Alle Kunst ist der Freude gewidmet

Hahhh, I'm so lazy about writing this blog-thingie lately... So... bored, actually. Even though things are looking good. The little work at the centre for elderly people is pretty fun and it feels good doing it. Thanks to the decision to deal with Fado's depression in my AU inspires me like crazy so I've actually finished the fifth chapter in a record time.

Yet...

Still feeling so lazy. There were several friends' entries I wanted to comment on but then there was laziness. Ugh.

Also, FemaleRightsActivist!Ephraim who campaigns for Eirika so that she can truly take his place as a ruler is actually pretty fun and cool (at least to me it sounded like pure joking on his part that Eirika should take his place. I'm guessing on a male-heir-only policy as well.)

I'm generally not a big fan of game soundtracks. Most of the time they don't appeal to me. In the case of Gameboy games, the sound is always on mute anyway. When I play other games, then I either listen to my MP3-Player or to Let's Plays.

There are only three exeptions and those three soundtracks I downloaded (a small exception is Last Story, because those are from the extra CD and are cut scene tracks); Secret of Mana, Lufia 2 and Mystic Quest Legend.

I don't really know why it is like this. Those three soundtracks just grab me. They are fun and interesting and, to me, sound far better than newer soundtracks. For example, the persona games, FF12 or Xenoblades. Even The Last Story outside of the cut scenes! All of their soundtracks are incredibly boring to my ears (and Xenoblade has the ~fantastic~ extra of characters shouting during the fights so you can't hear anything of the battle tracks anyway (God, how I HATE that (there were other games that did that as well, but I don't remember their names))). I always give the tracks a chance, I do. But they either bore me or annoy me (looking at you, Persona games). I just cannot listen to them.

Admittedly, when playing Lufia 2 I also listen to other things by now -- mostly because I've played through it SO often and I know the tracks almost by heart. But I NEVER mute the sound when playing Secret of Mana. I just love the soundtrack. All of it fits so well and those songs I really do know by heart and could immediately tell you in which regions they play. They're fantastic. And while I haven't played Mystic Quest Legend for quite a while now, the music is still awesome. The battle sound is just so excellent.

Hm. Maybe I should get out my cane and wave it at all the younglings loving those new soundtracks. (I love SNES games so much)

On other news:
I'm kinda contemplating something for the fe_contest (because due to some wonder I didn't overlook it and remember it) and I do kinda want to write a crossover. My first instinct was Canas and something with dark magic that would cross FE7 and 8 (and would have the DK). Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut. Not sure if I want to. Hm.

I've finished Xenoblade Chronicles just now. First I wanted write a real long entry about the good sides and the bad sides, but now... no. I don't feel like it. I'll only say a few things;

- the writing is cheesy and during most cut scenes I had the feeling that I've read that dialogue somewhere else before

- the characters are mostly types (poor Reyn is the most obvious example) (I only found Melia and Riki fun)

- I wouldn't have paid the 40€ for the story because it's cliché and not in the "seen it before but done in a new way"

- the hundreds of side missions are fucking addictive and the best part of the game

- gameplay is sometimes awesome, sometimes frustrating

- the Nopon are the cutest things ever

- the Emperor seemed to be such a nice guy

- I finished the game with 133 hours and a few minutes and lvl 99. The side missions are really fucking addictive

It's a good game. Not necessarily one that I would recommend but fun enough.

--

Now for the more fun part of this post. Even though I'm not terribly inspired by things lately, I was thinking about the Fado Survives AU and what would happen when he arrives in Grado with Ephraim and how he'd react to Knoll´s news. To make it short, he is sad that Vigarde´s name was sullied like that and goes to Vigarde´s study to apologize to him (well, his ghost or something). And then I've wanted Fado to find something that he could take with him; some personal belonging that was dear to Vigarde as a memento. Aaaand there comes the new headcanon:

I've wanted it to be something small that Fado could carry with him easily. And something that wouldn't draw much attention to it. I came up with a ring. And I came up with a tradition about rings because it's fun. (Alright, main motivation was that I liked the image of Vigarde wearing many rings). The tradition is that the wearing of rings is used to symbolize friendship and many other relationships. For example, every person from Grado wears a ring representing their parents. That's seen as a sign that one belongs to a family and loves said family. If that ring is not worn, it's obvious that this person has seperated themselves from their family. The second important ring is the one signifying one´s spouse. The third important ring is the one signifying one´s children. Those three are standard. Rings symbolizing close friends are very common and are much more varied than the standard ones. In general it doesn't matter what the rings are made of, apart from bronze. Bronze is only used for family members/friends that are dead.

I dunno, I find it fun 8D

Alright, I just finished "Bloody Jack", a neat light read. It's about Mary "Jacky" Faber, whose parents and sister die when she's small and she has to live on the streets. She meets a bunch of other street kids and joins their group. After years of living on the streets, she leaves, dons the persona of a boy and enrolls on a ship as a ship´s boy.

And yes, it is fun 8D Even as someone who doesn't like first person, Jacky is a good narrator and interesting. Especially since L.A. Meyer tried to write in a very colloquial "street urchin" way; crude at times, not grammatically correct, etc. And it creates a great atmosphere. Also, the story is gritty at times; there's no glossing over the nasty sides of the 18th century. Death, hunger, sickness, violence are all present -- though not excessively! -- and handle well, imo.

Of course, in a crossdressing story a little love story cannot be missing. Towards the beginning and middle it is relatively light, but becomes stronger towards the end. A few times I thought it was coming off too strong, but then, it is first person and Jacky is in love. But it wasn't too distracting.

ALSO. Because I must fangirl a minor character. The Captain. I guess it is mostly the fault of the description, but I very probably would've liked him anyway. But as soon as he was described I just thought "Hesounds like a mix of Hayden and Gilliam". And so he CANNOT be anything but awesome 8D

Lol, I'm so easy to get sometimes. Anyway, it was a good quick read (a good reading flow and wide spacing of lines and letters) and fun. I won't read the second book of the series, though, since the plot of that one doesn't interest me. I just want to read books about pirates or marines now.

What is the "coming of age" age in the Fire Emblem games? Is it closer to our CA, 18, or closer to the more medieval one, about 14-16? Do you believe that it's always the same or differs from continent/country to continent/country? What about the Laguz races? It's obvious that they live far longer than beorc, but which age would approcimately be the equivalent?

At the moment I kinda tend more to 16. For Magvel, especially, mostly because Amelia. This is probably just my impression, but she doesn't seem to be 18. Maybe 17 or 16. But she's already a soldier. So is she an adult already or does the Gradian army employ children as soldiers? (Could actually be, having a war and all).

Tellius seems to have a higher CA. I still find Lucia´s and Janaff´s support not that clear if she needs a chaperone because she's not old enough or because she's a woman. Could be, of course, but Lucia seems to be in her 20s to me.

What are your thoughts?

It is fun. It has some obvious flaws, but it's still fun 8D I still would rather have Minecraft D8 Want to buiiiiiiiiiild

- the graphics are neither particularly ugly nor particularly pretty and I don't really care, but everybody´s sausage fingers still make me lol.

- related to the graphics, what is up with the characters movements? Many video game characters have a strange walk, but many other games show that you can do better by now. Another point; could the game designers finally stop making the characters... billowing (I cannot truly describe the movement) in cut scenes? I believe they try to show that they're breathing, but if you're breathing, your whole body does not move.

- again related to the above point, why does it look like the characters are pushing their groins forward in cut scenes? It looks awkward.

( Spoilery points )


Also finished the strange, Abney Park inspired Lyon fic. After ~ignoring~ it for, like, months, I completely forgot how I wanted to end it; I only recall a sad ending and a happy ending, that was very strange. So. Just gave it another sad ending. 8D Ololol

So, I was reading Serra´s supports yesterday because I wanted to write something with her and... ;A; Her supports with Hector and Lucius. So sad. Also Serra/Lucius is so adorable *ships it* Btw, I found the Serra/Oswin support has a strange... vibe. A "Oswin acts like a dad to her". Picturing Serra calling him "Daddy~~" is eeeew XD Anyway, Serra = awesome. Well, her supports with Matthew and Erk were actually really grating, but the rest makes them up. Florina&Serra was especially cute.

Aaaaaaaaaaaalso. ;A; I wish there were some kind of fandom for Zombies in Wonderland, a Wii download game. It's so fun and relaxing and the characters are prettily designed. And I really want Alice/Rotkäppchen fic. (Problem is, of course, that Alice and Rotkäppchen are just characters you get after finishing the story a few times and therewith have not even one line. They only have their design ;A;) Fffffffffffffff-- Do want.

Fine, maybe I have to start fandom >:8

8D Books <3

So, I've bought three new books; "On Stranger Tides", "Bloody Jack #1" and "The Emperor´s Edge". I've started with E´sE first, because of the pretty cover 8D And it's fun so far. Am only on page 90 because I'm so lazy at the moment. Amaranthe is fun (and makes me think of Nightwish), though, and Hollowcrest as well. Books seems to be an interesting character as well. The others... have potential. Sespian is the only one who I'm still "meh" about. But he gets points for having a cat 8D

But. Why those overly complicated fantasy names D8 Oh god, how I hate this. Akstyr. Maldyiuserghilehbzuo. Whatisthisidon'teven. The first one doesn't even resemble a name and how am I supposed to pronounce it? And the other one is too long and complicated so he's gonna be Maldy. Names, you slay me.

8D Now off to bed.

I remember one comment in my journal about how it was kinda stupid of Fado to stay back to get himself killed while Eirika and Seth flee. And well, if we take what he says about his reasons at face value, I agree. His death is pretty much pointless. But after some thinking I don't believe him completely.

Yeah, I do believe that he wanted to know why this was happening (and to accept the guilt if it was his fault). But that wasn't his main reason. I believe he mostly wanted to buy time for Eirika. I mean, what would've the Gradian army done if neither king nor princess where in the castle? They immediately send their troupes after them. And if the king stays back and distracts the Gradian army for a (albeit) little while? Until they notice that the princess isn't there (and when they notice that they need her; we don't know if Lyon/the DK already knew that there was a fake stone in the temple and that they would need the twins), Eirika might already be far away or at least hidden. So Fado sacrifices himself for Eirika.

Thoughts? Arguments?

I've sent the Christmas Cards today :3 I have no idea how long the shipping takes at this time of the year, so sooner is better than later.

Unrelated to that, I really kinda want to write a Fado Survives AU. My only excuse and reason is Game Needs Moar Fado and the whole thing is mostly... pointless.

8D

But moar Fado~ Also, Fado with only one arm, because headcanon says that he loses his sword arm in the fight with Vigarde. The fun potential is high with this one.  Unfortunately the laziness of this writer is also high...

Well, we'll see...

Even more unrelated to the above stuff; Lego Piraten makes me rofl. I mean, we are talking about PIRATES. So even though Willy´s dad was hanged for crimes he didn't do, he was still a pirate and a criminal. He stole gold. He is a bad guy. Really. And you cannot tell me that Roger is a "good" guy. He is also a pirate, not just an "adventurous daredevil". Lol. It's okay, really, you make it clear that almost everybody in these audio books is corrupt or a criminal in some way. Pirates are good.

PS: I still want Roger/Baddog slash sooooooooooo badly. :(