Verite
Endearing Misanthrope
「Let's find that exit they call Paradise.」
Hi hi, name's Verite, but feel free to alternatively call me as Ver or Vera if you'd like. 24 years young, with about twelve years of RP experience. Yeah, I guess that means I've been doing this for almost half my life now. I go by any pronouns, he or she or they, so refer to me as you will. Naturally, LGBTQ+ friendly as well. Big into anime, games, comics, literature, and film/TV, and I take a lot of inspiration from what I read into my writing. Looking to make some friends and get some roleplays rolling, so let's dive right into the nitty gritty.
Me, Myself, and I
- I use drawn faceclaims, and I would prefer my partners to be able to do the same. Just personal preference. Anime and comics are my go-to aesthetic for reference.
- I like a good romance, and it's safe to bet that whatever RP we do will likely include it. I can play any gender, from male to female to non-binary, and I can do most kinds of gender pairings, though admittedly I'm by far least accustomed to MxM.
- I enjoy OOC talk! If I come off overly dry and brusque, it's just part of my brand. I'm honestly aching to make some new friends, so feel free to chat me up at your leisure.
- On the topic of talking to each other, definitely feel free to contribute your ideas and stuff you wanna do in our brainstorming sessions, and please do pull your weight while planning and plotting. Don't wanna feel like I'm just talking to myself, after all.
- I write at a literate to advanced-lit level; generally, I write a bare minimum of at least two paragraphs, and I'd like my partners to be able to do the same as well. Depending on the scene at hand and how invested I am, I can of course write way more than that though. Otherwise, I'm not much of a stickler of post lengths; quality over quantity and all that. Just no one-liners or anything like that, naturally.
- As far as post frequency goes, I'll be candid, I won't be the fastest poster in the world. I work full time and my motivation tends to come and go, so I certainly can't promise daily posts on a consistent basis, probably little more than a handful a week, but I'll definitely try my best to remain active as can be. I'll be available to talk OOC just about every day though, if you ever wanna just chat. To that end, I live in the States, CST Time Zone, if that helps you at all.
- That said, I'm ghost friendly. Shit happens, I really do get it.
- No triggers here. In fact, I rather enjoy exploring all sorts of dark narrative themes, as long as it's presented seriously and with nuance obviously.
- Don't worry, I only type like this for aesthetic purposes. I'll type in a normal size and font in the actual RPs, unless you like it this way.
- I prefer to RP on-site, mostly through PMs, though I can perhaps be talked into doing a thread or going on Discord.
- Partners at least 18 years old much preferred.
- If you're interested in cooking up an RP with me, feel free to just shoot me a message. Please don't post in this thread.
Original Plots
Here, I'll be outlining original settings and plots to go around, but I'm also wearing on my sleeve that these are heavily inspired by assorted fandoms. Not that knowledge of them will be required by any stretch, but if you do know of them, the namedrops will ideally give you a good idea of what you can expect from the setting and plot. By default, I'm fine with playing either muse for the given plots, though there will be some in which I'll prefer to play a certain one, but I'll let you know when that's the case.
Also, if you're interested in any specific plot but also had some ideas for your own twist on them, feel free to let me know! I like to consider myself flexible and adaptable, so go nuts.
Inspired by Psycho-Pass and Minority Report
In this cyberpunk dystopian world, the year is 2124. Many of the world's most developed countries are ruled in part by a massive artificial intelligence known as the Oracle Network, jointly created by the various parties of the United Nations. Initially, its purpose was to objectively relieve international tensions amongst the world's superpowers, but now it has since been domestically adopted by a myriad of countries such as the United States, Japan, and others. Able to critically analyze abstract scenarios and people's brain patterns, the Oracle Network is employed as a system that governs many countries from the administrative level to law enforcement.
Thanks to these countries becoming progressively automated and technologically advanced, various divisions of law enforcement have been significantly been downsized in favor of patrol drones taking care of an officer's footwork, and automatic driving cars managed by Oracle nearly erasing the need for a Traffic Department, because auto-driving cars actually work by now. Most pointedly, the Oracle Network is able to read peoples' mental health and emotional stability, quantifying these values into numbers and data to determine the likelihood of them committing a crime, and preemptively arresting those who are deemed too unstable before they can commit any harm. It is with that in mind that there still remains a need for flesh and blood officers, operating under the Precrime Investigation Department.
Officers who work for the Department are categorized into three different types of personnel; Detectives who are in charge of overseeing investigations and field work, Operators who support the Detectives by way of analyzing evidence, data, and other items as needed, and the Hounds, officers who are tasked with protecting the Detectives at all cost. They are typically seen as glorified bodyguards or grunts of the Detectives, but the most controversial aspect of their existence is that most Hounds, in fact, work for the Department against their own will. Though anyone is theoretically free to become a Hound if they so choose, most Hounds are in fact "preemptive criminals," those who are judged as too mentally unstable to participate in normal society and arrested before they even commit a crime, even if they may appear perfectly well-adjusted to the subjective view of other humans. Hounds are forcefully recruited depending on if the preemptive criminal happens to possess skills and mental patterns appropriate for the job, notably an athletic body fit for field work and an ability to understand the criminal mind better than a Detective might be able to. Some might call this strange concept "empathy." Due to the stressful nature of these policing jobs, it is not unusual for a Detective to be demoted to a Hound as well in the grand scheme of things.
With all this set-up for the world in place, I have two potential plot ideas in mind:
1. Muse A is a fresh new Detective for the Department, and Muse B is a Hound (can be also newly recruited or more experienced) who has recently been assigned under the Detective's care. A string of violent crimes has rocked the Department to its core. What did they all have in common? For one thing, the culprits for every crime were quickly discovered and arrested after discovery. The other thing? The Oracle Network had identified them all as being completely mentally stable, which only begs the question; how did all these people manage to circumvent the Network? It's up to the new Detective to get to the bottom of the underlying case behind these incidents at all costs and prove themself as a worthy officer, all the while struggling to get along with their assigned Hound and understand them. However, their investigation soon takes a strange turn as it leads them into a conspiracy that just might threaten the credibility of the very Oracle Network itself.
2. Muse A and Muse B are an experienced Detective and Hound team, having worked together for several years now. Though developing interpersonal relationships with preemptive criminals like Hounds is generally frowned upon, the two have come to foster a genuine trust in each others' character and abilities. However, this relationship is put to the ultimate test when one day, seemingly out of nowhere, the Oracle Network suddenly registers the Detective as a dangerously violent preemptive criminal who must be apprehended at all costs. Betrayed by the system they had fought so hard to uphold for so long and left with no other choice, the Detective is forced on the run, only to be unexpectedly aided by their former Hound, who has also chosen to betray the Department in favor helping the one person who had ever shown them kindness. Together, they must band together and uncover the web of mysteries that has them helplessly entangled, or die trying.
In this cyberpunk dystopian world, the year is 2124. Many of the world's most developed countries are ruled in part by a massive artificial intelligence known as the Oracle Network, jointly created by the various parties of the United Nations. Initially, its purpose was to objectively relieve international tensions amongst the world's superpowers, but now it has since been domestically adopted by a myriad of countries such as the United States, Japan, and others. Able to critically analyze abstract scenarios and people's brain patterns, the Oracle Network is employed as a system that governs many countries from the administrative level to law enforcement.
Thanks to these countries becoming progressively automated and technologically advanced, various divisions of law enforcement have been significantly been downsized in favor of patrol drones taking care of an officer's footwork, and automatic driving cars managed by Oracle nearly erasing the need for a Traffic Department, because auto-driving cars actually work by now. Most pointedly, the Oracle Network is able to read peoples' mental health and emotional stability, quantifying these values into numbers and data to determine the likelihood of them committing a crime, and preemptively arresting those who are deemed too unstable before they can commit any harm. It is with that in mind that there still remains a need for flesh and blood officers, operating under the Precrime Investigation Department.
Officers who work for the Department are categorized into three different types of personnel; Detectives who are in charge of overseeing investigations and field work, Operators who support the Detectives by way of analyzing evidence, data, and other items as needed, and the Hounds, officers who are tasked with protecting the Detectives at all cost. They are typically seen as glorified bodyguards or grunts of the Detectives, but the most controversial aspect of their existence is that most Hounds, in fact, work for the Department against their own will. Though anyone is theoretically free to become a Hound if they so choose, most Hounds are in fact "preemptive criminals," those who are judged as too mentally unstable to participate in normal society and arrested before they even commit a crime, even if they may appear perfectly well-adjusted to the subjective view of other humans. Hounds are forcefully recruited depending on if the preemptive criminal happens to possess skills and mental patterns appropriate for the job, notably an athletic body fit for field work and an ability to understand the criminal mind better than a Detective might be able to. Some might call this strange concept "empathy." Due to the stressful nature of these policing jobs, it is not unusual for a Detective to be demoted to a Hound as well in the grand scheme of things.
With all this set-up for the world in place, I have two potential plot ideas in mind:
1. Muse A is a fresh new Detective for the Department, and Muse B is a Hound (can be also newly recruited or more experienced) who has recently been assigned under the Detective's care. A string of violent crimes has rocked the Department to its core. What did they all have in common? For one thing, the culprits for every crime were quickly discovered and arrested after discovery. The other thing? The Oracle Network had identified them all as being completely mentally stable, which only begs the question; how did all these people manage to circumvent the Network? It's up to the new Detective to get to the bottom of the underlying case behind these incidents at all costs and prove themself as a worthy officer, all the while struggling to get along with their assigned Hound and understand them. However, their investigation soon takes a strange turn as it leads them into a conspiracy that just might threaten the credibility of the very Oracle Network itself.
2. Muse A and Muse B are an experienced Detective and Hound team, having worked together for several years now. Though developing interpersonal relationships with preemptive criminals like Hounds is generally frowned upon, the two have come to foster a genuine trust in each others' character and abilities. However, this relationship is put to the ultimate test when one day, seemingly out of nowhere, the Oracle Network suddenly registers the Detective as a dangerously violent preemptive criminal who must be apprehended at all costs. Betrayed by the system they had fought so hard to uphold for so long and left with no other choice, the Detective is forced on the run, only to be unexpectedly aided by their former Hound, who has also chosen to betray the Department in favor helping the one person who had ever shown them kindness. Together, they must band together and uncover the web of mysteries that has them helplessly entangled, or die trying.
Inspired by Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell
Another cyberpunk setting, similar to that in Thought Crimes but without the whole deal with the Oracle System. Instead, it's a bit closer to the standard picture of a dystopic cyberpunk future, so let's take it from the top again.
The year is 2074. Though most of the world has progressed greatly in the many fields of technology, it has regressed socially and culturally. Social anxieties of the past half-century have only gone from bad to worse. The United States of America has regressed into a totalitarian state where the police are even more dangerous than the criminals they swore to fight, and the average citizen lives in fear of being violently beaten by officers who have no reason to fear punishment and have been given license to do as they please. America had become even wealthier as a nation over the past decades, yet income distribution remains unequal, as more and more money is poured into military and police while infrastructure problems and homelessness continue to assail the population. News outlets are heavily censored at best and outright banned at worst, and organized protest has been made functionally illegal in the wake of the internationally condemned Boclavia Conflict, in which the United States attacked the eponymous Middle Eastern country under questionable pretenses, and ultimately ended with the country being wiped off the map by nuclear bombs, rendering its already small population nearly extinct.
One could say the United States had long since become the very kind of country it had long fearmongered and accused its powerful rivals of being, and many people could see it plain as day.
The Eastern Migration wasn't so much a grand event. Rather, it happened gradually but undeniably, over a period of fifty years and still ongoing. With a loss of faith in their own country's political actions and diminishing economic opportunities, as well as a long-standing interest in the cultures of other nations, many American citizens made the heavy decision to flee to other countries, creating a notable Western diaspora throughout the rest of the world. The population scattered all over the world in search of nations that were more politically stable and more importantly, held more opportunity for them. Once upon a time, people fled en masse to America in search of freedom and opportunity, but now, they were fleeing it on the very same search their ancestors embarked on. Some found new homes and settled in European countries, but the brunt of the diaspora traveled as far as East Asia, now living from China to Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea.
Where did that leave those who chose to stay or couldn't afford to leave? They could only continue to make do as best as they could.
As police institutions effectively became a legalized ring of organized crime, like the mafia of their time, and people became unwilling to call them in for anything by now, private detectives enjoyed a rise in popularity and business until many of them decided to come together and form a new security and detective agency that took advantage in the lack of trust in the police, known as the Handymen.
Muse A is one such Handyman, and they're damn good at their job. For that reason, on a day like any other, Muse B -- a mysterious and enigmatic figure -- suddenly approaches them with a peculiar job offer. A trail of serial kidnappings had apparently been assailing the city for a month now right under everyone's noses, gone largely uninvestigated whether due to the police's obliviousness or disinterest. The common link between each disappeared person? They were all Asian-American. Intrigued by the case laid by their doorstep, the intrepid Handyman agrees to look into it, but it isn't long before it becomes clear the mysterious benefactor knows more about the case and is closer to it than they're letting on for whatever reason. Thus, the Handyman must wrestle with their uneasy relationship with their contractor as they carry out their investigation, which will lead them into a giant web of conspiracy and intrigue that they might not be fully prepared to face.
This is one of the few plots in which I prefer to play Muse B for the role. Another possible variation of the plot is that there would be two Handymen protagonists being strung along by the benefactor if that sounds more appealing to you.
Another cyberpunk setting, similar to that in Thought Crimes but without the whole deal with the Oracle System. Instead, it's a bit closer to the standard picture of a dystopic cyberpunk future, so let's take it from the top again.
The year is 2074. Though most of the world has progressed greatly in the many fields of technology, it has regressed socially and culturally. Social anxieties of the past half-century have only gone from bad to worse. The United States of America has regressed into a totalitarian state where the police are even more dangerous than the criminals they swore to fight, and the average citizen lives in fear of being violently beaten by officers who have no reason to fear punishment and have been given license to do as they please. America had become even wealthier as a nation over the past decades, yet income distribution remains unequal, as more and more money is poured into military and police while infrastructure problems and homelessness continue to assail the population. News outlets are heavily censored at best and outright banned at worst, and organized protest has been made functionally illegal in the wake of the internationally condemned Boclavia Conflict, in which the United States attacked the eponymous Middle Eastern country under questionable pretenses, and ultimately ended with the country being wiped off the map by nuclear bombs, rendering its already small population nearly extinct.
One could say the United States had long since become the very kind of country it had long fearmongered and accused its powerful rivals of being, and many people could see it plain as day.
The Eastern Migration wasn't so much a grand event. Rather, it happened gradually but undeniably, over a period of fifty years and still ongoing. With a loss of faith in their own country's political actions and diminishing economic opportunities, as well as a long-standing interest in the cultures of other nations, many American citizens made the heavy decision to flee to other countries, creating a notable Western diaspora throughout the rest of the world. The population scattered all over the world in search of nations that were more politically stable and more importantly, held more opportunity for them. Once upon a time, people fled en masse to America in search of freedom and opportunity, but now, they were fleeing it on the very same search their ancestors embarked on. Some found new homes and settled in European countries, but the brunt of the diaspora traveled as far as East Asia, now living from China to Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea.
Where did that leave those who chose to stay or couldn't afford to leave? They could only continue to make do as best as they could.
As police institutions effectively became a legalized ring of organized crime, like the mafia of their time, and people became unwilling to call them in for anything by now, private detectives enjoyed a rise in popularity and business until many of them decided to come together and form a new security and detective agency that took advantage in the lack of trust in the police, known as the Handymen.
Muse A is one such Handyman, and they're damn good at their job. For that reason, on a day like any other, Muse B -- a mysterious and enigmatic figure -- suddenly approaches them with a peculiar job offer. A trail of serial kidnappings had apparently been assailing the city for a month now right under everyone's noses, gone largely uninvestigated whether due to the police's obliviousness or disinterest. The common link between each disappeared person? They were all Asian-American. Intrigued by the case laid by their doorstep, the intrepid Handyman agrees to look into it, but it isn't long before it becomes clear the mysterious benefactor knows more about the case and is closer to it than they're letting on for whatever reason. Thus, the Handyman must wrestle with their uneasy relationship with their contractor as they carry out their investigation, which will lead them into a giant web of conspiracy and intrigue that they might not be fully prepared to face.
This is one of the few plots in which I prefer to play Muse B for the role. Another possible variation of the plot is that there would be two Handymen protagonists being strung along by the benefactor if that sounds more appealing to you.
Inspired by Kamen Rider and Marvel/DC
In a universe where there's always a new superhero making their grand debut or a new supervillain rising from the shadows, this world has long since seen every strange thing that has come their way. Alien invaders that have tried to conquer Earth, time traveling tyrants from the future, diabolical demons from other dimensions, the whole nine yards. But at every turn, the world was saved by the many heroes of the world, most of whom work under the International League of Heroes, or simply the League for short. But this story isn't really about them. It's about the little guys.
For this setting, I have two plot ideas in mind:
1. The clandestine cult known as the Unity might seem just like another fanatical criminal organization, low-level in the grand scheme of things, but to Muse A, they're the group that took everything from them. Once just an ordinary citizen like anyone else, the Unity had kidnapped them and experimented on their body, granting them powers and attempting to brainwash them into becoming a superpowered enforcer of theirs, but at the last moment, our would-be victim managed to escape captivity and flee into the night, unintentionally leaving a trail of destruction in their wake in their temporary confusion and panic.
Muse B is a low-ranking hero in the League. Whereas the most experienced, highest-ranking heroes are tasked with protecting the Earth from potential high-level threats such as international crises, cosmic horrors from outer space, and everything in between, lower-ranking heroes are relegated to street-level responsibilities. Stopping bank robberies, saving the cat from the tree, busting the local mafia syndicate, helping old ladies across the street, and so on. The young hero is initially tasked with investigating Muse A's trail of destruction, but whereas they expected to find a violent villain, instead they found a confused and anguished soul who's ability to live a normal life had been taken from them. After a brief yet potentially explosive misunderstanding, the young hero eventually manages to calm down Muse A and reason with them. After taking the time to hear out their situation, the hero offers to help them track down the Unity and foil their plans, while also trying to show the ropes on how to be a hero and use their new powers for good.
However, they'll come face to face with a great myriad of obstacles on their journey, between League heroes who want to take in Muse A to study, unregistered vigilante heroes who mistake them for villains, and actual villains who just want to make a scene. All this begs the question; without anyone to call upon for help besides each other, do these two young, would-be heroes have what it takes to take down the Unity by themselves?
2. Muse A is a street-level hero who has a bit of a complicated relationship with Muse B, a street-level villain and arguably the young hero's ultimate nemesis. Or maybe "rival" was a better term. Despite the two of them always coming into conflict with each other whenever they met, neither of them seemed to have any true hatred for the other. Every time they'd bumped into each other, the tension between them was always palpable; the mischievous villain would always try to charm the hero into joining them and getting down with their bad self, while the righteous hero would always implore to the villain that it still wasn't too late to renounce their ways and use their powers for good. The villain had even long since found out the hero's real identity, but promised to keep their secret intact as a gesture of honest respect. Their relationship had remained static like this for a while now, until a chance encounter changed everything.
It was all so sudden and out of nowhere. On a night like any other, the hero was hoping to enjoy a peaceful evening after a hard day's work, until they began to hear an urgent knocking -- or rather banging -- on their door. Opening it, it was none other than the villain, battered and beaten, who could only look desperately yet frankly in their greatest rival's eyes.
"Sorry. I didn't have anywhere else to go."
So much for that quiet, peaceful night. But just how did the villain end up like that, and how far is the hero willing to go to protect their most heated rival?
In a universe where there's always a new superhero making their grand debut or a new supervillain rising from the shadows, this world has long since seen every strange thing that has come their way. Alien invaders that have tried to conquer Earth, time traveling tyrants from the future, diabolical demons from other dimensions, the whole nine yards. But at every turn, the world was saved by the many heroes of the world, most of whom work under the International League of Heroes, or simply the League for short. But this story isn't really about them. It's about the little guys.
For this setting, I have two plot ideas in mind:
1. The clandestine cult known as the Unity might seem just like another fanatical criminal organization, low-level in the grand scheme of things, but to Muse A, they're the group that took everything from them. Once just an ordinary citizen like anyone else, the Unity had kidnapped them and experimented on their body, granting them powers and attempting to brainwash them into becoming a superpowered enforcer of theirs, but at the last moment, our would-be victim managed to escape captivity and flee into the night, unintentionally leaving a trail of destruction in their wake in their temporary confusion and panic.
Muse B is a low-ranking hero in the League. Whereas the most experienced, highest-ranking heroes are tasked with protecting the Earth from potential high-level threats such as international crises, cosmic horrors from outer space, and everything in between, lower-ranking heroes are relegated to street-level responsibilities. Stopping bank robberies, saving the cat from the tree, busting the local mafia syndicate, helping old ladies across the street, and so on. The young hero is initially tasked with investigating Muse A's trail of destruction, but whereas they expected to find a violent villain, instead they found a confused and anguished soul who's ability to live a normal life had been taken from them. After a brief yet potentially explosive misunderstanding, the young hero eventually manages to calm down Muse A and reason with them. After taking the time to hear out their situation, the hero offers to help them track down the Unity and foil their plans, while also trying to show the ropes on how to be a hero and use their new powers for good.
However, they'll come face to face with a great myriad of obstacles on their journey, between League heroes who want to take in Muse A to study, unregistered vigilante heroes who mistake them for villains, and actual villains who just want to make a scene. All this begs the question; without anyone to call upon for help besides each other, do these two young, would-be heroes have what it takes to take down the Unity by themselves?
2. Muse A is a street-level hero who has a bit of a complicated relationship with Muse B, a street-level villain and arguably the young hero's ultimate nemesis. Or maybe "rival" was a better term. Despite the two of them always coming into conflict with each other whenever they met, neither of them seemed to have any true hatred for the other. Every time they'd bumped into each other, the tension between them was always palpable; the mischievous villain would always try to charm the hero into joining them and getting down with their bad self, while the righteous hero would always implore to the villain that it still wasn't too late to renounce their ways and use their powers for good. The villain had even long since found out the hero's real identity, but promised to keep their secret intact as a gesture of honest respect. Their relationship had remained static like this for a while now, until a chance encounter changed everything.
It was all so sudden and out of nowhere. On a night like any other, the hero was hoping to enjoy a peaceful evening after a hard day's work, until they began to hear an urgent knocking -- or rather banging -- on their door. Opening it, it was none other than the villain, battered and beaten, who could only look desperately yet frankly in their greatest rival's eyes.
"Sorry. I didn't have anywhere else to go."
So much for that quiet, peaceful night. But just how did the villain end up like that, and how far is the hero willing to go to protect their most heated rival?
Inspired by Mobile Suit Gundam and Mass Effect
Get it? Space Side Story, like West Side Story. Though perhaps one could say this also fits the definition of a "side story" for a larger plot.
In the far future, humanity has managed to travel beyond the stars and make its home in outer space, not only colonizing other planets but also engineering massive space colonies. In this universe, these registered planets and colonies are ruled under the Galactic Alliance. However, not all is well in paradise, as the more things change, the more things stay the same. Many have come to view the Alliance as overly authoritarian, unaccountable for its actions, and unfit to unilaterally rule such a large spread of people across so many different homes. Some colonies and planets have banded together, in response, to create their own organization and government, known as the Confederacy of United Colonies. However, very quickly, the Confederacy had proven itself to hold similar political philosophies as the Alliance, only with a different flavor of fascism driving it as they had come to pin the blame of humanity's degradation not only on the Alliance, but also instilling a sense of reverence in the state of humanity before they had left Earth, and placing intrinsic importance on those who are Earth-born, touting them as inherently superior human beings. Some might know this concept of "eugenics," but all the same, the Confederacy had grown powerful enough that the Alliance was eventually unable to ignore it, and before either party knew it, both were thrust into war with each other to determine who got to singularly rule the galaxy.
In other words, two evils had gone to war with each other to determine who was the lesser evil.
Muse A is a soldier drafted into the Galactic War by the Alliance, but holds little love for the government they represent. Similarly, Muse B is a soldier drafted by the Confederacy to fight on their behalf, but it wasn't by their own choice that they partake in the war; it was only because they happened to live in a colony that later became a part of the Confederacy. During a heated battle that both soldiers participate in, the two end up in a compromising position and end up trapped somewhere where neither of their teams are able to immediately rescue them. Deciding to put aside their differences, the two soldiers are forced to rely on each other to survive, and during this intimate time together, they come to understand each other and realize they have more in common than they initially thought.
Even after they manage to escape their mutual predicament by whatever means, the two realize they truly have no desire to continue participating in this war. Both governments can destroy each other in this useless war for all they both care, so before they know it, the two soldiers both decide to defect and go on the run together in search of a safe haven where they can live together, free from the war, but running from their pasts just might be more difficult than they'd think.
Get it? Space Side Story, like West Side Story. Though perhaps one could say this also fits the definition of a "side story" for a larger plot.
In the far future, humanity has managed to travel beyond the stars and make its home in outer space, not only colonizing other planets but also engineering massive space colonies. In this universe, these registered planets and colonies are ruled under the Galactic Alliance. However, not all is well in paradise, as the more things change, the more things stay the same. Many have come to view the Alliance as overly authoritarian, unaccountable for its actions, and unfit to unilaterally rule such a large spread of people across so many different homes. Some colonies and planets have banded together, in response, to create their own organization and government, known as the Confederacy of United Colonies. However, very quickly, the Confederacy had proven itself to hold similar political philosophies as the Alliance, only with a different flavor of fascism driving it as they had come to pin the blame of humanity's degradation not only on the Alliance, but also instilling a sense of reverence in the state of humanity before they had left Earth, and placing intrinsic importance on those who are Earth-born, touting them as inherently superior human beings. Some might know this concept of "eugenics," but all the same, the Confederacy had grown powerful enough that the Alliance was eventually unable to ignore it, and before either party knew it, both were thrust into war with each other to determine who got to singularly rule the galaxy.
In other words, two evils had gone to war with each other to determine who was the lesser evil.
Muse A is a soldier drafted into the Galactic War by the Alliance, but holds little love for the government they represent. Similarly, Muse B is a soldier drafted by the Confederacy to fight on their behalf, but it wasn't by their own choice that they partake in the war; it was only because they happened to live in a colony that later became a part of the Confederacy. During a heated battle that both soldiers participate in, the two end up in a compromising position and end up trapped somewhere where neither of their teams are able to immediately rescue them. Deciding to put aside their differences, the two soldiers are forced to rely on each other to survive, and during this intimate time together, they come to understand each other and realize they have more in common than they initially thought.
Even after they manage to escape their mutual predicament by whatever means, the two realize they truly have no desire to continue participating in this war. Both governments can destroy each other in this useless war for all they both care, so before they know it, the two soldiers both decide to defect and go on the run together in search of a safe haven where they can live together, free from the war, but running from their pasts just might be more difficult than they'd think.
Inspired by See You in My 19th Life
Muse A and Muse B were just ordinary childhood friends, having met thanks to their families being friends. Though Muse A was a few years older than their dear friend, they had always relished their relationship with their younger friend, doting on them like a younger sibling figure, and though they hated the endless teasing, even Muse B could hardly deny that they truly looked up to their first and closest friend as a cool older sibling, always seeking their approval and attention.
However, everything changed when, on a day like any other, Muse A lost their life in an accident, gone far too soon. Needless to say, this deeply impacted both families, leaving a deep void in the younger friend's heart for years to come.
Even so, that wasn't the end of the story. Where life ends, life begins somewhere else. At that exact moment, in a hospital far off, a baby was born. Over the following years, while growing up, this child gradually began to be afflicted with strange visions, memories of what seemed like another life, until one day, the pieces all fit together and they realized it. They were Muse A, reborn and reincarnated just as quickly as they had passed, with full memories of their old life, their experiences, and their relationships.
But it wouldn't be until the reborn Muse A entered their young adult life that they would end up fatefully reuniting with Muse B, now a grown and jaded adult, bumping into them again whether by deliberate action or sheer chance. The years have been hard on Muse B, and now given the chance to formally reacquaint themselves with their long lost friend, Muse A must ponder how exactly to go about rekindling their relationship, and perhaps more pointedly, should they? Or is it ultimately better to leave the past where it belongs?
Muse A and Muse B were just ordinary childhood friends, having met thanks to their families being friends. Though Muse A was a few years older than their dear friend, they had always relished their relationship with their younger friend, doting on them like a younger sibling figure, and though they hated the endless teasing, even Muse B could hardly deny that they truly looked up to their first and closest friend as a cool older sibling, always seeking their approval and attention.
However, everything changed when, on a day like any other, Muse A lost their life in an accident, gone far too soon. Needless to say, this deeply impacted both families, leaving a deep void in the younger friend's heart for years to come.
Even so, that wasn't the end of the story. Where life ends, life begins somewhere else. At that exact moment, in a hospital far off, a baby was born. Over the following years, while growing up, this child gradually began to be afflicted with strange visions, memories of what seemed like another life, until one day, the pieces all fit together and they realized it. They were Muse A, reborn and reincarnated just as quickly as they had passed, with full memories of their old life, their experiences, and their relationships.
But it wouldn't be until the reborn Muse A entered their young adult life that they would end up fatefully reuniting with Muse B, now a grown and jaded adult, bumping into them again whether by deliberate action or sheer chance. The years have been hard on Muse B, and now given the chance to formally reacquaint themselves with their long lost friend, Muse A must ponder how exactly to go about rekindling their relationship, and perhaps more pointedly, should they? Or is it ultimately better to leave the past where it belongs?
Inspired by Oshi no Ko
Muse A and Muse B are young actors just looking for any way to break through into the industry, but of course, it's much easier said than done as opportunities are thin. Eventually, both of them do manage to land roles in a reality dating show called "Love Like You Mean It!" in which they and a number of other actors are grouped together to "freely" mingle amongst each other and partake in assigned date events. It's far from glamorous work, but they know it'll have to do. Of course, like pro wrestling, it's an open secret across the whole industry that these shows are fake; though there's nothing as elaborate as a script for them to work with, the shows are staged by the production to keep a smooth show with something resembling a storyline going, scenes are discreetly re-shot to look more dramatic, and specific shots are framed a certain way by the camera crew to paint the actors in a certain way for the drama, both in the show and on social media.
However, the most prominent demonstration of this open secret is that, at least in this show specifically, the prospective couples are already decided beforehand by the producers on their complete whim, and in turn, the actors are contractually obligated to follow along and cultivate these fake relationships with each other as if they truly were just characters.
In the case of our two muses, they happen to hit it off almost immediately. Sparks are formed as everything just clicks for them, and they can't wait to get to know each other better. The problem? Both of them are paired up with different actors. They aren't meant to be together, at least for the show. Per their contract, they are obligated to play ball and act out the process of hooking up with their assigned partner. However, the two muses ultimately can't hold back their true feelings from each other, and it isn't too long before they resolve to pursue a real relationship with each other behind the cameras, all the while having to juggle that with acting out a fake love with their assigned partner for the show and keeping it all a secret from the production.
Open to other variations of this can involve including the other actors as additional muses, perhaps something resembling Toradora! in which the muses end up playing wingman with their assigned partners or something like that.
Muse A and Muse B are young actors just looking for any way to break through into the industry, but of course, it's much easier said than done as opportunities are thin. Eventually, both of them do manage to land roles in a reality dating show called "Love Like You Mean It!" in which they and a number of other actors are grouped together to "freely" mingle amongst each other and partake in assigned date events. It's far from glamorous work, but they know it'll have to do. Of course, like pro wrestling, it's an open secret across the whole industry that these shows are fake; though there's nothing as elaborate as a script for them to work with, the shows are staged by the production to keep a smooth show with something resembling a storyline going, scenes are discreetly re-shot to look more dramatic, and specific shots are framed a certain way by the camera crew to paint the actors in a certain way for the drama, both in the show and on social media.
However, the most prominent demonstration of this open secret is that, at least in this show specifically, the prospective couples are already decided beforehand by the producers on their complete whim, and in turn, the actors are contractually obligated to follow along and cultivate these fake relationships with each other as if they truly were just characters.
In the case of our two muses, they happen to hit it off almost immediately. Sparks are formed as everything just clicks for them, and they can't wait to get to know each other better. The problem? Both of them are paired up with different actors. They aren't meant to be together, at least for the show. Per their contract, they are obligated to play ball and act out the process of hooking up with their assigned partner. However, the two muses ultimately can't hold back their true feelings from each other, and it isn't too long before they resolve to pursue a real relationship with each other behind the cameras, all the while having to juggle that with acting out a fake love with their assigned partner for the show and keeping it all a secret from the production.
Open to other variations of this can involve including the other actors as additional muses, perhaps something resembling Toradora! in which the muses end up playing wingman with their assigned partners or something like that.
Word Bank
Some basic general words to get the mind going and paint a better picture for what I generally like.
action | angst | anime aesthetic | character driven | cyberpunk | ex-lovers | dark themes | fandom-inspired | hurt/comfort | love triangle | magic | murder mystery | noir | political intrigue | reincarnation | romance | sci-fi | space | special school | star-crossed lovers | supernatural | super powers
Well, I guess that about covers it, I think. Certainly hope I didn't miss anything or mess something up. If any of this interests you, do shoot me a personal message and we can get to talking shop! As requested above, please do not comment in the thread.
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