RarePair Fest 2015 Dear Author
Dear Author (and hopefully Final Fantasy fan!),
I'm excited you received my request, and I hope you are too! I wanted to talk a little bit more about my reason for loving these pairings. Of course, you're free to interpret them however you choose, and I will gratefully accept anything that features these characters, because I love them all.
General likes/ideas: I love the idea of forbidden love, that sort of clandestine connection where you're guilty yet you KNOW it's right. Of course, those kinds of things often come with consequences, so stories that explore both the love/passion and the consequences of those actions are a particular guilty pleasure. Oh, just for the record, I am completely open to smut/sex, in case that's something you feel up to writing. Another theme I love from each of these games is the coming of age of each of the female characters. Each of them goes through a journey that transforms them mentally and emotionally, and for Yuna and Serah especially you can see how they both physically and mentally change through their respective games and sequels. But with Lightning, Ashe and Penelo as well, you see all five of these women learn new things about themselves, become more independent and certain of themselves, and mature. It only stands to reason that their relationships would change as well. For the guys, I often wonder about the conflict between love of duty/country and that more personal love and self-discovery. How do they conflict, and would an attraction/love interest disrupt that? How does that change their perception of themselves? I also enjoy stories about marriage and family, pregnancy/babies, and all the potential drama and consequences that come from them.
Again, these are all just ideas and thoughts. Feel free to take them or completely leave them. In closing, here are a few ideas about how I see these pairings. Again, PLEASE DO NOT think I am saying this is how things must be. It's just an idea of how I think these couples are even possible. I know I will love whatever you do, and I'm looking forward to reading it! Thank you again!
Final Fantasy XIII Series
Cheers,
Lesca
I'm excited you received my request, and I hope you are too! I wanted to talk a little bit more about my reason for loving these pairings. Of course, you're free to interpret them however you choose, and I will gratefully accept anything that features these characters, because I love them all.
General likes/ideas: I love the idea of forbidden love, that sort of clandestine connection where you're guilty yet you KNOW it's right. Of course, those kinds of things often come with consequences, so stories that explore both the love/passion and the consequences of those actions are a particular guilty pleasure. Oh, just for the record, I am completely open to smut/sex, in case that's something you feel up to writing. Another theme I love from each of these games is the coming of age of each of the female characters. Each of them goes through a journey that transforms them mentally and emotionally, and for Yuna and Serah especially you can see how they both physically and mentally change through their respective games and sequels. But with Lightning, Ashe and Penelo as well, you see all five of these women learn new things about themselves, become more independent and certain of themselves, and mature. It only stands to reason that their relationships would change as well. For the guys, I often wonder about the conflict between love of duty/country and that more personal love and self-discovery. How do they conflict, and would an attraction/love interest disrupt that? How does that change their perception of themselves? I also enjoy stories about marriage and family, pregnancy/babies, and all the potential drama and consequences that come from them.
Again, these are all just ideas and thoughts. Feel free to take them or completely leave them. In closing, here are a few ideas about how I see these pairings. Again, PLEASE DO NOT think I am saying this is how things must be. It's just an idea of how I think these couples are even possible. I know I will love whatever you do, and I'm looking forward to reading it! Thank you again!
Final Fantasy XIII Series
- Serah/Hope - I think Serah and Hope have a lot in common, with her love of historical research (considering that's what got her branded to begin with) and Hope's research as well. Both have lost parents and feel a certain amount of isolation. I noticed Hope's flushed reactions to seeing Serah again, his grabbing her hand, his joy at seeing her again each time and wondered if there was an attraction/crush there. I think Serah would possibly outgrow Snow and his need for wandering and adventure and find Hope a more stable and suitable match. After all, she can now save herself; she doesn't need a hero to save her. Missing scenes from any of the trips to Academia or Yaschas Massif in XIII-2 would be interesting, or perhaps something pre-Lightning Returns before Hope disappears that focuses on his thoughts for her, especially with the two other men that meant so much to her around could be fascinating. I'm also all for finding ways for Serah to speak to Hope from the chaos ;).
- Lightning/Snow - One of my favorite scenes in Lightning Returns is when Lightning finally finds Snow and confronts him to fight him. (Oh, to know what's going through her head!) That is the most passion and emotion you see from her in the entire series until later on, I think. Snow has a certain place in her heart and under her skin, and yes, that does have some to do with his relationship with Serah, but she says over and over throughout the game that he just has this way of getting under her skin. I think he challenges her, he has represented the repressed things she really wants in life, and they both have a love of adventure and need to be active. I love how they just push each other's buttons and don't know whether to strangle each other or kiss. Some ideas for this pairing could be something set after the resolution of the Yusnaan sidequest in Lightning Returns or something showing what kind of "conversation" Light and Snow had when she appeared in the dream that inspired him to go on his journey.
- (P.S. What about Serah and Snow, you ask? - I love Serah and I love Snow, but I imagine that they just end up wanting different things in life and changing so much through XIII-2 and LR. I imagine they would always be friends, but they are better suited for others. An exploration of exactly how they are changed by the events of those games would be fascinating.)
- Yuna/Auron - I envision this as an attraction of like-minded souls. They are both passionate and fervent in their beliefs, dedicated to the ones they care about. They have a great deal in common, with similar educational upbringings, and of course the shared connection through Braska. Auron has an enduring, formidable presence that I think would make a great impression on Yuna, and Yuna's idealism and stubborn determination would speak to the core of who Auron was as a young man (and perhaps deep down still is; and how Braska was). Any attraction Yuna and Auron have to each other, in my mind, would not negate any of their other attractions/relationships. Love and attraction are complicated things. Weird, forbidden love/lust during Yuna's pilgrimage could be very hot, or reminisces during X-2 or of course playing with the Farplane and reality/dreams could be very fun. And let's be honest, Auron is just hot.
- (What about Yuna and Tidus? - I believe the attraction between Yuna and Tidus was very real. Tidus came at just the right time to offer her hope and give her support when the others were stuck in their preconceived notions of how her pilgrimage should go. Theirs was a very young and immature love, and I think with everything that happened to Yuna, she grew, matured and changed, and I think it's reasonable to assume her priorities could have shifted. Even during her pilgrimage, it's reasonable to think that as she began to question things more and became aware of the world more, she could have formed attractions or fascinations with other men in addition to Tidus.)
- Basch/Ashe - This is one of my OTPs and I never get tired of it. Both have endured so much pain and betrayal for the country they love, and their focuses throughout the game are really on that country. I forget sometimes how young Ashe is compared to Basch, because Ashe has the weight of the world on her shoulders and it makes her feel so much older than she is. She also hides so much of her emotions. Basch has to hide so much of what he is as well, especially after the end of the game when he has to impersonate his brother. I think that situation lends itself well to the "forbidden lust" scenario, which I love. I would also be interested in any in-game interactions, especially as she's coming around to realizing what she thought happened wasn't really true and the extent of how Basch has suffered for his country and for her. Or Basch, wondering if all of this is worth it, and if they get through this alive, what is left for him. What are either of them truly fighting for? Maybe there could be something else.
- Basch/Penelo - What looks like a matter of opposites -- grizzled veteran and young innocent girl -- is really about two people who have more in common than it may seem. Both have experienced horrors that no person deserves as a result of the previous war. Despite their hardships, both choose to be hopeful and to focus on the difference they can make in the present and future. Both are unsure of their place in the new world. I think both are struggling to adapt to how the world is now. Penelo is transitioning into adulthood, and Basch has, in essence, come back from the dead. I think they would both be level-headed, sympathetic souls to each other and bring each other much needed light and support.
- Larsa/Penelo - In some ways they feel like an obvious pairing, because there is an attraction and fascination between them throughout the game. There are so many core differences in their experiences despite their connection. In some ways I think Penelo might enjoy the opportunities that came with the Archadean court, in others she would find it constricting. As Larsa is just coming into adulthood as well, he has his own challenges, especially as he becomes ruler of Archades.
Cheers,
Lesca