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aaaa, it's been three dayssssss ㅠㅠ i'm sorry!!! i've been busy with projects n homework.

but! i have another q............! if your fave idol was a video game companion, what would they do? or, what would you hope that they're able to do? 

hmmmm... personally, regardless of idol, i'd want them to be deeply tied to the plot in some sort of twist. i was mainly thinking in the line of horror game companions (thinking about silent hill a lot again), so to have the companions somehow be connected to the horrors the protagonist is facing would be perfectly angsty and fun to write. 

perhaps not necessarily in a "they were the villain all along!!!!!!!" since that's sorta overdone these days. but more so that they were being used as a lure / puppet for the greater evil, perhaps even without their knowing. or, a la maria from silent hill 2, they'd be created by the supernatural greater evil as a distraction or reflection of the protagonist in some way. it would also add more narrative tension if such a reveal were placed in the middle of the game, as it would force the characters to separate / grow for a while. maybe some more game mechanics would arise from not having the companion around.

as for my favorite idols specifically (and, again, under the specific horror lens tho u can do whatever you want)... 

jaejoong, characteristically, would be a nurturing type of companion. you'd find him at one of the very first save points, in a some sort of building. the protagonist is exhausted and just wants to treat their wounds and / or maybe find something to refuel with. that's when he would show up all of a sudden, turning from around a corner. he gives the protagonist something to eat and bandages their wounds, and this is sort of how they work together. jaejoong stays in the building he was found in, but gives lots of support and healing items, and directions on where to go. but then, you'd have to wonder: how does he know these spaces so well despite staying in one building all the time? why does no one else in the area recognize his name? or if he's the only other person there, why is he there? where does he get his supplies? why do the enemies avoid him?  

meanwhile, akanishi would probs be the type of companion to randomly disappear at times, then reappear during battles and difficult puzzles to be cool and save you. you meet during the first / practice boss battle, which is a scripted loss. but then he steps in and finishes off the boss with amazing skill~! he doesn't give the protagonist a lot of details about himself, only his name and age. and then he disappears, only reappearing to give hints and fight alongside you. but as time passes, he begins spending more time in your perimeter / gaze. keeping you safe for longer periods of time, showing his sillier ~bakanishi~ side. but does he want to get closer, or just lower your guard? he still doesn't share much about himself. what's his story? how long has he been here, why? does he eat? drink? does he sleep at all? 

and, as a little extra, i'll add kamenashi! he would be the type of companion that's easy to love from the first second. he's charming and rather upbeat, bringing a ray of well-needed sunshine to the protagonist's current strife. i would make his companionship benefits a little more subtle, actually, letting him give the protagonist status / ability upgrades instead of substantial things like the two above. i think he'd actually be the most suspicious of all meetings. the protagonist saves him from a monster, and he immediately recovers morale. he sets about being as helpful as he can for the protagonist, cheering them up, solving puzzles, anything. they get strength, speed, and / or defense upgrades as long as he's around, and probs morale, if there's a morale system. but how is he not terrified? why does he have nothing on him? like the others, his backstory is vague. he said he has family here, and was expecting to see them, so how did things end up like this? you know, the longer you stay around him, the more you want to stay in this area. maybe things will get better, with him. maybe you just have to stay a little longer. a while more. a few seconds. no, you're not distracted...

i dunno. those are just my perspectives on them.

speaking of video game companions. the release date trailer for splatoon raiders recently came out. i'm probs not gonna get it (bcuz it's switch 2 exclusive), but i love how everything looks. it appears to be the most customizable (in terms of weapon sets / abilities) splatoon game we've had thus far. and i love the hairstyles!!! the octo hairstyles especially are the cuuuuutest. for once, they let the octolings win ㅠㅠ. 

sotd: hari-hara from smtdds1