#I didn't want to update ANYTHING until I got through Gongaga?

[sakurarisen]

So a quick update before I take my headache and go work on a new theme for @shinrarisen, I've been working here and there on Sera's divergences page! I'm still working on the sidequests for Gongaga and really refuse to leave the area until I've seen all of it, but I have finished the primary storyline there regarding the reactor - And because of this, I've gone and decided it was time to get things rolling on long overdue updates:

From here on I'm open to writing up to the end of the events with the reactor in Gongaga! I've been holding off specifically because Zack, Sera, and their family are settled there, and I didn't want to do anything without knowing what was going on with the village through playing it myself. Small reminder though that since Remake introduced the idea of of multiple timelines, the one @honorisen and I write is not the canon timeline; 98% of the canonical Remake/Rebirth events do happen here, but there are some divergences - And that's why I've been updating!

I will not be following the 'Aerith meets Zack's parents' scene as it was portrayed on any of my blogs. Personally, the more I think about it, the less sense it makes to me, especially given Cissnei is in Gongaga, and for that alone I'll be moving forward with the idea his parents are somewhat aware of what's happened with Zack even prior to Sera bringing him home, and have been taught to cover for both Zack, Sera, and their family by pretending he's missing - Prior to meeting Sera after the reactor explodes, they're under the impression he's been KIA, learn he's actually MIA after meeting her and later having this confirmed by Cissnei when she moves to Gongaga, and then further become the family's greatest allies when Zack comes home. His parents are unaware Sera's Zack's fiance until Cissnei tells them - So when Cloud and Co. come to Gongaga, his parents are able to convincingly come off as parents missing their son. This also applies in OG settings, where even though Cissnei is not involved, Sera has told them Zack is MIA, and they've previously thought him to be KIA.

Following from the above, I've adjusted my timeline to fit in the Rebirth events; Sera is in town prior to the reactor's explosion, meets Zack's parents after, and moves closer to them on earning their (and the other villagers') trust. She befriends Cissnei when she also moves to the village, then later leaves for the Midgar area to meet with Zack and bring him home and adopt their second son, Yuga, on the way back around the end of Remake. They later marry and start up a jack of all trades type business, and due to this job, are out of the village when Cloud's group comes by. They're unable to return to Gongaga until after they leave due to infantry in the area. Shayan spend their entire visit locked up in the Fair family home, unseen, while Yuga tends to everything else for him, both boys checked on occasionally by Cissnei until Sera and Zack return.

I've adjusted the timing of events to more closely follow OG's, given the timing of events in Remake seems to be a little different/off from OG, while also being very vague and seemingly (to me) a little contradictory with itself. This helps me personally keep track of things a bit easier.

I've really made OG verse request only. As much as I love the original game, what Sera ended up dealing with and the path she takes in OG is incredibly restricting and angsty at best, and I can't find a way around that that would make any kind of sense, for either Sera OR Shayan. As a result, my canon follows CC into Remake/Rebirth, and I won't be touching OG without some super heavy plotting and requests, first.

Further reading on any and all of this can be done over here, on my divergences page! <3

That's pretty much all of it for now! Kasa and I are still heavily working on Halcyon lore and how it ties into things, while I'm looking for ways to list it out and be easy to read and make sense of, so that's for a future update! <3 For now, I'm off to my FF multi to get some work done over there~

~Pom