Uh? (ch215 commentary)

We're officially at endgame
Aka this is the first chapter which is entirely dedicated to endgame

Also to note, ch103 aka the special chapter with Sora and Toby and Joseph is ENTIRELY AU and therefore this chapter is in fact the first Joseph's seen of Sora since the beginning of Dead Inside



This song is so good
This band is so good
here's a full playlist of this album

(also check out this song)

And like words can't describe this band better than their name (April Smith and the Great Picture Show) or the album art.
Really.
Give 'em a listen


Chapter!

read link

tumblr tag


There's actually quite a bit going on this chapter. And two separate scenes that I cut. Whoo.

We're actually gonna talk about the scenes I cut first--which I'm sure you're more interested in compared to the normal chapter notes--and then get to the usual chapter related stuff.

First thing I cut:

Kairi's Kidnapping

I mentioned in the last chapter commentary that I had a conniption about having either of the girls getting kidnapped (I literally had an entire document dedicated to figuring it out called "so i asked myself. Do the girls really need to be kidnapped?")
In the end I decided Namine's kidnapping was unavoidable if endgame were to go how I wanted it
But I realized that Kairi's kidnapping was Completely Unnecessary in the long run, so it was scrapped

I mentioned on tumblr, even, that Riku couldn't be in HB because he couldn't be there for Kairi's kidnapping, but I quickly decided against that (working out what could've happened if he had been there) before ultimately deciding to scrap Kairi's kidnapping entirely

The only good thing about it was Kairi ranted at her kidnapper until her throat was sore "WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING THIS ISN'T A FRIKKEN FAIRYTALE I'M NOT A PRINCESS TO BE KIDNAPPED THEY SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE KIDNAPPED YOU!! CAN'T!! USE ME!! AS BAIT!!!!!!!!"

that was fun

But it's more fun to send Kairi with Riku. Trust me on that.
(Also I wrote like every chapter from her POV instead of Riku's whoooooops I have no regrets)


As a side note, apparently Xigbar AND his clone were supposed to go after Namine but that didn't happen. Huh.


Anyway, second thing I scrapped:

Shad was gonna tell Sora about Kairi's kidnapping/departure with Riku

He was supposed to be snooping around HB and he'd find out and go tell Sora For Reasons but then I realized that Sora was already going to HB and it could work without Shad just as easily.

Uhh there was a lot of potential things that could've happened here from Sora chewing Shad out when he saw him--unlikely--to Sora just being slightly suspicious but otherwise unbothered. While Mickey, of course, threatens Shad.
Shad says he comes in peace
explains the situation
(either knowing it was org 13 they're against or not knowing it but knowing enough details for Mickey to come to that conclusion)

He could've potentially taken a skeptical Sora to CO to prove that Kairi had been kidnapped because someone there could tell him--someone there could definitely tell him Namine'd been kidnapped

There were thoughts about Sora attacking Shad when he saw him and Shad stopping his blade with his hand and just "KAIRI'S BEEN KDINAPPED DON'T ATTACK ME I'M HERE TO HELP" but given how the Maleficent battle went--ending actually on a relatively good note between the two of them--that was scrapped quickly

And there was a bit about Shad giving Sora a lift because he didn't have any form of transportation and initially I wasn't going to have Mickey go
(even though it's VERY MUCH against Mickey's character to not go)


Sora was also potentially supposed to meet up with Riku in CO--Riku wasn't supposed to find out about Namine until he got back to CO--and then they'd go to TWTNW together
Actually I'd had that planned for aaaaaaaaaaaages it wasn't until I sat down to actually plot out endgame to write that I realized timing didn't work like that + if Kairi was going with Riku I couldn't have Sora with them because yes I am still putting their reunion off

Joseph was supposed to bring up their bet about Namiku to Sora initially, but that got scrapped because Joseph does have most of his priorities in order
(On a side note, if you do the math, you can figure out who won now. I forget when the bet was made, but we're in April now--instory, though out of story, too, funnily enough--and the bet is listed on the Timeline)


Oh! here's a bit of template dialogue for Shad telling Sora 'bout Namine

“riku went after her, and Kairi went with him” Shad saysSora frowns a little “why…. are you helping me?”“I’m NOT helping you!! I used you to kill Maleficent—”“and now you’re telling me where Kairi is”pause. Shad stutters: “how do you know she’s not bait?”“because you wouldn’t tell me if she was”And Shad falters because Sora kind of has him there“well- well what’s it matter what I would or wouldn’t do? they went to The World that Never Was, which, if I remember correctly, is the stronghold of a group called Organization 13. Aren’t they… incredibly dangerous? You wouldn’t want them hurting her, would you? [[and it’s not like I have any control over them]]”

ANYWAY BACK TO REGULARLY SCHEDULED CHAPTER NOTES

I’m going to end up liking Alpha……….. because……. Family feels

Nooooo Alpha why why why apparently he takes failure pretty harshly or?? He’s blaming himself about the cameras—not to mention Namine—and no no no I got used to not liking you Alpha please

I know corridor is not a verb but. No cares. Not anymore.

I can’t remember if Riku actually finished the Cimorene books but I think,,, he did because Aerith read them to him and everyone,,,, so,,,,,, he did I will say he did

He borrowed another book

I couldn’t think of what book he borrowed tho bc I don’t want Kairi to rec him the silver crown I want her to rec heir apparent but I don’t want Riku to have previously read the silver crown also I need something in the same genre as Cimorene and.........

But, yes, Kairi rec'd him "Heir Apparent" by, uh, Vivian Vande Velde

It's a good book

I was thinking Aerith had put all the novels on like the second and third shelf up from the ground which would be a little obnoxious in general but not terrible to reach

Then I remembered Riku is super tall now and his eyelevel is like… top shelf. If not on top of the bookshelf. So.

Everyone needs to start calling it CO eventually I swear 

(I’m surprised they really don’t already??? Tho Riku may not as a personal choice…………….. hmm)

No but really part of me thinks Riku should say CO because taking less time to say things is a very good thing. But then again I’m not sure if he’d refer to the Castle with such casualty because that just,,,, his relationship with that castle doesn’t warrant that. 

SOMETIMES I REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT RIKU LOOKS LIKE RN AND I JUST LAUGH

(bc awkwardly tall kh2!riku with pretty obnoxiously long hair and still in kh1 clothes and)

Riku actually has an extreme sensitivity to noise and I wish I’d brought it up sooner but with his super-sensitive hearing you have to assume that he can hear a lot of sounds that are usually louder than what we hear them as and when people start speaking loudly at him all at once he just CAN’T because it’s extra super loud to his ears and it’s wayyyyyyy too much for him to handle

(the super sensitive hearing had to have a downside, after all)

I literally cannot tell you how much Mickey hates being bowed to he is so humble he just he can’t he stands there and he has to look away and finally he can stutter the words “that is really not necessary” but he stutters them because he really doesn’t like it

I contemplated for a bit whether or not to put a break in between Sora planning to HB and actually arriving in HB because like?? I didn’t need a break but it was also easier on my brain or something

Ohh nooo remember that ear ringing side effect I had with star shards?? I wonder if Mickey gets it extra bad because bigger ears ahhhhh I feel bad now

I needed to save this:

“I was, uh, just dropping Sora off” Mickey says and he clears his throat bc he’s a little uncomfortable “where’d ya say Kairi was?” look at him changing the subject that’s my mouse

Due to Mickey being Incredlby Uncomfortable along with flow issues I cut a lot of everyone else ""reacting"" to him

Here are my notes on it, though:

AND LIKE BEFOREHAND THO WHEN JOSEPH SEES MICKEY HE’LL END UP BOWING AND THEN HE’LL NUDGE TOBY AND HISS“you have to bow too he’s a king”And Mickey just stands thereSighs at them“that’s… that’s really not necessary” And how does Tifa respond?? How does anyone in that house respond??? Like I feel Cloud’s just going to politely stand there Aerith may get to her feet and potentially curtsey and once Tifa catches on she may too and likeMickey’s going to stand thereSlightly exasperated(thankfully they all should know to just do a quick bow so the embarrassment doesn’t last long)

I also felt the need to save this:

Joseph goes and puts a hand on Aerith’s arm, and says “Riku will get to her before anything goes wrong. I’m sure of it” but that’s all he can say because he knows otherwise Namine’s toast—he definitely overheard what Alpha told her before she went with Xigbar

Joseph does look at things positively—optimistically

But he can’t in good conscious say flat out that “Namine will be fine” when she honestly won’t be unless Riku gets to her before the Org can mess with her

And I wish I could show that in-story but unfortunately I’m in Sora’s POV and I think he’s only so good at reading people and even then you can’t guess ALL THAT without already knowing the context and like I guess?? You readers could get it??? but

Joseph is a sourpuss

(also he is way too old to pout then again I think he’s only technically like four years old. Or younger. Oh whoops he’s two)

Mickey and Minnie both will say someone’s name and then turn to look at them and it’s literally the most awkward thing to write honestly because you just used the name in dialogue and then referring to them with a pronoun it’s—it’s awkward. And you just used the name so you can’t use it again either sooooooo

I also really need to save this:

"Hey, I know this is a bit late…" (Joseph sighs) "But, Sora. I want you to promise me something." (srs bsns face on him being strong like he promised 29 acting tough like he sees other people do masking the pain like Riku does, not with a grimace but with a smile)

Because Joseph is a frikken cutie sigh