Did I Mention part 1: Things You Don't Do

[kitfallen]

Title: Things You Don’t Do
Genre: The World Ends With You
Rating: PG
Pairings: Eri/Shiki, Joshua/Neku
Summary: There were a lot of things that Eri had to learn not to do when she became friends with all of them.

Comments

[zilleniose]

My god, that was brilliant. I've always felt that the majority of fics centered around shortly after the game lacked something - lacked realism. The fact that you zoned in on the fact that everyone would certainly have scars from the Game is already far more than I've seen from other fics. It's cute and all to see everyone happy with a sugar-sweet ending where everyone just accepts what happened in the Game, but I hardly think that's how it would work in the real world.

The fact that everyone's afraid of Joshua is another point I've rarely seen, and think is something very much key in showing realistic reactions about the Game as a whole. Of course Neku trusts him and even invited him into the group, but I still could never see everyone accepting him right away, after all he's done. Of course, I would love to see more chapters of this, perhaps with a small emphasis on how everyone gradually begins to accept the Composer as their friend.

And I just love how most everything is centered on Eri. It really gives a different perspective on things, and allows the reader to see each character for themselves without the constant interference of flashbacks from the Game. Also, we need more Shiki/Eri. And Joshua/Neku. But you already know that

[kitfallen]

I absolutely love writing realism into worlds that everyone assumes are 'happy-go-lucky' with flowers and puppys and all that. I think that the very fact they went through so much trauma would be a reason for the Reapers to erase their memories of the Game after coming back to life--but I have my reasons why that didn't happen. I really enjoy writing the aftereffects of psychological trauma, actually (as twisted as that sounds) and no matter what other fics say, I definitely don't think everyone would have been 'just fine' after what happened to them.

Hell, if all of that had happened to me, I would be terrified of Joshua. The only way I could see them accepting Josh is if they forgot the last day and Neku never told them. I'm already writing a parallel of this story in Josh's point of view, because I wanted to show things that might have otherwise been missed. If the plot evolves anymore, I might just go ahead and write each chapter in a different character's mindsets.

I don't get why more people don't write Eri in, she's such a good character to use to get an 'outsider's' view of the group--especially because seeing it from the outside lets you know how strange it was, what happened to them. Plus, as you said, I didn't have to be run down with constant reminders of the Game and flashbacks as they remember exactly why Beat doesn't want people to touch his shoulders, or Shiki doesn't like people to touch her neck. It lets you draw your own conclusions, and if those are different then mine, then so be it.

Definitely need more Eri/Shiki, and Josh/Neku--can never have too much of those boys. ;D