Fanfiction

Recommendations!

A list of fanfiction that I’m fond of, have read on more than one occasion and would love to revisit in the future. Considering the negligible (web) presence of the game nowadays, I strove to be thorough with my recommendations: Firstly, unlike the rest of this media section, this list extends beyond Rose to include fics that revolve around other characters; the two sections are clearly separated below. Secondly, I have combed the entire archive at FanFiction.net to compile this list to make sure that these works are not lost to time, considering that very few fics, old or new, have been uploaded to Archive of Our Own.

I have marked the pieces that particularly speak to me with a , though I heartily recommend each of them. (And perhaps there are more fics from the linked writers that you would enjoy!) In the case that a fic is available on both platforms, I have linked both uploads. This list is full of unmarked major spoilers, so I do not recommend scrolling down past the first few if you have not finished the game yet.

Last update: November 2022

On Rose

The following fics focus on Rose, feature her in a prominent role or, in the case of oneshot series, contain a segment about her. The latter are listed first, the rest is roughly sorted in chronological order of canonical placement.

  • insanity by eva_cybele
  • Rose et al. — 584 words — on ff.net

    At the end of all things, Rose reflects on the madness of the Dragoons, and how the dragon changes you.

    Comment: An analysis of each Dragoon Spirit through its various holders, exploring the perhaps most fascinating and underdeveloped concept in the game.

  • Battledances and Heartsinging by Raindog Bride
  • Rose et al. — 2919 words

    A series of oneshots focusing on the Dragoon warriors’ battle dances. They are short and swift, but more poetry than anything. You didn’t really think they didn’t enjoy the blood they spilled?

    Comment: A translation of select Additions into lyrical prose. Note the bits that show how various party members are constantly aware of Rose’s presence.

  • Five Truths by Raindog Bride
  • Rose et al. — 4082 words

    Five truths about each of the Dragoons of Endiness. Series of oneshots.

    Comment: Character studies of sorts that expand on canon in beautiful lyrical prose. Shana’s voice is particularly insightful.

  • Five Things That Never Happened by Raindog Bride
  • Rose, Albert et al. — 1366 words

    Crack pairings, odd happenings, and non-existent conversations. Should-haves, would-haves, and never-beens.

    Comment: The fourth segment expands on an optional moment between Rose and Albert on the Queen Fury. …Surely he must remind her of Syuveil.

  • First Dragoon by kjanuary
  • Former Dragoons — 40’347 words — content warning: rape (chapter 10)

    This is the war that set humans free — at the expense of their humanity. It begins with a commander cradling the skull of the monster he killed, and it won't end until Kadessa falls from the sky.

    Comment: The only unfinished story on this list (not counting oneshot series). A retelling of the Dragon Campaign so vivid, nuanced and rich in lore, I was awestruck for years after, still am. Narrated from multiple perspectives, each with their distinct voice. The Dragoons, along with their individual relationships and Dragons, are interpreted with a fascinating complexity that doesn’t shy away from portraying their less flattering traits, or friction within the group. I am tempted to say: If you read only one fic to the game, make it this one. The eerie The Victors (Charle, Rose, Syuveil; 3858 words) eventually takes place in the same continuity.

  • The Price of Valor by Lyndotia
  • Rose, Damia — 2607 words — on ff.net

    Ten years after the battle at Kadessa, Rose revisits Gloriano in an effort to convince herself that everything was worth it. There she encounters memories she spent a decade trying to forget and realizes the full weight of fighting alone for eternity.

    Comment: Contains a precious exchange between Rose and Damia.

  • Choosers of the Slain by Lady Of The Semicolons
  • Rose, Kanzas — 1234 words

    It was remarkable, really, how alike they were…

    Comment: Explores an interesting association in hindsight.

  • A Moment in Hoax by RoseSama35
  • Rose, Dart, Shana — 1425 words

    Before them lay the Marshlands, and the impossible task of killing a dragon. But with Dart’s newly discovered abilities, the power of the Dragoon Spirit, and the aid of the beautiful and ever mysterious warrior Rose, the task may just be within reach. There isn’t much time, but the morning before leaving they take a moment to gather their strength and prepare for the journey ahead.

    Comment: Paints a quaint picture of the morning after Dart’s first Dragoon transformation. Like a certain piece of fan art that I’m fond of, this addition captures a seemingly mundane moment.

  • Passion Fruit by VivQuilty
  • Rose/Dart — 784 words — on ff.net

    Dart and Rose discuss the edible reproductive bodies of seed plants.

    Comment: One of my favourite portrayals of their relationship for hitting that sweet ambiguous and unsettling spot.

  • Crash and Burn by Raindog Bride
  • Rose/Dart — 1607 words

    Blasted off a cliff and a long fall down. A moment in the game that shouldn’t have happened and probably didn’t.

    Comment: An alteration (or addition, if you will) of the key scene at the Mountain of Mortal Dragon on Disc 3. I ship Rose and Dart in the broadest sense of the term: not romantically, but in that vague unvoiced (and ultimately unrealized) space of mid-game could-have-been. This fic captures that in a beautiful balancing act.

  • Offer Me by eva_cybele
  • Rose/Zieg, Dart — 663 words — on ff.net

    Dart finds something in Vellweb that triggers a memory for Rose — a gift, simple but meaningful.

    Comment: A sweet tie-in fic that expands on an optional piece of equipment that went uncommented in the game.

Beyond Rose

The following fics do not feature Rose in a prominent role, if at all. Roughly sorted in chronological order of canonical placement.

  • Learning to Breathe by DawningStar
  • Syuveil, Damia — 3031 words

    Under most circumstances, Damia would rather move to the middle of a desert than volunteer for a long talk about the things that interested Syuveil.

    Comment: An impressively vivid exploration of the two Dragoons who were, going strictly by the FMV, absent from the final battle of the Dragoon Campaign. Marvellous pacing. A follow-up to A Study of Death (Syuveil, Damia; 1008 words).

  • Fading Embers by Right What Is Wrong
  • Zieg/Claire — 733 words

    He awoke to a world of dust. Zieg-centric oneshot, long before the events of the game.

    Comment: A new beginning for Zieg.

  • Madness Hero by eva_cybele
  • Zieg/Claire — 2485 words — on ff.net

    A series of short fics surrounding one Zieg Feld, time-lost blond war hero and slightly-crazy, sometimes-drunk wanderer.

    Comment: Combines lingering heartache with the hopeful pull of new beginnings. The single chapter makes for a fine oneshot.

  • Time Enough by kjanuary
  • Dart/Shana, Lenus — 912 words

    At the end of the battle with Lenus, Dart finally understands.

    Comment: Draws a parallel between Shana and Lenus at the climax of the boss battle so as to shed light on Dart and Shana’s evolving relationship. Addresses a key element of the game’s narrative.

  • Till We All Fall Down by Raindog Bride
  • Lenus, Lloyd — 4872 words

    Toothy grins and a red bandana. A girl who fought her way into a starring role in his life. Blue spirits and killer last words.

    Comment: An arrestingly colourful account of Lenus’ life, expanding on a character who left an unshakeable impression despite her few appearances. Melancholia at its finest.

  • Cinders and Smoke by Raindog Bride
  • Drake, Lenus, Shirley — 1874 words

    They say not to go to the caves north of the city. Drake and Lenus and what may or may not be Mayfil.

    Comment: Offers an odd kind of solace to two characters who never actually met.

  • Discontent by Raindog Bride
  • Miranda et al. — 1517 words

    She wasn’t who she should have been, and never would be. Midgame.

    Comment: Examines the shifting party dynamics after Miranda joins the group by juxtaposing her with Shana. It’s truly fascinating to see Miranda written so carefully in the capable hands of someone who actually dislikes the character.

  • Soul of a Dragon by kjanuary
  • Albert, Dart, Miranda, Shana — 2785 words

    An ongoing string of one-shots, exploring what it must have been like for the heroes to share the soul of a creature as old as time, and mostly insane.

    Comment: An exploration of the Dragoon Spirits through their current holders. Offers an interesting interpretation of the White-Silver Dragoon Spirit, and a heartbreaking look into Shana’s mind during the later parts of the game, to be continued in the agonizing Prayer for the Condemned (Shana, Melbu, Zieg; 2057 words).

  • Where I Remember You by kjanuary
  • Dart/Shana, Lavitz — 1730 words

    The Dragoons deal with their scars and their leavetakings after the final battle at the Moon That Never Sets, and Dart fulfills a promise. Oneshot. Canonical.

    Comment: Quietly extends the game’s epilogue, drenching it in melancholia.

  • North of the Wind by kjanuary
  • Miranda, Dart, Lavitz — 46’489 words

    The Moon may have set, but the Dragoons are still Dragoons: half-mad and doomed. Her faith broken, Miranda asks for miracles: to save her old friend Shana’s life, or, if she fails, to save Dart’s soul.

    Comment: Takes place after the game’s ending. Soul-wrenching and haunting, it depicts life in a world after the Dragoons’ victory, delving into the insanity that cannot be shaken off, the shape of faith after going against the creator’s will, the influence of the Moon Child, and questions of the afterlife. If there’s one fic that takes you into (a version of) Miranda’s mind and relentlessly puts you through all of her anger and insecurity, it’s this one. Whether it’s the interactions between the Mille Seseau characters, between Dragoons who never got to meet in life, or the exploration of what Dart must have meant to Miranda, the characterization is nothing short of excellent.

  • Gather up our Bones by Raindog Bride
  • Meru, Dart et al. — 11’197 words

    It’s years later after the fall of the Moon. Seles is rebuilt, Dart got a haircut, and Meru saved coming to him for last. A story in many small snippets in which no one is happy. What happens to a world not saved.

    Comment: Takes place years after the game’s ending. Quiet and bleak, but full of tenderness. In a way, it’s about the comfort of unchanging bonds in a world that keeps changing, as do people, and a reality that is all too often merciless. Meru is a natural choice for post-game wandering, Miranda shines here as well, and there are stunning bits of Meru recalling the absent Rose (namely in the final chapter). Though far from being the focus, Rose’s echo touches me in how it paints a very sharp picture of her without getting overly sentimental; she may be a fan favourite, but opinions on her in the party were mixed.

Of all the archives, there are a few longfics that I have not had the time to check out just yet. I shall link them here for reference, and perhaps update this page at a later point: black heart stomp (also available on ff.net), Healer, Killer and Black Legacies.