gekigengar gargant III!!! (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
aestivalis) wrote2020-01-06 03:49 pm
aestivalis) wrote2020-01-06 03:49 pm
Chocolate Box 2020
Hello! Thank you for coming to see my letter, and if you've been assigned to create something for me, I hope you find some useful inspiration here! I'll come back in the next day or two to list some general trope likes/dislikes, but the short version is: I don't have any issues with dark fic, I don't mind smutty fic if you think a prompt calls in that direction, and I don't really have any hard squicks with the exception of detailed medical descriptions.
Otherwise, all the individual fandom details are listed below, and please enjoy!
The Dragon Prince:-
The Dragon Prince has been a wonderful surprise for me over the last year or so. I wasn't really sure what to expect going into the series, but I've found it to be a perfect blend of fictional politics and high fantasy antics. The setting is fun, and I'm honestly in love with the Katolis characters in particular—Harrow, Viren, and their respective childen. Callum, Rayla and especially Ezran are wonderful characters, but for the sake of this exchange I'm leaning more heavily toward the dark magic mess that is Viren and his children. Although...
Side-note About Little Bug Pal: I haven't requested Viren/Aaravos in particular, but I do ship it and have no problems with it being present in any work you make! I also ship Viren with King Harrow, so you can work that in instead (or additionally?!) is that speaks to you. … Viren/Harrow/Sarai is fine too. Basically I'm fine with pretty much any Viren ship, but I'd like the primary focus to be on the family unit itself.
→ Claudia & Soren & Viren / Claudia & Soren / Claudia & Viren
There is no tag for Soren & Viren but just imagine I've included that as well. I love all the different relationship dynamics present in this family. Early in the show I would have argued that Viren loves his children no matter what else is happening, but by the end of Season Three it's getting more and more difficult to ignore the disregard he shows toward poor Soren. That being said I honestly think there is some love there, even if Viren is increasingly losing his way when it comes to demonstrating it. Does he even realise how neglectful and hurtful he is? Of course he knows he's using his children (for the greater good of humankind! so it's totally fine!), but will he ever stop to consider what that might actually be doing to them as people?
There's no mistaking how much he loves Claudia, though, or how much pride he has in her. Is he conscious of the fact that he clearly has a favourite child? And how do Claudia and Soren feel about this? We get plenty of indication that Soren is desperate for his father's approval, which would suggest he might recognise the status quo on at least a subconscious level. What about Claudia, though? As the favoured child is she blind to the situation? Does it weigh on her? Have she and Soren ever talked about it, or are they just too awkward to get the words out, not wanting to risk damaging their own sibling relationship?
Speaking of which, if all of the above is a little too bleak, please feel free to just lean into some of the lighter, fluffier times! Soren and Claudia are legitimately adorable together, with this kind of 'mismatched peas in pod' vibe where they outwardly seem so different from each other but actually they're both so quirky and weird that they get each other perfectly. Feel free to do something from their early childhood, or else play with the time their travelling together during the first two seasons. OR, if you like, during their captivity at the start of S3, focused on either the capture itself or the time where they're awaiting Ezran's judgement.
For one final note! If you've matched me on Claudia & Soren only, please don't feel at all obligated to include Viren or Viren-related material. I can appreciate how he wouldn't be to everyone's taste, and I don't want anyone to feel pressured into writing something they wouldn't enjoy! I love this whole family and I'll be thrilled with any combinations, so go with whatever speaks to you!
DNWs: For these prompts, nothing in particular! I'm sure it goes without saying, but these are & prompts—I don't romantically ship any of these combinations.
Final Fantasy IX:-
I don't plan to be one of those people who insists Final Fantasy IX is the best one, but in my heart of hearts? Final Fantasy IX is the best one. It has some of my favourite characters and themes in the entire series, and I'm just in love with this small beautiful energetic world that feels so lived-in and vibrant and yet quaint and cozy. I'd be happy with just about anything set in this world, but for the sake of the exchange lets try and be more specific.
→ Amarant Coral/Freya Crescent / Amarant Coral/Zidane Tribal
Hopefully you'll forgive me for rolling these two ships in together. They're clearly quite different sets of characters, but the things I like here are how Freya and Zidane both independently change Amarant's views and impact his life. I'm one of those weird rare Amarant stans. We do exist, I swear.
For Amarant and Zidane, this relationship began before Zidane even remembers, back during that fateful encounter in Treno. If you'd like to write anything exploring that particular time frame then that's fine with me! But I suspect the more interesting questions probably come later. Does Zidane really not remember Amarant from back then? Could something ever jog his memory, and does he feel any need to confront that knowledge? For something more rooted in the present of the game, Ipsen's Castle is one of my favourite moments in the whole game. The plaque you can read upon entering seems like such a neat thematic source of inspiration: Do not be restricted by your knowledge and experience. This place turns logic upside down. What's big is small, what's strong is weak, and heaven is earth.
Being restricted by his own experiences seems a major weakness of Amarant, so unwilling to open up to the way other people live but so frustrated by his inability to understand them. If you would like to write anything centred around Ipsen's Castle and the Amarant event that happens here, I'd really love that! You could rewrite the canon sequence of events completely or else just expand on Zidane and Amarant making their way back outside to rejoin the rest of the team. Or something else! If in doubt, there's plenty of silly fun to be had in this world. Zidane strong-arms Amarant into performing some kind of “big guy” role in a Tantalus play? Or maybe something where Amarant and Zidane unexpectedly encounter each other during the time frame where Zidane is still considered missing?
Freya! Let's talk Freya. Freya and Amarant seem to form quite a quick friendship during the events of Disk Three; it starts prickly, but it isn't long before they're having cutscenes together, standing together on the airships, tackling an elemental fiend together—it's a conversation with Freya that allows the player to learn Amarant's backstory and where his issue from Zidane comes from. I love to imagine more interactions between these two characters! They come to the events of the story from such different places, but somehow seem to find a kindred spirit in one another.
Feel free to write anything involving their visit to the Fire Shrine, before, during or after the battle they face. How do they contend with the traps there? What do they talk about while they wait for the airship to collect them? Does Freya say anything about Amarant's little self-reflective moment, or does it prompt some self-reflection of her own? Alternatively, for something post-game, can you imagine a scenario where Amarant ends up aiding the people of Burmecia? He may find himself at a loose end after all is said and done, but I'm sure Freya can find ways to put him to work. Include exactly as much or as little of Sir Fratley in that scenario as personally suits you.
→ Kuja & Mikoto & Zidane Tribal / Kuja & Zidane / Kuja/Zidane / Kuja/Mikoto
It's a family! But also sort of a found family! Or maybe a clone family! And maybe romance is involved!
When it comes to these three characters, I'm honestly thrilled at the thought of anything that explores their relationships. Zidane and Kuja are probably my favourite hero and villain pair in any Final Fantasy game, both independent of each other and in relation to each other. The complicated nature of their relationship doesn't really come into focus until near the very end of Final Fantasy IX, but I love everything that we do see of them once that can of worms has been opened, and I love how that knowledge changes how we view their interactions prior to that point.
Mikoto is a very late-game wildcard to throw into the mix, but I really love the concept of her. Zidane seems very ready to try and be an actual light-hearted big brother type to her. By contrast we never see her and Kuja interact but her monologue at the end of the game makes it very clear how she and the other Genomes admired him for everything he represented to them. It makes me really curious to see how they might interact; whether Kuja would live up to those feelings of admiration, or if he could even stomach them coming from another of Garland's tools. For her own part, Mikoto is clearly embittered and clearly no fool—it might be that she and Kuja have plenty in common, and it's Zidane who ends up being a bit of an odd man out trying to deal with their respective brands of pessimism.
Feel free to make up any canon divergence necessary to get these three interacting! The classic scenario is Kuja surviving the end game and being brought back to Black Mage Village to recover and potentially start a new life away from the people he's wronged on the Mist Continent. That would make him subject to the kindness of Black Mages and Genomes, two groups that he previously despised because of how they reflected his own weakness. How would he cope with that now? Would Mikoto and/or Zidane be able to help him settle those feelings and accept the help he needs? Kuja definitely seems on the knife edge of epihany at the end of the game, but that doesn't mean it would be an easy road ahead of him.
If you'd rather something a tad more melancholy, play the end of the game completely straight except have Mikoto appear to Zidane as the airship is leaving. “He's my brother too. We'll go to him together.”
Feel free to write romance between any of these three as you wish, or keep it all strictly platonic. I'll be thrilled with any combinations of these characters—if we only matched on two of them, there's no obligation to include the third party. Just have fun!
Final Fantasy X & X-2:-
I've just suggested above that Final Fantasy IX is my favourite, but honestly? It's a pretty damn close call. Final Fantasy X has such fantastic world and careful staggered world-building. I find it impossible not to get pulled into the world of Spira each and every time I revisit the game, and no matter how many times I watch certain scenes it always manages to twist my heart apart. I wouldn't have it any other way. X-2 is obviously not as strong as a game, but I have a great deal of fondness for it!
→ Auron & Kimahri Ronso / Kimahri Ronso & Yuna
Two quite different relationships, but both defined by the silent solid presence of the bestest boy in the world.
Kimahri is a character that often gets overlooked. He's very taciturn, and he doesn't have a unique battle role to help define him in many players minds. But there's something so wonderful about his understated place in the story, and the impact he's had on both of these lives.
In his most desperate moment, Auron passed the burden of finding Yuna along to Kimahri. As the city celebrated the death of her father, Kimahri was the one who comforted Yuna and took her away to her new life in Besaid. He didn't owe anything to either of these people, but even so he took a man's dying words and built his life around seeing it through. I would love to see any story that touches on the gratitude they feel toward him, especially as he would never be the type to expect or seek that kind of recognition.
It's easier to imagine Yuna expressing these feelings. She spends so much time believing her life is going to end soon, and we even hear her sharing some of her feelings in the sphere she records on the Mi'ihen Highroad. Still, I would love to hear more of what she thinks of him. Perhaps it could be a story that explores how her feelings about him changed throughout her childhood and teenage years. Perhaps something that shows the moment where she tells her her intention to follow in Braska's footsteps? Or alternatively something toward the end of the story, based at any point during the trek over Gagazet. After Kimahri is confronted by Yenke and Biran, or after he's been taunted by Seymour Guado?
If you'd rather explore Auron instead, I would love to see what you could come up with. One of my absolute favourite moments in the entirety of Final Fantasy X is Auron's Sending, and specifically the way he gives that friendly thump of his knuckles on Kimahri's chest. There's so much going unsaid in that tiny gesture. These are two of the quietest most private characters, and to me, that moment was Auron's way of saying thank you for all you did. More than that, I feel as though it implies that Kimahri has silently known about Auron's unsent nature throughout the entire journey. Something else Auron is thanking him for. This is one of my favourite relationships even though they're quite a difficult pair of characters to prompt for. If you can come up with anything for them I'd love to see what you would do!
→ Baralai/Gippal
Meanwhile in the world of X-2, we have these two. I feel like there's absolutely loads of points in canon where you could write a story featuring this relationship. I love how they seem like such different people, and have come from incredibly different paths in life, but actually they seem to bond and get along really well. Their time in the Crimson Squad is marked with friendship and good memories, and I'm sure they've both held on to those good times during some of the things they've had to live with since that day in the cavern.
Baralai is a very serious and conscientious young man, but I get the feeling from the Crimson Spheres that he used to be more relaxed and light-hearted. This is supported more by Shuyin during the scene where he transfers from possessing Nooj to possessing Baralai, saying something to the affect of “the mind that hates and despairs is the easiest to break”. It makes it very apparent to the player that Baralai has been hiding deep torment behind his calm facade.
So, how well can Baralai recover from that in the post-game, and what does Gippal end up having to do with it? You can lean into the more light-hearted side of this, with Gippal wanting to try and lure that cheerful relaxed Baralai back to the surface. Gippal remembers the person Baralai used to be and he can see that that person is still in there—what could he do to try and recapture the ease they experienced in those early days? Is Gippal maybe the one person Baralai does feel able to become that relaxed around?
For the other side of the same coin, Baralai has been carrying trauma within him, and the events of the game have surely had even more impact. How well does he cope with things? I can imagine him trying to force his feelings down to keep contending with the responsibilities he shoulders, and Gippal finally being forced to intervene for the sake of this person he cares so much about. If you want to write something where they're in a position to be waking up together, there's always that classic idea of being tormented by nightmares. But perhaps it's Gippal who wakes up in a panic one night, reliving the Den of Woe or perhaps even the Guado attack on Home, and it's by comforting and reassuring Gippal that Baralai is finally able to admit his own troubles. Go down whatever road appeals to you, and if you want to work in other Crimson Squad characters, or anyone else from the canon, do whatever works to tell the story you'd love to tell!
Kingdom Hearts:-
Kingdom Hearts is one of those fandoms that I've never been deep into, but I still can't help but carry a certain fondness for. The plot is convoluted, you have to play ten thousand games just to try and keep up, and nothing ever quite stays consistent, BUT EVEN SO, you just can't help but love the parts you love. I'm only asking for one set of characters this time around, but if you want to incorporate other people into the story you want to tell then I completely accept that—Wayfinder Trio and/or Sora seem like characters who would easily be connected.
→ Vanitas/Ventus
I'm not sure if I would go so far as to say I was dissatisfied by Vanitas's ending in Kingdom Hearts 3, largely because no character is ever really gone in the universe of Kingdom Hearts. But if you wanted to write a story set after the events of the game and somehow bringing Vanitas back into the fray then I would be thrilled to read it! Does Ventus feel an absence with Vanitas gone? Does he deliberately instigate something to draw his ~other side~ back to him, and does he hate himself for wanting it? Or is this something that happens despite what Ventus wants? Does Vanitas's connection to Ventus give him that one little spark from which he's able to bring himself back.
That being said, don't feel any obligation to follow the events of KH3. Make up a completely different turn of events, or just write something set at an earlier point in the timeline! A confrontation that never happened, like Vanitas taking a chance to torment poor Ven during the events of Birth By Sleep perhaps. Or maybe, somehow, it's Ventus who finds Vanitas. Can you imagine a scenario where on of them ends up helping or showing mercy toward the other? How would that go over?
Feel free to go as dark and cruel with any of this as you like. It can definitely be that sort of relationship. I really like the sense of them being two halves of an inevitable whole, though, sort of drawn together no matter how much they might both resent it. Can it ever stop being a battle between them? Can they ever co-exist? Can they ever want to co-exist? And hey, this all being said, if you have an idea for a lighter story involving them then I'd love to see it! I apologise that my prompts don't reflect that so much—it's a lack of personal ideas rather than a lack of interest in seeing it, so please write whatever you're inspired toward!
Pokémon:-
I've requested thinking of the Pokémon video games in particular, and don't really have any knowledge of the anime or manga. That doesn't mean you shouldn't include elements from those, but more like that I wouldn't catch those particular references if you made them! In terms of the games, I'm always super interested in how other people interpret and headcanon these characters. These games have fairly simple plots and character writing, but I've always enjoyed filling in the gaps and seeing how other people do so!
→ Bede & Opal / Bede/Rose
So, uh, these are two very different relationships, huh.
Let's start with Bede and Opal. This was such an adorable and unexpected surprise in Sword and Shield, and I was so amused and so delighted by their relationship. I would love to see any fic that just shows these two interacting! Bede being grumpy and irritable as Opal drags him further and further into the gym leader world, but also the way he quickly grows into the role and actually finds himself loving it. Finally receiving positive adult reinforcement! Being encouraged and supported in a constructive way! Bede may be difficult, but he deserves the fair chance Opal's ready to give him. I'd also love to see Bede learning to embrace and love the Fairy type. How does Opal sell him on it? And how does his opinion of her change throughout their time together? This is a pretty cute and comedic pair of characters, so have fun with them!
For the, um, complete opposite end of the spectrum, Rose/Bede. I fully appreciate that this is a pretty nasty pairing with a lot of horrible implications. If you decide to write for these two please feel free to lean as heavily as you'd like into all of that—knowing that Bede has a bright future ahead of him under Opal's guidance, I'm willing to be pretty brutal to him prior to that. Rose is a bit underdeveloped as a character, so I'd be interested to see what kind of feelings and motivations you might choose to write into him in this scenario. Does he feel that his treatment of Bede is in service of Galar and The Darkest Day, and therefore it's all justified? Or is he just used to having what he wants and honestly isn't even trying to justify it to himself? Does Bede realise how inappropriate their relationship has become? Or if you want to be really risque, is Bede the instigator? Or does he just think he's the instigator?
If you want to write a Bede & Opal story but with implications of Rose/Bede in the background, that would also be very welcome! Go as light or as dark as you like. Pokémon is one of those worlds that's completely adorable and soft but could be really messed up if you dig beneath the surface, and these two sets of characters seem to capture that sense perfectly.
→ Guzma/Nanu
Two isolated men coming at life from very different directions.
Nanu is a place to start. He's such a strange character, and I really really love seeing what people draw from him. Why is he such a loner? Is he happy? Does he think he's happy? What does he actually think of Po Town and Team Skull? Why does he live so close to them when everyone else tries to stay away? Which obviously leads to Guzma. What does Guzma think of Nanu, this weirdo old man cop who hangs around but doesn't interfere? I tend to think that Nanu, Dark-type Pokémon user, has a soft spot for outcasts and troublemakers. He seems like someone who doesn't fit in, and maybe that lets him sympathise with the disenfranchised youth of Team Skull. Someone has to help out the underdogs. I love to imagine situations where Guzma has had to go to Nanu for help. Help with what, who can say? Go as fluffy or as serious as you want with that!
But if you want to explore late-game stuff, I'd love to see Guzma trying to deal with the psychological aftermath of his misadventures with Ultra Beasts. Can Nanu help? Or at least provide a quiet place where Guzma can be vulnerable without judgement? Or who knows, maybe Guzma is the one person Nanu let's himself be vulnerable around, in his own wry way. After all, who the hell is Guzma going to tell? It's not like anyone would listen anyway.
There's just something about these two that really makes me curious. Guzma can't control his anger but seems desperate for validation; Nanu seems mellow almost to the point of being disconnected from his responsibilities, but can't seem to keep himself from stepping in. They're a bit paradoxical in themselves, and if anything I've said has inspired you to explore that relationship, I'd love to see what you can do with them!
Tales of Xillia:-
It says Tales of Xillia, but I'm really requesting for Xillia 2. It's not the best written game in the Tales series—it certainly struggles with plot holes—but there's some character and world-building work in this game that I just love so much. I forgot to request it last year, so I'm determined not to make that same mistake again!
→ Ivar/Leia Rolando
This is a pairing that snuck up on me over a long period of time. There's just something so charming and fluffy about the thought of these two working to find themselves after the events of Tales of Xillia. Leia is trying her hand at journalism while Ivar has found himself serving as an agent of Spirius, and the game makes it perfectly clear that they're both fighting to find their feet in this strange new world. What if they ever had an opportunity to talk about that? To compare their experiences, maybe make fun of each other a little even as they're commiserating together?
Speaking of commiserating, I wouldn't want a fic that dwelt on this for too long, but it is undeniable that these two both had unrequited feelings for characters who subsequently ended up together. Can you just imagine a situation where they're talking about that? If you don't feel they would be too young for it, I can really imagine them sitting at a bar getting a little tipsy and complaining to each other about the whole situation. And hey, by the end of it maybe there'd be a little sense of “well, they're missing out by not picking you”, and oops, suddenly they maybe like each other a little?
Another thought I've always quite liked is the two of them working together on one of Leia's articles. Not sure how that would come to pass—maybe she's doing a report on something Spirius related and Rideaux just goes “whatever, Ivar, take care of it” and overenthusiastic Ivar dedicates himself to the project with typical zeal. Leia's a very enthusiastic overachiever as well, so I can definitely see them spurring each other on and getting carried away with this!
→ Julius Will Kresnik/Rideaux Zek Rugievit / Rideaux Zek Rugievit/Victor Will Kresnik
Two messy slices of Rideaux pie, two messy slices of Kresnik. What more could you ask for?
Julius/Rideaux has been a Ride Or Die pairing for me for just about as long as Xillia 2 has existed, and I can't imagine that feeling ever dying out. They have such a difficult and toxic relationship, but they're also very wrapped up in one another, and I really adore that about them. There's no one else who can really understand the things they've been through. Destroying countless fractured dimensions, existing under the yoke of Bisley's will, and knowing the fate that waits to befall one of them at the end of this long unenviable road. They can't rely on each other, they can't trust each other—but sometimes, the only people they have are each other.
You can explore just about any time frame with these two and I'd be thrilled to read about it. Something set during the game is tense and exciting, even if you might have to bend the rules a little to get them interacting. Does Julius privately seek Rideaux out during his time in hiding, perhaps needing to settle something between them before everything comes to an end? Perhaps wanting to warn Rideaux to leave while he still can, increasingly sure that Bisley is going to take action? And how would Rideaux react to seeing him? Of course, you can also explore something set during their time spent working together in Spirus. Fractured dimensions offer an endless array of opportunity. What if they find a dimension in which their counterparts are living together, happy and in love? How would they cope with that? Alternatively, injury. Always injury. Doesn't matter which one of them gets hurt, a situation where one is forced to depend on the other and all the emotions inevitably tied up in that. That kind of thing is always fascinating and oh-so-welcome.
As for Victor/Rideaux, there's a lot of possibility here. We find out in the game what Victor did to Julius and the majority of the playable Xillia cast, but no mention is ever made of Rideaux. If Victor has killed Bisley and Julius, would Rideaux actually be leading Spirius in that particular dimension? If so, does he feel indebted to Victor for that? Afraid of him? Resentful, perhaps, at the one who killed Julius after occupying such a unique place in Julius's life? Or did Victor actually kill Rideaux as well, and if so, how did that go down? I appreciate that this is a pairing prompt and I'm sort of asking for someone to kill someone else, so... all I can do is assure you that my real-life perception of romance isn't like this, I swear to god.
I would really love to see what Victor and Rideaux make of each other. I expect Victor would find Rideaux pretty vile, but would also have a strong sense that he isn't any better after everything he's done. Would they fall in together simply because they don't have anyone else to turn to? Would they have some kind of deal to mutually ignore each other and pose no threat to one another, but still occasionally meet up just to reaffirm that agreement? Or would they both be seeking Julius in one another—Victor looking to understand the parts of Julius he never got to know, and Rideaux looking for that one person who understood how life could back you into an inescapable corner?
These are pretty dark prompts, but if you can somehow come up with something fluffier for these two then I'd be curious to see it! Otherwise though, do feel free to go as dark as you like. They suit it, so follow your inspiration wherever it might take you!
Otherwise, all the individual fandom details are listed below, and please enjoy!
The Dragon Prince:-
The Dragon Prince has been a wonderful surprise for me over the last year or so. I wasn't really sure what to expect going into the series, but I've found it to be a perfect blend of fictional politics and high fantasy antics. The setting is fun, and I'm honestly in love with the Katolis characters in particular—Harrow, Viren, and their respective childen. Callum, Rayla and especially Ezran are wonderful characters, but for the sake of this exchange I'm leaning more heavily toward the dark magic mess that is Viren and his children. Although...
Side-note About Little Bug Pal: I haven't requested Viren/Aaravos in particular, but I do ship it and have no problems with it being present in any work you make! I also ship Viren with King Harrow, so you can work that in instead (or additionally?!) is that speaks to you. … Viren/Harrow/Sarai is fine too. Basically I'm fine with pretty much any Viren ship, but I'd like the primary focus to be on the family unit itself.
→ Claudia & Soren & Viren / Claudia & Soren / Claudia & Viren
There is no tag for Soren & Viren but just imagine I've included that as well. I love all the different relationship dynamics present in this family. Early in the show I would have argued that Viren loves his children no matter what else is happening, but by the end of Season Three it's getting more and more difficult to ignore the disregard he shows toward poor Soren. That being said I honestly think there is some love there, even if Viren is increasingly losing his way when it comes to demonstrating it. Does he even realise how neglectful and hurtful he is? Of course he knows he's using his children (for the greater good of humankind! so it's totally fine!), but will he ever stop to consider what that might actually be doing to them as people?
There's no mistaking how much he loves Claudia, though, or how much pride he has in her. Is he conscious of the fact that he clearly has a favourite child? And how do Claudia and Soren feel about this? We get plenty of indication that Soren is desperate for his father's approval, which would suggest he might recognise the status quo on at least a subconscious level. What about Claudia, though? As the favoured child is she blind to the situation? Does it weigh on her? Have she and Soren ever talked about it, or are they just too awkward to get the words out, not wanting to risk damaging their own sibling relationship?
Speaking of which, if all of the above is a little too bleak, please feel free to just lean into some of the lighter, fluffier times! Soren and Claudia are legitimately adorable together, with this kind of 'mismatched peas in pod' vibe where they outwardly seem so different from each other but actually they're both so quirky and weird that they get each other perfectly. Feel free to do something from their early childhood, or else play with the time their travelling together during the first two seasons. OR, if you like, during their captivity at the start of S3, focused on either the capture itself or the time where they're awaiting Ezran's judgement.
For one final note! If you've matched me on Claudia & Soren only, please don't feel at all obligated to include Viren or Viren-related material. I can appreciate how he wouldn't be to everyone's taste, and I don't want anyone to feel pressured into writing something they wouldn't enjoy! I love this whole family and I'll be thrilled with any combinations, so go with whatever speaks to you!
DNWs: For these prompts, nothing in particular! I'm sure it goes without saying, but these are & prompts—I don't romantically ship any of these combinations.
Final Fantasy IX:-
I don't plan to be one of those people who insists Final Fantasy IX is the best one, but in my heart of hearts? Final Fantasy IX is the best one. It has some of my favourite characters and themes in the entire series, and I'm just in love with this small beautiful energetic world that feels so lived-in and vibrant and yet quaint and cozy. I'd be happy with just about anything set in this world, but for the sake of the exchange lets try and be more specific.
→ Amarant Coral/Freya Crescent / Amarant Coral/Zidane Tribal
Hopefully you'll forgive me for rolling these two ships in together. They're clearly quite different sets of characters, but the things I like here are how Freya and Zidane both independently change Amarant's views and impact his life. I'm one of those weird rare Amarant stans. We do exist, I swear.
For Amarant and Zidane, this relationship began before Zidane even remembers, back during that fateful encounter in Treno. If you'd like to write anything exploring that particular time frame then that's fine with me! But I suspect the more interesting questions probably come later. Does Zidane really not remember Amarant from back then? Could something ever jog his memory, and does he feel any need to confront that knowledge? For something more rooted in the present of the game, Ipsen's Castle is one of my favourite moments in the whole game. The plaque you can read upon entering seems like such a neat thematic source of inspiration: Do not be restricted by your knowledge and experience. This place turns logic upside down. What's big is small, what's strong is weak, and heaven is earth.
Being restricted by his own experiences seems a major weakness of Amarant, so unwilling to open up to the way other people live but so frustrated by his inability to understand them. If you would like to write anything centred around Ipsen's Castle and the Amarant event that happens here, I'd really love that! You could rewrite the canon sequence of events completely or else just expand on Zidane and Amarant making their way back outside to rejoin the rest of the team. Or something else! If in doubt, there's plenty of silly fun to be had in this world. Zidane strong-arms Amarant into performing some kind of “big guy” role in a Tantalus play? Or maybe something where Amarant and Zidane unexpectedly encounter each other during the time frame where Zidane is still considered missing?
Freya! Let's talk Freya. Freya and Amarant seem to form quite a quick friendship during the events of Disk Three; it starts prickly, but it isn't long before they're having cutscenes together, standing together on the airships, tackling an elemental fiend together—it's a conversation with Freya that allows the player to learn Amarant's backstory and where his issue from Zidane comes from. I love to imagine more interactions between these two characters! They come to the events of the story from such different places, but somehow seem to find a kindred spirit in one another.
Feel free to write anything involving their visit to the Fire Shrine, before, during or after the battle they face. How do they contend with the traps there? What do they talk about while they wait for the airship to collect them? Does Freya say anything about Amarant's little self-reflective moment, or does it prompt some self-reflection of her own? Alternatively, for something post-game, can you imagine a scenario where Amarant ends up aiding the people of Burmecia? He may find himself at a loose end after all is said and done, but I'm sure Freya can find ways to put him to work. Include exactly as much or as little of Sir Fratley in that scenario as personally suits you.
→ Kuja & Mikoto & Zidane Tribal / Kuja & Zidane / Kuja/Zidane / Kuja/Mikoto
It's a family! But also sort of a found family! Or maybe a clone family! And maybe romance is involved!
When it comes to these three characters, I'm honestly thrilled at the thought of anything that explores their relationships. Zidane and Kuja are probably my favourite hero and villain pair in any Final Fantasy game, both independent of each other and in relation to each other. The complicated nature of their relationship doesn't really come into focus until near the very end of Final Fantasy IX, but I love everything that we do see of them once that can of worms has been opened, and I love how that knowledge changes how we view their interactions prior to that point.
Mikoto is a very late-game wildcard to throw into the mix, but I really love the concept of her. Zidane seems very ready to try and be an actual light-hearted big brother type to her. By contrast we never see her and Kuja interact but her monologue at the end of the game makes it very clear how she and the other Genomes admired him for everything he represented to them. It makes me really curious to see how they might interact; whether Kuja would live up to those feelings of admiration, or if he could even stomach them coming from another of Garland's tools. For her own part, Mikoto is clearly embittered and clearly no fool—it might be that she and Kuja have plenty in common, and it's Zidane who ends up being a bit of an odd man out trying to deal with their respective brands of pessimism.
Feel free to make up any canon divergence necessary to get these three interacting! The classic scenario is Kuja surviving the end game and being brought back to Black Mage Village to recover and potentially start a new life away from the people he's wronged on the Mist Continent. That would make him subject to the kindness of Black Mages and Genomes, two groups that he previously despised because of how they reflected his own weakness. How would he cope with that now? Would Mikoto and/or Zidane be able to help him settle those feelings and accept the help he needs? Kuja definitely seems on the knife edge of epihany at the end of the game, but that doesn't mean it would be an easy road ahead of him.
If you'd rather something a tad more melancholy, play the end of the game completely straight except have Mikoto appear to Zidane as the airship is leaving. “He's my brother too. We'll go to him together.”
Feel free to write romance between any of these three as you wish, or keep it all strictly platonic. I'll be thrilled with any combinations of these characters—if we only matched on two of them, there's no obligation to include the third party. Just have fun!
Final Fantasy X & X-2:-
I've just suggested above that Final Fantasy IX is my favourite, but honestly? It's a pretty damn close call. Final Fantasy X has such fantastic world and careful staggered world-building. I find it impossible not to get pulled into the world of Spira each and every time I revisit the game, and no matter how many times I watch certain scenes it always manages to twist my heart apart. I wouldn't have it any other way. X-2 is obviously not as strong as a game, but I have a great deal of fondness for it!
→ Auron & Kimahri Ronso / Kimahri Ronso & Yuna
Two quite different relationships, but both defined by the silent solid presence of the bestest boy in the world.
Kimahri is a character that often gets overlooked. He's very taciturn, and he doesn't have a unique battle role to help define him in many players minds. But there's something so wonderful about his understated place in the story, and the impact he's had on both of these lives.
In his most desperate moment, Auron passed the burden of finding Yuna along to Kimahri. As the city celebrated the death of her father, Kimahri was the one who comforted Yuna and took her away to her new life in Besaid. He didn't owe anything to either of these people, but even so he took a man's dying words and built his life around seeing it through. I would love to see any story that touches on the gratitude they feel toward him, especially as he would never be the type to expect or seek that kind of recognition.
It's easier to imagine Yuna expressing these feelings. She spends so much time believing her life is going to end soon, and we even hear her sharing some of her feelings in the sphere she records on the Mi'ihen Highroad. Still, I would love to hear more of what she thinks of him. Perhaps it could be a story that explores how her feelings about him changed throughout her childhood and teenage years. Perhaps something that shows the moment where she tells her her intention to follow in Braska's footsteps? Or alternatively something toward the end of the story, based at any point during the trek over Gagazet. After Kimahri is confronted by Yenke and Biran, or after he's been taunted by Seymour Guado?
If you'd rather explore Auron instead, I would love to see what you could come up with. One of my absolute favourite moments in the entirety of Final Fantasy X is Auron's Sending, and specifically the way he gives that friendly thump of his knuckles on Kimahri's chest. There's so much going unsaid in that tiny gesture. These are two of the quietest most private characters, and to me, that moment was Auron's way of saying thank you for all you did. More than that, I feel as though it implies that Kimahri has silently known about Auron's unsent nature throughout the entire journey. Something else Auron is thanking him for. This is one of my favourite relationships even though they're quite a difficult pair of characters to prompt for. If you can come up with anything for them I'd love to see what you would do!
→ Baralai/Gippal
Meanwhile in the world of X-2, we have these two. I feel like there's absolutely loads of points in canon where you could write a story featuring this relationship. I love how they seem like such different people, and have come from incredibly different paths in life, but actually they seem to bond and get along really well. Their time in the Crimson Squad is marked with friendship and good memories, and I'm sure they've both held on to those good times during some of the things they've had to live with since that day in the cavern.
Baralai is a very serious and conscientious young man, but I get the feeling from the Crimson Spheres that he used to be more relaxed and light-hearted. This is supported more by Shuyin during the scene where he transfers from possessing Nooj to possessing Baralai, saying something to the affect of “the mind that hates and despairs is the easiest to break”. It makes it very apparent to the player that Baralai has been hiding deep torment behind his calm facade.
So, how well can Baralai recover from that in the post-game, and what does Gippal end up having to do with it? You can lean into the more light-hearted side of this, with Gippal wanting to try and lure that cheerful relaxed Baralai back to the surface. Gippal remembers the person Baralai used to be and he can see that that person is still in there—what could he do to try and recapture the ease they experienced in those early days? Is Gippal maybe the one person Baralai does feel able to become that relaxed around?
For the other side of the same coin, Baralai has been carrying trauma within him, and the events of the game have surely had even more impact. How well does he cope with things? I can imagine him trying to force his feelings down to keep contending with the responsibilities he shoulders, and Gippal finally being forced to intervene for the sake of this person he cares so much about. If you want to write something where they're in a position to be waking up together, there's always that classic idea of being tormented by nightmares. But perhaps it's Gippal who wakes up in a panic one night, reliving the Den of Woe or perhaps even the Guado attack on Home, and it's by comforting and reassuring Gippal that Baralai is finally able to admit his own troubles. Go down whatever road appeals to you, and if you want to work in other Crimson Squad characters, or anyone else from the canon, do whatever works to tell the story you'd love to tell!
Kingdom Hearts:-
Kingdom Hearts is one of those fandoms that I've never been deep into, but I still can't help but carry a certain fondness for. The plot is convoluted, you have to play ten thousand games just to try and keep up, and nothing ever quite stays consistent, BUT EVEN SO, you just can't help but love the parts you love. I'm only asking for one set of characters this time around, but if you want to incorporate other people into the story you want to tell then I completely accept that—Wayfinder Trio and/or Sora seem like characters who would easily be connected.
→ Vanitas/Ventus
I'm not sure if I would go so far as to say I was dissatisfied by Vanitas's ending in Kingdom Hearts 3, largely because no character is ever really gone in the universe of Kingdom Hearts. But if you wanted to write a story set after the events of the game and somehow bringing Vanitas back into the fray then I would be thrilled to read it! Does Ventus feel an absence with Vanitas gone? Does he deliberately instigate something to draw his ~other side~ back to him, and does he hate himself for wanting it? Or is this something that happens despite what Ventus wants? Does Vanitas's connection to Ventus give him that one little spark from which he's able to bring himself back.
That being said, don't feel any obligation to follow the events of KH3. Make up a completely different turn of events, or just write something set at an earlier point in the timeline! A confrontation that never happened, like Vanitas taking a chance to torment poor Ven during the events of Birth By Sleep perhaps. Or maybe, somehow, it's Ventus who finds Vanitas. Can you imagine a scenario where on of them ends up helping or showing mercy toward the other? How would that go over?
Feel free to go as dark and cruel with any of this as you like. It can definitely be that sort of relationship. I really like the sense of them being two halves of an inevitable whole, though, sort of drawn together no matter how much they might both resent it. Can it ever stop being a battle between them? Can they ever co-exist? Can they ever want to co-exist? And hey, this all being said, if you have an idea for a lighter story involving them then I'd love to see it! I apologise that my prompts don't reflect that so much—it's a lack of personal ideas rather than a lack of interest in seeing it, so please write whatever you're inspired toward!
Pokémon:-
I've requested thinking of the Pokémon video games in particular, and don't really have any knowledge of the anime or manga. That doesn't mean you shouldn't include elements from those, but more like that I wouldn't catch those particular references if you made them! In terms of the games, I'm always super interested in how other people interpret and headcanon these characters. These games have fairly simple plots and character writing, but I've always enjoyed filling in the gaps and seeing how other people do so!
→ Bede & Opal / Bede/Rose
So, uh, these are two very different relationships, huh.
Let's start with Bede and Opal. This was such an adorable and unexpected surprise in Sword and Shield, and I was so amused and so delighted by their relationship. I would love to see any fic that just shows these two interacting! Bede being grumpy and irritable as Opal drags him further and further into the gym leader world, but also the way he quickly grows into the role and actually finds himself loving it. Finally receiving positive adult reinforcement! Being encouraged and supported in a constructive way! Bede may be difficult, but he deserves the fair chance Opal's ready to give him. I'd also love to see Bede learning to embrace and love the Fairy type. How does Opal sell him on it? And how does his opinion of her change throughout their time together? This is a pretty cute and comedic pair of characters, so have fun with them!
For the, um, complete opposite end of the spectrum, Rose/Bede. I fully appreciate that this is a pretty nasty pairing with a lot of horrible implications. If you decide to write for these two please feel free to lean as heavily as you'd like into all of that—knowing that Bede has a bright future ahead of him under Opal's guidance, I'm willing to be pretty brutal to him prior to that. Rose is a bit underdeveloped as a character, so I'd be interested to see what kind of feelings and motivations you might choose to write into him in this scenario. Does he feel that his treatment of Bede is in service of Galar and The Darkest Day, and therefore it's all justified? Or is he just used to having what he wants and honestly isn't even trying to justify it to himself? Does Bede realise how inappropriate their relationship has become? Or if you want to be really risque, is Bede the instigator? Or does he just think he's the instigator?
If you want to write a Bede & Opal story but with implications of Rose/Bede in the background, that would also be very welcome! Go as light or as dark as you like. Pokémon is one of those worlds that's completely adorable and soft but could be really messed up if you dig beneath the surface, and these two sets of characters seem to capture that sense perfectly.
→ Guzma/Nanu
Two isolated men coming at life from very different directions.
Nanu is a place to start. He's such a strange character, and I really really love seeing what people draw from him. Why is he such a loner? Is he happy? Does he think he's happy? What does he actually think of Po Town and Team Skull? Why does he live so close to them when everyone else tries to stay away? Which obviously leads to Guzma. What does Guzma think of Nanu, this weirdo old man cop who hangs around but doesn't interfere? I tend to think that Nanu, Dark-type Pokémon user, has a soft spot for outcasts and troublemakers. He seems like someone who doesn't fit in, and maybe that lets him sympathise with the disenfranchised youth of Team Skull. Someone has to help out the underdogs. I love to imagine situations where Guzma has had to go to Nanu for help. Help with what, who can say? Go as fluffy or as serious as you want with that!
But if you want to explore late-game stuff, I'd love to see Guzma trying to deal with the psychological aftermath of his misadventures with Ultra Beasts. Can Nanu help? Or at least provide a quiet place where Guzma can be vulnerable without judgement? Or who knows, maybe Guzma is the one person Nanu let's himself be vulnerable around, in his own wry way. After all, who the hell is Guzma going to tell? It's not like anyone would listen anyway.
There's just something about these two that really makes me curious. Guzma can't control his anger but seems desperate for validation; Nanu seems mellow almost to the point of being disconnected from his responsibilities, but can't seem to keep himself from stepping in. They're a bit paradoxical in themselves, and if anything I've said has inspired you to explore that relationship, I'd love to see what you can do with them!
Tales of Xillia:-
It says Tales of Xillia, but I'm really requesting for Xillia 2. It's not the best written game in the Tales series—it certainly struggles with plot holes—but there's some character and world-building work in this game that I just love so much. I forgot to request it last year, so I'm determined not to make that same mistake again!
→ Ivar/Leia Rolando
This is a pairing that snuck up on me over a long period of time. There's just something so charming and fluffy about the thought of these two working to find themselves after the events of Tales of Xillia. Leia is trying her hand at journalism while Ivar has found himself serving as an agent of Spirius, and the game makes it perfectly clear that they're both fighting to find their feet in this strange new world. What if they ever had an opportunity to talk about that? To compare their experiences, maybe make fun of each other a little even as they're commiserating together?
Speaking of commiserating, I wouldn't want a fic that dwelt on this for too long, but it is undeniable that these two both had unrequited feelings for characters who subsequently ended up together. Can you just imagine a situation where they're talking about that? If you don't feel they would be too young for it, I can really imagine them sitting at a bar getting a little tipsy and complaining to each other about the whole situation. And hey, by the end of it maybe there'd be a little sense of “well, they're missing out by not picking you”, and oops, suddenly they maybe like each other a little?
Another thought I've always quite liked is the two of them working together on one of Leia's articles. Not sure how that would come to pass—maybe she's doing a report on something Spirius related and Rideaux just goes “whatever, Ivar, take care of it” and overenthusiastic Ivar dedicates himself to the project with typical zeal. Leia's a very enthusiastic overachiever as well, so I can definitely see them spurring each other on and getting carried away with this!
→ Julius Will Kresnik/Rideaux Zek Rugievit / Rideaux Zek Rugievit/Victor Will Kresnik
Two messy slices of Rideaux pie, two messy slices of Kresnik. What more could you ask for?
Julius/Rideaux has been a Ride Or Die pairing for me for just about as long as Xillia 2 has existed, and I can't imagine that feeling ever dying out. They have such a difficult and toxic relationship, but they're also very wrapped up in one another, and I really adore that about them. There's no one else who can really understand the things they've been through. Destroying countless fractured dimensions, existing under the yoke of Bisley's will, and knowing the fate that waits to befall one of them at the end of this long unenviable road. They can't rely on each other, they can't trust each other—but sometimes, the only people they have are each other.
You can explore just about any time frame with these two and I'd be thrilled to read about it. Something set during the game is tense and exciting, even if you might have to bend the rules a little to get them interacting. Does Julius privately seek Rideaux out during his time in hiding, perhaps needing to settle something between them before everything comes to an end? Perhaps wanting to warn Rideaux to leave while he still can, increasingly sure that Bisley is going to take action? And how would Rideaux react to seeing him? Of course, you can also explore something set during their time spent working together in Spirus. Fractured dimensions offer an endless array of opportunity. What if they find a dimension in which their counterparts are living together, happy and in love? How would they cope with that? Alternatively, injury. Always injury. Doesn't matter which one of them gets hurt, a situation where one is forced to depend on the other and all the emotions inevitably tied up in that. That kind of thing is always fascinating and oh-so-welcome.
As for Victor/Rideaux, there's a lot of possibility here. We find out in the game what Victor did to Julius and the majority of the playable Xillia cast, but no mention is ever made of Rideaux. If Victor has killed Bisley and Julius, would Rideaux actually be leading Spirius in that particular dimension? If so, does he feel indebted to Victor for that? Afraid of him? Resentful, perhaps, at the one who killed Julius after occupying such a unique place in Julius's life? Or did Victor actually kill Rideaux as well, and if so, how did that go down? I appreciate that this is a pairing prompt and I'm sort of asking for someone to kill someone else, so... all I can do is assure you that my real-life perception of romance isn't like this, I swear to god.
I would really love to see what Victor and Rideaux make of each other. I expect Victor would find Rideaux pretty vile, but would also have a strong sense that he isn't any better after everything he's done. Would they fall in together simply because they don't have anyone else to turn to? Would they have some kind of deal to mutually ignore each other and pose no threat to one another, but still occasionally meet up just to reaffirm that agreement? Or would they both be seeking Julius in one another—Victor looking to understand the parts of Julius he never got to know, and Rideaux looking for that one person who understood how life could back you into an inescapable corner?
These are pretty dark prompts, but if you can somehow come up with something fluffier for these two then I'd be curious to see it! Otherwise though, do feel free to go as dark as you like. They suit it, so follow your inspiration wherever it might take you!