Hi it's me again, I have a couple more questions to ask. 1) (Don't remember if you guys already written or explained this earlier) Is the reason why Terminal!Geno never turned into Error involved Blackout intervening, similar to how Fantasy intervention with Staged? 2) In your Swapfell Vocal what is Chara's relationship with Vox and Tarnish like? How did they befriend them?
Heya again!
1) Terminal!Geno just got lucky! It had to happen somewhere, and he's the one guy whose DT experiment went exactly that way. And since his DT is now stable and he’s got the security of control over the timeline, there’s absolutely no reason for him to futz around with experiments that might risk him falling into the AntiVoid. The full story is here
Swapfell Vocal stuff under the cut it got very long:
2) Swapfell Vocal I'm torn between the whole usual Undertale multiple routes thing, but in the 'main' route Chara is a preteen who does befriend both Vox and Tarnish. I think Chara wouldn't let anyone try to adopt them, but friends are good. Their secret favourite friend is probably Vocal Undyne (name tbd), or maybe their ghost friend (Frisk). Actually now I have decided that the person Chara trusts most in the world is Frisk and they can share a birthday (like a hundred years apart lol) so Chara kind of thinks of them like their twin.
Early after meeting them, Tarnish feels like 'hm something about this kid is kind of interesting' (the thing is that Chara's overly formal language and rabid violence when they feel they are threatened is reminiscent of Vox, actually).
I think... On a neutral route, if Chara has killed some monsters (even in Snowdin) in a way that's understandable as self-defense Tarnish might actually open up to them faster than on a pacifist route, because pacifism in this world is seen as either naive, deluded, or pretense - and Chara does have a lot of anger and violent impulses from trauma, which they don't hide too well even when they're trying to 'be good'.
So Tarnish probably sees Chara as something to use against the Empress- if they kill her that would be great, actually, but if they're too weak he's definitely going to take their SOUL himself. So on a neutral or pacifist route he might have a short battle in Snowdin that he puts very little effort into, and then he follows them through the underground to snipe anyone who kills them + take the SOUL. But also LEARNING to CARE about them against his will.
I think that unlike a game, a low LV Chara probably has to really stop and backtrack several times before they can make it through the Underground, and Tarnish is one of the only people willing/able to let them stay- and Chara can sort of trust in his motives to do so (he charges them extortionately for sure).
On a pacifist route they'd meet Vox for the first time if they go with Commander Alphys into New Home, but he wouldn't actually realize they're a human at that point. His first impression is 'SWEET MERCIFUL EMPRESS FINALLY SOMEONE ELSE TO TRY AND CONVINCE THE COMMANDER TO WOMAN UP AND TALK TO THE SCIENTIST'.
The next meeting is an official Judge vs Human in the Judgement Hall, of course. Obviously if they killed someone after meeting him on a pacifist route he'll be beyond furious, but otherwise he's thrown off his game.
- Chara starts their journey at LV 2, not from killing anyone but past traumatic events and violent self-defense. Vox's voice has very very little effect.
However, after the battle goes on long enough, Vox probably manages to paralyze Chara but kind of gets locked in place himself doing that so he just starts monologuing and getting kind of uncomfortably honest. Chara, who was considering forcibly reLOADING to get out of this, goes 'damn you need therapy' and waits until he gets distracted and then runs.
So they can't beat him on their own. Solution: recruit friends.
I'm imagining some sort of incredible comedy of errors where everyone really tries to fight each other all the time but somehow nobody manages to fight. Vox gets dragged out of the Palace against his better judgement. The brothers actually see each other in person for the first time in years. Undyne and Alphys get together.
Just for fun I think Vox can have a rematch with Chara in Snowdin as his 'can I actually rebel against the Empress' pivotal moment, and Tarnish can start a fight that actually is just a talk (no bullets but stuck in basically a cage of bones) with Chara in the Judgement Hall as he tries to make a decision whether or not to let Chara go face the Empress (and risk her becoming a god-like being) or to take their soul + use it for his rebellion.
BAD ENDINGS:
if Chara kills even one monster they have to kill Vox as well, theres no convincing him to stop
- The battle gets significantly harder depending on how many monsters have been killed, but Chara would probably get up to at most LV 15 of their own will in this world, and because of their Determination, Vox isn't able to do the sort of instant-kill effect he can on most monsters with LV; just lots of damage.
- On a no mercy route in a 'game' world where Chara is influenced by a player, Vox's voice has NO effect on them. Just to note, Chara wouldn't go out of their way to kill everyone naturally, so a no mercy route really requires some external influence.
if Chara kills everyone in Snowdin, Tarnish will confront them at the end with a very tough battle. if killed, obviously Vox has to be killed as well, but Chara can fight empress Toriel after and take her soul and leave in various neutral routes
any other number of kills in Snowdin (or anywhere else) is kinda like Tarnish hates it but hes got other things to worry about, he's willing to let them pass if they spare him.
but if Chara doesn't kill Tarnish and has killed others, Vox will not stop- so Chara will have to kill him- and if Chara kills Vox and Tarnish is still alive, Tarnish will show up having successfully assassinated the Empress (thus removing her Boss Monster soul from Chara's reach and thus there is no escape for Chara) and use the human souls against them
surprise extra special fun death boss time. If Chara wants to play mean they'll get mean.
[I.D. 1: Drawing of Queen on one of her enormous idyllic-meadow-themed mansion screens, waving her hands at the viewer and smiling. She says, with asterisks preceding each sentence, “Hey Girl / Welcome To: My House Party”. End I.D. 1]
[I.D. 2: Drawing of Queen pulling a purple-red curtain back to reveal the flexing Swatchlings of the Color Café. She says, “Yea There’s A Lot Of Models”. She then pokes her head into the next panel, where Swatch is sitting, and cheekily adds “(And Some Supermodels Too)”. Swatch says, “Thank you, my Queen.” End I.D. 2]
[I.D. 3: Drawing of Queen, again on one of her big screens, smiling down at Ralsei and Kris with her chin resting on her hands as they embark down her acid pool on the swan boat. Ralsei is staring up at her, miffed. Queen says, “If You Hit My Moat You’ve Gone Too Far”. End I.D. 3]
every time someone says susie is the heart of the fun gang i have to cry a lot because it's so true. she's so special. she's blunt and tough and she's not the best at letting her guard down, but she is so kind. she's so loving and she treats others with so much pure unconditional acceptance. she doesn't have to soften herself to show this kindness; she's unapologetically Herself through and through, and this rough exterior of hers probably serves to prove just how honest her friendship is. when anyone expresses an insecurity and she says, "so? that doesn't matter to me. that doesn't change how i feel about you." they can be sure she means that with all her very, very big heart
and she's not just the heart of her friend group. she's the heart of the game itself. time and time again she's been given that center spotlight
... and even in terms of game menus and party set-up, her placement is in the middle. she's the core of the main party. and think about how she's growing. she's not just the designated 'tank' of the party anymore. she steps in as another leader, insisting on ACTing on her own. and she's a budding healer - from what toby has said, we can surmise that her healing magic will rapidly improve and that her Ultimate Healing will eventually be the ultimate heal, surpassing what ralsei can do
she's strong, independent, and a good leader. she's a healer, and her presence alone is instantly soothing to almost everyone she meets. she's charismatic and highly attentive. she's always slowing down to make sure everyone's okay. she kinda... embodies most of what you would expect from your typical main protagonist. and yet she isn't. and yet the game makes a point to put her in the center of everything. she's THE heart. this story would not exist without her to keep it going, propelling all the other characters forward and encouraging them to complete their own journeys.
Nightmare: Today is my birthday, and I have a twin, which for many people you would think that would mean I get two birthdays effectively. But no, it means we split a birthday and we each get half a birthday, so today, on the agenda is to kill the little bastard so I can finally have one on my own
Dream, swinging in with his bow: IT'S A FIGHT TO THE DEATH
To myself, raised in an environment that glorified and romanticized restriction and suffering:
There is no victory in skipping dinner, or lunch, or breakfast, or morning coffee, or dessert.
There is no victory in refusing heaters and air conditioners and fans and heated blankets.
There is no victory in denying yourself sleep, or showers, or movement, or water, or a comfortable bed, or taking the elevator vs. the stairs.
There is no victory in refusing pain meds and heating pads and ice packs and medical help.
There is no victory in punishing yourself needlessly, in telling yourself that this pain you feel is because you are bad to the core and deserve it.
There is no victory in choking back your laughter and your tears, to keep an imagined equilibrium of safety that is really just a dry, cracked, empty, endless emotional desert.
You are here. You are in this body, and this body is yours. You deserve good things. You are alive, and that is messy and loud, and messy and loud are okay.
It’s okay to live abundantly. It’s okay to make mistakes, it’s okay to indulge. This paralysis of self-punishment, self-restriction, self-loathing is not healthy or good for you.
gummygunk
jbbartram-illu
prguitarman
pixelskylines
theartofmadeline
