#then i'm going to hit you with a giant flyswatter

[giantchasm]

"It turns out that sometimes the future actually belongs to someone else."

Happy Taransusie Tuesday, everyone! Here's...

Content that only ostensibly focuses on Taransusie and is more than anything character analysis of a third party?

How romantic! 🎉🥳

Okay, but no, seriously. Joshing aside, the other day I posted a meme about Sectonia and how she might feel about the idea of Taranza eventually moving on from her. And it was funny. We all laughed. But things can't always be goof-goof "If everyone started saying 'she sent her for you' I would start haunting literally everyone here because no I didn't." I'm a serious guy. I like exploring concepts that make me go "OUCHIE!" and so let's look at that sort of idea through a more somber lens for a moment.

...How would Sectonia feel if Taranza eventually moved on?

Now, I don't know if she's out there... somewhere in Hades or haunting his ass, but either way I think about her a lot. How she might feel in death, especially if she was returned to her right mind.

I think... Sectonia would have a lot of complicated feelings. Like, before we even get to the relationship nonsense. Let's toss all that aside for a second. I think Sectonia would be simultaneously be crushed by the state she left Taranza in and still... upset to eventually see him heal from it. She'd be glad, of course, to watch the scars she left on him fade, but all the same... seeing him make new friends— leave her behind...

That would have to hurt a little bit, wouldn't it? After all, it's not like she'd be afforded the same opportunity. She died young. Via circumstances that were hardly her fault. Of course she'd be a little bit jealous. Of course she'd be a little bit depressed. Maybe even a little bit angry. And she'd feel bad about it, but she would.

So when you factor in the idea of Taranza entering another relationship... oh my gosh, those complex feelings would only intensify. Taranza deserves to be happy. Taranza deserves to move on. She would know that rationally, but at the same time, the heart isn't always rational.

I do think ultimately she'd support him. In whatever he chose to do. Even if it hurt her a little. The least she can do is give him her blessing after everything that happened.

But that's something that applies to just about any Taranza ship. Let's talk about Susie for a moment.

I... think Susie and Sectonia are people who have some similar issues. At least in my interpretations, they're both people who have warped and maimed themselves in an endless search of perfection hoping it will grant them acceptance from others. But this hasn't granted them peace of mind, and in fact all it's done is pull them further from 'themselves.'

I don't know. I just think they'd have a lot to talk about, even in contexts that don't flagrantly disregard the Bechdel test like this one. They're both girlies who would, like, really vibe to both "Oh No!" by Marina and the Diamonds and "Body" by Mother Mother if that's a sentence that makes even a lick of sense. Their mental illnesses aren't the same, but they're like cousins. Their mental illnesses went to school together.

I think this sort of... self-recognition through the other would both make things easier and harder on Sectonia. Because on one hand, I think it would further be a reminder of all the things she'll never have no matter how badly she wants them, but I also think it would help her... have more empathy for this person she's initially inclined to see as her enemy, and maybe even help her eventually want good things for her.

It's kind of a complex scenario. More serpentine than I could possibly portray in a single comic or Tumblr post. Eventually, I'd like to write a fic from a deceased Sectonia's perspective exploring these sorts of ideas. But for now, I'll leave you with one last preposterous observation:

Perhaps this, too, is yuri. 🤖🐝

#its the age old debacle! when does wanting to be another girl wrap around to wanting to kiss her? #kirby #taransusie #taranza #susie kirby #sectonia #queen sectonia #susie haltmann #susanna patrya haltmann #kirby of the stars #hoshi no kirby #hoshi no kaabii #i think all people who ship taranza with someone other than sectonia (me included) should be forced to like #write a 2000 word essay on how she still plays into his story and would affect his ability to have relationships #and is a fascinating character in her own right who adds a more interesting angle to literally any dynamic if she's like. #explored instead of carelessly brushed aside so whoever you ship with taranza more can 'fix' him #if you devote tons of time and thought to taranza and none to her outside of occasionally like . #treating her as his one dimensional abuser/fridged woman to eventually move on from #then i'm going to hit you with a giant flyswatter #several times #but enough of me complaining #a few details in this comic are specific references to my kirbyverse/fics i've written so i'll explain those here #panel with susie & implied body horror is because in my interp she mechanized herself in a desperate attempt to stay by her fathers side #then as for those last few panels with the scarf #and taranza not wearing HIS scarf #that's actually a reference to a fic i wrote about taransusie getting together and uhhhhh How Complicated that would be #i won't explain it all i'll post it eventually but what you need to know is when Taranza decides to enter a relationship #he leaves the matching scarf he had with sectonia at the base of the dreamstalk because he feels like he no longer deserves it #but mysteriously it ends up back on his bedside table smelling of cyclamen and zinnias the next day #wow. i wonder how that happened! definitely not a sign from someone saying 'hey. it's okay. i don't hate you.' nooooooo

[ladylynse]

Got a thing based on your previous work. Going off the basis that Aftermath and Reflections take place in the same timeline. What would Randy do next in regards to the Sorceress? And how would this next journey affect what may come towards Danny's end of things? Not sure I'm making sense here.

(For those of you unfamiliar with the mentioned fics: Aftermath and Reflections; they’re both on FFnet and the AO3 if you have a preferred reading site) 

Hmm. Well, what Randy should do is try to figure out when and where the Sorceress might attack and prepare for it, right, so he can defeat her, too? Once we get past some of what he actually does–panic, video games with Howard as a distraction, trying to strike a deal with McFist and Viceroy because they kinda owe him, and showing off the Dragon Fist technique–he might get down to business and go over what he knows. Since Danny was so insistent that the Land of Shadows and the Ghost Zone are the same, or at least connected, then the least Randy can do is warn Danny that the Sorceress might be escaping that way and wind up in his usual territory first, at which point she’d cause absolute chaos. 

Danny hadn’t been expecting a call from Randy–they texted more than talked–so his answer was a bit hesitant. “Hello?”

“Heeeey, so, Danny, you remember when you came to Norrisville and the Sorcerer escaped?”

Danny blinked. Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn’t that. “He’s out again? Oh, geez, I’ll–”

“No, no, no, nonono, no. No. Not exactly. I mean. Yes. He did escape. But that was fine. I dealt with that. Had a bit of help. Not much, but, y’know, the Nomicon might get mad at me if I don’t admit I had a little help.” A pause. “Actually, I kinda teamed up with him at one point–”

“What?”

“Unexpected allies. We were fighting Evil Julian–”

“Wait, the kid with the top hat?”

“Kinda? He split himself in half. Or something like that. It’s complicated. Anyway, turns out the Sorcerer was the same, and I just had to recombine his two halves and it was all good.”

Danny seriously doubted that. Splitting yourself into two was never great–he remembered all too well going through the Fenton Ghost Catcher–but if everything had worked out just fine, Randy wouldn’t be calling him. “So–?”

“Well, First Ninja sorta…told me that this wasn’t it. That it’s not over just because I’m the Ninja who finally defeated the Sorcerer. Apparently more’s coming. And I think I know who he means, and she’ll wonk your cheese if you cross her.”

Danny had a ton of questions, but he settled on what seemed to be the most important one. “Who?”

“The Sorceress. The one who’s supposed to be trapped in the Land of Shadows. Your Ghost Zone. I might’ve mentioned her at some point. Anyway, she’s like the Sorcerer, except more powerful.”

Perfect. “When you say supposed to be trapped–?”

“Yeah, I…don’t actually know if she’s still there? The Nomicon’s not giving me anything concrete, and First Ninja just talked about doors once known and ancient enemies and stuff like that. I was hoping you could maybe ask around? See if anyone’s heard of anything?”

Danny swallowed. “And be on guard in case she tries to escape using one of the portals in Amity Park?”

“Yeah, that too.”

Despite knowing how similar the Sorcerer and Sorceress are, Randy might not actually think to look to see if she was created the same way; if she’s also the personification of someone’s inner darkness/their id/whatever, I mean. Jazz would. Immediately.

“What do you mean you don’t know anything about her?”

“Well, she wasn’t the one trapped under Norrisville for 800 years,” Randy said defensively, “and if none of the other Ninjas besides First Ninja really dealt with her, the Nomicon isn’t going to be a lot of help.”

“Okay, okay. Sorry. Look, Danny said the Sorcerer was actually part of a person? Split apart by magic? And uniting his two halves defeated him?”

“Yup. Pretty bruce, right?”

“Sure. Just– If you know this can happen to other people, Randy, if it happened to your friend, then shouldn’t you be looking for the Sorceress’s other half?”

“She was trapped in the Land of Shadows,” Randy said. “No one would’ve put her other half in there, too, even if you are right and she is split. As fun as the Land of Shadows was, I do not need to go back.”

“Maybe not the Land of Shadows specifically, Randy, but think about it. The Ghost Zone is a big place. She could be held captive elsewhere. We should help you look.” There was a pause–Jazz might’ve been waiting for an argument, but Randy was desperate enough to actually hear her out–before she continued, “And even if she isn’t in the Ghost Zone, you’ll need as much help as you can get scouring the earth to find her other half before she finds it and destroys it. Or you.”

The Infi-Map would probably come up at some point.

“This will take us where we need to be,” Danny said to Randy. “It doesn’t matter that you don’t know her real name.”

“Great One, if I may,” interjected Frostbite, “the Infi-Map takes you where you most need to be at that moment, and where you believe you must go may not be where you truly are most needed.”

Great One? Randy mouthed. 

Danny ignored him. “We need to move before the Sorceress catches up to us. Clockwork won’t tell me anything even if I ask, so this is our best shot.”

*Later*

“I thought you said this map took us where we needed to be!”

“Well, technically we did find half of–”

“Not my point and you know it!”

“And stopping her from flattening a town–”

“Still a shoob move, Phantom!”

And there would be more Nomicon excursions.

TO SEE THE PATH FORWARD, ONE MUST KNOW THE PATH ALREADY TAKEN.

“See? It still doesn’t come up with anything remotely helpful. Retracing my steps over the last few days has not helped.”

Danny scratched his head. “We could ask Jazz. She might know what it means.”

First Ninja might make another appearance.

“So, Danny, this is First Ninja. (I just call him First Ninja.) First Ninja, Danny.”

“Nice to meet you,” Danny said politely, sticking out his hand. “Um…do you have an actual name?”

First Ninja folded his hands and bowed slightly. “Names are as the wind, both fleeting and powerful, but have little consequence here.”

“Yeah, that’s why I just call him First Ninja.”

And, really, anyone else they can think of to question.

“A sorceress?” Dora blinked. “We have no dealings with sorcery anymore, Phantom. We have no reason to invite more curses upon ourselves or our people. Have you spoken with Desiree?”

“Not yet,” Danny admitted, “but she doesn’t really like, well, men, so I thought I’d try you first.”

*Later*

“No man may question me!”

“Oh, well, that’s okay, because this is…Ra…gina. She’s a ninja but really needs to track down this Sorceress, so if you could help us….”

Desiree narrowed her eyes. “Ragina?” she repeated flatly.

Randy glared at Danny but adopted a high voice, adding, “Yes! With an A, not an E. Everyone mixes it up.”

“And you’re a ninja.”

“Of course!”

“A female ninja.”

“Yes!”

“A kunoichi?”

“A what now?” Desiree crossed her arms, so Randy hurriedly corrected himself. “I mean, yes!”

*Later*

“Tell me again why we couldn’t just wish that she’d tell us whatever she knew?” Randy asked, rubbing his bum. It was still sore from that hit from the giant flyswatter Desiree had turned her hand into.

“Because she would definitely take the opportunity to mess with us. Twisting wishes is what she does.”

“And you think this Clockwork is going to be so much better when you already told Ice Giant Guy you didn’t think he’d help?”

“Frostbite. And it’s worth a shot.”

*Later*

“This is a horrible idea,” Randy groused.

Danny wasn’t too enthused, either, but they were running out of options. “She knows about the Land of Shadows.”

“Yeah, but I’ve met her. And even I know this is a bad idea.”

“We’re desperate.”

“Are we that desperate?”

“You’re the one who’s dealt with this Sorceress before. You tell me.”

Randy sighed. “Okay, fine, so we are that desperate. And totally shoobed. I hate this lady.”

“You think I like her any better after everything we’ve gone through?”

“I almost gave up being the Ninja!”

Danny raised his eyebrows, and Randy relented. “Okay, so I guess she didn’t try to kill anybody close to me. I just…. You do know how bad an idea this is, right? It’s right up there with you possessing me.”

“You’re not going to let that go, are you?”

Randy, instead of answering him, raised his hand to knock on the Spectra’s door.

So, yes, there are plenty of ways this could go, but if Randy knows Danny, he’d definitely reach out for help. He can’t afford to try to go this on his own, and he has no guarantee the Sorceress would start with Norrisville when she’s not tied to it like the Sorcerer was. And if Danny wasn’t nuts about the Land of Shadows/Ghost Zone thing, Amity Park could well be on her list. She’d love to erase a doorway (or two) to her prison that everyone knows about in favour of keeping open a secret escape.

#rc9gn #danny phantom #crossover #fanfiction #phanfiction #fic ideas #my writing #ladylynse #fantasycrest #dp snippet #rc9gn snippet #crossover snippet #snippets #asks