They Say "Pride Goes Before Fall" - [Kratos Aurion/Zelos Wilder] - (Tales of Symphonia)

[daruki]

Title: They Say "Pride Goes Before Fall"
Author: daruki
Pairing: Kratos Aurion/Zelos Wilder
Fandom: Tales of Symphonia
Word count: ~8,000
Spoilers: The whole game and both characters' background story. Contains references from Tales of Fandom II and Tales of Symphonia: the manga.
Note/WARNING: This is a manifesto for a fanon ship. Therefore it goes

Comments

[daruki]

First of all, thank you for going through this. I appreciate a lot. Still, maybe I didn't make this very clear within the essay itself, but I know exactly what you're talking about - the real goal of this is more to try and get people to acknowledge that they can have a relationship - ANY relationship, as friends, rivals, teammates, someone to relate to (that they CAN talk to each other and are NOT totally unrelated to one another) - rather than try to prove and convert people to ship them under a romantic way because it's just way too difficult and even less believable. After all, I'm already working with straws. No sense trying to make a brick house with that.

So I know what you mean by a non-romantic way pretty well too. I really adore the student/teacher facet, and some of the non-romantic ones are actually my favorite (your work, for instance). Anything actually romantic/non-platonic is a nice BONUS, but what I really love the most is how they can relate and probably become good bff in a really ironic and totally nontraditional way/drinking buddies if they got a good chance to talk and interact, which the game itself never showed and barely hinted. And truly, I'm going to admit that the only reason how you can see them sleeping with each other is amazing because it's totally true and I can see it happen - this just adds to the snark pile. I've never seen them as docile/quiet lovers. It'll be all about who can flatten the other's ego the most/fastest/with the most STYLE and Zelos will most likely lose.

...Thank you. I absolutely love you for it. It's probably way too late to ask for permission for referencing now, isn't it though? Hope you don't mind... ;;; But that dynamic, like I've previously stated, really is one of my faves.

[cruxis]

It was certainly well worth the read. I definitely agree with you in terms of the relationship aspect; I think they have too fascinating of a dynamic on any level for it to go unacknowledged (which it so widely does).

The student/teacher aspect of Kratos and Zelos is one of very few unproven/fanon things I take very seriously to heart. I think it makes the relationship between them that much more interesting, acute and complex. I personally maintain that they hate one another and themselves too much to ever reach a point where they could be honestly friendly with one another (and friendly's the incorrect word, but I hope you know what I'm trying to say), but I can definitely see what you're saying and understand the dynamic.

Quite welcome, please don't mention it. XD And I don't mind at all! It was posted anon-ly, after all, and I never expected it to come up again.

Incidentally, would you mind too terribly if I friended you? Good vibes, and someone who is willing to discuss is always A+ in my books. :|b No worries if not, too.

[daruki]

I should probably have reinforced this more, because THAT is the one point that I'm really trying to throw across with this.

...Yes. Actually I think we both understand very well what the other is trying to say, but none of us really have the exact words for it. @_@; Though it is precisely from what you've mentioned that I found looking for fics and arts of those so HARD (I haven't updated my fic rec list for years. After finding a handful that I really fell in love with, kinda gave up trying to look for others. ;;; Even for fanarts. I save every single one I find on Japanese sites, but there's only a handful that I really like ~_~;) - you have to keep them in character, keep in mind that they are people who HATE themselves much more than each other, and there's so much undertone and sous-entendus that it really gets extremely heavy when at first sight there seems to be nothing at all. They're NOT easy to work with, which might be one of the reasons why no one ships it. It's barely there to start with, and once you notice it, it's complicated as hell. ...I feel like such a nutcase sometimes. :D;

Guess again. This is what happens when you have crazy people a crazy person who ships this like a religion. 8|;;; When I find GOOD stuff I DON'T let go. ;;; But not at all! I'll be happy to friend back; I'm just... uh, really derp most of the time, and I'm sure that you've already noticed - absolutely batshit insane about these two. 8|; If you're fine with that, then it'll be my pleasure! o/

[cruxis]

That's because the words are not simple! :| And no, it really makes sense... I think a lot of people in fandom are there for the instant-gratification and with a pairing like this, some 99% of the time people throw characterisation out the window for the eye-candy just because it's easy. I don't see how anyone can enjoy that because then you don't have Kratos and Zelos interacting, you have sexy bodies saying things which may be vaguely reminiscent of things that they might say in canon but on the whole bear no resemblance to their real selves. Ugh, people. /soapbox

ANYWAY. You are not a nutcase. You put this much time and effort into the pairing, and I put a similar amount into my opinion on Kratos as a person, so if you are a nutcase, so am I~ :3

Hahaha. XDD Well like I said, just glad it was enjoyed! And no worries, you seem pretty respectful and that's all I ask~

[daruki]

fff. Seriously. I tried once, too. ONCE. It was HARD. There's a reason why when there IS sex it HAS to be snarky and on crack to make it short and yet mysteriously IC. diamondust is awesome on this, but I digress. I tried writing NC17 seriously. :| Exactly one year ago. I'm STILL not happy with it and it turned out 13k words long. ...Yeah. *cough* Doesn't help that I'm picky, so finding things become even harder still. ;;; -has to shudder sometimes at things that's within the fandom-

Crotch-toast KratassKratos would have been so much better without all the angst, imo, but that just became who he is. D8 I love you Radimyth!Kura. But... thanks. XD;

Very much so. <3 uh I tend to sometimes call friends fags cause I keep referring to myself as one too, but I'm probably most likely to call myself names more than anything else. XD; It's nice to finally meet you!~ <3

[cruxis]

Oh crack, my one true enemy. Or something like that. I am far too serious for my own good. XD

dfljldskj I cannot agree because Kratos is the person that he is because of everything that happened to him, and changing any of those things would make him into a different person who... argh, need more sleep but I just cannot grasp that sentence at all.

Eh well, all my friends are bitches or whores according to me, so no harm no foul? :|b

[daruki]

D: It helps when things are really alkjaldkfgj and you just need a good, loud snort/laugh... :D;

...Sorry. Probably didn't phrase it right. I personally think that he went through way too much crap and the amount of angst is just so heavy that it's headdesk worthy, and I guess... I think that it would have made him a more enjoyable character if they lightened up a bit with all that they've weighted down on him. I actually really want to punch something when they make characters by throwing a LOT of depressing things onto them (eg. Short hair Luke from Tales of the Abyss. I LOVED longhair!Luke as a jackass, actually, and while I can understand that he went through an epiphany and developed and changed as a character after becoming sh!Luke, but his constant whines about not being worthy of living just drove me nuts after a point. In Kura's case, pre-Cruxis Seraphim were adorable, but then Martel died and Mithos went off his rockers, and then holy SHIT 4 THOUSAND YEARS WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO DURING THAT TIME I'd kill myself if I was alive for so long - and then Anna and you kill you OWN WIFE SHEESH THAT'S REALLY HORRIBLY DEPRESSING god damn it I can't decide whether I want to give you a hug or slap you across the face - ... cough yeah. >_>;). I think that this is probably a subject that we'll disagree on, based on opinion, taste, and different in perception? :D;

Sounds fine to me. 8|b