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Pahrak Model ZX

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Blog Entries posted by Pahrak Model ZX

  1. Pahrak Model ZX
    Section XV has just been posted!
     
    Sorry this one took so long. I talked about this over on Twitter, but I decided that since I had three ongoing fanfics, it might be better to put all my focus on finishing one of them to give myself a little less to worry about. But now, I’ve completed my Mega Man ZX fic, so here’s a new chapter of Right of Law to prove that it’s not dead!
     
    …Unfortunately…that’s about all it is…
     
    Y’see, while my plans for where Law is headed aren’t entirely set in stone, there is a lot that I still want to do. On the other hand, Shooting Star Sonia 3 has a more concrete outline and I can actually roughly estimate how many more chapters it might need. So…now I’m going to put all my focus on finishing that one. Apologies if this bums anyone out, but I feel like this approach is better for all stories involved and this is the best way to go about it right now. I’m hoping it won’t take too long, although even after that, I do find myself kicking around the idea of attempting NaNoWriMo in November, so that only further complicates things for Law. Man, I really need to get better organized with these things in the future…
     
    I will finish Right of Law. It just won’t happen super quickly, and I am sorry for that. But for now, I hope you enjoy Section XV!
  2. Pahrak Model ZX
    Hey guys, how's it going? Sorry I haven't gotten a new chapter of Bioni-Lords 2 up lately--I've been meaning too, but I just couldn't find the time yesterday or today. Hopefully I can get it up tomorrow...
     
    Also, thanks to the new Hero Factory website I'm going to begin work on the Hero Factory Bioni-Spirits very soon. Some of them may even be featured in Bioni-Lords 2, and I was thinking about giving one or two of them to the Element-Lords in Book 3.
     
    I'm hoping to have Bioni-Lords Book 1 FULLY Rewritten by the end of summer--end of July, if possible--and have Book 2 through Mutant-Isle in a similar time frame as well. Hopefully I'll also update the websites...the main one is behind, and the Orbs List is in need of the Hero Factory Spirits and a few others I have planned.
  3. Pahrak Model ZX
    I've officially begun updating the Spirit Index with new Spirits! Not done yet...not sure when I will be done, but it'll probably be soon. I have a slew of Dream Eater Spirits to get online, then a Spirit that Wraith sent in, then some new Pokemon Spirits, and then...since there were already several groups of "alternate Freres," I decided to do a new batch of my own. Probably won't be in the story at all, just thought they'd be fun to try out--see what they'd be like if I made them nowadays. After that I want to put up Spirits based on Sora and Riku as they appear in KH3D, then I need to think of two more Psionic Spirits to get the count to 70...
     
    I did finish writing Kako 26, but I won't be typing it until I finish updating the Index. I'll get started on 27 soon, though I'm thinking I should stop and lay out a tentative overview of the arc first...
  4. Pahrak Model ZX
    I really enjoyed seeing the response to The Legend Continues. It was like this big outpouring of love for Generation 2, and since it seems like a lot of talk about G2 (ever since it started) is very negative, it was a delightful change of pace. Just fans taking the ideas Lego has given us and playing with them, and complimenting each other on their ideas and effort. It was great.
     
    So that sparked the idea behind Toa of Fire. It’s not long at all, clocking in at around 1400 words, and the setup is intentionally a little odd. But hopefully I was able to get my point across.
     
    G2 certainly has its faults—I won’t deny that. But it is Bionicle. And it is loved.
  5. Pahrak Model ZX
    31. Beat, whose real name is too complicated for me to write out, is the kind of person I would hate if I met him on the street. He's a tough guy punk with a skateboard and a bad attitude, and he's not exactly the brightest crayon in the box. Over the course of the game, though, we begin to uncover more of Beat's character and backstory, and by the end you begin to admire him for his determination. Being able to take a character so far from their first impression isn't easy, but Beat is a fantastic example.
     
    32. Rhyme is a welcome voice of reason among a hot-headed cast, but due to story events I don't want to spoil, her character doesn't get fleshed out quite as much as I would've liked. Still, these same events ends up turning Rhyme into a major driving force for the remainder of the game, and you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't like her.
     
    33. No list of characters would be complete without mentioning the main character, one Neku Sakuraba. He's antisocial, so he always wears a giant set of headphones to keep the rest of the world out (leading to his nickname "Phones"), but to survive the Reaper's Game he needs to learn to trust people, else he's going to get erased. Neku is a modern teenager who's easy to relate to, and his steady growth throughout the game has inspired a lot of players to change their own viewpoints. A main character needs to be someone you can connect to, and as long as you're willing to care, I think anyone can connect to Neku, making him effective in his role.
     
    34. Next on the menu is the Game Master of Week 1, Yodai Higashizawa. He may not get as much screentime as a lot of other characters, but this dish is not to be missed--his constant food jokes make him deliciously hilarious. As an added spice, his voice actor is someone you anime fans will probably recognize, but the secret ingredient is how he very casually serves up one bombshell of a plot point. I won't spoil your dinner by typing it out, but it's definitely one of the highlights of the meal.
     
    35. Koki Kariya and Uzuki Yashiro are two mid-ranking Reapers who continue to harass the main characters all throughout the game, sort of like Team Rocket. Watching them, you have to wonder how their friendship works: they seem to be complete opposites! Kariya, despite his experience, is lazy and undriven, while newer employee Uzuki is determined to outshine her peers and earn a promotion as soon as possible. They have a fantastic yin-yang thing, though you may not notice while they're annoying you. Still, near the end of the game we find out that they do have hearts, and you just might begin to respect them.
     
    36. Since I've mentioned the other two Game Masters, I have to also mention the only one who doesn't joke around. And let me tell you, she does not joke around. Mitsuki Konishi is cold, calculating, and utterly heartless--probably the character you're most likely going to love to hate. She mainly stays backstage in Weeks 1 and 2, and even during Week 3 she spends a decent amount of time off-screen, which helps to make her seem distant and uninterested. Still, you end up with plenty of reason to despise her by the time you finally get to fight her, but don't expect it to be easy. The battle against Konishi is one of the more complex battles in the game, divided up into multiple stages that each have a trick to them. Defeating her a challenge, but the pins you get for doing it are definitely worth it!
     
    37. Giving out orders to the rest of the Reapers is the Game's Conductor, Megumi Kitaniji, also known as "Shades." Besides his trademark sunglasses, he's always seen wearing a set of headphones suspiciously similar to Neku's, but no one ever points this out--even when Neku and Kitaniji meet. Since he collects the entry fees and reveals the results of each game, he quickly becomes a target for players to hate, something that actually only gets worse the first time you fight him. I won't tell you why, but I will tell you that a certain aspect of that fight really takes you by surprise. Of course, being the perceived "master bad guy," you need to fight him more than once, so you should be able to vent all of your frustration...just in time to find out his true intentions.
     
    38. While he's almost entirely irrelevant to the plot, I have to make mention Eiji Oji, the Prince of Ennui, and his blog, which apparently everyone in Shibuya reads to find out what's most fabulous in the city. I hesitate to go into detail, not for spoiler reasons, but because, while the blog is not obscene in any way, it is phrased in a way that the unaware will think that it's obscene. Then again, that's exactly what makes it great!
     
    39. During battle, executing combos with the top screen character obtains you Fusion Stars, and when enough are collected, you can unleash a spectacular Fusion attack where both characters combine their powers. These attacks are great because they not only damage every enemy, but they also heal you, not to mention that most of the attacks are epic, hilarious, or epicly hilarious. Of note are Shiki's Level 3 Fusion, where Mr. Mew turns into Godzilla and shoots lazers from his eyes, and Joshua's Level 3 Fusion, which literally drops the moon onto the battlefield. Believe it or not, Kariya and Uzuki even use a Fusion attack when you fight them together!
     
    40. Walls blocking you from certain areas are a common occurence, but most can be lowered by talking to a nearby Reaper and completing whatever task he assigns you. Some of those Reapers give you a short quiz. Ahem..."Like a bolt from the blue, it's time for the Reaper Review!!" If you're not paying attention to your surroundings, you may not be able to pass, but the Reaper won't tell you which question you got wrong, so it takes a few tries. Still, these Reapers have a habit of referencing internet memes, so it's all worth it. "But! Though you may forget the Review, rest assured, it remembers you."
  6. Pahrak Model ZX
    Yeah, the delay's going to be a bit longer.
     
    I was recently approached to collaborate on something for G&T (don't know how much I'm allowed to say right now so I'm leaving it vague), and working on two games at once still sounds like a bit much. I also want to kick myself into writing more Shooting Star Sonia 2 (the posting schedule is about to catch up to where I'm writing and that makes me a little nervous), so between these two projects I think Slizer Dome US would benefit from waiting a while.
     
    Besides, Slizers on Okoto is still fresh in your minds. I don't want that tainting your view of the players who choose Ultrarex planets.
  7. Pahrak Model ZX

    Marching On

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    I think Technic Coliseum has had a productive first week--14 players thus far! The tournament begins on Monday. I think I'll make a blog post then revealing the new items I'll be adding (so that people can budget their winnings accordingly), but they won't actually be added until the tournament is over.
     
    Also on Monday, another Pokemon distribution starts up! If you take any Generation V game to GameStop, you can use Mystery Gift to obtain Meloetta and complete your Unova Pokedex.
     
    As for Bioni-Lords, I'm sorry it's taking so long for the next chapter. I wrote an ending, but I'm not quite sure if I'm content with it...the main event is the Air-Lord Transferrance Ceremony, which is pretty important. No pressure at all.
  8. Pahrak Model ZX
    [
    A primer on the world of Olkir]

     
    The sea undulated slowly, lightly tossing the eight ships that sat anchored in a wide circle. None of the vessels took any action, all simply holding position and waiting, occasionally glancing at one or the other—usually at the ship flying the flag that bore a large yellow sun emblem against a black background.
     
    It happened in an instant. Where there was once empty sky and water, suddenly there was a great stone structure, a grey monolith that towered high above them all. A massive pendulum swung out of one side, before disappearing back into the massive form to emerge from the other side shortly thereafter.
     
    Slowly, the eight ships all moved in. The docks around the island looked weathered, but they uttered not a single creak as dozens of footsteps pounded down their length towards the eight doorways along the structure’s perimeter. Inside, there was only a single chamber, but a river that glowed a vibrant shade of blue sectioned off a sizable area around each entrance, keeping everyone just out of reach of the tiny pedestal at the room’s center.
     
    One villager stepped up to the river’s bank. His metal skin was a simple shade of silver, and like most of those he came with, smooth plates of white armor were adhered to his torso and limbs. A bridge of stone rose before him. Once he was across and took his place on the pedestal, the bridge sank back into the river from whence it came; he looked up, up towards the circular skylight at the temple’s apex, and waited. It was not long before he could see something descending: a mask, just the right size to fit over his face, made of gold with an orange tint to it. As it came closer, more details could be made out—the rounded gap in the forehead, the holes in the rigid fins that came off of the cheeks, the long, vaguely beard-like protrusion that extended from the mouth—and eventually, it came right into his hands and stopped.
     
    The villager breathed deeply. Surveying those assembled, he declared, “I, Jaa of the Ice Tribe, have been chosen by destiny as the Priest of Time. We beseech thee, O Great Krakua: through the power of the Mask of Vakama, share you wisdom with us mortals, so that we might guide Olkir to a brighter future!”
     
    Jaa placed the mask over his face and closed his eyes. Mentally, he magnetically fixed the relic in place, and then held his arms wide, turned skyward once more, and opened his eyes. Brilliant gold light shot from the mask up through the skylight. The pillar stood for nearly a minute before fading away, and when it did, something else hovered above Jaa in its place.
     
    The new being was twice as tall as any villager, covered from head to toe in obsidian-colored armor decorated with iron gray ornaments. His eyes glowed with the same azure luminescence as the river beneath him, and as he floated there, he crossed his arms and took one sweeping look over all those assembled.
     
    “Eight tribes still,” Krakua mused. “Then perhaps time still branches for you.”
     
    He seemed to think for a moment, and then shook his head.
     
    “But evil’s grip on your destiny will not be easy to shake, ye mortals. My eyes still burn from the light of the eternal eclipse. The Element of Sun is turned against the world, and the sea runs red with the blood of thousands, as the sky hurls its enemies into the primal abyss to drown in its abominable waters. The sky, frozen forever, and mortals washing away all hope with the tears they shed in despair over the immortal twilight. Those few who live know only anguish. Those who die know it all the more, for the Riders have all been struck down, never again to carry those poor souls to the City of Legends. The Slizers themselves wash their hands, and leave Olkir to suffer its endless gloom. Yes…the day draws very near now.”
     
    Someone stepped forward. “Great Krakua, if I may,” they said. “We of the Sun Tribe have no wish to inflict such terrible harm upon the world! Please, if there is anything that can be done to prevent this awful tragedy, tell us, and we shall see it done at once!”
     
    Krakua watched him for a moment, but then turned away. “The light burns many futures, Coronet. I can tell you only of the fate you most likely head towards. If you wish to avoid it, then that responsibility belongs to mortals alone.”
     
    “Please,” the Sun Coronet begged, falling to their knees. “Please, just tell us something! Anything that might help us find a different future!”
     
    Krakua looked up to the skylight. He remained silent for quite some time, before he eventually locked his eyes on the Sun Coronet. “I see one tiny spark. Insignificant, perhaps, and certainly unlikely, but…were it to strike the earth at precisely the right moment, it could ignite an entirely new path for all of Olkir. That is all I will tell you.”
     
    He turned next to Jaa, and reached one hand in his direction. A mirror appeared in his open palm and floated down into Jaa’s grasp—the Priest gazed into its surface, and when he nodded, it crumbled to dust around his fingers.
     
    “The Day of Foresight thus ends,” Krakua said, rising higher towards the temple ceiling as he spoke. “If Olkir lasts the decade, I will see you again.”
     
    And with that, he was gone.
  9. Pahrak Model ZX

    NICE TRY

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    I've been trying to make a certain appointment since this semester began, but I have never been able to find the time (or remember it when I do have time). Last night I felt it was incredibly urgent that I resolve this, so I skipped class today to see if I could get in.
     
    Everyone I could see is busy all day today, and for the rest of the week.
     
    On one hand I feel like this is hilarious.
     
    On the other, I fear for my sanity and feel like some unknown forces in the universe are conspiring against me.
     
    College life.
     
    (It's worse because I only get my work schedule one week at a time, so I won't be able to try for next week until the schedule goes up, which could be as early as Wednesday or as late as Saturday. God help me.)
  10. Pahrak Model ZX
    The new Technic Coliseum Tournament starts in a week, so I've officially opened registration. This time around, all fighters are going to be using the basic stat total (48), but you can rearrange the stats any way you want. This was suggested a while back, but with my memory I can't quite remember who it was, ahaha...
     
    Anywho, this is a test run. I'll get some feedback after the Tournament and see where we go from there.
     
    In other news, I finally put together a story focusing on Orkahm! Jumping Off of a Perfectly Fine Gukko is set on Mata Nui rather than Metru Nui, and ended up being a lot kinder to Orkahm than the other Heretic Stories. Also, treespeak is so bloody obnoxious. This fills my minimum quota (one story per Great Disk Matoran), but I may write more in the future. If nothing else, it's a theme I'll probably have in mind while thinking up FFFC entries, so more stories are rather likely.
     
    Related: I did a little more work on Chronicle of Heresy. I have four complete chapters and a tentative plan going forward, so I may actually get it done within 2014! Who knows. You can't rush these things, you know!
  11. Pahrak Model ZX
    The Time of the Mask Makers, The Second Swing, is live in the Epics forum!
     
    This part shows the reason why two very important masks were created, though one of them might come as a surprise! I’m also pleased to say that I’ve managed to get ahead of schedule and type up a rough draft for nearly the entire epic, so expect to see a new chapter every Saturday in February!
     
    I’m also preparing yet another story, one that I should be able to start posting late February or early March. I can’t say too much yet, but I will say that it is going to be a comedy! My first attempt at one in a while, actually. Still, considering the subject matter, it shouldn’t be too hard to find some stuff to make everyone laugh and/or groan. I have a more official looking announcement scheduled for Monday, so keep your eyes peeled!
  12. Pahrak Model ZX
    Goddess of Evolution is a Queen story set about a year after Divine Clash. The latter story mentions the Queen of Fire paying a visit to the Queen of War, so I decided to expand upon that encounter. The goal was to make War’s motivations clearer, but I think Fire sort of stole the show?
     
    This was going to be my third piece for Fiction Writing but that class wasn’t working out and I’m not going back. I wanted to go ahead and get it posted now. I'm going to try to focus on things like Shooting Star Sonia and Divine Strength in the near future, and hopefully something will come of that.
  14. Pahrak Model ZX
    Technic Coliseum Tournament 11 is live. We actually have a perfect number of fighters, so no one will be without an opponent at any point! Well...unless two people matched up against each other don't post strategies and both get disqualified, that would leave an opening...so, hoping that doesn't happen. Really hoping this Tournament goes well, because we need something to make the game interesting again.
     
    Also, I've been thinking that to get myself more motivated for Bioni-Lords maybe I should write some...what are they called..."drabbles"? I dunno, just really short stories focusing on one or two characters. I'll try to think of some (I need some variety--everything I have right now is Zempyst and Aile). I'm also open for suggestions, so if there's anything you guys would like to see, feel free to mention it and I'll post them here in my blog.
     
    Might as well also mention that my next semester starts next Monday. Not sure if there'll be a net loss in activity though, since I haven't really been doing much over break anyway.
  15. Pahrak Model ZX
    Asterisk Holder: Argent Heinkel
     

     
    Origin: Final Fantasy
     
    Was It In Bravely Default?: Yes
     
    Overview: With armor, swords, and shields, this Job is a pretty solid front-line unit for your starting party. They offer extremely useful abilities like Sword Lore, Shield Lore, and the ever-amazing Two Handed, along with the oddity that is Dual Shields, but hey whatever works. They’re going to be your most solid party member early on, and are capable of protecting allies from damage. A great Job for getting you started on your adventure.
     
    Personal Thoughts: Apparently Knight and a few other Jobs have been confirmed? Meh. Knight is iconic and does provide some great abilities (Two Handed is simply awesome), but I feel like it doesn’t really stand out that well and can easily be replaced with other Jobs. Definitely use it early on and maybe farm some of its abilities later, but pretty much anything a Knight can do can be done better by another Job, so don’t be surprised if it quickly falls out of actual use.
  16. Pahrak Model ZX
    My journey through Randomized Kanto has continued. Cerulean Gym remained a Water Gym, oddly enough, while Vermilion became Ice and Celadon became Dragon. It turns out all the Gym Leaders are Cops. That will be...interesting when we the Viridian Gym becomes available. (In the Rocket Hideout, Giovanni (still Boss Giovanni) had a Rock team, so I'm wondering if that'll be the case in the Gym too?) Anyway, I made it to Fuschia. Team update:
     
    -Unfortunately, when Bellsprout evolved she lost Speed Boost and gained Static. I decided to put her in the box. Evolving into Victreebel didn't give her a better ability, so she's still out.
    -Nido Ran Gogh has evolved into a Nidoking with Volt Absorb. Not quite as useful for a Ground type, but it's seen some use, and it's better than Oblivious. He used Sketch to acquire Earthquake, since I wasn't sure he would learn it otherwise and that's a move a Nidoking really needs.
    -Celebi is still on the team, nothing new to report really.
    -Quilavatar remains on the team as well. Her moveset hasn't changed. I found a wild Typhlosion so now I know her ability will be Illuminate when she evolves, which is a little upsetting, but eh, we'll see.
    -Early on I caught a Ninjask with Flame Body, and now she's joined the main team. I call her Fire Fly. She knows Flash (for the time being) and tried to learn Tail Glow, so that makes it better. She's also my Cut Pokemon, but her main moves are Drill Peck and Signal Beam, which have proven more than enough.
    -I've encountered several other Pokemon now with Wonder Guard, including a Deoxys. Leaf Green makes it Defense Forme, which is fine by me: it's fitting with the ability, and I find Defense Forme the most visually appealing anyway. They know Extrasensory and Razor Leaf. As for alias, I knew it had to be Steven Universe related (Deoxys is a Gem), and after some thinking I decided to go with Opal. (Four arms, gem on chest, Razor Leaf could maybe look like an arrow flurry...)
    -The last slot is still up in the air. I just caught a Registeel with Hustle, and while my first reaction was "No", it has Steel Wing and Blaze Kick, and that combination makes me think of a Super Robot so I have to at least try it. Since they are a Super Robot, I decided they need an over the top name, such as...Eternal Scorching Skyblade! ...So, we'll see if they work out.
  17. Pahrak Model ZX
    Slizer Dome has just gone live in Games & Trivia!
     
    If you'd like to experience the Slizer world firsthand, this is the game for you! Train your abilities, create disks, gather resources, fight elemental monsters, and battle other players to earn your place as Champion of the Millennium!
     
    Signups will only be open for 48 hours, so don't miss your chance!
  18. Pahrak Model ZX
    When I heard about this year’s exchange, I jumped on it right away. This was a great way to stimulate activity in the Library Forum and I’m excited to peruse all the results over the next week or so!
     
    As for my match-up, I was tasked with writing a story for Nick Silverpen, whose suggestions included checking in on alternate universes and taking a closer look at some of the Makuta. Using those it was a quick jump to Melding Universe Makuta, and in a universe where the Makuta are supposed to be good, who better to examine than the supposedly-honorable Makuta Antroz?
     
    The Gargoyle Knight runs about 5500 words and gives us a look at the Melding Universe’s Xia, alludes a bit to how I think the Great Being-run society would function, and features Makuta Antroz reacting to the knowledge of alternate universes as well as dealing with a high-profile criminal. I quite like how it turned out, so I might be doing something else with these ideas in the future, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
     
    Merry Christmas and Happy Boxing Day to Nick Silverpen, and the rest of you as well! Let’s do this again next year!
  19. Pahrak Model ZX
    Managed to whip up a comedy for the monster contest: AQUA MAGNA ATTACK ON MARENDAR 10.1010 THIS IS (NOT) COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. Figured it was worth a try.
     
    Hm, with the Archives closing down, I guess I should do something about Bioni-Lords Books 1 and 2. It would take way too long to repost them, and they're really not that good anyway--if I were to redo it, I'd like to wipe all the canon and start with a fresh slate, but that'll take way, WAY too long.
     
    So here's what I'm thinking: I'll make a series of blog posts summarizing Books 1 and 2 arc by arc, along with a Bioni-Lords Master Post to hold all those links, plus the websites, plus the Kako link. Also might put up a few important battles as blog posts, like Khadaz vs Union, Khadaz vs the 10th, and the Terminal Trial chapters. Final Stretch is still on these Forums, so I may just skip the summary of Sekai Final arc.
     
    Do you guys have any thoughts on this? Suggestions and whatnot?
     
    In related news, I put a few more Spirits online--another Mega Man Star Force Spirit and some based on characters from a new anime I've started watching/the game it's based on.
     
    The next Kako is fully written, I just need to type it up! I hoped to get it done tonight, but it looks like I'll be busy for a little while, and after that there's an...important event I wish to view (read: Doctor Who special). But I'm off work tomorrow, so it shouldn't be a long wait!
  20. Pahrak Model ZX
    When I beat Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix a while ago, I made a big deal about Aqua’s final line: “There is always hope.” Now, one can get nitpicky and say that isn’t really the final line of the game, there’s still that thing with Sora and Riku after the credits and then you could count the Secret Movie and the Secret Episode, but for all intents and purposes let’s just treat “There is always hope” as the final line of Birth by Sleep since it’s not in a secret thing and serves more as closure to that game than revealing a thing that ties into the other games. Also it’s the last line before the credits, so it definitely counts (Marvel fans, back me up!).
     
    Anyway, that line really hit me, but after seeing some things online and looking back, I realized that that line is new. If you go watch the ending of the original Birth by Sleep, Aqua instead says “There is always a way.”
     
    A summary of the release history: Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep was released on PSP in 2010. The Final Mix version was released about a year later in Japan only, and this version was then included in the second HD collection (II.5) released on PS3 late last year, which did make it to Western shores. I can’t be sure if the change occurred in Final Mix or in II.5, and I guess really I can’t even be sure that this doesn’t only occur in the English script, but either way, at some point someone decided to change that line, and that makes it stick out to me even more.
     
    The final line of anything is a big deal, so deciding to change it, even if it’s a tiny change, can have a huge effect on its impact. Sure, the context remains the same, but even a slight difference in word choice can give a different impression of the character or sound different to the player. “There is always a way” is perfectly fine as a final line. It shows that Aqua has regained her determination and has resolved to fight on no matter how bleak things look (and they look super, super bleak), and we see her as a remarkably strong individual. So why change it?
     
    Naturally this is all my opinion and I could be biased, but I do think the line in II.5 is better. Saying there is “a way” sounds more…not exactly cold, but logic-based, I guess? “Hope” cuts right to the emotion of the situation/decision. I guess it feels like they dropped the pretenses and let it blatantly include the emotional layer that was a little more implicit previously. You could also argue it makes us feel even closer to Aqua, knowing that she feels not only determined, but hopeful as well, which is all the more impressive and does more to assure us she’ll be okay.
     
    At the risk of oversimplifying, “There is always a way” sounds more like a stock shounen protagonist thing; “There is always hope” sounds a little deeper. Not that there’s anything wrong with stock shounen protagonists, of course, but…well, you know.
     
    Or, put differently, determination seems easier to me, partly because I’ve seen it so much and partly because it can be derived from many different emotions. Hope seems a lot more difficult, and is a very specific emotion with little to no margin for error. This is almost certainly bias on my part, though—I’m probably just jumping on the keyword. But the added clarity might still be valid for giving us a more targeted look at Aqua’s character? If so, then it really was an excellent decision, given it’s been 4/5 years since our introduction to Aqua and she’s certainly going to return to a prominent role in Kingdom Hearts III. (…Right?)
     
    I always worry about the final line of anything I write, so in that way I can definitely relate to whoever took the opportunity to improve upon Aqua’s final line. And I have to say, they made a fantastic choice, and now I’m looking forward to Aqua’s future story involvement even more.
  21. Pahrak Model ZX
    With the Pokemon anime changing to XY&Z a few days ago, I figured that would be the signal for some news on the next main series game. Nothing on that yet...BUT!
     
    Apparently Pokken Tournament received an update, and included is a hidden boss fight against a Mega Evolving Dark Mewtwo!
     

     
    I mean, since Mewtwo is super popular it made sense they'd show up at some point, but I don't think anyone was expecting it to be in the form of a corrupted boss thing. A lot of people are wondering if this means Mewtwo or Dark Mewtwo will be playable in the Wii U version, which would be pretty darn cool, but even if it just remains a superboss I'd still be totally cool with it.
     
    Makes you wonder what other boss fights they're gonna add in...
  22. Pahrak Model ZX
    With all the blogging going on last week, my posts advertising new stories might've gotten buried, so I'm going to shamelessly promote them one more time.
     
    First, in the Epics forum, is A Mind in Darkness. The blog post with a little more info on it can be found here.
     
    Second, in the Short Stories forum, is The Blade of Valor. Blog post here explaining that this is a test run for a concept--I'm really curious to know how people feel about this idea, so please let me know.
     
    And while I'm at it, we just opened registration for the new tournament in Technic Warzone. It's not too late to join!
  24. Pahrak Model ZX
    I was too busy feasting and commiting genocide to make a post until now.
    That is how we celebrate, right...?
     
    All pessimism aside, I want to mention that next month's issue of Famitsu will have information on the new Pokemon movie featuring Genesect!
    ...It's exciting for me, at least. I got a lot of use out of the Genesect distributed when Black/White 2 were released.
    Also the teaser trailer for this movie reveals why it is that Genesect can learn Fly: apparently it transforms into some kind of mini UFO jet thing.
    Pokemon...
     
    Well anyway, I've been doing more work on Bioni-Lords Book 3: Kako--Chapter 34 is done, and I've begun typing it. It may take a while, though, since it's a long chapter and this if final project season for me. I'm trying to pace myself so that I'll have free time to type in small amounts, but worst case scenario it'll be up sometime around December 7th. (Though I may be able to get it in by the end of today. Maybe...)
    I've also been working on some new Spirits--some Pokemon, our very first Adventure Time Spirit (though there will probably be more), and a new Exo-Pokemon I'm still fine-tuning. Not sure when these will be online, but for reasons stated above, it probably won't be until December.
     
    Upon realizing that I'm nearing my 100th blog post, I took a look back through the entries and stumbled across my "2011 Preview" entry. I'd like to make a 2013 Preview of what I hope to accomplish within the next year, but I'm not sure it would work out. Most of my work for next year will probably be Kako, and I could give a preview of Le-Isle, Ga-Isle, and Flora-Isle, but Le-Isle is the only one I've really fine-tuned. I'm also hoping to make some serious progress on VioletRose and HonoredSoul next year, but things with that are still a tad bit vague and I'm not really sure what I would post in a preview of that. As for non-Bioni-Lords material, I'm putting Creation For Creation's Sake on indefinite hiatus since it's coming out a little boring, and I do have an idea for a Matoran Universe fanfiction involving the Mangaia Blades of the Seven Deadly Rahkshi, but I'm not sure if that's actually going to go anywhere...and there's also that Bionicle adaptation of Dragon Ball Z, but that's probably a terrible idea.
    I'll give it some thought, though. Maybe I'll be able too pull together a 2013 Preview, but I can't promise anything. On a related note, I believe I previously mentioned a new Kako preview involving Aile and Zempyst and their history? I typed it up, and I'm thinking of putting that in a blog entry at some point, maybe for the 100th entry.
     
    Not a whole lot of exciting developments, but hey, I'm not complaining.
  25. Pahrak Model ZX
    The next chapter of Beyond Ruin is finished!
     
    As I said previously, I wanted this one to focus on the Queen of Fire. In the end, the Queen of Ice also showed up. I think there are going to be more multi-Queen pieces than I originally anticipated, but I’m also going to try to change up the pairs they appear in (and maybe try showing more than two at once?), and this means there will definitely be more than just one chapter per Queen. Actually, I’m considering trying to come up with an arc if I can, but we’ll see where that goes.
     
    Next is probably going to be the Queens of the Sea and Light. After that, the only one left will be the Queen of Knowledge, and I’m thinking she’ll be getting a visit from the Queen of the Sky in her first piece. Where it goes from there I really have no idea!
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