[Fanfics] Missing Stages and Skipped Turns

[dende-sama.livejournal.com]

I'll start by saying, Happy Birthday, Guilford!! (October 19th is his Birthday, according to my Code Geass guidebook).
As such, both of these stories are Cornelia/Guilford, and both of them center around him. I know, I said I would branch out a bit, but seeing as these are birthday, fics, I thought I would make an exception. Also this is my OTP, I'm going to write it whenever I please.

Here are the next installments in my series of stories. I'm hoping that maybe not all the attention I got last time was for the plate.

Title: Missing Stages
Pairings: Cornelia/Guilford, Suzaku/Euphy, Schneizel/Kanon, Gino/Kallen, Tohdoh/Chiba, Lelouch/Shirley, Villetta/Ohgi, and recently I have begun to consider the possibility of Milly/Nina, but I am not sure on this yet.
Rating: T (may go up)
Most Recent Entry: Stage 0.03: Promotion.
Most Recent Entry Pairings: Cornelia/Guilford.
Most Recent Entry Summary: Guilford is offered a position in the Knights of the Round, set four years before the series (2013 a.t.b.).
Link: Here.

Title: Skipped Turns
Pairings: Cornelia/Guilford, Suzaku/Euphy, Schneizel/Kanon, Gino/Kallen, Tohdoh/Chiba, Lelouch/Shirley, Jeremiah/Sayoko, Villetta/Ohgi, and recently I have begun to consider the possibility of Milly/Nina, but I am not sure on this yet.
Rating: T (may go up)
Most Recent Entry Title: Turn 0.14: Day Off.
Most Recent Entry Pairings: Cornelia/Guilford.
Most Recent Entry Summary: Guilford recalls memories of Cornelia, Darlton, and Euphy while getting dressed to pretend to enjoy his day off from work.
Link: Here.

Also, please leave reviews at ff.net (I mean you can leave them here too, but I like to have all my feedback in one place)! Thank you so much!

Comments

[deknighted.livejournal.com]

Oh my god it's guilford's birthday.
time to make a rushed sketch tonight =w=

also, I read the first fic last night. There's some quirks to it that kind of made me eh, but I loved the fic anyway <3

[dende-sama.livejournal.com]

What? Out of curiosity? I know there were some typos, if that's what you mean. I realized when I was posting the new story, I had posted the unedited version, instead of the version I got back from my Beta, so I fixed that.

If you mean in terms of content, I'd love to discuss my reasoning in hopes of making it clearer.

[deknighted.livejournal.com]

well, it's more like how you characterized them. While it's pretty good, there were moments where I personally feel they went out of character (imo). I can't do it now since I'm kind of a little busy.

[dende-sama.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think I know what you're talking about. But keep in mind that this story is set four years before the start of the show. I actually had a lot of issues characterizing Cornelia's reaction to what happened, but I think I can basically explain it at this. From what I've seen of her in flashbacks to when she was younger (up until even Marianne's death when she was 20) Cornelia isn't really cold or distant. This has led me to believe that she is an affectionate person, who has been forced to hide that affection for the people she's closest to for a while. The process of training oneself to do that isn't an easy one (and maybe this is where I'm bias, as I've done this as well) and I think, especially when she was younger, she would have moments where she wasn't able to control her feelings as well.

Also, her reaction wasn't really done so there could be a touching hugging scene, as I don't really write that way. I tend to think of a general situation, and then the reactions of characters in them just kind of happen as I write. I was also a bit surprised by how that ended up happening, but when I went back and started to change it, I tried to think of why it happened in the first place and it made sense to me. This is a big deal, in Britannia, personal loyalty basically doesn't exist, and she was actually overwhelmed by the idea that his loyalty was to her over even the Empire itself. Also she has a pretty hardcore obsession with loyalty, as we see over the course of the show, so I feel like that also factors into it.

That being said, you're more than entitled to see it that way, and I certainly think that, had this event happened like two years or so later, it wouldn't have played out like this, and in fact it would have been much more formal/official etc. on both sides.

[deknighted.livejournal.com]

Oh, I suppose that works as well.

and uh lol, don't mind me, I just have a different idea of what young!Cornelia should be. I should have kind of respected your characterization of her as well, since I read it just earlier and it kind of sounds fitting now given the explanation you said.

that and if I was writing I probably couldn't maintain a character's personality at one point. Tsun tsun now, then suddenly dere dere at an inappropriate time. lol

so I'm sticking to fanart > u >;;;;

[aprilclydel-ac.livejournal.com]

c:

And yeah, I stopped lurking and reviewed your fics instead. cx

And that thing above, characterization wouldn't be much of a problem when it's before the series, right? We know a lot of things happened that changed the character's personality in the long run. Although there are times when I prefer one part of a character's personality among others and let it shine instead of sticking to the canon. But we all know Cornelia and Guilford are hard to characterize when they are in a romantic relationship. I've read other fics and sidefics that contain little tidbits about them, and yeah, most are indeed OOC. I even tried to write, but I have to go over it a lot of times before publishing it. And even if after doing that, it's still OOC. orz orz orz

Maybe it depends on how each of us see them in a way, really.

[dende-sama.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's what I actually explained. Given what we know about her from when she was younger, she was a more affectionate person. Also, Cornelia still has drastically different facets of her personality, she's so different with Euphy alone than she is with Euphy in front of anyone else, and even when we see her talk to Guilford over private communication channels, her voice and attitude change completely from what they are when she has to talk to him when other people are present.

Personally, I don't think she's really an "ice queen" type personality. She's a very passionate person who has to do everything she can to hide it, because ultimately she has a job to do that is more important than her personal feelings. It doesn't mean she actually lacks the personal feelings, just that she can only let them out at specific times.

Also her reaction wasn't really meant as a "here's a cute moment" thing, it was more to emphasize how impressed she was with what he did. It isn't a small token of loyalty, he turned down being in the Knights of the Round (which is a rank directly below that of the Royal Family) and was willing to piss off the Emperor in the process. And she really has a thing for loyalty, it's literally like all she ever talks about. Of course she would be impressed by this.

Edited to say, thank you SO much for reviewing. It means the world to me. Lots of love!

[aprilclydel-ac.livejournal.com]

That's what I think, too. Based on the pre-series graphics that we've seen, she doesn't look like she's the same as she was in the series. There still seems to be more softness, and she's quite 'innocent' in those pictures. Even in the series itself, during the Marianne flashback, she doesn't have the same vibes like when she's in Area 11. I also agree that she uses a different tone of voice (which I like somuch ♥) when she talks to people she is close to, like Euphie, for example.

And that makes me really happy that she's not stuck as a stereotype stock character in the series. I mean, we get to see even another part of her that deviates from the 'ice queen' type of personality. That doesn't make her lack personal feelings. The noticeable changes in her tone of voice when she talks professionally and personally clearly prove that. I also believe she's very passionate in the things that she does, and she does things not just because she was asked to and it's her responsibility. I really can't say that she can be the ideal 'ice queen'. She cares for her companions in battle, too, and it's pretty evident when says "we shouldn't risk more men," etc.

I understand. :) But it really was a cute moment. *LOL* XD Although I kind of expected it from Guilford. And Cornelia even forgot that Euphie was there. That was so cute. :3

You're welcome. ♥

[lost-is-there.livejournal.com]

It's Guilford's birthday?? That's totally awesome!

Loved the fics~ I especially liked your description of how Guilford got his Cornelia plate! I can definitely see Euphie doing something like that <3
And that mental image of half-undressed!Guilford toward the end was lovely as well~

[dende-sama.livejournal.com]

Yeeah.... Plate... I feel like that was either Euphy or late night Britannian television, and Euphy seemed like the classier option (although Late Night Britannian Television was a very tempting option as well).

And yeah... with the images... I try...

I feel like every time I write smut for them, it always starts with her pinning him to a door and undressing him, I need to break this pattern...

[lost-is-there.livejournal.com]

Late night Britannian television... Yes I agree the Euphie route has a better ring to it. XD

It certainly isn't a bad pattern... simply a very visually pleasing one~

[dende-sama.livejournal.com]

I really don't know what else would on LNBT besides weird 1-800 numbers you can call to get royal family memorabilia, and I don't think I want to.

I'm considering making like a whole other story that works like Stages and Turns do, but is only smut, are you saying this would be a plan? I warn you, there will be much door-pinning and violent undressing...

[lost-is-there.livejournal.com]

No, I'm not sure I want to know, either...

That sounds like a very good plan~ Door pinning and violent undressing sound lovely... Especially when mixed with CxG.

[dende-sama.livejournal.com]

I suppose I'll get working on that. I have a few pieces that just need to be typed.

And, yes, it's so true. Cornelia/Guilford: The only pairing where the Princess deflowers the Knight...

[lost-is-there.livejournal.com]

Hooray! Oh- and is your Guilford icon from an official art?

SO TRUE. And that's why it's so awesome. (among other things)

[dende-sama.livejournal.com]

Yeah it is. This is actually a scan of an official print I have framed of him on my wall... and there is one of Cornelia (also framed on my wall) that goes with it. Give me your email, I'll send them to you, they're gorgeous.

All I want is to see him deflowered... it's a problem...

[lost-is-there.livejournal.com]

Alright I'll send you my email on a private message :) (I don't like it floating around. I get enough spam as is.) Where'd you get the print?

Pfft At least I know that I'm not the only one...

[dende-sama.livejournal.com]

Anime Weekend Atlanta either last year or the year before. I can't find the Cornelia one anywhere to purchase, I just found the picture online and had it printed at a nice printing center. The print of Guilford is a cell print, so it's actually made of thin translucent plastic and is beautiful.

I'm also glad I'm not alone, as it means my smut has a market.

[lost-is-there.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately finding good prints of female characters is very difficult... Most of them are just pin ups for fanboys to drool all over x(

Oh, your smut most definitely has a market.

[dende-sama.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Cornelia is a rare type of female character, in that she is strong, but not portrayed as an unfeeling bitch, butch lesbian or a sex object.

That being said, she's still incredibly sexy, I'd sleep with her in a second.

[lost-is-there.livejournal.com]

Exactly! I face this problem in my FMA fandom as well, unfortunately... I'm a huge fan of Lust in the 2003 anime... and fandom horribly misportrays her all the time.

Teehee~ I don't think I'd sleep with her, but I do agree with you that she's incredibly sexy.