u/rubia_ryu

For the record, this is not a post criticizing the game or Square Enix. I love Rebirth even with all its odd quirks and glitches that were later patched out. I love how much they've added to build on the characters, their dynamics, their backgrounds, and the ways the world unfolded around them as they went around.

But there was always one niche of this world that the devs have historically avoided: the ancient history of the Cetra and the Summons. I loved the Shinra Theater from Remake and I loved how the Ancient Temple was reimagined. However, I found myself more confused about the brief history around the Cetra's ultimate demise. I understand that it was likely the battle against Jenova in ancient times that weakened them to the point that human factions could fight and defeat them. By the way Ifalna and Aerith were treated in modern times, it's clear their people were practically hunted to extinction over the eras, and we can't exactly fault it as entirely Jenova's doing, though she probably had much to do with it.

However, we have never gotten so much of a hint of what happened to the Summons. Maybe it was just Shinra's assumptions based on historical records that the Summons once lived in harmony with the Ancients (like in FF1). Or maybe the Summons had some ways to remove their presences from the surface of the planet and leave behind materia in their places. Maybe they were forced to leave or maybe they chose to disappear. I have plenty of my own theories and headcanons (I wrote my own worldbuilding for a fanfic, lol), but I wish we had an official answer. Best case scenario would be a FF7 prequel where we play as the Cetra, but I won't hold my breath for one.

Though I grew up with 7, my favorite FF is still 6 precisely because of Kefka that game's world is even further reaching than 7's in some ways. I loved the revelation that the Espers were once living in their own communities before, well, humans got involved. I'd like to see a similar story, or at least some kind of story, with the Summons in 7 too. At least let us know what names or titles they went by back then, other than the "Rulers of the Outer Realms". What are these Outer Realms anyway? How do they fit in with the planet's Lifestream? Are they also part of it?

Honestly, I was hoping to wait for the third game before coming to any judgment, but judging by the most recent interviews with Director Hamaguchi, I don't know if they will be touching on Cetran history all that much anymore. He talked about a lot of other fascinating things (I'm very much looking forward to the new Wutai), but otherwise we may never know. And that makes me just a little sad, but I won't die if we don't. I would like to be proven wrong, though.

Now that I finished writing my own FF7 fic, this friend recommended me one they once read but couldn't find anymore. Not sure if it's on FFN or AO3, but it was posted before Remake came out. So surprising that there was this kinda ghost that would show up.

My friend said the fic was mainly around Sephiroth, Zack, and Cloud and this OC. Her name was Robin and she had metaknowledge to be able to help shape the story, kinda like a fix-it. Had some interdimensional travel too. Along the way she was almost taken out by this robed ghost that tried to stop her. Probably a genfic since there wasn't much romance.

Thank you in advance. I will update the post if I find other details to add.

This is a follow-up post to my previous two posts here and there and I feel it's a formality to share the final update.

I've been writing the same longfic for the past four-n-half years, started posting three-n-half years ago, and I've finally broken out of WIP hell. 100 chapters, at 1.37M words. It's been a journey and I feel nostalgic already.

With this fic, I've set a number of personal goals too:

- Wrote my first 1M+ fic (duh)

- Wrote my longest chapter to date at 27k+ words

- Rewrote and expanded the canon world with extensive worldbuilding rarely seen in the fandom (this is for a fandom with heavy worldbuilding to begin with, but not enough imo lol)

- My first time writing well out of my comfort zone. I used to hate writing horror (much prefer suspense) and previously struggled with environmental description and political intrigue but those bars have been well cleared with this one. It being for a fandom with a disgusting alien horror that used to scare me as a kid definitely helped set the mood.

- Absolutely smashed expectations I had of this fandom. This one is more thanks to my devoted readers. OCs are not popular in the least usually, but I'm glad my lead OC is so beloved that she's loved just as much as the rest of the main cast, if not more so.

- My first (successful) attempt at subverting Mary Sue / common isekai tropes. Also wrote a well-developed toxic relationship that ended up even more toxic. Even people who normally wouldn't be interested in the stuff gave mine a shot and liked it anyway.

Okay, if I go on, it may sound like I'm just humble-bragging, lol. Point is, I feel very accomplished.

And now I have a whole lore guide in the works because I wrote way too much to remember everything. It may also include a collection of spinoff shorts based on my canon-divergent AU, but time will tell.