The Basis of Reality
is a Final Fantasy XV fanfic written by fallintosanity.
The Basis Of Reality contains examples of:
- Ambiguous Situation: It's unknown whether or not the gods are aware of the video game aspect of their lives.
- Chekhov's Skill: Noctis and Prompto's knowledge of video games and game logic. The pair was especially happy because their skills literally saved the world as far as they're concerned.
- Crazy-Prepared: As revealed by Noctis, he and Luna had many backup plans for any possible thing that could happen
- Cosmic Horror Story: Of course, but knowing everything is a game, and that the game is forcing them in the single path to a not-so-happily-ever-after, is something Ignis has an existential crisis about.
- Determinator: Noctis, when he returns from the Crystal, insists on going through with his prophecy-decreed sacrifice. Turns out he was faking it.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Not only do they go through all the bad things of the original game, Ignis and the others make their situation even more difficult by trying to change the events when the world itself is actively working against them, all to make an ending where Noctis and Luna live. And against all odds, it works.
- Faking the Dead: Striking a deal with Noctis' ancestors, they save Luna. According to Luna, she found herself inside the Ring of the Lucii, with the Lucii granting enough strength to heal herself, and waited until she could find a way to talk to Noctis. Luna and Noctis have to lay low because the gods and Ardyn believe the former is dead and they need to keep up the illusion.
- Fangirl: Kate. She did her best, not telling the Chocobros everything about the fandom, just what they need. Also, she has a picture of post-timeskip shirtless Gladio as her phone background.
- Fish out of Water: Downplayed and played straight. In regards to the modern world, Ignis has no trouble adjusting, even with his blindness. In regards to fandom, he doesn't even want to know. At the convention, he just doesn't know what to think.
- For Want Of A Nail: After learning the truth, the Chocobros wound up creating several of these situations, such as knocking Ravus out instead of killing him, in order to create their own ending.
- Jerkass Gods: As far the humans are concerned, the gods can suck it about Noctis' death. Even Noctis himself is not pleased to learn about either his death at the hands of his ancestors or the timeSkip. Gladio is even willing to fight Bahamut for it.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Ravus had no idea his entire life is a video game and is only told of it after everything ends.
- Golden Ending: Noctis' grand plan, based on his video game knowledge, is to create this.
- Guide Dang It!: An In-Universe case with the Golden Ending that Noctis and his friends manage to create. Kate goes on about how difficult it is to get, as it includes stuff like playing chapters and DLCs in a specific order, deliberately failing a Quick Time Event, and several more checkpoints - and if you fail to get a single one of them, you get the original ending of the game with no way to make up for it. When Ignis hears all this, he's astonished to realize just how many factors play in their success.
- Original Character: Dr. Kate Matthias, an emergency physician who first treats, and then befriends, Ignis in the "real" world.
- Prophecy Twist: Using the details of the game to their advantage, Ignis finds a way to have Ravus follow them from a distance while making it look like they are sending him back. On another note, Noctis chooses to go into the Starscourge realm himself with Lunafreya to destroy the Starscourge from the inside. While Noctis' ancestors still help, Ardyn still needs to be defeated.
- RPG Mechanics 'Verse: The Chocobros use the game mechanics to their advantage. At the same time, they also fear the world they live in because the game is doing everything in its power to force them to the original ending. However, the game could also help them if they knew what the hell they are doing, e.g., Ignis realizing the game is glitching even more terribly and becoming more devastating than the Starscourge because Noctis is dying and he needs to live for the Golden Ending. By forcing the gods to allow Noctis to live, Ignis saves both his king and their whole world.
- Used In-Universe to explain the magical healing sodas, which are obviously a game mechanic for easy health, but which in the context of the 'real world', don't make much sense. When Kate asks Ignis about it, he tells her that Noct uses his magic on the sodas to grant an extra reservoir of physical energy.
- Screw Destiny: The Chocobros refuse to let Noctis die for some stupid prophecy that in their mind has already played with their lives to tragic extremes, and so they refuse to allow any more tragedies. This is especially important for Noctis, who has been dragged around for far too long, so he takes to planning his survival with gusto.
- Set Right What Once Went Wrong: Using the implied game mechanics of the Ring of Lucii and the Lucis Caelum line, Noctis uses time travel so he could save Luna, who accompanies him later as an important companion.
- Top God: The gods of Final Fantasy XV have to obey the game's rules just like everyone else. Even though it's unknown whether or not they are even aware of the video game nature of their lives, they have no choice but to face the circumstances thrust upon them. Ignis even uses this to his advantage to save Prompto's life.
