Your list of "Makes No Canon Sense But Why the Hell Not" -- I honestly wish more people would write Fran/Penelo, Penelo/Ashe, and Ashe-snark-Fran. The lack of femslash and female-only gen is pretty noticeable in FFXII fandom. I enjoy writing Fran&Penelo starting trouble but I'm really not much of a femslash writer. Definitely a big hole in fandom that someone needs to fill.
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Sorry for infecting your brain with a should-have-been-creepy-but-damn-it-for-just-working pairing. XD
I find it funny that people call out the age diff on Basch & Penelo (in game) but not on Basch & Ashe, or Vossler & Ashe (who have the same age-diff as Basch & Penelo). Either way, it is cradle robbing for him until both of them get a good bit older. (and a potential train wreck in both cases too
( ... )
I know, someone really should write more of those. ...Sadly it will probably end up having to be me. *sigh*
The one Basch/Ashe fic I wrote actually played on the age difference. I'm more conscious of it than most people seem to be, but that one doesn't bother me as much I guess? It's just with everything Ashe has been through, she seems like she's lived longer. While for Penelo it really looks like she has her whole life ahead of her, Ashe's almost seems largely behind her, if you see what I mean. But yeah, that's part of the reason I haven't written Basch/Ashe more.
The only thing I can really say fanfic has done for me in terms of characters is make me appreciate Basch more. I liked him when I was playing the game, but fanfic has sort of made me think about how much depth he actually has as a character. Also, I have to say I never would have even briefly thought of Ashe/Penelo were I not in the fanfic community. XD
While almost anything is possible in future fic, especially moving 5 or 10 years out, most of the in-game relationships in FFXII really are tricky and it is often too easy for people to write fandom clichés with the same old clichés used over and over in most fandoms.
Yeah, stories like Ashe/Penelo would have never crossed my mind prior to entering fandom. :)
It's why I enjoy FFXII fic so much. The characters and relationships between them are really fun to get into. That's also part of why I so dislike Balthier/Ashe, since it plays on a cliche that's way overdone and in this case doesn't even actually work.
Curious to know more about why you don't like Balthier/Ashe. Much agreed about the clichéd aspects (especially in some of the fic), but I'm interested in the canon parts that you think don't work. (Mostly, because it is something I'm thinking about for a series of Ashe stories I am writing so I'm curious for more ideas).
Squeenix actually hints in a few places in the ultimania guides that there is some Balthier-->Ashe (specifically, Balthier's jealously & feelings of "rivalry" over Al-Cid).
Canon-wise, it strikes me as a relationship that almost but didn't happen. Something they both thought about but ... a whole lot of frustrated nothing occurred.
I think it could work in the short term. I feel like there was clearly some level of attraction hinted there in the game and like you mentioned in the guide, but I feel like for both of them lifestyle ultimately wins out over whatever feelings they would have for each other, so it sort of just fizzles out. Balthier's place is not a court, and Ashe's isn't the sky. I also feel like they both realize that and wouldn't be ready to make the sacrifices necessary to make that work as a serious relationship. So in short, attraction, yes, long-term relationship, not so much. Hence why a canon relationship didn't occur.
Introspective one or both of them trying to sort out what I just said would be super awesome. XD
I've been working on some introspective Balthier-->Ashe that will find its way into Blindness (the disturbing Basch/Pen story since it purposefully explores how their in-game NC17 trainwreck could happen). As Balthier narrates their mess, I hope to have him put an extra-negative spin on it because he's really using their story to talk about how he feels about Ashe (and why it won't work).
What I'm still not entirely seeing is how to write Ashe-->Balthier for a series of Ashe stories I'm planing (3 drafted). There is something there but ... opening up Ashe's head just seems a lot harder for me. :/
That is a trainwreck I will be anxious to watch, I have to say.
Ashe is a lot harder to get into. I'd be a little lost as to how to write Ashe there, myself. I could see a lot of internal conflict with Ashe second-guessing herself about whether she's actually attracted to Balthier or whether he's just there and she's lonely. And then the whole but-it-doesn't-work layer.
And going back to the earlier point about Balther and Al-Cid, have you ever payed attention to Balthier's face in the clips where Al-Cid is there? He has such a clear "HMPH!" kind of look. It's so funny.
I LAUGH every time I see those Balthier "HMPH"ing at Al-Cid scenes. Too funny. The second one in Balfonheim really cracks me up because Fran has the subtle look on her face that is so telling. Inside I am certain she is laughing very hard but hiding it well.
My feeling is that Ashe is lonely and she wants people to help her. Thus, Balthier offers and she's attracted just because he is there and he has an answer.
I find that really hard to write because of the level of self-deception (??) and desperation (??) that it implies. Hard to get into that headspace and put it into text so people feel it and believe it
( ... )
You know you really make me want to try writing Ashe again? I think you prettymuch pinpointed what it is that makes her difficult to write convincingly. But it's a nice challenge, really.
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Sorry for infecting your brain with a should-have-been-creepy-but-damn-it-for-just-working pairing. XD
I find it funny that people call out the age diff on Basch & Penelo (in game) but not on Basch & Ashe, or Vossler & Ashe (who have the same age-diff as Basch & Penelo). Either way, it is cradle robbing for him until both of them get a good bit older. (and a potential train wreck in both cases too ( ... )
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The one Basch/Ashe fic I wrote actually played on the age difference. I'm more conscious of it than most people seem to be, but that one doesn't bother me as much I guess? It's just with everything Ashe has been through, she seems like she's lived longer. While for Penelo it really looks like she has her whole life ahead of her, Ashe's almost seems largely behind her, if you see what I mean. But yeah, that's part of the reason I haven't written Basch/Ashe more.
The only thing I can really say fanfic has done for me in terms of characters is make me appreciate Basch more. I liked him when I was playing the game, but fanfic has sort of made me think about how much depth he actually has as a character. Also, I have to say I never would have even briefly thought of Ashe/Penelo were I not in the fanfic community. XD
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Yeah, stories like Ashe/Penelo would have never crossed my mind prior to entering fandom. :)
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Curious to know more about why you don't like Balthier/Ashe. Much agreed about the clichéd aspects (especially in some of the fic), but I'm interested in the canon parts that you think don't work. (Mostly, because it is something I'm thinking about for a series of Ashe stories I am writing so I'm curious for more ideas).
Squeenix actually hints in a few places in the ultimania guides that there is some Balthier-->Ashe (specifically, Balthier's jealously & feelings of "rivalry" over Al-Cid).
Canon-wise, it strikes me as a relationship that almost but didn't happen. Something they both thought about but ... a whole lot of frustrated nothing occurred.
Reply
Introspective one or both of them trying to sort out what I just said would be super awesome. XD
Reply
I've been working on some introspective Balthier-->Ashe that will find its way into Blindness (the disturbing Basch/Pen story since it purposefully explores how their in-game NC17 trainwreck could happen). As Balthier narrates their mess, I hope to have him put an extra-negative spin on it because he's really using their story to talk about how he feels about Ashe (and why it won't work).
What I'm still not entirely seeing is how to write Ashe-->Balthier for a series of Ashe stories I'm planing (3 drafted). There is something there but ... opening up Ashe's head just seems a lot harder for me. :/
Reply
Ashe is a lot harder to get into. I'd be a little lost as to how to write Ashe there, myself. I could see a lot of internal conflict with Ashe second-guessing herself about whether she's actually attracted to Balthier or whether he's just there and she's lonely. And then the whole but-it-doesn't-work layer.
And going back to the earlier point about Balther and Al-Cid, have you ever payed attention to Balthier's face in the clips where Al-Cid is there? He has such a clear "HMPH!" kind of look. It's so funny.
Reply
My feeling is that Ashe is lonely and she wants people to help her. Thus, Balthier offers and she's attracted just because he is there and he has an answer.
I find that really hard to write because of the level of self-deception (??) and desperation (??) that it implies. Hard to get into that headspace and put it into text so people feel it and believe it ( ... )
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