Final Fantasy VII fan mix - Tseng/Elena || "Stolen Season"
Background (aka 'where Hannah talks a lot about Elena and Tseng even though she knows no one ever reads this stuff'): Being the huge Final Fantasy fan that I am, I decided to put together a mix for one of the many ships in the Final Fantasy VII world, Tseng/Elena. This ship is somewhat canon, somewhat not; since neither play important roles in the game or Advent Children, a lot has to be inferred about the relationship the two have. Enter Casualties of War, one of the best Tseng/Elena fics I have ever read. Casualties of War explains what happens to Tseng and Elena during Advent Children - but more importantly, it captures the personalities of both very eloquently, to the point where I can easily see this fic as being a part of the actual movie script that the writers cut out for time. The mix itself was mostly inspired by the song "Falling For You" by Jem, which I happened to listen to one day shortly after reading Casualties of War, and after that I just couldn't get Tseng/Elena out of my head until I had put together something to commemorate their feelings for one another. This mix mostly focuses on Elena and Tseng during and after Advent Children; Aeris also plays a part, since I think the feelings Tseng had for her play a part in preventing him hooking up with Elena sooner. ;)
Needless to say, I had a ton of fun putting this mix together. The front cover is a fan art I found at FF Gallery, made by Beautifully-Twisted. The back art probably doesn't need an explanation, but I'm going to talk about it anyway because I had waaay too much fun with it (so if you don't care, just stop reading now :p). The Post-Its on the left are Tseng's; the ones on the right are Elena's. The notepad started out as something that was going to act as a diary for both Tseng and Elena (see the journal entries at the top and bottom?), but after I had added the songs list, I thought it would be fun to pretend that Elena had put these songs together, and that's why I have that bit on the side of the pad there. Tseng would be slightly grumpy and annoyed with Elena, so I had his name crossed out.
Anyway. After some of the lyrics I have quotes in brackets, which are from the fic Casualties of War (yes, I am pimping this thing liek whoa). In case anyone was wondering. ;)
o1. Radiohead - Prove Yourself [[Elena]]
I wanna breathe, I wanna grow
I'd say I want it but I don't know how
I work, I bleed, I beg and I pray
But I'm better off dead
I'm better off dead
I'm better off
Prove yourself
Prove yourself
Prove yourself
[He saw her face clench as she took the words to heart, thinking it all over. She didn’t look sad or desperate, and she made no foolish arguments the way she often had when she first joined. For a moment it struck Tseng how different she seemed after they had been separate for that year and a half. Where she had always been intelligent and resourceful, now she was much less naive, and more professional and dedicated than many to wear the suit before her.]
In her early days as a Turk, Elena always felt the need to prove herself to the world. Now, Elena has become more self-confident, and Tseng admires her for that.
o2. KT Tunstall - Miniature Disasters [[Tseng]]
Don't have to raise my voice
Don't have to be underhand
Just got to understand
That it's gonna be up and down
It's gonna be lost and found
And I can't take to the sky
Before I like it on the ground
And I need to be patient
And I need to be brave
Need to discover
How I need to behave
[Ever the Turk. Elena doubted anyone else could so coldly talk about being tortured.]
This song describes how I imagine Tseng to have been when he first became leader of the Turks. Calm, collected, and cool, Tseng is patient and brave, yet fiercely protective of all his Turks, including Elena.
o3. October Project - Always [[Elena]]
I have come to know you
Over all these years
We've seen many days come and go
After all the time we've shared
All the secrets told
Will you ever say I love you
After all the time they’ve spent together, Elena wonders if Tseng loves her.
o4. Delta Goodrem - Born to Try [[Elena]]
No point in talking what you should have been
And regretting the things that went on
Life's full of mistakes, destinies and fate
Remove the clouds look at the bigger picture
But I was born to try
Elena feels that she must at least try for Tseng’s love - she cannot sit around and wait for him to act.
o5. October Project - Funeral In His Heart [[Tseng]]
He had a love
It was keeping him alive
It was someone else ago
So he tried to hide it
But he knew he'd never let it go
The world is falling apart
He's getting older
And there's a funeral in his heart
Tseng had known Aeris since his childhood, and harbored deep feelings for her. When she dies, he must learn how to move on.
o6. Boa - Twilight [[Elena to Tseng]]
Your feelings and mine are all holy and
You give me an inner sanctity
You feel the same way that I do for you, about her
Your word and my word and her word is
Yesterday, today and tomorrow
And twilight gives me
An inner sanctity
[Tseng sighed wearily, and for a moment she heard the wear of hard years and old pains that he had learned long ago to deal with. For a second she could see the weariness on his face and realized the toll the job had taken on him, and she wondered if someone else had been able to tell him the things she wanted to say, someone long ago who hadn’t lasted as long as he had. Obviously speaking from experience, Tseng murmured, "There's never a right moment.”]
Another Tseng/Aeris song, this time from Elena’s point of view.
o7. Jem - Falling For You [[Tseng]]
Yeah I can feel it, baby
I feel like I'm falling for you
But I'm scared to, let go
I'm scared ‘cause my heart has been hurt so
And I've got to be sure
’Cause it's been so long
And I cannot take the pain again
If it all goes wrong
Tseng holds back his feelings for Elena because he is afraid she might leave him.
o8. Live - She [[Tseng]]
Like a flower
I can see but I can't feel
Oh yeah
And nothing that you do could ever make me run, run away from you
I never knew, I never knew she could
She set my soul free
Now every word that she speaks to me is pure gold
She set my soul free
She give me love, give me hope, give me strength to bear my faults for you
Elena helps Tseng move past his feelings for Aeris.
o9. The 69 Eyes - Stolen Season [[Both]]
But your tears are not mine
I don't care if I die
As long as I can have you by my side
All forgotten is gone
To sing this lonely song
Things just happen without no reason
Love's a stolen season
Self-explanatory, I think. This song just jumped out at me when I was looking for something to describe the relationship between Elena and Tseng.
The zip!
Right-click + save as. Also, if you want songs individually uploaded, let me know.
And many, many thanks to whelchelphd for the hosting space! =D
As always, feedback is love. :)
Needless to say, I had a ton of fun putting this mix together. The front cover is a fan art I found at FF Gallery, made by Beautifully-Twisted. The back art probably doesn't need an explanation, but I'm going to talk about it anyway because I had waaay too much fun with it (so if you don't care, just stop reading now :p). The Post-Its on the left are Tseng's; the ones on the right are Elena's. The notepad started out as something that was going to act as a diary for both Tseng and Elena (see the journal entries at the top and bottom?), but after I had added the songs list, I thought it would be fun to pretend that Elena had put these songs together, and that's why I have that bit on the side of the pad there. Tseng would be slightly grumpy and annoyed with Elena, so I had his name crossed out.
Anyway. After some of the lyrics I have quotes in brackets, which are from the fic Casualties of War (yes, I am pimping this thing liek whoa). In case anyone was wondering. ;)
o1. Radiohead - Prove Yourself [[Elena]]
I wanna breathe, I wanna grow
I'd say I want it but I don't know how
I work, I bleed, I beg and I pray
But I'm better off dead
I'm better off dead
I'm better off
Prove yourself
Prove yourself
Prove yourself
[He saw her face clench as she took the words to heart, thinking it all over. She didn’t look sad or desperate, and she made no foolish arguments the way she often had when she first joined. For a moment it struck Tseng how different she seemed after they had been separate for that year and a half. Where she had always been intelligent and resourceful, now she was much less naive, and more professional and dedicated than many to wear the suit before her.]
In her early days as a Turk, Elena always felt the need to prove herself to the world. Now, Elena has become more self-confident, and Tseng admires her for that.
o2. KT Tunstall - Miniature Disasters [[Tseng]]
Don't have to raise my voice
Don't have to be underhand
Just got to understand
That it's gonna be up and down
It's gonna be lost and found
And I can't take to the sky
Before I like it on the ground
And I need to be patient
And I need to be brave
Need to discover
How I need to behave
[Ever the Turk. Elena doubted anyone else could so coldly talk about being tortured.]
This song describes how I imagine Tseng to have been when he first became leader of the Turks. Calm, collected, and cool, Tseng is patient and brave, yet fiercely protective of all his Turks, including Elena.
o3. October Project - Always [[Elena]]
I have come to know you
Over all these years
We've seen many days come and go
After all the time we've shared
All the secrets told
Will you ever say I love you
After all the time they’ve spent together, Elena wonders if Tseng loves her.
o4. Delta Goodrem - Born to Try [[Elena]]
No point in talking what you should have been
And regretting the things that went on
Life's full of mistakes, destinies and fate
Remove the clouds look at the bigger picture
But I was born to try
Elena feels that she must at least try for Tseng’s love - she cannot sit around and wait for him to act.
o5. October Project - Funeral In His Heart [[Tseng]]
He had a love
It was keeping him alive
It was someone else ago
So he tried to hide it
But he knew he'd never let it go
The world is falling apart
He's getting older
And there's a funeral in his heart
Tseng had known Aeris since his childhood, and harbored deep feelings for her. When she dies, he must learn how to move on.
o6. Boa - Twilight [[Elena to Tseng]]
Your feelings and mine are all holy and
You give me an inner sanctity
You feel the same way that I do for you, about her
Your word and my word and her word is
Yesterday, today and tomorrow
And twilight gives me
An inner sanctity
[Tseng sighed wearily, and for a moment she heard the wear of hard years and old pains that he had learned long ago to deal with. For a second she could see the weariness on his face and realized the toll the job had taken on him, and she wondered if someone else had been able to tell him the things she wanted to say, someone long ago who hadn’t lasted as long as he had. Obviously speaking from experience, Tseng murmured, "There's never a right moment.”]
Another Tseng/Aeris song, this time from Elena’s point of view.
o7. Jem - Falling For You [[Tseng]]
Yeah I can feel it, baby
I feel like I'm falling for you
But I'm scared to, let go
I'm scared ‘cause my heart has been hurt so
And I've got to be sure
’Cause it's been so long
And I cannot take the pain again
If it all goes wrong
Tseng holds back his feelings for Elena because he is afraid she might leave him.
o8. Live - She [[Tseng]]
Like a flower
I can see but I can't feel
Oh yeah
And nothing that you do could ever make me run, run away from you
I never knew, I never knew she could
She set my soul free
Now every word that she speaks to me is pure gold
She set my soul free
She give me love, give me hope, give me strength to bear my faults for you
Elena helps Tseng move past his feelings for Aeris.
o9. The 69 Eyes - Stolen Season [[Both]]
But your tears are not mine
I don't care if I die
As long as I can have you by my side
All forgotten is gone
To sing this lonely song
Things just happen without no reason
Love's a stolen season
Self-explanatory, I think. This song just jumped out at me when I was looking for something to describe the relationship between Elena and Tseng.
The zip!
Right-click + save as. Also, if you want songs individually uploaded, let me know.
And many, many thanks to whelchelphd for the hosting space! =D
As always, feedback is love. :)