Line #22 Fanfic/DaydreamsandNightmares


1	'''''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9266771/1/Daydreams-and-Nightmares Daydreams and Nightmares]]''''' is a a SelfInsertFic for ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' written by [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/4606194/lambentLodestar lambentLodestar]].
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3	An animation student living in California finds herself starting to experience the plot of ''Awakening'' in her dreams. As the story develops, other 'Dreamers' from the real world are introduced, mostly consisting of the SI's friends. They begin using fake names as they attempt to survive through the story, despite the presence of a mysterious group hunting them down.
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5	It hasn't been updated since October 2016.
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7	----
8	!!This fanfic features the following tropes:
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10	* AlcoholHic: Stocke does this several times during his drunk meeting with the other kids.
11	* AlternateSelf: Storm is acknowledged in-universe to be [[GenderFlip a male counterpart of Shanzira]] from a parallel universe, being a rather classic example of this trope - they have many of the same or similar personality traits and characteristics, which in turn helps them pass off as Half-Identical Twins. Their issues are even similar: while Storm is less hyperactive and jokey than Shanz, this isn't so much because of their birth genders (though there are some physiological differences), and more because they grew up with different societal expectations because of their genders; Storm's own anxiety issues come out very clearly at times, particularly with him nearly ''passing out'' when he's [[spoiler:proposing to Cordelia]]. The one ''key'' different they have, besides their sex and gender identity, is their self-expressive hobbies - both love art, but Shanzira prefers drawing while Storm prefers music.
12	* ApocalypticLog: [[spoiler:Noel's]] sketchbook, which documents the beginning of the bad future timeline.
13	* BackToBackBadasses: Shanzira and Storm do this while facing down a horde of entombed.
14	--> '''Shanzira''': [[LampshadeHanging "Oh dear Naga, we're doing the back-to-back badasses thing."]]
15	* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Averted at the end of the Ylisse/Plegia War - [[spoiler:Frederick and Sully are disfigured, and the health of several other Shepherds is somewhat in doubt. Here's the list: Libra, Cordelia, and Nowi were all wounded badly, but seem to have recovered, although Nowi is believed to have amnesia.]]
16	* BecomingTheMask: [[spoiler:Frederick eventually does wind up falling for Shanz for real. Unfortunately for him, by the time he realizes this his actions have wrecked their relationship beyond any hope of salvation.]]
17	* BlahBlahBlah: Most of Storm's dialogue in chapter 25, thanks to Shanz's mind being stuck [[DistractedByTheSexy on other]] [[ScrewYourself things]] at the time.
18	--> '''Storm''': Blah blih blah fucking story. Blah, blah, blablah bluh-blah bluh [[TrapIsTheOnlyOption trip it anyways."]]
19	* BrickJoke: At one point, Shanz comments that if she swung that way she'd fall for [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer Cordelia]] on the spot. [[spoiler:And then her male AlternateSelf does exactly that.]]
20	* BunnyEarsLawyer: Shanz. Sure she's a massive CloudCuckooLander with an alarming tendency for insubordination, but she's one of the few people who can successful run a MagicKnight build and her growth rates are off the charts.
21	* CantActPervertedTowardALoveInterest: Shanz averts this where Frederick is concerned. [[spoiler:But she plays it straight for Chrom.]]
22	* ChekhovsGun: Shanz's Elwind tome winds up playing a vital part in [[spoiler:Noel's plan to save Emmeryn.]]
23	* CoolMask: The Guardian has a dragon shaped one [[spoiler:that looks suspiciously like one of Shanzira's highschool art projects.]]
24	* CosplayOtakuGirl: Shanzira, to an extent. She does love her Tactician coat. She cosplays as Lucina for Fanime [[spoiler:which is ironic considering their relationship.]]
25	* CryIntoChest: [[spoiler:Chrom]] does this to Shanz after the [[spoiler:loss of Sumia]] finally sinks in. While Shanz is a bit freaked out at first, she tries her hardest to give him a shoulder to lean on.
26	* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler:Sumia's death, for Shanzira. Also, Emmeryn's death.]]
27	* DistractedByTheSexy: Happens to Shanz a ''lot'', mainly around Gaius and Frederick. For her part, she alternates between happily EatingTheEyeCandy (Gaius) and hating herself for it {Frederick).
28	--> [[LampshadeHanging This spells out just how much of a weakness I have for men.]]
29	** Hilariously, [[spoiler:her future husband]] is practically the ''only'' guy who she has absolutely no reaction to.
30	* DudeNotFunny: InUniverse ''and'' out, with some of Shanzira's pranks and practical jokes.
31	* EarlyBirdCameo: The [[spoiler: Dreamers' OC kids - that is Mike, Ribbone, Rose, Mal and Stolke]] make a short appearance in chapter 18, as the backup which Noel brings in to deal with the Dreamterror assassins.
32	* EntertaininglyWrong: When Shanz meets up with Welsh after her date with Inigo, she assumes that the latter's gobsmacked reaction is due to the fact that he's just been dumped for another man. [[spoiler:It was actually due to him realizing that his hot date is none other than Ylisse's future queen.]]
33	* {{Expy}}: Eldrad to the main character of ''Fanfic/{{Asleep}}'', another ''Awakening'' self-insert. The author of ''Asleep'' returned the favour, introducing a character based on Shanzira (with the author's blessing), as well as eventually bringing in one based on Noel, [[spoiler:Shanzira's daughter]].
34	* FailedASpotCheck: Inigo completely failing to realize that his pretty redheaded companion is actually [[spoiler:a younger version of the Queen of Ylisse.]] This is lampshaded ''mercilessly'' by his companions.
35	--> '''Owain''': "It is a mind boggling mystery that he did not note the familiarity of [[spoiler: our fair queen!]] ...[[spoiler: Aunt Shanz]] is really hard to forget."
36	* FirstGirlWins: [[spoiler:Chrom was Shanz's very first [=FE13=] husband, as well as the first man she meets after arrival in Ylisse. He is the man that eventually wins her heart.]]
37	* FlatWhat: Shanz drops one after [[spoiler:Frederick reveals his real reason for wanting to get close to her.]]
38	* {{Foreshadowing}}: The identity of [[spoiler:Shanz' husband]] is strongly hinted at from a very early point in the story, in a manner predictable to a knowledgeable reader but with enough subtlety that the hints might not be obvious to even ''those'' readers. There's Noel's interactions with [[spoiler:Lucina, as an AnnoyingYoungerSibling with sisterly bickering]], as well as those with [[spoiler:Emmeryn, her deceased aunt]]; there are ones in Shanz's interactions with her eventual husband, most notably his anger when [[spoiler:she takes the newly-dead Sumia's pegasus as her own steed, highlighting his own confused feelings in the face of the grief]]; there is the fact that her future child has inherited her own hair colour [[spoiler:in counterbalance of Lucina having Chrom's]]; and so on, but most notable is rereading the conversations between [[spoiler:Shanz and Chrom]] to pick up the chemistry that builds between them.
39	* GivingRadioToTheRomans
40	** Shanzira showed up with her iPod and 3DS, complete with Awakening. [[spoiler:It appears to be a version modified to follow the story.]]
41	** Storm, in his introduction chapter, is also revealed to have brought an iPod.
42	** Did someone forget to mention one of the reasons the author was so excited about his intro? His BOOM BOX.
43	** [[spoiler:The Dreamterrors now have Shanzira's 3DS, with the modded game.]]
44	* GotMeDoingIt: Shanzira picks up the tendency to say "Gods", as does every other FE self inserter.
45	* GenerationXerox: Noel strongly takes after [[spoiler:Shanzira]] in both appearance and personality. The former similarity is a major hint towards [[spoiler:the identity of her father.]]
46	** [[spoiler:Interestingly, it turns out her [[http://lambentlodestar.tumblr.com/post/93092617755/i-was-digging-through-my-last-sketchbook-and-found original design had blue hair]] just like any of Lucina's other potential siblings.]]
47	* HandWave: How Shanz's iPhone can work in the world of Awakening.
48	--> I still don't know how I have data even here, but I'm not questioning it when we can do shit like this.
49	* HighPressureBlood: In chapter 26.
50	--> '''Shanz''': "Huh, blood really does spurt out fountain style when you hit that vein"
51	* INeedToGoIronMyDog: Shanzira says this word to word while trying to dodge Nin in the real world. This backfires on her though, as Nin is a huge animal lover and thus gets rather upset at the excuse.
52	* InterspeciesRomance: [[spoiler:Welsh]] and Panne. [[spoiler:Vaike]] and Nowi seem to be heading in this direction as well.
53	* {{Irony}}: The Dreamers make a conscious decision to abandon Emmeryn to her fate. [[spoiler:But she is saved by one of their kids.]]
54	* LoveAtFirstSight: [[spoiler:Storm]] to ingame!Cordelia (that is, the Cordelia represented in the Awakening game, not the real life Cordelia that the dreamers interact with), which mirrors [[spoiler:Shanz's similar crush on ingame!Chrom.]]
55	* MeaningfulName: [[ImpliedLoveInterest Sumia]] names her pegasus [[OfficialCouple Caeda]]. Cue massive eyeroll from [[ShipperOnDeck Shanz.]]
56	* MysteriousProtector: [[spoiler: Both of Shanzria and Chrom's kids act as this for their parents, with Lucina protecting Chrom as per canon while Noel keeps an eye on Shanzira.]]
57	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: In the assassination attempt on Emmeryn, Shanzira has the [[SarcasmMode absolutely marvellous idea]] to [[spoiler:pull a prank on ''[[DragonInChief Validar]]''.]] It ends up backfiring on her spectacularly when [[spoiler:Sumia, who she was paired up with during the fight, is ''killed'' by the powerful sorcerer.]] This of course sends her into a HeroicBSOD soon after, and ''much'' later she reflects on what a colossally ''stupid'' idea this was.
58	* ObliviousGuiltSlinging: Shanzira ends up doing this for [[spoiler:Frederick]] in chapter 21, after she defends him while he's getting chewed out by Chrom. This leads to him [[spoiler:confessing the lie about their relationship]] to her.
59	* OhCrap: Shanzira's reaction when she realizes [[spoiler: that her 3DS has gone missing.]]
60	* ParentalSubstitute: [[spoiler: Emmeryn is slowly becoming this for badfuture!Noel]]
61	* PopCulturedBadass: Shanz.
62	* PrecisionFStrike: In chapter 9, while Shanz and Sully are milking their SirSwearsALot reputations for all their worth in front of a horrified Virion and Frederick, [[spoiler:''Lissa'']] of all people chimes in the with ultimate coup de grâce.
63	-->'''Sully''': Sometimes a woman just needs to cuss like all hell!\
64	'''Shanz''': Fuckin' shit we do!\
65	[[spoiler: '''Lissa''']]: Oh come on Frederick, don't be an ass! A little bit of battlefield cursing never hurt anyone!
66	* PrideBeforeAFall: Chapter 16, where Shanz happily boasts about how overpowered she and Sumia are moments before [[spoiler:their fatal encounter with Validar.]]
67	* PurpleProse:
68	** Shanzira apparently breaks out into inner purple prose when she's happy.
69	---> I would ace creative writing class while in this mood.
70	** Fittingly, [[spoiler:Noel]] seems to have inherited this trait. Just check out her lines when she and Shanz are reunited.
71	---> '''[[spoiler: Noel]]''': "I can't believe I've missed her so much...a ray of sunshine amidst the dreary future of this world..."
72	* RedOniBlueOni:
73	** Shanzira is the red to a lot of people: Sumia, Frederick, [[spoiler:Chrom...]]
74	** In early chapters Robin pairs up Sumia and Shanzira specifically because of this trope, as latter's upbeat personality gives the former a lot more confidence.
75	** Fittingly [[spoiler:Noel, the daughter of Shanzira who takes after her the most, is this to her sister Lucina, who's personality favors her father.]]
76	* RomanticFalseLead:
77	** [[spoiler:Frederick]], when it turns out that he [[spoiler:was dating Shanzira to determine her trustworthiness and if she was a danger to Chrom]]. She is, understandably, not pleased - especially since, as she notes, he could have [[spoiler:achieved the same result ''without'' abusing her trust]] - and it takes some time for her to start forgiving him. That said, the audience - and the author herself - [[FanPreferredCouple did grow fond enough of the potential pairing]], enough that Lamby posted both an AlternateUniverse S Support for them ''and'' a one-shot featuring their future children.
78	** [[spoiler:Sumia]] as well. [[spoiler:She only died in the main timeline (as Cynthia's continuing existence can attest), but she did not marry Chrom due to him ending up with Shanz. Exactly who she married in the BadFuture timeline is unknown, though.]]
79	* RousingSpeech: Chrom gives an epic one before the Shepherds charge in to save Emmeryn... which Shanz immediate pegs as not being written by him, since he's "...bad at princely things". Turns out she's right: it was penned by Nin.
80	* SacrificialLion: [[spoiler:Sumia.]]
81	* SadClown[=/=]StepfordSmiler: Shanzira suffers from anxiety and once had to deal with depression, broken trust and severe personal insecurities, among other things. She plays practical jokes and pranks to keep herself from getting too introspective and going over the edge - and the climax of the Ylisse/Plegia War shows just how ''badly'' it affects her when it stops having an affect.
82	* SavvyGuyEnergeticGirl: Shanzira and Frederick. [[spoiler:Also Shanzira and Chrom.]]
83	* ScarsAreForever: In the climax of the Ylisse/Plegia War, [[spoiler:Frederick]] takes a hammer to the face, and it's noted that not only will he be disfigured - most likely forever - but it might leave brain damage. [[spoiler:Sully]] is mentioned to have [[spoiler:lost a leg in the conflict]] as well.
84	* ShoutOut: Oh, so many.
85	** Eldrad's name is a blatant ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' reference. It's also [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Eldrad on his first appearance.
86	** There are a ton to ''WebComic/{{Homestuck}}'', from Shanzira humming some of the music to gems like these:
87	--> "So it looks like I'm a wandering vagabond. Wayward? Heh. Homestuck. Just don't make me a mayor. Besides, I liked the Parcel Mistress better."
88	** Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers: Paaaaaaaastaaaaaaa!
89	** One to ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight''. In Chapter Two: Waking Up, Lissa says she's going with Chrom to explore, no protesting. Shanzira remarks in her mind that it sounds familiar, but can't for the life of her remember what it's from.
90	** Film/JamesBond: Remember how YOLO was a big craze a while back? Shanzira replaces it with the title of a certain movie.
91	* ShipperOnDeck:
92	** Shanzira for F!Robin/Chrom. [[spoiler:Which eventually gets sunk.]]
93	** Discussion of this even including different opinions: when Shanz expresses her disappointment that [[spoiler:Robin]] got together with [[spoiler: Gaius]] of all people to Eldrad, he retorts that she now knows how he feels - he prefers Robin/Lucina, which can't happen due to [[ForWantOfANail the universe they inhabit having a female Robin]], which Shanz blithely advises him not to mention to [[IncompatibleOrientation either girl]].
94	** Shio is this for [[spoiler:Shanz/Chrom]], much to Shanz's horror. [[spoiler:Ironically, its the ''only'' pairing listed here that ends up happening.]]
95	* ShipSinking:
96	** After [[spoiler:Sumia's death]] in chapter 16, its safe to say that the [[spoiler:Chrom/Sumia]] ship will never sail again.
97	** A back to back example happens in chapters [[spoiler:21/22]]. First the [[spoiler:Shanzira/Frederick]] ship dies a fiery death, followed shortly by [[spoiler:Chrom/Robin.]]
98	* SirSwearsALot: Shanz. Naturally, she and Sully soon become the very best of friends.
99	* SkewedPriorities: When Emmeryn's life is in danger during the attempt on her life, Shanzira decides this is a good time to try and [[spoiler:prank Validar. By pretending to be Robin.]] ForTheLulz. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero This goes about as well as you'd expect]].
100	* TalkingIsAFreeAction: Averted in chapter 18. Shanz, Nin and Eldrad ''are'' allowed to get their natter on during a pitched battle... because Welsh and Shio are pulling overtime in order to make sure that they're not overun.
101	--> '''Shanz''': It occurs to me that he (Welsh) and Shio held this corridor by themselves while we three shot the breeze. [[EpicFail Urgh, what a fail]].
102	* TheStationsOfTheCanon: Discussed in chapter 26, when the Dreamers are deciding whether or not to interfere with Emmeryn's upcoming execution. While most agree that stopping it would be the moral thing to do, they eventually decide that the benefits of it going ahead (ending the Ylisse/Plegia war and being better prepared to face Walhart, among others) outweigh the cons and let it go ahead. Also of note is that, even if they did want to save her, they have no methods of doing so. [[spoiler:Their kids, on the other hand...]]
103	* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Shanzira's love of pasta is an odd case of this. While she doesn't eat it excessively or very often, in the world of Awakening it's classed as a Valmese delicacy and thus she is the only one of the Shepherds to really have a taste for it. [[spoiler:Inigo]] is very unsettled when she orders it on their date, since it reminds him of [[spoiler:''his'' timeline's Shanzira, who is A) married, B) the mother of two of his peers and C) ''the freaking Queen of Yilsse!''.]]
104	* TrapIsTheOnlyOption: In Chapter 25 Storm decides that the benefits of shiny new equipment overcomes the drawbacks of walking into an obvious trap to obtain them.
105	* VitriolicBestBuds: Shanz and Eldrad are a case of this - their personalities clash too much to ''not'' bicker and disagree with one another at the best of times, and many conversations end badly. That said, they trust one another to have their back just as well as any of the other Dreamers, and they recognise their individual talents even though they won't often openly admit to it. Furthermore, when Shanzira becomes depressed soon after [[spoiler:Emmeryn's HeroicSacrifice]] and starts doubting herself, it's Eldrad (not her pseudo-brother Storm, ChildhoodFriend Welsh, insightful Nin or BFF Shio - but ''Eldrad'') who [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre tells her in a firm-but-gentle way that she doesn't give herself enough credit, that she is valued in the army, and that she is irreplaceable]].
106	* WelcomeToHell: Eldrad quips this after Shanz [[spoiler:wakes up in the infirmary]] following the events of chapter 16.
107	* WhatTheHellHero: Shanz is a good person at heart, but she can do some grossly stupid things, as well as being [[InnocentlyInsensitive clueless about when she upsets people]], particularly when she takes her jokes too far - and she appropriately gets called out on many of them. An early one is ''jumping Lon'qu'', finding it an amusing prank to see his reaction - her friends have to point out to her that having a girl jump a man with severe trauma-induced-gynophobia is '''not''' [[DudeNotFunny grossly amusing from his point of view]]. Welsh also admits to her that her pranks - which she does, admittedly, to stave off negativity - can alienate people, as he doesn't consider her to be as good a friend as she thinks she is. That said, she tries very hard to make up for these character flaws.
108	* [[UptownGirl Uptown Guy]]: One of the reasons Shanz gives for why she ''absolutely'' cannot marry Chrom.

Context Fanfic / DaydreamsandNightmares