Cozy :
Originally, Cosette was supposed to be completely different.
She was originally going to be bratty, and conceited, and prideful. If you've read the small excerpts I've had, she was supposed to hold a sort of rivalry with Roberia.
It made sense because of Rugnud's culture - Characters fought each other, to struggle and improve themselves daily and at any opportune moment.
But from how the original idea of Cosette unfolded, there's what I'd call... Disturbing elements in the story I can't will myself to write.
If you're familiar with the terms Netori, and Netorare, you should understand what I am talking about.
Later down the story, Cosette will run away from Jullan and towards Roberia and Katachi. Her bratty personality is a bit too flippant and she quickly switches interest from Jul-Jules to Katachi, and it suddenly becomes an overused and lame harem where two (and potentially more, considering that Bael and Katachi's cousins are potential candidates) girls fight for the guy's affections. Except Roberia is shocked by this, finds comfort in Jullan's arms and basically the two girls swap partners.
I mean, it's totally possible to go down that path. Don't get me wrong, I am fine writing that way if the story demands it. I don't strongly object to the idea of such strong, overturning drama within the story if it's something my readers looked out for.
The problem is, if I did that, why would I call the story Words of Power Quest? The focus on the characters increased to a point where it overshadows the possibility of reaching newer heights.
There's also the issue with type compatibility. Katachi wouldn't be able to coordinate with Cosette as well as he did with Roberia if Cosette had that kind of conceited personality. They would fail and be defeated in a couple of battles because they can't read each other's signals well enough.
Unlike Roberia, who fashions a more old-school and authentic romance, Cosette's love for Katachi is more modern-day oriented - The girls wants the guy to handle everything. Roberia would willingly share the pain and put in as much effort as Katachi would, but Cosette kinda feels like Sakura from Fate / Stay Night. Sakura likes to watch, and so does the old Cosette.
If the concept of Cosette and Roberia swapping partners ever came to pass... Endus Reignum wouldn't be half as epic as it would have been because Katachi would have died when he needed Cosette to pull the barbed wire willingly to entangle the Barinnmungt (name not confirmed).
Roberia would have done that shit by at least wrapping the wire around a stump or using the handle of her weapon to lach onto the wire, but Cosette would simply sit and watch in horror as Katachi gets his left half chomped down and then completely devoured, scream like a wuss and draw the attention of the Barinnmungt (name not confirmed), before she too dies.
It'll never work. They will never survive. Never. The chances of that are 0%, based off Cosette's original rotten personality.
*** ***
And then, I met Cosette from Valkyria Chronicles 2.
I mean, strictly speaking, I love the VC franchise. (SEGA PLEASE MAKE IT AVAILABLE ON PS4)
It's a very nice game, the way it introduces the concept of strategy and war and moving your pieces like you're playing chess of sorts, I love these kinds of games in general that factor strategic positioning, objective completion and planning ahead.
I'm one of those crazy people who don't simply play a class 'because it's fun'. I'm the kind who loves to go in with a plan in mind, the kind of guy who strategizes and plans everything ahead of time. It's even reflected in Katachi's overly-cautious, thorough nature.
For example, the normal Scout class can move 450 units, from what I can tell. The overhead map shows that each side of the square equates to roughly about 100 units.
So, the Scout class can move 4 and a half of those sides of the square before running out of AP. The Scout Elite, the final class for Scout, can move 650 units. That's 6 and a half squares. Add that with Alicia's ability, Second Wind, which allows you to regain all your AP, you can move a total of 13 units with a single command point. (That's more or less the whole map, by the way.)
I'm the kind of guy who goes into such extreme detail that it's almost scary to play against me, from the pixel perfect movement to the positioning the units face. Granted, this kind of grotesque, calculative personality shies others away from me, yes, but it's not like I have absolutely no friends at all.
... Back on topic, the Cosette I saw in VC2?
She's an angel. She's the holiest, most mellow and innocent woman I've ever seen on Valkyrie Chronicles thus far. She's also one of the deadliest Engineers, though I've never used her to shoot the enemies before. Mostly used her as a medic to heal wounded allies.
And I honestly, for the first time in my life, felt bad for sullying the Cosette name with that abomination that was the old Cosette. So I destroyed her and replaced her with a Cosette that was more, you know, Cosette-like, similar to the Cosette from VC2.
Heh. Heh heh. That's just something I felt like sharing.
*** ***
Well. So here's how far we've come.
I started the story on November 7th, 2012, believing the world would end. Turns out the Mayan Calendar simply ran out.
And today, on August 31st, 2015, I have completed the second volume of the WoPQ series, Messiah.
... It's been almost 3 years now.
I still remember the impulsive, and brash self I used to have when I first wrote this story. It was fun, and it was amazing. I would go to poly in the morning and afternoon, and when it was over I'd settle down at home, watch some Youtube videos and type my story while playing the music / radio in the background.
I was like, "Muddafugga, the world is going down. I gotta make my world go down too!" So I warped the concept of magic and powers in the story, and it became... Well, what it was today.
... Ahh. Finally, the heavy load known as Messiah is finally on a hiatus.
... Eh? What do you mean, "What do you mean it's on a hiatus?"
It's exactly as I said - Messiah will take a hiatus while I write Herald.
... Though... I am not confident that Herald would work out.
I mean, for me to finish Herald effectively, I must first confront my own fears. The loneliness and isolation I will come to face in the near future, I must confront it with the tale Alas, My Dear Annabelle.
My plans were to finish that story first before I started work on Herald, but honestly speaking it would take forever to. I can't visualize the world through the eyes of a young girl like Annabelle, so simply progressing beyond the happy, idle moment of them eating spaghetti together is an ordeal in itself. I don't know how to go through it anymore.
But, frankly speaking, perhaps I am simply a sensitive person, or perhaps I am simply emotional. I still cry when I think and dream of the scenes I see in Alas, My Dear Annabelle. How Lucia bawled her eyes out as she slapped Annabelle for her foolshness, how the characters berated themselves and questioned their own actions...
Though I haven't finished the tale...... I think I'm sensitive enough to walk into Herald with all the materials I need. These undying feelings... May they linger in my heart and guide me as I complete Herald.
... What comes after, you ask...?
...
I don't know.
...
But, if I were to hazard a guess...
...
... You lot should probably prepare to read the continuation of Messiah when Herald 32 is complete.
Messiah : Pioneers Of Magic. Look forward to it.
As always, Cozy will always be by your bedside. Whisper and confide into me thy sorrows... For thy wish is yours and yours alone.
With fluffy love,
Cozy.
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