Gen Exchange 2017
Jul. 9th, 2017 02:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shamanicshayminDear Gen Exchanger,
Thank you so much for writing and/or drawing for me! I'm sorry my letter came so late, I had a lot of balls to juggle. I've also copy-pasted things from my Press Start letter, so if you've signed up for both exchanges and you feel like you've read certain passages before, don't worry about it. I'm just saving us both time. ^^;;; Anyway, let's move on to the good stuff! :D
Yes Plz
- Fluff and angst in moderation
- Hurt/Comfort
- "What If..." AUs
- Earn Your Happy Ending trope (the more crapsack the world, the more satisfying!)
- Unusual/Unlikely friendships
- Found families
- Father/Daughter bonds
- Psychological horror
- World-building and character-driven pieces
- Tasteful exploration of depression and PTSD, and the cast being supportive, patient and loving with the person going through those struggles.
- Stories where hope and kindness are valued as the ultimate strength that triumphs over cruelty and cynicism (ex. True Pacifist ending in Undertale, series ending to Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Mother 1+2)
- Happy/Bittersweet/Ambiguous/Twist/Hopeful endings
- De/Reconstruction of and bending of fairy-tale tropes
- Robots/Machines/Androids/Cyborgs
- Eldritch abominations
- Enemy Mine, aka enemies/rivals working together
- Villains with redemption arcs
- Dysfunctional people learning to fix their relationships into something healthy
- Stories that start out cute and fluffy but turn out to be scary and disturbing (ex. Eversion, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Dreaming Mary)
- On that note, scary cute things. :D
Nope.jpeg
- Issuefic
- Toxic masculinity (unless deconstructed)
- Misogyny/slut-shaming/Madonna-Whore complex and Nice Guyism (unless deconstructed)
- Romantic and sexual love being bashed as "inferior" to friendship and platonic relationships
- Rape & sexual abuse*
- Graphic depiction of drugs and alcohol
- Character & Ship bashing unless it's appropriate and IC in-universe (ex. Flowey canonically referring to Sans as "Smiley Trashbag")
- Third Act Misunderstanding and the Liar Revealed (in which the lying character is rejected/ostracized) tropes.
- Mpreg/Pregnancy/Miscarriage/Abortion
- Excessive animal abuse and torture. While I'm more lenient with this for darker fandoms (sentient animals like the Judge in OFF getting beaten and bleeding is fine), I'm especially squeamish about animal cruelty at best and angry at worst (ex. Cannibal Holocaust, the "puppy scene" in Elfen Lied) so I'd rather you didn't include it.
- Incest
- Pedophilia
- Zombies, vampires, and werewolves
- A/B/O AUs
- High school/College/Coffeeshop AUs
- All-hurt-and-no-comfort fic
- People with faith in humanity being treated as childish and stupid by the narrative.
*Canon-typical mentions in Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea is fine. See that part of my letter for more info.
Undertale
Relationships: Frisk + Chara + Asriel + Monster Kid, Frisk + Napstablook, Asgore + Undyne
This game came out in late 2015 and I'm still obsessed with it. Figures. And now that it's coming out on PS4 and Vita, I'm jumping right down to play it through them because I'm weak. It's just that powerful, poignant, funny, dark, heartbreaking, and empowering of a game. And since one of its biggest influences was the Mother series, it's catering to my tastes right there. :P
Important: Please use they/them pronouns for Frisk, Chara, Monster Kid, and Napstablook! I'd also humongously appreciate it if you don't refer to Frisk, Asriel, and Chara as siblings in or out of the narrative, especially Chara & Asriel. Thanks!
- I see a lot of pictures of Frisk, Chara, Asriel, and Monster Kid hanging out together, and I think it's so adorable! I love the thought of those four being friends, and they epitomize what I'd love most about a post-True Pacifist scenario. MK was probably the first monster Frisk befriended who was close to their own age, and the thought of Chara and Asriel getting second chances and making friends with them too (Chara not having friends before they fallen down the mountain, and the implication that Chara was Asriel's first {and for a long time, only} friend) gives me warm fuzzies. How does Monster Kid feel about the trio's previous ability to Save/Load/Reset, if they're told? If not, do they figure out? How does Monster Kid--implied to have had a happy family life along with mysterious ties to a sister and possibly "Goner Kid" (one of Gaster's followers)--deal with the baggage Frisk, Chara, and Asriel had endured? How do the kids all stick together and feel inclusive without anyone feeling like a third-wheel? How do they learn to resolve such issues?
I'm okay with the self-harm headcanon for Chara. However, if you go that route, I must ask that you A. Write Chara as having quit or learning to quit. B. Not romanticize self-harm in any shape or form. C. DO NOT depict the actual act of self-harm (ex. a graphic scene of Chara cutting or burning themself)
- Frisk's friendship with Napstablook is something I feel gets overlooked sometimes. Which is too bad, because there's no better friend to lie down and feel like garbage with than Blooky! :o I found it sweet that Napstablook slowly gains confidence after meeting Frisk (poor ghost sends you a friend invite, only to cancel before you even answer yes or no!), and eventually was able to call Mettaton and even reconnect with him in True Pacifist. Just something cute like Blooky being awkward and anxious on the surface and Frisk helping them adjust, or Frisk cheering them on during an MTT concert. I wonder how much awe and respect Frisk holds for Blooky after they essentially ignored the apocalypse (they're the only monster not to get absorbed by Hyperdeath). And of course, there's always the old standby: lying on the floor feeling like garbage. ;D
- Hearing Undyne talk about Asgore during your "date" with her killed me. ;; I got the impression Undyne saw him like a father as well as someone she heavily admired, and Asgore saw her as not only his student but the daughter he never had. Something chronicling Asgore training her (from her vow to defeat him in battle to her eventual placement as head of the Royal Guard) would be awesome and amazing. *-* I wonder if Undyne was concerned or worried about Asgore's depression, and that's why she's so determined to catch the human--on top of making him proud and serving as hero to all monsters, she could spare him the grief from having to spill any more blood on his hands. And of course, post-True Pacifist interactions are always a must. :D
Sonic the Hedgehog
I don't care what anyone says, I like a lot of the newer Sonic games no matter how flawed they are. :o (Yes, I even found things I liked about Sonic 2006. SO MUCH LOST POTENTIAL MAN) That said, the Dreamcast/Gamecube era games are probably my favorites, which include a LOT of characters I adore to this day. :)
Relationships: Blaze + Cream, Shadow + Maria, Shadow + Cream, E-102 Gamma + Amy, Vector the Crocodile + Espio the Chameleon + Charmy Bee, Shadow + Rouge the Bat + E-123 Omega
- One of my favorite games in the Sonic series is Sonic Adventure 2, and Shadow & Maria is the biggest reason why. I found their entire backstory and close friendship poignant, and I always weep buckets when Shadow says he'll fulfill Maria's wish whether or not his memories of her are real. ;; Fic, comics, or art where Shadow and Maria hang out in the ARK and play/philosophize/etc. and getting to see more of who Maria was like as a person warms my heart. ♥
- I loved Team Chaotix since I first saw them--they feel different and unique compared with the rest of the characters, and they're just fun. Vector is broke and down on his luck but compassionate and works hard anyway, Charmy is a cheerful oddball who's always hyper, and Espio is the Serious Business Ninja who in the end isn't so above it all and can be as whacky as the rest of the team. :P Light-hearted action-packed casefic? Yes plz. Boredom-in-the-office shenanigans? Yes plz to that too.
Optional Headcanon: Vector and Espio adopting Charmy and raising him together. Since this is a gen exchange, anything shippy between Vector and Espio can be kept at minimum or skipped altogether. You can even have Vector be like a single dad to Charmy if that's more your cup of tea. As long as the "found family" aspect is present with all Chaotix members, it's all good!
- I'm amazed how much Team Dark evolved and bonded together. Despite everything in the Sonic 2006 timelines being retconned, it's clear how much Shadow, Rouge, and Omega care about another and are willing to fight, sacrifice, and stand up for each other, and any animosity in the past had transformed into trust and loyalty. I like to think that carried over to the "canon" timeline as well. So while I'm all about Team Dark kicking ass together, I want the Heartwarming Feelings just as much.
- Cream is the walking definition of Cinnamon Roll, yet she's more perspective than people give her credit for. I loved the idea of Cream befriending someone as grumpy as Shadow and revealing his soft side, and I wondered what it would be like if she was his partner like Tails is to Sonic. Then Sonic Rush came out where it explored a similar dynamic with Blaze (Defrosting Ice Queen and Rival compared to Shadow's Jerk With a Heart of Gold and Anti-Hero/Ex-Villain), and aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Fics/Art/Comics exploring any of the two friendships would hit all my sweet spots: Blaze/Shadow being protective of Cream, Cream taking Blaze/Shadow to somewhere fun and light-hearted like Twinkle Park and sharing ice cream, etc.
- Oh my god, Gamma and Amy's short friendship means so much to me. ;; I was so so SO happy Sonic X focused a little more on them and Amy got to grieve for him after he self-destructed to free one of Birdie's/Lily's parents inside him. I'm content to let him rest in peace after what had to be a crappy traumatic short life, but hey, it can't hurt to explore "What If"s. :D What if he got reincarnated into a flesh-and-blood body and lived a normal peaceful existence? (I imagine he'd be stoic and awkward and speak few words like he does as a robot) How would he and Amy meet and become friends? Would she think anything about him seemed familiar or reminded her of the robot she had never seen again?
Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea
Relationships: Wadanohara + Meikai, Tatsumiya + Wadanohara, Wadanohara + Fukami + Memoca + Dolphi
I have a love/hate relationship with this game. XD That said, the positive aspects are definitely the art, unique gijinka designs, the worldbuilding potential, and how likable and charming some of the characters are (including Wadda herself). Also, DAT DARK ATMOSPHERE AND THE NIGHTMARE FUEL OF THE RED SEA at the last third of the game, niiiiiiiiiiiiice! 8)
Important: Canon-typical references to Wadanohara's assault and exploring personal recovery is fine. Just please don't make it the main focus or give me a detailed flashback of the attack. Most importantly, please don't victim-blame Wadanohara, give Sal the Draco in Leather Pants treatment, or glorify him and Sal x Wadanohara in any shape or form. Thanks!
- Since I'm a sucker for father/daughter relationships and the scene where Meikai broke Wadanohara out of her nightmare hallucination and gave her support, bring on the Meikai Lives AUs. What if Wadda got a chance to grow up with her dad? How devastated would she be if he ended up dying/sacrificing himself? What if she lived during the time before Meikai became the Cast Pearl, so she has memories of him and the war as a child? (Younger child? I have no idea how age works in this universe, since most of the characters including Wadanohara are around a century old during the in-game events)
- Speaking of parental figures, I would've loved to see more of Tatsumiya and Wadanohara. What was it like for Tatsumiya to raise Wadda all by herself after Meikai's sacrifice and Old's betrayal? How did she train Wadda in the art of magic before she went to witch school? Did she tell her stories about her father (which might have inspired Wadda to become a storyteller herself, as shown in the prologue and True End?)
- How did Wadanohara meet and recruit each of her familiars? What was it that drawn Memoca, Dolphi, and Fukami to be with her? Did Memoca think traveling with a witch would be exciting? Had Wadda encouraged Dolphi to be braver and come out of her shell? How did Fukami gain such respect for her? (That said, while he has a canonical unrequited crush on Wadda, please keep that aspect to a minimum! Gen Ex aside, I want to see what Fukami is like defined outside his romantic feelings for Wadda) Something I found cute was that she and familiars enjoy drawing together (well, Memoca and Dolphi anyway. Fukami and Samekichi had to be urged. XD). More of that please! Who could say no to Ultimate Momecha?
Tattletail
Relationships: Mama Tattletail + Tattletail, Tattletail + Main Character, Mama Tattletail + Main Character
Fun Fact: I used to have lots and lots of Furbies as a kid, and it drove my family nuts. Now my old obsession has been justified thanks to this game! XD This game could've easily been a Five Nights at Freddy's knockoff, but it wasn't and it honestly feels unique enough to stand on its own. You can bet I'm looking forward to the sequel!
- One of the things I liked and found refreshing is the Tattletails themselves aren't evil. Even Mama may have a bit of a gray spot to her, since she could've either been possessed or became so overprotective she teetered into Well-Intentioned Extremist territory. Especially if we take the "rewritten memories" from the Kaleidoscope DLC into account, she seems to legitimately care for and love her children, and vice versa. Basically the Tattletails put their foot down so she wouldn't go after any of their human caretakers/friends again. How did it feel for them to go against Mama, whom they loved so much? Assuming Mama is dead and not "saved" somehow, do they grieve and say goodbye before moving on and living with the main protagonist?
- Considering their age, the main protagonist has to have balls of steel. There's no doubt they have to be terrified out of their skull, yet they love Tattletail so much they're willing to protect them, even venture into the Kaleidoscope at the very real risk of their memories being rewritten or being trapped inside forever, just so Tattletail wouldn't be mind-wiped and be its true self again. I imagine they wouldn't be the same after that fateful few days before Christmas. How do the Tattletails cheer them up?
- What does Mama Tattletail have against the main character anyway? Why is she so determined to kill them and/or pluck their eyes out? Does she think she's being replaced? Does she mistake the protagonist breaking the vase as potential for hurting her babies? Has she seen several Tattletails get the Sid-like treatment/experimentation before, and she didn't want to risk anything anymore?
Ib
Relationships: Ib + Garry + Mary, Ib + Garry, Garry + Mary, Ib + Mary
This is probably my second indie horror game after Yume Nikki and what convinced me to dig even deeper into the world of pixel horror, and it's still one of my favorites to this day. Gorgeous game, lovely music, original concept (art gallery! :D), spooky scares, and it fleshes out the main characters well in such a short space of time! It's such a creative classic.
- Mary fascinates me because she is so gray of a character. On one hand, she was a lonely and sheltered little girl who wanted to become human, see the world and make friends. On the other, she's Innocently Insensitive as all hell, and she'll do whatever it takes to escape, even if it meant killing a new friend. The "Painting's Demise" ending especially got to me, and so did this fansong of Mary's theme. What was Mary's life like before Ib and Garry arrived? Had she met anyone else trapped in the painting? If so, what happened to them? Did they escape or were they killed, by Mary or otherwise?
- What was Garry's life like before he met Ib? When Ib asked him about his use of lavender linguistics ("Why do you talk like a lady?"), he replies that it's nicer to be gentle than rough. What influenced him to think like that? What was his childhood like, when he was Ib's age? Was he lonely like Mary? I'd be intrigued with this contrast between their reactions to being alone. Does Garry see parts of himself in Ib?
- What if Ib learned the truth about Mary first? Hell, what would happen if in the "Together, Forever" ending, Ib somehow regains her memories and confronts Mary about it? What if she agreed to follow Mary in the "Painting's Demise" ending? Would Ib have to watch Mary die right before her eyes?
- While I'm okay with Mary's fate as is in "Promise of Reunion," I'd be interested in some kind of AU where everybody leaves the painting world together. How would they recognize each other and jog each other's memories? With Garry, there's the handkerchief, but what would Mary's item be? How do Ib and Garry help Mary adjust to the real world? Does Mary ever get homesick for her family back in the gallery and goes back to try to free them (and Ib and Garry have to hurry back before she's trapped inside again?)
Crossovers
Relationships: Chara (Undertale) + Madotsuki (Yume Nikki), Asriel Dreemurr (Undertale) + Mary (Ib), Ib (Ib) + Papyrus (Undertale) + Sans (Undertale), Frisk (Undertale) + Garry (Ib) + Mary (Ib), Frisk (Undertale) + The Batter (OFF), Sans (Undertale) + Pablo | The Judge (OFF) + Zacharie (OFF), Lucas (Mother 3) + Madoka Kaname (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
WELCOME TO HARD MODE. If you're familiar with the canons for any of my nominations, you might find this fun. :o
- Madotsuki is a hikikomori who may or may not have had a traumatic violent past, judging by the horrific sights she could encounter in her dreams and the fact one of the "effects" she can pick up is a knife she could use to stab anything and anyone (and is not necessary to the gameplay unless you use it to slash open a wall to a secret area, which at the end is a disturbing mass of imagery she wakes up herself from). And judging by the ending, implied to be suicidal. Chara is another child who may have or may not have had a traumatic violent past, judging by their hatred of humanity. Their suicide was successful, and if the Player decides to go the Genocide route, they can be warped into a cruel and violent person. Considering everything the two of them might have endured pre-game events, I'm astonished how much they have in common. I'm far more interested in "Sad Angry Children bonding" over "Sadistic Serial Killers in partnership," but other than that, go nuts and indulge your headcanons!
- It's kind of eerie how similar Asriel and Mary are--they even have the same color scheme! What would happen if Mary fell Underground instead of Chara? What if Asriel ended up in the painting world while visiting the museum with Toriel and Asgore? What if instead of turning into Flowey, Asriel woke up in the painting world instead? Do they bond in their loneliness? Do they become codependent and/or jealous? (ex. Mary trying to stop Asriel from leaving the gallery) Does Asriel realize what he's doing is wrong (assuming the painting world indulged his Flowey side) and fights with Mary over it? Will either of them get a happy ending?
- A roleswap between Frisk and Ib in their respective canons would be amazing! What would happen if it was Frisk who went to Guertena's gallery? How would they interact with Garry and Mary? Would they be able to get through to Mary somehow like they did with Flowey? What if Ib fell down the Underground? Imagining her interacting with the skelebros would be interesting in particular. Would Papyrus promise to protect her and help her find her parents again as the duty of her Cool New Friend? Would Sans be softer on Ib than he would Frisk, or would he still be suspicious of her being the anomaly? Alternatively, what if Papyrus and Sans are art pieces/sculptures in Guertena's gallery who are kind to Ib and want to help her escape?
- Undertale and OFF both deal with Player and RPG meta in different ways, so it's always fascinating to see them crossed over together. Frisk could easily share a lot in common with the Batter, especially in the Neutral and Genocide routes. But since Frisk is likely to have done True Pacifist, do they try to reach out to the Batter? What would an interaction between the Batter and Soulless Pacifist!Frisk be like? Sans shares a lot in common with the Judge and Zacharie, and I love the idea of them working together or becoming friends. How does the Judge and Zacharie receive Sans' puns? What would Sans think of their medium awareness?
- Lucas is a gentle boy who's had to deal with the death of his mother and brother, his father abandoning him to look for said brother, watching his home town become corrupt, MORE DEATHS, and was in charge of the fate of the entire world at the height of the apocalypse. Madoka is a gentle girl who's had to deal with the death of her friends, the awful truth about magical girls, and if you accept Rebellion as canon, seeing her best friend become so twisted and desperate after the endless time loops that she betrayed her by rewriting the universe and taking away her godhood (and this is assuming she eventually regains her memories of what happened). TOGETHER THEY FIGHT CRIME. In all seriousness, I think those two would be great friends and perfect for seeking comfort in each other. ;; Would they give each other assurance and encourage the other not to give up?
Once again, thanks for everything!
Your Recipient,
Puri
Thank you so much for writing and/or drawing for me! I'm sorry my letter came so late, I had a lot of balls to juggle. I've also copy-pasted things from my Press Start letter, so if you've signed up for both exchanges and you feel like you've read certain passages before, don't worry about it. I'm just saving us both time. ^^;;; Anyway, let's move on to the good stuff! :D
Yes Plz
- Fluff and angst in moderation
- Hurt/Comfort
- "What If..." AUs
- Earn Your Happy Ending trope (the more crapsack the world, the more satisfying!)
- Unusual/Unlikely friendships
- Found families
- Father/Daughter bonds
- Psychological horror
- World-building and character-driven pieces
- Tasteful exploration of depression and PTSD, and the cast being supportive, patient and loving with the person going through those struggles.
- Stories where hope and kindness are valued as the ultimate strength that triumphs over cruelty and cynicism (ex. True Pacifist ending in Undertale, series ending to Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Mother 1+2)
- Happy/Bittersweet/Ambiguous/Twist/Hopeful endings
- De/Reconstruction of and bending of fairy-tale tropes
- Robots/Machines/Androids/Cyborgs
- Eldritch abominations
- Enemy Mine, aka enemies/rivals working together
- Villains with redemption arcs
- Dysfunctional people learning to fix their relationships into something healthy
- Stories that start out cute and fluffy but turn out to be scary and disturbing (ex. Eversion, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Dreaming Mary)
- On that note, scary cute things. :D
Nope.jpeg
- Issuefic
- Toxic masculinity (unless deconstructed)
- Misogyny/slut-shaming/Madonna-Whore complex and Nice Guyism (unless deconstructed)
- Romantic and sexual love being bashed as "inferior" to friendship and platonic relationships
- Rape & sexual abuse*
- Graphic depiction of drugs and alcohol
- Character & Ship bashing unless it's appropriate and IC in-universe (ex. Flowey canonically referring to Sans as "Smiley Trashbag")
- Third Act Misunderstanding and the Liar Revealed (in which the lying character is rejected/ostracized) tropes.
- Mpreg/Pregnancy/Miscarriage/Abortion
- Excessive animal abuse and torture. While I'm more lenient with this for darker fandoms (sentient animals like the Judge in OFF getting beaten and bleeding is fine), I'm especially squeamish about animal cruelty at best and angry at worst (ex. Cannibal Holocaust, the "puppy scene" in Elfen Lied) so I'd rather you didn't include it.
- Incest
- Pedophilia
- Zombies, vampires, and werewolves
- A/B/O AUs
- High school/College/Coffeeshop AUs
- All-hurt-and-no-comfort fic
- People with faith in humanity being treated as childish and stupid by the narrative.
*Canon-typical mentions in Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea is fine. See that part of my letter for more info.
Undertale
Relationships: Frisk + Chara + Asriel + Monster Kid, Frisk + Napstablook, Asgore + Undyne
This game came out in late 2015 and I'm still obsessed with it. Figures. And now that it's coming out on PS4 and Vita, I'm jumping right down to play it through them because I'm weak. It's just that powerful, poignant, funny, dark, heartbreaking, and empowering of a game. And since one of its biggest influences was the Mother series, it's catering to my tastes right there. :P
Important: Please use they/them pronouns for Frisk, Chara, Monster Kid, and Napstablook! I'd also humongously appreciate it if you don't refer to Frisk, Asriel, and Chara as siblings in or out of the narrative, especially Chara & Asriel. Thanks!
- I see a lot of pictures of Frisk, Chara, Asriel, and Monster Kid hanging out together, and I think it's so adorable! I love the thought of those four being friends, and they epitomize what I'd love most about a post-True Pacifist scenario. MK was probably the first monster Frisk befriended who was close to their own age, and the thought of Chara and Asriel getting second chances and making friends with them too (Chara not having friends before they fallen down the mountain, and the implication that Chara was Asriel's first {and for a long time, only} friend) gives me warm fuzzies. How does Monster Kid feel about the trio's previous ability to Save/Load/Reset, if they're told? If not, do they figure out? How does Monster Kid--implied to have had a happy family life along with mysterious ties to a sister and possibly "Goner Kid" (one of Gaster's followers)--deal with the baggage Frisk, Chara, and Asriel had endured? How do the kids all stick together and feel inclusive without anyone feeling like a third-wheel? How do they learn to resolve such issues?
I'm okay with the self-harm headcanon for Chara. However, if you go that route, I must ask that you A. Write Chara as having quit or learning to quit. B. Not romanticize self-harm in any shape or form. C. DO NOT depict the actual act of self-harm (ex. a graphic scene of Chara cutting or burning themself)
- Frisk's friendship with Napstablook is something I feel gets overlooked sometimes. Which is too bad, because there's no better friend to lie down and feel like garbage with than Blooky! :o I found it sweet that Napstablook slowly gains confidence after meeting Frisk (poor ghost sends you a friend invite, only to cancel before you even answer yes or no!), and eventually was able to call Mettaton and even reconnect with him in True Pacifist. Just something cute like Blooky being awkward and anxious on the surface and Frisk helping them adjust, or Frisk cheering them on during an MTT concert. I wonder how much awe and respect Frisk holds for Blooky after they essentially ignored the apocalypse (they're the only monster not to get absorbed by Hyperdeath). And of course, there's always the old standby: lying on the floor feeling like garbage. ;D
- Hearing Undyne talk about Asgore during your "date" with her killed me. ;; I got the impression Undyne saw him like a father as well as someone she heavily admired, and Asgore saw her as not only his student but the daughter he never had. Something chronicling Asgore training her (from her vow to defeat him in battle to her eventual placement as head of the Royal Guard) would be awesome and amazing. *-* I wonder if Undyne was concerned or worried about Asgore's depression, and that's why she's so determined to catch the human--on top of making him proud and serving as hero to all monsters, she could spare him the grief from having to spill any more blood on his hands. And of course, post-True Pacifist interactions are always a must. :D
Sonic the Hedgehog
I don't care what anyone says, I like a lot of the newer Sonic games no matter how flawed they are. :o (Yes, I even found things I liked about Sonic 2006. SO MUCH LOST POTENTIAL MAN) That said, the Dreamcast/Gamecube era games are probably my favorites, which include a LOT of characters I adore to this day. :)
Relationships: Blaze + Cream, Shadow + Maria, Shadow + Cream, E-102 Gamma + Amy, Vector the Crocodile + Espio the Chameleon + Charmy Bee, Shadow + Rouge the Bat + E-123 Omega
- One of my favorite games in the Sonic series is Sonic Adventure 2, and Shadow & Maria is the biggest reason why. I found their entire backstory and close friendship poignant, and I always weep buckets when Shadow says he'll fulfill Maria's wish whether or not his memories of her are real. ;; Fic, comics, or art where Shadow and Maria hang out in the ARK and play/philosophize/etc. and getting to see more of who Maria was like as a person warms my heart. ♥
- I loved Team Chaotix since I first saw them--they feel different and unique compared with the rest of the characters, and they're just fun. Vector is broke and down on his luck but compassionate and works hard anyway, Charmy is a cheerful oddball who's always hyper, and Espio is the Serious Business Ninja who in the end isn't so above it all and can be as whacky as the rest of the team. :P Light-hearted action-packed casefic? Yes plz. Boredom-in-the-office shenanigans? Yes plz to that too.
Optional Headcanon: Vector and Espio adopting Charmy and raising him together. Since this is a gen exchange, anything shippy between Vector and Espio can be kept at minimum or skipped altogether. You can even have Vector be like a single dad to Charmy if that's more your cup of tea. As long as the "found family" aspect is present with all Chaotix members, it's all good!
- I'm amazed how much Team Dark evolved and bonded together. Despite everything in the Sonic 2006 timelines being retconned, it's clear how much Shadow, Rouge, and Omega care about another and are willing to fight, sacrifice, and stand up for each other, and any animosity in the past had transformed into trust and loyalty. I like to think that carried over to the "canon" timeline as well. So while I'm all about Team Dark kicking ass together, I want the Heartwarming Feelings just as much.
- Cream is the walking definition of Cinnamon Roll, yet she's more perspective than people give her credit for. I loved the idea of Cream befriending someone as grumpy as Shadow and revealing his soft side, and I wondered what it would be like if she was his partner like Tails is to Sonic. Then Sonic Rush came out where it explored a similar dynamic with Blaze (Defrosting Ice Queen and Rival compared to Shadow's Jerk With a Heart of Gold and Anti-Hero/Ex-Villain), and aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Fics/Art/Comics exploring any of the two friendships would hit all my sweet spots: Blaze/Shadow being protective of Cream, Cream taking Blaze/Shadow to somewhere fun and light-hearted like Twinkle Park and sharing ice cream, etc.
- Oh my god, Gamma and Amy's short friendship means so much to me. ;; I was so so SO happy Sonic X focused a little more on them and Amy got to grieve for him after he self-destructed to free one of Birdie's/Lily's parents inside him. I'm content to let him rest in peace after what had to be a crappy traumatic short life, but hey, it can't hurt to explore "What If"s. :D What if he got reincarnated into a flesh-and-blood body and lived a normal peaceful existence? (I imagine he'd be stoic and awkward and speak few words like he does as a robot) How would he and Amy meet and become friends? Would she think anything about him seemed familiar or reminded her of the robot she had never seen again?
Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea
Relationships: Wadanohara + Meikai, Tatsumiya + Wadanohara, Wadanohara + Fukami + Memoca + Dolphi
I have a love/hate relationship with this game. XD That said, the positive aspects are definitely the art, unique gijinka designs, the worldbuilding potential, and how likable and charming some of the characters are (including Wadda herself). Also, DAT DARK ATMOSPHERE AND THE NIGHTMARE FUEL OF THE RED SEA at the last third of the game, niiiiiiiiiiiiice! 8)
Important: Canon-typical references to Wadanohara's assault and exploring personal recovery is fine. Just please don't make it the main focus or give me a detailed flashback of the attack. Most importantly, please don't victim-blame Wadanohara, give Sal the Draco in Leather Pants treatment, or glorify him and Sal x Wadanohara in any shape or form. Thanks!
- Since I'm a sucker for father/daughter relationships and the scene where Meikai broke Wadanohara out of her nightmare hallucination and gave her support, bring on the Meikai Lives AUs. What if Wadda got a chance to grow up with her dad? How devastated would she be if he ended up dying/sacrificing himself? What if she lived during the time before Meikai became the Cast Pearl, so she has memories of him and the war as a child? (Younger child? I have no idea how age works in this universe, since most of the characters including Wadanohara are around a century old during the in-game events)
- Speaking of parental figures, I would've loved to see more of Tatsumiya and Wadanohara. What was it like for Tatsumiya to raise Wadda all by herself after Meikai's sacrifice and Old's betrayal? How did she train Wadda in the art of magic before she went to witch school? Did she tell her stories about her father (which might have inspired Wadda to become a storyteller herself, as shown in the prologue and True End?)
- How did Wadanohara meet and recruit each of her familiars? What was it that drawn Memoca, Dolphi, and Fukami to be with her? Did Memoca think traveling with a witch would be exciting? Had Wadda encouraged Dolphi to be braver and come out of her shell? How did Fukami gain such respect for her? (That said, while he has a canonical unrequited crush on Wadda, please keep that aspect to a minimum! Gen Ex aside, I want to see what Fukami is like defined outside his romantic feelings for Wadda) Something I found cute was that she and familiars enjoy drawing together (well, Memoca and Dolphi anyway. Fukami and Samekichi had to be urged. XD). More of that please! Who could say no to Ultimate Momecha?
Tattletail
Relationships: Mama Tattletail + Tattletail, Tattletail + Main Character, Mama Tattletail + Main Character
Fun Fact: I used to have lots and lots of Furbies as a kid, and it drove my family nuts. Now my old obsession has been justified thanks to this game! XD This game could've easily been a Five Nights at Freddy's knockoff, but it wasn't and it honestly feels unique enough to stand on its own. You can bet I'm looking forward to the sequel!
- One of the things I liked and found refreshing is the Tattletails themselves aren't evil. Even Mama may have a bit of a gray spot to her, since she could've either been possessed or became so overprotective she teetered into Well-Intentioned Extremist territory. Especially if we take the "rewritten memories" from the Kaleidoscope DLC into account, she seems to legitimately care for and love her children, and vice versa. Basically the Tattletails put their foot down so she wouldn't go after any of their human caretakers/friends again. How did it feel for them to go against Mama, whom they loved so much? Assuming Mama is dead and not "saved" somehow, do they grieve and say goodbye before moving on and living with the main protagonist?
- Considering their age, the main protagonist has to have balls of steel. There's no doubt they have to be terrified out of their skull, yet they love Tattletail so much they're willing to protect them, even venture into the Kaleidoscope at the very real risk of their memories being rewritten or being trapped inside forever, just so Tattletail wouldn't be mind-wiped and be its true self again. I imagine they wouldn't be the same after that fateful few days before Christmas. How do the Tattletails cheer them up?
- What does Mama Tattletail have against the main character anyway? Why is she so determined to kill them and/or pluck their eyes out? Does she think she's being replaced? Does she mistake the protagonist breaking the vase as potential for hurting her babies? Has she seen several Tattletails get the Sid-like treatment/experimentation before, and she didn't want to risk anything anymore?
Ib
Relationships: Ib + Garry + Mary, Ib + Garry, Garry + Mary, Ib + Mary
This is probably my second indie horror game after Yume Nikki and what convinced me to dig even deeper into the world of pixel horror, and it's still one of my favorites to this day. Gorgeous game, lovely music, original concept (art gallery! :D), spooky scares, and it fleshes out the main characters well in such a short space of time! It's such a creative classic.
- Mary fascinates me because she is so gray of a character. On one hand, she was a lonely and sheltered little girl who wanted to become human, see the world and make friends. On the other, she's Innocently Insensitive as all hell, and she'll do whatever it takes to escape, even if it meant killing a new friend. The "Painting's Demise" ending especially got to me, and so did this fansong of Mary's theme. What was Mary's life like before Ib and Garry arrived? Had she met anyone else trapped in the painting? If so, what happened to them? Did they escape or were they killed, by Mary or otherwise?
- What was Garry's life like before he met Ib? When Ib asked him about his use of lavender linguistics ("Why do you talk like a lady?"), he replies that it's nicer to be gentle than rough. What influenced him to think like that? What was his childhood like, when he was Ib's age? Was he lonely like Mary? I'd be intrigued with this contrast between their reactions to being alone. Does Garry see parts of himself in Ib?
- What if Ib learned the truth about Mary first? Hell, what would happen if in the "Together, Forever" ending, Ib somehow regains her memories and confronts Mary about it? What if she agreed to follow Mary in the "Painting's Demise" ending? Would Ib have to watch Mary die right before her eyes?
- While I'm okay with Mary's fate as is in "Promise of Reunion," I'd be interested in some kind of AU where everybody leaves the painting world together. How would they recognize each other and jog each other's memories? With Garry, there's the handkerchief, but what would Mary's item be? How do Ib and Garry help Mary adjust to the real world? Does Mary ever get homesick for her family back in the gallery and goes back to try to free them (and Ib and Garry have to hurry back before she's trapped inside again?)
Crossovers
Relationships: Chara (Undertale) + Madotsuki (Yume Nikki), Asriel Dreemurr (Undertale) + Mary (Ib), Ib (Ib) + Papyrus (Undertale) + Sans (Undertale), Frisk (Undertale) + Garry (Ib) + Mary (Ib), Frisk (Undertale) + The Batter (OFF), Sans (Undertale) + Pablo | The Judge (OFF) + Zacharie (OFF), Lucas (Mother 3) + Madoka Kaname (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
WELCOME TO HARD MODE. If you're familiar with the canons for any of my nominations, you might find this fun. :o
- Madotsuki is a hikikomori who may or may not have had a traumatic violent past, judging by the horrific sights she could encounter in her dreams and the fact one of the "effects" she can pick up is a knife she could use to stab anything and anyone (and is not necessary to the gameplay unless you use it to slash open a wall to a secret area, which at the end is a disturbing mass of imagery she wakes up herself from). And judging by the ending, implied to be suicidal. Chara is another child who may have or may not have had a traumatic violent past, judging by their hatred of humanity. Their suicide was successful, and if the Player decides to go the Genocide route, they can be warped into a cruel and violent person. Considering everything the two of them might have endured pre-game events, I'm astonished how much they have in common. I'm far more interested in "Sad Angry Children bonding" over "Sadistic Serial Killers in partnership," but other than that, go nuts and indulge your headcanons!
- It's kind of eerie how similar Asriel and Mary are--they even have the same color scheme! What would happen if Mary fell Underground instead of Chara? What if Asriel ended up in the painting world while visiting the museum with Toriel and Asgore? What if instead of turning into Flowey, Asriel woke up in the painting world instead? Do they bond in their loneliness? Do they become codependent and/or jealous? (ex. Mary trying to stop Asriel from leaving the gallery) Does Asriel realize what he's doing is wrong (assuming the painting world indulged his Flowey side) and fights with Mary over it? Will either of them get a happy ending?
- A roleswap between Frisk and Ib in their respective canons would be amazing! What would happen if it was Frisk who went to Guertena's gallery? How would they interact with Garry and Mary? Would they be able to get through to Mary somehow like they did with Flowey? What if Ib fell down the Underground? Imagining her interacting with the skelebros would be interesting in particular. Would Papyrus promise to protect her and help her find her parents again as the duty of her Cool New Friend? Would Sans be softer on Ib than he would Frisk, or would he still be suspicious of her being the anomaly? Alternatively, what if Papyrus and Sans are art pieces/sculptures in Guertena's gallery who are kind to Ib and want to help her escape?
- Undertale and OFF both deal with Player and RPG meta in different ways, so it's always fascinating to see them crossed over together. Frisk could easily share a lot in common with the Batter, especially in the Neutral and Genocide routes. But since Frisk is likely to have done True Pacifist, do they try to reach out to the Batter? What would an interaction between the Batter and Soulless Pacifist!Frisk be like? Sans shares a lot in common with the Judge and Zacharie, and I love the idea of them working together or becoming friends. How does the Judge and Zacharie receive Sans' puns? What would Sans think of their medium awareness?
- Lucas is a gentle boy who's had to deal with the death of his mother and brother, his father abandoning him to look for said brother, watching his home town become corrupt, MORE DEATHS, and was in charge of the fate of the entire world at the height of the apocalypse. Madoka is a gentle girl who's had to deal with the death of her friends, the awful truth about magical girls, and if you accept Rebellion as canon, seeing her best friend become so twisted and desperate after the endless time loops that she betrayed her by rewriting the universe and taking away her godhood (and this is assuming she eventually regains her memories of what happened). TOGETHER THEY FIGHT CRIME. In all seriousness, I think those two would be great friends and perfect for seeking comfort in each other. ;; Would they give each other assurance and encourage the other not to give up?
Once again, thanks for everything!
Your Recipient,
Puri
