#swapped fables

[barbaracleboy]

Apologies for the lack of Swapped Fables art. Allow me to try and make up for that with Jaune and Seedy stealing stuff.

[barbaracleboy]

For a while I’ve had the idea that, in Swapped Fables, Neo and Fuff would be taking each other’s place (with Fuff showing his meeker side whilst studying stuff and Neo being excited with Wasp Tech and happily using things like the Ultimax Tank) but you know what? While writing Omega’s Assault, I’ve come to realize that Dr. H.B. would actually fit better as a counterpart to Fuff: I can totally see H.B. happily taking the opportunity to make war machines and stuff like that, acting surprisingly good as a general. I bet she’d even put up a decent fight while out of her Ultimax Tank equivalent (A souped up Heavy Drone B-33, perhaps?).

Meanwhile, Fuff would take H.B.’s role in investigating the weird magic guy when he enters (in this case, Hoaxe), but I can imagine it going a little more smoothly than in canon: while Canon H.B. made Canon Leif very uncomfortable during their meeting, I can see Swapped Fuff and Swapped Hoaxe interacting more amicably. If Swapped Team Snakemouth do fight a Wasp Tank, it likely wouldn’t be Ultimax driving it (I’m thinking of just some Wasp being mind-controlled to attack them with it since Swapped Leif does still have the crown and can likely still control Wasps with it. He’d just prefer using Bee Technology because he hates Bugs that much).

Of course, this leaves out Neo, but I just had the idea of swapping him with Aria? I dunno, switching a religious girl and a science boy sounds kinda fun, and I bet it’d even lead to a couple fun changes: perhaps Aria fights back against the Wasps at the start of Chapter 2, while Neo needs a lot more help from Venus in the fight against him? 

(As is often the case, many of these ideas are spitballing and may not end up being really considered for the AU. Whatever info here I do want to keep will likely be added into the descriptions of whatever related drawings I make if I get around to them.)

[barbaracleboy]

Small Swapped Fables idea: Neolith takes Yin’s place, with some differences: rather than being found by Maki as a Caterpillar and pupating in the postgame, he’s found by Mothiva as an adult and is simply very quiet, saying only his name and seemingly knowing nothing else. In the postgame he’d sneak into Venus’s Domain and the gang would have to fight off her Buds and other creations rather than Leafbugs. When Neo’s done he comes back and with regained knowledge of his magic (and maybe other details). As for said magic it’d probably be mostly healing stuff like Canon Yin, maybe with some Psychic Powers too. Also, unlike Canon Kina yelling at Yin when they’re alone Swapped Zasp would just be trying to talk to Neo and not getting many responses.

Would Yin take Neo’s role, then? Honestly, I’m not sure. Maybe? But I’m kind of thinking of having her take Hawk’s role, traveling through the Desert to find secrets and maybe interacting with whoever it is I’d imagine taking Professor Honeycomb’s place. Either way, I can see Yin’s extended Larval Stage having an influence on her knowledge: what if she saw saw a bunch of places when she was younger and because that lasted so long she ended up remembering them when she pupated? And then she went to go explore those areas again, or at least study (about) them, and that’s how she became so knowledgable? So yeah, long-story short, Neo is now Yin except he’s never a Caterpillar in the story, just quiet. Meanwhile, Yin is either Neo or Hawk, a Nerd Moth that saw a lot of stuff in the extra-long time she was young and used that knowledge to fuel her scientific escapades after pupating.

[barbaracleboy]

Here they are, everybody! The main crew of Swapped Fables, Team Snakemouth! ...

Featuring, from right to left: Bit, Hoaxe, Jaune, and Seedy! Information on each member given under the Keep Reading:

Bit, the cheery and fun-loving Beetle from the North whose willing to mess around just as much as they’re willing to lend a helping hand. While not necessarily mischievous, Bit is always up for a good time and will occasionally cause little bits of trouble with the kinds of situations they get into. Even still, they’re strong and generally kind enough that most don’t view them so negatively...Deep down, though, Bit is haunted by the loss of his dear friends on their way to Bugaria from their homeland. Bit tries to stay cheery often, especially if it can help bury the feelings associated with their loss, but that can only help for so long...

Hoaxe, the quiet, reserved Fly with mysterious, powerful abilities. Born in the Deadlands, Hoaxe was forced to grow up in the harsh environment for most of his life, somehow managing to survive and at one point gaining the strange ability to use fire magic. At one point he made it to the Wasp Kingdom...but he was not treated well at all there. Abused as a janitor, Hoaxe eventually couldn’t take it any longer and ran away to the Ant Kingdom. Between the destructive potential of his magic and his generally negative experiences, Hoaxe wasn’t comfortable enough to spend very much time in the Ant Kingdom either. Eventually he ended up entering, and falling into, Snakemouth Den, where his last memory was being attacked by a strange Moth in a crown. Jaune and Bit found him frozen solid on their mission to obtain the Den’s Artifact, and when they thaw the poor fly he’s scared and confused, and barely even willing to talk to them. Not seeing many other options, Hoaxe tags along with the Bee and the Beetle, and they end up helping him open up to other Bugs and overall become much happier and more comfortable, as well as allowing him to get more skilled with using his magic for good...

Jaune, the rebellious street artist who loves paintball and never felt appreciated for her spray painted art. She was more jealous than she’d like to admit of her little sister, Violet, who was generally revered as smarter and more skilled. Though Violet looked up to Jaune, Jaune blew up at her younger sibling when she felt even she was starting to wane in supporting her big sister. Afterwards Jaune left her home at The Hive in the hopes of becoming an explorer and finally getting the praise she felt she deserved. In doing this, she also ends up beginning her journey to self-improvement, with the help of her allies, of course...Also, side note, the beret she’s wearing is meant to be a combat beret. Kinda like what Cammy from Street Fighter wears. It’s not a typical art beret, like what Canon Jaune has.

Seedy, the fancy but troublemaking little Seedling that the trio grew from a Seedling King’s Seed. Jaune and Bit spoil him, but in the end he is rather friendly to them, and he even brings them goodies...often stolen goodies. Whatever the case, he too is a valued member of the team, and the hope is that he can be raised into a Seedling King as well, where he may hopefully foster a generation of Seedlings that is far less aggressive to Bugkind...Oh, also he makes Waddle Dee Noises. Almost forgot to mention that, ha.

[barbaracleboy]

Here's a tiny guy I drew: it's Seedy! He's basically like the Swapped Fables version of Chompy, but rather than coming from the Mother Chomper he comes from the Seedling King.

Somewhat befitting of his name, this fancy little shit is more actively mischievous than Chompy (not that Chompy's harmless, I've no doubt she bothers people and chews on stuff): he likes to go around and steal things, and when he's grumpy he'll often trample over random stuff. In spite of that he's cute and well-behaved enough, so if nothing else Jaune and Bit like having him around. Hoaxe...tolerates the lil' dude, in spite of his nature.

Also, as you can see, he has a bowtie instead of a bow. I like it.

[barbaracleboy]

Swapped Fables Thoughts That I Don't Currently Feel Like Drawing But Do Currently Feel Like Talking About: Eetl and his gang aren't just Bandits, but Pirates!

Basically, Chapter 3 involves sailing to the Wasp Kingdom and meeting with them before going to the Swamplands to discuss with their allies, the Leafbugs, and getting the Artifact from them (so Chapter 3's Dungeon wouldn't be a factory on lockdown, but rather a jungle where the wildlife are frenzied on account of the Boss causing a ruckus).

With that said, Chapter 4 wouldn't be about exploring the Lost Sands (those would be mostly off-limits on account of all the Bee Kingdom Robots), but rather exploring the Metal Lake! And while you're out you'd be getting encounters with Eetl and his band of pirates. Rather than tricking you into coming to their hideout, he'd steal one of the items needed to unlock the dungeon and you'd need to go there to get it back.

Also now thinking of having the Boss still be something like The Watcher, but being some sort of freaky sea ghost rather than a mummy-looking thing.

[barbaracleboy]

Man, lately I'm just filled with ideas for Alternate Universe Bug Fables Final Bosses...

Everlasting King but it's Leif and the Sapling mixes with his Cordyceps and his Ice Magic (amplified by the crown) to turn hin into a freaky Ice-Plant-Moth-Mushroom monster...

Bird Fables ELK that has thorns/thornyvines coming off of him (referencing how Shrikes kill their prey using thorns and thistles)...

Aww yeah...

[barbaracleboy]

So, for Swapped Fables, I've been operating under the idea that the Chapter order/where you go to is the same, just the Characters and/or their personalities being switched around. However, lately I've been thinking more about potential concepts for changing the Chapters and locations as well. Here are some examples of what I'm considering, keep in mind that these won't necessarily be final/may not be super well-thought out:

The Wasp Kingdom takes the Bee Kingdom's place in Chapter 3, but rather than the emotional conflict being Vi and her troubles with The Bee Hive, it'd be Hoaxe and his troubles with The Wasp Hive.

The Termite Kingdom takes the place of the Ant Kingdom, with Hector taking Elizant II's role in the story. Layra'd be there too, of course: I think I'd see her having Canon Hector's personality while Hector would have Canon Bianca's (meaning he'd be a friendly Termite Dad).

The Ant Kingdom might take the place of the Termite Kingdom, with Elizant II having a personality more like Canon Layra: much more playful and confident, mainly. Also likely not having a mask, since she wouldn't feel as much like she needs to live up to her mom.

The Bee Kingdom would be like the Wasp Kingdom in canon, now taken over by Evil Leif (A.K.A., the "Moth King") for its technology and/or its view of everywhere else in Bugaria.