#i miss tales of vesperia every day of my life

[magicalyaku]

Tales of Vesperia - Letters Home

I wrote this while playing Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition in December 2019 for the first time. And I was having such a blast that my head was ready to go as far as thinking about drawing doujinshi. (Which is reeeally rare for me.) But as I will probably never get around to drawing it myself I thought why not share the text itself! I hardly read any fanfiction though, so if I missed anything essential in formatting or tagging or whatever that’s why. Sorry for any inconviences.

→ This text was intended as a script for a doujinshi, so it’s not written in prose. The Letter in the beginning of a line signifies the character speaking. (description of what they’re doing is in brackets) ‘apostrophes’ and cursive font indicate thoughts. →  Someone please draw this for me. 8D

Genre: Fluff Pairing: Yuri x Estelle Other Characters: (main chapters) Flynn, Judith, Karol (shorts) Rita, Raven, Patty, Nan, Sodia

1: Postcards (1) - Estelle (E), Flynn (F) - Castle

- E is sitting in the garden, F comes by F Lady Estellise. Good day. E Flynn! F What are you looking at? E This one? It’s a postcard Yuri sent me! F Postcard?

E Have you heard of them? Now that people are travelling more again they are getting really popular. People send them from the place they travel to back home to their friends or family. I heard that there are artists who draw the pictures. I don’t know why Yuri decided to do them himself. He’s not really good honestly. F He sent more of these? E Yes! I have a bunch already. I’m always looking forward to them! F I see. That’s good then.

- F in his room, takes up a card from his desk F To friends and family, huh. (smiles)

2: Postcards (2) - Estelle (E), Yuri (Y), Judith (J), Karol (K), Repede (somewhere :’D) - Castle, Zaphias

- E in her room, delivery kid at the door D Lady Estellise, the Letter Guild presents you with a new delivery. E Oh! You have my thanks as always! D At your service, your Highness. (out) E (happy) Another postcard from Yuri! I wonder where it’s from this time. (looks closely at the card) Isn’t this ...!! (towards maid) Do I have any appointments today? M Yes. There’s one with the council member ... E (cuts in) Please cancel it. (rushes out) M Your Highness?!

- outside, E walks through streets with card in hand, looking for the right place E It should be around here ... → a little further Y sees her and gets up to call her Y Estelle. E Yuri!! You really are here! Did you wait here all morning?! (rushes over to him) Y No way. It’s been a while. You look good. E (smiles) You too. (grabs his arm, head on shoulder) I missed you. Y Hm. (they sit down) So, how’s it going here? E It’s very busy every day. But Ioder and Flynn and everyone is doing their best so I have to as well. Y I’m sure you’re doing a fine job. E Thanks to you as well. Whenever I’m really worn out, I take out the cards you sent me and my heart feels at peace a little. Knowing that you are out there working hard, helping people, enjoying life, that gives me strength. Y ... I see. E Right, what about you?! Where are the others? Y Judith and Karol went to see our client. That felt like a hassle so I went ahead. They should arrive soon though. Shall we go meet them? → E grabs Y’s arm Y Estelle? E Just a little longer. Y Eeh? (teasing) You think it’s fitting for the vice emperor to be that selfish? E ! Oh you’re right. But I ... Y (pats her head) It’s alright. Once in a while it’s alright, even for you. Or rather especially for you. E Then ... I know I can’t ask you to stay ... Y Right, and I won’t ask you to come with us right away. E But if I were allowed a small selfish request ... Y ? E I’d like you to come home more often. Y(smiles) That’s all? → from afar K and J are approaching K (calls) Yuri! Y (sighs) Here they come. (they get up) K Estelle, too! Long time no see! E Karol! Did you grow taller?! K 3cm! E Congratulations! J (glances at Y knowingly) Y What? E Judith. It’s good to see you! J Same here. (they hug) Is it alright for you to be out here? E Ehehe. I’m not sure. I kind of snuck out. Y Well, we’ll be in town for a few days at least. Let’s walk you back for now. → start going, J+K in front, Y+E after E (chuckles to herself) Y What is it? E I’m just happy to meet all of you. It would be nice, if Rita and Patty and Raven could join us, too. Y Well, you never know what might happen tomorrow. (looking straight ahead) E Eh? Y (turns to her) Also, I almost forgot. I brought a souvenir for you. E For me? But you didn’t have to ... Y Hmm. So you don’t want it ... E I never said that! Y Then, look over here ... (takes her face) → viewpoint switches to K, who is just about to turn around K Oh that’s right! Yuri ... J (catches his head and turns it forward again) Careful. The streets here are pretty shabby. You’ll fall if you don’t pay attention. Y (from behind) You got something to say about our streets? J (smiles) Nothing at all. Y (grins back) Pfft. E (blushing) Y What did you want so say, Karol? K Our customer from before wants us to take another job!

3: Shorts Favourite Type (1) - Karol (K), Nan (N), Yuri (Y)

- K comes across N K Oh it’s Nan!! Nan! Long time no see! N Karol. (looks around) That Yuri guy isn’t with you today? K Huh? Why? Do you need something from him? N No, I ... (blush) I just thought I’d like to talk to him again. He was pretty cool at the coliseum the other day ... K (shocked) ...

- somewhere else, K and Y K Yuuuuri!! What have you done to Nan?! Y ?? K I fought in the coliseum too, so why is she only asking about you?! Y (bursts into laughing) Hahahahaha!! I’m sorry, Karol. I’m sure, in a few years she won’t be able to ignore you. K (lost in thoughts) Maybe I should duel you ... Y No, you shouldn’t.

Favourite Type (2) - Estelle E), Rita (R)

E Rita, I’ve been wondering. What kind of guy would you prefer? R Huh? That came out of nowhere. Let’s see ... someone serious and just, trustworthy, smart, reliable ... (to herself) ‘Someone the opposite of Raven.’ E (blush) Oh Rita, so you do like Flynn after all! R ... That’s not what I said.

Favourite Type (3) - Estelle (E), Rita (R), Judith (J)

E But Flynn is such a good guy! He’s just as you said and also handsome and strong and kind ... R You like him then? E (shy) Well, it’s true that he would make a perfect boyfriend but ... (very small voice) maybe a bit boring ...? R (shocked) .... J Isn’t that right? If I had to choose between the two of them, I would take Yuri. R+E !!! J I don’t plan on asking him out, mind you. But I would not decline if he were to ask me. E (speechless) R Somehow I feel like ... the two of you together would put the world in danger again. J Fufufu.

Favourite Type (4) - Estelle (E), Rita (R)

R Say, why are we limited to guys we prefer? E You’re right! So among all people which one would you ... R (cuts in loudly) Estelle. E ....

Favourite Type (5) - Patty (P), Flynn (F), Raven (R)

R Now, confess, young man. Among the ladies, which kind do you like? F Eh? Hmm. Someone kind probably? Who knows their manners, respects all people, doesn’t let their temper get to them, are honest about their feelings ... P Doesn’t that sound like the opposite of Yuri? F Does is? Maybe it does ... R Why would you even compare your girl to Yuri ...

The Real Reason We Came Here?! - Karol (K), Yuri (Y) - around Yuri’s room in the Lower Quarters

- early morning, Y is already getting up, K sleepy K Yuri? Are you leaving? What’s the matter? Y Good morning, Karol! I’m going out for breakfast! ‘It’s good to have money!’ Wanna come along? K (sleepy, confused) Is there anything special? Y Pancakes!! K What? Y You remember the crepes the old man makes once in a while? ‘Even though he hates them if they’re sweet.’ Pancakes seem to be similar, just reaaally fluffy. And I heard there’s a new shop around here that sells them ... K Yuri, don’t tell me ... that’s why we came back? Y (smiles smugly) Who knows.

4: Postcards (3) - Flynn (F), Sodia (S), postcard salesman (M) - somewhere far away from the capital

- while patrolling the town, F comes across a postcard seller F Ah, these are ... (finds one that has the same motif as Yuri’s, but good) M Good day, mister! Do you know about postcards? F Yes, I heard of them! This is my first time seeing the real thing though. They’re really good. M Thank you very much, mister! Would you like to purchase one? F I might as well. This one, please. (pays) M The letter guild is right over there. F Ah, um, no, thank you. I’d like to keep it for myself. S You sure you don’t want to send it to someone, Captain? F (smiles) I don’t know where he is right now anyway. S ‘I wasn’t thinking of him though ...’ F (pictures of both cards, Y’s hand drawn one at home, F’s new professional one) [Even though we take different routes at times, in the end we will still end up in the same place.]

#Tales of Vesperia #Yuri Lowell #Estellise Sidos Heurassin #yustelle #Flynn Scifo #Karol Capel #Judith #Tales of #tov #yaku writes #fanfic #doujinshi

[skittymon]

Finally finished Tales of Eternia!! 

And that makes 11th tales games finished and 15th overall played in some degree (Phantasia, Legendia, Innocence, and DotNW being the ones I havent finished yet).

Once I started again in December I decided that instead of liveblogging I’d make a review at the end instead.

So here we go! I will keep this spoiler free as possible!

I’m pretty scatterbrained but I’ll try to divide this into: combat, story, characters, and other game mechanics.

Combat: So obviously, the combat is above Phantasia and Destiny’s, being made after them. I honestly have grown fond of the 2d linear style format. There’s so many different boss fights in this game that can only work in a 2d field rather than 3d. 

On the flip side, that’s not always a good thing. I count bosses like the wild dog thing in Vesperia, and Fodra Queen of Graces to be among the hardest mandatory boss fights in tales. Welp, Eternia added one to the ranks. Rem (aka Aska the light spirit) is one of the most frustrating boss fights I’ve done. Apart from constantly slowing healing itself, on the field it brings a shiny ball with it. You cannot destoy the orb, it’s there all fight, and if you touch it it hurts you. And of course it blocks the way to Rem. There is a way past it, it moves up and down so you just have to wait until its up to move past. BUT GUESS WHAT THE AI DOESNT DO. So your party will probably either be dying or constantly in pain. AND REM CAN MOVE THE ORD ANYWHERE. Also you cant physically hit Rem while its casting a spell only far away skills. So if you ever play this game just cheese it and spam variations of Sonic Blade.

Of course, on the flip side it’s every easy for you to cheese boss fights and just back them up into a corner unable to move or do anything until they die, so it evens out.

The sprite animations for the artes are gorgeous. Reid moves so fluidly in his artes, he’s honestly my third favorite protag to play as behind Yuri and Ludger because of this. The caster animations are great as well, granted it can become cluttered and hard to see in when artes like blizzard and earth shaker are used. BUT GOD DAMN I CAN WATCH MEREDY USE METEOR ALL DAY IT LOOKS SO COOL.

Nitpicks about the combat system are, Life, the reviving spell Farah has, takes to long to charge, and for Meredy and Keele to use healing artes you have to mix and match who has what craymel (spirit). There might be a guide but I didnt look beyond reddit so Life was the only resurrection spell I had. 

Last nitpick comes from the Aurora Artes. Aurora Artes are skills only Reid can use, but in order to use them you have to have health below 15% and press circle, square, and x at the same time, so it’s very easy to mess up and die. Then to use more Aurora Artes you press the same buttons repeatedly, and after you use them Reid is left with 1 hp. AND the final boss has an automatic kill skill, you have to press the buttons at the right time to activate it and keep everyone alive, or you can cheese it like I did and have Farah hold a reverse doll to revive her after she dies. Did I also mention this skill happens in phase 2 of the fight when the bosses health is less than 20,000 after starting from 300,000? If you fuck up thats like 10mins of redoing.

But to end on a better note for this section, I love the way artes are learned. You have to use certain artes a number of times before you can unlock it (I THINK abyss and vesperia and many others are like this but this is the first time I found it rewarding). I grinded like hell to get the best artes for Reid AND YOU BET IT WAS WORTH IT. Omega Demon Chaos I love you,,,,

Story: Like countless other Tales titles, the conflict comes from two worlds being at odds with each other. However this game does something that none of the other games have done with this story beat. Language barriers! It’s super cool in the first couple of hours theyre just trying to figure out how to talk with Meredy. Of course by the end this point is nearly dropped entirely, everyone else just getting the special ear ring I spent 3 hours to get so the plot can move on.

Like most tales, theres a moment you thought the story would end but BOOM the twist. I wasn’t shocked by it, but that’s because I knew who the final antagonist of the game was prior to playing it, but still it was executed well. 

Something that makes this Tales stand out is how they deal with backstory. So the main fours backstory is vital to the story and their characters but they don’t show it till like 20 hours in. It’s like if Graces you start off in main arc and learn about the childhood arc 2/3 of the way through and went “ohhhh that’s why they were distant with each other.” And other stuff about it but I won’t spoil it.

Overall a good story, though I do feel like I’m missing things either from missing some side quests, or because of no skits.

Characters: The main ones to shine are the four main characters (Reid, Farah, Keele, and Meredy), everyone else literally is either one dungeon and/or optionable. Chat does still feel like a character being the owner of the Van Elita aka means of transportation for half the game. Max and Ras tho rip. ESPECIALLY MAX. Ya know how every tales there’s the mandatory Talk Before The Final Battle? Yea well they all get one except Max. You see him, but he doesnt talk, YET THEY CRAYMELS DO.

Another odd, yet charming, thing is that there’s no big moment of character development for anyone like Luke cutting his hair, Magilou keeping the portal open, or punch in the face like Alvin. They just. Slowly change. And its really weird cause for all of disc 1 Keele is basically an unbearable asshole and he just? Learns to be a better person from everything he sees? There’s no callout or moment of realization, he just slowly learns and it’s super refreshing. 

Reid is probably one of the most relatable protagonists up there with Jude. I’m sure most of you know the “he doesn’t want to do shit lol” persona he has BUT GOD WHY HE’S LIKE THAT BABY I LOVE YOU. Farah’s personality is also explained in the backstory, so for any of you crestoria players that Farah’s backstory is really different like how Emil’s is, but the sentiment of why she’s like that is the same and stem for a similar event.

Meredy’s also great. I thought I’d get annoyed of her and her “You bet!” but god when she says it the last time at the end of the game, I was pretty moved. I wish I knew more about her backstory but I’m pretty sure a certain section of her life info was left to skits and ya know we didn’t get those till Symphonia :)))

As antagonists go, besides the Craymels who are there to test you before you get their power, there’s just two. Main boss and their lackey. The lackey is eh. You see him once at the beginning of the game, then see him destroy a  city, then one last time where you kill him. You do get his backstory and stuff but eh I’m usually not fond of tales mini villains minus Chimerad, God Generals, and Artorius’s lackeys

The main antagonist tho, I really don’t wanna spoil it but it’s hard to talk about why I’m conflicted on it without spoiling. So it’s like Destiny’s final boss but written better in some part and worse in others. So at one point it’s super emotional and pretty powerful with the message eternia wants to send but at the same points its a jrpg where you gotta kill god cause he doesn’t think humans are worth it. 

Oh one more thing thats honestly hilarious, there’s literally SINGLE animated cutscene by Production I.G in this entire game minus the op. 

Other things: the amount of mini games in this game is insane, but the amount you have to do IN JUST THE SECOND DISC to continue the plot is more than any other tales game I can recall. Some of them are fun like the card game, others like the bomb one I want to throw in a fire. 

There’s also so much Destiny pandering in this game. There’s portraits of the characters, you can collect lens, I’m 95% sure the way a certain character is done is because they wanted another Leon, you can SUMMON THE SWORDIAN USERS ARE AS AN ACTUAL SUMMON. While all Phantasia gets is the cameo battle and the Eternal Sword. I mean I didn’t mind cause I’ve finished Destiny and it’s one of my fav tales games but damn it was pretty obvious. 

EXPLORATION IS SO FUN IN THIS GAME. Mainly near the end when you have free reigns. YOU CAN DIVE UNDERWAY AND EXPLORE THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA WHAT OTHER TALES GAME LETS YOU DO THAT??? 

In conclusion: A fun game! I don’t think it was worth 133 dollars tho consider my play file was 35 hours and thats with a good chuck of side quests and ex bosses. Probably in my top 5 combat systems of tales and final villains, but not in terms of story or characters. A really hope it gets remastered soon I’d love for more people to play it.

#skitty rambles #tales of #tales of series #tales of eternia

[r0botarmsapts]

Title: Desperate Illusion. Cross-posted to Ao3, dA and Fanfiction.net. Characters/Pairings: Flynn Scifo, Yuri Lowell. FlynnYuri, FureYuri, Fluri. Words: 1,300 +. Disclaimer: I own this fanfiction but not the characters or game they’re from. Notes: This fic was originally wrote months ago, and inspired by Tales of Vesperia not spoon feeding their players everything, I got to try something new here. Going with implications and things unsaid. The title based on Flynn's current worst fear and need to see Yuri again. Yuri not knowing information on what happened or reacting to the confession; this Yuri born in Flynn's nightmare cannot know more than Flynn himself does, and at that time, Flynn would not know how Yuri would react to his confession at the time. I still need practice, but like the end result well enough. <3 Extra: Angst, Ghost, Nightmare, Hurt No Comfort, Emotional pain, Death, Friendship + Love, Canon Compliant. Counter restarted, so this is the new first entry for Fluriary 2020. Summary: A few moments of silence ticked by, feeling all too long and too short at the same time. Flynn refusing to let Yuri go, holding on as long as he could. Flynn wanted to shout, call for death to come manifest itself into a physical form, ready to challenge it so as long as it meant Yuri lived. They were supposed to have a better life together, the blond having been determined to confess his feelings to his best friend once they were reunited. This was not how he imagined it at all, or how he wanted it to be. Yuri had been the one to break the quiet between them, ending their embrace, taking a step back, looking into Flynn’s widened eyes. “It’s time. Look after the others for me.” Flynn nodded numbly, noticing that Yuri was fading away before his eyes. The swordsman was against a foe he could not win or truly fight against, a foe Flynn himself could not save or protect Yuri from.

Something is wrong, Flynn can feel that much on the spot, while his body felt as though it were made of stones heavier than he had the strength to carry. The blond was sore and strained from the efforts he had been putting in the past two weeks, doing everything possible to locate Yuri. For now, his eyes remained focused on the maps, charting out new areas to search while crossing off and ruling out other areas they had been in already. Brave Vesperia had been covering a lot of ground and, thanks to Judith with Ba’ul’s assistance, the skies. Flynn is exhausted, but rest can come later, when he’s done plotting out a new course for them to take. Rest can come when Yuri’s found. ‘Alive’, he tosses in for himself, not ignoring the probability that Yuri was gone for good given there had been no sign of him anywhere for the past two weeks... Not even so much as his sword.

All too suddenly, the cabin door swung open, a cold air overtaking the room, unfitting for the summer months, giving rise to goose-bumps, leaving that feeling of something being wrong to increase.

“Hey.”

That voice, the all too familiar one Flynn had been missing for so long now, but relief was not what he felt, trying to dismiss how tired he was, the Captain quickly looked over to the cabin door, spotting the other man leaning against the door frame, but somehow Yuri looked off. Flynn looked uncertain and questioned, “Yuri?”

“I came to say good-bye, Flynn.”

Yuri had the too familiar smile he often wore, but his eyes did not match. They were sad, somber, forcing everything into place for the blond as he stared in disbelief. “Good-bye? Yuri, no. You can’t be...” Flynn’s voice nearly cracked while he spoke, not wanting to believe what he was being told, even if it was from Yuri himself, refusing to even say the word. Yuri could not be gone, the other man had survived too many things that would have done in a regular person. He still had yet to tell Yuri how he felt, having been determined to do so after they found him. This, this could not be real.

“I don’t have a lot of time. Besides, between us, I think we both knew I’d be the one going first.”

“No." Flynn did not like how Yuri sounded, it was too different, unsettling. Forcing himself to move, he was with the swordsman in the blink of an eye, pulling him into the tightest hug he could manage, unable to ignore how cold Yuri felt against him, realizing all too painfully he was the reason for the cold air in the cabin. The hug was slowly returned, the possibility this would be the last time he had Yuri in his arms crushing his heart. “Yuri, what happened?”

“It doesn’t matter now. One minute it’s the top of Zaude, then the next, I woke up like this. You can feel something pulling you away to somewhere, I only know I had to see you first to say good-bye.”

Without thinking about it, Flynn held on to Yuri tighter, as if his love could be stronger than whatever force from beyond was trying to pull Yuri away from him. If he held on hard enough, Yuri would not leave him, again. A hundred questions ran through all at once, yet deep down Flynn knew he had limited time, even if he did not want to truly admit it right now. These last few moments were precious, not to be wasted.

“Our promise, we were supposed to do this together.”

“You’re strong, Flynn. You can do this without me, and you have the gang around too. You’re not alone.”

“I do not want to do this without you, Yuri,” the future being fought for was one born from their vow years ago; a corrupted system that favored those with money, power and connections, a system that tolerated those in the middle, looking down at anyone lower as though they were all dirt, hardly even human and not worth anyone’s time or effort. People mostly left to fend for themselves. Yuri had been born into that system, Flynn had experienced the cruelty of it first-hand from too young an age. They were going to make it a better place, both of them.

“You can’t fight death, Flynn. You’ll have to do it without me around.”

There was a bitter fact to those words that even still, Flynn did not want to accept. If death had a physical form, Flynn would fight the being with everything he had for what it had taken from him, what it was trying to take away now. “It cannot end this way,” Flynn furrowed his brow; anger, sadness, disbelief all mixing together in ways that pained him physically. Continuing, his voice wavered, “both of us were supposed to see things change, it was our vow together. Even back then, I knew you were the one I wanted by my side, even when our ways involved different paths. I love you, Yuri, I have for a long time. You can not leave now.”

A few moments of silence ticked by, feeling all too long and too short at the same time. Flynn refusing to let Yuri go, holding on as long as he could. Flynn wanted to shout, call for death to come manifest itself into a physical form, ready to challenge it so as long as it meant Yuri lived. They were supposed to have a better life together, the blond having been determined to confess his feelings to his best friend once they were reunited. This was not how he imagined it at all, or how he wanted it to be.

Yuri had been the one to break the quiet between them, ending their embrace, taking a step back, looking into Flynn’s widened eyes. “It’s time. Look after the others for me.”

Flynn nodded numbly, noticing that Yuri was fading away before his eyes. The swordsman was against a foe he could not win or truly fight against, a foe Flynn himself could not save or protect Yuri from.

Flynn tried to move as fast as he could to grab onto Yuri’s arm, clutching onto air as the person he loved vanished with Yuri‘s final words the last things he heard. “You’ll be okay, Flynn.”

In his grief, Flynn yelled, “Yuri!” towards a sky with a full moon that was cruelly bright that night.

The next thing Flynn was aware of was sitting up in his bed, part of his blanket clutched tightly in his hand, his breathing was heavy, eyes wide, face damp from tears shed while in his nightmare. Right now, the Captain was uncertain if that being a nightmare was a blessing or curse; it meant enough Yuri was not confirmed to be gone, yet it meant another day of searching, hoping, cursing the man’s name until he was found(preferably alive). It meant another day of not knowing if Yuri had been captured, was in a danger Flynn was unaware of or trapped somewhere where they could not find him.

Glancing at the clock on the cabin’s wall, seeing it was only a couple of more hours until he was supposed to be awake, the blond shoved the covers aside, getting ready for the day early. He did not want to chance returning to that scene born from his fears- instead, he ran over details for the day, going ahead and eyeing the maps laid out neatly on his desk, noting their check in with Brave Vesperia in a couple of days if Yuri still had not been found.

Flynn would search every last corner of the planet if he had to. He had to find him, alive, more so since he had to tell Yuri how he felt, after all.

#fluri #flynn scifo #yuri lowell #tales of fanfiction #tales of vesperia #fureyuri #flynnyuri #fluriary2020 #fluriary

[avaantares]

Subscription models for products you already “own” are a bad idea for everyone.

Yeah, it’s another incoming rant. Must be Tuesday. (Well, early Wednesday morning.)

Social distancing is lasting longer for me than for many people, as 1) I have a health condition that puts me at high risk and 2) I have not drunk the Trump-sponsored “We’ve Beaten The Pandemic And Life Can Go Back To Normal Now” Kool-Aid (my state is a regional hotspot with nearly 30,000 confirmed cases). As we all know, staying home alone for weeks on end makes it a challenge to find meaningful social outlets. In addition to Telegram chat, Zoom, and Roll20, I have discovered a new appreciation for online co-op games, which (when paired with a group voice call) are a great way to hang out and do something that’s not just texting each other photos of whatever you’ve isolation-baked in a moment of weakness (though I do a fair amount of that, too). In the past few weeks, I’ve played everything from Mysterium to Tales of Vesperia with friends.

The problem being, I’m primarily a PlayStation gamer, and SO MANY games now require a PS+ account (monthly fee of $5 to $10 depending on your package) just to be able to access online play. There is no free/included option, period. It’s really frustrating for everyone in a group to have to subscribe to an additional paid service to play a game together, especially when you’ve already paid $60+ for the base game. Uncharted is my favorite game franchise, and over the years I’ve invested hundreds of dollars to own all the titles, but there is no way I’m forking over another $10/month just to be able to play online Survival mode with a couple friends every once in a while.

Of course, there are a lot of co-op PC game options that don’t require a subscription (I purchased a game tonight on Steam instead of the PlayStation store specifically so I didn’t have to pay the additional fee, even though I much prefer console play) -- but my Surface isn’t built to handle the resource load of a lot of modern games, and considering I’m already spending hours every day staring down at a tiny 12.3″ tablet screen, it would be much nicer to be able to kick back on the couch with a wireless controller and look up at the larger, wall-mounted TV to play a game (without worrying about flaky controller sync or video lag from running off a PC).

The pure-subscription model has taken over the software and entertainment industries in recent years. I’m sure it appears more lucrative to media companies -- and maybe it is, in the long run -- but there’s also an unseen cost to it, as it turns every purchase into an added-cost equation and in some cases actually prevents customers from making future purchases. Honestly, the PS+ limitation has STOPPED me from buying a number of games that I otherwise would have picked up to play with friends. And if I decide to buy a title on Steam instead of the PlayStation store specifically to avoid paying a subscription fee, as I did earlier this evening, it’s not only my revenue that Sony is missing out on -- it’s also the revenue of the three other households who buy copies of the same game on the same platform so we can play online together. (I’ve bought more games in the past three months than I have over the past three years, owing to lockdown, and coordinated most of those purchases with other friends. Those games ranged from $6 to $80 per title. Except for some older titles I got for free via a promotion, only one of the new games was for PS4 -- and that one was single-player, so the subscription fee did not apply.)

Besides, when I’ve already shelled out serious cash for a product -- several hundred dollars for a console, plus peripherals, plus $50-$80 per game title -- I feel like the least the company could do is give me a scaled-down free option, or maybe a hybrid ad-supported model, rather than putting everything online behind a paywall. I realize that maintaining the multiplayer servers costs money, but so does losing business to other consoles/services. There has to be a better balance somewhere.

End rant for today.

#gaming #subscription model #playstation #rant #online games

[oveliagirlhaditright]

Not Such a Small Little World - A Sora, Riku, and Kairi Friendship Fic

(Part 1 of what I’ve written for Sora’s birthday.) Summary: A Sora, Riku, and Kairi friendship piece. Sometime after the next saga--when the trio actually gets some peace--they all hangout at Riku's house, like old times... but fight over what they want to do, as friends do. And through it all, Kairi has a certain epiphany about Sora's worries.

Kairi’s PoV While at the mall with her two best friends, Kairi looked at this "Lollipop Chainsaw" game. And despite how macabre it was, she couldn't help finding the pairing there kind of cute... Maybe as a Princess of Heart, she was just hardwired to like anything with romance. And while Riku was by Kairi’s side—checking out other video games—it was only Sora who noticed that she was holding the game up to the light with a reverent look on her face. And he came abreast her the moment he did, it seemed to Kairi. "I didn't know you liked that game," Sora said with an amazed lilt to his voice, as he put his hands behind his head in his trademark gesture. Kairi giggled. There was just something about seeing Sora in that pose, that always cracked her up. "One of my favorite parody editors made a video about Lollipop Chainsaw… and I liked it enough to give the game a go," Kairi said as she put a hand on her hip. Then, reluctantly, she placed the game down… almost feeling sad about it, which was ridiculous since she already owned it. Riku—who had come into the conversation somewhere during the middle of it—grinned, as he ruffled Kairi’s hair some (something that Kairi pretended she didn’t like, but really she did): "This game fits the princess. Doesn't it, Sora? I can just see her poppin' some gum and being cheerleader-like while fighting in a stronger manner than anyone else." And at this, Kairi couldn't help but to blush and bow at Riku for his compliment. She was still new to the Keyblade, after all. So any praise like this made Kairi's heart soar… and made her think she didn't quite deserve it. "Yep! I'd sure say so!" Sora joined in with the attempted ego-boosting now—making Kairi feel even more humiliated, as he handed one of the Mario games where you played as Princess Peach to her. “Sora, what-“ Kairi started, because while she thought she knew where he was getting at with this—that she was as strong as they eventually made Princess Peach in some games—there was another way she could’ve been taking it, too. And seeming to realize that, Sora scratched his cheek a bit awkwardly and decided to go another route. "I would've gone with Tales of Vesperia, since Estelle's a lot like you in my opinion… But that game’s still Yuri’s… and Kairi, what I’m trying to say here, is that one day the game is going to be yours. I just know it.” Kairi grinned widely—fully appreciating Sora’s words and kind gesture now—but also wanting to get the focus off of her some, she decided to move the conversation to another topic. "So, what are you two shopping for?" But the moment the words left Kairi's mouth, she already figured out the answer when it came to Sora; he was holding the item he’d come here for in his hands, and it was a Naruto game. Riku just shrugged and pulled out what he'd been hiding behind his back... and he seemed a little bit embarrassed about it, if Kairi said so herself. "I bought a Dating Sim..." And instead of commenting on that, like she really wanted to—though it seemed Sora was about to speak on it, with the way he leaned towards Riku with a cheeky look on his faced—Kairi made the decision about how they should spend the rest of the day for them. "So, I say we go over to Riku’s house and play a lot of video games, like we did in the early days of our friendship. Sounds good to me! Sign me up! Maybe it’ll even inspire my fighting some!” So that was how the three friends found themselves on Riku’s balcony: their old hangout. And Kairi was about to put one of the video games in for them, but Sora stopped her as he came forward and put a gentle hand on her wrist. “Actually, Kairi… I feel like we should watch something instead. Maybe something we’ve all already seen. Because, to be honest, I want to enjoy this new Naruto for all that it is, and I know we’d just talk over it. And I’m sure Riku feels the same way about his lovey-dovey, kissy-kissy, game, too.” And as Riku started chasing Sora around the balcony then—threatening to throw him off of it—Kairi set to work finding an anime they could all watch together. And almost instantly, her fingers found “Cardcaptors”, and she sighed. “You guys are gonna wanna watch Cardcaptors, huh?” Kairi asked as she looked over her shoulder, to see that Sora and Riku had finally settled down on the couch and were watching her in an expectant manner. “Even though this weird version of it killed some of what the original—‘Cardcaptor Sakura’—had, by doing things like increasing Syaoran’s—I’m sorry. ‘Li’s’—role? “It did do all of those things,” Sora said, as he fist bumped with Riku. “But it made a cool anime even cooler, because he’s the best.” "...I guess I can give you that. And I assume every boy in the world feels that way,” Kairi said surprisingly bitterly… almost wondering if this hangout was a good idea, if they were going to be arguing over this fandom. She hung her head and had to fight against putting a video game in, after all. "...But since you guys love me—and can respect that I think they downplayed Sakura to do this—can we watch something else?" It was then that an answer to all three's prayers arrived, in the form of Riku getting a package dropped off at his house downstairs, that he quickly went to retrieve... a package full of anime stuff, since he was subscribed to a company that gave him new content of it every month. And what was this, that Riku was showing them now?! Some sort of anime and manga named "Tsubasa", that had Syaoran and Sakura as the main characters?! Kairi was ripping the items out of the box they’d come in, and eyeing them immediately—as she tried to figure out just how much the gods of Olympus must have loved them all, to make this a thing. "Well, there you guys go," Kairi laughed, as she handed the manga to Sora and the DVD to Riku (having to knock "The Third" DVD out of Riku's hand, so there was room for it). "There's a Cardcaptor Sakura spinoff, where Syaoran is the main character. Now, this I can get behind, since it respects the original writers' wishes. So, let's watch away." …But half-way through, they couldn't do so anymore. The boys missed the humor from Cardcaptors and/or Cardcaptor Sakura: whichever. And Kairi felt the show was somewhat slow. "…Even from the little I remember of being in your heart, Sora... I don't think you wasted so much time exploring every nook and cranny of a world on your first journey…" I have an idea," Riku said, as he gave the kind of small smirk he’d always worn before suggesting they do something that would get them all into trouble. Kairi's breath hitched in her throat. "…Why are we even trying to watch anything, anyway? Most of the times we played some sort of game together: video game or other. So why don’t we do that now?" Kairi thought that was a fine idea; she had many pleasant memories of playing Monopoly with Sora and Riku... as well as Life, even though those boys had always somehow beat her at that. She always won at the Barbie Rapunzel game she made them play with her, however. But somehow, she thought that they wouldn't appreciate that suggestion now… "I know!" Sora exclaimed, as he clapped his hands together. And Kairi, jokingly, was tempted to ask him if he had been spending more time with Tifa Lockhart or the London Tipton girl they’d just met, because they were both known to do that. "Why don't we go out and buy that 'Boxers and Briefs' game? It's supposed to help friends get to know each other even better, in an amusing way." Kairi was down for that (and she tried to discreetly let him know this, in handing him his favorite orange soda when his first can went empty). But really, she was always down for any of Sora’s ideas. But Riku seemed dubious… as he tried to act like he was above Kairi and Sora, Kairi guessed, by eating orange candy instead of drinking pop with so many calories. "It sounds like that 'Would You Rather' game. And we can easily make up questions for that ourselves. So, Sora... why even bother spending munny on that rip-off game, then?” "To... uhh, celebrate us all finally being together on the Islands again?" Sora asked, as he jumped atop a pizza box to try and stand taller and make them buy into his point that way. He seemed cute like this, to Kairi. Like a little kid play acting for the first time… which sounded a little condescending, but she swore that it wasn’t! Especially since she was on his side! Or maybe… now that Kairi thought about it, mayhap Sora looked more like something else she knew about… "You look like that lovers’ statue from Olympus, that you said Meg hates," Kairi laughed. But Sora was instantly retorting. “I do not! If anything, I look more like Meg when she grabbed onto the statue to keep from falling. Not the statue itself.” Kairi really could’ve argued the point… but since Sora still knew more about Olympus than she did, she decided to drop the issue and return to the matter at hand: “….I think we should play this game of Sora's, Riku. Who wants gross things—like ‘would you rather have a ton of bandages ripped off your hairy skin or lick a dirty one?’—when I’d like to believe this similar game has better questions?" Riku seemed like he was about to say something—perhaps to argue with Kairi, that he thought this new game would be much worse—but Sora gave him a look, Kairi saw, so he zipped up his mouth and threw away the key. And smiling at Kairi then, Sora muttered, “So ‘Boxers and Briefs’, it is.” But by his tone, he almost seemed sad by her agreeing now and at first, she couldn’t figure out why. But then she did. "Unless... unless it isn't," Kairi said, feeling as though she'd just had an epiphany as she pulled at the fuzz on the orange blanket atop her. She'd been desperate for this hangout because she'd wanted a normal night with her friends again more than anything...  and was Sora the same way? "…Sora, you’re really not fighting for that game itself, are you? You’re worried that we don't know each other anymore?" Kairi asked as she put a comforting hand on Sora’s shoulder and snuggled a bit closer to him. "I- I guess?" Sora admitted, but he seemed to think it was shameful to do so. Because almost immediately, he'd clapped a hand over his mouth. But then, sighing, Sora continued on after Riku shot him a look this time. "I mean, how could I not? We've all been to so many worlds lately, but without each other. I wanted to make sure we haven't lost track of who the others are. Even though we didn't play this type of question game back in the day, we would play things like 'Trivial Pursuit' and I wanted to recreate that… and more." "We do still know each other, Sora," Riku promised, as he also got closer to Sora and slapped him on the back. "I know you hate Mr. Sanyee with a passion... that Kairi wishes we'd bake bread at school every day, and you guys know how I love to grill food. You two are the chefs, but I'm the griller. None of that has changed. "But if you're really worried, Sora, I'm willing to put my love for grilling aside and cook with you guys. Why don't we make pizza like we used to with Sora's mom all the time?" "You guys-" Sora started with tears in his eyes. And he was clearly so moved, that Kairi was sure he'd be the one to give Riku the affirmative. But when he instead seemed too choked up to, Kairi went on ahead with it herself. "Let's do it, Riku!” …And while Riku threw flour at Sora, Sora cooked up a mean sauce, and Kairi amazingly found some black truffles to put atop the pizza, she reckoned the three of them had never had a more magical time: even amidst all the normalcy. “Small little world”, her foot! Author's Note: I swear I wasn't bashing any of the fandoms referenced in this story. I just needed to give them all different opinions on things. Also, full disclosure... I haven't played Lollipop Chainsaw or any of the Princess Peach games. And Riku being rich, and with a balcony, is based off the manga. I swear I didn't include Tsubasa as a joke, since Sora's Japanese VA is also Syaoran's Japanese VA, but it still works well for one. And I also just realized it's funny that Kairi likes Lollipop Chainsaw, when Sora almost had a chainsaw in KH. Yep.

#fanfiction #mine #my work #Shanna writes #my writing #destiny trio #sora #riku #kairi #sora's birthday #sorikai if you want it to be I guess #future fic #normality

[delkios]

Sick as a Dog (ToV)

Spent all day at work and forgot that it was Saturday oops. Title: Sick as a Dog Fandom: Tales of Vesperia Rating: PG Word Count: 1888 In Responds to: Fluri Week 2019: Sick Saturday Characters: Yuri, Flynn, Repede Summary: Pre-game. Few things can resolve a rocky relationship like sick family. "Repede, c'mon," Yuri's knees were aching from how long he'd been crouched on the wooden floor, back aching just as much from peering under the bed almost as long. "You need to at least drink." The dark lump under the bed made a noise that sounded surprisingly like a refusal while also sounding rather pitiful. Yuri growled and sat up so he could bang his head and a fist on his mattress. "Come on, Repede," he gritted out, worry fraying his patience to mere threads, "get out of there!" He'd tried to pull Repede out earlier but the dog had whined and snapped at him, struggling enough Yuri had let go, not wanting to risk hurting him in his already weakened state. As Yuri was contemplating the effort it would take to move his mattress and flip the bedframe on its side to get at Repede, there was a knock on the door. Both grateful and annoyed at the distraction, Yuri yanked open his door with a barely contained snarled, "What?"

Standing on the other side was Flynn, carrying two bowls on a tray. "I was told Repede is sick. And that I'm supposed to make you eat." When Yuri made no move to do more than stare blankly at him, Flynn pushed the tray into Yuri's abdomen, causing him to take it reflexively. He stepped inside the room, "Where is he?" Yuri looked down at the tray, recognizing it and the worn bowls as coming from the Comet's kitchen. One was a stew, chunks of potato and carrot floating in a dark tomato and wine-based sauce, the other a clear yellow stock that smelled like chicken. The scent of both made Yuri's stomach grumble. He set the tray aside hastily, some of the stock sloshing over the side. He closed the door and rounded on Flynn who was now crouched in almost the exact same position Yuri had been moments earlier. Flynn's hair was matted down though the ends curled slightly. It seemed he'd been in the misting rain long enough for it to actually soak in, droplets hanging from his chin and armor, the half-cape sticking against his back. Must have just gotten in from a patrol, though where on the palace grounds he'd be patrolling that would get mud tracking up his greaves, Yuri hadn't a clue. Yuri felt ridiculously self-conscious, even with Flynn in a more disheveled state than he. Keeping out of Flynn's sight, Yuri ran hands through his hair, trying to tame the flyaways and tangles he'd put in there earlier and surreptitiously dust off his clothes from laying on the floor he hadn't cleaned in who knew how long. Figuring he was as put-together as he'd ever get in this situation, Yuri asked in his most nonchalant tone, "Why are you here, exactly?" Flynn barely gave him a glance. "I care about Repede as much as you do." He pulled off his gauntlets, holding a hand under the bed while making as soft clicking noise. "You've been slacking on the child support." "Really? You want to have an argument about this right now?" There was movement under the bed and Yuri tilted his head slightly to one side. Repede had his face pressed against Flynn's scratching fingers. Traitor. "Have you had anyone look at him?" "With what money?" "Do you even know what's wrong with him?" Flynn asked, a bite of irritation in his words at Yuri's flippancy. Yuri's own mouth twisted as he said, "He'd been eating onions." Flynn sat upright, expression accusatory. "You know onions are dangerous for dogs!" "Yeah, I do," he snapped back, "Ted and his friends were sneaking parts of their lunches to him behind my back. I'm not a complete idiot, Flynn." After the uneasy truce that settled between them in the last year, Yuri had expected to feel insulted at the accusation. He hadn't expected it to still hurt so sharply, though. Flynn looked contrite about it, at least. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have accused you of being so irresponsible." He reached back out to stroke Repede's head. "That explains why Ted had been so adamant that I come here, at least." "Mm." Yuri would probably have to apologize to the kids at some point. He hadn't meant to snap at them as harshly as he had when he realized they'd been accidentally poisoning Repede but seeing his dog weak and shaking and throwing up had rattled Yuri considerably. For an entire night he had thought Repede might die and even now, with the worst of it passed, Yuri still couldn't help the fear that Repede would never get better. Flynn reached out with both hands, cupping Repede's jaw between them. Then Flynn closed his eyes, a line of concentration forming on his brow, and his hands began to glow a pale green. Repede's ear flickered, making a soft noise of confusion while Yuri stood there, shocked. He watched as the light deepened, struggling to form a glyph before the magic dissipated and Flynn let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry, Repede," he stroked the dog's head, Repede's tail thumped weakly, "I still haven't gotten the hang of it." Yuri sat down, back against bed. "Was that a healing spell?" "An attempt." Flynn stood to grab the bowl of stock. "It's been slow going. Magic is tough to wrap my head around." Something tightened in Yuri's chest. Only officers were taught magic and even though he knew that was the track Flynn would have to take to fulfill their- his -dream, Flynn had managed to cross that huge gulf between ranks without Yuri realizing it. What else had he missed since he left the knights? What had Flynn accomplished that he hadn't thought was worth telling Yuri because he was too humble to mention them? Because he was too busy to talk with Yuri that often? Because he didn't want to seem a braggart while Yuri was stagnant? Because their relationship was on the rocks? "Here, Repede," Flynn said softly, setting the bowl down. "You need to keep hydrated." When the dog made no move to get up and drink, Flynn dipped two fingers in the bowl, letting them soak for a couple seconds before holding them out to Repede. Yuri held his breath- Repede seemed so fragile these last two days, unable to bring himself to eat and rarely drank -as Repede sniffed at Flynn's fingers. Then gave them a tentative lick. Then again, until every last trace of the stock had gone. "Come on," Flynn said softly, pushing the bowl a little closer. "Have some more." Repede crawled to the bowl, lapping it up slowly. Yuri let his breath out, simultaneously relieved and hurt. "He always listens to you," he said, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. "Don't know why he came with me." What did Yuri offer him? Freedom to do what he wanted, sure, but it was always one aimless, struggling day after another. With Flynn, Repede would have a purpose, better care, better food. A better life. "Did it ever occur to you that Repede listens to me at times like these because I baby him when he's hurt?" Yuri looked at Flynn in surprise. "What?" Flynn returned that look with one that had a teasing gleam to it. "Sometimes, when you're not feeling well, affection helps you feel better." "I know that." It wasn't as if Yuri wasn't the same, memories rising up of pressing his face into Flynn's chest as if his best friend's arms would protect him from feverish misery. Of still pretending to be feeling unwell just so he had excuse to curl with Flynn for a little longer. "You're not exactly an affectionate person, Yuri." "I can be," he said a tad defensively. "Not easily. You act like being open and straightforward with your emotions gives you a rash." "You don't know that it doesn't," Yuri said mostly so he'd have the last word. Flynn rolled his eyes and let him have it. Repede, having had his fill of the stock, crawled out further and pressed his face into Flynn's lap. Flynn made soothing sounds, running his fingers through Repede's fur. Yuri's victory felt pretty hollow in comparison to that. They sat in silence for a few moments, Yuri not wanting to disturb the scene. He almost felt like an intruder in his own room, watching the comfort and connection between the two as if he'd never been part of it himself. Then Flynn gently shifted Repede's head away, wincing slightly as he moved to mirror Yuri's position against the bed, leaning forward to pull off his greaves, and pauldrons and half-cape. When he settled back, Repede moved around, pressing his body down the side of Flynn's leg, resting his head back on Flynn's lap. Yuri watched as Repede's eyes blinked slowly, barely opening each time as he verged onto sleep. "Did you ever think it a possibility," Flynn said softly, startling Yuri out of his trance, "that Repede is difficult with you when he's sick because he doesn't want to disappoint you?" Yuri's brow furrowed. "What do you mean disappoint me?" "By being a burden." "He's not like that with you." "I'm not his partner." He rocked back slightly because, when Flynn put it like that, it made sense. There'd been many a time in their past that Yuri would downplay an injury or hold in his emotions to keep Flynn from worrying, from thinking of Yuri as weak or pitiable or burdening Flynn with his own issues. And he knew Flynn had done that to him and it would drive the both of them mad whenever they caught the other doing it but they always did. Because Yuri never wanted Flynn to think badly of him. But could a dog understand such abstract concepts? Repede whined, moving his head to stuff his snout between Flynn's arm and side, as if to hide his face. Repede was a smart dog, seemed to understand what Yuri was saying or feeling. And even if he didn't... Yuri couldn't let what Flynn said go so easily. He slid over, arm brushing against Flynn's and Flynn moved his away so Repede couldn't hide behind it. "Hey," Yuri said in the gentlest voice he had, "I'm not going to be disappointed in you. I'll never be disappointed in you." He ran a hand over the length of Repede's head. "No matter how sick or injured you get, you'll still be my partner and I'll always have your back." Repede made a soft sound but he laid his head onto Yuri's lap, shifting his body to nuzzle tight into the space between both men. His eyes closed but his tail still wagged periodically, weakly. When Yuri looked up, Flynn was looking at him with a soft expression that Yuri didn't know how to respond to. The best he could do was lean in until they were pressed shoulder to shoulder, all while ignoring the heat threatening to creep over his cheeks. Sometime, after Repede's tail slowed to a halt and the only sound was a soft noise as he exhaled, Flynn shifted until he could rest his head on Yuri's shoulder. And Yuri, wanting this moment to last a little longer, pressed his cheek to Flynn's hair.

#fic 2019 #fluriweek2019 #fluri #tales of vesperia #yuri lowell #flynn scifo #repede

[sylphwriter]

Rita’s History

Tales Whump Week

Day 5: Sick I’m posting excerpts from my in progress work on rewriting my fic, Fairy Tales and Brave Vesperia. So anyone interested can enjoy a sneak peek at what to expect, but otherwise it should stand alone without familiarity with my work just fine.

Estelle seemed to really enjoy the breeze and spray in the ocean air as the Fiertia sailed. She was spending a lot of time standing by the rail, eyes sometimes closed and taking long, slow breaths. Any time Rita looked up from her book the princess had a contented smile on her face. Rita almost missed that was smiling a bit herself, each time she looked back down to the pages of her book.

But she definitely hadn’t come up on deck to spend time with Estelle, she just wanted some better light to read by!

…Was what she’d tell anyone if they asked. Truth was, Estelle had been so obviously shaken up by that enormous flying monster calling her an “insipid poison,” and it was a bit of a relief to see some of her good cheer coming back.

“It’s so peaceful out on the water,” Estelle said wonderingly. She turned and directed her smile at Rita, sitting on one of the crates stacked a few feet from the rail. “Don’t you think so, Rita?”

“It’s just a whole lot of water and nothing,” Rita sniffed.

“I suppose that’s why it’s so calming to watch,” Estelle commented, unbothered by Rita’s customary abrasive way of speaking. “Just watching the way the waves move…you start thinking about and remembering a lot of things.”

Estelle folded her hands on the rail and tipped her head back, gazing up at the clear blue sky. “Until I met Yuri, I spent my whole life in the castle. There were things I couldn’t do, and at all times I had to behave in a manner becoming of my station or I’d be scolded by my tutors.”

“You still act like perfect miss noble if you ask me,” Rita said bluntly.

This only made Estelle smile and giggle lightly. “But it’s because I want to. And everyone accepts me as ‘Estelle,’ whether I’m a princess or I’m me. I’m so glad I had the chance to leave the castle and meet everyone.”

Rita slumped back against a crate and lifted her book a bit higher, hiding her face from Estelle’s line of sight. Somehow she was feeling all mushy and flustered and she’d hate it if it was showing on her face. “Well, good for you I guess.”

“It’s funny though,” Estelle said musingly. “I don’t regret my journey at all, and I already chose not to go back to the castle, but I do miss it. I keep remembering little things I took for granted before, and how I had so many happy memories too!”

“Well you had every luxury possible there,” Rita reasoned. “Most people would love to be in your place. Not me though, I’d feel like I’d suffocate there. I’d much rather be left alone with my research.”

“Like you were when we met you in Aspio,” Estelle recalled. “You said you’ve been researching there since you were ten, but where did you live before that?”

Rita’s heart stopped momentarily as her stomach plunged. “Just some boring old farming town on the Mayoccia Plains. There’s absolutely nothing there but fields. It’s close to the capitol so it’s easy for the Knights to protect, and they occasionally send examiners to see if any of the children have talents useful to the Empire. Send them to school and hire them once they’re done.”

“But you started your research right away?”

Rita didn’t bother with false modesty. It was only the truth after all. “Well obviously, I already knew more than most of the teachers they had, so it would’ve been a waste of time.”

“Do you ever miss your home town?” Estelle’s curiosity took on a wistful note. “Don’t you have family there?”

“No,” Rita answered flatly. She scowled at the diagram in her book. “There’s nothing I care about there.”

The Empire had been willing to pay any expense to get their hands on promising up and coming mages. And it wasn’t like Rita had minded the idea of spending her life working for it-having the freedom and materials to study blastia and pursue the answer to all the questions she had was worth it. But as a child with no say of her own, it had been her parents that the examiners had to convince.

And convince them they did, by offering a sum of monetary compensation. Then all those protests that they couldn’t possibly bear to be parted from their beloved girl just dried up. They sent her the occasional letter for the first couple of years, but always said basically the same thing. Work hard so the Imperial Blastia Research Laboratory wouldn’t decide to send her away. Rita had eventually found out that her parents received annual stipends for her work, since she was considered too young to have full control over her salary and savings.

The moment Rita got a promotion with some good authority behind it, she went and threw some intimidation and an appropriate level of respect into the records and finances clerks to get that nonsense straightened out.

Rita didn’t miss her hometown one bit. She’d never once gone back to visit. As far as she was concerned she had no family worth visiting.

In a dark mood over being forced to remember all those disgusting facts, Rita slid off the edge of her crate. “The salt is making me feel all gross,” she muttered. “I’m going to read inside.” And she beat a hasty retreat to some privacy before Estelle could ask anything else.

#taleswhumpweek #sick #tales of vesperia #sylph writes #FTaBV #short and simple this time

[zaggitz]

VIDEO GAMES 2017: ONE MILLION GAMES ENTER, TEN GAMES LEAVE.

Well that sure was the best year in video games since probably 1998, wasn’t it? Nintendo put out a new console and 3 major franchise entries, basically every anticipated game of the early 10′s finally frickin’ came out, we got 4 new English Falcom games, 3 of which with good locs, and they made a new Nier? What??? 

What a time to be alive.

Let’s not waste any time getting to the list, lord knows VIDEO GAMES 2017 has already sucked out enough time from me for a lifetime.

Before we begin, here’s my lists for 2015 and 2016.

Honorable Mentions:

Persona 5:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaIo82uT0qs

It’s insane that this game isn’t in my top ten, hell, it’s insane that it isn’t in my top five. It’s less a commentary on Persona 5′s quality and more that the games that did make the list resonated with me a whole lot more. VG2017 truly was too powerful.

P5 is mired with stiff localization problems, but even without the loc in consideration, the thematic through-line of the game gets muddled and becomes a toothless version of the promising rebellious first ten hours the game provides by the time you reach the finish line, which also just happens to come 20 hours too late, in my opinion.

What a great looking and feeling game though.

Tales of Berseria:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYXwD2CfxOs

On the flipside we have this game, the first Tales game I’ve enjoyed since Tales of Vesperia back in 2008. This game has an amazing story and great characters with a thematic backbone that sticks to your ribs after you finish it.

Now if I didn’t hate the act of actually playing it and having to scour its way too big boring empty dungeons and crappily designed world, it’d be a list maker for sure.

OKAY NOW IT’S TIME FOR THE CERTIFIED BANGERS:

10. Metroid: Samus Returns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhQWJG-_Oco

Somehow my least favorite Metroid game got two remakes that both made my list two years in a row?? This game is pretty great in it’s own right though it has a few control scheme imperfections and I could see a switch port easily being the definitive version to get.

The reason this game really makes the list though is because of how it lives up to its title. Finally an official Nintendo Metroid game that comes out and undoes Sakamoto’s vile character assassination of Samus back in Other M. . 

The queen is back, and she has been missed.

9. Horizon: Zero Dawn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD0DByDxJBA

An engrossing open world, great stealth/hunting/gathering systems AND robot dinosaurs are just a part of what makes this first outing for what seems like an extremely promising series great.

No, what really sets this game apart from its contemporaries is how it fleshes out its backstory, culminating in the creation of what might actually be the most despicable piece of shit villain ever put to writing for a video game. And he’s been dead for a thousand years so you can’t do shit to him.

Fuck you, Ted Faro.

8. Night in the Woods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2UUFFMGcgY

This game hit extremely close to home for me. Forced to come back home to a small, dying town full of people clinging to the good old days instead of doing anything for the generation after them, having this game to play and have it be said out loud that yeah, other people are living this nightmare too, was insanely refreshing.

For as much as we all need a bit of direction sometimes, sometimes what we also need to know being a directionless 20-something asshole trying their best is okay too.

Also Gregg rulz ok.

7. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNgph1g422Q

Great gameplay, great music, fun characters, one of the most fun to explore worlds in an action adventure game. This game truly nails the sense of pure adventure Ys is known for.

It’s a shame then that it’s plagued with one of the most laughable translation efforts in the industry, much of the games personality comes from the fact that even a bad localization job can’t overwrite some character quirks, but this still leaves the rest of the script feeling extremely stiff at best and incomprehensible at worst.

I hope the re-translation patch is good. Until then, Fuck NISA and have a good day.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiU65nQdZE8

I would describe this game as a great first step in evolving the Zelda formula. That’s not even really that accurate, the real first step was in Link Between World’s item rental/no dungeon order systems. 

Nevertheless, BOTW amazes with a sense of scope and exploration no game has ever really come close to, and achieves it almost effortlessly by simply giving you the ability to climb anything.

More music, more proper dungeons, a deeper story and a few durability tweaks are basically all you need to make the next Zelda game the easy best in series.

5. Yakuza 0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYB-D9qEwzI

This isn’t the best game this year, but it is easily, no question, the MOST video game this year. 110 hours in and only 60% complete, Yakuza 0 is the game that keeps on giving, with an enthralling true crime story that reshapes what we know about its protagonists. It’s pretty much a non stop emotional thrill ride to the finish line.

It effortlessly incorporates the best side story aspects from the many games in the series to come out before it, and utilizes them with a fantastical glee that keeps you with a smile on your face for the whole run. This is easily the funniest game I’ve played this year. Thank you SEGA.

4. Hollow Knight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1unm0LS10ao

God I can’t wait for this game to get ported to consoles. I bought a new laptop basically just to play this game and the absolutely enthralling metroidvania world design, hand drawn and animated aesthetic, and fantastic npc characters blew me away.

The encounter designs are tough but fair(except maybe the Colisseum) and the DLC so far has been great. I can’t wait for all the post release content to come out so I can play through it all again on Switch and probably PS4. 

It’s insane only 3 people made this game.

3. Super Mario Odyssey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhciLj5VzOk

Nothing to say here that hasn’t been said by hundreds of others. SMO is pure joy distilled into video game form.

I can’t wait for Odyssey 2 to come out and somehow blow this one out of the water like Galaxy 2 did for Galaxy.

2. Nier: Automata

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKOM3lNFajE

An amazing contemplation on what it means to be alive, and a thoroughly satisfying conclusion to a story that, for me at least, has been told since Drakengard in 2003. Game after game of sad tragic stories with bad endings and characters fighting an imperfect world imperfectly and only making things worse while temporarily making things better for themselves.

And really even in those cases there’s caveats.

Caviats???? Anyway.

Ending E of this game finally brings some semblance of peace for this fucked up world where a deranged killer and his dragon fell through the sky and made things the worst for everyone for literally tens of thousands of years. Finally Devola and Popola can sleep. All is well.

1. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wld2q4mLhYM

Another year, another Trails game at number 1. I’ll be real with you, I’m about to drop a bunch of personal rambly stuff about what this entire trilogy means to me so if you don’t wanna read that, that’s fine. 

This game is basically a perfect epilogue to a game that means a whole lot to me and serves as an amazing capper to an amazing jrpg trilogy.

When I first played Trails in the Sky First Chapter, it was the PC version in 2014. Now in 2014 I was coming off being in college for about 6 years, switching majors a few times and not really being into what I was doing but, yknow, you gotta major in something and then you gotta get a job, that’s kind of what getting started as an adult is. 

So I played this weird little jrpg that was, fundamentally, about a country and the people in it trying to move on from a tragic war years prior, hiding their still fresh wounds in plain sight and just trying to go on with their lives. 

It was an extremely interesting game, for how plot-light it was in the early goings, you got to really feel the struggle of these people and the unseemly past they were trying to run away from or avoid repeating. This underlying conflict builds and builds until we can’t ignore it anymore.

When I played Second Chapter a year later, I had been laid off from a job I got right out of College and had no employment prospects. I hated the fact that I’d spent basically my entire adult life up to that point doing something I wasn’t passionate about and then got let down by the system. 

At the same time, the shame of my situation lead me to close up and not tell anyone about the problems I had, I was broke, I owed two months rent, on the verge of getting evicted, I felt extremely alone.

All this to get to the point that Second Chapter was ultimately a game about pulling out the dark shit we don’t like talking about and saying “it’s okay to talk about this stuff, there’s always someone who will listen.” It got me to get over myself somewhat and actually reach out for help, and I’m really thankful for it not letting me hit rock bottom.

Two years later still, I’m in a much better place, I finally feel happy about where my life is and what I’m doing and oh boy here comes Trails in the Sky the 3rd.

Completing the journey I started back in 2014, I found myself playing a game all about how it’s okay to acknowledge the bad things that happened to us, so long as we learn and move on from them accordingly.

This trilogy has so much heart, and so many memorable characters, and so much to say. It’s so, so special to me, and I was openly weeping when all the characters I’ve come to know and love over 4 years finally parted ways.

Thank you Falcom for making these games, and thank you Xseed for bringing these games to us.

TL;DR

#game of the year #trails in the sky #nier automata #night in the woods #ys #metroid #mario oddysey #hollow knight #yakuza 0 #zelda breath of the wild #horizon zero dawn

[bad0mens]

Title: Displaced (18/29) - Superposition Principle

Pairings: Fluri

Warnings: UA (Universal Alterations - World Switching)

Authors’ Notes: This is going to be a short story set of a currently unplanned length. I have the end of Displaced planned at this time, but we still have a long way to go before that happens. Inspired by this comic by this artist on Pixiv.

I actually finished writing these a while ago so it’s really time that I finish posting them.

Disclaimer: Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

It seemed as though the endless winter's snow would end and spring come into full bloom before Yuri returned to Zaphias. The days of winter wore on, slower than the burn of the candle that lit his work at night, slower than the movements of the heavens, slower than the eroding of the earth.

Flynn missed Yuri. That wouldn't soon change. Weeks of time stretched out that short farewell at their parting to this moment. The lack of his presence had become easier, at least less of a distraction, but that didn't keep Flynn from wondering how Yuri was doing when the darkness of the night descended and threatened to swallow him in its all encompassing weight. The fact that there had been no word of him was both reassuring and frightening He could have been keeping himself out of trouble, but Yuri thrived on trouble. It was frightening because it felt like the whole word had just forgotten him and moved on like Yuri had never been here, like the months he'd spent had had no impact at all. But the impact was far further reaching than what remained n Flynn's heart.

It was in the swing of his word in the heat of practice and in the words he used to bring change about in the law. It was in every fiber of his being. But Yuri hadn't just changed /him/, he had changed the whole world. Snow felt colder, the rain lonelier, the stars burned brighter, and the sun was warmer. For all that had happened and all that it had hurt, Flynn didn't regret Yuri coming into his life.

Afternoon tea with Ioder kept his mind off of Yuri for a little longer after the meeting with the Council, but when he returned to his silent and empty office, there was nothing else he'd rather think about. He tried to move back into work, at least for a little while. Sodia, thankfully, provided a perfect distraction.

One of the captains he had promoted during the crisis had returned to Zaphias after a lengthy tour of duty and was eager to speak with him.

Captain Chloe Valens had been stationed at the outpost of Capua Nor and Flynn was very interested in seeing how the reconstruction efforts were going there, considering the loss of blastia, and the damage that the late Magistrate Ragou had caused.

Sodia showed her in and then excused herself.

Chloe saluted and he motioned for her to sit, taking a seat on the sofa opposite from her.

"Thank you for meeting with me, sir. I'm sure you've been busy."

"Not at all. I've heard of your work in the field and wanted to hear how our efforts abroad are going."

"Capua Nor is stabilizing finally. It feels like a port town again. Businesses have returned and the population is growing. The citizens say that the current Magistrate is fair and proper." She smiled and eased back against the sofa cushion. "The dock there suffered greatly from a recent storm, but it's being rebuilt and people are moving on without the blastia, although some of them are more accepting of it than others. And the new recruits that you sent me are promising. It's nice to see that they're being properly trained."

"It sounds like things are going well there." That put him at ease.

"Yes, although come spring, we'll need more troops to keep the seafaring monsters where they belong."

"I will do what I can. Thank you for your continued efforts."

"Speaking of monsters, I recently ran into a guild doing work in the area. Brave Vesperia, I believe."

His ears perked up and his mouth dried out.

"They helped push the Lord of the Plains back from the city last week."

"Did they...?" He asked softly.

"They were very helpful. They even volunteered to put part of the wall back together. One of them, a young man with long hair, asked me to give you this." From within her coat, she pulled an envelope, slightly bent and corners crushed, dotted with splotches of ink. She passed it to him across the table and he had to hold him back from snatching it up. He didn't open it yet. He wanted to enjoy its contents alone. But he held it in his hand, brushing his thumb over its heavy paper surface.

"Thank you."

"Not at all, sir. Although playing messenger for a guildsman was a little strange. But after all the help that he and his guild gave us, I couldn't deny the request." She stood, her heels hitting the floor with a click. "My lieutenant filed a full report on the situation there with Sodia. If I may be excused, sir. Unless you have need of something else?"

"No, no. Please. Get some rest before you return to Capua Nor, and, again, thank you for your hard work."

She saluted and slipped out, leaving Flynn with his letter. He was anxious to open it, but sat frozen on the couch staring at it. Yuri had taken the time to write to him, even while off on his own adventures, and although he wished Yuri had just come back to visit, this was something. This was everything. It meant that Yuri hadn't simply forgotten him while being swept up in travel and guild work and healing. It meant that Yuri still thought of him, even if distantly, and that was the world to Flynn.

Perhaps the distance was as hard on him as it was on Flynn, although he doubted that. Maybe it was word of a visit in the near future, or tales of Yuri's travels, or even just word that he was all right. He would welcome any of them and hope for all of them.

He went to rip it open, but it was not to be. From the door, Sodia called to him. Another officer in the field arrived, in fact a pair. Two lieutenants from Aurnion. He put the letter into his breast pocket. It would have to wait until he was done with work.

The lieutenants came with an urgent request for supplies. Sickness was tearing through the ranks and half of the town's regular population. They needed medicine, blankets, and fire logs. While Sodia went to take care of gathering the supplies, the lieutenants huddled on his sofa, chattering on about the cold of the winter there and the influx of monsters nearing the town in search of food. But they also spoke of a similar incident to what Captain Chloe had: a guild had arrived on a ship carried by a dragon and brought enough emergency supplies to tide them over until the lieutenants could make it here, and they had helped drive back the monsters. Flynn knew before they said it that it was Brave Vesperia. They also spoke of a dark haired man with strange mannerisms and speech who was with the guild, and of how well he used a sword.

So Yuri had taken up a sword again. It was promising and surprising. After the incident with Ragou, he had been reluctant to hold a blade, and now he was fighting. He really was healing.

Even after the lieutenants left, more reports filed in, letters mostly, on the state of things in the various towns the knights were stationed in. Not all of them, but most of them had one thing in common: Brave Vesperia and Yuri.

Most of the letters spoke highly of him, although a few of the officers in the field seemed to disapprove of Yuri's way of doing things. He had apparently beaten a knight in a bar brawl in Mantaic, and spent the night in jail for it. There were other things, wonderful things mostly, how he had been seen helping a woman in Rorael fix her roof or other things.

Each report brought the warm swell in his chest for Yuri higher and higher, hotter and brighter, until it felt like a flame burning within him, an all consuming fire that burned away the cold and sadness and the misery. Yuri was going to be fine.

It was late when he was allowed to finally seek the comfort of his bed, no longer so cold and barren. There was still a spot there where Yuri belonged, but it was far less lonely.

He had carried the letter with him all day and finally fell back into his bed, and tore it open. He unfolded the pages of ivory, ink stained paper and settled in to read.

Yuri was capable of reading and writing the common script of Terca Lumireis, but his handwriting was sloppy and his letters badly formed. Flynn didn't care. Yuri had bothered to write to him and according to the progression, it had been over the course of a few weeks, and often in a rush.

Flynn,

I've seen so much of the world, Terca Lumireis, since I left the capital. Flying on Ba'ul is a lot of fun. After leaving Zaphias, we stopped in Halure to see Rita and Estelle. The tree there is huge! Why didn't you take me there? I bet it would be great for climbing. Estelle said that out of winter, it's covered in pink flowers. I can't wait to see it.

The letter detailed all the places Yuri had been and some of the things he'd done, but very few of the things that the knights had reported. Except the bar fight. He described that in excess detail. It looked like Judith and Karol were giving him the full tour. In the margins of the letter, he had made little sketches: the barren tree of Halure, one of Ba'ul, one of a Comrade Crest next to a paragraph where Yuri described being sworn into the guild and being an official member and going to Dahngrest. From the letter, Yuri was now on friendly terms with Raven, although he described him as being 'the worst ninja' and 'fishy' and 'weirdly two faced'.

He wrote of Aurnion, covered in snow in the shade of the mountains and how bright the stars were there. He talked about the pack of Criti and how they had been tough and went on to say:

I've got a pretty cool scar now. Still hurts a bit, but Judith said that it serves me right for being reckless. She tied the bandages super tight and then slapped it. Ow. By the time I'm back, the bandages can come off and I'll show it to you.

Beside this, he had drawn a blobby figure of what Flynn assumed was Yuri and pointed an arrow to where the scar must have been located, on Yuri's right side at his ribs. Flynn would have been worried, and he was a little, but this very letter and its continuance was evidence enough that Yuri was okay.

Page after page was the same, Yuri describing where he had been and the things that had happened there. It was refreshing to see his take on the world, to see things through his eyes, and Flynn couldn't help but wish that he had been the one to show Yuri all those wonderful things.

Hey, Flynn. What are 'blasteeuh'? We keep seeing all these broken machines laying around and whenever I ask about them, they only tell me that they're called 'blasteeuh' and that they don't work anymore. Why? Did something happen to them?

He still hadn't told Yuri about what had happened with the Adephagos. He had been meaning to, but had just never gotten around it it. Yuri deserved to know.

Capua Nor is nice. Fought a big monster here. I think they called him the 'Lord of the Plains'. Oh yeah. Karol's continuing my sword training while I'm away so I can keep fighting monsters. I think I'm doing well, but Judy won't spar with me yet.

I'm hoping the captain here will deliver this for me. It can't hurt to ask her. Oh well, I'm going to go. We're off to Nordopolica next to help a guy named Natz. Karol said there's a big Coliseum there. I'm really excited.

I hope everyone in Zaphias is okay. I'll try to make it back for a visit soon. Repede says hi too. Here's his paw print. I'll see you soon.

-Yuri

Flynn had honestly hoped for a better end to the letter, a more finite promise of a homecoming, but it was enough. Maybe Yuri didn't miss him the way he was missed, and he if he did, he didn't say it, but he had bothered to write in the first place.

He should have set the letter aside and gone to sleep, but he couldn't. Yuri deserved a response, and writing one might help Flynn cope with him being away the way Yuri was coping. So, rather than sleep, he strode to his desk and pulled out a small stack of parchment. Pen in hand, he started to put his thoughts on paper.

Dear Yuri,

I'm glad that you and Repede are having a good time. Give him a scratch behind the ears for me. I enjoyed reading all about your travels and what you've been doing. I hope that you are still having fun in this great big world. I'm glad to hear that you've been continuing your training. We should spar when you come back, and Judith is a formidable foe. She could easily beat me if she ever fought at full force.

As for the blastia, I owe you an explanation that I've been meaning to give you for some time. This is the story of how the world changed only months before your arrival here.

He started it like one of Estellise's childrens' stories. A little childish for Yuri, but it would be easy for him to understand the very complex situation that had occurred and had shaken the foundations of everything that Flynn had once known.

Once upon a time....

#tales of vesperia #fluri #displaced series #tales of bad0mens is a terrible writer #holy crap its been so long since I've posted one of these that I don't remember writing most of this