I come bearing gifts
I'm new to Larsa/Penelo...in fact, if it weren't for the exceptional works of authors like mariagoner or sheffiesharpe, I might never have worked up much interest in this pair. But now they have captured my imagination, and in lieu of poorly written fanfic, I offer a Fan Soundtrack. The goal, aside from using appropriate Larsa, Penelo, and LarsaxPenelo songs, was to overview the general likeliest trend of their relationship. Without getting too wordy, like I always do, like I am now.
Even with my best efforts, this sucker is a monster. So I broke it down into individual downloads, and then one big one if you prefer. Enjoy.
*Note: This takes place in the future, when Larsa is old enough that Penelo is not a dirty, dirty woman.
Beautiful (Flickerstick)
You could be the devil in my bed
You could be the angel in my head…
I could be the drug you can't resist
I could be the antidote you missed…
You’re so beautiful, you’re beautiful today
You’re so beautiful, beautiful in every little way
When it comes to Penelo, Larsa knows what is, and what might be. The hard part is making those two things meet in the middle. In fact, he’d have to be crazy to try.
Interestingly, his family has a history of insanity.
Varulven (Garmarna)
Swedish/instrumental
The world is currently saved from the evils of war, but what about the natural evils in the deep, forgotten places of Ivalice? What about the shadowy evil creatures that inconveniently hang out, en masse, near large stashes of treasure? Oh it’s a dangerous dance, playing pirate in the dark, but she’s fast and she’s skilled and she knows all the steps.
Thieving(Lovedrug)
Would you believe me if I told you that fairy tales come true
When I'm with you
So Larsa’s a bright boy who grew up with a big library and a lot of free time - in between titles like The Great Big Book of Potions and Lace Up Boots Around the World, he’s probably seen a fairy tale or two. And then one day he rescues a fair maiden and swears to her his love protection, and now years later he’s the Emperor and she’s beautiful and really, it all just validates his suspicions that fairy tales are not as improbable as they seem.
Dance? Alright, but I'm giving it one last fight
I fancy not your night, I'm not your girl, your whore, your hell
Of course, Penelo isn’t nearly as optimistic about his proposal - she’s a sky pirate born in a shop and raised in a gutter, and there was never anything in any of those worlds that makes her very good monarch material. But she’ll dance to his steps, even if they are dangerous, even if they are crazy…for now. Just for now.
Hey Pretty (Poe)
Hey Pretty, do you wanna take a ride with me
Into my world?
And dammit, she’s a sky pirate. What good is being a rule-breaker if it doesn’t entitle you to seduce whoever you damn well please? Even Emperors. Especially Emperors. Emperors with slightly crazy, way-too-perceptive eyes that can see right through her head and into her soul. Emperors who are really, really pretty.
Oh, she’s going to the special hell.
Ruled By Secrecy (Muse)
Repress and restrain
Steal the pressure and the pain
Wash the blood off your hands
This time she won't understand
Being the absolute monarch of a country with Archadia’s size and power is neither easy nor, sometimes, all that noble. Those in power often have to make decisions, pass judgments, and agree to deals that make their personal morals twist a little inside. How do you explain that to a woman who gives a handful of gil to every orphan she meets, even when she’s scraping for money herself? Larsa’s answer: you don’t. You just angst about it to yourself and try to keep her out of it.
How Strong Do You Think I Am? (Alexz Johnson)
If I move in any closer, if you let go and give yourself away,
and if we let this happen to us, everything will change.
How strong do you think I am?
How much can I take of this?
Am I a rock, or a rose, or a fist?
Or the breath at the end of a kiss?
And it’s all OK, as long as they don’t take this too seriously, right? As long as she keeps it light and fun, she won’t get hurt too bad when he finally remembers that whole royalty thing of his, puts her aside, and marries some hussy princess. She’ll be fine when it happens, because it’s all just seduction and laughter and intelligent conversation and some good memories with her friend Larsa. She really ought to stop coming to Archadia as often, ought to start cutting back on these moments so that it won’t be such a big deal when they have to stop. It won’t be some big dramatic thing.
It won’t hurt at all.
Over My Head (The Fray)
And suddenly I become a part of your past
I'm becoming the part that don't last
I'm losing you and its effortless
It’s not easy to keep a relationship going when the world demands your every attention. It’s really not easy to keep a relationship going when the other half of it insists on flying off to some dungeon or death trap and disappearing off the map for days at a time, only to suddenly send a casual note scribbled on a the torn corner of what might have been a map. (“Dear Larsa, I’m alive, temporarily rich, and in Bhujurba. Will see you when the hangover wears off.”)
Gravity (Vienna Teng)
I am a constant satellite of your blazing sun
my love, I obey your law of gravity
this is the fate you've carved on me
All these great reasons to stay away, and she just keeps going back. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, maybe it’s just that he’s one of her best friends, or that he’s so happy to see her when she walks in, or the way she’s starting to equate his smile with coming home at the end of the day…besides, she left her favorite scarf here last month, and she wants it back. Oh, and the bracelet from last week. Hell, she’ll probably forget her favorite hair-ribbon tomorrow, so she better schedule a run back here next week…
When You Go (Jonathan Coulton)
I saw this coming but still I am caught by surprise
All of this time I knew that I’d be losing you
That doesn’t mean that it’s okay
That doesn’t mean I’m ready
Fold my heart up small, or break it into pieces
Find somewhere and keep it there
Take it when you go
She leaves little pieces of herself when she comes: her scarves, little scribbled notes by the bed (“gone to Rozarria, eat more vegetables or you'll stunt your growth”), her perfume on the cushion, a vial of hi-potion that she mixed using the recipe he taught her. She takes little pieces of him when she goes: the gold-edged pen she swiped from his desk (“to you it’s a pen, to me, it’s at least three elixirs and a hat”), the new potion formula he concocted for her, his heart.
The Saddest Song I’ve Got (Annie Lennox)
Darling are you feeling
The same thing that I'm seeing?
The troubles of the day
Took my breath away
And I want you not, I need you not
This is the saddest song I've got
The life of a sky pirate is not all jaunty eye-patches and treasure. Sometimes things are rough, like when you’re tired and hungry and Vaan’s covered in bruises from that last Mark and you’re low on energy, potions and gil, and oh, look, by royal decree, His Majesty Larsa Ferrinas Solidor will be married this coming New Year to Her Royal Highness Some Bimbo With Money.
I Will Find You (Clannad)
No matter where you go
I will find you
If it takes a thousand years
She can run off and sulk about this state marriage all she wants. Larsa has a family history of obsessive behavior and the kind of determination to fix things that led him as a child to try to save the world, all by his lonesome if he had to. Add that to all the resources of a large, powerful monarchy, and there is only one conclusion. He’ll find her. He’ll make this right.
Red Rose (Yokko Kano)
Instrumental
Penelo dances. It’s a complicated, fast moving rhythm, and when she’s finally still again, the handful of gil at her feet doesn’t surprise her but the voice behind her, in her ear, does. (“Your amazing flexibility has never failed to impress me.”)
Gravity of Love (Enigma)
Look around at people, can you hear their voice?
Find the one who’ll guide you to the limits of your choice
But if you’re in the eye of storm, just think of the lonely dove
The experience of survival is the key
To the gravity of love
It’s going to take some fast talking, some political fancy-footing, and some serious proof for Larsa to convince Archadia and the whole of Ivalice that he’s not going to marry anyone except the street dancing sky pirate of his choice, and not only that, but that it’s in their best interest that she becomes the Empress with as little fuss as necessary. And then he’s going to have to face the hard part - convincing Penelo.
I Miss My Sky (Heather Nova)
Sometimes I wonder why we're always coming down
And why we need to touch the ground
And why I didn't keep on heading right on up to heaven
I miss my sky
So let’s say they get the politics figured out and the wedding ceremony pulled off (without any hitch except that most of the wedding guests seem to have lost some valuable piece of jewelry each and Penelo is really going to have to smack Vaan for this one), and they even get the crescendo in the theme song as the Happily Ever After banner unfurls in the sky held up by little chirpy birds. Or something. That doesn’t make the transition from free-willed sky pirate to Empress of Archadia easy.
Somewhere Only We Know (Keane)
So if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything.
So why don't we go, somewhere only we know?
But the great thing about being an absolute monarch is that you don’t have to be in the palace every single day, making every single little decision. That’s what committees are for. The Committee for Food and Magick Administration, for example, can sort out tax laws for imported zombie flesh while the monarchs go on vacation to the Phon Coast for a couple of days (or maybe Bhujurba, or Rabanastre, or a hundred other places, they’ll send Basch a note when they get there.)
I Will Follow You Into the Dark (Death Cab for Cutie)
If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Larsa has a slightly disturbing habit of making improbable promises to Penelo. But even worse (even better) is his slightly disturbing habit of keeping them.
And if you're not picky, here's the whole shebang.
[There’s another way Varulven could have been played out, if I had followed the lyrics instead of the feel of the song. Picture a woman in one of the dark places of the world. Behind her, a great monster stalks the shadows. Far away, a man rides, desperate to find her first. Does he make it? If you’re really curious, look at the translated lyrics and interpretation here.
But only if you really want to know.
As a side note, if anyone would write a drabble about this theme, I would love them forever. Internet baby-bearing might be involved, or at least offered.]
Yep, it's definitely a monster. Ah well. I tried.
Even with my best efforts, this sucker is a monster. So I broke it down into individual downloads, and then one big one if you prefer. Enjoy.
*Note: This takes place in the future, when Larsa is old enough that Penelo is not a dirty, dirty woman.
Beautiful (Flickerstick)
You could be the devil in my bed
You could be the angel in my head…
I could be the drug you can't resist
I could be the antidote you missed…
You’re so beautiful, you’re beautiful today
You’re so beautiful, beautiful in every little way
When it comes to Penelo, Larsa knows what is, and what might be. The hard part is making those two things meet in the middle. In fact, he’d have to be crazy to try.
Interestingly, his family has a history of insanity.
Varulven (Garmarna)
Swedish/instrumental
The world is currently saved from the evils of war, but what about the natural evils in the deep, forgotten places of Ivalice? What about the shadowy evil creatures that inconveniently hang out, en masse, near large stashes of treasure? Oh it’s a dangerous dance, playing pirate in the dark, but she’s fast and she’s skilled and she knows all the steps.
Thieving(Lovedrug)
Would you believe me if I told you that fairy tales come true
When I'm with you
So Larsa’s a bright boy who grew up with a big library and a lot of free time - in between titles like The Great Big Book of Potions and Lace Up Boots Around the World, he’s probably seen a fairy tale or two. And then one day he rescues a fair maiden and swears to her his love protection, and now years later he’s the Emperor and she’s beautiful and really, it all just validates his suspicions that fairy tales are not as improbable as they seem.
Dance? Alright, but I'm giving it one last fight
I fancy not your night, I'm not your girl, your whore, your hell
Of course, Penelo isn’t nearly as optimistic about his proposal - she’s a sky pirate born in a shop and raised in a gutter, and there was never anything in any of those worlds that makes her very good monarch material. But she’ll dance to his steps, even if they are dangerous, even if they are crazy…for now. Just for now.
Hey Pretty (Poe)
Hey Pretty, do you wanna take a ride with me
Into my world?
And dammit, she’s a sky pirate. What good is being a rule-breaker if it doesn’t entitle you to seduce whoever you damn well please? Even Emperors. Especially Emperors. Emperors with slightly crazy, way-too-perceptive eyes that can see right through her head and into her soul. Emperors who are really, really pretty.
Oh, she’s going to the special hell.
Ruled By Secrecy (Muse)
Repress and restrain
Steal the pressure and the pain
Wash the blood off your hands
This time she won't understand
Being the absolute monarch of a country with Archadia’s size and power is neither easy nor, sometimes, all that noble. Those in power often have to make decisions, pass judgments, and agree to deals that make their personal morals twist a little inside. How do you explain that to a woman who gives a handful of gil to every orphan she meets, even when she’s scraping for money herself? Larsa’s answer: you don’t. You just angst about it to yourself and try to keep her out of it.
How Strong Do You Think I Am? (Alexz Johnson)
If I move in any closer, if you let go and give yourself away,
and if we let this happen to us, everything will change.
How strong do you think I am?
How much can I take of this?
Am I a rock, or a rose, or a fist?
Or the breath at the end of a kiss?
And it’s all OK, as long as they don’t take this too seriously, right? As long as she keeps it light and fun, she won’t get hurt too bad when he finally remembers that whole royalty thing of his, puts her aside, and marries some hussy princess. She’ll be fine when it happens, because it’s all just seduction and laughter and intelligent conversation and some good memories with her friend Larsa. She really ought to stop coming to Archadia as often, ought to start cutting back on these moments so that it won’t be such a big deal when they have to stop. It won’t be some big dramatic thing.
It won’t hurt at all.
Over My Head (The Fray)
And suddenly I become a part of your past
I'm becoming the part that don't last
I'm losing you and its effortless
It’s not easy to keep a relationship going when the world demands your every attention. It’s really not easy to keep a relationship going when the other half of it insists on flying off to some dungeon or death trap and disappearing off the map for days at a time, only to suddenly send a casual note scribbled on a the torn corner of what might have been a map. (“Dear Larsa, I’m alive, temporarily rich, and in Bhujurba. Will see you when the hangover wears off.”)
Gravity (Vienna Teng)
I am a constant satellite of your blazing sun
my love, I obey your law of gravity
this is the fate you've carved on me
All these great reasons to stay away, and she just keeps going back. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, maybe it’s just that he’s one of her best friends, or that he’s so happy to see her when she walks in, or the way she’s starting to equate his smile with coming home at the end of the day…besides, she left her favorite scarf here last month, and she wants it back. Oh, and the bracelet from last week. Hell, she’ll probably forget her favorite hair-ribbon tomorrow, so she better schedule a run back here next week…
When You Go (Jonathan Coulton)
I saw this coming but still I am caught by surprise
All of this time I knew that I’d be losing you
That doesn’t mean that it’s okay
That doesn’t mean I’m ready
Fold my heart up small, or break it into pieces
Find somewhere and keep it there
Take it when you go
She leaves little pieces of herself when she comes: her scarves, little scribbled notes by the bed (“gone to Rozarria, eat more vegetables or you'll stunt your growth”), her perfume on the cushion, a vial of hi-potion that she mixed using the recipe he taught her. She takes little pieces of him when she goes: the gold-edged pen she swiped from his desk (“to you it’s a pen, to me, it’s at least three elixirs and a hat”), the new potion formula he concocted for her, his heart.
The Saddest Song I’ve Got (Annie Lennox)
Darling are you feeling
The same thing that I'm seeing?
The troubles of the day
Took my breath away
And I want you not, I need you not
This is the saddest song I've got
The life of a sky pirate is not all jaunty eye-patches and treasure. Sometimes things are rough, like when you’re tired and hungry and Vaan’s covered in bruises from that last Mark and you’re low on energy, potions and gil, and oh, look, by royal decree, His Majesty Larsa Ferrinas Solidor will be married this coming New Year to Her Royal Highness Some Bimbo With Money.
I Will Find You (Clannad)
No matter where you go
I will find you
If it takes a thousand years
She can run off and sulk about this state marriage all she wants. Larsa has a family history of obsessive behavior and the kind of determination to fix things that led him as a child to try to save the world, all by his lonesome if he had to. Add that to all the resources of a large, powerful monarchy, and there is only one conclusion. He’ll find her. He’ll make this right.
Red Rose (Yokko Kano)
Instrumental
Penelo dances. It’s a complicated, fast moving rhythm, and when she’s finally still again, the handful of gil at her feet doesn’t surprise her but the voice behind her, in her ear, does. (“Your amazing flexibility has never failed to impress me.”)
Gravity of Love (Enigma)
Look around at people, can you hear their voice?
Find the one who’ll guide you to the limits of your choice
But if you’re in the eye of storm, just think of the lonely dove
The experience of survival is the key
To the gravity of love
It’s going to take some fast talking, some political fancy-footing, and some serious proof for Larsa to convince Archadia and the whole of Ivalice that he’s not going to marry anyone except the street dancing sky pirate of his choice, and not only that, but that it’s in their best interest that she becomes the Empress with as little fuss as necessary. And then he’s going to have to face the hard part - convincing Penelo.
I Miss My Sky (Heather Nova)
Sometimes I wonder why we're always coming down
And why we need to touch the ground
And why I didn't keep on heading right on up to heaven
I miss my sky
So let’s say they get the politics figured out and the wedding ceremony pulled off (without any hitch except that most of the wedding guests seem to have lost some valuable piece of jewelry each and Penelo is really going to have to smack Vaan for this one), and they even get the crescendo in the theme song as the Happily Ever After banner unfurls in the sky held up by little chirpy birds. Or something. That doesn’t make the transition from free-willed sky pirate to Empress of Archadia easy.
Somewhere Only We Know (Keane)
So if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything.
So why don't we go, somewhere only we know?
But the great thing about being an absolute monarch is that you don’t have to be in the palace every single day, making every single little decision. That’s what committees are for. The Committee for Food and Magick Administration, for example, can sort out tax laws for imported zombie flesh while the monarchs go on vacation to the Phon Coast for a couple of days (or maybe Bhujurba, or Rabanastre, or a hundred other places, they’ll send Basch a note when they get there.)
I Will Follow You Into the Dark (Death Cab for Cutie)
If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Larsa has a slightly disturbing habit of making improbable promises to Penelo. But even worse (even better) is his slightly disturbing habit of keeping them.
And if you're not picky, here's the whole shebang.
[There’s another way Varulven could have been played out, if I had followed the lyrics instead of the feel of the song. Picture a woman in one of the dark places of the world. Behind her, a great monster stalks the shadows. Far away, a man rides, desperate to find her first. Does he make it? If you’re really curious, look at the translated lyrics and interpretation here.
But only if you really want to know.
As a side note, if anyone would write a drabble about this theme, I would love them forever. Internet baby-bearing might be involved, or at least offered.]
Yep, it's definitely a monster. Ah well. I tried.