The Star Ocean Universe

Well, I think it's safe to say that I've fallen a little behind with what I've wanted to with this journal. Ah well. That's okay. :) Tis better late than never, they say. I'm hoping that this week at least sees me back somewhat on track, but given the possibility of a job either by Wednesday or the start of next week, I'm not entirely sure how it's going to work out. Still, I have some very interesting topics to post, topics stemming from some recent conversations plus one more game review for the interim, and the next character study for Sophia Esteed. I'm also thinking up of new projects to do for this, things that'll not only be fun for me, but fun for the rest of the Star Ocean community as well.

Title: Destinies Intertwined by Fate
World: Till the End of Time
Chapter: Two out of Twenty
Chapter Title: Discussions and The Guilt of Surviving
Summary: For Fayt Leingod and Luther Lansfeld, the end of the final battle is only the beginning. Worlds collide as the rebuilding begins.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Ocean 3 or the characters from the game. They belong to Square Enix and Tri-Ace. I do not profit from the writing of this story. All OCs presented within belong to me, and I will protect them zealously from any and all unauthorized use. Please ask me first before writing them into your stories. Thank you.
Warnings: Some chapters will contain adult content and adult themes. Other warnings include yaoi, or, for the anime-lacking in their lives, at least one male/male relationship, some language (Fayt is no saint), implied torture and hints of sexual assault, science fiction and fantasy elements, momentary scenes of intense and graphic violence, and potential character deaths, be they of the original character or main game character variety. Also, Albel and Luther can both be dickheads when the mood strikes them.
Author's Note: I'm going to treat this like I'm at fanfiction.net . . . there will be implied adult content as opposed to actual adult content. Not that there isn't any adult content in the story itself . . . I'm just covering my behind when it comes to potential minors finding this journal and reading something that perhaps their parents don't want them to read. :) That's all.

 

( Read more... )

 

Part Two is forthcoming soon.

Title: Destinies Intertwined by Fate
World: Till the End of Time
Chapter: One out of Twenty
Chapter Title: Beginning the Search for Luther and Fayt
Summary: For Fayt Leingod and Luther Lansfeld, the end of the final battle is only the beginning. Worlds collide as the rebuilding begins.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Ocean 3 or the characters from the game. They belong to Square Enix and Tri-Ace. I do not profit from the writing of this story. All OCs presented within belong to me, and I will protect them zealously from any and all unauthorized use. Please ask me first before writing them into your stories. Thank you.
Warnings: Some chapters will contain adult content and adult themes. Other warnings include yaoi, or, for the anime-lacking in their lives, at least one male/male relationship, some language (Fayt is no saint), implied torture and hints of sexual assault, science fiction and fantasy elements, momentary scenes of intense and graphic violence, and potential character deaths, be they of the original character or main game character variety. Also, Albel and Luther can both be dickheads when the mood strikes them.
Author's Note: I'm going to treat this like I'm at fanfiction.net . . . there will be implied adult content as opposed to actual adult content. Not that there isn't any adult content in the story itself . . . I'm just covering my behind when it comes to potential minors finding this journal and reading something that perhaps their parents don't want them to read. :) That's all.

 

( Read more... )

 

Since tomorrow is Friday, I plan on starting my character studies. I'll be writing one per week so that way I don't burn through all of the characters before I've had a chance to play First Departure and Second Evolution. (I just don't own that PSP!) Chapter Two for Destinies Intertwined by Fate is still in progress, but I should have it ready to be posted next week.

Up for tomorrow: Reimi Saionji character study, game review for The Last Hope, and Letting Go When the Desire To Hold On Is Strong, a one-shot for an alternate Till the End of Time universe.

Happy Valentine's Day, my fellow Star Ocean fans! Today's entry will feature two fanfic one-shots centered on this day of love, romance, and friendship as well as some artwork from my friend, Blackdragon (two pieces I commissioned her for) that I absolutely adore. She's an amazing artist, in my opinion, and I'm very glad she drew the images for me.

So today's agenda is all about love. Since it's all about love, let's keep it simple as well. Which characters belong in your OTP? If you're unsure of what OTP means, don't feel bad. I didn't know, either, that it meant one true pairing. Now that you know, which pairing are you, the reader, gaga over and why? For myself, well, I admit that I'm a bit of a rabid yaoi fangirl. ^_^ Years ago, when I first started to write The Power of Fayt, I was leaning very much towards Albel Nox x Fayt Leingod. In fact, even though another story sold me completely on the Luther Lansfeld/Fayt Leingod aspect, I still do enjoy Albel/Fayt. Unfortunately for me, I really haven't found anyone who can really sell that relationship to me in fanfiction. Yes, there are very well-written fanfic pieces out there, but they're very few and far between. Plus, I tend to go for the more obscure pairings when it comes to my fandoms. Luther/Fayt is quite obscure, though I'm sure there are other combinations that are just as obscure, it not more so, than they are, but I'm very much sold on them.

Part of why I love this particular combination is the fact that Luther and Fayt are true counterparts. Luther is the Creator and Fayt is the embodiment of Destruction. I know you don't get to see very many close-ups or profile images of Luther in the final battle or even anything where Fayt and Luther are side by side, but it's very likely that Luther knew what Fayt was going to be and thus created Fayt to look similar to him. Also, despite some of their more obvious differences (Luther is a 4-D being, Fayt is a 3-D being, they're from different worlds, etc . . .), the two actually have more in common than what anyone might realize. They're both passionate about their beliefs and convictions. They both believe in doing the right thing. (Think about it: Would Luther really destroy something he worked hard for if he didn't think it was the right thing to do?) I personally think that Luther intended for Fayt to have certain traits that were different from him. I think that Fayt is something Luther wanted to be at some point or another, but couldn't realize that particular dream.

(artwork done by the lovely Blackdragon-sama of deviantArt. 1st commission by me)

Another selling point for me is actually coming from a book I've recently borrowed from one of the local libraries (I have access to three different libraries, all of which are about 5-15 miles from my house) on Eastern Wisdom. I've gotten as far as the segments on Hinduism (I'm still reading up on India), but so far, these small chapters, or sections, have talked about how Creation cannot exist with Destruction.

Do I think Luther could be all gushy-mushy towards Fayt? I think it'd be hard for him to be something he's not used to being, but he'd try, perhaps going to extremes for everything to be perfect and the way that he wants it. He didn't get where he was in his life by playing nice with everyone or even being a pushover, but by being confident in who and what he was and in what he could accomplish. It would be hard for him to trust Fayt right away. Not just because of the final battle but because that's just how Luther strikes me. On the same hand, though, once he's decided who he's going to be with and who he's going to lower those emotional barriers for, I really do feel that Luther could at least open himself up to one person, hoping that said person wouldn't betray him or use him in anyway. (Of which, out of the entire hero party, the only one who I can see who wouldn't do that is Fayt. Out of the list of bosses in Sphere 211 and out of Luther's subordinates, Azazer is the next closest thing. Hmmm . . . I could have fun with that.)

There are other pairings for Till the End of Time that I'm willing to write, willing to challenge myself to write . . . As horrid as it sounds, if a story calls for it, I'll write Albel/Sophia or Albel/Maria, and Cliff/Sophia. Officially, I'll go with Maria/Lieber, Cliff/Nel, Cliff/Fayt, Luther/Fayt, Albel/Fayt, Albel/Mirage, aaaaand I'm toying with the notion of Cliff/Albel.

(2nd commission done by Blackdragon-sama. It's so sweet and done specifically for Valentine's Day!)

That's just for Till the End of Time. Since I haven't played First Departure or Second Evolution yet, that only leaves The Last Hope, which I feel I tend to be weird about that as well. On the yaoi side, I lean very heavily towards Crowe/Edge and maybe even Edge/Faize and Arumat/Edge. Canonically speaking, I leave Bacchus with his wife. I think it'd be pretty lousy to write him with someone other than his wife, Freesia, simply because of the fact she stood by him while he carried out his duty of destroying the Grigori. I can also see Faize/Lymle, to one extent or another. For the het pairings, Edge/Myuria all the way. :) Myuria is one of the reasons why Edge grows as a character, and I can totally see how it would work. I'm not sure about the Crowe/Eleyna angle, but then I need to get that ending to see if I actually like it.


Valentine's photo shoot with my Edge Maverick and Fayt Leingod figures . . . yes, it seems so unfair that Fayt towers over Edge. Perhaps. /evil grin/

Close up of Fayt. Yes, I used real food for this. I only wish I had real roses and rose petals to add to the effect.

Better angle with the cake.

Shot of Edge. That isn't a bottle of real wine. For the purpose of the photo shoot, I'm going to call it St. Mangosteen Juice. XD (It's actually a bottle of non-alcoholic, wild berry spumante made here in Michigan.)

Edge and Fayt together again.

Last shot. The silver heart pendant belongs to my little sister. Very glad she let me use it. :)

Now for the fanfiction!

Title: A Prelude of Things Yet to Come
World: Till the End of Time
Pairing: Luther x Fayt, implied Cliff x Fayt
Warnings: Yaoi, implied adult situations, fluff
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Ocean: Till the End of Time or the characters of Fayt Leingod, Cliff Fittir, or Luther Lansfeld. They are the intellectual, creative properties of Square Enix and Tri-Ace respectively. I do not profit from writing this story.
Summary: Luther and Fayt come to an agreement.


( A Prelude of Things Yet to Come )

 

Title: The Perfect Romantic Day . . . Or Something Like That

World: Till the End of Time
Pairing: Luther x Fayt
Rating: PG13
Warnings: Yaoi, implied adult situations, fluff
Disclaimer: Same as above
Summary: Luther has a surprise for Fayt

 

( The Perfect Romantic Day . . . Or Something Like That )

 

That's all for today. I am coming up with more writing topics, but I think I will still reserve tomorrow's entry as fanfiction only. I still have to compile voice actor lists, merchandise, cosplays, fan-created merchandise, and I plan on looking for photos of the game covers to post as well. Right now, the biggest obstacle, it would seem, is compiling the doujinshi list since I'm quite certain there are more available than what I've been able to find on eBay. That, like the fan-created items and cosplay, may be something continually ongoing.

Hope everyone enjoyed the Valentine's Day goodness of this entry, and I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day. Until the next entry!

Okay, you've played Star Ocean: The Last Hope, either for the XBox 360 or the PS3 (or even both). You've defeated the Apostle of Creation and Satanail, and you've watched as Edge fell into the abyss as Nox Obscuris has fallen apart only to see him alive and well in the flashback to the events shortly after the fall of Nox Obscuris. Most players know about the conversation that takes place next between Edge, Reimi, Giotto of the Morphus, Supreme Commander Gaghan of the Eldarians, and Commander Stephen D. "Lightspeed" Kenny and his personal assistant, Lieutentant Heinz. Kenny wants to continue exploring space for habitable planets for humankind, and I'm sure most players understand the importance of that conversation due what happens in the previous (yet future, chronologically speaking) games.

But why was Edge the one to protest Commander Kenny's initial remarks on continued space exploration? Why was he saved from imminent death? Couldn't someone else have set into motion the necessary events for the preview games? We know he's the hero, and people don't like it when the hero dies at the end, so there's one reason. The other, well, I fear it's rather obvious at this point for all Star Ocean: The Last Hope players. Edge is the only one capable of voicing such a discontent to his hero, Lightspeed Kenny. Someone else might have crumpled under such pressure or may not have even thought to say, "Hey, we don't want to be the bad guys here. We need rules if we continue space exploration." With his "death", the Under-developed Planet Preservation Pact wouldn't exist.

Realistically, though, Edge should have died. He didn't bother to try and escape the destruction of Nox Obscuris. He knew quite well what he was doing when he indicated for Giotto to get the others to safety. He only lived at the end as a plot device and to keep the events in the other games where they needed to be. I realize that most fans might already know this, but I am a bit grumpy over the fact that Edge didn't die as he should have. You don't see it very often so . . .

Anyway, that's today's topic. I know it isn't an in-depth thing, but there really isn't much else to say on the matter.

I now leave you with a ficlet.

Title: Honey Wine
Game: Till the End of Time
Pairing: N/A
Characters: Fayt Leingod aka Destruction, OCs
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Ocean or the character of Fayt Leingod. They are owned by Square Enix and Tri-Ace. I do not profit financially from writing this story.
Summary: The nectar of the Gods is sweet. But taking a drink comes with a price.
( Honey Wine )

 

Hello again! Another day with another entry with another thought from me. Yeah. It may seem like I need a life, that I should stop obsessing over something that's fictional, but, well, what's science fiction today is science fact of tomorrow. Isaac Asimov proved that with his novel, I, Robot. :)

Anyway, after I wrote about Luther Lansfeld yesterday, I went and played some more Star Ocean: The Last Hope International. Discovered that there's an ending for Reimi, and I'm not sure if it's something I'm going to go for . . . despite being a trophy completionist. I'm getting off-track here. One thing I've noticed that seems to be a bit of a recurring theme with the Star Ocean games, or at least with Till the End of Time and The Last Hope, is that of genetic experimentation. As most Star Ocean players know, in Till the End of Time, the "science" experiments were Fayt Leingod, Maria Traydor, and Sophia Esteed, with each given the powers of Destruction, Alteration, and Connection respectively. In The Last Hope, it's Edge Maverick, Crowe F. Almedio (who you don't get as an AI for your team - bummer), and Reimi Saionji. These three were gifted with the genetic capabilities of an ancient alien race known as the Muah, but they're not specific powers, per se. Rather, it's the ability to adapt to a given situation and survive. You know it's going on when you see crests light up on the back of Edge's right hand and the back of Reimi's neck. Sadly, because Crowe doesn't become a playable member of your AI team, it's unclear just what exactly his adaptation skills are, but we do know he's powerful in his own right, Captain of the Aquila at a very young age and capable of using not only a gun, but twin blades as well. :) (What's not to love about that?)

( Into the details we go )
I have all sorts of interesting ideas about the Star Ocean universe that I'd like to present to my fellow fans and players. My goal with these entries isn't necessarily to influence others to my way of thinking about the fandom, but to help spread the love and to discuss all things related to the games. These games are still popular, but they're not necessarily as popular as the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series. This journal is also for the people who wonder what the appeal is to the games from a fan's point of view. The fans of Star Ocean know why they love the games. That's a given.

So if you're just finding this journal or if you're a die-hard Star Ocean fan, discussions on entries like this are welcome, so long as they maintain a certain social decorum and respect. Remember, each person is entitled to his or her opinions. Name-calling, pushing your thoughts on others, and blatant disrespect for your fellow fans and me will get you banned from this journal quicker than what it would take Luther to hit his almighty delete key of doom. I know I should have said this on this first entry, but it's here now. The idea is to spread the love, not turn other people away from the fandom. I also have anonymous commenting on, but if people abuse that, it will be turned off, and said person will either have to create an ID in order to post comments or leave me alone. It sounds harsh, I know, but I will not tolerate disrespect towards me or to others who may have a differing view point on these games and these characters. It's the disrespect that drives people who love the games away and keeps others who might enjoy the games from ever touching them. There is no one correct theory to any of this. :) It's all for fun, and I hope fun for all.

What's next? In terms of idea discussion and thoughts, I think I'm going to run with an idea called An Issue of Trust. There are events that have taken place in the Star Ocean games that most people who love a few of the canon pairings don't take into consideration when creating artwork or writing stories for those pairings. These are pairings that, for me, just don't work even though they are canon to some extent or another. People who like the canon pairings may want to avoid reading the next entry simply because it won't be what they want to hear. I feel that everyone has the right to choose the OTP that appeals to him (or her . . . mostly her, it seems like). I just don't feel like arguing over why, oh, say, Edge Maverick should be with Reimi Saionji over someone else, like Myuria or even heading into yaoi territory with Faize or Crowe or Arumat. The canon pairings don't always appeal to me. I understand that they appeal to others, and that's fine. We will like what we will like, and that's fine.

Until tomorrow, kiddos!!

Icon artwork done by: Blackdragon