#Dragon Warrior VII

[playstationgamemania]

[ur-not-real]

the script for dragon quest vii

im back to playing this game again now that i have a functioning dualshock controller (im prissy) and i remembered seeing this pic a long time ago and i was thinking about just how many words are in this game... i have no idea if this is the japanese or english script but jesus if this is the jp script the eng scrip would probably fill a bus with books

i love this game and the love put into to it

[freezenet]

Review: Dragon Warrior VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past (Playstation)

In this review, we travel through time in the Playstation game Dragon Warrior VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past. We find out how well this RPG game plays. Continue reading Untitled

[okaydrawboy]

more dragon quest VII dragon warrior 7 fanart this time maeve / matilda from the first island (human form)

[romangoldendreams]

House of Ptolemy & House Targaryen

[sorrengael]

⠀ ⠀ viii. ⠀ ⠀ violet sorrengail⠀ ⠀ ╱ ⠀ ⠀ tag drop.

[curtins]

GOO GOO MUCK — jujutsu kaisen x reader an upcoming series ! & masterlist

my mind turns your life into folklore...

prologue. → choose a storybook to open. aka my mythos take on jujutsu kaisen.

pairings. serpent king!suguru geto x reader / minotaur!yuuji itadori x reader / demon king!ryomen sukuna x reader / god of war!toji fushiguro x reader / vampire!choso kamo x reader / grim reaper!nanami kento x reader / kitsune!megumi fushiguro x reader / king of the dragons!gojo satoru x reader

song inspiration. goo goo muck — the cramps

a/n. these were going to be smút fics at first but i was keen for the yuji & megumi stories, which would always be sfw.

ask/comment/dm to be added to a taglist 🩵

mp3. when the sun goes down, and the moon comes up, i turn into a teenage goo goo muck!

TABLE OF CONTENTS (to be updated regularly!)

I. ITADORI YŪJI x royal!reader— the minotaur SFW the lower part a beast, a man above. the monument of their polluted love. (virgil's aeneid)

II. GETŌ SUGURU x deity!reader — the serpent king SUGGESTIVE i'm restless and harsh and despairing. although i do have love inside me. i just don't know how to use love. sometimes it tears at my flesh, like barbs. (clarice lispector)

III. RYŌMEN SUKUNA x villager!reader — the demon SUGGESTIVE as if he heard me, he smiled. and his face was like the sun. (the song of achilles / madeline miller)

IV. FUSHIGURO TŌJI x warrior!reader — the patron god of war and fallen warriors fallin' down like dominoes, hit by family jewels. pass it down from kid to kid, the chain will never end. (marina and the diamonds)

V. CHŌSŌ KAMO x betrothed!reader — the vampire prince when you're away, i manage to forget you. one touch of your hand, and god comes rushing back. the borgias: 3.10 - the prince (2013)

VI. NANAMI KENTO x mortal!reader — the grim reaper i invented a world because death is unknowable, and someone i loved was about to live there. (the garden of death / ramona ausubel)

VII. MEGUMI FUSHIGURO x assassin!reader — the kitsune "i love you," daedelus said. "it is hard for me to say, because sometimes it doesn't seem like it is enough." (tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow / gabrielle zevin)

VIII. GOJŌ SATORU x rival!reader — the king of the dragons [he] called the great council to ensure that his succession would be conferred in peace. for he knew the cold truth: the only thing that could tear down the house of the dragon was itself. / the house of the dragon: 1.01 - the heirs of the dragon (2022)

[ai-manre]

Hang on king, a true warrior queen is coming

The strength he admires:

Val stood on the platform as still as if she had been carved of salt. She will not weep nor look away. Jon wondered what Ygritte would have done in her place. The women are the strong ones. - Jon III ADWD

Drogon roared. The sound filled the pit. A furnace wind engulfed her. The dragon's long scaled neck stretched toward her. When his mouth opened, she could see bits of broken bone and charred flesh between his black teeth. His eyes were molten. I am looking into hell, but I dare not look away. She had never been so certain of anything. - Dany IX ADWD

The shared loneliness:

Even with Ygritte sleeping beside him, he felt alone. - Jon V ASOS

She sat up with her hair disheveled and the bedclothes atangle. Her captain slept beside her, yet she was alone. - Dany VII ADWD

Lonely lovely lethal:

All the same, the wildling princess was not beloved of her gaolers. She scorned them all as "kneelers," and had thrice attempted to escape. When one man-at-arms grew careless in her presence she had snatched his dagger from its sheath and stabbed him in the neck. Another inch to the left and he might have died. Lonely and lovely and lethal, Jon Snow reflected, and I might have had her. - Jon III ADWD

Xaro took another bite, chewed, swallowed. "Daenerys, sweet queen, I cannot tell you what pleasure it gives me to bask once more in your presence. A child departed Qarth, as lost as she was lovely. I feared she was sailing to her doom, yet now I find her here enthroned, mistress of an ancient city, surrounded by a mighty host that she raised up out of dreams." - Dany III ADWD

Silver hair:

Beyond, the haunted forest waited, dark and silent. The light of the half-moon turned Val's honey-blond hair a pale silver and left her cheeks as white as snow. She took a deep breath. "The air tastes sweet." - Jon VIII ADWD

Dany's skin was flushed and pink when she climbed from the tub. Jhiqui laid her down to oil her body and scrape the dirt from her pores. Afterward Irri sprinkled her with spiceflower and cinnamon. While Doreah brushed her hair until it shone like spun silver, she thought about the moon, and eggs, and dragons. - Dany III AGOT

Wish for a dragon/wish for a rider:

We should have twenty trebuchets, not two, and they should be mounted on sledges and turntables so we could move them. It was a futile thought. He might as well wish for another thousand men, and maybe a dragon or three. - Jon VIII ASOS

The dragon has three heads. There are two men in the world who I can trust, if I can find them. I will not be alone then. We will be three against the world, like Aegon and his sisters. - Dany VI ASOS

Wishing for a dragon/wishing for someone to love a dragon:

"The Lysene pirate? Some say he has returned to his old haunts, this is so. And Lord Redwyne's war fleet creeps through the Broken Arm as well. On its way home, no doubt. But these men and their ships are well-known to us. No, these other sails … from farther east, perhaps … one hears queer talk of dragons."

Jon: "Would that we had one here. A dragon might warm things up a bit." - Jon IX ADWD

She was the blood of the dragon. She could kill the Sons of the Harpy, and the sons of the sons, and the sons of the sons of the sons. But a dragon could not feed a hungry child nor help a dying woman's pain. And who would ever dare to love a dragon? - Dany II ADWD

Shared prayers

Gods of the wood, grant me the strength to do the same, Jon Snow prayed silently. Give me the wisdom to know what must be done and the courage to do it. - Jon VII ADWD

Gods, she prayed, you took Khal Drogo, who was my sun-and-stars. You took our valiant son before he drew a breath. You have had your blood of me. Help me now, I pray you. Give me the wisdom to see the path ahead and the strength to do what I must to keep my children safe. - Dany V ADWD

Winter rose/flowers instead of violence:

If I could show her Winterfell . . . give her a flower from the glass gardens [...]

Ygritte: "Then I'd push him in a stream or throw a bucket o' water on him. Anyhow, men shouldn't smell sweet like flowers."

Jon: "What's wrong with flowers?" - Jon V ASOS

A blue flower grew from a chink in a wall of ice, and filled the air with sweetness. . . . mother of dragons, bride of fire . . . - Dany IV ADWD

"No heads," Dany insisted. "Once you brought me flowers." - Dany VII ADWD

Ruler of ruins:

He stalked across the yard, into the teeth of that wind. His cloak flapped loudly from his shoulders. Ghost came after. Where am I going? What am I doing? Castle Black was still and silent, its halls and towers dark. My seat, Jon Snow reflected. My hall, my home, my command. A ruin. - Jon VI ADWD

I am queen over a city built on dust and death. - Dany I ADWD

Turned off by their crushes due to violence against innocent:

"North of the Wall it is. Hemlock is a sure cure, but a pillow or a blade will work as well. If I had given birth to that poor child, I would have given her the gift of mercy long ago." This was a Val that Jon had never seen before. "Princess Shireen is the queen's only child." - Jon XI ADWD

Daario: "Better the butcher than the meat. All kings are butchers. Are queens so different?"

Dany: "This queen is." - Dany IV ADWD

Compassion and desire to save an entire people:

"Thousands of enemies. Thousands of wildlings."

Thousands of people, Jon thought. Men, women, children. Anger rose inside him, but when he spoke his voice was quiet and cold. - Jon VIII ADWD

"When Aegon the Dragon stepped ashore in Westeros, the kings of Vale and Rock and Reach did not rush to hand him their crowns. If you mean to sit his Iron Throne, you must win it as he did, with steel and dragonfire. And that will mean blood on your hands before the thing is done."

Blood and fire, thought Dany. The words of House Targaryen. She had known them all her life. "The blood of my enemies I will shed gladly. The blood of innocents is another matter. Eight thousand Unsullied they would offer me. Eight thousand dead babes. Eight thousand strangled dogs." - Dany II ASOS

Warrior princess:

Val looked the part and rode as if she had been born on horseback. A warrior princess, he decided, not some willowy creature who sits up in a tower, brushing her hair and waiting for some knight to rescue her. - Jon XI ADWD

Dany mounted her silver. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest. She felt desperately afraid. Was this what my brother would have done? She wondered if Prince Rhaegar had been this anxious when he saw the Usurper's host formed up across the Trident with all their banners floating on the wind. She stood in her stirrups and raised the harpy's fingers above her head for all the Unsullied to see. "IT IS DONE!" she cried at the top of her lungs. "YOU ARE MINE!" She gave the mare her heels and galloped along the first rank, holding the fingers high. "YOU ARE THE DRAGON'S NOW! YOU'RE BOUGHT AND PAID FOR! IT IS DONE! IT IS DONE!" - Dany III ASOS

No one was calling her Daenerys the Conqueror yet, but perhaps they would. Aegon the Conqueror had won Westeros with three dragons, but she had taken Meereen with sewer rats and a wooden cock, in less than a day. - Dany VI ADWD

A coppersmith had fashioned her a suit of burnished rings to wear to war. She accepted it with fulsome thanks; it was lovely to behold, and all that burnished copper would flash prettily in the sun, though if actual battle threatened, she would sooner be clad in steel. Even a young girl who knew nothing of the ways of war knew that. - Dany I ADWD

Ten years ago I would have sensed what Daenerys meant to do. Ten years ago I would have been quick enough to stop her. Instead he had stood befuddled as she leapt into the pit, shouting her name, then running uselessly after her across the scarlet sands. - The Queensguard ADWD

Wildling/no southron lady:

"And yes, I will take your women too. I have no need of blushing maidens looking to be protected, but I will take as many spearwives as will come." - Jon V ADWD

The carcass was too heavy for him to bear back to his lair, so Drogon consumed his kill there, tearing at the charred flesh as the grasses burned around them, the air thick with drifting smoke and the smell of burnt horsehair. Dany, starved, slid off his back and ate with him, ripping chunks of smoking meat from the dead horse with bare, burned hands. In Meereen I was a queen in silk, nibbling on stuffed dates and honeyed lamb, she remembered. What would my noble husband think if he could see me now? Hizdahr would be horrified, no doubt. But Daario … Daario would laugh, carve off a hunk of horsemeat with his arakh, and squat down to eat beside her. - Dany XI ADWD

Shared pet plays!

Jon squatted to let the direwolf close his jaws around his wrist, tugging his hand back and forth. It was a game they played. But when he glanced up, he saw Ygritte watching with eyes as wide and white as hen's eggs. - Jon VI ACOK

Drogon looped his neck around to nip at her hand. His teeth were very sharp, but he never broke her skin when they played like this. Dany laughed, and rolled him back and forth until he roared, his tail lashing like a whip. It is longer than it was, she saw, and tomorrow it will be longer still. - Dany IV ASOS

Add more please!

[xbuster]

Dragon Warrior VII (2001) — PSX

[princess-of-the-corner]

As of today, if you had a nickel for all the times Joan of Arc was shown as a magical girl you'd have four, as far I know:

Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne: a 1998 manga with anime adaptation, it features Joan's reincarnation in the modern day on a mission from God, stealing magical chess pieces to foil the devil's plan.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica: the final episode of the original series, aired in 2011, shows Joan on the pyre as one of the magical girls rescued by Madoka. The manga Puella Magi Tart Magica (with the name Tart being taken from the original spelling of her name, Jehanne Tart) was eventually made, detailing her story and ending with Joan on the pyre as Madoka is coming for her.

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir: Joan first shows up in the season 1 finale, with her image appearing on a stained glass window facing a goddamn' dragon. The actual Joan gets time displaced and briefly meets Marinette in "Ephemeral", and her ghost is summoned in "Reunion".

Giovanna Pulzella: a song from Italian parody band Bardomagno released on October 25 2024, the video shows her going from a "normal" maiden that hears the voice of God into a warrior as a magical girl transformation that gives her armor and a new haircut.

Now, how historically accurate are they?

Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne: Not in the slightest. They took the bare bones of Jeanne's tale and adapted it to a phantom thief story, throwing the magical girl thing in to make it work and going utterly against the actual history while accidentally getting the medieval Catholic idea of purity of a woman right.

PMMM: Extremely accurate down to her haircut (though incorrectly showing her as a blonde), and featuring a lot of historical character in the proper time and action with a single exception justified by virtue of being Perenelle Flamel (that is someone said by folk tales to be immortal), though with a few poetic licenses due the magical girl setting. Especially notable her banner (preserved after her capture but destroyed during the French Revolution), based on historical descriptions except for Kyubey (that Joan thinks is an angel) replacing Jesus, prompting those who see it to comment on how ugly it is (and explaining why descriptions differ), and her reaction of awe to a Soul Gem (by Catholic doctrine the body is merely a container of the soul, so being suddenly able to TOUCH her soul is taken as proof of the Incubator's divine power).

Miraculous: mixed bag, and irritating. For starters it's the only time they presented her with her historical black hair, if with a cut contrary to descriptions preceding her prisony. In "Ephemeral" she calls for Bertrand de Poulengy, a French knight historically known only for being her follower from BEFORE meeting the Dauphine Charles to her rehabilitation trial, only to follow it up with her attacking with her sword when her own testimony at the heresy trial, confirmed by witnesses at the rehabilitation trail, explain she never used the sword in combat, only as decoration and to chase prostitutes out of the camp (and breaking one on the back of one of the prostitutes). And in "Reunion" her ghost (by some accident identical to how ghosts were seen in the Middle Ages, as an image of the soul of a defunct left in the world to help the living or made by the devil to tempt them) shows her famous temper and references how the French throne was in fact vacant from the death of Charles VI in 1422 to the anointment and coronation of Charles VII in 1431 (long story short one could truly be King of France through the coronation in Reims and needed to be a knight for it, but the city was in English hands until retaken by Joan and Henry V was below the minimum knighthood age), only for her devotion to God (great enough she was eventually made Saint Joan) to go unmentioned and her devotion to France being ignored for a trite romantic plot that included Charles VII and Henry V being presented as warmongers prolonging the war for their own ambition IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO INFORMATIONS SHE HAD MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE EPISODE (when she was asked who was King of France in 1423 and she started explaining why the answer was "no one").

Giovanna Pulzella: Quite accurate except for the jokes (it's a parody band, after all), as expected by Bardomagno, whose members are all history buffs. Just don't ask why Charles VII is shown as looking like the main character from the old manga Kaibutsu-kun, that's one pun for older Italians that would make Chat Noir groan.

And if you ask me, when the magical girl manga and the parody band that are both taking artistic licenses make a better job representing Saint Joan than the guy who supposedly is a fan of the Maiden of Orleans, one has the right to be angry.

It's a bit of a mess

[unreliablenarratorpoll]

and here's the long awaited match-ups! for the sake of readability, here it is in text form:

Left Side:

1: The Narrator (Fight Club) VS Richard Papen (The Secret History)

2: Belgarath the Sorcerer (The Belgariad) VS Lain Iwakura (Serial Experiments Lain)

3: Kim Dokja (Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint) VS Greg Heffley (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)

4: Patrick Bateman (American Psycho) VS Drosselmeyer (Princess Tutu)

5: Kuruto Ryuki (AI: The Somnium Files – Nirvana Initiative) VS Ishmael (Moby Dick)

6: Amy Elliot-Dunne (Gone Girl) VS Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein)

7: Mary Katherine Blackwood (We Have Always Lived in the Castle) VS Odysseus (The Odysseus)

8: Pi Patel (Life of Pi) VS Alice Liddel (Alice: Madness Returns)

9: Jamie Taylor (The Haunting of Bly Manor) VS Jonny d'Ville (The Mechanisms)

10: Harrowhark Nonagesimus (The Locked Tomb) VS Elena Gilbert (The Vampire Diaries)

11: Wei Wuxian (Mo Dao Zu Shi/Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation) VS The Batter (OFF)

12: Charlotte Wiltshire (Hello Charlotte) VS Yuki Takeya (School-Live!)

13: Eleanor Vance (The Haunting of Hill House) VS Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII)

14: Louis de Point du Lac (Interview With The Vampire) VS Harrier Du Bois (Disco Elysium)

15: Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games) VS Will Navidson (House of Leaves)

16: Maebara Keiichi (Higurashi: When They Cry) VS Emperor Kuzco (The Emperor's New Groove)

Right Side:

17: Holden Caulfield (Catcher in the Rye) VS Ethan Frome (Ethan Frome)

18: Kayleigh (We Had To Remove This Post) VS Attolis Eugenides (Queen's Thief)

19: Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) VS Mapleshade (Warriors)

20: The Narrator (Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo) VS Offred (The Handmaid's Tale)

21: Nick Carraway (The Great Gatsby) VS Zampanò (House of Leaves)

22: Steven Crain (The Haunting of Hill House) vs David Wong (John Dies At The End)

23: Renata Ghali (Planetfall) VS Johnny Truant (House of Leaves)

24: Mfer From Telltale Heart (The Tell-Tale Heart) VS Meursault (The Stranger)

25: Ted (I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream) VS The Narrator (The Stanley Parable)

26: Genly Ai (The Left Hand of Darkness) VS Hiroshi Odokawa (Odd Taxi)

27: Frankenstein's Monster (Frankenstein) VS Varric Tethras (Dragon Age 2)

28: Cadi My Friend Cadi (Real Life) VS John The Apostle (The Bible)

29: Pelafina Heather Lièvre (House of Leaves) VS Johnny Silverhand (Cyberpunk 2077)

30: Rodion Raskolnikov (Crime and Punishment) VS Marco (Animorphs)

31: Flannery Culp (The Basic Eight) VS Daniil Dankovsky (Pathologic)

32: Cecil Palmer (Welcome To Night Vale) VS Mr. Stevens (The Remains of the Day)

[demigoddessqueens]

masterlist vii

Some links were going funky on my desktop so I’m adding a new masterlist to here so that it can be updated better

Tik tok tease 😈

Superman and Vash appreciation

Critical Role - coffee bae 💕 ☕️ //

Vox Machina - noble!reader // WEREWOLF PUPPY // taking care of them when exhausted // treating migraines // boys + period headcanons // you remember? // trouble in paradise // Birb Machina // reverse birb machina // Garmelie reveals through art // Grog romance // Vax and sweet bartender // Vax + childhood friend // you have beautiful eyes // close the door?? 🚪 // close the door 🚪 part 2 // day gone wrong 😅 // rizz them up ✨ // flying Treasure Planet style //

Song fic -Grog // song fic - (my) dandelion // song fic // Mothers Day - song - Percy // song fic - Vax angst //

Modern s/o series - different dance styles // bonding with Percy //

Mighty Nein - beach 🏝️ day // cuddle headcanons //

Song fic - Caleb // song fic - angst // song fic // song fic - outfield // song fic - 2 //

Bell’s Hells - song fic //

Crown Keepers - song fic + Dariax //

Ring of Brass - song fic //

Song fic for the ladies //

Castlevania - Hector A-Z NSFW // Dracula + fem!reader smut // drawing the boys // remember what they say // Alucard and his jealous lover // Alucard and art as a gift // got a black eye defending him // Isaac A-Z NSFW //

Marvel - Namor + nurse!reader // Guardians of the Galaxy fluff //

Star Wars 🌟- Poe fluff + Miguel //

Prey (2022) - Taabe smut //

Unicorn 🦄 Warriors Eternal - Edred headcanons // Aewulf HC’s //

Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon - horse riding with Aegon //

Ewan characters - Osferth and Tom //

Into/Across the Spiderverse - Miguel O’Hara fluff // biting kink headcanons // soft headcanons // angst headcanons // angst part 2 headcanons // sick headcanons // dancer!reader // touch-starved Miguel // Miguel and a shy reader // college boyfriend Miguel // fangs and claws oh my! 😍 // Miguel + parks & rec // incorrect quotes // Miguel AZ fluff alphabet // love nicknames // incorrect quotes + Gabriella O’Hara // good morning ☀️🌞// incorrect quotes part 2 // love me, choose me, pick me // Miguel Regency era // incorrect quotes part(s) 3-4 // wedding 💍 headcanons //

Assassin’s Creed - Connor Kenway fluff // AC OC Debut // Shay & Haytham + Assassin // Haytham NSFW // Desmond Mermay // barista bae ☕️ // Dad + kid just like mom // Haytham hurt & comfort // Haytham + hurt and comfort // love confession + “you” // Ezio birthday 🎂 headcanons // morning seggs + Haytham // codexmonthly - mirage // Ezio birthday headcanons part 2 // bath 🛁 headcanons 💕 //

Helluva Boss/Hazbin Hotel 😈 - Crimson SFW and NSFW //

Blood of Zeus - Apollo x daughter of Nyx // pantheon smut // ares and Amazon!reader // dating Seraphim headcanons //

Legend of Zelda/ToTK - Sidon and his illicit affairs //

Dragon Age

DA Absolution - Miriam + kisses on face //

[vixensdungeon]

Alright kids, time for more science. Let's see if this shakes things up a bit more than the last one. Welcome to the 90s, and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition. There are again several ways to generate your ability scores. A major difference from 1st Edition is that some of these are just obviously more powerful than others.

Method I: 3d6 straight down the line. The books devote a weird amount of page space justifying this one. Best not to go into character generation with any preconceptions about what you'll play.

Method II: A slight upgrade from Method I, you roll 3d6 twice for each ability, keeping the highest total. You're mostly still letting the dice choose your character for you.

Method III: 3d6, but now you get to arrange them! You have more control over what you'll play, but good luck getting into the "elite" ones like paladin.

Method IV: 3d6 twelve times, pick the six highest and arrange as you like. Someone else will have to do the math on how this compares to the next one.

Method V: Again we have today's standard method, 4d6 (drop lowest) arranged as you please. Will it dominate the poll again?

Method VI: Now we're getting into almost the realm of point-buy. You start each ability at 8, then roll 7d6 and assign the results to your ability scores as you choose. You can't go over 18, though! So unless you rolled two 5's or a 4 and a 6, you can't have that hallowed number.

Player's Option: Skills & Powers added a bunch of new ones later.

Method VII: Point-buy is here. You have 75 points to spread between your abilities, making sure none are below 3 or above 8, and are within the limits of whatever race and class you've picked.

Method VIII: You get 24d6 to assign among your ability scores, no less than 3d6 and no more than 6d6 to each ability. Than you roll them and keep the three highest of each roll. This allows you to go for a certain class but doesn't guarantee it.

Method IX: Point-buy but with variability. You first roll on a table to see how many points you have to spend, but also what your maximum score is. Higher point totals allow for lower maximums!

Method X: This is just Method VII but it calls the points character points and allows warriors to spend points to get exceptional Strength. I'm really not sure what the point of it is unless you're playing a warrior class, and even then I might use VII and just hope for a good roll on exceptional Strength.

[okaydrawboy]

Dragon Quest VII's Maribel (Dragon Warrior VII)

[nebulablakemurphy]

The Queen’s Hand

(Part VIII: The Black Queen)

Summary Y/N Targaryen is Princess of the seven realms. First born daughter of, Viserys I and Aemma Targaryen. Heir to the iron throne, forced to make impossible decisions to ensure peace amongst the land and the safety of those she holds most dear.

Prologue | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII

“My Queen,” Lord Lyonel says in greeting. The room is empty, save for the two of them. Aemmia has requested him and him alone.

“Grandsire,” Aemmia chokes out. “Now is no time for formalities. I need a kind word and a familiar hand.”

Harwin’s father sighs, “what can I do, dearest?”

“Give me the truth of it. How bad off are we?”

“We?” Lyonel whispers. “Those of us on King’s Landing?”

“Start there, yes.” Aemmia nods.

“We are fortified against any attack, with ships in all directions. No one will come by surprise.”

“The Velaryons will come by sea, my family will come by dragon.” She points out.

“Aemmia,” Lyonel takes her hand in his, “if I may? Vhagar is the largest claimed dragon in all the realms. She would do much damage. Same as Aranthi and Sunfyre. But Rhaenyra has more dragons with more experienced riders. Though none of them have been to war.”

“What about man power? We have Ser Criston, Aemond can fight, along with what’s left of the King’s Army.” She trails off, “they have Daemon, a warrior in his own right, more experienced than any of our soldiers. They have my father, the strongest knight in the seven kingdoms.”

“Who does not intend to use said strength against you of all people. You are his child. He loves you, as your mother loves you.”

Aemmia nods, attempting to compose herself.

“Such love does not disappear on a whim.”

“I know I- I do not know what’s come over me.” She holds a protective hand to her belly, just begun to protrude.

“You are frightened. I have left you too often by yourself, that was not my intention.” Lyonel apologizes.

“We are all doing what we can.” Aemmia shakes her head.

“What of Aemond? I’m sure his presence would be most reassuring to you in these times.”

“My husband cares for me and I for him. But we’ve come up differently. I was taught to lean in for comfort, he learned to close in on himself for solace.”

“Perhaps you will find compromise.” Lyonel smiles, kindly.

Aemmia blinks in quick succession, he is regarding her in a way he never has. “What is it?”

Lyonel pats her cheek. “When your mother first asked for your father’s hand, I denied her. She was highly sought after, proposals flew in from right and left. I, as Hand to your late Grandsire, saw them all. She could have married into a house of higher standing than my own. But she would not marry. I believed it was her chosen path to serve the crown.

My son, had already sired a son by Princess Rhaenyra. King Viserys denied it, but everyone knew. Some say I love Harwin to a fault. Still I could not bring myself to allow Y/N the shame. Nor could I speak on the parentage of Jacaerys, it would mean exile and death for all involved. After Lucerys was born, Y/N came again. She said onto me, I will take him as he is. All he has done, all he will do matters not. I will take Ser Harwin Strong and unsully his name. I will love his sons as my own and ensure their legitimacy. I will bear him children of high status in court and heirs to Harrenhal.”

Lyonel recounts, with a far off look in his eyes. “If you had told me then that one of those children would become Queen of the seven kingdoms, I would’ve laughed. Over the years your mother has become very dear to my heart. It gives me hope to know that her legacy and my boy’s will live on in you.”

“She is much stronger than I.” Aemmia argues, “I am not suited for this.”

“What you do now will live in infamy, Aemmia. By your hand will come the rise or fall of the mighty House Targaryen.”

————————————🌱———————————

Y/N learns of their intruder by a tune. A simple melody echoing up from the lower level. Daemon ordered him locked away for later questioning, though he did not alert the Queen, nor her Princess Hand.

It has been but minutes since the return of Laenor, carrying Viserys’ crown. Passed straight from Aemmia’s hand to his own.

‘How is she, Laenor? How is my girl?’ Y/N takes his arm.

‘She is well,’ Laenor holds back.

Y/N hoped the affirmation of Aemmia’s intentions would calm her uncle. Perhaps she was wrong. The rogue prince still lives within him.

The song has passed down through Y/N’s mother, Aemma, to her children. Y/N follows the sound to the cellar. A body is hunched over on the floor, curled in against itself for warmth.

Carefully Y/N closes the distance between herself and the prisoner. “Aegon?”

He startles, “Y/N.”

“Why’ve you come?”

“By my Grandsire’s will, to plead for the life of my mother and house.” Aegon informs her.

“You seem very lax for delivering such a message.” Y/N scoffs.

“What does it matter?” He throws up a hand. “If you wish to show mercy, then we are already saved. And if you wish to collect on bloodlust then we are naught but walking corpses.”

“Why send you?” Y/N wonders. “Why not Aemmia or Aemond?”

“They are too valuable these days.” Aegon purses his lips.

“Hmm.”

“He thought I might also play into the love we once shared.” Aegon replies, flippantly. “I cant recall, but I’m sure you do.”

When Aegon was born, until his second name day, Y/N doted on her sweet brother. Bringing forth the most beautiful dragon’s egg for him. Unfortunately it was a love that could not be, although they both desperately needed it. Driven apart by jealousy and aspirations of power.

‘She will poison his mind.’ Otto told Alicent, ‘he will favor her over you.’

Y/N nods. “I would like you to return to your mother. Assure her that we are drawing up fair terms, for each and every one of you.”

“Did you love me?” He wonders, cocking his head to the side. He’s never known her to love any of them but Rhaenyra.

Y/N pauses, swallowing down all her guilt. Her heart tearing anew as she finds his eyes, hollow from the hand he was dealt. Much different from hers, and what his own might have been if only- “I did love you, Aegon.” She admits, “I loved you with all my heart.”

Aegon holds her stare, as if willing his mind to recount details it cannot. “Pity.”

“Indeed.”

“That would, however make you one of the few people who ever did.” He lifts a shoulder, “I will not exploit you for it. I do ask you spare my children at least.” Aegon whispers, “I’ve not been much a father to them, but our sins should not be their’s to account for.”

Y/N turns away. “Be a better father when you return, a better husband to your wife. Become the man I hoped you to be and do not take for granted the mercy afforded you.”

“I am not like you, I’m not cut out for this.” Aegon calls out to her. “I never wanted this.”

“And I never wanted it for you. But it matters not what we want, only what we do with the cards we are given.”

————————————🌱———————————

“Do you wish me bald?” Aemond quips, as his wife’s anxious fingers pull at his locks.

He does not mind her toying with his hair, Aemond has come to enjoy the gentle intimacy that Aemmia has brought into his life. But something is off about this.

“There is a time for tugging and a time for stroking, wouldn’t you say?” Aemond tries again. Her restless motions continue until he reaches back, catching her wrist. “Aemmia.”

“Forgive me.” She says immediately, dropping the blonde tresses. Reeling her mind back from the great unknown.

“Where did you go?”

“I was only thinking.” Aemmia presses a kiss to his cheek to reassure him.

“What about?”

“If our children take my features over yours, will you be very disappointed?”

Aemond’s mouth quirks up, “of all the things to worry about, you choose this?”

“And if it is a daughter instead of a son?”

“Then I shall have a father’s girl in your image. She will be terribly spoilt.”

“How about a dragon?” Aemmia goes about pacing the floor.

“Atara might bring forth another clutch.” Aegon’s dragon, Sunfyre, said to be the most magnificent in all of Westeros, was a gift from her first.

Aemmia nods, Atara is her mother’s dragon. “My mother always said that dragons are one with our souls. They’re privy to our fears, strengths, weaknesses, our heart’s greatest desires. That’s why some are born to us while others find us later.”

“Hmm,” Aemond hums, it’s an interesting theory.

“Atara and Aranthi have never been apart.”

“Dragons are different than humans, my love.” Aemond murmurs. If Atara is in any distress it would be more likely from Y/N’s longing for Aemmia than the dragon’s longing for one of its own children.

“Did you know my father learned High Valyrian to speak to Atara?”

“Why?”

“Because she is one with my mother and therefore part of him.” Aemmia breaks off.

“You mustn’t do this to yourself.” Aemond scrubs his fingers over his forehead.

“I know that, Aemond. Only sometimes I can’t help it.”

“You miss them terribly,” Aemond says.

“I do,” she admits, staring down at the floor.

“I would like to know them.”

“You plan to stay with me then, when this is finished?”

Aemond sighs, “I do. If it’s allowed of me.”

Aemmia gives him a gentle smile. “Who knows, you may even come to love them.”

“Let’s not be overzealous.”

“My mother would like you.” The brunette presses on.

“She never did.” Aemond replies, with a shake of his head.

“She never had a chance.”

———————————🌱————————————

“It is imperative that we know the intentions of Eyrie, Stark and Baratheon. With house Stark the north will follow.” Daemon says, his tone clipped. He is irritated, to say the least, at Y/N’s choices.

‘If you are to be Hand, you must hold the Queen’s safety above all others. You must be willing to drench yourself in the blood of thousands in her name!’ He scolds Y/N.

‘Who has stood more faithfully by her side than I? While you waged wars and fathered children, free to marry as you saw fit, who was there for Rhaenyra? When you abandoned her during her labors with your daughter to raise hell, who held her? You dare tell me what it means to be my sister’s hand? I have done it all her life!’ Y/N spits back.

‘You love her, I will not deny this.’ Daemon lowers his voice. ‘But loving her and leading her are two very different tasks. You need to toughen your skin as well as your heart to succeed in both. Think of our numbers, in dragons alone. Atara, Syrax, Caraxes, Seasmoke, Meleys, and that doesn’t include the children’s dragons, three more wild reside here on Dragon Stone. We could have every Green head mounted on a spike and Rhaenyra on the throne before the fucking day’s end.”

‘I will not advise Rhaenyra to slay her own kin!’

“Send us.” Jace suggests, “dragons are faster than ravens. We’ll be there in half the time.”

Y/N would usually speak up. Say no, it is an unnecessary risk. Rhaenyra considers this, hoping to meet her sister’s eye for insight. Y/N offers none, stonewalling her. Or maybe she cannot bear to look upon her.

“Very well,” Rhaenyra agrees. “Jacaerys will take Eyrie and Winterfell. Deliver our message, see if they will stand with us.”

“I shall fly with him, my Queen.” Geniysa offers.

“Geniysa-” Harwin shakes his head.

“I’ve received proposals from members of these houses. It is past time for me to marry, we shall kill two birds with one stone.” Geniysa points out.

“You’re prepared to make such a decision on your own?” Y/N frowns at her daughter.

“I will have Jacaerys,” Geniysa slaps her cousin once on the back.

“Indeed,” he agrees. “I will help guide her hand.”

Y/N bites out. “Let it be done, we shall await your safe return.”

Geniysa snaps her mouth shut, nodding curtly to her mother.

Harwin joins his wife, near the head of the table, brushing hair away from her ear to whisper. “Are you absolutely sure about this? Once a betrothal is set in place it, ending it would be frown upon.”

Y/N turns in to him, keeping her tone hushed. “She is a woman grown. Worse still, she is a child of yours and mine, incredibly stubborn. The move is hers to make.”

Harwin gives a tight nod of acknowledgment.

“Your devotion moves me, Princess.” Rhaenyra tells her niece. “It will not be forgotten.”

“Thank you, your grace.”

“Lucerys and Viserus should take to Storm’s End. It is a short flight from here.” Rhaenyra tells the younger boys. They have always done well together, this has not changed with the years.

“I will aid in his safe passage, my Queen.” Viserus tells her.

“And I his,” Luc looks to Y/N.

“I have no doubt. You’ll do us all proud.”

————————————🌱———————————-

The days drag on, leaving Aemond in a state of unease. He spars to soothe the frazzled bits of him that his wife cannot. Though Aemmia would put him out of his misery with her lips to his; whispering the sweetest of nothings as tender hands caress his face. His wedding gift to her bouncing about her neck before the sapphire finally clings to her sweat damp skin. However, fucking his frustrations into her would not allow a favorable place for their child to grow. Only love for you.

Aemond swings his sword toward his opponent, the clank of metal is familiar. Here he has complete control.

“Brother, I have returned with word from Dragon Stone.” Aegon interrupts.

The King huffs, tossing his weapon to the ground. His head aches, radiating out from the scar around his left eye socket. He drags the heel of his palm across the patch, willing it out of his mind. “Let’s hear it.”

“They’re assembling a battalion. Not to fight, unless it comes to that. Drawing up ‘fair’ terms for the lot of us. All of which will presumably including bending the knee to Rhaenyra.”

“Hmm.”

“We should also rally allies.” Aegon looks away, eyes scanning the grounds.

“What for?”

“You would bet your life and that of your child on their willingness to accept our surrender?”

“Rhaenyra would have no reason to harm us.”

“If it is Y/N’s word she follows.” Aegon points out. “Daemon is thirsty for blood and will stop at nothing to get it.”

“How would you advise me?” Aemond squares his shoulders.

“Houses Stark and Baratheon hold the north, both of whom swore oaths to Rhaenyra. Securing them would give us a leg up, should we need it.”

“You think it will come to that?”

“They are a house divided amongst themselves…and we know how well that works out.” Aegon stares down at the dirt.

“Very well.” Aemond agrees, “I will make the journey to Storm’s end.”

“Make haste, Aemond.” Aegon warns, “their troops will be upon us sooner rather than later.”

“What has brought about this sudden sense of urgency?” Aemond asks, it seems out of character.

“Rhaenyra lost the babe.”

“Gods be good.”

“Y/N,” Aegon breathes, “she is unhinged.”

“Yet she let you live.” Aemond points out.

“You did not see her eyes.” The eldest boy’s hands ball into fists. “She is on the precipice.”

————————————🌱———————————

“He asked for what?” Surely Y/N has heard Viserus wrong.

“Stark asked first for Geniysa, then for Rhaelys. I told him no, on both counts. They are not mine to offer.” Viserus repeats.

“Well done, son.” Harwin assures him.

“Well done?” Daemon scoffs, “he has lost us the North.”

“Instead, I offered my hand to Borros Baratheon’s daughters. The youngest is around my age, a bit older, but she seemed quite taken with our terms.” Viserus smirks, “we have the North, dear uncle.”

The older man huffs, squaring his shoulders.

“You can say you’re proud of me,” Viserus jests, “it’s alright.”

Daemon says nothing, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. He claps the boy once on the back as he passes.

Jace and Geniysa return a while after with good news. Rhaenyra’s oath still stands amongst Eyrie and Winterfell.

The middle two Strong children exchange stories about their newly betrothed. Geniysa’s future husband, Arnold Arryn of Eyrie, is older by a handful. “He has his own personal vendetta against a cousin for stealing his place as heir. He believes women are too soft to lead.” Nevertheless, he is willing to reside with her on Dragon Stone or King’s Landing.

“No one better than you to change his mind, cousin.” Jacaerys offers.

Viserus is to wed Floris Baratheon, “she is quiet, but I hope she will warm up.”

Y/N and Harwin are invited to dine with the Queen and King Consort. Along with the Lord of the Tides, his lovely wife and their new found friend, Ser Lynis. But as the hour grows later, the Princess has no appetite.

Rhaelys hums happily in the mother’s lap as Y/N weaves a line of intricate patterns into her silver locks.

“Y/N,” a voice calls from the entryway of her chambers.

“Your grace.” Y/N responds, turning to see her sister. Tapping Rhaelys on the shoulder. “Go, love. Angette is waiting just outside for you.”

“Aunt Rhaenyra?” The little girl peers up at her.

“Yes, Rhaelys?”

The six year old frowns, tossing both arms around the woman’s waist. “I’m sorry about your baby.”

Rhaenyra passes a hand over the crown of her head, “me too, my sweet. Run along now, your supper will get cold.”

Rhaelys dashes out the door without any fuss.

“Ser Harwin informed me that you are unwell.” The Queen comes round, closing the space between she and her sister.

“I will see this through, Rhaenyra. You need not worry.”

“I do not worry for my hand, I worry for my sister.” Rhaenyra says, firmly. Taking a seat beside her on the foot stool, leaning her head against Y/N’s shoulder.

The older girl kisses the top of her sister’s head, resting her cheek there. “I will be better on the morrow.”

“Shall I sit with you a while?”

“Or,” Y/N begins, “we could sneak down to the kitchens.”

Rhaenyra draws back to look at her sister. “And eat cake?”

Y/N nods, fighting back a grin.

————————————🌱———————————-

“Aemmia,” Alicent rushes in to the sitting room.

“Alicent.”

“Word has come, the Velaryon fleet has taken to the seas. They will surround King’s Landing before the moon turns.” She warns.

“It is time then.” They all knew this was coming.

“I can only imagine the things your mother hath told you of me, but I do not wish her dead. Nor Rhaenyra.”

“My mother never spoke an ill word about you, Alicent.” Not to her anyway. “Whatever guilt you hold over things past is your own.”

“All I’ve done is to protect my children.”

“Why do you assume she would harm them?”

“That is what-”

“That’s what you would do.” Aemmia crosses both arms over her chest. “Luckily my mother is better than that.”

“I never meant for it to be this way. We had hoped that with you on the throne, the secession would be peaceful.” Alicent eyes the younger girl, warily.

“Supplanting Rhaenyra was never going to be peaceful. Not when my mother and late Grandsire, spent their lives preparing said throne for it’s rightful heir.” Aemmia turns away from her, staring out the window.

“Perhaps this was miscalculated,” Alicent catches her elbow, “but we thought it best for everyone involved.”

“We?”

“My father and I.”

Aemmia scoffs, “Otto has no love for my mother or Rhaenyra.”

“I do.” Alicent murmurs, half under her breath.

“Then agree to their terms. I’m sure they would accept your surrender and spare your life. Trust may take a while but it would come, eventually.”

“You’ve spent a great deal of time with Helaena as of late,” Alicent changes the subject. “I like to think the two of you could’ve been friends.”

“Helaena is my friend.” Aemmia pulls away from her. “We can still right this, for all of us, with no blood shed. We still have a chance.”

The ships arrive the next morning, just after the dragons. Vhagar, Sunfyre and Aranthi have all been freed from the pit, incase they should need them. Leaving only Helaena’s dragon, Dreamfyre, within, she is a small creature. Not suited for war.

“Do I sit or stand?” Aemmia paces anxiously before the throne. Her dress suddenly too tight, constricting her breath.

Aemond takes her hand. Holding her against his side, facing the throne room doors. “Be still.”

Their army stands behind them, more just outside, lying in wait.

Aemmia’s family does appear, with Rhaenyra at the forefront. She is not alone of course, her mother is there and her father. Daemon and their children at her side. The show of force that trails after them makes Aemmia’s stomach turn.

When they finally stand opposite each other no one speaks for a long while.

Finally it is Y/N to land the first blow. “We shall hear the terms of your surrender, in hopes they align with ours. But first I shall have my daughter, and my sister shall have her throne.”

“Go,” Aemond nods, “go to your mother, love.”

Aemmia squeezes his fingers then drops them, prepared to close the gap between their two families. Before her foot touches the first step down, Otto Hightower has his dagger drawn and at her throat.

“Hold,” Rhaenyra puts an arm out, hearing the shuffle of armor behind her.

“Drop your weapons.” Otto demands, watching the enemy do so. “On your knees.”

Only Daemon fights it.

“Daemon,” Rhaenyra warns, “do it, now.”

The man rolls his eyes, kneeling beside his wife. “I am growing too old for such things.”

Otto presses the blade a bit more firmly against Aemmia’s neck, tiny beads of scarlet pooling around the edge. “Here you stand, largest army in Westeros at your heels, come to take what is yours. All you’ve fought for, all you’ve bled for and yearned for; yet you cannot seize it. Instead you drop like flies to your knees. Love is your downfall. Love stays the hand.”

“Grandsire, this is not my wish.” Aemond cuts in. “She is your Queen, to harm her would be the highest of treasons.”

“In a matter of minutes her reign will end, as will yours. Your very lives will be forfeit. Is that your wish Aemond?”

“She is with child.” Aemond informs him, “my child. I wish to see her bear it, mend our houses. As my father so willed it.”

“Your father was so blind to the affairs of your family that he allowed you to be maimed. All in the name of Rhaenyra and her bastards. Sired by the same man as the whore who hath wrought these delusions upon you. Viserys did not defend you. I did! Your mother did!” Otto shouts.

He and Otto move in unison. Aemond is fast to draw his sword, using the blade of it to impale his Grandsire and drive him forward.

“Say what you will, but she has my loyalty.” Aemond seethes. I love her.

Otto’s blood soaked dagger falls to the ground. Aemmia stumbles away with a hand to her throat. Blood oozing out between her fingers, down her wrist and forearm to her elbow.

Alicent is the one to break her fall, moving the girl so that she is cradled against her on the floor. “We must have the Maester!”

Rhaenyra’s army prepares to pounce. “Stay your hand,” the Queen commands.

Aemmia’s parents rush past Otto and Aemond to their daughter.

“There you are,” Otto sputters out as Rhaenyra comes into view. “Come to sit upon your beloved throne.”

She ignores him, headed for her niece instead. Crowding around the girl like everyone else.

“Mama,” Aemmia whispers, her head is light; floating above her body.

“I’m here,” Y/N gentles her. “I’m here.”

“Papa.”

“Yes, sweetheart, all accounted for.” Harwin, pushes a bit of hair from her face. “Let me see,” he pries her fingers away from the wound. Aemmia’s head resting in Alicent’s lap. It is deep, but doesn’t appear to have hit a vein. She will live if they act quickly to seal it. Blood loss will be their worst enemy. “Not too bad, hmm?” Harwin applies firm pressure with his own hand as they wait for the maester. “Just a scratch.”

Y/N holds her daughter’s hand. Unable or willing to focus on anything else.

“For the love of the gods, let us heat up a blade and seal it. I’ve seen this a thousand times in battle.” Daemon says, feigning indifference, though clearly worried as the rest.

“I will do it.” Laenor sprints over to the corner torch lamp. Holding his knife to the flame until it burns red hot.

“Move her hair away.”

“Hold her steady, we want the edges to be clean.”

Everything moves out of time, the smell of charring flesh, the sound of Aemmia’s scream. A collective lurch of bodies, crying out in warning. Y/N turns her head just in time to see Criston Cole charging her way. Sword drawn.

The princess does not move, frozen as lords and knights alike rush to her defense. But they are too late. The sound of metal against metal startles Y/N more than the impact she braced for.

“You dare attack my sister while her back is turned?” Aegon seethes, deadlocked with Ser Criston.

“They cannot take the throne, my Prince. I will die defending your honor.” The man who helped raise him replies. Pushing back against Aegon’s hand.

“I will not kill you, Cole. You have been dear to me, but you mustn’t harm my family.” Aegon says, cooly. “Guards, remove Ser Criston and place him under lock and key.”

Perhaps they are not too far gone. Perhaps they will save each other.

Part IX

Taglist @evyiione @bubblebuttwade @hotd-fanfic@leoramage @hyperfiaxed-freak @chonisbestmistake @poemfreak306 @giulia2372 @stargaryenx @rxscpctals

[superthatguy62]

The Differences and Influence of  the Final Fantasy 1 manga

While Final Fantasy is certainly no stranger to adaptations and alternate media, it’s mostly towards the later entries such as VII or XV depending on how you feel about such media, this may not be a bad thing.

When it comes to the first three entries, their adaptations are the most mysterious: Final Fantasy III got an absolutely insane manga, Final Fantasy II got a somewhat insane novelization and Final Fantasy I has an obscure manga. As these came out long ago in Japan and were rarely, if ever, re-released, knowledge on these media remains scarce.

However, TrafalgarScans on MangaDex has translated the entirety of the Final Fantasy I manga, allowing english readers to experience it for the first time.

And, while a straightforward retelling of the original game, there are a few interesting elements in it. Elements that may seem somewhat familiar if you’ve Dissidia or Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin.

Before we begin, I’m going to be doing something different from my previous discussions: Rather than doing a summary/play-by-play of the manga, I’m mostly going to be talking about things I noticed, whether they be different... or indirectly indicative of where Square would take FF1 in the future. As that implies, I will be discussing spoilers for Dissidia and Strangers of Paradise.

For context: The manga was written Kaimejii Yuu and was released in 1989: 2 years after the first game landed on Famicom, one year before it arrived on NES and the same year as the MSX port. So rejoice Space Station!Flying Fortress fans.

Let’s start with one of the obvious ones: 

The Party

The original Final Fantasy centers around four Warriors of Light who mysteriously appear, each with a crystal fragment.

In the manga, we are introduced to the members of the party bit by bit: First, there is Puffy who seems to be a traveling Warrior.

Puffy later meets Flitz/Fritz, a Monk who was kicked out of his monastery for his vices.

A Monk and a Warrior. Seems standard so far. But then there are the other 2 members.

Matoya, a witch who is skilled with black magic.

And the fourth party member... who isn’t introduced until quite a ways in. While Sarah and Bikke both join the party, the true forth member turns out to be none other than

Bahamut, the king of dragons.

Naturally, this is a pretty big deviation: Matoya and Bahamut are NPCs in the game after, but here, they’re main characters. Matoya would go on to be a prominent character in FF1, even being playable in spinoffs for what it’s worth. However, I don’t think there are many FF1 interpretations that put the NPCs in the WoL roles.

They’re not the only ones different, however

The Villains

The Final Fantasy manga follows a somewhat condensed version of the game. It’s actually kinda close to how Memory of Heroes did it, with the focus largely on Garland and the Four Fiends, concluding with a bout against Chaos.

Garland generally keeps his overall role, including his infatuation with Sarah (which makes me wonder what was the first media to touch on that aspect of him) but also has some significant differences: He doesn’t wear armor, he doesn’t seem to die before vanishing and the manga more blatantly sets up the plot twist by showing Garland entering the Dark Crystal. Only Flitz notices though, so he’s the first to realize that Garland’s behind everything once the Warriors learn about the whole she-bang from the Lufenians.

There’s also his name, but we’ll get to that.

The Warriors are promptly attacked by the Four Chaos/Fiends. There’s the Lich, who is looking positively Mobius!Chaos today.

Then we have Marilith, who looks about how you’d expect.

Then we have Kraken... Who is...

And last but not least, we have Tiamat, who has both a monster form and a humanlike form.

And then there’s Chaos, whose design is vaguely reminiscent of how Garland’s armor would evolve from Dissidia onwards mixed with traits from his Chaos form.

Oh yeah, Garland. Did you know that’s not his full name in this adaptation? Yup, long before “Jack Garland” would use the last name Garland, this Garland had the full name of “Red Garland”.

And here’s where we start to get into the influence that this manga may or may not have had on Square-Enix’s future interpretations of Final Fantasy 1.

The Backstory

In the games, the Warriors of Lights’ backstory is left unexplained. This plays into the role-play/”create a party” aspect of the game: It’s up to the player, if they so chose, to fill in the blanks about who their characters are and where they came from.

Memory of Heroes, being a close adaptation of the games, leaves its characters’ backstories ambiguous outside of tying a further connection to Garland as his time shenanigans “unchained” the Warriors of Light and wiped their memories, explaining why they can remember nothing and why nobody recognizes them.

Dissidia Final Fantasy, while not directly touching upon the events of FF1 itself, gives a backstory to its Warrior of Light: He’s a perfect manikin created by Cid of the Lufaine and placed within the cycles of conflict. Over time, he grows into more of an actual person and continuously comes to blows with Garland, who already knows him from the cycle back home. In the end, WoL ends up in the FF1 world and sets off on his journey, determined to not only save the world from Chaos but to free Garland from the endless cycle he unwittingly trapped himself in.

The manga, however, gives a more detailed backstory.

Early in Chapter 2, Puffy explains that she is not actually from that world; In another dimension, she worked at an inn and was just an ordinary girl. However, on her way to visit her friend Matoya, she winds up slipping through a dimensional barrier. When she wakes up, she’s surrounded by the circle of sages who explain the situation to her and send her off to fight Chaos, despite her attempts to argue otherwise. Puffy later meets up with a different version of Matoya, and soon after the manga begins.

This is largely forgotten about until climax, where it becomes much more important:

As one of Lufenia’s Knights of Gaia/Sky Warriors, one of the bats in the Chaos Shrine explains a bit further: It’s not just Puffy, all four of the Warriors apparently hail from other dimensions. The Knights figured that the best way to stop Chaos was to get four people from parallel worlds that Chaos did not exist in, resulting in heroes with fresh perspectives from worlds in which the crystals were not compromised. Thus they set up barriers that would link the five worlds together and the four Warriors of Light seen in the manga wound up being the four that were chosen (the manga mostly focuses on Puffy, but the implication is that Flitz, Bahamut and that version of Matoya all hail from similar parallel worlds). After Chaos is defeated, the four end up being sent back to their own worlds with no memory of their adventure. Puffy in particular goes back to being an innkeeper and serves drinks to various patrons... including Garland who, although rejected by Sarah yet again, has not turned into Chaos and is an overall decent guy.

What makes the dimensional stuff even more surprising is the meta aspect: Either great minds think alike, the parallel world stuff was in the Japanese FF1 or Square Enix took inspiration from this very manga.

Dissidia Final Fantasy is a big fat crossover featuring the protagonists from the first couple games. While the first game was somewhat ambiguous, Dissidia 012 (the prequel) would establish that the game took place on World B: A destroyed parallel counterpart to World A, which is the world of Final Fantasy 1. The reports in 012 would also establish that Onrac stumbled upon a dimensional gate which would be how they acquired the ore that allowed them to produce manikins. 

Stranger of Paradise takes the parallels even further. The concept of Lufenians drawing in people from parallel worlds to function as Warriors of Light was embodied in the Stranger Project. However, it turns out that the manga beat them to the punch with Knights of Gaia’s dimensional barriers. Of course, the KoG were benevolent compared to the SoP Lufenians who were malevolent. The concept of summoning warriors from other worlds would naturally be used there too, although in 012′s case, it’s due to Shinryu’s influence creating gateways.

And speaking of...

The Lufenians

The Lufenians are a simple, standard “Ancient Civilization with advanced tech (TM)” that was common in fantasy stories and would become a recurring trend in Final Fantasy, one that still remains even to this day. As far as plot significance go, they remain primarily in the background: They’re one of the civilizations the WoLs encounter their space station is the Semi-final dungeon and their champions were turned into bats that infodump a number of aspects about the overarching plot. 

Then there’s Cid. In the original Final Fantasy, while the airship is said to be a Lufenian creation I think, I need to fact that that, there’s no mention of any particular Lufenian who created it. Later versions would name the Lufenian “Cid”, in keeping with series tradition of naming the prominent airship engineer “Cid”. Memory of Heroes gave a Cid a more prominent role, leaving behind video projections to show what happened to the Flying Fortress, entrusting the warp cube to the robots and burying the airship that the Warriors of Light find and use to travel in the later half of the story.

However, Cid’s actions are actually somewhat familiar.

In the manga, a Lufenian (not Cid, though with the benefit of hindsight and how SE would’ve handled it, he may as well be) features prominently in the intro, leaves one of the robots to gather the warp cubes in preparation for the day the Warriors of Light arrive and leaves behind a video projection, with the man himself being long dead by then. Not!Cid’s exposition is different though, tying into how the energies from the four shrines can be seen converging on the Chaos Shrine from the Space Station as well as discussing the Knights of Gaia for a bit.

There’s also the dark crystal. In Final Fantasy, Garland is seen in front of a dark crystal in the Chaos Shrine. When the Warriors travel back to the past, they play the lute in front of the shrine, transforming the crystal into a portal. Stranger of Paradise would explain the crystal as being a “Dimensional Crystal Matrix”, sent to them by their unnamed collaborator.

Again, however, this is not the first time this has happened.

Turns out, the Dark Crystal in the manga is a “Time-Space Transfer Device”. The Knights of Gaia had used the device to set up the barriers to summon warriors from other worlds. However, Chaos took control of the device soon afterwards and used it to set up the time loop that would bring him to power. Coincidence or not, the manga Lufenians’ usage of the device would be echoed in the aforementioned two different aspects (the Dimensional Crystal Matrix and the Stranger Project). SoP would also echo the element of Garland taking control of the device for his own uses.  

Conclusion

In the Stranger of Paradise Confidential Files -Secret Chapters- (An official complete guide - Thanks ChrysalisThoughts for the clarification! ), one of the questions posed to the developers is why Jack’s station is known as “Station 19″. While the final game has its own independent time loop, apparently it was named after SoP being the 19th time Final Fantasy 1 was ported/remade at the time, with the idea of different strangers being dispatched from different stations for each of the remakes.

While that plan ultimately didn’t fully pan out, the implication of Final Fantasy 1 having parallel worlds or a connection to other worlds in general is one that has echoed throughout the franchise.

- The Final Fantasy manga utilizing the concept of parallel worlds for its protagonists.

- The Souls of Chaos dungeons featuring prominent bosses from the other 5 Nintendo-era Final fantasy games.

- Dissidia introducing “World B” with 012 establishing it of being a parallel world to the world of the original Final Fantasy

- Memory of Heroes implying that the Warriors of Light of its three adaptations (and perhaps beyond) either inherit the will/souls of the previous ones or are the previous ones reincarnated in another world.

- And Stranger of Paradise’s original intentional of having parallel worlds, along with its hinted connection to World B

It’s looking more and more like a DC multiverse, especially if you flub things to suggest that each interpretation is its own parallel world.

But, in a way, it’s oddly fitting. Final Fantasy is a game that has you make your own party. The game gives no detail as to their character or backstory. You’re encouraged to fill in the blanks yourself, hence why fanfics and such can vary wildly with how everyone ca reinterpret the story. In a way, it’s fitting that SE themselves get in on it. And it’s interesting how, almost every time, multi-dimensional shenanigans manage to get involved.

I dunno.

I just think it’s neat.