acequeenking (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
acequeenking) wrote2021-06-15 05:25 pm
acequeenking) wrote2021-06-15 05:25 pm
June Something #1 and #2
I decided to pick up the June Something! Late, but hey, better late than never? Going to try to do two questions a day to try to finish it on a Timely Manner but we'll see how it goes.
Day 1: What's changed about your fandom life in the last 365 days?
Honestly, the biggest thing has been a deliberate slow-down. I published 30 fics in 2020, almost all of which were very pre-pandemic exchanges (Yuletide + Chocolate box). In 2021 so far, I've written 3; 1 was a pinch hit for![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
hurtcomfortex , 1 was an an assignment for the rural_dionysia, one was a continuation of a fic started in 2020. I will probably do at least a couple more, but for someone who was doing around 20-40 fics in a year for exchanges, that's a pretty large slowdown.
In part, I was planning on slowing down anyway - I'd burnt out a bit. I wanted to work on more on my own fic, some of which has been languishing for a while. (And some of which continues to languish, oops.) I wanted to finish the fics I'd started on for the equality auction. I had hopes of getting everything organized neatly. Not a lot of that happened, but I stilll have hopes it will! It seems terrible, but hey, I learned I need to give myself deadlines, because I'm pretty terrible at getting things done without them. There's reasons, of course, but the tl;dr I'll give in a public post is basically 2020 wasn't a great year, 2021 started rough (but is getting better), and depression is a bitch.
I also discovered exchange ...fandom? moves extremely fast. Within a couple months of stopping doing exchanges, I stopped recognizing a lot of the names that were signing up for things, as I was no longer going "ah, a new person who likes what I like!" I also noticed a lot of the fandoms I knew ceased to be, ceased to be as popular, or were just all new fandoms that I wasn't familiar with. So by the time I jump back in, I feel like I will essentially be a newbie again!
Edit: I misread this, and thought both couples were meant to be cross-overs. BUT I like what I wrote, so rather than re-writing it, I'm just going to go ahead and say this is just two cross-overs because I'm a dunce. You can kind of pretend the first one is the same fandom in an "alternate universe" sort of way? Maybe? *squint*
It's probably cheating to do an alternate form of half of the pairing as part of an ideal triad, let alone an alternate version of them from an unreleased game, but: the first and most ideal choice I think for Hadestown's Persephone and Hades for a third is Persephone from Chorus.
1) For Hades, I feel like he's attracted to the political danger of it all. I think a Persephone who has, already, killed one Hades is a potent threat. Hades likes bold women who aren't afraid to stand up to him, and I think the idea of a usurper who has successfully dispatched one version of him would be something particularly exhilarating in terms of danger. It's also the one that, I think, will simultaneously be able to be weaponized against Hadestown! Persephone during one of their endless spats without her being able to do much about it: harder to argue he's not respecting their vows when he's simply with an alternate universe version of herself (and herself, so she can't even say she's not having fun here too).
2) For Hadestown! Persephone, I think why she likes her double varies a bit. On a personal level, she likes that, like her, Chorus! Persephone is no push-over. Chorus! Persephone also pours a mean drink and gives mean advice. Hadestown! Persephone likes her romantic partners a bit mean and cool. Plus it's easy to make Hades jealous when she flirts with Chorus! Persephone, because after all, isn't kissing an alternate version of yourself more masturbation than cheating?
I do think it stings for her to know that there will be six months of the year where she isn't around and Chorus! Persephone will be, but on the other hand, having a version of herself around probably makes her husband a little less desperate to take her home early. (Which is, in itself, probably also worrying to her, and I think she's "surprised" them by coming home early more than once.) Unlike Hades, I do think there's points where she struggles with comparisons with her alternate self: I think she worries maybe she is too soft, because Chorus! Persephone got rid of a Hades that was out of control. But I also think she resents Chorus! Persephone at points: it doesn't seem fair to Hadestown! Persephone that she'll never meet the Chorus! Hades, and it really doesn't seem fair that Chorus! Persephone has decided they're just going to have to share the Hadestown! version of the man. But on the other hand, if Chorus! Persephone, who already dispatched one Hades, likes her husband - well, he can't be beyond saving, can he?
3) For Chorus! Persephone, I feel like it's very much a point of fascination for her. Hadestown! Hades and Persephone give her a look into a future she might have had, but spurned. I feel like she's a bit jealous that Hadestown! Persephone wasn't kidnapped, and got to make her own way; even if she wound up in the same place, she chose to be there, and that's a huge difference. (It also, I think, makes her view the Hadestown! Hades more favorably; her Hades never gave her any choice, and stole her childhood away from her.) I think at some points she's also quite jealous of their relationship: Hadestown! Persephone and Hades have a lot of problems, but they always love one another, and they have an intimacy with one another that Chorus! Persephone isn't able to show to anybody. On an individual level, I think she likes that this Hades is an industrialist, like her, and willing to get his hands dirty; he's not the staid and traditional man that she murdered. Hadestown! Persephone, I thin, she likes as a softer version of herself, but one that still has a lot of edges that she isn't afraid to let show through. I guess I was always gonna be a bitch, she'd say, and she'd mean it as a compliment.
I think she certainly toys with the idea of replacing either of them, maybe both - what's better than one underworld but TWO underworlds? - but ultimately decides she'd rather sit around and see what's going on.
For the alternate couple, I'd say I'd choose Tekken's Lee Chaolan and Kazuya Mishima with a third from Yakuza, Tetsu Tachibana. Likes HT! Hades and Persephone I think Lee + Kaz are absolutely a maelstrom whose attention is always focused on their primary goals, which generally isn't the third so much as naked ambition and power. I think they need a third who "gets" that, who is preferably also in a position of power that they can take advantage of.
1) From Kazuya's perspective, I think he would be attracted to Tachibana because the idea of having a power broker so close to Jin's territory would tickle him. I think he's got complicated feelings in regards to his own sexuality because...well, Kazuya never was raised well, and he incorporated Heihachi's teachings a bit too fundamentally, and Heihachi is very imperialist Japan. I think he absolutely sees himself as better than Tachibana (and Chaolan), so he views his natural place as dominating both. He's not someone who will ever be vulnerable willingly - power means never having to show anyone you're afraid - but I think Chaolan and Tachibana are no strangers to this attitude, and even if neither likes it - well, they understand it. Politics mean bedfellows, sometimes unpleasant ones. They're both useful for his primary goal in life, which in this timeline is annoying his father and eventually dethroning him.
2) From Lee Chaolan's perspective, I think he sees a lot of himself in Tachibana. Those two could drink for a week straight talking about how their lives changed when they went from China to Japan, about always being a foreigner no matter where they go, about dealing with dangerous men who destroy them but that they can't quite stay away from for too long because nothing else satisfies in quite the same way. Lee Chaolan could never be intimate with Kazuya, not really; he's tried, more than once, more than most people bothered, but Kazuya has steadily humiliated and brushed him away as they've gotten older, and as the demon possessing Kazuya got deeper and deeper claws into him. I think Tachibana is willing to listen to him, to be his confidant. And only a little bit of his decision to do that is based on the knowledge that Lee is part of the Mishima Zaibatsu capable of aiding Tachibana in many respects. They would be true friends and perhaps could even grow into a life-long partnership with or without Kazuya.
3) From Tachibana's perspective, I think he isn't blind to the usefulness of power from the Mishima boys. Kazuya is an ugly soul, but he's willing to get his hands dirty, and he's got soft power as the eldest son of his incredibly powerful family. I think Tachibana respects Kazuya's willingness to get into the fray; he's a hammer in want of a nail, but he's never going to hesitate to do what needs to be done, and I think Tachibana respects that courage.
But Lee - well, I think the relationship there is more fascinating for Tachibana. Tachibana's life is rough, but I can't help but feel that he might wind up being a bit thankful for the way his life turned out after he learns about how Kazuya and Lee grew up. I think he loves how Lee is less afraid to show his emotions despite growing up like he did, because Tachibana, like Kazuya, learned to keep everything far closer to the chest. I also think he appreciates how boyish and eager Lee can be about robots - his prosthetic hand is probably deeply fascinating to Lee, who loves anything even slightly robotic. He might even grow to trust the man enough to modify it.
Honestly, the biggest thing has been a deliberate slow-down. I published 30 fics in 2020, almost all of which were very pre-pandemic exchanges (Yuletide + Chocolate box). In 2021 so far, I've written 3; 1 was a pinch hit for
hurtcomfortex , 1 was an an assignment for the rural_dionysia, one was a continuation of a fic started in 2020. I will probably do at least a couple more, but for someone who was doing around 20-40 fics in a year for exchanges, that's a pretty large slowdown. In part, I was planning on slowing down anyway - I'd burnt out a bit. I wanted to work on more on my own fic, some of which has been languishing for a while. (And some of which continues to languish, oops.) I wanted to finish the fics I'd started on for the equality auction. I had hopes of getting everything organized neatly. Not a lot of that happened, but I stilll have hopes it will! It seems terrible, but hey, I learned I need to give myself deadlines, because I'm pretty terrible at getting things done without them. There's reasons, of course, but the tl;dr I'll give in a public post is basically 2020 wasn't a great year, 2021 started rough (but is getting better), and depression is a bitch.
I also discovered exchange ...fandom? moves extremely fast. Within a couple months of stopping doing exchanges, I stopped recognizing a lot of the names that were signing up for things, as I was no longer going "ah, a new person who likes what I like!" I also noticed a lot of the fandoms I knew ceased to be, ceased to be as popular, or were just all new fandoms that I wasn't familiar with. So by the time I jump back in, I feel like I will essentially be a newbie again!
Day 2: You've got your OTP, you have to throw a third into the mix (from the same fandom), creating an OT3. Who is the OTP, and in your opinion, why would they make a perfect third for them? Bonus question: What about adding a third to your OTP from a different fandom? Who and why?
Edit: I misread this, and thought both couples were meant to be cross-overs. BUT I like what I wrote, so rather than re-writing it, I'm just going to go ahead and say this is just two cross-overs because I'm a dunce. You can kind of pretend the first one is the same fandom in an "alternate universe" sort of way? Maybe? *squint*
It's probably cheating to do an alternate form of half of the pairing as part of an ideal triad, let alone an alternate version of them from an unreleased game, but: the first and most ideal choice I think for Hadestown's Persephone and Hades for a third is Persephone from Chorus.
1) For Hades, I feel like he's attracted to the political danger of it all. I think a Persephone who has, already, killed one Hades is a potent threat. Hades likes bold women who aren't afraid to stand up to him, and I think the idea of a usurper who has successfully dispatched one version of him would be something particularly exhilarating in terms of danger. It's also the one that, I think, will simultaneously be able to be weaponized against Hadestown! Persephone during one of their endless spats without her being able to do much about it: harder to argue he's not respecting their vows when he's simply with an alternate universe version of herself (and herself, so she can't even say she's not having fun here too).
2) For Hadestown! Persephone, I think why she likes her double varies a bit. On a personal level, she likes that, like her, Chorus! Persephone is no push-over. Chorus! Persephone also pours a mean drink and gives mean advice. Hadestown! Persephone likes her romantic partners a bit mean and cool. Plus it's easy to make Hades jealous when she flirts with Chorus! Persephone, because after all, isn't kissing an alternate version of yourself more masturbation than cheating?
I do think it stings for her to know that there will be six months of the year where she isn't around and Chorus! Persephone will be, but on the other hand, having a version of herself around probably makes her husband a little less desperate to take her home early. (Which is, in itself, probably also worrying to her, and I think she's "surprised" them by coming home early more than once.) Unlike Hades, I do think there's points where she struggles with comparisons with her alternate self: I think she worries maybe she is too soft, because Chorus! Persephone got rid of a Hades that was out of control. But I also think she resents Chorus! Persephone at points: it doesn't seem fair to Hadestown! Persephone that she'll never meet the Chorus! Hades, and it really doesn't seem fair that Chorus! Persephone has decided they're just going to have to share the Hadestown! version of the man. But on the other hand, if Chorus! Persephone, who already dispatched one Hades, likes her husband - well, he can't be beyond saving, can he?
3) For Chorus! Persephone, I feel like it's very much a point of fascination for her. Hadestown! Hades and Persephone give her a look into a future she might have had, but spurned. I feel like she's a bit jealous that Hadestown! Persephone wasn't kidnapped, and got to make her own way; even if she wound up in the same place, she chose to be there, and that's a huge difference. (It also, I think, makes her view the Hadestown! Hades more favorably; her Hades never gave her any choice, and stole her childhood away from her.) I think at some points she's also quite jealous of their relationship: Hadestown! Persephone and Hades have a lot of problems, but they always love one another, and they have an intimacy with one another that Chorus! Persephone isn't able to show to anybody. On an individual level, I think she likes that this Hades is an industrialist, like her, and willing to get his hands dirty; he's not the staid and traditional man that she murdered. Hadestown! Persephone, I thin, she likes as a softer version of herself, but one that still has a lot of edges that she isn't afraid to let show through. I guess I was always gonna be a bitch, she'd say, and she'd mean it as a compliment.
I think she certainly toys with the idea of replacing either of them, maybe both - what's better than one underworld but TWO underworlds? - but ultimately decides she'd rather sit around and see what's going on.
For the alternate couple, I'd say I'd choose Tekken's Lee Chaolan and Kazuya Mishima with a third from Yakuza, Tetsu Tachibana. Likes HT! Hades and Persephone I think Lee + Kaz are absolutely a maelstrom whose attention is always focused on their primary goals, which generally isn't the third so much as naked ambition and power. I think they need a third who "gets" that, who is preferably also in a position of power that they can take advantage of.
1) From Kazuya's perspective, I think he would be attracted to Tachibana because the idea of having a power broker so close to Jin's territory would tickle him. I think he's got complicated feelings in regards to his own sexuality because...well, Kazuya never was raised well, and he incorporated Heihachi's teachings a bit too fundamentally, and Heihachi is very imperialist Japan. I think he absolutely sees himself as better than Tachibana (and Chaolan), so he views his natural place as dominating both. He's not someone who will ever be vulnerable willingly - power means never having to show anyone you're afraid - but I think Chaolan and Tachibana are no strangers to this attitude, and even if neither likes it - well, they understand it. Politics mean bedfellows, sometimes unpleasant ones. They're both useful for his primary goal in life, which in this timeline is annoying his father and eventually dethroning him.
2) From Lee Chaolan's perspective, I think he sees a lot of himself in Tachibana. Those two could drink for a week straight talking about how their lives changed when they went from China to Japan, about always being a foreigner no matter where they go, about dealing with dangerous men who destroy them but that they can't quite stay away from for too long because nothing else satisfies in quite the same way. Lee Chaolan could never be intimate with Kazuya, not really; he's tried, more than once, more than most people bothered, but Kazuya has steadily humiliated and brushed him away as they've gotten older, and as the demon possessing Kazuya got deeper and deeper claws into him. I think Tachibana is willing to listen to him, to be his confidant. And only a little bit of his decision to do that is based on the knowledge that Lee is part of the Mishima Zaibatsu capable of aiding Tachibana in many respects. They would be true friends and perhaps could even grow into a life-long partnership with or without Kazuya.
3) From Tachibana's perspective, I think he isn't blind to the usefulness of power from the Mishima boys. Kazuya is an ugly soul, but he's willing to get his hands dirty, and he's got soft power as the eldest son of his incredibly powerful family. I think Tachibana respects Kazuya's willingness to get into the fray; he's a hammer in want of a nail, but he's never going to hesitate to do what needs to be done, and I think Tachibana respects that courage.
But Lee - well, I think the relationship there is more fascinating for Tachibana. Tachibana's life is rough, but I can't help but feel that he might wind up being a bit thankful for the way his life turned out after he learns about how Kazuya and Lee grew up. I think he loves how Lee is less afraid to show his emotions despite growing up like he did, because Tachibana, like Kazuya, learned to keep everything far closer to the chest. I also think he appreciates how boyish and eager Lee can be about robots - his prosthetic hand is probably deeply fascinating to Lee, who loves anything even slightly robotic. He might even grow to trust the man enough to modify it.
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For me, it is largely not engaging in a fandom that requires fanfic... though I will see if Shadow&Bone prompts Writing Feels.
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And I am like that too. There's lots of things I like, but not a ton that I go "yes, I will write MILLIONS of WORDS for this!"
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I thought I'd linked it but I forgot to. Have to remember to edit that when I get home.
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I SHRIEKED when I read your Lee & Tachibana thoughts, jsyk. I LOVE IT I NEED IT.