straightforwardly (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
straightforwardly) wrote2023-09-19 07:42 pm
straightforwardly) wrote2023-09-19 07:42 pm
245 | unexpected MDZS/CQL fic recs + the beginning of a Bravely Default replay
► I’ve gone down the most unexpected rabbit hole recently. MDZS has always been my least favorite MXTX novel (despite also being my first) and I’ve only read it the one time, not because of anything related to its actual quality, but rather because it features one of my biggest squicks. (Namely, zombies.) I’ve also never seen The Untamed, and never intend to it; it just doesn’t strike my interest. And yet. Since last Thursday, I’ve found myself obsessively reading MDZS/CQL fic?? And having all sorts of feelings?? And even considering rereading the novel despite knowing what a bad idea that would be? I don’t even know what happened here. Who knows how long this will last, but until then, have some recs:
Aka, the fic that kickstarted this whole mess. I’m always here for a good arranged marriage fic (emphasis on good), and I came across a rec for this one that really intrigued me—talking about how realistic it felt, and how it made the person recommending it cry. And, well, I can second both of those things. It’s so well done—the misunderstandings, the emotional messiness, WWX’s depression—and I absolutely did cry, at multiple points. The ending was really satisfying.
I kind of love that I had the perfect JC/WWX fic being delivered to my inbox literally just as my spiral into this fannish obsession began.
I loved the dynamic between WWX and JC here, and all the identity porn and dramatic secret reveal is just so incredibly iddy to me.
Aka the fic that made me fall head over heels for Jin Ling/Lan Jingyi, and then despair because there is a dearth of good fic for them. But also: excellent politics, great worldbuilding, really emotionally satisfying, and I could just roll around in this for days.
► On a non-MDZS note, I’ve also been replaying Bravely Default lately. I first/last played it back in 2015 and was deeply obsessed with it, putting over 100 hours into the game, but I never got around to playing the sequel despite having purchased it within a year of its release. So I decided to finally do a replay of the first game to refresh my memory of it, before moving on to finally play the sequel.
Currently, I’m at the beginning of chapter three.
I was very generous with what I carted over in my NG+ file; the only thing I didn’t take was character levels. (Everyone was at level 99, so that would’ve made things far too easy.) As it is, having endgame armor/weapons has definitely made things run more smoothly, but I’m finally starting to hit a point where I need to strategize at least a little for boss fights.
Playing this has also been making me muse over what it is about a game that can make it capture your heart and imagination. I love and adore this game, and yet, of the main four:
Tiz. Is fine, nothing objectionable about him, but also not particularly interesting. Mostly, he’s just there.
Agnes. I. Cannot. Stand. Her. She drives me mad with how stupidly shortsighted she can be. I can’t remember if she improves later on, but currently I just keep wanting to strangle her.
Ringabel. I know based on my memories that I loved him by the end, and he is improving, but he definitely does not make the best first impression.
And finally, Edea!!! My heart, my love, my fave, my obsession! The absolute best!!
In short, at least in the beginning of this game, only one main party member works for me, which should be a recipe for a meh game, and yet, I love it so much. And yeah, foreknowledge of character development + good side characters could arguable play a role that… save for the fact that I fell in love with this game the first time around too, without having those things. It’s just interesting to me.
But yeah, definitely enjoying myself quite a bit, the occasional urge to strangle Agnes aside. And just like last time, I find myself racking up Edea ships like there’s no tomorrow. Jackal/Edea, Einheria/Edea, Mephilia/Edea, even Olivia/Edea… And I remember that I shipped her with both Alternis and Ringabel last time as well, and have a feeling that I will be sold on at least one, if not both of those ships by the end of the game. We’ll see.
Concord (Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji, 41K)
Lan Wangji hopes, somewhat frivolously, that his betrothed might find him an acceptable companion. Neither he nor Wei Wuxian are able to bear children, so there will be no need to share a marital bed; that should make it easier for the two of them to reach a natural, comfortable equilibrium.
Two strings played in harmony: this is Lan Wangji’s quiet hope, as he arranges the Jingshi to accommodate a second inhabitant. Perhaps, he thinks, they might even become friends.
Aka, the fic that kickstarted this whole mess. I’m always here for a good arranged marriage fic (emphasis on good), and I came across a rec for this one that really intrigued me—talking about how realistic it felt, and how it made the person recommending it cry. And, well, I can second both of those things. It’s so well done—the misunderstandings, the emotional messiness, WWX’s depression—and I absolutely did cry, at multiple points. The ending was really satisfying.
Give My Gun Away When It's Loaded (Jiang Cheng/Wei Wuxian, 4.3K)
In which Jiang Cheng has big divorced energy (until he does not).
I kind of love that I had the perfect JC/WWX fic being delivered to my inbox literally just as my spiral into this fannish obsession began.
By Any Other Name (By Any Other Name, Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji + Wei Wuxian & Jiang Cheng, 31K)
Wei Wuxian wakes up in Mo Xuanyu's body and heads straight for Lotus Pier. Wu Yingtai is the newest member of the Jiang Clan and rumored to be the future wife of Jiang Wanyin.
Lan Wangji is not in love with her.
I loved the dynamic between WWX and JC here, and all the identity porn and dramatic secret reveal is just so incredibly iddy to me.
Rotten Work (Jin Ling & Wei Wuxian, 63K)
Jin Ling hadn’t thought to keep track of Wei Wuxian.
Clearly that had been a mistake.
Aka the fic that made me fall head over heels for Jin Ling/Lan Jingyi, and then despair because there is a dearth of good fic for them. But also: excellent politics, great worldbuilding, really emotionally satisfying, and I could just roll around in this for days.
grow (Lan Sizhui & Wei Wuxian, 14K)De-aging fics can be a hard sell for me, but I felt like this one was done well.
“Okay,” Jingyi says, as Sizhui puzzles this out aloud. “Okay! So the demon has been turning its victims into children.”
“I think so,” Sizhui says.
“To make them easier prey,” Jingyi says.
“Yes,” Sizhui says.
“So—” Jingyi’s voice cracks here, “this kid is Senior Wei.”
Wei Wuxian, still tangled in his own massive robes, blinks politely at them.
(Or: Wei Wuxian is cursed on a night-hunt, and the junior quartet rapidly finds themselves in over their heads.)
moonlight caught in mutton fat (Wei Wuxian & Lan Qiren + OCs, 45K)Fantastic, fantastic post-canon case fic, featuring really well-done OCs (the magistrate!) and an excellent WWX & LQR dynamic.
It wasn’t bone. It was too smooth. It caught the light like something greased.
“A curse,” Lan Wangji breathed, because it could only be such.
The Twin Jades of Lan get turned to jade.
► On a non-MDZS note, I’ve also been replaying Bravely Default lately. I first/last played it back in 2015 and was deeply obsessed with it, putting over 100 hours into the game, but I never got around to playing the sequel despite having purchased it within a year of its release. So I decided to finally do a replay of the first game to refresh my memory of it, before moving on to finally play the sequel.
Currently, I’m at the beginning of chapter three.
I was very generous with what I carted over in my NG+ file; the only thing I didn’t take was character levels. (Everyone was at level 99, so that would’ve made things far too easy.) As it is, having endgame armor/weapons has definitely made things run more smoothly, but I’m finally starting to hit a point where I need to strategize at least a little for boss fights.
Playing this has also been making me muse over what it is about a game that can make it capture your heart and imagination. I love and adore this game, and yet, of the main four:
Tiz. Is fine, nothing objectionable about him, but also not particularly interesting. Mostly, he’s just there.
Agnes. I. Cannot. Stand. Her. She drives me mad with how stupidly shortsighted she can be. I can’t remember if she improves later on, but currently I just keep wanting to strangle her.
Ringabel. I know based on my memories that I loved him by the end, and he is improving, but he definitely does not make the best first impression.
And finally, Edea!!! My heart, my love, my fave, my obsession! The absolute best!!
In short, at least in the beginning of this game, only one main party member works for me, which should be a recipe for a meh game, and yet, I love it so much. And yeah, foreknowledge of character development + good side characters could arguable play a role that… save for the fact that I fell in love with this game the first time around too, without having those things. It’s just interesting to me.
But yeah, definitely enjoying myself quite a bit, the occasional urge to strangle Agnes aside. And just like last time, I find myself racking up Edea ships like there’s no tomorrow. Jackal/Edea, Einheria/Edea, Mephilia/Edea, even Olivia/Edea… And I remember that I shipped her with both Alternis and Ringabel last time as well, and have a feeling that I will be sold on at least one, if not both of those ships by the end of the game. We’ll see.