#thinking of routes for both versions where chilchuck is the princess and where laios is the princess

[dungeonmeshimybeloved]

Thinking of a stp chilaios au where laios is trapped in a pocket dimension created by the winged lion, and Chilchuck - despite there being many more capable candidates - goes in to save him.

If there's anything he can do, it's pick locks and disarm traps. This dimension has a mechanism. He just needs to figure out what makes it tick, and there's a good chance Laios is his key to figuring it out

[dungeonmeshimybeloved]

Okay so I'm so so normal about the concept and I hope you don't mind me rambling on your post because I am. Insane. Spoilers for both dungeon meshi and Slay the princess below

Okay okay so, I was thinking about this all night, and I was trying to think of ways to explain their Canon personalities in terms of the au.

First, what is the internal story of slay the chil? Is it following the original story of STP closely (involving the shifting mound and the cycles of life and rebirth and all that fun philosophical stuff) OR is this a construct made within the dungeon meshi universe meant to trap Laios.

Let me explain-

I thought it would be interesting if the story took place in a dungeon. And that the narrator you hear is actually the winged lion. I think the winged lion works a bit better if Laios was the princess, and Chil being sent to slay him would ultimately let the lion go free, but since this idea plays with Laios being slayer, let's go with that framework for now.

What does Chil represent? The future and progress? He is the only one with children in the story and has canonically made huge advancements in his field for his people. So progress and stagnation could be a thing that's played with here. But if we skip the metatext of STP and focus on this being mostly a lovestory time loop (also very good,) then it could be a good cycle to keep Laios perpetually stuck in trying and failing to save someone he loves.

If the lion is the narrator, this time loop could be the Lion trying to get Laios to slay his own desires, and trap himself as a monster in the depths of the dungeon.

But that's just a lot of thoughts that could be nothing but could be fun to work with

The second thing is - Chilchuck as the prince. You know how the very first decision you make in the cabin effects the princess' personality and thus the routes you get? (warm-no knife princess and cold-knife princess.) I think Chilchucks personality might not actually differ much if Laios does or doesn't have the blade. He's still his sassy prickly self, but the main difference is how much he is willing to trust you. This sorta branches off the framework that he and Laios were plucked from the Canon story and dropped into this timeloop instead of following the metanarrative of STP.

No-knife (or warm) Chilchuck is probably a bit more frank with his feelings, but also slightly willing to show more vulnerability because - he is trapped. He's stuck there and Laios is the first one he sees in a long long time.

If you (and by you I mean laios) choose to free him, Chilchuck probably breaks his thumb in order to slip himself out of the shackles (instead of full on tearing it off). Chilchuck most likely will be thinking of ways to escape through nonconventional means - the window, maybe there's a secret door, maybe if he uses the knife he can pick the lock to the basement. I could go further into the routes and how i think theyd differ, but I think for now I'll just over an overview of the "chapter 1" and then kinds of chapter 2s you can get.

For warm chil, you can get his version of the damsel (who perhaps acts like a younger, novice adventurer, who trusts that you will help him because you said you would.) The witch, where he holds his cards close to his chest and plans to betray you since you killed him first, (maybe utilizes more traps?). The beast (acts like a scrappy small animal that is blood thirsty and will stop at nothing until one of you are dead, ect)

Cold chil is just that - extra cold. He's got a nasty bite to his voice, and is clearly on guard. Sorta like the prisoner! He doesn't want to talk more than he has to, because he doesn't know what Laios is going to do with that knife. This one is more rational in that sense.

If you choose to free him, it resembles the warm chil freeing route. You can cut off his hand instead of breaking his wrist, which he really doesn't prefer. Honestly this chilchuck may suggest breaking the chain instead. He'll become suspicious and extra guarded if you refuse to give him the knife in order to pick the lock.

If you choose to slay the cold chilchuck, I imagine he won't go down easily. He's going to hit you with everything he's got. If he wins and only you die, you get the dungeon lord (aka, the tower).

Those are the only routes I could think of thus far. I'm sure I'll be thinking about this later snd may come up with more indepth routes, but I think I'll move onto the setting.

Like I mentioned earlier, I think the setting should be a dungeon! Each time you delve into a route, you end up further in the dungeon

For example. You start at the entrance of a dungeon and travel to the first floor, where yoy meet chil for the first time. When yoy advance in the story and die, you wake up on the first layer of the dungeon and have to travel deeper find chil again. Ect ect.

Also, the narrator may refer to Chilchuck as a monster, and may encourage laios to kill/eat him to save to the world. To which laios goes "hold up, all monsters are dangerous yea, but this one looks like a regular person. I wonder what kind of monster this is" which will thej influence Chilchuck into becoming one of those monsters as the story progresses. While your actions will have an effect, I think certain routes may clue laios in to certain monsters. You may be able to unlock secret monsters from the dialogue you share with the narrator - kinda like how you get the razor!

Anyway I've been rambling for a while lmao, sorry about rhat! I hope this is coherent

slay the princess chilaios au anyone?