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Dear FFFX Creator,
Thanks for writing or drawing for me - I’m really excited for this event. I've been in the exchange scene for a long time, but this is my first time doing FFFX, and i'm excited to participate! I hope you’re excited as well! I’m FireBatVillain on Ao3 and Tumblr.Aside from my DNWs, I hope you consider the prompts and likes in this letter as you work, and that they inspire you to make something you enjoy creating and that tickles my fancy! These prompts are meant to inspire, not restrain/restrict, so feel free to go beyond these prompts and create what you like!
In addition to this letter, I also maintain a longer, general letter about likes and dislikes if that's useful for you: https://firebatvillain.dreamwidth.org/5012.html .
Things I like in writing:
Happy stories, bittersweet stories, and stories that end with a spark of hope even if they are angry or sad. I like good communication, wordplay, honor, pointless heroism or love even if it won’t succeed. Probably one of my favorite ideas in fiction is the idea of heroism in the face of hopelessness, and love even if things seem sad.
A little mini scene or interaction, an ending or a beginning, that could be a canon-compliant off-screen scene or interaction - sounds fun! I also like AUs and alternate imaginings.
I like explicit content and smut. I am okay with darkfic. I do not mind any of the archive warnings aside from what's listed in my DNWs.
Things I like in art:
Characters hugging, cute animal companions, manifestations of magic or the supernatural, characters looking fierce holding a weapon, item, or tool. Characters floating against abstract backgrounds with aquatic or space-ey feels. I'm happy with all art media, from digital to watercolor to mixed media to others.
In comics, I appreciate a lot of the classic things - body language, close-ups, seeing characters interacts, and of course the beautiful "page turn into something cool" (which I know probably won't work in an online format, heheh).
In terms of mood: I like moods that are cozy, happy, fierce, or exciting, but I don't like moods in art that are dismaying, horrifying, or depressing.
In terms of how to depict the characters, feel free to diverge from straightforward direct physical depiction / canonical elements if you'd like! I'm comfortable with and enjoy all levels of explicitness/maturity in fics and art.
Anyway - on to the important DNWs and prompts!
Things I don’t like / DNWs:
In fic, my DNWs are authorial monarchist apologia, vivid descriptions of needles, pregnancy, and extreme underage.
In art, my DNWs are authorial monarchist apologia, depictions of needles breaking skin, pregnancy, and extreme underage.
Regarding the monarchism thing: I’m okay with characters in a feudal or monarchist setting, and even protags who are monarchs, and even these characters triumphing as monarchs as long as the story itself isn’t apologia for monarchism. Characters who like monarchism, who think of themselves as good kings, who want to restore the throne, etc - all good by me. Rider in Fate/Zero, or Moriarty in A Study in Emerald, etc are excellent characters and enjoy works about them. I just would prefer not to read a work where the final moral of the story is that democracy is bad and we should all be ruled by a single person with absolute unchecked power, as presented by the author.
Requests:
Request 1: Baldur's Gate - Durgetash
I love these two! Durgetash is my OTP. Or, my new OTP at least. Rotating them in my mind constantly.... they're so evil, so awful, so depraved, so willing to destroy anything, except, maybe, each other? Gortash is collected, he's brilliant, he has an evil plan and will betray everyone and tyrannically crush everyone, except for The Dark Urge, in whom he sees an equal. But he's so awful! He's not like "oh, I'm secretly a good guy for you" or anything. He's just bad and ready to be bad with Durge. And The Dark Urge! That letter, before he lost his memory. "Forgive me, Father..." forgive him... for loving Gortash back! Even though he wants to turn the world into a slaughterhouse, with Gortash, things are different! Would he defy his father, a god, for Gortash? Would he descend into the revelry of killing to hide his feelings? Oh yes, anything is possible. As for depictions of Durge, I've often enjoyed fanart, comics and fics in which he is the "semi-canonical" White Dragonborn, but whatever custom Durge you imagine is also fine (I know he is often a Drow in fics and playthroughs).
What I want out of this is for The Dark Urge and Enver Gortash to be willing to set aside everything for each other, to rule for each other, to even defy their gods for each other. All of course while being as evil as you please.
What I want out of this is for The Dark Urge and Enver Gortash to be willing to set aside everything for each other, to rule for each other, to even defy their gods for each other. All of course while being as evil as you please.
My general letter contains my likes and dislikes, and here are some prompts to get you started:
- The Dark Urge and Enver Gortash do a heist together. They're HEIST buddies. Something focused on the POV of one of them as they begin to realize they love the other and have to change their plans to betray/murder the other. Or maybe it's after the fact in some kind of Reservoir Dogs style scenario where they try to figure out where it all went wrong? Either way, at some point they realize they want each other more than they want to betray each other. And then maybe they FUCK???
- At the culmination of their plan, when they have all the power and everything has succeeded, The Dark Urge and Gortash have to reckon with their love for each other. This is the time when they're tested not just as schemers against the world, but as the Chosen of their gods. And at least, when told to betray each other, they make their choice. Well, maybe they betray Ketheric, lol. But after that... maybe they don't kill each other. And maybe they fuck?
- Pre-canon, The Dark Urge and Enver Gortash team up to deal with a betrayal from one of their allies, which draws them into a web of deception as they try to find out what exactly is beginning to unravel their plans. Counter-planning by Ketheric? Orin making her move? The Emperor causing shenanigans? Or some kind of other issue that is subverting their soldiers, a mystery that might require wading through a sea of blood to solve. And in the end, maybe they suspect each other, but maybe they're the only ones who can be trusted with each other's secrets. And also maybe they fuck! Maybe they fuck!
- I'd also like something about them meeting during canon. About them reconnecting, about The Dark Urge's memories coming back. Maybe the others are with him, maybe not, but either way, he and Enver have a lot of work to do to get things back on track, kill Orin, and subdue the Netherbrain. What's it like to rediscover you love someone, that you love something more than slaughter and death? And to find a path again together?
- For a comic, I know that things often come in a bit tighter, story wise - I'd love even just a portion of any of these prompts to be brought to life if we matched on the comic medium. Whether that's snapshots of them falling in love, or turning away from betrayal, or moments of them over the burning city they now control, hand in hand, ready to conquer the world and rule it, or just with their hands bloody and their enemies slain. Lots to love there.
Request 2: Star Trek TNG - Char: Data
I like Data! I like Data a lot, and one of the things I like about him is the degree to which he has depth as a character that is not necessarily explored by the writers of the show, though I think Brent Spiner certainly understood! To me, Data is not a character without emotions or a sense of humor, these things are instead deeply buried within him and expressed in subtle or mild ways. And when we see his deep sense of loyalty and ethics, his friendship and compassion and love, along with his curiosity and drive to grow as a person and learn from humans and other sapients, I think we must understand Data as someone who is emotionally complex.
One thing I really liked was the plots where Data is given an opportunity to be in command, to deal with the prejudices of others, and the little insights we get into what his future career might be have been like as a captain - particularly in Redemption II, when he has to deal with a bigoted first officer while commanding the Sutherland. (Too bad he didn't remain as first officer after Chain of Command! Jellico was an asshole but Data deserved a promotion, I think).
I feel like canon kind of dealt Data a bad hand - we never get to see him continue on with his career, grow as a person and as an officer, and finally get that starship command that he deserves. What kind of missions would he face? How would he relate to his senior officers? How would they understand him? Well, i'd love a fic that was about something in an AU where Data survives and gets a command, or if we prefer to write something more canon-compliant, snapshot of one of the many times that Data must have been the senior officer on board the Enterprise (when the more senior officers weren't on hand) with command of the ship.
My general letter contains my likes and dislikes, and here are some prompts to get you started:
- Data is appointed captain of a starship, sometime after the show canon in an AU where he lives. He has a chance to meet his new senior staff, which may be all new faces but may include a junior officer from the Enterprise who has been promoted as well. As they do their initial mission together, they face a delicate diplomatic situation - perhaps with the Romulans, perhaps with the Cardassians - where Data has to prove himself to his senior staff, but also make use of their abilities, knowledge, and diplomatic skills.
- Data is awarded command of the Sutherland after the events of Redemption II. He has earned Hobson's respect, but a lot of the crew is new and the vessel itself could use some repairs. However, when they are en route to a starbase to fully repair the phaser power couplings, an urgent situation arrives, and they have to save the day with limited resources.
- Data and his crew find themselves initiating diplomatic contact with a new warp-capable species. Data has to push his own charisma and understanding of sapient nature to the limits as he tries to negotiate with them (perhaps with the help of some crew who are experts in xenoculture) as some kind of other problem looms over their planet and Data's ship.
Request 3: Naruto - Char: Haruno Sakura
I'm a BAMF Sakura enjoyer! I think she deserved better and more than Kishimoto was willing to write for her. One thing that I think sets her apart a great deal from Sasuke and Naruto is that she is not the heir to any bloodline, she has no demons sealed in her, she doesn't have the legacy of a great ninja family to learn from: she is a regular ninja. When she rises to the top, it is because of her skill and effort and hard work, because of her brilliance and her strength that comes from her and nobody else.
I also think Kishimoto kind of overlooked her, and it's not enough to just make her strong and then oh whoops now it's the future and she married Sasuke and had a kid! No! Arg!
I do appreciate many attempts by authors to write BAMF Sakura stories. I love every one of them, even the ones that ship her with Naruto or Sasuke. Though I love it a lot more when she's shipped with anyone else, or is just doing her own thing. I also like it when the strength she achieves isn't because she's secretly an Uzumaki or secretly has the Mokuton or something - I want it to come from her own hard work, from her diligence, from her passion and anger! I want it to come from who she is as a person and not some unearned source.
I'd love a story focused on Sakura, perhaps during the timeskip era, and how she builds up her strength and grows as a person, particularly if she grows beyond her love
My general letter contains my likes and dislikes, and here are some prompts to get you started:
- It's during the time skip, and Sakura is frustrated at her lack of progress. She knows that Naruto and Sasuke were ahead of her even when they both left the village, and each day, she feels herself falling further behind. Things change though when she begins researching some of the old notes left behind from Orochimaru on bloodline grafting. Forbidden, of course. But it's her first step down a path to the power she needs.
- Through a series of mishaps, schemes, or other unusual circumstances, Sakura ends up as the Hokage, perhaps after Tsunade, but really any time post-timeskip. As the village faces new perils, and Sakura faces challenges to her authority, she has to kick a lot of ass socially and physically to show that she's got what it takes to wear the big hat.
- Sakura knew from the beginning she'd need to be strong to win over Sasuke, not just beautiful (which, of course, she obviously is, way more than Ino-pig!). And she also knew she had no clan techniques or bloodlines, so she trained twice as hard to be twice as strong in the run-up to the chunin exams. When the day came, she had a number of tricks up her sleeve that maybe changed how things went in the Forest of Death.
- During the Kazekage Rescue Mission or any of the other early Shippuden missions out of the village, there are a lot of ways Sakura could have ended up separated from her friends and deep in dangerous or enemy territory. Pushed to the limit, can Sakura get herself (and any other vital allies, packages, etc) home with just her wits, her determination, and her strength?
Request 4: A Study in Emerald - Holmes & Moriarty, Holmes & Watson, Holmes/Watson
I consider A Study in Emerald to have tremendous potential for fanworks (and it is, itself, a fanwork, as a crossover between the Cthulhu Mythos and Sherlock Holmes). I've enjoyed a lot of ASiE fics in the category of "a take on a classic story in this world" but I've also enjoyed when writers have gone their own route or tried to explore the aftermath of run-up to A Study in Emerald itself. The idea of a world haunted and ruled by the Great Old Ones, and the story of the Restorationists, fighting their power with only the tools of humanity in this dark alternate 1880s, is a lot of fun. So much is hinted at or referred to, but so little is revealed, in the original work. I'd love to see more, whether in the form of a fic or fanart of a scene.
What does a war in Europe mean for the Old Ones? Do they battle each other or have some kind of detente? How close are the Restorationists to getting anything serious done, in Albion or elsewhere? And when another mystery pops up, for either our Restoration hero or his loyalist foe to solve, what horrors await them?
My general letter contains my likes and dislikes, and here are some prompts to get you started:
- I'd love to see a story that revisits a classic ACD Sherlock Holmes story, but set in this universe and with an eldritch twist. Whether that's with Moriarty as the detective and Holmes as a mastermind criminal, or Holmes and Watson investigating some kind of happening relevant to the Restorationist cause, I'm a happy camper.
- I'd like to see a treasure hunt, a heist, or a race against time, with Holmes and Watson hunting for an eldritch treasure that could be crucial to the Restorationist cause. Maybe it's a race against royalist forces, maybe some kind of horror is going to be unleashed on some innocents and they have limited time to retrieve the item.
- "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time." The Star of Albion, Vol 43 No 156 was published 1 year before The Great War broke out in our world, decades after Moran wrote his piece. When war breaks out, does Holmes have a plan to lock wits with Moriarty once again, this time across a war-torn continent as horrors both eldritch and manmade are unleashed? Was the Archduke Franz Ferdinand killed by our heroic Restorationists, ready to wet their blades once more with the green blood of creatures from beyond this world?
- I'd love to learn more about the Restorationists from the inside. Holmes is prone to obsession and wasting away, but he and John are close confidants in this story, men who set themselves against the (false) order of the world and sometimes may have only each other to trust. What do they do when they're not killing royals and hoodwinking Moriarty? Perhaps they have a time for their romance to develop, between their cases and their travels, in the new world or in Europe.
Request 5: Trials of Mana - Hawkeye/Riesz
This ship is just full of sparks and chemistry, and I love the way Hawkeye and Riesz' personality play off of each other. Hawkeye is of course naturally flirtatious, whereas Riesz grew up living a courtly life and doesn't know much of the ways of the world. She can of course handle herself on the battlefield (and is the stronger in terms of raw strength between the two of them), but her life experience has been sheltered. On top of that, it seems at first like there's no way they can be together! A thief from Navarre, a princess of Rolante... how could be possible? Surely... no, it can't be! I love pining-related tropes in this ship, as well as their relationship being inhibited by circumstance, whether it's a matter of social station, or needing to save the world together first.
My general letter contains my likes and dislikes, and here are some prompts to get you started:
- Post-canon, Hawkeye and Riesz pine for each other from their respective countries, until another threat to the world causes the team to come together again. There are a few ways this could be structured - maybe as an epistolary story where they write letters to each other, and we see them talk of new threats that emerge, and it transitions to a story where they meet and go on an adventure and all that love that was built up in those letters comes through.
- During a fight against one of their various tough foes, Hawkeye gets injured and comes down with a fever. Then, Riesz tends to his wounds while he recovers. There are a few ways this could go, but one option could be something that requires a longer recovery. Maybe they need a week off for some kind of mana recovery, or so Hawkeye can do another class change, and they go to the beach or on a nice vacation? Or it could be something like a sprain where they just have to take it easy for a while. Either way, I'd like to see them with their hair down, a chance to be playful, etc!
- Post-canon, Rolante and Navarre arrange a political marriage, and it's Hawkeye and Riesz, who both secretly have feelings for each other, and don't know about the other one reciprocating. There could be some kind of wedding shenanigans (all kinds welcome!) and maybe their first night together as they realize that actually, they deserve each other and can love each other... romantically and sexually!
- While out on their adventures, the rest of the party (6-member party AU anyone?) does some shenanigans to make Hawkeye and Riesz get together, since it's obvious they're crushing on each other. I think in this scenario, I'd love for something a bit more wacky as the setup, but then for Hawkeye and Reisz to get a chance to talk and open up to each other. And maybe fuck!
Thanks for reading this!
Hopefully this gives you some ideas. I am sure I will like whatever you create.Thank you.