#but what i'm getting at is that the history weaves together with the fantasy here in really cool ways | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

shytastemakerthing · 5 months

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Hi, hello! I saw you have your matchups open so if it's okay I would like to request a romantic matchup with Twisted Wonderland <3 You are so sweet and amazing for doing these!

I am a cute, poetic, caring, and sweet person who knows how to listen actively and hold a one-on-one conversation, often getting people to open up more than they expected, otherwise I'm pretty reserved. If I was transported to a magical school, I would do my best to learn the theory and practicalities of magic, even if I couldn't actually cast spells, and try to excel in other scientific fields (and Mozus Trein would definitely be my favourite professor). I have a great interest in the occult (my library is something I'm very proud of) and psychology, but I'm truly interested in all types of knowledge and books. When I go to the used book stores, I can spend hours there, as I go through war, occult, philosophy, science, comics, fantasy, poetry, and all other categories of books, except sports and cooking. I also love music: opera, metal, neofolk, electronic, and all of them together.

I love crafting and learning new things, but I'm most interested in historical and folk crafts, like nålbinding, embroidery, weaving in many forms, making jewelry from bones and other things found in nature, and more! I love making stuff and seeing that I have finished something, that I've made something.

I have a rough history with mental illness and trauma, making me prone to getting overwhelmed easily, and I have to calm and ground myself. I often feel out of touch with my body, like my spirit is a feet out of me. One thing that works is a tight hug and closeness. I'm also very submissive by nature and other ways, so I really need someone who is sure of themselves and also accepting. I don't need pity, I need a helping hand and someone I can rely on.

Other small things: I can play erhu, dance butoh, bellydance, and few different folk dances, I've practiced tai chi with fan, my newest obsession is fountain pens (there's TWST pens by Sailor, but they're so expensive!), I can't eat meat or onions, I always wear a red bow on my head, mostly because it keeps my curly hair out of my face but also because it's just part of me now just like my red lipstick, I only wear dresses (comfy, cute, always fits any occasion), I have blue eyes, and my favourite animal is fox.

Hope this is not too much, and take your time, I'll be here waiting and reading what else you come up with :3

Hello and thank you so much for your kind words! Now that things are finally slowing down between work and college work, I can finally get to all of these! I am so sorry that you had to wait for so long for your match up but I do hope that you like it!

Tw: None

I match you with.........

Jamil Viper

Right off the bat, it was hard to actually get into a relationship with him to begin with. With all of his duties that he has to Kalim, his duties as a vice housewarden, his school and club activities. Plus the belief that he doesn't deserve the happiness that would come from having a relationship, not wanting to burden his partner with the burden that he shares as serving the Al-Asim family (please, this boy needs so much love, it's not even funny)

Then you come along and pretty much destroy all of that. It really threw him in for a loop.

Honestly, just the feeling of someone caring for him after such a long day of making sure that the rich idiot doesn't die or make any stupid decisions, just makes him melt. Having your arms around him after such a long day as he is able to just unload everything from the day, knowing that you are listening with full attention brings more comfort than you may ever know.

He keeps a few red bows lined in his pockets and in his room just in case there was a very rare event that you had forgotten to put it on that day. It had grown on him, and it was a part of you, much like the small beads in his hair were a part of him.

Speaking of hair, he honestly loves to be able to do yours. it is so different from his own. Jamil is a very fast learner. By the end of the day, he knows more about curly hairstyles and how to work with them and he has a wonderful woman to be able to try said styles on.

There was a time where he took you on a small trip to the Scalding Sands, and seeing you dressed in the traditional clothing from his home country had this man feeling all sorts of things as he couldn't help how his cheeks warmed upon seeing you.... yes, Najma teased him relentlessly for it. And yes.... he bought you several of those dresses to take back to campus with you.

Jamil is 100% someone you can rely on (and there is no hidden meaning to what he is doing, not with you). When things are far too overwhelming for you, he is there to simply hold onto you, giving you the reassurance that you need. He will help you and guide you through what it is that is troubling you in no time. This man has plenty of experience.

Overall, you brought a light and happiness into his life that he did not know that he needed. Now that he has it, he doesn't want to let go, he grows a bit greedy for your affection. After all, it is something that is just for him and he finally doesn't have to share. He thanks you everyday for coming into his life and just putting up with him.

#twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #twst #matchups #twst imagines #disney twisted wonderland #romantic #twst jamil #jamil viper x reader #twisted wonderland jamil #jamil x reader #jamil viper #shy answers #shy writes

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bisexualbaker · 1 year

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I'm gonna go ahead and make sure this gets out into the wild. (If it's already out there, hey! More posts!)

The Black Fantastic Bundle - curated by Zelda Knight: Every year, during Black History Month, we commemorate the achievements of Black people worldwide. This celebration encompasses all facets of Black life and culture, including the written word. By curating this bundle on storybundle.com, I hope to expose more readers to some of the best writing in the Black Fantastic tradition, including bestselling authors, award-winners, and rising stars.

The Black Fantastic is a catch-all term that transcends strict definition. It weaves together genres as diverse as Afro & African Futurisms, Horror Noire, Steamfunk, Sword & Soul, alternate histories, fables, spirituality, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and so much more.

You can read more about the books here, and make sure to click on each cover for a synopsis, reviews and preview of each book!

#storybundle #story bundle #books #the black fantastic #sff

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loregoddess · 8 months

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8. What storyline threads should have had more development / been further explored?

All of them? Okay no, not entirely, but also yes I do want more for basically every major story thread bc the "implied larger world, but never fully expanded upon worldbuilding" writing approach drives me insane bc what we do get is so intriguing, but it feels incomplete to me bc the writers added stuff in to "make the world feel larger" instead of actually like, worldbuilding properly (at least if I'm remembering that one interview right), and hm. That makes me want to chew cardboard.

But if I could only get one thing...(under the cut bc spoilers for my one mutual who's still playing the game, and also bc guess who still can't be brief ~ <3)

If I had to choose one, I'd say I want something that shows us what Sothis's regained memories were. Like she talks about finally remembering her past before she gifts Byleth her powers, but we never get to see what those memories are, we never get to learn, at least from Sothis's perspective, what happened in the past.

I just feel like, overall Sothis is wildly underutilized as a character by the story. It's strongly implied (by both Rhea and the Agarthan texts) that--before Sothis had to take her healing nap and got murdered--the world was highly technologically advanced and that a war (possibly with WMDs?) occurred to level Fodlan (er, proto-Fodlan?), but aside from a few blurry images that are quite literally not even on the screen for a full second during the opening cutscene, this implied war and history is never shown and like, I dunno.

We don't get a lot of science fantasy in FE as a general rule, but science fantasy stories where "the past was more technologically advanced and then someone fucked up so bad that things had to go backwards to heal" are fascinating to me when they're actually like, done right.

But it's just, so much of 3H's story is built upon events of the distant past, with a very strong "history will always be written with a bias" narrative theme, which is super interesting. But the implementation ultimately falls short for me bc while the story is telling me that "here's these historic documents, but they're biased and unreliable" it never shows me or gives me access to "and here's what actually happened so you can compare and contrast the historic facts with the historic writings". And yet whatever happened clearly set the stage for what is currently happening in the story, but we get...nothing.

So like, aside from wanting to know what Sothis's memories were, I want to know what all the historic events actually were, from Sothis's life to Fodlan after her death. Unfortunately so much is implied to have happened that we'd probably need an entire prequel game, at least to explore the war era between Seiros and Nemesis, but like I dunno, I feel like if a story's going to have "events of the past" as an important building block for the present narrative to bloom from, then writers should actually show what those super-duper important events were. And with the idea that historic documents got warped and altered, like, there's so much a narrative can do with that, so much potential for tragedy and horror that's just. Entirely not realized at all in 3H.

But I dunno, there's so much going on in 3H that a lot of the plot threads get lost bc the writers basically just kept adding threads in w/out trying to weave them together into a cohesive narrative experience, and it's not so much that I hate loose ends as that I don't want to be able to pull the loose end and have it unravel the narrative tapestry.

#please understand that any frustration that comes through in my words here are born of love bc like #what we get is SO INTERSTING and I want to know more I want to see more #normally I don't tout the whole ''showing is better than telling''#but damn if we don't get too much telling most of the time in 3H #Hopes doesn't seem to be getting DLC so trying to scrape out more lore from there isn't going to happen so like #I have what I have which is far less than I want and I wish there was more bc damn this world has the potential to be phenomenal #I love it so much I wish there were more I wish the writing was stronger I wish the writers cared more #so uh...*finger snaps* yeah #romantiquue #I still don't have an ask tag #ask game

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bsaka7 · 2 years

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For the DVD commentary… any 500 words from when Charles meets the ice dragon in the fantasy fic 🤔

IN THE ORIGINAL CHARLES WAS LEGIT SUPPOSED TO SLAY THE DRAGON anyway thank u my friend and CHARLES DRAGONRIDER COMRADE

What was I thinking when I wrote this: PHEW WE FINALLY GOT HERE!!!! (because this is where the fic was going the whole time). I guess I was also really worried it would be too short and anticlimactic. I always knew the fic as a whole would end... unresolved... but i was a bit like - how do I put together the mail being lost + the Darkness coming + this sort of parallel human/dragon society thing + Charles' new political position as an emissary for the king + how achieving dreams never comes in the form expected. In some ways, I think i executed things okay, in others, I felt as though I was muddling through the dark.

The great dragon totally became its own character and the scene went MUCH differently than planned and like yes the great dragon still dies (or does he? He does). I honestly wanted the scene to be much longer than it ended up but to be frank, writing fantasy epic prophecy is a gift i do NOT HAVE hence why the dragon is like okay you people totally made up the prophecy and it has nothing to do with me (this is probably not true. I think it probably WAS manufactured out of SOMETHING the great dragon said and embellished etc but that's not the point)

Back to the thing where this scene is supposed to weave a lot together - I read a lot of fantasy (I don't really consider myself a fantasy fan but of course I am. I'm almost done with the wise man's fear which is like 1100 pages) and obviously I write a fair bit so I kind of wanted to put those things together. And also Charles imo is the f1 driver most suited to a fantasy style story with its twists and turns (I think an arg could also be made for seb and perhaps daniel, though a different, less hopeful story). Anyway this started as trying to mimic the fantasy I read as a kid (think like... Fablehaven. Eragon) but of course is much more influenced by the much more complex (actually idk I didn't reread any ya fantasy for this) stuff I read now and this scene is sort of a clumsy culmination of those two influences - what I sort of think a fantasy Stereotype climax is (because it really is - a boy and his dragon! It's genre!!). I really learned that keeping all those strands of plot and feeling straight is a LOT harder than I expected. I have only written one fic longer than this one and ngl it's more straightforward. so idk. i wrote it because i love Charles and i love a dream that is not quite what you expect. the funny thing about writing this fic is I didn't know where it would end up as much as I usually do. And it just sort of spiraled out of everything else... idk!

in terms of charles... i know this is a plot driven fic but i wanted to show Charles 1) tenacity 2) shyness!! 3) need to be liked (i mean who wouldn't want to be liked by a giant dragon anyway) 4) the fact that he Is the chosen one even though it's not what everyone thought when they looked at him at the academy and whatnot 5) he's hard working!. I also wanted to dig more into what it meant for him and carlotta to fly together after the great dragon but alas...

on the great dragon grind....i have to be honest I was sort of imagining that John hunt dragon voice from merlin but in reality (in fantasy?) its meant to represent that the dragon's voice can truly not be comprehended by man... so Charles imitating it (by accident!) is a big deal....idk. It's like - how do you create that feeling of awe and importance in a fic that's only 30k! I was writing it and I was like ok so u guys don't know the in world magic or the dragon society rules or the history/lore... and then i was like this is already 30k and for me and my 5bffs it cannot get any longer for my own health

Ok i guess I could tell you way more about whats actually going on with charles and the Dragon In His Head or Dragon Charles But I honestly sort of came up with a lot of that... On the fly... Or maybe it's because that all would be the reveal in a sequel (idk that I'm planning on writing one but I've got a long winter ahead of me.... and the great dragon did live in the ice wall... and Charles is... Yknow...)

#Ok i thought this was gonna be short but then I got going #Ask #sorry thay it's so rambly and there r no quote #Blame it on mobile?#this is like half just me being like so it turns out writing fantasy is hard #I could write way more but it kinda gets away from the text already lol #OK KRITHEOLOGIE TAUGHT ME TO DO CUT ON MOBILE

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franki-lew-yo · 3 years

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The Romantic (2009, R, Gothic Fantasy/Horror), aka the most forgotten animated film in the world

What if I told you there was a movie under serious threat of becoming lost media with no clear reason as to WHY it's been lost other than no one has apparently watched it besides me and a few people on Reddit? What if I told you that movie wasn't half bad and would no doubt have some interest peeked if anyone DID know about it?

The name of that movie is The Romantic.

It was released in 2009 and it's Rated R for nudity and sex scenes [insert Robbie Rotten meme here], though none of it too graphic. It was a pet project created by animator Michael P. Heneghan, originally starting as a flash project for his animation class before he expanded it into a feature film. The film was inspired by movies such as The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, but what I see every time I look at it is a touch of Jhonen Vasquez, Tim Burton, and Roman Dirge- the guy behind Lenore the Cute Little Dead Girl. It's flash animation especially remind me of the puppet-rigged toons of the 2000s (again like Salad Fingers or Lenore). It's not bad, it's just not inherently 'feature film' quality flash, nor is it exceptionally artistic like Sita Sings the Blues in it's simplicity. Like, really, if you happen to find this thing it's not the worst animated project at all it's just amateur for a professional production. I've seen worse flash movies. Heck, if The Romantic were released in separate parts on youtube or Newgrounds as a series (ala Homestuck) I'm sure it would have been really successful and totally in it's element. But it wasn't.

Because next to no one has seen it and I'm lucky to have not only ever seen it when it was available for free but have also found it recently (hush hush, I ain't telling you how) I'm going to actually give you all a plot synopsis under the cut. There will be some details I leave out and I think I've spelled some characters names wrong. It's a bit of a surrealist film as well, so you might need some things explained.

Spoilers ahead:

The Romantic is set in an autumnal, surrealist world inhabited by humans and monsters and ruled by three gods; Po the goddess of love; Pik the god of Hate; and Pjorrc the god of time though Pjorrc was made to live inside a pumpkin moon as everything he touched rabidly aged and died.

((Tapestry art featuring the main three gods of the film.))

A young man (called “Romance” or “The Romantic” by the other characters) performs a bull sacrifice in order to summon Abbledepopa, the unseen creator of the other gods and ‘storyteller’ of the world. The sacrifice does not conjure Abbledepopa but, when Romance spares a monster that was ready to eat him, the monster tells him of a profit named Patience. Patience is a foul-mouthed dwarf living alone with an army of babies who points Romance in the direction of Po.

((Romance outside of Patience's house.))

Romance wants the god’s help because he has fallen out of love with his girlfriend. Po grants him his desire and restores his love only for Romance to return home and find his girlfriend with another man. Blinded by heartache and rage, Romance kills her. He then swears vengeance on the gods for ‘making’ him do it. In the midst of this vow, a corrupt prophet called Fat Daddy kills the queen of Vauxhaul (Romance's home) and her guards, and forges a new body for his newborn son with their bodies. Fat Daddy rallies the townsfolk behind him in supposedly finding the Queen’s murder into follow a new religion called "The Poetic End".

((Romance (right) besides the monster he spared at the beginning of the movie.))

Patience accompanies Romance on his quest and tells him to take Po’s mask, which hides her true face, once he kills her. Romance buys Po’s trust by weaving her a tapestry that tells her story: in the dawn of time Po and Pjorrc were in love. However, Pjorrc gradually became distant and Po became resentful when their daughter, Love, earned Po's original title as the god of romance and love.

In the present day, Romance sleeps with Po for over a year before finally killing her and taking her mask. He and Patience return to his home of Vauxhul only to be chased out by Fat Daddy’s personal army. They flee to Marshallton, the town nearest to the god Pik.

((Romance's hometown of Vauxhul. ))

The king of Marshallton, King Crookie, tells Romance of a prophecy he, Patience, Fat Daddy and all the gods are a part of and that the world is soon to change. Romance then fights and successfully kills Pik when he shows the god of hate his reflection in a mirror King Crookie gave him, but not before losing his hand to Pik.

When Romance comes down the mountain he learns from Patience that nine years have passed since his fight with Pik began. Patience reveals to Romance what Pik saw in the mirror that allowed Romance to take the killing blow; after Love had grown up and married, Po asked Pik to tell her where her husband was always running off to. Pik reluctantly revealed Pjorrc was disguising himself as a human and married a mortal woman. Po found Pjorrc and his pregnant second wife, forcing Pjorrc to leave his human family behind, but not before asking his wife to name their son “Patience”. In retaliation for his treachery, Po proceeded to sleep with fifty men and produce the fifty bastard children in Patience’s house.

((Fat Daddy, the main villain.))

Marshallton and the entire rest of the world has fallen to the rule of Fat Daddy, who captures Romance and Patience. Fat Daddy tortures Patience into telling him how to get to Pjorrc but is unable to convince Romance to take part in his ‘new world’ or give him Po’s mask. Romance and Patience escape and leave the village to be torn apart by the fifty babies Po had, now transformed into veracious monsters after Patience didn’t feed them for the past ten years. Romance confronts Patience when he realizes the latter is Pjorrc’s son. Patience calls Romance out on his mantra of vengeance and points out that all his decisions are his own, not the gods, and instructs him to seek Love herself in Po’s basement. Patience then attempts to confront Pjorrc but is cornered and killed by Fat Daddy before he can do so.

In Po’s basement, Romance finds Love nailed to a wall, her face torn off and half eaten by her deformed husband. Love tells Romance that Po ripped off her daughter’s face in rage over Pjorrc’s infidelity and Pjorrc did not intervene fast enough. Po then threw Love into her basement, turned Love’s husband into a monster, and wore her daughter’s face as a mask - which Romance had broken into pieces moments ago after Patience had shown him his face in King Crookie’s mirror. Romance then finds Pjorrc hanging himself. As he dies, Pjorrc tells Romance to take the hand Fat Daddy had cut off and sew it onto himself, which will in turn help Romance defeat Abbledepopa.

Romance traverses the wasteland and does not find Abbledepopa, but instead a golden loom. Having seen all the destruction he and others had caused, Romance sits upon the loom and accepts his fate as the new ‘storyteller’ of the world, as he begins weaving a new one...

---

I mentioned before the animation quality of the film and why maybe that caused people to overlook it. The only other thing I could complain about on a technical level with The Romantic is it's sound design. Some of the voices and music is a little too quiet and so all these key details I had to go through the film a few times to really piece together. But that leads me to the thing I like about this movie and I'm sure others would to: the lore.

It's very hard to create a new fantasy world w it's own customs, religions, history and rules out of the blue as any YA Harry Potter/Hunger Games ripoff book could tell you. The Romantic is so unique in how it handles the pantheon and culture of these three gods and their kin; really only four or five characters throughout the entire story aren't connected to the gods or prophecy in some way, as there's the main three gods, Abbeldepappa, and the prophets Patience, Love and Fat Daddy, who make up your main cast besides Romance. There's a lot that's intentionally left unexplained and other info that must be explained, like Pjorrc and Po's marriage and Romance's feelings towards the gods, if we want to understand the former. The movie is paced pretty well and knows when to follow up on what, it's just that again some of those animation and editting shortcomings might make it hard to understand...but I don't think THAT hard. Look, if someone can enjoy Starchaser: The Legend of Orin or even better surrealist world-building films ((Fantastic Planet comes to mind)), then I say there's no reason The Romantic wouldn't have a following. There's no other way I can articulate why and what doesn't work about the story except just to recommend you watch it yourselves, but before I get into that I want to talk themes...because I love the themes and tone of The Romantic.

I revisited The Romantic a week before I made myself watch Centaurworld and The Owl House for the first time...and what a week that was~! The Romantic has the vibe of those kinds of shows along with Adventure Time and Infinity Train ((so I hear, I haven't watched the latter)). It's surreal and you'll only marvel at 'woooah wut an acid trip' for so long before you get into the vibe of the universe. It also reminded me substantially of the Broadway musical Hadestown and not just because this movie is also a self-contained, somewhat self aware fable about the relationships between humans and gods - it's very raw in how the characters talk. It's very emotional and blunt in how kind and how cruel they can be, and it doesn't make excuses or really worships any one of them. Romance himself is the world's most likable Incel: he murders a woman he thought he needed to love and blames his emotions on the gods of those passions...except the gods AREN'T the manifestations of love, time, and hate - they simply dictate and oversee it in the lives of men. It's a dynamic I really like in religious works where Gods are powerful but not all knowing or puppet masters to everyone's design- they have morality too and there is only so much you can blame and get from them.

"You made your gods into excuses and your excuses into gods!"

-Patience. This here is a cool quote. I like this quote.

No matter what, The Romantic is not gonna be a film for everyone. We all have our tastes - I think I'm drawn to it and accepting because I've come to love these kind of worlds that used to keep me up at night - these trippy 70s inspired fantasy landscapes given a whole Avatar: The Last Airbender degree of worldbuilding and character worth. It also doesn't feel exploitive in it's violence, it's sexuality, it's grimmness - it doesn't feel like it's trying to hard or going over the top because it happens to be an adult animated film, something that I love in movies like 9 or Hair High but really turns me off in stuff like Sausage Party or Wizards. Whatever go watch The Romantic...

if you can.

-----

When I first saw this film in 2016 it was actually very accessible and was even uploaded to youtube by the creator himself. I don't know WHAT happened to Michael P. Heneghan, but simply put, the man's disappeared...like...REALLY disappeared.

Lookit his IMDB. He has The Romantic and a wapping two other projects to his name. His Twitter isn't very helpful either. He last updated in early 2020 and he says next to nothing about The Romantic. It's so odd that he would one day be happy with the film enough to host it on Vimeo and Youtube but then just cop out.

According to a Reddit user: "On Valentines Day 2011, Heneghan released the film for free online through all kinds of platforms including direct download, bittorrent, Vimeo, and even directly through Archive.org. He even joked about releasing a 300 gig uncompressed version.

I know I watched it on Vimeo probably as recently as 2016. Now I can't find it anywhere. The website is dead, the Vimeo video went private, even the archive.org version has been taken down. It really looks like he wanted to wipe it off the face of the internet. His newer website mentions it, but again, the Vimeo link is dead and even that website is closed for business."

It's weeeird. What happened Michael?

And yes, obviously, other people worked on the movie.

No - I can't find out anything about them either.

I'm betting on three theories at the moment: 1) this film is an SCP or some Candle Cove weirdness with only me and a handful of people ANYWHERE remembering it, 2) something weird is going on w Michael Heneghan and it involves too something about this film. It was a scam or a scheme or a hidden agenda weirdness, 3) Heneghan's doing okay he just doesn't like this film anymore and wants it hidden while he takes a break.

Look, I get it Michael! What was once our life's worth can become cringe as you improve as an artist - you're not the person making the stuff you were ten years ago...but you should still have the film kept alive somehow. Someway.

I'm seriously the only person to have ever made fan art of this movie on the internet. That just doesn't happen, and I don't think I like being in a fandom of one. The Romantic is a testament to the power of design and storytelling > animation quality itself. Too often I see people equate good animation with smooth animation, with a budget with squash and stretch. These animations are good but art is diverse and there's so many kinds of films out there, the value of the medium can't just be in one style/form. There's a lot of honestly wonderful pieces of art out there if you know where to look and you're willing to see where it leads you.

Don't let The Romantic be the most forgotten movie of all time. Reblog this post. Show it to your friends. PM the animation community reviewer people like Saberspark and someone who isn't Saberspark and smuggle them a copy.

Keep telling the story...

#Franki's Features #The Romantic #The Romantic Michael Heneghan #The Romantic 2009 #animation #animation community #underrated animation #lost media #horror animation

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laurensxox · 3 years

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Fandom :: The Arcana

Pairing :: Julian Devorak x Reader (Not Apprentice)

Requested? :: no

Warning/s :: Julian's Route (Upright) and New Tale Spoilers, Named Apprentice, Female Reader, Chronic Illness, Swearing, Author is projecting their longing

Genre :: Angst

Summary :: Julian spends the night reminiscing over childhood memories and longing to go back to the past where he was in Nevivon again, playing as carefree as one can be with the one person he truly cared about other than his younger sister

Author's Note :: Stark, if you're reading this, I'm fighting you for this dramatic, self-sacrificing dumbdumb-

Song Inspiration :: Talking to the Moon by Bruno Mars

Portia's Cottage :: Just After Sundown

A chuckle left the auburn haired man as he watches Pasha relay stories of their childhood to their friends, informing them of how they were raised by a group of grandmothers and how their parents actually perished from a shipwreck caused by a rather strong storm. Mazelinka quickly add in how much of a troublemaker the two of them has become as the years pass by, didn't even waste the chance to tell them about the tooth fairy situation which caused Julian to go beet red in mild embarassment. Their friends were in no need to know that story!

Shaking his head, he let a more genuine smile form on his face. As embarrassed as he is right now, he was happy to see everyone laughing jovially without the fear of Lucio's plans with the Devil weighing on their shoulders. A warm sensation forms in his chest as he tries to hold in his laughter as Pasha nearly slips on her feet with her excitement to share their history. It was nice to be able to just laugh and and thrive in the positive energy inside the cottage! Even Muriel, their very introverted friend, seems to be relaxed as he lets Allen (Apprentice) braid his hair using flower stems while Asra leans on his side.

Looking at the trio and sensing the strong forming bond between Pasha and the Countess, Julian couldn't help the small pang of longing swell somewhere within himself. He couldn't stop his mind from pushing forward memories he tried to bury and lock away.

"Ilya, help! I'm slipping!"

"Don't worry, I'll catch you!"

The longing pang quickly turned to pain as the memories rushes back to the surface. He could feel his hand start to tremble as the formerly locked away memories barrels it's way to the front of his mind. Jumbled memories of playing tag and tending to scraped knees should have made him feel fond but it makes feel nothing but longing. Longing for a time and companionship he knows he'll never be able to have again.

Taking a deep breath, he hadn't noticed that he had closed his eyes until he opened them. With him being occupied with trying to stir himself away from the path of self-loathing once again, he hadn't noticed how quiet the cottage had gotten, its other residents looking at him with concerned eyes. Not even the Familiars scattered in the room made a noise.

He forced a laugh to ease the sudden change of atmosphere in the cottage, hoping it sounded convincing enough to clear the concern away from his family and friends' eyes. While he has come to terms that it's okay to ask and receive help instead of keeping things to himself, he still struggles with it. And it was obvious with the way he tries to act like he was okay, that he wasn't just bombarded with memories he doesn't want to remember.

"What is with that look, my dear friends? I am perfectly well, no worries!" he exclaimed, giving them his usual smirk and raised eyebrow, internally hoping it'll be enough to convince them that there was nothing to be concerned about. "There is nothing in this world that this handsome and smart devil can't handle!" His little comment about himself seems to be the right thing to say as his friends immediately rolled their eyes in fond exasperation. Although, by the look of his sister and honorary grandmother, he guessed that they have seen right through him and he can already see his funeral-

He gave a small sigh and let a small weary look replace his earlier expression, "I'll just head outside to take in a quick breath of fresh air," he said as he quickly exited the cottage before his two family member could say anything. Knowing that they'll probably just follow right after him, he quickly made his way away from the cottage and into the hedge maze by the palace gardens. It took him a while to get to the center but he was relieved to see it empty. Consul Valerius has taken to drinking his usual wine there in this time so he was quite happy to see that for once, the Consul broke his routine. He needed to be alone right now.

Taking a seat in one of the chairs surrounding a rounded table, he crossed his arms on the table and used it to rest his head upon. Taking another deep breath to calm his racing heart, he closed his eyes.

Maybe he needs to stop locking away these memories, he has only done so before due to his need to focus on finding the cure for the plague and then having to focus to not get caught by the patrolling palace guards when he was still a wanted convict. The memories and the longing for his childhood best friend used to be a big distraction for him while he was still working under Valdemar.

He didn't need to do any of those anymore... So maybe...

The soft rapid footsteps echoed in the small forest near the town of Nevivon, followed by the childish giggling of two children. Both children wore a tattered white sheet of cloth, the corners wrapped around their necks in a way that resembles that of a cape. Whilst in their heads rests crudely made paper crowns.

Young Julian and his best friend, (Y/N), were already considered too old for these kind of games by some of the grandmas and fellow children but the two gave them no mind, choosing to continue living in their fantasy world until they were truly too old for it.

The two children stopped once they have reached the center of the forest where a small meadow hides in. It was decorated by dozens of wild flowers and the breeze were always refreshing. The two has deemed this as their spot when they had first found it years ago, back when they were much younger.

They call the meadow as their kingdom, where they are the rulers, side by side as King and Queen. The wild flowers are their loyal subjects and sometimes, when Pasha joins them, she acts as their ambassador.

Young Julian kneeled as they reach the very center that they always keep clean, it was their designated throne room. The young boy carefully plucked a blue hued flower from the ground, he didn't know what kind of flower it was but it was pretty, a perfect gift for his 'Queen'

As if mocking the reminiscing man, right across from him and innocently clinging to the hedge wall was the very same flower that he had picked back then. He didn't know if he wants to sneer at it or be fond of it. He wished he has a glass of Salty Bitters right now, maybe he should have headed to Rowdy Raven instead of here.

"Would you have approved of the man that I have become, (Y/N)?" he whispered as he stares at the flower, as if it would miraculously turn into his childhood friend and answer him. Maybe that was possible? Allen did transform him into Asra back then, would the illusion work on a plant as well? But then again, that will be all it'll ever be. Just an illusion.

The grandmas all exchanged fond gazes as they watch their resident troublemakers sing songs with all their heart, their love for the dramatic was very much obvious at that moment.

Little Portia was banging on pots like drums by the sidelines, sometimes singing some lines as well when prompted by either her older brother or the girl she was starting to see as her older sister.

He stood up from his place and started to make his way out of maze. He wasn't going to go back in the cottage nor was he in any hurry, he just felt too restless to stay sitted in one place. He has gotten used to always moving around with all his running from guards and fighting a Major Arcana. But before he went back to trying to find his way in the maze, he stopped in front of the flower that he has been staring at.

It was a small flower with 6 petals that looks blue and violet at the same time, the bud in the middle was light green in color and it was the only flower growing in the hedge. From what Julian remembers, these flowers grow in bundles. So to see one so alone, well, it didn't help the growing hole inside him.

Gently plucking the flower like he did so in his childhood, he observed the flower a little more before making his way back into maze, taking the small flower with him. Surely, the Countess would not mind him plucking such a small wild flower, now would she?

Julian looked up from his book as he felt something soft being places om his hair, looking up, he saw (Y/N) placing what looks to be a bunch of flowers weaved together in a circlet manner on top of his head. Something similar on her own head as well.

"What are you doing, peanut?" he asked the girl, gently closing his book and waiting for the other to finish adjusting the flowers. He had taken to calling her 'Peanut' after he had caught her trying to sneakily take the peanuts in the communal pantry. He didn't snitch to the grandmas, of course.

"Just adjusting your flower crown, bum-bum" she answered, making small more adjustments before appearing satisfied that the flower crown both looks good and will surely stay on her friend's head when they begin to trek their way home later.

The Doctor surprisingly got out pretty easy, definitely faster than when he was first trying to get to the heart of the maze. Looking down at the flower, he let a sad smile adorn his face.

"I suppose even after all these years, you're still my lucky charm, huh, (Y/N)?" he mumbled under his breath, giving the one of the petals a small kiss before continuing to walk.

He didn't really have a destination, the palace grounds was vast and there are still some areas of it that he hasn't been to. Maybe a little exploring wouldn't hurt? He hopes Pasha wouldn't get too worried if he takes too long to get back to her cottage, he does often find himself in troubling situations.

"You know what? I wouldn't even ask how you manage to be in this situation." (Y/N) said, crossing her arms as she narrows her eyes at the boy dangling before her.

Julian had, at that moment, managed to get himself tangled in the vines surrounding the branches of the tree. Truth be told, he was trying to climb the tree in order to get fresh fruits for his sister and best friend. But when he finally managed to get on a branch, a crow suddenly flew out of its nest and caused him to go off balance, fortunately being caught by the vines, no matter how tangled up he got.

He wouldn't tell her that though, lord knows she wouldn't let him live it down.

"Why, my dear peanut, I was just trying to see how strong these vines are and if they would make a good rope!" It was honestly a good excuse for him, but apprently not good enough for (Y/N) as she just raised her eyebrow at him, clearly not believing him.

After a good bit of exploring, he manages to find himself near the fountains where he saw the trio couple making their way back to the palace. Were they on their way home already? How long has he been outside? Shaking his head, he called for their attention and made his way to them.

"Going home already?" he asked, raising a brow as he observes the many colorful flowers adoring Muriel's hair. It was quite a new look on the tall man but it surprisingly suits him. Seeing his friend give him a narrowed look, he moved his gaze to the two magicians.

"Yeah, I'm feeling quite a bit tired already and Asra wanted to do a quick inventory of the stocks we have left in the shop" Allen explained, moving to lightly keep their wild green hair out of their sight. It was getting a little long, they might need a cut soon. "Though, we don't plan to stay there for the whole night, just a quick inventory and dinner then straight to Muri's where we'll sleep for tonight" the apprentice added, giving the taller doctor a smile.

"I see, I see! Well, don't let me hold you back for any longer, have a safe walk home!" he exclaimed, moving to walk further before he was stopped by a gentle grip on his wrist. Turning back, he saw that it was Allen who held him back. He could see the concern swirling in their green eyes but the smile never faltered away from their face. "Yes, dear?" he asked.

"You know you can talk to us if there's something bothering you, right? You don't have to if you're not comfortable but just remember that we're here, okay?" Moved by their words, Julian pulled them into a sideway hug and let out a genuine laugh. He was so lucky to have his friends. Sometimes he still thinks he doesn't deserve them but he knew to keep it to himself for now. He didn't fancy sitting through another lecture session about his self worth by his sister again.

"Aw, Allen, don't you worry about lil 'ol me! I'm quite alright now!" That was a lie, he was far from alright, but his friend doesn't need to know that. "I may talk to Pasha and Mazelinka about it so no need to worry that cute little head of yours" That seemed to settle the Apprentice as they pulled away from the hug and gave his arm one last pat before moving to stand between their partners.

"You should do that now before Portia wears a hole in her carpet with how much she's pacing when we left" Asra said before he and the other two gave the auburn haired man one last wave and left.

Deciding to do as his magician friend said, he started his way back to his sister's cottage. Earlier was such a good day, it wouldn't do to plague his sister with worries and sour up the light mood. He already did that earlier before he walked out, best not make it worse.

Looking up at the dark sky, he smiled as he admires the scattered stars. It was a beautiful night, the full moon was giving the world such a soft look and it made things seem so peaceful. It made him feel like he was back to laying in the meadow near Nevivon. Like he was laying next to... Next to...

He wasn't able to wipe away his tears before they begun to fall down his cheeks. A sob fought its way out of his throat as he falls to a crouch.

Fuck, he wants to go back. He really really wants to go back-

Julian observed the wide sky and the many stars on them, it was a beautiful night and the night breeze was cold and as he lays on the equally cool grass of the meadow, it soothes his heated skin. It made him sigh in contentment, what more could he want?

Looking at his left, he smiled as he sees his sleeping sister. The little girl had decided to join them that night in their nightly star gazing but it didn't take long before she fell asleep, not used to staying up later than her bedtime. He'll have to carry her home later on.

The sight on his right took his breath away. Blush rushed to his face as he seems to see his best friend in a completely different light.

There, laying beside him, was (Y/N). The moonlight was softly hitting her face, and it made her (eye color) so much more brighter like gems, like the stars that littered the dark sky above them. Her laugh as she continues to talk about the astrology that she learned from Mazelinka, sounds like soothing bells to his ears.

Since when has his peanut became this... pretty?

He longs to be in her arms again, he longs to hear her voice again. No doubt it would still sound like music to his ears. He wants to make flower crowns again, he wants to play king and queen again, he wants to stargaze with her again, he wants to sneakily steal cookies, hangout by the hot springs, pick flowers for the grandmas, share lessons with Lilinka, he wants to...

He really wants to see her again.

Julian sat on her bed by her side, his hand gently holding her weaker and much fragile one, her illness eating away her strength. Her ring finger still holds the flower ring he had made earlier that week, it was already wilting but the girl refuses to take it off.

"I made up my mind." he said, breaking the solemn silence in the room. It made the other look at him curiously, waiting for him to elaborate.

"I'll take the offer to study medicine in Prakra" he explained, finally looking at his best friend and secretly, the girl who has his heart in her gentle grip for he doesn't think his bestfriend could ever be harsh, other than when she's twisting his ear for getting in trouble without her

But he can't, he knew he can't. She probably hates him, gotten word of his 'crimes' and no longer sees him as her best friend. But as a murderer, a plague doctor who assisted his superior on experimenting to dying plague victims in search of the cure.

She probably already has a family of her own now, has 3 children like she once said she wanted. Probably has a nice spouse that always makes her laugh and will never hurt her. A spouse that doesn't have their sins still haunting them in every step and breath they take.

"You're leaving me?" the pain in her voice was clear, she was hurt at the thought. They had planned to wait for her to be cured before they decide to go out of their hometown to travel, to study medicine like they always dreamed of.

"Not for long, I know we planned to study together but..." He took a deep breath, "I'm doing this for you, (Y/N), I want to study now for you"

Silence filled the room once again.

Julian clutched up at his coat, the place right over his heart where it hurts the most. He had completely fallen to his knees, tears continues to drip down to the ground from his eyes, his other hand gripping the ground.

Whispered apologies leaving his mouth over and over again.

"Promise me you'll come back? That you won't forget about me?"

Julian stared at his love's dull but hopeful (eye color) orbs, hisbhand momentarily leaving hers to gently caress her cheek.

"I'm so sorry... (Y/N), I'm so sorry..."

"I promise"

"I broke our promise... I'm so sorry, my love..."

[...]

Meanwhile, in the same meadow of Julian's memories, sits a much grown up version of the girl in his memories. Body trembling as sobs come right after one another, clutching a bundle of those same blue wildflowers to her chest. Her eyes tightly shut as tears falls to the ground of her childhood. The girl looked up, staring at the same moon that Julian was previously admiring.

"Where are you, Ilya? I thought you'll come back... You promised... You promised..."

Anyone interested in a reunion sequel? 👀

My apologies if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes, I just woke up when I finished this lol

Anyways, I hope you all liked this! Let me know what you think, don't be shy! 💙

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teaboot · 5 years

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hi i hope its okay to ask about your career? i'm on a crossroads in my life and one of the paths im interested in is fashion but im just so... torn? and i don't think many ppl take it seriously, like, as sth you do in life unles you profit really well... my family certainly doesn't see it as an option an im just very curious about your experience w/ studying and working in the industry

Honestly? I never in my life expected going to college for fashion. He'll, I spent half my childhood topless and barefoot in jean overalls, covered in dirt with a snake in each hand. My best friend from grades 4 through 7 was a sheep. I brought that sheep to a school dance. Seriously, fancy clothing was never for an instant a topic in my mind.

I always figured it was sort of shallow, you know? Fashion was for dumb rich people who paid too much for shoes you couldn't even hike in.

What I DID love, however, was Costume Design. All the cool outfits and armour and prosthetic bits in The Dark Crystal, and Star Wars, and Lord Of The Rings. And the practical effects! Ohhh I could go on. I loved it. I wanted to help create that magic.

And to be a Costume Designer, I had to go to school for Fashion Design.

And I will tell you right now: if someone is in a fashion design course? Good for you. It's hard work. But if you've GRADUATED your fashion design course?

Ho-lee-fuck. You have my immediate respect.

Getting a fashion design degree is a four year commitment, usually. Because I'm an idiot, I decided to finish it in two. And I did! But out of... I believe a starting class of 15-20? Only four of us graduated.

To highlight the worst of it? My family is poor. Pretty much all my classmates were either ludicrously wealthy or at least well-off. I had duct tape holding my sneakers together, and I worked on group projects with people wearing Louis Vuitton who had maids back home. They were nice enough, but the cultural disconnect was more jarring than I'd expected.

And the actual class work is hard. The people coming in with fantasies of becoming the next Kim K with little to no real physical labour or skill involved dropped out pretty quickly.

See, knowing how to draw was part of it, but the whole spectrum of classes involved Fashion History, Color Theory (Which is an ENTIRE course on just colors!), Life drawing, Digital illustration (for both factory instructions AND fashion images), Fashion illustration, Concept design and development, GERBER training (The only digitizing program for making patterns, apparently, which is garbage and makes me cry), Patternmaking, Trends (And how to predict/utilize them), Advertising, Basic web design, textile sciences (where we learned how to make fabric, design fabric, and analyze various materials and weaving/knitting techniques), and then the ACTUAL design and construction classes, where we finally got to learn how to use industrial machines and do a million sample pieces to cover sewing and ironing techniques before moving onto designing and sewing our own ideas.

If it sounds overwhelming, good. It IS overwhelming. I can't speak for others, but my mental and physical health both tanked. I worked 20 hour days and spent weeks at a time on campus without going home, mostly because I couldn't afford the train. If you have the opportunity to use the full four years, DO NOT RUSH LIKE I DID. It will CONSUME YOU. There were so many days where I woke up in a bathtub or under a table and thought, 'I made a mistake. I can't do this. I'm an idiot, I should quit, my life is hell.'

Really, I think the only reason I didn't because the only thing I am more than dumb is stubborn, and I have amazing friends and family who I could call and talk openly to, and I'd already flushed enough money down the campus toilet that quitting now with nothing to show for it would have been a move of eternal regret.

...BUT- and I must insist, BUT- I LEARNED SO MUCH. I had hardass teachers who made me cry, I learned about a system of corporate corruption and greed that starts with a seed and ends in farmers shooting themselves in the field and mothers losing children in villages across the world and the $3 dress you buy off the rack and the laws that make it possible. I learned that there are ways to Fuck that system, and I learned how to change that system. I learned where the problems are. I learned where the lies and misconceptions are. I learned about disability and ableism, fat shaming, diet culture, ageism, social hierarchy, revolution, historical trends that keep coming back and ideas so appealing that they didn't stop until people end up dead.

It's fascinating. It changes your worldview and the way you think. People need to know that fashion isn't just clothing- its everything from the way you hold your body to the food you eat, the color of your skin and hair, your wedding ring, your dog, your living room wall. It encompasses EVERYTHING, and I love that.

That being said, I graduated tired and hungry and went off to work a desk job just to breathe a little for about a year. Then I made fashion flats for factory production for a while, because the pay is good and I know how.

And I have so many opportunities open to me, now. I could work in a high-end boutique. I could be a patternmaker for wedding gowns, prom dresses, suits, costumes, bathing suits. I can and HAVE worked backstage in fashion shows. I can be a tailor, a costume designer, a stylist, a personal shopper, a curator- there are so many directions I can go from here, and for a while I even did small clothing adjustments for people to help ends meet.

It's a collection of skills I will always have that I can always use, no matter my social standing. I could lose my house, my family, my job, my mobility, but so long as I can communicate or hold a pencil I will have a valuable skill.

I'm in the process of applying for the IATSE film union, to be a costume designer. It's been four years since I started. I'm nervous, and excited, and anxious, but worst case scenario I can't get a foot in the door? I can make clothes for my children. I can tailor my own suits. I can do repairs for friends and neighbors. I can go to a store, look around, and say, "That's a bad deal. That's a bad investment. I can get good value out of this instead", and that's good, too.

At the end of the day, though, you know the most important thing I've learned?

My job is not my life. My job is what SUPPORTS my life. Having a job I love would be nice, but it's still only secondary.

Sorry, I ramble. Hope I could help!

#Suicide tw #fashion design

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mad-madam-m · 6 years

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Can you tell us your favourite romance books? While I'm at it I want to ask your favourite fantasy books too =)

Romance

Literally anything by Courtney Milan - No, I’m not exaggerating. She’s one of the few authors on my “oh hey you have a new book coming out score let me go buy it on Amazon immediately” list. I don’t read them immediately because I save them for when I know I need a really good book, because I’ve never hated a book of hers. Some of them I like better than others, but they’ve all been great. Personal favorites include The Governess Affair, The Heiress Effect and The Suffragette Scandal. She writes both contemporary (the Cyclone series) and historical (the Turner series, the Brothers Sinister series, and currently the Worth Saga). Seriously I could probably go on about her books all day long, so I’ll stop there. They’re amazing and I love them all.

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie - This book is hilarious and kept me up until 1 in the morning so I could finish it. The bet was great, the side characters were just as fun as the main couple, and I really liked how the happy ending showed that different people have different definitions of a happy ending: one couple had kids, one couple didn’t, and one woman never got married because she didn’t want to. In Romancelandia, where the happy ending almost always involves the hero and heroine getting pregnant, that was a really refreshing change.

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase - I know a lot of people are put off by the asshole alpha hero trope, and Sebastian…definitely fits it, but oh man, Jessica is more than up to the task of putting him in his place and it’s an absolute delight to read about. (SHE SHOOTS HIM BECAUSE HE’S A DICK. IT’S SO SATISFYING.) I flipping adore this novel, and I adore Loretta Chase’s work in general. If you’d prefer one of her books with a hero who’s not quite as much of a complete jerk, I’d suggest Miss Wonderful, Mr. Impossible, or Last Night’s Scandal (all of which rank just as high for me).

A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare - Tessa Dare writes what I like to call “historical romantic comedies,” because her stuff always ends up making me laugh out loud. This one is basically a road trip AND a fake elopement as the hero (a notorious rake) and heroine (a bookish nerd) head to Scotland so that she can present her findings at a geological symposium and potentially win a prize of 500 pounds. It’s…so good, especially watching them fall for each other as they travel and how into it he gets because he sees how important it is to her, even if he knows nothing about geology. (I...actually ended up rereading this book as I was answering this ask because I picked it up just to remind myself of where they were going and...didn’t stop. >.>)

The Jade Temptress by Jeannie Lin - I’ll be honest, I read the first book in this series and I liked it, but I didn’t love it. In fact, I almost didn’t pick up this book because I was so meh on the first one. But boy howdy, I’m glad I did, because The Jade Temptress? Holy monkeys this book was fantastic. The heroine is a courtesan accused of murder, and the hero is the constable investigating the crime. It’s set in ancient China, the mystery plot is so, so good, and the tension between the two leads was delicious.

(Yes, these are mostly historical romances. What can I say, I like historical romances. XD)

Romance/Fantasy

The His Fair Assassin series by Robin LaFevers - This is a YA series and a little more alternate history than true fantasy, but the series is just so rich and fascinating. The characters are amazing, the political intrigue is just *kisses fingers*, and the way the stories weave together is just brilliant. The first two, Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph, are my personal favorites, but the final one is very, very good as well.

The Iron Seas series by Meljean Brook - Okay, this is steampunk more than fantasy, but I absolutely adored the worldbuilding in this series. Like. Wow. The steampunk world and the history she’s built out is just fascinating, and I’ve loved every glimpse I’ve gotten of it. The third book in the series, Riveted, is my favorite, but I haven’t yet read the fourth book or most of the accompanying novellas.

Fantasy

The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett - Pratchett’s satire is on point and he’s one of the rare male authors who can actually write female characters well. Personal favorites in this particular series include Guards! Guards!, Men at Arms, and Witches Abroad. But honestly, just pick up a Discworld book and give it a go. The Night Watch series and the Witches series are the best places to get started, IMO, but I’ve yet to read a single Discworld novel that I straight-up didn’t like.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin - Oh man, first-person POV fantasy isn’t often something I’m into, but Yeine’s narration is just glorious to read. I ended up bingeing the last 60% of the book all in one morning because I just couldn’t get enough of it. I’ve also read the next book in the series, The Broken Kingdoms, and it was just as good. The only reason I’m not reccing the entire series is because I haven’t read the final book yet. But if it’s as good as the others, the whole series will be one of my favorite fantasy series ever.

The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger - Okay so this is steampunk, which probably falls more into science fiction, but holy shit I love this series so much. The writing style is like a more accessible Jane Austen’s and it’s hilarious (there’s a line in the second book that’s “Tea was a medicinal necessity at this juncture” and let me tell you, I quote that shit on a daily basis), and it’s a really interesting steampunk world with fantastic characters (including several queer characters). There are vampires and werewolves and Alexia, our main character, is curious in that she’s soulless—that is, she nullifies any supernatural creature’s powers as long as she’s touching them.

The first book would be classified as a steampunk paranormal romance, but the rest are more adventure/mystery. I’ve been slowly making my way through the YA prequel series (The Finishing School series; I’ve only got the last book left to read) and I have the first book of the sequel series sitting on my TBR shelf. Gail Carriger probably ties with Courtney Milan for my favorite author.

The Immortals quartet by Tamora Pierce - Tamora Pierce’s Tortall series (serieses?) was absolutely formative for me, but the two that stand out are The Immortals and The Song of the Lioness. Daine and Alanna are some of my favorite female fantasy characters ever, and they have fantastic stories and powers and lovely romances (some of which work out and some of which don’t). I can definitely see more of the seams in the series now that I’m older and I’ve reread them, but 15-year-old M does not care and 15-year-old M loved the shit out of these books. (Also let’s be real, the Immortals series is at least 50% responsible for my “I have no shame” with regards to age difference in OTPs. XD)

The Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson - The magic system in these books is absolutely fantastic, and I love how he uses it and ties it into not just the world and the fight scenes, but the actual plot. The first book is actually a fantasy heist, and I loved the concept that this is set a thousand years after the chosen one failed to save the world. All the characters were so great and the story went in directions I didn’t expect. Also, there was a romance! And it was a good romance! (I’m…fairly used to male authors falling down on romance, and tbh that’s a solid part of the reason both Mistborn and Discworld are on here.)

One caveat: the series has a satisfying ending, but it’s not a trope I normally read, write, or rec, and this is probably the only exception to that rule I’ve found thus far.

God knows I’m probably forgetting some books---I’ve read a lot in these two genres---but these are probably the ones that have stuck with me the longest.

#Anonymous #M answers #romance #fantasy #favorite books #favorite authors

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brigade-claire-opinions · 3 years

Text

Rank 1: Final Fantasy VII Remake

Yes, I loved it that much.

Final Fantasy VII was a game that I coveted in my youth. Once I found out that Cloud from Kingdom Hearts (raise your hand if you just fumed at that descriptor) had his own video game, I sought this thing out far and wide for years. Eventually, my persistence would pay off when I discovered a complete copy in a local game store.

I feel like I don't even need to state this, but Final Fantasy VII was nothing short of groundbreaking upon its 1997 release. It set the bar for what a 3D JRPG should be. It had a deep, complex, emotional story, a fantastic soundtrack, stunning FMV cutscenes, a massive world to explore, and an advanced, engaging iteration of the series' signature ATB battle system. That's not even to mention the Materia system - you could level up your magic and combine different slots to get cool effects in battle! Want Tifa to punch fire at people? Great, smack Fire and Elemental Materia onto her gloves! There was so much playing around you could do - this game was so large and immersive that it had to be played across three discs.

Of course, all of this is ignoring the fact that I didn't procure my copy until 2009. While I could recognize FFVII's influence over concurrent games at the time, it also felt... old. Outdated. It was really cool to experience a piece of history, but it didn't quite capture my attention at 16 years old. As I grew older, however, I gained a new appreciation for classic RPGs, and I was eventually able to complete the game before this Remake came out. It was glorious.

A remake of the game was long rumored to be in development behind the scenes at Square, following that infamous PS3 tech demo shown off waaaaaay back in 2006. In 2015, it was officially announced to be in development for PS4, and now here we are 5 years later.

Now, Final Fantasy VII Remake is a bit more divisive than Square perhaps anticipated. This entry covers the opening act of the original and ends when our ragtag band of misfits escape the cyberpunk streets of Midgar. In the original Final Fantasy VII, that arc generally took 4 - 5 hours to get through. In Remake, however, my story playthrough clocked around 50 hours of playtime.

This is not a 1:1 remake of Final Fantasy VII. Hell, I think calling it a "remake" at all is inaccurate to an extent. This game is an adaptation of the original Final Fantasy VII, with the plot massively expanded to add new context and understanding to the events of the classic game.

The game hits most of the same story beats. You take the role of Cloud Strife, a 21-year-old ex-SOLDIER who is recruited into Avalanche, an ecoterrorist group who wants to liberate the planet from the iron grasp of Shinra, a company that is leeching the planet's energy to power its cyberpunk society and maintain its power. Yeah, not very subtle.

I sincerely enjoy this game. It's absolutely beautiful. With the added scenes, the story becomes even more compelling, weaving the new content into the old and creating something that feels brand new. The voice performances are stellar as well! With the exception of a few outliers, this game has actors who have been in very few (if any) projects before it. Everyone performs beautifully.

Famed Final Fantasy VII composer Nobuo Uematsu returned for this game's soundtrack. His new arrangements of classic tracks are a treat to listen to, and there's a plethora of new stuff too! He truly outdid himself here. In particular, there's a new arrangement of One Winged Angel - the most famous track from the original game - that has become my favorite version of the song.

The battle system especially is amazing. The Materia system returns and is as immersive as ever! You can upgrade weapons to deal more damage or to grant more Materia slots. Each weapon also has a unique skill that, once mastered, is permanently added to its wielder's repertoire for use with other weapons. The battling itself feels like Square took the best parts of Kingdom Hearts, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy XIII, and Final Fantasy XV, and mashed them all together to create something that feels both fresh and familiar.

I can't really say much more about this game without getting into spoilers. Final Fantasy VII Remake is a triumph. It completely defied my expectations and redefined what I thought a video game remake can be. There is so much in this package, and I cannot wait until the next entry.

Yeah, I'll discuss this now. Final Fantasy VII Remake is a planned series of games that will continue to retell and expand the story of the original game. This is controversial, and many feel that we received an incomplete package as a result.

I would like to dispute these claims. Final Fantasy VII Remake is a complete game. It tells *a* full story. It turns the Midgar arc into a full narrative that wraps up most of its plot threads, but leaves the threads necessary to tell *the* full story through its sequels.

I honestly feel like a lot of this game's detractors haven't played it, haven't played the original, or haven't played either and are just hopping on the hate wagon. Anyone who can look at the original objectively without nostalgia-tinted glasses will find that the story, while groundbreaking for the time, would not hold up to our modern expectations of what a JRPG's plot should be. It lacks a lot of nuance and doesn't do a great job of conveying itself. I'm not saying that a modern RPG needs to beat you over the head with exposition, but fans of the modern genre expect a certain level of detail that the original lacks. If we had received a 1:1 remake of the original with a fresh coat of paint, I don't think that it would have been received well at all.

Strawman arguments aside, I loved every second of this game. Please give it a shot - it's on sale for $30 on PSN right now, and it was well worth the 50 hours I put into it. In fact, I'll be returning to Midgar shortly to earn my Platinum trophy.

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