Five Figure Fanwork Exchange 2024

[aestivalis]

Hello once again, fffx, and hello FFFX partcipant! My online handle is Gargant, and my AO3 account can be found under the same name (Gargant). I had a really great time with FFFX last year, and I can't believe it's already time again. But here we are, and here we go! FFFX 2024!

Much like last year, I will be delighted to receive written fiction or artwork. Both are wonderful options! If you would want to take any of these prompts and go the comic route, I'm excited to see what you'll come up with :>

I'm a total video game enthusiast, and my requests reflect that. This year I've asked for: Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XV, Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Graces, Tales of Xillia, Tales of Zestiria, and Tales of Berseria. Living that JRPG franchise lifestyle, baybee! If any sections of this letter seem particularly weighted in favour of any particular fandom/request, this isn't intentional or an indication of preference. I'll be thrilled with whatever these options might inspire from you. Follow your heart!

Some sections of this letter have been recycled or mildly edited from last years letter. I am still excited by those request options so I've pretty much copy/pasted them directly. Again, that's not an indication of preference, it's just a timesaver!

I have one universal DNW, which I have outlined in every subsequent section of this letter and I'm going to mention here as well. The one and only thing I would like to avoid in anything created for me are detailed renditions of modern medical procedures, particularly things like cannula insertion and the administration of intravenous treatments. Thank you for understanding.

With this all being said, here's a list of things I generally vibe with. Use this information however you see fit!

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General Likes:
✤ enemies-to-lovers, friends-to-enemies-to lovers, friends-to-enemies-but-still-lovers
✤ "can't live with you, can't live without you", relationships where the two characters have something in common that no one else can ever truly understand (emotional, magical, a shared experience, etc.)
✤ "never known/met anyone else like you", characters who turn each other's worlds upside-down
✤ messy/complicated long-term relationships (romantic, familial, pre-destined, etc.)
✤ fantasy or historical fantasy settings, magic entirely optional!
✤ worldbuilding, especially focused on exploring the political/religious/societal quirks of a setting
✤ canon divergence/"what if" scenarios/exploring the consequences of a significant choice or moment. Would they make the same choices again?
✤ "everyone is bisexual"/bisexual characters (entirely your choice on how society does/doesn't acknowledge this. bisexual utopias are extremely welcome, but explorations of societal repression are very interesting and welcome as well.)

Danger Likes: (aka, the darker stuff)
✣ age gaps of any size (note: if one character is particularly young (younger than 13), please acknowledge the abuse of power involved. go as dark and nasty as you like, though!)
✣ characters lying to themselves and/or refusing to learn from their mistakes, characters devoted to something that doesn't deserve them
✣ dubious consent, lack of consent, characters fooling themselves into believing they've given meaningful consent, characters acting against their own better judgment/morality
✣ blood, bloodplay, scarification, any of the aforementioned as part of a ritual or other binding belief (consented to or otherwise!)
✣ homophobia and/or misogyny incorporated into worldbuilding, internalised homophobia/misogyny (note: if lead characters display these attitudes, I would prefer they are challenged in their beliefs or else begin to evolve beyond them by the conclusion of the story!)

No Preference:
❋ Any tense is fine!
❋ Smut is welcome, but I am equally happy to receive something completely smut-free. Fade-to-black or stay in the moment! I am more invested in the emotional grip of any given scene than the physical, but ain't never gonna say no to a good smut scene, hahaha!
❋ Any amount of violent or graphic content is fine.
❋ Character death is fine.
❋ Unhappy endings are fine, if that's where the story takes you!

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TALES OF SYMPHONIA

If these requests seem to skew in favour of Zelos, don't be completely fooled. I do love him, but what I love most of all is exploring what it means to be the Chosen in the worlds of Symphonia.

Because yeah, being the Chosen is terrible. Regardless of whether you live in Sylvarant or Tethe'alla, it's just terrible. Raised as an eventual sacrifice and forever surrounded by people who can't be completely honest with you, it's hard to imagine an existence that so coddled and yet so isolated at the same time.

For Zelos, it was politics and persuasion and constant mistrust. For Colette it was a more immediate sense of impending doom combined with the strange rumours about being the child of an angel. It led both of them to exist in a bubble, never truly able to connect honestly with their peers. They're so similar and yet so different, and I love them both so much.

I love Mylene as well! She's paired alongside Zelos here, but I truly and completely love her in her own right. She's just as much a victim of the Chosen system as anyone else within that lineage, and I adore fiction that remembers to view her with sympathy. That doesn't mean glossing over the cold way she treated her child—more like exploring how and why it ended up that way, and perhaps wondering if things could have ever been different.

For some more specific hints for each listed pairing:

Lloyd/Zelos
I love this because.... Someone who Zelos learns to trust, even against his own better judgement. Angst, fluff, bittersweet, all rolled up into one wonderful ship. Lloyd is unlike anyone else Zelos has ever dealt with, and it's so good watching him try to figure that out and eventually falling face first right into it. I love how this pairing can be fluff, can be angst, can be bitter or sweet or both; I love the happy ever afters, and I love all the mess that can be encountered along the way.

○ AU versions of canon events are always welcome with Symphonia. What might happen if Zelos fully betrays the party at the Tower of Salvation but survives the subsequent fight? What kind of hope or reconcilation can exist between him and Lloyd? And the rest of the party, for that matter! Can Zelos be persuaded to keep on living, or does he intend to slink off and die somewhere? Happy ending or bitter disaster entirely up to you!

○ For another AU entirely, always feel free to mess around with which characters were born where or serve which roles. You want Lloyd to be a Chosen? Go for it! Or maybe Lloyd grew up in Tethe'alla and met Zelos much much earlier than in canon? Sure thing! Hell, have Zelos in Iselia for some reason if you like! Anything like this is always gonna excite me.

○ ANY OTHER IN-UNIVERSE AU/CANON DIVERGENCE YOU CAN THINK OF, seriously, I live for these.

○ Zelos contemplating his situation during the main game, looking at Lloyd and considering what he's going to do when the time comes to pick a side. Lloyd might be irresistibly soft-hearted, but is that really enough reason to put himself on the line?

○ An evening with the Tethe'allan court. Dressed to impress in their noble regalia. Does Lloyd hate all the rules, or is he cheerfully oblivious? Do they stay the course, or secretly bail out and go to make their own fun instead? Feel free to highlight the horrible wealth disparity that exists in Meltokio; does Lloyd lose his temper at the injustice of it? Does Zelos back him up or admire from afar?

○ Post-game Exsphere journey adventures! What sort of trials and tribulations might these two come up against? Are people happy to see them, or are there still people who resent them? How is the population adjusting to the combined worlds? Does Lloyd ever get frustrated by all the resistance to his collecting the Exspheres, and can Zelos make any of it better? Does Zelos ever become disillusioned and need a Lloyd-style pep talk to get him back on track? Make this a fun and plotty little casefic, or focus on the two of them supporting each others emotional needs—it all sounds good to me!

Kratos/Zelos
I love this because.... MESSY. They both harbour a lot of self-loathing and guilt, and I love seeing the different ways they reflect each other. Not a fluffy pairing, though I'm open to being convinced if you think you can get them there?! Zelos hurting Kratos as a way of hurting himself, but also wanting Kratos to somehow make things better because then maybe there's some hope for him after all (oof).

○ I'll always enjoy stories where Kratos has to train Zelos—it's that common headcanon explanation for their similar battle styles, and something I really love seeing different takes on. It's reasonable to assume that Kratos would have recently lost Lloyd and Anna, and would likely be even more dead inside than usual. Doubtless he'd be keeping everyone at a distance. How does teenage Zelos react to that? Does it just affirm his own worthlessness? (yes). Does it make him want to act out to try and force this Cruxis bastard to respond to him, damn it? (also yes).

○ AU where Zelos betrays the party at the Tower of Salvation, but survives because of Kratos's intervention. Why does Kratos do it? What guilt or obligation does he feel toward Zelos, yet another Chosen torn apart by the system he has helped enforce in Yggdrasill's name? Why does Zelos go along with it? Does he feel like he even has much of a choice? When/if Kratos leaves, does Zelos go with him? Does Kratos even extend the offer, or does he simply attempt to leave without saying so—and how does Zelos respond to that? m e s s y

○ If you want to try and convince me these two can have some sort of fluffy happiness, then I happily look forward to seeing what you can come up with! Can these two crazy kids somehow figure things out? If they can somehow figure out how to have a better relationship with each other, might it eventually lead them to have better relationships within themselves? WHO CAN SAY. It's a nice dream at least.


Mylene & Zelos
I love this because.... Their relationship is just so ugly and tragic. Ruminate on the good times as well as the bad. The bad times as well as the worst. What might they have to say to each other if they could meet again? What might either of them want to do differently? Can Zelos forgive her—hell, does he even think she needs forgiving? Can someone else convince him he has a right to be angry at her? Feel free to work any of these elements into other Zelos stories!

○ A story that explores the short and wretched time these two characters had together, taken from either or both perspectives. Was there ever any love between them? What did that love mean, when it was wrapped up in so much struggle and lack of agency? To me, Mylene's "you should never have been born" always read as more of an indictment of the Chosen system than any particular commentary on Zelos himself—though of course young Zelos wouldn't hear it that way. If you can stand the heartbreak, a story exploring such elements would be wonderful.

○ Alternatively, it's AU time again! What happens if Mylene survives the attack? What happens if she says that awful line and then survives the attack? What kind of relationship can she and her son possibly have with something so terrible now hanging between them? Are they ever able to reach any sort of understanding, or does the wedge between them only ever widen after that? Does she regret what she said, or stand by her truth? Would they be allies in the Tethe'allan court, or would they end up using politics as another corrupted way of communicating with one another?

○ JUST GIVE ME THE MESS, MAN. They're both dreadful people in their own victimised ways, and I love seeing all that mess out in full display. Especially if the rest of the world has no idea just how bad things really are beneath the surface. But if they ever can find reconciliation and middle-ground between them, I'd love to see it. Even if it's only a single moment of understanding.


Colette/Seles
I love this because.... Both have been horribly affected by the Chosen lineage. Does Seles wish she could have been the Chosen instead of her brother, and how does meeting Colette make her feel about that? AU where Seles *is* the Chosen instead, and travelled with Colette and company? Sugar and spice personalities, but neither of them ever very honest with their true feelings. Do they recognise that in each other?

○ AU once again. An adventure where Seles accompanies the party. Is she the Chosen in Zelos's place? Does she succeed in convincing them to let her join their adventure after battling the party in the Coliseum? Regardless of how you want to make it happen, how do Seles and Colette interact on the road together. Do they get along well from the outset, or does it take time for them (or Seles, let's be honest) to warm up to one another. Does Seles see Colette as a bother, or a rival? Or someone who needs protecting? And do the major events of the story change in any significant way thanks to Seles's presence?

○ When the party plan to face Yggdrasill toward the end of the game, Lloyd suggests that Colette should stay away. Colette resists, and the rest is history. But what if it played out another way? What if they decided the safest place to hide Colette would be at the Abbey, with Seles? Ignoring the fact that this completely screws up Zelos's grand master plan (it's what he deserves), how does this turn out? Is Seles annoyed or suspicious about this? Does Colette end up deciding to follow anyway, and she and Seles go on a grand Tower of Salvation infiltration mission to protect Lloyd, Zelos and the others (and maybe save the day along the way)? Or do Cruxis angels descend on the Abbey to take Colette away, and the two are forced to defend themselves right there and then? It's an adventure story all the way, and I'd love to see how it unfolds!

○ For something completely different, how about a story set after the events of the game. Seles is living in Meltokio, perhaps, and ends up looking after Colette when the former Chosen comes to visit as an ambassador of Sylvarant's people. Or the opposite, with Seles wanting to see somewhere new for once in her life and ending up under Colette's guidance in Iselia. How would they get along as they grow familiar with one another? Would they realise the similarities they have, and who would recognise it first? Would they maybe do... a little kiss????

UNIVERSAL DNW: Please avoid modern medical procedures in any detail! Injuries are fine, description of gore/violence/pain are fine, field medicine is fine, fantastical/historical wound treatment is fine. Quick references to needles/injections are fine! But please don't linger on descriptions of surgery, insertion of IV fluids, or anything like that. Thank you for understanding! (Unlikely to come up with this fandom, but hey!)

FANDOM SPECIFIC DNW: Romantic Colette/Lloyd (but love them as v. important friends!). I don't know the sequel, so would prefer it not be involved.

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TALES OF ZESTIRIA

Tales of Zestiria has a bit of a reputation among Tales fans for not being the best game in the series. I don't really intend to refute that; the time scale in particular really gets my worldbuilding senses tingling with frustration. But there's so much to love in this game, and the cast especially elevate this adventure for me. Maybe it's not the most complicated or rich story in the series, but these characters. These characters, man! Let's have some fun with them!

Dezel & Symonne
I love this because... it's such a strange and understated relationship, given how integral it ends up being to Dezel's trajectory in the story. They're two sides of one coin, two different explorations of one cursed existence, they are bleak and miserable and want to see each other suffer when they could potentially gain so much by knowing someone who has experienced a similar pain. They could have had it all, but all they have is violence. Explore that! Explore them!

○ One way or another, Dezel survives. What happens next? Does he continue to pursue Symonne despite everything that's happened, and does that destroy his relationship with Rose, Sorey and the others? Does Symonne encourage all of this to happen? Does she actually instigate it? Perhaps Dezel swears to Rose and the others that he'll never let his hatred blind (ha ha) him again, but Symonne intentionally needles him and lures him out until he breaks that vow. Is there any coming back from that? What happens when they do confront each other?

○ Same as above, but what if Dezel vows to stay away from Symonne and... succeeds! No matter what she does to try and draw him out, he keeps his attention focused on Sorey's mission. How does Symonne respond? How desperate would she get? How violent? Would she finally find some way to force his hand, presumably by threatening other members of the Shepherd's group? Can Dezel find any way to protect his friends and overcome his past while keeping hold on himself? I don't mind unhappy endings if you want to go that way with any of this!

○ All that being said, can you find any way to make them actually speak to each other? Make them realise the similarities that exist between them, make them talk about the awful curse that hangs over them and their actions. Have either of them ever actually met or spent time with another seraph who can relate to that? Could they get anything positive from interacting with each other? Could they persuade each other/themselves that they should disappear together and take their awful curse with them? At least, no matter what else, they'd still have each other for company. Even hating someone is better than being alone. Or could Symonne actually convince Dezel that he's on the wrong side...? He's cursed just the same way she is. He should never have aligned himself with the Shepherd. Seraphs like them will have no place in the Shepherds world. But the Lord of Calamity sees something in her; and he'll see it in Dezel too...

○ When all else fails, Symonne and her illusions are always the best. Give me trickery, give me mind games, give me violence and combat! Get them at each other's throats however you best see fit and I'll be delighted, I assure you!

Dezel & Zaveid, Dezel/Zaveid
I love this because... there's just so much potential that the source material hints at but doesn't fully act upon, and I'm here for all of this! I enjoy these two as a platonic relationship, and I also love the idea of them as a romantic/sexual ship. I love how Zaveid seems to be looking out for Dezel even though Dezel clearly isn't interested in anything Zaveid has to say to him, and I love how Dezel seems to have lost his memories of Zaveid and how Zaveid picks at that without ever outright challenging it. They're so weird and interesting to me!

note: If you want to ship them romantically/sexually, I have no issues with the notion that they first met when Dezel was much younger. It's Zaveid, man, he don't care. If you want to write platonic scenes between Zaveid and kid-Dezel and then later intimate scenes between Zaveid and teen-Dezel or adult-Dezel then I am down for it! I'm not too precious when it comes to semi-immortal spirit creatures.

○ Once again I request a story where Dezel survives. What happens in this scenario? Does Zaveid still end up joining Sorey and company? They don't need a second wind seraph, but maybe Zaveid wants to keep an eye on Dezel after that whole damn mess back there. Is Dezel willing to put up with Zaveid's presence and attention? Now that Dezel remembers the true events of what happened with the Windrunners, does he also remember things from his past with Zaveid? If so, how does that change their relationship? How happy does that make Zaveid? Maybe they can relate to each other in new ways, share stories of the things they've lost and process some grief together. Be glad that they still have each other (Dezel says he isn't glad at all, but shush). Let them do a little healing together, as a treat.

○ Alternative to above, maybe Dezel survives but Zaveid immediately takes him away. "Sorry Shepherd, but this guy's got some issues that need dealin' with. You can have him back when I'm done." Maybe Zaveid knows for a fact that Dezel won't be able to let his revenge mission go, so he's taking Dezel off to do some soul-searching. Maybe he intends to help Dezel track down Symonne and finally finish this thing--whatever that ends up meaning. Dezel may knows the truth now, but does that mean he's satisfied? Can he ever be satisfied? Zaveid surely has some opinions about that. What can he do to get Dezel back on the right road? (Is it sexy??)

○ Give me moments from their history! Show me how they met, or show me what happened next! Did our young Dezel idolise Zaveid, or has he always found Zaveid annoying and frustrating? Zaveid seems to be good with kids, show me how he interacted with little Dez! How long did they travel together? Did Zaveid come and go from Dezel's life at various points, or were they together for one solid period of time before parting ways? Who left who behind and why, or was it amicable? How did teenage Dezel feel about Zaveid's constant flirtation with anything capable of movement? Did it annoy him? Exhaust him? Disgust him? Frustratingly kinda arouse him? DID DEZEL INSTIGATE? Was Zaveid conflicted for longer than five seconds before going for it?!

UNIVERSAL DNW: Please avoid modern medical procedures in any detail! Injuries are fine, description of gore/violence/pain are fine, field medicine is fine, fantastical/historical wound treatment is fine. Quick references to needles/injections are fine! But please don't linger on descriptions of surgery, insertion of IV fluids, or anything like that. Thank you for understanding! (Unlikely to come up with this fandom, but hey!)

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FINAL FANTASY VI

I've played through FFVI numerous times, but recently revisited it with my partner so she could see it for herself. It's a really great game, huh! Wonderful characters, gorgeous soundtrack, visuals that still look great all these years later... and I'm still attached to the imagined relationship between two dudes who barely even speak. Sigh.

Edgar/Setzer
I like this because... Even if there isn't much canon interaction to speak of, I feel like it's surprisingly easy to envision how these two would get along well. They seem to come from extremely different social strata, but Setzer conducts himself and his wealth in a way that would allow them to be schmoozy together. Similarly, Edgar is very unpretentious in how he approaches people; a bit of wining, dining and dicing seems perfectly in-keeping. Edgar's interest in all things machinery and Setzer's beloved airships are a natural intersection to bring them closer. Smart suave men with their own agendas, one a leader of men and one who prefers to go solo... or at least, that's what he tells himself. They really just tap into something in my imagination; there's a place in my head that insists it totally makes sense that they'd stay in each other's pockets, darn it!

○ So, how about that two-headed coin, huh? Celes borrows Edgar's coin when they're trying to win Setzer's support, and uses it to con the conman (as it were). What if Setzer were to take a shine to that pretty little coin? How might he try to convince Edgar to part ways with that precious relic? Edgar has immense sentimental attachment to that coin so he wouldn't be willing to give it up... so how might Setzer sweeten the deal? What prize could Setzer possible offer that would make Edgar willing to take the risk? Is it... a sexy prize? And once said prizes are on the table, what game(s) would they play? Who ultimately wins, and do they keep their bargain? Does Sabin have any opinion on this? (note: include whatever FFVI characters you want in any of these stories! Sabin is an obvious choice for obvious reasons, but anyone is welcome, go for it!)

○ Setzer and "Gerad" cross paths in the ruined world. What happens between them? Does Setzer even try to approach Edgar, or is he too deep in despair? Does Edgar even try to approach Setzer, or is it too much of a risk to his "Gerad" persona? Does Edgar perhaps enlist Setzer into Gerad's band of thieves, thereby keeping his mission to help Figaro on track but also supporting a former ally who has clearly lost his way in this hopeless world? If so, does Setzer play along nicely, or does he put up a fight? Perhaps it's more trouble than it's worth to try and get "Gerad" to leave him alone, so he ends up going along with it. And perhaps, with King Edgar missing and Gerad simply another common brigand with no responsibilities, Setzer and his new boss can take some rare comfort from one another in this ravaged world... if only for now. (If so, what happens when Edgar casts that alias away? Be as bitter or sweet as you like!)

○ Postgame friendship, postgame relationship! Does Setzer visit often? Does Edgar find ways to offer him employment as an excuse to see Setzer again? Does Setzer subsequently refuse the work because that insults him? Edgar perhaps doesn't realise that he's hurting Setzer's pride every time he tries to employ him, and comes to the wrong conclusion; Setzer simply isn't interested. Setzer, meanwhile, likes playing games even more than most people, but damn, why can't Edgar just be frank about this? If he wants to bang, just say so! Do they ever get things figured out between them? Does Setzer end up accepting a job just so he can meet Edgar face-to-face and tell him to stop what he's doing, leaving Edgar struggling to understand what's gone wrong just when he finally thought things were looking up? Or does Setzer end up needing help from Figaro, and that finally brings them together to talk things out?

○ Opposite to the above, just have it be fluffy and fine! No confusion, no uncertainty, they're just going to have a relationship in this new world! What does that mean for them? Edgar can't leave Figaro (often?), and Setzer isn't the type to settle in one place. Setzer knows how to act in polite company, but that doesn't make him obligated to behave accordingly--but perhaps Edgar and Setzer use that to Edgar's advantage, getting "uncouth" Setzer to say the things Edgar isn't allowed to say to/about those challenging his leadership. Or hell, maybe Setzer just makes it his personal mission to force Edgar to relax now and then. Just shows up every few months to take Edgar flying beneath the stars, gift him some old machinery he's (totally coincidentally!) won over cards and he thought Edgar might like tampering with, dinner, wine, mind-numbingly delightful sex, and then just drop Edgar back at the castle in the morning. King Edgar always comes back from his brief excursions brimming with vigor and inspiration, so most people don't ask too many questions!

UNIVERSAL DNW: Please avoid modern medical procedures in any detail! Injuries are fine, description of gore/violence/pain are fine, field medicine is fine, fantastical/historical wound treatment is fine. Quick references to needles/injections are fine! But please don't linger on descriptions of surgery, insertion of IV fluids, or anything like that. Thank you for understanding!

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FINAL FANTASY XV

(Note regarding canon materials: I have played all the character Episodes (Gladio, Ignis, Prompto and Ardyn). I have not read the novelisation. I have not watched Brotherhood, I have not watched the Ardyn prologue anime, and I haven't watched Kingsglaive (necrophilia if you are reading this I KNOW, I'M SORRY). Reference any sources you'd like to for your story, but I may not catch certain references for material I haven't experienced!)

Not to take anything away from the various other characters in this silly messy game, but Ardyn is the character in FFXV that really resonated with me, and I'd love to receive something that features him in a prominent role! That doesn't necessarily mean it has to be from his perspective, however—some of the most delicious Ardyn content comes through the lens of other characters forced to deal with him, after all. For me, Ardyn is just a brilliant character, exactly the right amount of tragic to make you really sit up and look at him, but just such an awful magnificent bastard within it. And hilarious. He's disgustingly funny, the git.

And now everyone else must suffer the consequences.

SO, as much as Ardyn is rich and complex and there are so many amazing options when it comes to him... this time, I am doubling down on one pairing and one pairing alone. If you want to explore Ardyn's backstory, Ardyn's motivations, Ardyn's potential, Ardyn's future...? Please, go ahead! I will eat it up! But I must tragically request that you do so via.....

Verstael/Ardyn
I love this because... WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE? Two completely insane bastards, both delivering absurd scenery-chewing camp madness in such completely different ways. Both striving forward with malevolent ambition, both using one another but doing so gleefully and with full transparency. They know what the other is, and they're here for it. Heaven help anyone who has to be around them, because I can only imagine they're insufferable when they're feeding off each other's toxic vibes. They're just rancid, and I love them.

○ How does their relationship grow and develop with time? I love the dynamic we see between them in the Ardyn DLC, where they initially have this conflicted disharmony. Ardyn is at his lowest point in many ways, confused and emotionally defeated... and then there's this campy evil mad scientist obliviously fawning over him. In the DLC this dynamic doesn't linger for long, but what if it had? Instead of taking Ardyn to Ifrit as early as he does, what if Verstael had spent more time wining and dining Ardyn to try and win him over? Verstael has no idea how to talk to people and he's completely enamoured with what Ardyn is--let me watch this insane freak try his level best to seduce Ardyn to his cause and have no damn idea where he keeps going wrong! (Seriously, I can't fucking believe Verstael literally wines and dines the monster he found in a cave, he's such a lunatic, god I love him.)

○ For another way to watch their relationship developing, how does Verstael react to the gradual changes in Ardyn as Ardyn daemonifies more people? It seems like Ardyn gains the memories of his victims each time he does this, and that subsequently warps his personality more and more. Are these shifts in Ardyn readily apparent, or is it a more creeping and subtle change that occurs over a longer period of time? If you want to write a warped version of something fluffy, I'd love to see scenarios where Ardyn gets confused after "absorbing" particularly powerful memories/influences into himself. How does Verstael take care of him in these scenarios? Let Verstael gleefully barrel through the line between science and tenderness--just because he's taken Adagium as a lover doesn't mean he's not going to take notes and delight in how fascinating Ardyn is.

○ Verstael as the commander designated to keep mad dog Ardyn under control, and Ardyn belligerently compliant. Between them they hold so much power within the Empire, but there's a dangerous and precarious balance between them. Ardyn has all the supernatural strength, but Verstael has all the knowledge and leverage in modern Eos. Demonstrate these qualities! Or perhaps tell a story focusing on Verstael's reaction upon reuniting with Ardyn for the first time post-DLC. Ardyn deliberately went off-script during the attack on Insomnia, but also he is decidedly not himself in the aftermath. How does Verstael react? What conversations do they have? What does Ardyn tell him of what occurred, or what excuse does he fabricate?

○ All else aside, just depict them being evil together. I don't mind what mechanism you use to make it happen, just show them being wretched and delighted with each other. Specifically, Verstael wants to fuck his science project so bad and they both know it. Make Verstael unrepentantly reverent every time Ardyn does some new awful fucked-up thing. Let Ardyn delight in being adored for his treachery. Show me the work they did to develop Magitek technology, and more importantly, let them have so much terrible evil "look at the unethical things we did" sex while they're at it!

UNIVERSAL DNW: Please avoid modern medical procedures in any detail! Injuries are fine, description of gore/violence/pain are fine, field medicine is fine, fantastical/historical wound treatment is fine. Quick references to needles/injections are fine! But please don't linger on descriptions of surgery, insertion of IV fluids, or anything like that. Thank you for understanding!*

FANDOM SPECIFIC DNWs: Aera mentions are fine, but please don't draw excessive attention to similarities between herself and Lunafreya. They're underserved by the narrative already without being made into proxies of one another!

*UNIVERSAL DNW VERSTAEL SPECIAL NOTE: Infuriatingly, Verstael receives a mad scientist exception to this rule. If you want to write Verstael doing evil science, feel free to completely disregard this DNW. All I ask is that you either tag accordingly, or mention in the author's note that you have done so. Thank you so much for understanding!

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FINAL FANTASY XIII SERIES

(but actually Lightning Returns shush)

All the games in the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy are understandably listed under one fandom umbrella on AO3, and thus goes my nomination. So I can only apologise to anyone who looked at my extremely specific requests and nonetheless did not expect this to be tailored straight into the loving arms of greatest video game ever created, Lightning Returns. But yes. This is all about Lightning Returns. The greatest video game ever created. (Is it a bit bad, actually? Perhaps. But do I love it with my entire soul? Yes. Yes I do.)

I have requested nonstop Lumina hours, so lets get into that!

Lightning & Lumina, Lightning/Lumina, Lightning & Lumina & Hope
I love this because... Lumina's friend-and-foe presence throughout the game fascinated me to no end, and her vocal performance was just so fantastic and really drew me in. I love how she interacts with Lightning, I love all their weird conversations in Lightning's heart/Mind Palace, I love how you can't ever quite be sure what Lumina will do next. And I love all the times they talk about Hope, betrayal, and God's plans.

○ What would happen if Lumina and Hope could interact somehow? Maybe Hope (or a manifestation of him) somehow ends up in Lightning's heart as well, or somehow Lumina manages to manifest on the Ark as the first creeping arrival of the Chaos in that otherwise sanctified space. I like to think of the Hope we see throughout the game as being "the real Hope", but not fully aware of the degree to which he's being puppeted by Bhunivelze. I would love to see Lumina taunting him about that (for his own good?), trying to make him look inward and face that looming existential dread. I want to see Hope strain against the confines of questioning God!

○ In keeping with the above, how does Lightning intercede with any of Lumina and Hope communicating with one another. Hope is her long-time ally, so she should always side with him. But deep inside herself, does she secretly know that Lumina has a point? That there are things about this situation that don't add up? That Hope is likely being used, and so is she? Does Lumina try to make them confront that? 'God is obviously using you two. If you want to throw your lives away for him then be my guest, but it's sad that you're both so eager. It's like you don't care about each other at all. But what do I know? If it's for "God's plan" then I guess it'll all be okay in the end. Right~?'

○ Lightning/Lumina can be whatever you want it to be, but feel free to lean as hard as you like into ideas like Lumina being willing to do anything to make Lightning get in touch with her emotions. If Lumina is a manifestation of Lightning's repressed emotions (stemming from childhood trauma and only ever cascading from there), what does it mean that Lumina so clearly loves Lightning but also clearly resents her and can be outright cruel to her? Explore Lumina as a presentation of Lightning's neglected self-love (winky face?) as well as her private self-loathing. What will it take to make Lightning realise that the part of her that's missing is right in front of her? And what if Lightning continues to reject that "weak" part of herself?

Lumina/Oerba Dia Vanille
I love this because... the mess potential is off the charts! Vanille is so isolated in the Luxerion Cathedral, and Lumina seems to be the only "friend" she has regular access to. What's Lumina's game here? Why does she spend time with Vanille, why does she lead Vanille on toward the Soulsong, why doesn't she tell Vanille the truth of anything?

○ If Lumina is connected to Lightning/Lightning's repressed emotions, how does that influence the way Lumina feels toward and interacts with Vanille? Does she gravitate toward Vanille simply in the way that a young lonely girl might find solace from another young lonely girl? Does she ever get Vanille to play with her the way two sisters might play? Is there actually much comfort to be found in it? How do the members of the Order feel watching their holy saint frolic with Lumina? It seems like most people in Luxerion know Lumina and regard her kind of fondly despite the trouble she causes; does Vanille see her in a similar way?

○ Vanille is not allowed to leave the Cathedral. What if Lumina were to act as her eyes and ears out in the world, finding her old friends and letting her know how they're doing. Perhaps Vanille can even give Lumina messages to pass along to people like Snow, Sazh, and precious Fang. But then again... is Lumina being honest with what she relays to Vanille? This could be a sweet and sincere story, but it could be a cruel isolating mind game just as easily. What does Lumina tell Vanille about the world beyond the Cathedral's walls; what does she tell Vanille about her friends? Does Lumina lie specifically to isolate Vanille even further, and does she do that because she's also lonely and she wants to keep someone all to herself? Make the toxic and co-dependent and a bit addicted to each other's mistruths. Feed me the dangerous mess.

○ Does Lumina ever try to distract Vanille from the voices of the dead? The voices of those trapped within the Chaos? Alternatively, or relatedly, is Lumina perhaps the only other person who can somewhat understand those voices, and if so, is she honest about it? If she does try to distract Vanille, how does she go about doing so? If she offers Vanille something else to focus on, is there ever an erotic element to it? Does she evoke Fang while doing so? How cruel can their friendship be, and how does that loneliness always draw them back together anyway? LIKE I SAID UP TOP, I LIKE THE MESS.

Sazh Katzroy & Lumina
I love this because... Sazh is best boy and deserves only the best things, and apparently Lumina actually agrees? She acts somewhat belligerently about Sazh when he isn't there, but out of all the mainline quests Sazh's seems to be the one where she's actually the most benevolent. The coffer of souls does help Dajh, and she's the first one to offer advice on why Dajh still isn't waking up. She's the first one to push Sazh toward smiling again. But what's up with that?

○ As always, feel free to use Lumina as an exploration of Lightning's own repressed emotions and feelings. Does Lumina feel warmly toward Sazh as a direct result of Lightning feeling warmly toward Sazh? Are there some unspoken and unexplored regrets tied up in this? To more directly tie this toward Lumina herself, does she gravitate toward Sazh as a paternal figure because that's something she never had herself? Is this her loneliness once again coming into play?

○ Is Lumina jealous of Dajh, then? If so, does she ever speak to him after he wakes up? Does she try to tell him how lucky he is to have a father that cares about him so much, only to find that, no kidding, Dajh already loves his dad like crazy actually! Because who wouldn't! Sazh is the best there ever was, the GOAT of dads, he is the best you guys. If Sazh hears any of this, does he intervene? Does he try to invite Lumina to stick around a while, enjoy a meal with them, actually play with them or something? And can Lumina actually accept that invitation, or does it just make her deflect and retreat? If she does retreat, does she end up changing her mind later...?

○ In the ending, Sazh says he went to find Serah's soul before arriving for the final battle; is this something Lumina gave him knowledge for how to do? Did she help him? I don't know, but I'm willing to be convinced! Really, though, I just want nice things for Sazh.

For all of these prompts, feel free to use other FFXIII characters as appropriate. Evoke Serah as much as you wish, have characters like Fang or Chocolina or whoever show up if it's appropriate. And use as much of the world and setting as your heart desires, I adore everything Lightning Returns and that includes the world itself. Just go wild with this one, really!

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TALES OF BERSERIA

Tales of Berseria has a lot of interesting characters and concepts baked into it, and I am a silly person who largely disregards all of them in favour of one sweet little silver boy. If you've matched with me here, I have to believe that on some level you might agree with me a little! Or, more realistically, you at least understand the fundamental truth that Silva Deserves Everything Good. Let's make it happen!

Char: Silva, Silva & Laphicet | Number Two
I love this because... we have this muted little concept of a child, only just beginning to live and learn and experience, and his life has been so bare and cruel to this point. What was life like for Silva? What did he experience? How much did he even understand?

○ I would love to see anything that just casts more light on what his life is like prior to the start of the game, or during the events of the game when he isn't on screen. He's essentially a servant, essentially a slave; he's a tool that's wielded without concern or remorse, passed from one master to another. Does he understand any of that? Does he slowly gain understanding as time goes along? Does he have preferences? Does he have moments of happiness? Show me what the world came to mean for him, in all its ugliness and all its simplicity. Just let me spend time with this baby.

○ Include Laphicet too, as much or as little as you like! Did the two of them ever get time alone together? Did they have any sort of friendship, and could they even recognise it as such? Was Silva aware that Laphicet and him were kind of different from one another, and does it bother him at all or make him uncomfortable? Does any part of him feel like Laphicet might be closer to the world than he is, and does he feel safer staying subdued and following orders or does he wish he had whatever spark it is that makes Laphicet a little different? How does Silva feels when Laphicet is gone :(?

○ Feel free to just AU things! Have Silva and Laphicet both get picked up by Velvet and friends, have Silva along for the ride from the start. How does that change things? How differently does Laphicet develop with Silva there as well? Does Silva gravitate to any particular party member? Does he still end up with Zaveid in the end, but via this other route? Or alternatively, is there some other way that Silva can end up away from the Exorcists but perhaps not alongside Velvet and co.? What does that look like for him? Is he going to be okay?!

Char: Silva, Silva & Zaveid
I love this because... WE COULD HAVE HAD IT ALL, DAMN IT. WE COULD HAVE HAD IT ALL

○ Zaveid is so good with kids and so cute and rambunctious. Silva is so quiet and goes along with anything unquestioningly. They are just the cutest combination, and I can't believe we only got them together for five minutes before the unthinkable happened. I want more of this! I want to see them together! I want Zaveid to parent Silva sincerely and earnestly and excellently and also kind of badly because he's Zaveid but it's okay because that kid would be so loved. I want to see their daily life together! I want Zaveid to teach him to cook, and for Silva to question why it's even necessary so then Zaveid gets to teach him the simply joy of eating for the sake of eating! I want Zaveid to teach him how to defend himself, I want Zaveid to show him the world, I want Zaveid to teach Silva how to assert himself and cry with pride the first time Silva tells him "no". I want to see them be the family they deserved to be!

○ You can really take the Adventures of Zaveid and Silva as far as you want. You want to explore the entire Berseria into Zestiria timeline with Silva along for the ride? Do it! I believe it can be done! You want to focus in on one particular time period, or day, or single incident? I'd love to see it! Involve as many or as few of the other cast members as you like, so long as the focus remains on these two. I'm especially interested in any interpretations of Dezel alongside Silva if you want to explore what that might have looked like!

○ For a more sombre thought, would Zaveid have ever taken Silva to see Theodora? If so, what happens? Does it actually go well, somehow? Do they just watch her from a distance while Zaveid pours his heart out and Silva learns some valuable lessons about love and loss and heartache? Does Zaveid privately hope that seeing such a cute defenseless kid might bring some of Theodora's true self back to the surface, and does he unwittingly place himself and Silva in danger by pursuing that hope? Do either of them get hurt? If you want to go full AU, does Silva end up displaying a shocking surge of power upon seeing Zaveid in danger and actually ends up being the one to slay Theodora? If so, how on earth does Zaveid cope with that? And what of the malevolence released? Does poor Silva end up doomed even in this timeline? I have no problems with an unhappy ending, but gosh, say it ain't so!

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TALES OF GRACES

One of my absolute favourite Tales of titles, and a Remaster has just been announced! What a perfect time to be making requests for this silly wonderful game! Graces doesn't have the most complex storyline but with a cast this colourful and rich does it really need to? This might be the Tales game where I have the hardest time settling on a single party composition—I just love all these guys so much!

Malik/Hubert
I love this because... they're two characters at such different points in their lives, and yet they match so well together and have so many little things in common. Malik teases Hubert a lot but there's so much genuine respect and fondness running through their relationship as well. They're both military men deeply devoted to their respective nations, and they're both more cynical and astute than the other members of the party. I love seeing how they complement and compliment each other, haha! The evolution of their relationship during the Fendel arc in particular is just chef's kiss. I never get tired of these two, and I'd love to see your take on them!

○ So how did these two end up getting together? Was it during the game, or at some point afterward? If it was during the game, how did it develop and did they keep it a secret from the others? How did the others find out, and what were their reactions? Does Sophie understand what it even means? Is Asbel okay with his old mentor and his little brother getting together? Does Cheria try to play matchmaker for them only to discover that they're actually way ahead of her? Tell me how you think it might go! Alternatively, tell me how they decide to announce their relationship and show me how that goes. What does Kerri Lhant think about her youngest son being with a man who's over twice his age but also plainly makes him very happy? What does Garret Oswell think of this whole situation? Does Malik even have anyone left to introduce Hubert to :(?

○ If you want to do a post-game get together fic, I love the idea of them meeting up sporadically as ambassadors for Fendel and Strahta respectively. It might be weeks or even months at a time before they see each other again; how does that impact their blossoming relationship? Do their respective loyalties ever clash with their feelings toward one another? I can imagine Hubert having a more difficult time leaving politics outside the bedroom, and I can equally imagine Malik having a very low tolerance for mixing his personal life and his professional one—how might they clash, and how do they overcome those issues?

○ Give them a mystery to solve! I love these two as The Smart Ones, with their contrasting personalities but similar temperaments when it comes to matters of suspicion. Hubert's high-strung while Malik is laidback, but they both have an eye for detail and a willingness to ask the difficult questions. Give me a scenario where they put those qualities to good use! Perhaps they're at a diplomatic summit and someone tries to assassinate one of the world leaders (RICHARD?); Malik and Hubert have to solve the case before the wrong person gets arrested. Maybe it's Malik or Hubert themselves who has fallen under suspicion? Or maybe it was someone else who was the assassination target and poor Richard is the one being blamed—not like it would be the FIRST time he's done some global crimes, after all! If you're feeling brave and plotty, I would love to see these two tackle some serious casefic and maybe be a bit in love along the way!

Cheria/Raymond
I love this because... Raymond is a fucking disaster person and Cheria deserves so much better but that's actually part of what makes them so funny opposite one another! I'm so sorry Cheria, you really don't deserve to have to deal with this absolute lunatic. But what an incredible lunatic he is. I love to imagine Raymond repeatedly making the most insane choices in a desperate attempt to woo Cheria, and Cheria having to educate him time and time again that oh my god no, that isn't okay!! But who knows—maybe, some day, he'll finally get his act together and Cheria will be mortified to realise he's... just a tiny bit cute???!?! he only kidnapped her one time! just a little tiny bit!!

This is one ship where I don't actually mind if it stays unrequited on Cheria's side, but I would like her to at least view Raymond with some fondness by the end of the story. Pitying fondness, perhaps, but fondness all the same!

○ I'm not usually all that interested in fake dating, but I think I'd make an exception for these two! What if Raymond has told Garret Oswell that he's in a relationship with Cheria Barnes—yes, that Cheria Barnes, the one who runs a global relief effort—and that Garret insists on hosting them for an evening and Raymond has to fall to his knees in front of Cheria and absolutely plead for her to go along with it just this one time. Cheria knows it's a bad idea but something moves her to cooperate—maybe Raymond swears he'll never bother her again, maybe Cheria is just that compassionate, maybe Cheria's actually really curious about the circumstances under which Hubert grew up and thinks this might be a great chance to find out more. Whatever the reason, how does the night turn out? Does Garret approve of her? Do they end up blowing their cover? Does Raymond manage not to mortifyingly propose to her or something equally horrific? Does Cheria perhaps get to see a side of Raymond she never knew existed, and does it change some aspect of how she feels about him?

○ Raymond makes a series of catastrophic blunders in an attempt to woo Cheria, and she painstakingly has to sit him down and correct the behaviour every damn time. No, Raymond, donating vast amounts of time and money to Cheria's relief work does not mean she has to date you. No, Raymond, presenting Cheria an extensive explanation of why every other man in Ephinea is worse actually does not actually make you a more appealing option. No, Raymond, don't kidnap her again! No, Raymond, promising you'll never kidnap her again is not the romantic gesture you think it is! Does Raymond eventually turn to the various party members for advice, and if so, what advice do they offer him? Do any of them actually have worthwhile suggestions? Does Cheria see him bonding with Sophie and actually have a moment of "aww, look at him, he's really trying :)" before belatedly realising "oh dear god what were they talking about"?

○ Is there anything they can actually connect over, and does Raymond eventually stumble into it by complete accident? I've always had the feeling that Raymond feels like Hubert overtook him at some point in their childhood and he's been chasing to try and catch up ever since. Does Cheria find that feeling familiar? Does it make her think of her own sickly childhood and always feeling like she was lagging behind Asbel and the others? Feel free to make up any backstory you like for Raymond's mother and father; why does Raymond live with Uncle Oswell? Could it be that Cheria and Raymond both experienced parental loss as young people, and can they bond over that shared experience?

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TALES OF XILLIA

Tales of Xillia, it says, but this is really all about Tales of Xillia 2 and its awful villains who somehow had the audacity to come into my house and steal my entire heart. Rideaux is a really special character to me, no matter how much of an awful dude he is, and Bisley is someone I think deserves a real fandom deep dive. I love this terrible family and I'm ready to see more!

Julius Will Kresnik & Rideaux Zek Rugievit | Julius Will Kresnik/Rideaux Zek Rugievit
I love this because... this is exactly the kind of super toxic relationship I just can't get enough of. I love how they're kind of wrapped up in each other despite how much they dislike each other, and I adore the fact that there's no one else in their lives who really understands them the way they understand each other. They can't rely on each other, they can't trust each other—but sometimes, the only people they have are each other.

○ Pre-game backstory! I never get tired of seeing interpretations of what their teenage years might have looked like. Give me stories of them destroying fractured dimensions, or times they hesitated to do so. What would make Rideaux hesitate, and how did he react when Julius went ahead and finished the job? What would make Julius hesitate, and how did he react when Rideaux took care of business? Was there ever a point where they viewed each other as friends, and what was the turning point that changed all that? Did they ever meet their own counterparts in a fractured dimension? Were their counterparts happy? In love? How did they react? Go as dark and bleak as you like with these two (canon sure does!), but if you want to veer into some sort of happy ending I'll be very interested to see what you might come up with!

○ Mid-game story! Does Julius seek Rideaux out at any point during the story? Give me missing scenes! Give me messy fights and pent-up anger! Give me Rideaux expressing a sense of betrayal now that he's finally met Ludger and understands the reason Julius became more distant as the years went on. Have Julius furious at the way Rideaux is being cruel to Ludger as a means of being cruel to Julius by proxy! And then, despite all of that, have Julius warn Rideaux that he needs to get away from Spirius because they both know what Bisley ultimately has planned for one of them. How does Rideaux feel about Julius's apparent concern for him? Are they able to share any warm words before parting again? Is there anything sweet left for them under all that bitter?

○ When in doubt, just injure one of them! I'll never get tired of seeing these two in their Spirius days being forced to work together and seemingly hating every moment but also defending each other no matter what. Have one of them get hurt and the other forced to fight for both of them while keeping the other safe. Have one of them nursing the other while irritably insisting they're doing this for [insert ANY reason that isn't genuine caring here].

Char: Rideaux Zek Rugievit
I love this because... he is my blorbo, my Xillia Special One, the most wretched of all my wretched sons. He is cruel and mean and spiteful and self-motivated, and he is also tragic and injured and struggling and sickly but denying it. There's just so much anger bristling away beneath Rideaux's angular surface and I love seeing what other people make of him!

○ Backstory! Rideaux has a bit of backstory provided in one of those Guidebook things that was never published outside of Japan; you can read about it here if you're curious. I enjoy fics that incorporate any of these elements! HOWEVER, I also love the idea of seeing what you might independently come up with! Rideaux has such a mysterious background. We know he's connected to the Kresniks bloodline, but we don't really know the how or why. Give me something of his younger days, show me how he was first brought into Spirius, let me see absolutely ANYTHING you have for who he was and how he might have taken his first steps toward becoming the disaster we see in the game.

○ What were his last hours like? He knew he'd been betrayed, he knew he was powerless, he knew he was being taken to Bakur to be made into a soul bridge. What was going through his mind? Tell me about his anger. Tell me about his regret. Tell me about the vengeance coursing through him, and any last-ditch attempts he might have made to save himself. Did he and Bakur speak one final time before Bakur sacrificed his life? Did he talk to Elle at all, and did she have even a single shred of sympathy for him after everything he'd done up to that point? This is a tragic prompt, but he's a tragic character. Give me that sweet pain!

○ BUT WHAT IF, ACTUALLY, HE DIDN'T DIE. What if he did escape somehow. What does he do next? How does it alter the course of the finale? Does he escape Bisley only to get killed by Ludger (and friends?) as a means of saving Julius's life? Does he manage to lie low until everything is over and sort of disappear into the sunset in one slightly battered piece? Or instead of escaping on his own terms, do Ludger and the gang come to his rescue? Do they come to rescue Elle and sort of end up saving Rideaux as an unintended aside? Does Julius direct them to save Rideaux because it will deny Bisley his road to Canaan? Save my wretched son!!! Or don't. I'm happy either way so long as I get to bask in his awful nasty glory.

Char: Bisley Bakur
I love this because... he does so many monstrous things, especially toward the finale of the game, but Bisley Bakur is a man devoted to one thing and one thing only: protecting the future of humanity. His resolve really appeals to me and makes me fascinated by him, and I really wish he received more fanworks and attention because he's such an interesting character if you give him some time to shine!

○ Similar to Rideaux, Bakur has some backstory that's only really revealed in additional materials that were not published outside Japan; you can read about some of it here. If you're feeling brave, try and reconcile some of that insane backstory because DAMN, it's kinda nasty! Bakur met Cornelia when he was 13 and she was 20. She was his private tutor. Two years later, when he was 15 and she was 22, they HAD A SON??? EXCUSE ME? This is outrageous, and terrifying, and so intriguing. What on earth was that relationship actually like? Go as dark or weird or nasty with this as you like, because seriously wtf. If you want to portray Cornelia as a wicked statutory rapist groomer I'm not going to complain because the evidence is pretty grim, BUT if you want to try and go in a different direction I'm interested in what you have to say! Perhaps there were other forces at work; were they forced together because of Weird Kresnik Bloodline Stuff, and how did they feel about each other as a result? Did either of them feel at all empowered in that relationship/marriage, or did they each feel forced/trapped? seriously xillia 2 what the actual fu—

○ AU where Ludger is raised alongside Julius, but make it Bakur-centric! Let me see him as a father, let me see how he deals with two of them. I think Bakur has genuine affection for both Ludger and Julius, but I don't think that has any bearing of what he's willing to do to achieve his goals. Would he pit them against each other the way he did with Julius and Rideaux? Would he use them to motivate each other? Would he feel shitty about it but still commit to the decision because it's necessary for the preservation of humanity's future? Any story where Bakur has to wrestle with his choices and the things he's done would delight me, honestly. Especially if he ultimately decides he's still going to carry on exactly the same as he always has no matter how terrible of a person he individually has to be. There's no evil he won't commit for the sake of that ultimate greatest good.

○ Make him survive the finale! Have him live through the ending of Xillia 2 and be forced to walk out the other side and contend with the fallout of his actions! What happens to him? Is he allowed to return to Spirius after everything he's done? I can imagine the party might not want to let him walk away, but for the sake of Elympios's future stability it might be better for Bakur to return like nothing happened. Does Bakur get to "go back to normal" but actually he has people like Jude keeping tabs on him? If so, how does he feel about that? He knows he has no intention to cause any future trouble; Origin's Trial is over, it's finally done. He's finally... free? What does that mean for him? Does he even want to run Spirius any more? If he's given the choice to simply disappear and start over fresh, what does that look like for him? Does he ever see Ludger/Elle again? Make this man grapple with the consequences of everything he's done! Or hell, make him look at humanity thriving post-Trial and decide 'yeah, this was all worth it', haha! Unshakeable Convictions, baby!!

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Whichever fandom you end up writing/drawing for, I really hope you have a lot of fun with this. My letter is here to help guide you or perhaps inspire ideas, but please don't feel obligated to stick super close to anything said here! 10k is a lot to write in any given length of time, and comics are always hard work, so please go with whatever gets you excited to hit the keyboard! Also, I'm a writer so I tend to phrase my prompts with writing in mind. That does not reflect a preference! Receiving art would be wonderful, I would love to see any of these ideas translated into a comic format. Go with whatever it natural for you, and know that I will be so excited and grateful whatever happens to come my way!

Just have fun out there, guys, and look forward to seeing y'all throughout the exchange! C: