a rich and realised world and a fantastic cast of well-connected characters. I absolutely adore this game and would be thrilled to see just about anything created for it!!
What if...: - What if... the Mist triggered a zombie apocalypse. Okay, I'll be honest, this is the main reason I requested FFIX for this exchange. It just seems like such an easy but effective way to get things Full Halloween really fast. With Mist enveloping the world, what if it began to effect the citizens of Gaia in some new and unexpected way? What if it caused the dead to rise again? Or triggered violent outbursts in the populace? What if things went full body horror on us? How would the cast respond to this threat? Would they even survive? Would any of them be effected?
This can be set pre-game, during the game, or even post-game if you're willing to have the Mist resurface and ruin everyone's hard-earned happiness! Also feel free to involve Kuja if you want, I like him enough to just throw logic to the wind on that one. If you go with this kind of theme, just so something that appeals to you and have fun with it! Be as adventure-driven or as relentlessly violent and bleak as works for you!!
- What if... Kuja did manage to turn Zidane and company into pillars to decorate his castle? Okay, hear me out. Don't focus on the details of how exactly this came to pass, just think about whether or not Zidane and the others would still be alive. Trapped as living statues, forced to watch as Kuja spirals down his path of self-destruction and his decisions to take the rest of the world with him. Would Kuja inevitably soliloquize at them, and if so, what do they think of him? How much do they hate him? Is there any room left for pity? This is more an opportunity to explore Kuja's desperate issues from an outside perspective. Art wise, the idea of Kuja in full rapturous monologue to a legitimately captive audience of his greatest enemies? Is pretty delightful. Although watching him confess all his existential fear to someone who can't answer back sounds very in keeping with his modus operandi as well. Oh Kuja.
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Otherwise...: Otherwise, anything! I don't mean to be quite so broad, but I love all the characters in this game and I'd be just delighted to read anything involving any combination of them. The more horror-based scenarios above are appealing, but fluff or just general light-hearted antics are definitely welcome too. Anything in the post-game with Queen Garnet and her beloved tag-along Zidane revisiting the world together would be just too sweet, and can reasonably involve any other characters you'd want it to. If there's any particular part of the game itself that you'd prefer to visit though, then please, by all means! Just create something that speaks to you!
Pairings: Not at all a priority for this game! I don't strongly ship anything, I don't strongly dislike anything. Please feel free to write in absolutely any romantic pairing you like (I won't be mortified, I promise), or just avoid romance entirely! Whatever works c:
Love Live! Sunshine!!:
Characters: Kunikida Hanamaru, Kurosawa Dia, Kurosawa Ruby, Ohara Mari, Tsushima Yoshiko
Probably leaning more toward the Treat side of the equation with this fandom! This show was just the cutest, and I really enjoy playing the game as well. My ultimate best girl is actually H O N O K A - C H A N, but I feel like Aqours just lend themselves better to these kinds of stories, somehow. I think I'm just more invested in the overall Aqours dynamic than I am with u's, and love how they all relate to each other. So that being said, the listed characters are my favs (particularly Ruby!), but the whole ensemble is welcome in anything you create!
What if...: - What if... the Fallen Angel Yohane was allowed to plan a Halloween-themed Live Show? Or a spooky Live Show, at any rate. This seems like something that could actually happen within canon, and would likely lead to all kinds of disastrous hijinks, hahaha. I particularly like the idea here that Yoshi-- sorry, Yohane is actually allowed to call the shots, meaning strait-laced Dia and the other girls have to try and go along with the increasingly demonic and ridiculous suggestions. But I'm sure it all works out well in the end. Right?! Art wise this seems like a chance to draw something silly and light-hearted, or else just to make up some fun and spooky costumes for whichever girls you like!!
- What if... the girls performed a themed Live Show, only to discover their costumes... were possessed?! To give this context, with the recent Jobs set, You would be a detective, Kanan becomes law enforcement, and so on. You can go as hard as you like with this, making it a Trick prompt or a Treat prompt! You could use actual canon costumes, or just make something up. Would their costumes be something cute and harmless, or would you want them dressed as scary Halloween monsters and then have them actually become those monsters? Are the clothes haunted by the ghosts of former idols? And is there any way back for our Aqours girls? Will the effect wear off when Halloween ends, or when they remove the clothes? Or are they trapped like this forever? Go crazy, see where the idea takes you! And, again—fun costume designing time!
Otherwise...: FLUFF ME. You really can't go wrong when throwing these girls into fluffy situations. Sharing their hobbies with each other, supporting each other through moments of weakness, training hard together every day—whatever it is that might appeal to you, embrace it and portray it! Aqours as a whole are just the cutest, and I'd be glad of anything that celebrates that.
This being a Halloween-inspired challenge though, if you want to totally flip the script and create something dark? I'm not going to say no to something so intriguing!
Pairings: Just about any pairing is fine! I love any combination of the first years, including OT3. I don't mind Kurosawacest, but I'd actually prefer it to lean on the messed up side rather than the fluffy side if you're going down that road! Also, ship Mari with anyone. Ship Mari with everyone. I love Mari.
But really, no romance at all is fine too. Just follow your heart!
Tales of Berseria:
Characters: Any of them! All of them!
We've got just about every main character covered here, haven't we! I'm honestly happy with any focus, whether that be our heroic villains or our villainous heroes. Innominat delights me, Shigure cracks me up, and Artorius bounces off them both in wonderful ways. Teresa and Oscar are just a delicious mess however you look at them. As for the Lord of Calamity and her entourage, what can you even say? They're all amazing in their ways, and I'd be thrilled to see any of them explored further, together or apart!
(awkward note time: I didn't especially enjoy how the game dealt with Eizen and Edna's relationship, so that's one thing I wouldn't particularly enjoy seeing more of. Sorry for the caveat!)
What if...: - What if... Innominat had suppressed one of the party members? We know that Innominat essentially devours sinful malevolence from therions, but we also have that strange moment where he seems to take a bite out of the prideful daemon Van Aifread—something that subsequently makes Aifread more compliant. So the question becomes, what if Innominat had managed to do this to one of our party members, essentially suppressing their will and emotions? An Eleanor suddenly robbed of all her conviction, or a Magilou without her irreverent humour. A Rokurou with no desire to fight, or an Eizen divorced from his creed. Is it difficult for Laphicet to witness someone so lifeless and without will, just like he used to be? Does Velvet cope with the unwelcome sense of responsibility? This would never have happened if they hadn't gotten involved in her revenge, after all.
This prompt is walking a bit of a weird line between Treat and Trick, I think. You can go dark with it and have characters crumple under the strain of what's happened, or go for a bit of a hurt/comfort vibe as the party take the victim away from Innominat's sphere of influence and try to draw them back into being themselves again. Or heck, if you just want to focus on the actual act of Innominat voring people, I'm not going to complain. All that biting stuff was great, A+ work Berseria would rewatch scenes again. Also, if you want to make Zaveid present (or the victim?!) then that's absolutely fine. Zaveid is always welcome.
- What if... Teresa became a lust therion and then actually lived long enough for us to explore the consequences? I don't actually begrudge canon for going the way it did, but boy heck would I have liked to have seen that whole mess last a little bit longer. What becomes of her? How does Oscar cope with what he's just witnessed from his sister—first the betrayal when she struck him, and then her subsequent sacrifice and transformation. And the shape of that transformation as well—her desire to protect her half-brother led her to becoming the lust therion? Really? Even if you don't ship these two, that's pretty damning stuff.
This probably has to be a Trick prompt just because it's looking at stuff that's pretty messed up no matter how you cut it. Go as dark as you like! Character death, incest, whatever is required. But if you think you have a fluffier spin for this, I'd be curious to see it?! And art wise, therion Teresa had a beautiful design, so anything portraying her is automatically going to put stars in my eyes!
- What if... Shigure challenged Innominat to a duel? What reason would he have for this? Testing Innominat's worthiness, perhaps? I feel like Shigure holds a very high opinion of Artorius's skill, so it might be interesting to have someone question if the Empyrean is worthy of the Man rather than the other way around. Innominat can be quite haughty and self-confident, so it would be interesting to see what he makes of such a challenge. And what about Artorius? Would he be willing to let that duel take place? This isn't a prompt I have too much to say about, but that doesn't make it any less interesting to me. It seems like a great opportunity to explore an interesting triangle of potential relationships, either through the dynamism of Shigure, the petulance of Innominat, or the sombre lens of Artorius. Whichever aspect might appeals to you, just have fun with it!
Otherwise...: There's tons of opportunity for spooky creepy danger in the world of Berseria. With people constantly turning into monsters, and the constant exploration of newly discovered islands, it's just a veritable feast of potential Trick scenarios. Go wild! Do whatever you want! You can use the party cast, or else shipwreck some of the Abbey cast in some hellish circumstance if that tickles your fancy more. It all works for me! And again, feel free to get Zaveid involved if you want him there. I have always got time for Zaveid.
Pairings: I ship plenty of options here! Velvet/Magilou, Velvet/Eleanor, Magilou/Eleanor, Artorius/Shigure, Artorius/Innominat (oops), Teresa/Oscar—these are ALL good choices. Shigure/Rokurou doesn't really fit any of the prompts mentioned above, but it's something I'd love to see more of, so if this speaks to you then please embrace that! Make it happen! Strand them together if that's what it takes!
If you want to keep it gen, though, that's absolutely fine. I ship plenty of options for this game, but I also just generally love the relationships as presented in canon—so please just go with whatever works for you, and have fun with it!
Tales of Graces:
Characters: Any of them! I especially love Hubert, Cheria and Malik, but this whole cast delights me.
I really do love Tales of Graces, and although I do have a fairly heavy bias toward the three characters mentioned above, I really do love the bonds of friendship that bind this wonderful cast together, and I be delighted with anything that reflected that. Which is just to say, entire ensemble cast welcome!!
What if...: - What if... Lambda had been drawn to one of the other children present in the catacombs that day? This is a pretty MASSIVE prompt with a lot of ramifications, so please feel free to focus on whatever little concept or moment of it might appeal to you! How does Cheria cope with losing both Hubert and Asbel... but gaining a new friend, and one that's just for her? And how does Lambda cope when Asbel re-enters the picture, a rival for Cheria's exclusive attention but also a catalyst for her bitterest feelings? Or what about Asbel himself? Does an underlying connection with Lambda give him an edge in the Knight Academy? Does it isolate him from his peers? And what sort of an effect does it have on Asbel's attitude once things like Aston's death, Hubert's return and Cedric's coup begin to take shape (assuming Richard even survives the catacombs in this version of events)? Then there's Hubert, shipped off to Strahta against his will to become the child who never smiles. Accompanied by Lambda, it's easy to imagine how those negative emotions might have festered into something so much worse.
- What if... the party found themselves trapped within a haunted facility on Fodra? It's a planet with so much bleak history to explore, especially when it comes to things like the treatment of amarcians and humanoids. This prompt is an opportunity to take it a little further! Could the ghosts be possessing broken humanoids and acting out past grievances? Or could they even possess one or more of the party members? Would soothing these wounded spirits allow the party to escape, or do they have to find some other means? This is a bit of a vague prompt, but it's essentially just a free license to get a little spooky if that appeals to you! Although I do think possession is quite apt for this game, and would certainly draw an interesting parallel to Lambda. Make of it what you will!
- What if... Sophie hears of Lhant's spooky autumn festival, and wants all of her friends to participate! This is just a glorious excuse to have fun with Halloween themes, something that I'm certain Sophie could really enjoy. Would she be confused by the idea that something "scary" is actually supposed to be fun? Would she accidentally go too scary and end up terrorising the people of Lhant—and then would she try to make amends, disappointed that she accidentally ruined the fun? Would she want to dress up? I find it very easy to imagine Malik filling her head with all kinds of nonsense, and I can definitely imagine Hubert trying to pretend he's above all this silliness while becoming incredibly invested in everyone having perfect accurate costumes.
A little bit of melancholy sweetness with the Lhant triplets of terror reflecting on the last time they all did this together and how much things have changed would be really lovely to read about as well. This is definitely a Treat prompt, full of the cuteness that's so emblematic of Graces itself!
Otherwise...: Graces is generally a pretty cute and light-hearted canon, so even its moments of darkness tend to come with a veneer of silliness. I'm happy to see that replicated in some light-hearted Halloween themed art or fic! Darker takes are always welcome as well, and if you want to try and take Graces to some vicious places then I'd certainly be intrigued to see it! Just make sure you embrace the characters you love best, and have fun with it!
Pairings: My big Graces pairing as actually Malik/Hubert, and I will always be beyond excited to see any content that has the two of them interacting. Doesn't have to be romantic! Just any art or fic that features them both is going to have me grinning from ear to ear c: Otherwise, though, I'm pretty cheerful happy with anything! Malik/Richard or Hubert/Richard are both fun, and I've got an ugly soft spot for Cheria/Raymond if you feel like including him for some reason!!
My only caveat is that I prefer Pascal as non-romantic/asexual, so I would prefer her not to be paired with anyone romantically. Sorry!!
Tales of Symphonia:
Characters: Any of them!! I love this cast, I love this game—my very first Tales, and one that will forever remain close to my heart!
I am probably most biased toward Zelos and Colette, but I really do love all of them. Seeing that Regal had been added into the tagset really made me smile! And I'll just put my hand up and say that I'm the person who requested Mylene's inclusion, so if you really want to floor me then anything including her would just be beyond wonderful! But I really do love them all. Even you, old man.
What if...: - What if... the party had been overpowered in the Tower of Salvation? This is definitely a Trick prompt, because you're not going to get anything fluffy out of this one. There are two particular boss battles I'm thinking of with this! The first would be Kratos's betrayal—what might have happened if he had defeated the party at that point? Could he actually bring himself to kill any of them—to kill Lloyd, in particular? Would Colette be made into Martel's vessel, and would Martel still "reject" Mithos as she does late in the game? If Kratos did fall short in actually killing Lloyd, would Yggdrasil finish the job or keep Lloyd around as a hostage? Think bleak, people! This isn't a prompt intended for sunshine and rainbows.
The other fight that comes to mind is the OTHER magic swordsmen betrayal. What if Zelos had fought the party... and won? Much like the above, could he actually bring himself to kill them? It seems as though Lloyd and Sheena in particular might give him reason to at least pause. Was he really hoping that they would overpower him and stop Yggdrasill? Just how sick with disappointment and regret is he to somehow be the one left standing? Is this really what he wanted? Is it worth it for Seles's sake, at least? And what, again, becomes of poor Colette?
Come to think of it, both of these scenarios are terrible for Colette. I'm sorry Colette. I do love you, I promise.
- What if... the ghosts of Chosen past were haunting Zelos and Colette? Perhaps haunting their dreams, or maybe manifesting in a more literal physical sense—whatever works for you! I think there's a lot of morbid weight tied up into the Chosen lineage, and I'd love to see some of that explored. Maybe Zelos and Colette are going to be The Last Chosen now that Aselia has been reformed, but is that enough to appease the tortured spirits of those Chosen who came before? The likes of Spiritua, for example? They have a lot of reasons to be bitter about their fate.
This could just be a bit of character exploration for either Colette or Zelos, or it could be a bit more of a quest/adventure if you wanted the Symphonia gang to try and find a way to stop this from happening. Whatever works for you! If you want to set this during the post-game Exsphere journey with either (or both?!) of them travelling with Lloyd, that works too!
- What if... the Gaoracchia forest really was haunted? That'd shut Zelos up for once! You'd be free to go as silly or as serious with this as you'd like, really. A genuine horror story with menace and suspense, taking this is dark and vicious as you'd like to go... or something much more comical and slapstick, with the cast getting increasingly more freaked out and hyperactive in their fears. Is it even really haunted, or is it just a series of coincidences and Zelos accidentally buying into his own schtick?Go with whichever works for you, and make sure to have some fun with it! c:
Otherwise...: Kratos and Zelos have a fascinating relationship that I'm always thrilled to see explored, so if that speaks to you then please go for it! I'm also obsessed with the Chosen system in general, how it's affected the world and the characters, so if you want to create something alluding to any of those details I'd be really excited to see it. I have a mega soft spot for Mylene (again, because I'm interested in Chosen stuff in general), and I'm also always happy to see things set during the post-game Exsphere journey. So many great options with Symphonia!
Pairings:For the last thirteen odd years I've been shipping Zelos/Lloyd, and I really can't imagine that ending any time soon. I feel like there's so much you can wrap up into this pairing, and so many different ways you can opt to portray them—pretty well suited to an exchange built around Tricks and Treats! That being said, though, I certainly ship plenty of other options! Zelos/Colette is really lovely and interesting, and Zelos/Lloyd/Colette is just the perfect trifecta, hahaha.
I do really like Sheena/Colette though! I love the rocky start that builds into mutual admiration and affection between them—it's definitely my favourite ship for either character! And as messy as it would be, I've got a dark and cheerful soft spot for Kratos/Zelos as well. They have a horrible relationship with one another, and that delights me c:<
If any of that works for you then please, incorporate it! But if you'd rather keep it all gen, then that definitely works for me too!
Tales of Vesperia:
Characters: All of them! I love this goofy cast, possibly my favourite overall gen ensemble out of any Tales game to date.
I only finally got to play Vesperia this year, and it really did live up to all the hype it gets from fandom. A wonderful cast, a fun storyline, and charming graphics that have aged really well by being a bit cartoonish and saturated, everything about this game just struck home for me. Karol is best boy! But Raven really took me by surprise, and Yuri was every bit the unusual protagonist he was billed to be. Judith is a gift to this earth, and Estelle can do no wrong. Honestly I loved them all! Zagi is hilarious, Yeager surprisingly intriguing behind that ridiculous voice, and Duke? He's so beautiful ;_;
What if...: - What if... Raven's Blastia heart stopped functioning... but Raven kept going? This is probably a Trick prompt, and is kind of muddling toward zombie ideas in honour of this being a Halloween-themed exchange. How is Raven still "alive" at this point? Is it even possible for him to die, and how does he feel about this? He already thinks he should have died by now—multiple times, even—so how does he cope with being denied yet again? You can make this as melancholy or as violent as you want it to be! If you want him to completely lose the plot/himself, that's fine! But if you want Brave Vesperia to help him through, that's fine too! Just give me Raven trying to come to terms with what "alive" even means for him any more and I'll be pleased!
- What if... Zagi. LMAO THAT'S IT THAT'S THE WHOLE PROMPT. Okay okay, that's not being fair, but Zagi himself really is enough of a prompt for a Halloween exchange, isn't he? What if he somehow was still alive at the end of the game and came back for Yuri yet again. How would he do it? Take someone else hostage to force Yuri to pay attention to him? Attack the Lower Quarter to, again, capture Yuri's undivided attention? Alternatively, if you want to set something during the game's actual timeline, that's fine too! I just want Zagi being his psychotic irrepressible self, and the poor cast trying to cope with it.
- What if... Estelle finds a strange new book in the library... and it finds her, too? This is a haunted book prompt, essentially! It could be a creepy possessed diary that talks back to Estelle when she writes in it, or else you could make it something like she gets trapped inside the book and other cast members have to go inside to rescue her. Or some other idea, if you have one! I feel like Estelle is a character with a lot of feelings that need to be sorted out, and a story like this would be an interesting way to potentially explore that. What would she say to a haunted diary, and what might it try to get back from her? Or else, what lies inside the book world? What does it want, and how would they escape? You could take this in a lot of different directions! The image of Estelle writing by candlelight stands out strong in my mind with this one, not to mention the possibility of all kinds of different costumes/settings inside the book world. Go with anything that stands out to you!
Otherwise...: I really enjoy this whole cast, and I'd be really happy just to see anything involving them. That being said, I do find both Yeager and Duke really interesting, so if you'd like to create something exploring either of their thoughts or motivations that would be really delightful as well! For a Treat angle, we know that Yeager wasn't all bad. A little something demonstrating that side of him would be really cute to see. For Duke, how is he coping in the post-game world? Does he think humans can overcome the trials set before them, and have Brave Vesperia done anything to appease his fears?
Pairings: Gen is absolutely fine here, but I do ship a few things! Rita/Estelle is practically canon. Yuri/Flynn and Yuri/Raven are both ships I'm warm toward—I wouldn't write them, but I'm happy to see them! I'm very fond of Duke/Raven, and Raven/Yeager has some fun potential to be explored too. Judith can be paired with absolutely anyone and I'll be thrilled. Judith/Yuri and Judith/Rita(/Estelle) are top tier Judy ships, but everything is welcome.
Karol is my favourite character! I've barely mentioned him, and I don't really ship him, but I love him so much and will be thrilled to see him included in anything. Repede is a good boy c':
Tales of Zestiria:
Characters: Alisha Diphda, Dezel, Edna, Lailah, Rose, Zaveid. Only Princesses get to have surnames you guys.
Sorey and Mikleo hilariously didn't make the tagset, but they are both good boys and are welcome too. That being said, Zaveid and Dezel are my favourite characters, with Alisha and Lailah being my best girls.
What if...: - What if... Sorey had given in to malevolence and become tainted? This is one of those classic Zestiria scenarios that comes up all the time, but we can make things interesting here by omitting Sorey himself from the story entirely. I'd love to see this from the PoV of one of the Seraphim trying to cope with the aftermath. What becomes of the world, and the human population? How devastated is Lailah? How wounded is Edna, who went against her instincts to trust this person only for them to meet her lowest expectations of humanity? Where does this leave Rose, and is Dezel still at her side? What about Alisha, trying her hardest to support her people and keep herself standing strong even in the face of something so faith-destroying? This is a pretty bleak prospect, but one I would definitely like to see portrayed or explored!
- What if... Symonne had tried her illusions on someone else? I appreciate that Symonne isn't actually in the tagset, but when you have a Halloween-themed challenge and also a character capable of making illusions to prey on people's weaknesses, how can you say no? Lailah, Edna, and Zaveid all have events in their past I'm sure they'd prefer not to have shoved in their faces. Maybe Symonne wouldn't be able to impact them so severely as she could a human, but I'm quite certain she could still cut them deep if she tried hard enough—especially a bit earlier in canon where it might still come as a surprise. Would the victim come through the event unscathed, or would it scar them deeper than even the original wound managed to? Would the other cast members be able to pull them through the experience?
If you'd rather inflict this on Alisha instead, please feel free! I feel like the Alisha DLC chapter didn't go anywhere near hard enough with this concept, so I'd be happy to see it explored again with a bit more emphasis!
- What if... the cast found records of an ancient cultural celebration of the dead, and Alisha decided to try and revive it? In other words, this is another Halloween celebrations prompt, hahaha. It would be fun to watch them all trying to revive old traditions (whatever aspects of spooky/cheery Halloween appeals to you!), and I think it would be an easy way to get the whole cast involved in something a bit more light-hearted and fun. If you want Dezel and Zaveid to both be present for mysterious unspecified reasons, that's absolutely fine! Same with Rose and Alisha. Let's just get everyone together for something fun, don't worry too much about the details!!
If you wanted to add an element of seriousness to it, all of the characters have lost someone important. A ceremony to honour the dead could be quite poignant for any one of them.
Otherwise...: I've actually found this game a little harder to pin ideas to, so I'm just going to go ahead and say follow your heart on this one! I'm especially interested in Alisha's heritage and her individual struggles, so any work related to that would be wonderful. Her receiving support from any of the cast members (expected or otherwise) would be really nice. I'm also happy to see anything that deals with what cast members might be doing in the post-game!
Pairings: Alisha with any of the ladies is a great start! I also like the horrible mess that is Maltran/Alisha, although I appreciate that Maltran wasn't in the tagset. I ship Alisha with Symonne as well. I ship her with all the ladies........ but putting that aside for now, I also ship Zaveid/Dezel, and I'd be really excited with anything that looks at their relationship in a positive or a negative light!
As I've said many times now, though, shipping isn't a huge priority. If you'd prefer to keep things gen, then that's absolutely fine, and I'll be excited to see whatever you come up with on my behalf!!
ONE LAST TIME, thank you so much for whatever you create on my behalf! I'm so excited to be participating in this exchange, and I hope you're still able to feel the same way after reading my prompts! Whatever happens, please make sure to create something that you yourself are able to have fun with. Nothing is more important to me than that!! Thank you thank you!!
I only finally got to play Vesperia this year, and it really did live up to all the hype it gets from fandom. A wonderful cast, a fun storyline, and charming graphics that have aged really well by being a bit cartoonish and saturated, everything about this game just struck home for me. Karol is best boy! But Raven really took me by surprise, and Yuri was every bit the unusual protagonist he was billed to be. Judith is a gift to this earth, and Estelle can do no wrong. Honestly I loved them all! Zagi is hilarious, Yeager surprisingly intriguing behind that ridiculous voice, and Duke? He's so beautiful ;_;
What if...: - What if... Raven's Blastia heart stopped functioning... but Raven kept going? This is probably a Trick prompt, and is kind of muddling toward zombie ideas in honour of this being a Halloween-themed exchange. How is Raven still "alive" at this point? Is it even possible for him to die, and how does he feel about this? He already thinks he should have died by now—multiple times, even—so how does he cope with being denied yet again? You can make this as melancholy or as violent as you want it to be! If you want him to completely lose the plot/himself, that's fine! But if you want Brave Vesperia to help him through, that's fine too! Just give me Raven trying to come to terms with what "alive" even means for him any more and I'll be pleased!
- What if... Zagi. LMAO THAT'S IT THAT'S THE WHOLE PROMPT. Okay okay, that's not being fair, but Zagi himself really is enough of a prompt for a Halloween exchange, isn't he? What if he somehow was still alive at the end of the game and came back for Yuri yet again. How would he do it? Take someone else hostage to force Yuri to pay attention to him? Attack the Lower Quarter to, again, capture Yuri's undivided attention? Alternatively, if you want to set something during the game's actual timeline, that's fine too! I just want Zagi being his psychotic irrepressible self, and the poor cast trying to cope with it.
- What if... Estelle finds a strange new book in the library... and it finds her, too? This is a haunted book prompt, essentially! It could be a creepy possessed diary that talks back to Estelle when she writes in it, or else you could make it something like she gets trapped inside the book and other cast members have to go inside to rescue her. Or some other idea, if you have one! I feel like Estelle is a character with a lot of feelings that need to be sorted out, and a story like this would be an interesting way to potentially explore that. What would she say to a haunted diary, and what might it try to get back from her? Or else, what lies inside the book world? What does it want, and how would they escape? You could take this in a lot of different directions! The image of Estelle writing by candlelight stands out strong in my mind with this one, not to mention the possibility of all kinds of different costumes/settings inside the book world. Go with anything that stands out to you!
Otherwise...: I really enjoy this whole cast, and I'd be really happy just to see anything involving them. That being said, I do find both Yeager and Duke really interesting, so if you'd like to create something exploring either of their thoughts or motivations that would be really delightful as well! For a Treat angle, we know that Yeager wasn't all bad. A little something demonstrating that side of him would be really cute to see. For Duke, how is he coping in the post-game world? Does he think humans can overcome the trials set before them, and have Brave Vesperia done anything to appease his fears?
Pairings: Gen is absolutely fine here, but I do ship a few things! Rita/Estelle is practically canon. Yuri/Flynn and Yuri/Raven are both ships I'm warm toward—I wouldn't write them, but I'm happy to see them! I'm very fond of Duke/Raven, and Raven/Yeager has some fun potential to be explored too. Judith can be paired with absolutely anyone and I'll be thrilled. Judith/Yuri and Judith/Rita(/Estelle) are top tier Judy ships, but everything is welcome.
Karol is my favourite character! I've barely mentioned him, and I don't really ship him, but I love him so much and will be thrilled to see him included in anything. Repede is a good boy c':
Tales of Zestiria:
Characters: Alisha Diphda, Dezel, Edna, Lailah, Rose, Zaveid. Only Princesses get to have surnames you guys.
Sorey and Mikleo hilariously didn't make the tagset, but they are both good boys and are welcome too. That being said, Zaveid and Dezel are my favourite characters, with Alisha and Lailah being my best girls.
What if...: - What if... Sorey had given in to malevolence and become tainted? This is one of those classic Zestiria scenarios that comes up all the time, but we can make things interesting here by omitting Sorey himself from the story entirely. I'd love to see this from the PoV of one of the Seraphim trying to cope with the aftermath. What becomes of the world, and the human population? How devastated is Lailah? How wounded is Edna, who went against her instincts to trust this person only for them to meet her lowest expectations of humanity? Where does this leave Rose, and is Dezel still at her side? What about Alisha, trying her hardest to support her people and keep herself standing strong even in the face of something so faith-destroying? This is a pretty bleak prospect, but one I would definitely like to see portrayed or explored!
- What if... Symonne had tried her illusions on someone else? I appreciate that Symonne isn't actually in the tagset, but when you have a Halloween-themed challenge and also a character capable of making illusions to prey on people's weaknesses, how can you say no? Lailah, Edna, and Zaveid all have events in their past I'm sure they'd prefer not to have shoved in their faces. Maybe Symonne wouldn't be able to impact them so severely as she could a human, but I'm quite certain she could still cut them deep if she tried hard enough—especially a bit earlier in canon where it might still come as a surprise. Would the victim come through the event unscathed, or would it scar them deeper than even the original wound managed to? Would the other cast members be able to pull them through the experience?
If you'd rather inflict this on Alisha instead, please feel free! I feel like the Alisha DLC chapter didn't go anywhere near hard enough with this concept, so I'd be happy to see it explored again with a bit more emphasis!
- What if... the cast found records of an ancient cultural celebration of the dead, and Alisha decided to try and revive it? In other words, this is another Halloween celebrations prompt, hahaha. It would be fun to watch them all trying to revive old traditions (whatever aspects of spooky/cheery Halloween appeals to you!), and I think it would be an easy way to get the whole cast involved in something a bit more light-hearted and fun. If you want Dezel and Zaveid to both be present for mysterious unspecified reasons, that's absolutely fine! Same with Rose and Alisha. Let's just get everyone together for something fun, don't worry too much about the details!!
If you wanted to add an element of seriousness to it, all of the characters have lost someone important. A ceremony to honour the dead could be quite poignant for any one of them.
Otherwise...: I've actually found this game a little harder to pin ideas to, so I'm just going to go ahead and say follow your heart on this one! I'm especially interested in Alisha's heritage and her individual struggles, so any work related to that would be wonderful. Her receiving support from any of the cast members (expected or otherwise) would be really nice. I'm also happy to see anything that deals with what cast members might be doing in the post-game!
Pairings: Alisha with any of the ladies is a great start! I also like the horrible mess that is Maltran/Alisha, although I appreciate that Maltran wasn't in the tagset. I ship Alisha with Symonne as well. I ship her with all the ladies........ but putting that aside for now, I also ship Zaveid/Dezel, and I'd be really excited with anything that looks at their relationship in a positive or a negative light!
As I've said many times now, though, shipping isn't a huge priority. If you'd prefer to keep things gen, then that's absolutely fine, and I'll be excited to see whatever you come up with on my behalf!!
ONE LAST TIME, thank you so much for whatever you create on my behalf! I'm so excited to be participating in this exchange, and I hope you're still able to feel the same way after reading my prompts! Whatever happens, please make sure to create something that you yourself are able to have fun with. Nothing is more important to me than that!! Thank you thank you!!
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