anime and commonweatlh essay
Finished watching Loveless and started watching Gravitation. I'm watching Gravitation slower cause I don't have #11. Though I'm hard pressed not to just keep watching regardless of whatever #11 is.
Loveless is so pretty and cute but a little depressing. Gravitation is uber cute and much more light-hearted than Loveless although it has some heartwrenching moments too. Gravitation is also Loveless' opposite in the sense that it's the younger one going after the older one. Though that has been said on anime sites and such already. Defying the norm, ne? But what they have in common is that they kinda start with unexpected kisses with the main leads. Soubi saying he won't do anything to Ritsuka before proceeding to kiss him and Eiri being totally pissed with Shuichi but kisses him in the end. Tsk tsk.
Oh and She-Kaye, Eiri seriously does sound like Sanzo (though we know he's voiced by Inoue Kazuhiko-san) and has many of Sanzo's characteristics. 'Cept that Sanzo will never write love stories. XD
I just had a fanfiction idea of crossing over Prince of Tennis and Loveless too. Blame it on Minagawa Junko-san. She voices Ryoma and Ritsuka exactly the same way and it's so very lovely. I'm likely to mix them up while writing that fanfiction, which will be about them swapping bodies. XD Ryoma will end up in the Loveless universe, utterly shocked that he has cat ears and tail and that many people have them too. Ritsuka will be transported in to PoT universe, horrified to find that he doesn't have his ears and tail and that nobody around him does too. It's going to be utterly cute I think. Soubi will have to contend with Ritsuka who is not Ritsuka and the Seigaku team will have to find a way to make people think Ryoma is still Ryoma. Heehee.
The only problem is that I am likely to have to write Tezuka/Ryoma pairing for this story idea... Hmm... unless I can think of some way to make Tezuka/Fuji still possible. Or I can keep the PoT-verse free of pairings (but it's so difficult!!). Although I guess I could always try something out of my usual comfort zone. I mean, the Commonwealth Essay this year was a headache cause I'm not too used to writing subterfuge and characters like Rufus Shinra during the FFVII game timeline. But I've completed it and I think I'm pretty satisfied with it overall. ^^
So just to share with everyone the essay under the cut!
Raye hated being watched. He hated the idea of scrutinizing a person - especially an innocent. He never liked being restricted or having his every move analysed. Having lived a life on the streets, he valued freedom and to be himself more than anything else.
That was precisely why he had a love-hate relationship with his job.
It was stated simply enough in his job description. He was to be a bodyguard for the Zanguine Company's top guns. That, however, was only on paper.
"After observing you for several weeks, I've decided to transfer you, Raye. You will be part of Zero."
"Zero?"
"Yes, and your first assignment will be to spy for me."
He was a spy for President Zanguine, currently spying on said President's one and only son. All because the President was too paranoid about his dear little boy deciding to overthrow him and become President instead.
"But sir... he's your son..."
"That doesn't matter. If you refuse this assignment, your memory will be permanently blanked and we will never meet again... you know what I mean, don't you?"
He could not quit this job, not merely because of the death threat. It had taken him out of the dingy streets and into having a more or less stable income. Although in other aspects, the business world was much like the streets. Just that these people were more sophisticated and probably had the ability to conceal the truth about "unfortunate deaths". If he could survive on the streets, he would survive here where backstabbing became literal only after a certain point.
The only thing Raye could draw comfort from was that he was not the only one in this position. His Zero colleagues all had his job description - the one on paper and the miscellaneous ones that were not. It was just that he happened to be the bodyguard cum spy for Zanguine Junior a lot more often.
Two days ago, he found out why.
"Your name is Raye, am I right?" came the cool, aristocratic voice of Richard Zanguine.
While surprised that the Vice-President of the company would address him after weeks of ordering him around, Raye still replied as required, "That's right, sir."
"No surname?"
"Nope, sir. Lived on the streets, don't know who my parents were."
He watched as Richard leaned back on his high-backed chair, eyes closed in contemplation over his answer. Deciding that it would do no harm, he gave his superior a quick once-over.
Richard Zanguine was a young man. In fact, he was at least two years younger than Raye himself. Raye knew he was young - he was just twenty-one - for his line of job. So it seemed that President Zanguine was afraid of his nineteen-year-old son trying to overthrow him. It was laughable.
Why he was not laughing was because he had been around Richard enough to know that he was extremely intelligent and impressive in the art of subterfuge.
Raye was not sure that President Zanguine knew about his son's talents in subterfuge. If he did, Richard would surely have been shipped off somewhere far from the main office so that his "attempts" at overthrowing the President would be nonexistent.
"I have been observing you for some time, Raye... and I think you're suitable to help me accomplish something."
He was being observed? Richard also wanted him to help accomplish something that, from the calculating way the Vice-President spoke, was important. Interesting. "Me?"
"Yes. But before that, I'd like to know what my father thinks of what I've been doing. He... how should I put it... doesn't know the meaning of feedback, whenever I'm concerned."
"The President is pleased with the deals you've secured whilst fighting off the other companies' attempts to oust us from having a monopoly."
"How very politically correct. As I mentioned earlier, I have been observing you, Raye... You do not usually say what's expected of you, much to the chagrin of many... I assure you; you can speak whatever you want here. Nothing will leak out to my father - if that is what you're afraid of."
"Well, the President is worried about how you secured some of the more difficult deals."
"Which is why you are here. To keep him updated on what I've been doing. You serve the same purpose as the bugs and extra hidden cameras I've disabled in this very office."
So he knew. Raye could not decide whether he should be surprised or not. "Guess no one can keep you in the dark, eh sir?"
"Is it really a secret that my father is worried that I will usurp him before he - if ever - is ready to let me succeed him?" Richard questioned rhetorically with a hint of disdain. "What do you think of my father's ways of running the company?"
Raye knew what he did not like about the President¡¯s ways. One such example was sitting right in front of him. "The President thinks that money can do anything, and if that doesn't work, he pulls out Zero. In time, someone will defy him regardless of the amount of money he can stuff into one's pocket, or the number of assassins he has at his disposal. Plus, I don't like spying on people who have no reason to be under such scrutiny."
"I'm glad we share the same views, Raye. Money is a powerful weapon, but it cannot build loyalty. Once you have fallen from grace, everyone will desert you. As for ruling with fear, we have seen history repeat itself countless times. Those empires with dictators all ended in tragedy. What the company needs is true loyalty... and trust."
"I'll say the President does have cause to be concerned."
"But I trust you won't tell my father."
Raye's eyes widened, surprised, "How can you trust me so easily? I'm just an employee. I have to do whatever it takes to continue being employed."
"You've never told my father about some of my methods to secure deals, have you? Things like assuring our partners that I will make sure that my father will not be able to interfere with the business deals I clinch." A tiny smirk was curling Richard's lips.
"..."
"As uninformed as my father is trying to keep me, I have ways to obtain information. Zen, particularly, has been very helpful."
Zen was the leader of Zero. If Richard had Zen on his side... "You're trying to win over Zero... Win over me."
"No, not trying but succeeding. You see Raye, by not reporting everything I do to my father and stating his faults to me, you're already subconsciously showing me support," Richard replied, the subtle smirk he had before becoming more pronounced. "I haven't done much to sway you. All the reassurance you had was that you wouldn't lose your job because of this encounter."
Richard Zanguine was cunning. He was going to overthrow his father by gaining the loyalty of the employees. What better way than to start with Zero, arguably the most dangerous section of the Zanguine Company? Once he had Zero on his side, the other employees would follow for there would no longer be any physical threat. By then, President Zanguine would have nothing. Then if Richard was kind enough, he might let his father be the figurehead while he ran everything behind the scenes.
Richard also knew how to gain someone's loyalty without throwing in any incentives. By allowing Raye to be around him through bodyguard duty, he let his actions prove that he was someone worth allegiance. Usually Raye disliked being manipulated, but the young Vice-President had a much better way of running the company. Like Richard had predicted, he was willing to give his loyalty to the Vice-President.
"Got me there, sir. Fine, you have won me over. What do you want me to do?"
The smirk morphed into a smile. It was a smile of satisfaction sans smugness. "Excellent. It'll be a pleasure working with you Raye. I know it."
He was still a spy. This time, however, it was for Richard. He would be reporting back to Richard what the President was doing and any measures that were to limit Richard's access to company resources and data. Zen used to have this job exclusively, but Raye had gained the President's favour because he always seemed to have information on Richard.
What the President need not know was that they were never the complete truth - if at all.
President Zanguine would never know what hit him when the time came. Soon after Raye himself, the last two members of Zero pledged their loyalty to Richard. In all situations, Zero moved swiftly and silently, as required by the President. This time, it would be working against him. Very soon, the takeover of the company would be complete and the rebellion would be right at the President's doorstep.
So much for scrutiny when the old man never even had eyes to begin with.
Word Count: 1494
Raye = Reno (I had a hell of a time trying to think of a replacement name. But nothing beats Reno in the end.)
Zanguine Company = Shinra Company
Zero = The Turks (The idea came from Loveless actually. But it does fit in this context.)
President Zanguine = dead President Shinra
Richard Zanguine = Rufus Shinra
Zen = Tseng (Because Tseng is always so calm.)
Replace all those words, and I'll have a Final Fantasy VII Game AU story. XD Oh and I just made the maximum word limit of 1500 too. ^^ Though I wonder, is it "under the microscope" enough? As in the scrutiny feeling?
Loveless is so pretty and cute but a little depressing. Gravitation is uber cute and much more light-hearted than Loveless although it has some heartwrenching moments too. Gravitation is also Loveless' opposite in the sense that it's the younger one going after the older one. Though that has been said on anime sites and such already. Defying the norm, ne? But what they have in common is that they kinda start with unexpected kisses with the main leads. Soubi saying he won't do anything to Ritsuka before proceeding to kiss him and Eiri being totally pissed with Shuichi but kisses him in the end. Tsk tsk.
Oh and She-Kaye, Eiri seriously does sound like Sanzo (though we know he's voiced by Inoue Kazuhiko-san) and has many of Sanzo's characteristics. 'Cept that Sanzo will never write love stories. XD
I just had a fanfiction idea of crossing over Prince of Tennis and Loveless too. Blame it on Minagawa Junko-san. She voices Ryoma and Ritsuka exactly the same way and it's so very lovely. I'm likely to mix them up while writing that fanfiction, which will be about them swapping bodies. XD Ryoma will end up in the Loveless universe, utterly shocked that he has cat ears and tail and that many people have them too. Ritsuka will be transported in to PoT universe, horrified to find that he doesn't have his ears and tail and that nobody around him does too. It's going to be utterly cute I think. Soubi will have to contend with Ritsuka who is not Ritsuka and the Seigaku team will have to find a way to make people think Ryoma is still Ryoma. Heehee.
The only problem is that I am likely to have to write Tezuka/Ryoma pairing for this story idea... Hmm... unless I can think of some way to make Tezuka/Fuji still possible. Or I can keep the PoT-verse free of pairings (but it's so difficult!!). Although I guess I could always try something out of my usual comfort zone. I mean, the Commonwealth Essay this year was a headache cause I'm not too used to writing subterfuge and characters like Rufus Shinra during the FFVII game timeline. But I've completed it and I think I'm pretty satisfied with it overall. ^^
So just to share with everyone the essay under the cut!
Raye hated being watched. He hated the idea of scrutinizing a person - especially an innocent. He never liked being restricted or having his every move analysed. Having lived a life on the streets, he valued freedom and to be himself more than anything else.
That was precisely why he had a love-hate relationship with his job.
It was stated simply enough in his job description. He was to be a bodyguard for the Zanguine Company's top guns. That, however, was only on paper.
"After observing you for several weeks, I've decided to transfer you, Raye. You will be part of Zero."
"Zero?"
"Yes, and your first assignment will be to spy for me."
He was a spy for President Zanguine, currently spying on said President's one and only son. All because the President was too paranoid about his dear little boy deciding to overthrow him and become President instead.
"But sir... he's your son..."
"That doesn't matter. If you refuse this assignment, your memory will be permanently blanked and we will never meet again... you know what I mean, don't you?"
He could not quit this job, not merely because of the death threat. It had taken him out of the dingy streets and into having a more or less stable income. Although in other aspects, the business world was much like the streets. Just that these people were more sophisticated and probably had the ability to conceal the truth about "unfortunate deaths". If he could survive on the streets, he would survive here where backstabbing became literal only after a certain point.
The only thing Raye could draw comfort from was that he was not the only one in this position. His Zero colleagues all had his job description - the one on paper and the miscellaneous ones that were not. It was just that he happened to be the bodyguard cum spy for Zanguine Junior a lot more often.
Two days ago, he found out why.
"Your name is Raye, am I right?" came the cool, aristocratic voice of Richard Zanguine.
While surprised that the Vice-President of the company would address him after weeks of ordering him around, Raye still replied as required, "That's right, sir."
"No surname?"
"Nope, sir. Lived on the streets, don't know who my parents were."
He watched as Richard leaned back on his high-backed chair, eyes closed in contemplation over his answer. Deciding that it would do no harm, he gave his superior a quick once-over.
Richard Zanguine was a young man. In fact, he was at least two years younger than Raye himself. Raye knew he was young - he was just twenty-one - for his line of job. So it seemed that President Zanguine was afraid of his nineteen-year-old son trying to overthrow him. It was laughable.
Why he was not laughing was because he had been around Richard enough to know that he was extremely intelligent and impressive in the art of subterfuge.
Raye was not sure that President Zanguine knew about his son's talents in subterfuge. If he did, Richard would surely have been shipped off somewhere far from the main office so that his "attempts" at overthrowing the President would be nonexistent.
"I have been observing you for some time, Raye... and I think you're suitable to help me accomplish something."
He was being observed? Richard also wanted him to help accomplish something that, from the calculating way the Vice-President spoke, was important. Interesting. "Me?"
"Yes. But before that, I'd like to know what my father thinks of what I've been doing. He... how should I put it... doesn't know the meaning of feedback, whenever I'm concerned."
"The President is pleased with the deals you've secured whilst fighting off the other companies' attempts to oust us from having a monopoly."
"How very politically correct. As I mentioned earlier, I have been observing you, Raye... You do not usually say what's expected of you, much to the chagrin of many... I assure you; you can speak whatever you want here. Nothing will leak out to my father - if that is what you're afraid of."
"Well, the President is worried about how you secured some of the more difficult deals."
"Which is why you are here. To keep him updated on what I've been doing. You serve the same purpose as the bugs and extra hidden cameras I've disabled in this very office."
So he knew. Raye could not decide whether he should be surprised or not. "Guess no one can keep you in the dark, eh sir?"
"Is it really a secret that my father is worried that I will usurp him before he - if ever - is ready to let me succeed him?" Richard questioned rhetorically with a hint of disdain. "What do you think of my father's ways of running the company?"
Raye knew what he did not like about the President¡¯s ways. One such example was sitting right in front of him. "The President thinks that money can do anything, and if that doesn't work, he pulls out Zero. In time, someone will defy him regardless of the amount of money he can stuff into one's pocket, or the number of assassins he has at his disposal. Plus, I don't like spying on people who have no reason to be under such scrutiny."
"I'm glad we share the same views, Raye. Money is a powerful weapon, but it cannot build loyalty. Once you have fallen from grace, everyone will desert you. As for ruling with fear, we have seen history repeat itself countless times. Those empires with dictators all ended in tragedy. What the company needs is true loyalty... and trust."
"I'll say the President does have cause to be concerned."
"But I trust you won't tell my father."
Raye's eyes widened, surprised, "How can you trust me so easily? I'm just an employee. I have to do whatever it takes to continue being employed."
"You've never told my father about some of my methods to secure deals, have you? Things like assuring our partners that I will make sure that my father will not be able to interfere with the business deals I clinch." A tiny smirk was curling Richard's lips.
"..."
"As uninformed as my father is trying to keep me, I have ways to obtain information. Zen, particularly, has been very helpful."
Zen was the leader of Zero. If Richard had Zen on his side... "You're trying to win over Zero... Win over me."
"No, not trying but succeeding. You see Raye, by not reporting everything I do to my father and stating his faults to me, you're already subconsciously showing me support," Richard replied, the subtle smirk he had before becoming more pronounced. "I haven't done much to sway you. All the reassurance you had was that you wouldn't lose your job because of this encounter."
Richard Zanguine was cunning. He was going to overthrow his father by gaining the loyalty of the employees. What better way than to start with Zero, arguably the most dangerous section of the Zanguine Company? Once he had Zero on his side, the other employees would follow for there would no longer be any physical threat. By then, President Zanguine would have nothing. Then if Richard was kind enough, he might let his father be the figurehead while he ran everything behind the scenes.
Richard also knew how to gain someone's loyalty without throwing in any incentives. By allowing Raye to be around him through bodyguard duty, he let his actions prove that he was someone worth allegiance. Usually Raye disliked being manipulated, but the young Vice-President had a much better way of running the company. Like Richard had predicted, he was willing to give his loyalty to the Vice-President.
"Got me there, sir. Fine, you have won me over. What do you want me to do?"
The smirk morphed into a smile. It was a smile of satisfaction sans smugness. "Excellent. It'll be a pleasure working with you Raye. I know it."
He was still a spy. This time, however, it was for Richard. He would be reporting back to Richard what the President was doing and any measures that were to limit Richard's access to company resources and data. Zen used to have this job exclusively, but Raye had gained the President's favour because he always seemed to have information on Richard.
What the President need not know was that they were never the complete truth - if at all.
President Zanguine would never know what hit him when the time came. Soon after Raye himself, the last two members of Zero pledged their loyalty to Richard. In all situations, Zero moved swiftly and silently, as required by the President. This time, it would be working against him. Very soon, the takeover of the company would be complete and the rebellion would be right at the President's doorstep.
So much for scrutiny when the old man never even had eyes to begin with.
Word Count: 1494
Raye = Reno (I had a hell of a time trying to think of a replacement name. But nothing beats Reno in the end.)
Zanguine Company = Shinra Company
Zero = The Turks (The idea came from Loveless actually. But it does fit in this context.)
President Zanguine = dead President Shinra
Richard Zanguine = Rufus Shinra
Zen = Tseng (Because Tseng is always so calm.)
Replace all those words, and I'll have a Final Fantasy VII Game AU story. XD Oh and I just made the maximum word limit of 1500 too. ^^ Though I wonder, is it "under the microscope" enough? As in the scrutiny feeling?