#very much so phoenix & ifrit inspired

[local-magpie]

playing ffxvi all day is not a business plan, but god i wish it was. this game is both gorgeous and super fun

[yoshua]

I dont really post personal stuff on tumblr but i need to share my tattoo artists draft for my upcoming tattoo next week because OUGH (patterns off the arm are what will bend around the underneath)

[phoenix-flamed]

Okay, let's give this a try! After a conversation with @reviresc earlier, I was inspired to expand upon a headcanon I have regarding the Eikon of Fire and its Dominant. Well... the Not-Ifrit Eikon of Fire, that is. (Sorry Ifrit.)

I've talked before about some of my headcanons regarding my Elwin's dad, the deterioration of his health, and what caused it. As I said, I was inspired by R earlier to elaborate more on these thoughts, and flesh them out a bit more too.

To start with, despite my potentially confusing wording before, my Elwin's dad didn't die of the curse. He had curse spots on his body, but it was still minimal enough that it was easily hidden -- it moreso acted as not only a sign of the approaching end for him to him and his wife, but also acted as one more reason why he was suffering. What killed him, ultimately, was the Phoenix's power. Which feels weird to say, all things considered, but.

My overall headcanon is that due to Phoenix's magic consisting of two contrasting, if not opposing, capabilities(healing and harming), it by default is incredibly powerful... And because of how powerful it is in this respect, it takes a heavy toll upon the Phoenix's Dominant's body and health.

Now, on the flipside, I do also headcanon that Phoenix's magic has a passive regenerative effect on the Dominant. This isn't something that the Dominant can control; it's an innate trait. So in a similar vein to the abilities granted by the Eikon's magic being of conflicting natures, the two passive abilities that exist within the Dominant are also of conflicting natures.

It's like by the very act of existing, the Dominant has a debuff and a buff both ticking within their body. The debuff is the toll that the inherent magic automatically has upon them, which is only further exacerbated by the usage of Phoenix's magic, and worsened from there by the frequency and intensity of the magic usage. The buff is basically a natural Regen placed upon the Dominant, that ticks automatically as they proceed through life.

This is where the MMO terminology that I was trying to avoid using comes in, but to be entirely honest, I don't know how to explain it without making comparisons to explain. So please bear with me.

At least in the games that I've played, Regen, or any move that places Regen on the person, isn't usually percentage-based in terms of healing amount. It's potency-based, which means that unless a tick of the Regen's healing happens to land as a critical hit on the person it's healing over time, the amount of healing that the Regen does per tick is more or less stagnant, and is dependent upon the caster's stats.

Phoenix's regenerative properties in my headcanons work the same way: the regeneration automatically bestowed upon the Dominant is based on the Phoenix's power, rather than anything to do with the Dominant or their strength, etc. So the amount of healing that this regeneration does is more or less consistent when it comes to the amount of health that is healed each time it ticks.

Where this becomes a problem is that, again, you have this constant debuff running at the same time as this constant buff. Because the regenerative buff isn't percentage-based in how much it heals each time, the amount of health that the Dominant has plays a vital role. But with the debuff sapping away more and more on their health by virtue of them being alive, it's an endless struggle between these two opposing traits.

And again, because the regenerative ability isn't percentage-based, that means that however much healing the ability does is set at a baseline. So as the destructive trait eats at their health and strength more and more, the regenerative ability, in comparison, remains at that same baseline, which means that eventually the Dominant will have too little health left for the regenerative effect to have enough of an impact to counteract the damage being taken.

Where this specifically ties into my Elwin's father's health and eventual death is that like the Dominants of Phoenix before him, he had this duality of latent magic working simultaneously for and against him. Unfortunately, because he was so willing to use his healing magic on anyone who needed it, this magic usage hastened the toll that the power was having on his body and health, and eventually the passive regeneration from the Phoenix couldn't heal him enough to at least counterbalance the harm it was doing to him, much less negate it entirely.

I'm hoping this makes at least a little bit of sense. Also, I feel like I should start keeping a tally or counter of how many times I ramble in these posts...

[meximango]

Day 19 - Taken - Tibby - G

Summary: Tibby leaves home.

Ngl I don’t remember the layout of the Ruby Sea and how she would’ve gotten to the big city organically lmaooo I was too tired to open the game and map it out myself.

I could’ve made this the continuation of the last one so easily, the word was like PERFECT, but alas! Too sleepy to think of how to do what I want to do with that.

So I made this instead. A chance to dip my toe into writing about Tibby! Idk if I'll write her again for the current event, but I'm glad I gave it a shot.

Tibby did not have to survive on the surface for long before she found an abundance of inspiration and resources. 

Sui-no-Sato had been all she’d ever known. Her life there had been safe, simple, free of worry–and it was incredibly boring. She might not have ever mustered the impetus to leave, had the outsider not arrived. 

When an adventurer passed through and shared stories of her travels and grand encounters with the townsfolk, Tibby had been enraptured. She was a very animated miqo’te (she’d never seen one before! A tail covered in fur instead of scales, and two fluffy ears atop her head instead of horns. Truly fascinating.) The adventurer also had a book full of complex equations and geometrical figures, which she used to bring forth elemental creatures to aid her in battle. The beautiful blazing Phoenix, a fearsome visage of Bahamut, the winds of Garuda, Titan’s hold over the earth, and Ifrit’s flames. Yet despite being able to summon such miniature simulacrums of terrifying primals, Tibby’s favorite was the simplest creature, the default carbuncle. So cute! That was the first spark that lit the fire in her soul that wished to leave and travel. She wanted to travel the world so she could see other cute creatures, until she found the one she liked best. Then, she would recreate it in mechanical form. (She’d made a few tiny robots while growing up, but they were simple, so they couldn't do much. Also, they were ugly. Bleh.)

She was too shy to talk to the adventurer one on one, but she did a lot of eavesdropping and watching her as she went about her time in the village. The outside world was full of danger, but adventuring sounded so exciting! Besides, she had a plan for getting around the danger. She’d just blow it up or hide behind the safety of other adventurers. If she could make it all the way to Ishgard, she could get an apprenticeship at Skysteel Manufactoryl to become a machinist, so she could get the big guns–literally. She felt completely prepared to leave her bubble under the sea and go to the surface world as soon as she gathered enough materials. It was a few months after the adventurer left that Tibby felt prepared enough to depart. Her backpack stuffed to the brim, she rented a striped ray to take her to the shores of Onokoro, and from there convinced a porter to take her directly to Kugane. 

She helped at the city’s blacksmith for a while so she could learn more about crafting weapons. She was used to tinkering with whatever was laying around her home village, so she had the building and engineering side down, but she hadn’t been able to do much with it. She was going to need firepower if she was going to be an adventurer and stand a chance against enemies. Either that, or she’d need to learn how to build up her defenses. That was when she split tracks and started to apprentice at the armorer’s shop as well. 

During her downtime, she kept up with her self-taught studies as well, which was easy enough. The amount of scrap to be found up here had her spoiled for choice! Her bosses didn’t need to know when she took bits and bobs here and there, especially the unwanted junk–treasures to her, just as the phrase went. If she also went around the other shops in town, especially the goldsmith, and did the same? Well, nobody ever caught her or cared enough to say anything, so she made a habit of it. If she had been caught, she would have simply explained she was just a poor soul trying to hone her craft! Surely that was a worthy pursuit entitling her to some free crafting components?

Once confident that she could craft defensive and offensive implements equally well, as well as the delicate work involving cogs, springs, and crystals, she sold a bunch of her creations to make enough gil to travel from Othard to Eorzea–specifically, to Ishgard. She was lucky the city let her in, as it apparently had been shut down to outsiders for ages during the Dragonsong War, but they were opening their gates more and more ever since a certain adventurer swept through (she knew there was more than one adventurer on the star, but the descriptions she heard certainly sounded familiar, so she was pretty sure she’d met some major celebrity level of adventurer. How funny, that she came to their secluded, tiny town. Hydaelyn worked in mysterious ways. But also, damn. She should have gotten an autograph when she had the chance!) 

She was reminded of home briefly, but that was ok. She could go back one day to visit, but she was still on a mission. Ishgard was in need of help with reconstructing a district of theirs called the Firmament, so her crafting skills came in handy. She gained the notice of Skysteel Manufactory’s owner, and from there she finally got her wish to learn how to become a machinist. With the help of Stephanivien, she developed a rook autoturret. It was certainly fancier than her previous robotics, but still not very cute… She took it apart and built it up again, and again, and again, each time with slightly improved designs. Eventually, Tibby wanted to modify it into something truly unique. Maybe she’d make it look like a karakul, those were pretty darling. A sheep that shot bullets, what could be better than that?

For now, Tibby was content to learn all she could with Stephanivien, but one day soon enough she knew she’d get the itch to really start adventuring in earnest so she could fulfill her quest of finding the cutest creature out there to have the honor of becoming the visage for an automaton death machine, the queen of all turrets! Then normal citizens could feel safe, knowing monsters stood no chance against the face of something that could pass as a mechanical pet to the undiscerning eye. Maybe even the people in her village would feel safe enough to leave and see the world for themselves…

She wasn’t really sure if what she wanted was ridiculous, why she cared. Would she grow out of it? What would she do when her goals would be reached? How does one even know when they’ve found the right creature? Did she just want to see new things? To prove her innovativeness and become a celebrated inventor?  She may have not been completely sure, but she’d at least try out adventuring. If she hated it, she could go back home. If not, then maybe she could make some friends who could help her discover more about life purposes. She had plenty of time to figure it out.

[crusherthedoctor]

4, 39, 40 :D

4. Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?

The first one is obvious… Sonic himself! Wouldn't make sense to spend so much time on a Sonic fic if I didn't care about his universe. That said, I don't intend to pull an Archie with the lore. Stellar focuses on its own story and setting that just so happens to partially incorporate one previous bit of lore, in a similar manner to what SA1 did with the backstory introduced in S3&K. There are some mild references to other lore, but never in a way that tries in vain to wrap it all together in a neat little bow.

The environments are also largely inspired by that of previous Sonic locales. Mostly from non-mainline installments, since for various reasons (being on a handheld ala Advance/Rush, being a racer ala Riders/Rivals/Sonic R, being on motion controls ala Storybooks), they didn't have the same level of freedom as those in the main games, meaning there's a lot to expand on and make something new out of.

The other major influence for environments and aesthetics is, you guessed it, Spyro. I make no secret that le purple dragon has helped shape up the world of Viridonia aesthetically, but unlike fans who think Sonic should be little more than Furry DBZ, or IDW making random anime references that don't work, there is some thought put into it, and never at the expense of the Sonic universe's own identity. I think both worlds are very similar in aesthetics anyway, so if I see something in Spyro that makes me think "Wow, that would be so cool to see in Sonic!", I then think of how to translate it in a form that benefits Sonic's world, as opposed to wondering why the square doesn't fit in the round hole.

For the mystic entities that are tied to the Ethereal Zone, since they each have different powers, shapes and colours, I got the idea to base each of them on a different mythological creature for a subtle thematic resonance despite how otherwise different they are from each other. They're not one-to-one like the creatures they're inspired from mind you, they're definitely Sonicy interpretations (eg: the fire-themed one is a mix between a phoenix and a feathered serpent ala Quetzalcoatl, since I wasn't sure if making it a phoenix straight-up would make it sound too similar to Ifrit from Rivals 2), but I thought it'd be a fun twist on the giant monster schtick… though it helps that all of them are controlled via Time Eater-esque cybernetics by a certain round chum. Going out of control? Upstaging Eggman? In a Crusher fic? Not happening, son.

And speaking of the doctor, obviously I've took notes from many of his game portrayals, with S3&K's determination, SA1's dickery, and Forces' cunning being three of the biggest examples. But another influence for my interpretation of the doctor is the Mother 3 portrayal of Porky Minch: specifically, how he is clearly working towards a big end goal, yet is also simultaneously setting up seemingly unrelated projects all over Viridonia, playing its population (save Trudy) for fools, and overall treating the island as though it's his personal playground. This is not a Mephiles situation however: all of this does turn out to play a part in his endgame. He just happened to plan it out in a way that can also feed into his ego and hedonism in the meantime.

And Trudy… is Trudy. There were some mild influences for certain aspects of her design, but her personality pretty much grew upon itself as I built on her. I wanted to create a character that was mellow, but still fun and quirky, and could still bounce off Sonic and Co without being seen as "the boring one" or "the nag who can't be bothered with Sonic". I also find an appeal in shy characters finding the courage to do things they'd never expect themselves to do, so y'know.

There are other bits of inspiration I could mention, which includes concepts that are neither Sonic or Spyro-related… but I don't want to spoil more than necessary for now. XP

39. Share a snippet from a WIP

Note: This is a slightly older draft of the moment in question, so there might be some minor differences in the final one.

Sonic grew concerned by her stunned reaction, hoping that he didn't offend her. "You don't mind it, do you?"

"No, of course not. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. It's just…" Her right hand clutched the fingers of the other, subtly squeezing them in the process. Her vision was directed at a nonspecific pile of red leaves not too far away from them. This all seemed so silly. There was really no justification for this. No excuse for her to treat such a thing with the kind of awe reserved for being within the presence of an omnipotent. And yet…

"No one's… no one's ever given me a nickname before…"

Sonic appeared to be puzzled by this, which was then followed by him exchanging a brief glance with Tails. His lifelong pal simply gave him a shrug in response.

"If it's any consolation," the fox piped up, with a faint hint of a smirk morphing on his face. "Some of his nicknames are better than others."

"Hey!" Sonic playfully raised his arms in defense, which did nothing to hide his sheepish grin. "So what if they can get a little simple! If she doesn't like it, I can totally drop it! If I have to get my head around the right pronunciation of her name, then so be it!"

"No, it's… it's nice," she insisted softly. A gentle smile slowly found itself on her face as well. "It's an honor, truly. You can call me that if you want to."

"You sure?"

A simple, meek nod was what he received, and it was at this point that her eyes shifted once more. After what appeared to be some hesitance, they gained the courage to meet with Sonic's own.

Sonic's eyes held onto their shared gaze for a couple of seconds, before he turned to Tails again. The fox only gave another shrug, this time to suggest that there was no further reason to debate the matter. After a silent understanding between the two heroes, the hedgehog nodded triumphantly.

"Well then," he announced, with a wink for his new friend. "I guess it's truly Trudy from now on!" As he gave a characteristic thumbs up, she could only continue smiling at the display, and her ears lowered ever so slightly. This was all so very sudden for her even now, but if they sincerely value her company and assistance, then maybe... maybe... it wouldn't hurt to keep tagging along with them.

40. If someone were to make fanart of your work, what fic or scene would you hope to see?

I wouldn't be fussy, since I'd be grateful for any moments, or environments, that they decided to portray.

But if I had to pick one… I suppose a certain confrontation between Trudy and Eggman would be awesome. Or a certain heart-to-heart between Trudy and Sonic. :>

[kyusaur]

I have to let out my feelings somewhere.

What an absolutely mean ending.

Such a mean ending.

Why this ending?!

WHY

A videogame rarely made me cry as much as this one did.

This hurts as much as Lufia.

This is even WORSE than Lufia. Jill and Torgal have to live without Clive! Seeing them cry hurt so much. And Clive crying so much over Joshua?! HELLO?! WHO FUCKING DARES

I thought they were done with the sad endings after FF15. But noooooo, they were INSPIRED by that sad ending. And they wanted to MAKE IT EVEN SADDER BY GIVING THE BONDS EVEN MORE TIME TO UNFOLD

I did all the side quests except the DLCs. It's very much a coherent story on its own. Harpocrates' library and Vivian's charts help a lot to keep track of stuff and especially to process all the happenings in a softer pace.

Speaking of pace... I think FF16's pace was perfect. It had so many highs after which making a break just felt really nice and exciting.

Also the Esper fights are SO DAMN COOL. I think I'm gonna replay some of them in Arcade Mode. Or maybe I just jump right into New Game+ lmao. It was talking about ADDITIONAL CONTENT. Whatever that means.

But I had a blast playing through FF16. It felt very enjoyable. But I def felt how the story difficulty curve wasn't made with Sidequests in mind. When the masses of sidequests popped up, the story quests started to become quite easy because I basically outleveled everything.

Although I gotta admit that I did die a few times against Barnabas. But it was cool how they focused less on the Primal fights there, and more on executing technique. Felt very fitting for a fight between these two.

Also I encountered that damn Level 50 dragon hunt at Level 40 and wondered why I took so much damage. Took me a few deaths to realize that it's 10 level over me. Oops. Managed to defeat it on Level 45.

But damn, I love Clive as a character. I really like broody characters and their character development. I think it was so well done by giving him so many emotions.

The end was just so devastating.

I wanted him to return to Jill and Torgal and everyone else.

I really wanted him to.

Why is this game doing this

I was PREPARED for more NPC deaths. I was prepared for Cid's death. I was prepared for Jill's death even. I even thought that Clive's uncle was gonna die! I actually even was prepared for Joshua's death! But Clive's devastating reaction?! Hot damn. It hit me so hard in my feelings, I just... AAAAAAAAAAAAA

Oh and... some negative points:

While I usually love Soken's soundtrack, I feel like FF16's soundtrack was a bit lackluster in some areas. Especially speaking of areas, I can't tell you which track belonged to which areas. No matter how often I visited them for Hunts or how much time I spent on them looking for those Hunts. I missed some noticeable distinction. Not only in areas, but also certain cutscene music to set the mood and such. I think the only tracks where I get all excited and remember scenes are the Fighting tracks. Ifrit's and Phoenix' theme are SOOOOO GOOD. But most of the time, when I listened to a new Orchestrion Scroll ... I had a really tough time to identify its origin. I knew I heard it before, but I just couldn't make out where and that's a bit disappointing from Soken.

Nonetheless, such an epic game. 100 hours well spent. So damn worth the wait. Even with some technical difficults of a slow memory leak which I managed to circumvent by changing my swap file settings in Windows. Otherwise, the game was running smoothly between 80-120 FPS with FSR3 enabled, without frame-generation. HDR is eeeeeeeeeh most of the time in this game, but really popped off for some scenes. I feel like the dull (or natural?) calibration throughout most of the game very much wears Yoshi-P's cape tho, when I think about his opinions that he shared when people asked about FF14's colour fidelty.

In general, this game has so much Creative Unit III energy. I could very much see all the inspirations. Not only from FF14, but from various FF titles. While FF14 was supposed to be the theme park, FF16 kinda was too. A very enjoayble ride from many perspectives.

I fucking miss this game already lmao. If I wasn't going to bed soon, I might as well just jump into New Game+ already.

[scottymcgeesterwrites]

ScottyMcGeester Plays Every Final Fantasy Game*

*Okay, all the main games except 11 and 14 since they are online only, and also no spinoffs or sequels.

THE INTRODUCTION

Years ago, I had a goal to finish every Final Fantasy game. As of December 30, 2020, I finally reached that goal. I originally started posting these reviews way back in 2017 on VGF(VIdeo Game Forums), and posted one review after another as I completed each game. I had already finished a few before I started reviewing the series, such as Final Fantasy I, II, VI, IX, and X.

Final Fantasy X was my very first Final Fantasy game, way back when it first came out on the PS2. It took me years to finish that game, mostly because I was still a novice at RPGs and I didn’t quite know what I was doing. Still, the world and concepts of Final Fantasy gripped me. As a sci-fi/fantasy writer, they inspired tons of elements in my stories. The series spans a multitude of genre-bending stories – sci-fi, fantasy, some steampunk, modern fantasy, space, traditional fantasy with knights in armor – and a whole lot of crystals. I wrote these reviews as if you have no idea what Final Fantasy is – whether you are a gamer or non-gamer. This first post is a general introduction to the series as a whole, but even if you are a die-hard fan already, there are some things that I explore that I hope you'll find interesting. What is Final Fantasy? Final Fantasy is a roleplay video game series that started back in 1987. The first game was reminiscent of Dungeons and Dragons, where you could choose one of six roles for a team of four: White Mage, Black Mage, Red Mage, Thief, Monk and Warrior. Square, now known as Square Enix, developed the game. A legendary rumor about the title “Final Fantasy” comes from the story that they were on the verge of bankruptcy. They only had money for one more game, a fantasy game. They dubbed it “Final Fantasy.” This apocryphal story is nowhere near true. Square had made video games before and they didn’t do well, but the company itself wasn’t on the verge of bankruptcy. What happened was that the developer, Hironobu Sakaguchi, had planned to retire. He didn’t see any foreseeable future in video gaming with Square’s mediocre performance. He wanted to make a fantasy game and dubbed it “Final Fantasy”, since it was to be his personal last work. He also wanted the game to be abbreviated as “FF” – they originally had “Fighting Fantasy” in mind but that name was already trademarked by a board game. Final Fantasy initially sold 400,000 copies in Japan and became and instant hit. Nintendo of America approached Square to release a localized version for the states. Final Fantasy became far from Sakaguchi’s last game. What’s Final Fantasy about? Every main Final Fantasy game has a new story with new characters and even new gameplay. Some games have direct sequels and are recognizable with a subtitle, or an additional number following a dash. For example, there is Final Fantasy VII, and the direct sequel to that Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. There's a direct sequel to Final Fantasy X titled Final Fantasy X-2. But even though each Final Fantasy game is different, there are still central elements that make them a Final Fantasy game. You can’t just write up a random fantasy story and slap the Final Fantasy name on it. The following elements are what make a Final Fantasy game. Some are obvious while others not so much. Chocobos:

Chocobos were first introduced in Final Fantasy II, but have been present ever since. They are cute, large birds that the characters often ride across fields or sometimes call into battle. They have practically become the mascot of the series. Moogles, Cactuars and Tonberries – oh my!

Moogles (pictured above) are telepathic creatures that help the players, or sometimes they can be a playable character. They debuted in Final Fantasy III.

Cactuars (right) and Tonberries (left) are cute, unassuming enemies that are actually highly dangerous, killing you in one shot if you are not careful or fast enough. The former debuted in Final Fantasy VI while the latter debuted in Final Fantasy V. Summons:

Sometimes they go by different names, like eidolons or espers. Summons are massive, fantastic beasts that you can call upon to aide you in battle to fight the enemy. Summons became a staple ever since Final Fantasy III. In some games, they are merely there to call into battle, while in other games they are central to the story. Airships:

Airships have been present since the first game. They are massive boat-looking airplanes. In the more recent games, airships look almost like spaceships.

Cid:

With the exception of the original Final Fantasy (except in later remakes), every game has a character named Cid. Cid is typically the character who owns an airship.

Items and Magic Spells:

Each game shares virtually all the same items and magic spells. Antidotes. Eye drops. Maiden's kiss. Holy water. Phoenix Down is well-known for reviving knocked-out characters in battle. The spells follow a hierarchy of levels. For example, Cure is the basic spell to heal somebody. The second level spell for healing is Cura. Then Curaga. Then finally Curaja. Most other spells follow the same format. The same high-level spells also frequently appear throughout the games, such as Holy and Flare.

Crystals:

With a few exceptions, crystals appear in nearly every game. They often serve as plot devices, whether they be the force that protects the planet or powerful objects coveted by the enemy. They also oftentimes have a consciousness of their own, communicating with the characters and calling them to their destiny.

Mythological References:

Final Fantasy is riddled with mythological references. Many summons and creatures take the names of mythological creatures or deities, such as Shiva, Bahamut, Leviathan, Behemoth, Odin, and Ifrit. Certain villains share the names of mythological figures or they are derived from certain mythological concepts, such as Gilgamesh and Sephiroth. Many of the games have legendary weapons you can find near the end of the journey. These are typically named after legendary Japanese figures, such as Masamune and Yoichi, or other world mythologies, such as Thor’s hammer Mjolnir. Saving the World:

Final Fantasy isn’t about saving a particular princess, or person for that matter. The ultimate goal is to save the entire world, or even the very fabric of reality. Evil spreads in many ways, such as a sealed darkness trying to break free, empires with ambitious goals, villainous subordinates who pull the strings of politics, or empires destroying the environment. Typically, the main cast consists of characters from all walks of life. They all have to learn to work together and get through their personal struggles to save the world. Existential Crisis (or Startling Revelation):

By the time you reach the third act of a Final Fantasy game, some startling revelation forces the characters to question their very existence. A villain is revealed to be a hero’s family member, a main character realizes they're a clone, another realizes that they cannot live without magic, etc. Typically, the main character questions the nature of their soul, if they die like regular beings and become part of some greater life force, or blink out into oblivion. Whatever the revelation may be – it serves as a final crisis that the characters have to overcome. The Descent into Hell:

Every third act of a Final Fantasy game ends with what I like to call a “descent into hell”. The final dungeon is always some kind of bizarre world. In Final Fantasy II, you literally descend into hell to fight the Emperor. Throughout the series, hell is more metaphorical. The final dungeons can be a massive, sprawling tower or dreadnought, or a strange dimension that appears to have no rhyme or reason. Sometimes I'm reminded of M.C. Escher’s work, “Relativity”, or sometimes it reminds me of some cosmic horror featured in the Cthulhu Mythos. These final dungeons can be inter-dimensional rifts between space and times, pockets in reality, subterranean depths, insane worlds that the villain created, and worlds of darkness. (Final Fantasy IX's Memoria)

(M.C. Escher's “Relativity”)

These stylistic approaches for the final dungeon represent the oncoming battle with the forces of chaos. Fighting God:

After venturing through the surreal and hellish final dungeon, you face the main villain. The main villain always achieves godlike status or the characters actually have to defeat a god in order to save the world from its oppressive reign. Many stories appear to throw in a last minute ultimate god who was pulling the strings of the plot the entire time. The purpose of dealing with gods and goddesses represents the characters’ desire to control their own fate and alter their destiny. Most of these bosses are strange and grotesque, definitely getting a Cthulhu vibe from them. I looked at them and thought, "Christ, what the hell is THAT supposed to be?"

It always feels like THE final fantasy:

Each game, no matter what happens or how it happens, feels like the be-all-end-all of its story – its fictional universe. Direct sequels were unheard of until Final Fantasy X-2, which while fun, was wildly different in tone from the original game, and critics pointed out that it ruined the finality of Final Fantasy X. This is one reason why I think direct sequels to Final Fantasy games fail – what else could the main characters possibly face that is more dangerous than the one they just encountered? Anything else would feel like child’s play to them. NOTABLE PEOPLE Aside from the characters, stories and games themselves, the people behind the series have achieved legendary status. Nobuo Uematsu:

The original composer of Final Fantasy. Uematsu single-handedly scored the first 9 Final Fantasy games. Uematsu surprisingly never had any formal training in music – a trait that would ostracize any composer, such as Danny Elfman. I find that the those who haven't had any formal training usually break the mold with music. Uematsu started working for Square at around 25 for the first Final Fantasy game, starting out with nothing and never suspecting his job would lead him where he is now. His music is unique for incorporating elements of classic and progressive rock, specifically in the battle themes. Uematsu’s themes for each game have achieved instant recognition in the gaming world, as recognizable as the theme to Star Wars or James Bond. Tetsuya Nomura:

Tetsuya Nomura is a video game designer and director who started at Square in 1990. He rose to prominence when he was given full control of designing the characters for Final Fantasy VII – arguably the most popular Final Fantasy game to date because of its characters: Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, Vincent Valentine and Sephiroth. Nomura went on to create more legendary characters for Final Fantasy VIII, X and XIII. Yoshitaka Amano:

Amano is the artist whose work is most known now in Final Fantasy. He has done concept art and design for every game in the series. His style is instantly recognizable. He has also drawn for many anime shows, comics and mangas, such as Vampire Hunter D and Sandman: The Dream Hunters.

And last but certainly not least - THE MUSIC Final Fantasy has left its mark in the musical soundtrack of video games. Each game more or less shares three of the same memorable tracks.

The Prelude:

The Victory Fanfare:

The Final Fantasy Main Theme:

THE REVIEWS

Each review I post will critique major aspects of each Final Fantasy game, such as its gameplay, graphics, story, and music. Today is currently January 3, 2020 (technically the 4th when I post this because it’s past midnight), and I will be posting one review per day so as to not lose my sanity editing and formatting everything at once here. So look forward to the very first review tomorrow starting with the very first Final Fantasy game.

[lovehotelreservation]

I’ll Say “I Love You” Until We Get Along - Je T’aime [4/15]

Summary: Begotten by the gods, Ardyn has sought to return the favor, their precious world to burn. Until he runs into you, a cherished reminder of his past that he thought to have closed his heart to centuries ago. Now, however, he finds your heart sealed shut to him, and he is determined to pry it open one way or another. Prequel and sequel to “The Most Beautiful Boogie Man”

Rating: R

Pairing: Reader/Ardyn

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Hello everyone! I must say, I’ve been looking forward to Fridays, given how excited I am to share each new chapter of this story with you all! And this chapter is definitely no exception!

While this fic as a whole has been inspired by Phoenix’s “Ti Amo,” today’s chapter in particular was also influenced by the band’s “Fleur de Lys”~!

All that said, I hope you enjoy this part~!

*Warning: this fic will contain themes of unhealthy relationship behavior, obsessive behavior, stalking, and somnophilia

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So icy, so frigid, so cold.

Ardyn may as well have been standing before the befallen goddess Shiva as he did when she was properly defeated and conquered.

And yet, he only felt heat, a burning inferno consuming him from within as though he was smited by the fist of Ifrit.

Were he to go so far as to strip off his heavy coat or the rest of his clothing, he would still feel enflamed, even if he was certain the source of the cold would only intensify until he was left frozen to be shattered with a simple touch.

Five pairs of eyes were trained on him, all of which expressed varying forms of distrust, but none as intense as one.

Amidst Noctis and his friends, all of whom remained apprehensive while they all stood around the famous lookout point of Lestallum, was you.

At long last, staring at him with such disdain was none else but you, his beloved queen who traded the crown for a sword.

Who was glaring at him for his sudden proposal.

"I would be delighted to take you to the Disc--on the condition that darling Venus Fly over here accompanies me."

The rejection was immediate, with the squawked "Waitwaitwait-- What?!" of Prompto, the incredulous "I beg your pardon?" of Ignis, the protective shift of Gladiolus towards your side, and the harsh glare of Noctis with an added "Gimme one good reason why."

A full, rich chuckle rose out of him while he clasped his hands together, his expression bemused, "Why, consider it insurance for yourselves! I can see it on your faces..." Bringing a hand over his eyes, he glanced around the five of you, his tone remaining light, "...a kind stranger with a flare for the dramatics?" He lifted his shoulders up in a shrug, his hands cast aside, "How could you even think to let your guard down, especially with all that transpired in Insomnia?"

His stare directing itself straight towards you, he stretched out his hand your way in a gesture for emphasis. "If anything, I should be on my best behavior around one of the Crownsguard's most capable and formidable member, wouldn't you think?"

The four looked to one another questionably, though before they could ask for your input at last, Ardyn silently rejoiced at hearing you sigh out, "...Very well, Ardyn."

Noctis called out your name, his expression reluctant and concerned. "You...sure about this? Any one of us could take your place instea--"

"Out of the question~!" Ardyn interjected with a chirp. There was no way that he would squander this chance, nor have to bear further witness to your reincarnated self sitting alongside that of Izunia's, all in the same way he used to take you out on spontaneous romantic getaways out of Insomnia.

Your face softened slightly, warmth peeking through as you reassured, "I'm sure. The mission that King Regis entrusted to us cannot be delayed any further, especially over something as small as seating arrangements."

What Ardyn would give to be the recipient of your genuine sweetness once again.

Still, before the other four were given time to contemplate further, he clapped his hands together once more as he hummed out, "Then it is settled! A scenic drive to the Disc of Cauthess we go!"

It could've ended here, really.

Here you were, sitting in his car, right beside him, the two of you together.

Ardyn could obliterate Noctis out of history to hell and back much like his sullied name while whisking you away with little effort, to bring you back to Insomnia and reawaken your former memories.

Even sating the neediest his twisted desires and rampant lust had ever been by pulling over to the side, offering Noctis and his friends the spectacular presentation of him pinning you onto the hood of his car. With your clothes in disarray, your face as red as the marks his mouth would leave on your skin from his lascivious touch and putting you through his brand of exhibitionist perversion, you would look ever so ideal and pristine in his eyes while he viciously pummeled you with his cock.

It was clear you did not recall him, if by how apprehensive you behaved around him while looking so passive even as he switched on his car's music player for some Altissian disco—some tunes similar to those the two of you danced to in the streets during your honeymoon to the city, any words uttered by you in conversation as rare as could be.

He could've done so.

He wanted to do so.

But if he was to truly exact his revenge against Noctis--against Izunia--and everything he stood for in your honor, he would need to be patient enough to delay his gratification a bit longer.

Waiting was nothing for him at this point.

What is it to wait another day when he has already waited millennia?

He wanted to cherish the feeling of you physically beside him for as long as possible.

A gentle breeze blew from above, furthering the sense of nostalgia he felt as he continued to drive. Save for the music on the radio, the drive was quiet, as it would be between two strangers.

"Enjoying the ride, darling?" Ardyn hummed, his fingers tapping onto his steering wheel. You interpreted his action as him drumming along to the radio, when really he needed a distraction to refrain from reaching over and squeezing your thighs with obsessive reverence.

"I'm enjoying the access to the Disc of Cauthess--let's leave it at that."

Your head was turned away from him as you gazed out at the lush greenery of Duscae.

Were it not for the excited thrum of his heartbeat while he remained captivated of the heavenly sight of your hair blowing against the wind, he could hear the snickering of the Astrals as they continued to string the two of you along in their twisted glee.

How much more of a fool would he be made for their pleasure at this point?

On one hand, he could have honestly wept that you were in front of his eyes at last despite your newfound hatred for him. However, he couldn't help the delighted shiver that trailed up his spine and the heated rush of blood traveling straight to his groin.

But then again, he could subjugate you for being so disrespectful to your king and god, or punish you for acting so cold and spiteful to your own husband.

However, this wasn't the time to be morose or even bitter over your lack of recollection, how he currently remained to be some meaningless stranger to you.

While you ignored his teasing, flirtatious remarks, or offered few words to whimsical attempts at conversation, there was a song in his heart--the same one that played on the radio while he whisked you away after your wedding celebration, your chests feeling so light and free while so deeply in love with each other, eager to spend your lives whilst so tightly intertwined.

Terrorizing your neighbor 

I'm a Siberian tiger 

I'll always be an outsider 

Don't neglect me Fleur de Lys 

No rest till I get to you, no rest till I get to you 

No!

His fingers continued to drum along the steering wheel as he drove, lips parting to either hum or even sing along. Never once did he stray too far from the song, and, in turn, he will remain devoted to seeing the fruition of years spent planning and plotting.

Ardyn will have everything he so desired all this time, including and especially you.

In the days yet soon to come, the two of you would be renewing vows.