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// Meta Filler: Ending Themes and Character Info 
// Story: Equestria Was Merely a Setback! 
// by Thunderscourge 
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A/N: Special thanks to Amethyst Blade, somerandomperson, GamerGoddessDin, refferee, SilentMech, Jonuts, and Mister E for your thoughts on last chapter! I'm swamped with work and I'd be put off for entire weeks if not for your support!






Hey everyone, just wanted to say that I’m sorry for the delays. Midterms and illness have been really reducing my productivity in terms of writing, but I am almost free from those shackles!

In the meantime, I thought I’d do something easy and special: a meta chapter that just shows a bit of the story things I have going on in my head when I go to writing chapters. I am including links for extra information, though anything you find on your own that is spoilerific is not my fault, I am merely giving you the means to go out there and look at more things related to the story!

First of all is character info (and image links)! Here is their basic information at this point in time:

Trixie: Level 22 Mage (Frost), unknown power not quantified but at least level 70, main character who is 95% amnesiac but is recently regaining her memories. Partner and close friend to another amnesiac who seems to be Kael'thas Sunstrider.

Kael: Level 22 Mage (Fire), main character who seems to be Kael'thas Sunstrider, though a duplicate one at that. Unsure of what or who he is, he seeks to look after his friend (and love) Trixie.

Lavitz: Level 60 (20) Warrior (Arms)/Monk (Basic), Human soldier who is indebted to Trixie and Kael for saving him from the Deadmines. He needs to recover from his starvation and captivity, and as such is not at full strength.

Nana: Level 5 Mana Wyrm, formerly owned by the Bounty Hunter chasing Trixie and Kael, was adopted by Trixie due to the bad treatment they faced.

Reuenthal: Level 50 Hunter (Survival/Marksmanship), loyal servant to Kael'thas Sunstrider, he is serving Kael as he sees him as the true Kael'thas while the one in power is a madman. A nobleman with a dark past, he pledged his loyalty to Kael'thas specifically for helping him save Mitter'meyer, Reuenthal's best friend.

Mittermeyer: Level 49 Paladin (Retribution/Protection), another loyal servant to Kael, he is the polar opposite of his best friend, but wishes nonetheless to serve Kael and protect their people. Of commoner origins and very family orientated, he and his wife are perfectly happy together.

Vanessa: Level 35 Rogue (Assassination/Subtlety ), an orphan who was forced to take up her father's mantle as leader of impoverished bandits, was recently defeated at the Deadmines.

Bounty Hunter: Level 26 Hunter (Survival), a Huntard through and through, gives chase to Trixie and Kael for gold. Remorseless and a sociopath, has no care for morals or others. Defeated at the arena tournament and taken into Human custody.

Mercenary: Level 45 Warrior (???)/ Rogue (???)/ Hunter (???), a Human who turned on the Bounty Hunter to aid Trixie and Kael.

Kargath (Heroic): Level 70 Warrior (Fury)/ Rogue (Assassination), servant of Illidan and leader of the Shattered Hand clan of assassins and arena warriors. Obsessed with arena battles to a fault, as well as the number one hundred, scars born of his own past.

Sylvanas (Heroic): Level 70 Hunter (Marksmanship/Survival), leader of the Forsaken, the Undead not controlled by Arthas the Lich King.

Varimathras (Heroic): Level 70 Dreadlord, Sylvanas's demon aide, he is secretly planning her downfall.

Dathrohan (Heroic): Level 50 Paladin, Grand Crusader of the Scarlet Crusade. Has an unknown alliance with Varimathras.

Abbendis: Level 58 Paladin, Leader of the Scarlet Crusade. Taking up her late father's mantle, she fights the Undead who plague the land, whether they be of good or evil nature.

Jaina (Heroic): Level 70 Mage (Frost/Heroic), former love of Kael'thas Sunstrider. Noticed him in Stormwind but did not get the chance to meet up with him.

Varian Wrynn (Heroic): Level 70 Warrior (Arms/Fury), leader of Stormwind, though Chromie indicates that this should not currently be the case.

Chromie: Level ?? Bronze Dragon, a timekeeper who disguises herself as a gnome. Intentions unknown, and prone to mixing up if she has met someone yet or not or what they know or should know at this point.

Heroic denotes someone who is multiple times the power as a normal person of their “level”, so Kargath for example would be able to fight multiple normal level 70’s on equal terms. As a level difference of 3-5 can be substantial enough to completely determine a battle’s outcome (unless mitigated by some other factor), Trixie’s current fame is based on how she managed to survive against someone entire tiers beyond where she ought to be at.

Now, for something more fun, I sometimes like imagining ending and opening themes for my stories…as in, I hear a song and I think it’d be great if only I could use it and have animation to go along with it! Alas, I have no such access, but here are some examples nonetheless!

(NOTE: Nothing is too spoilery, but if you want to stay away from any possible spoiler for anything, skip down to the end!)

If I had ending themes to this, my first choice would be the ending to Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica. Link included so you can watch and see what I mean. Here is an analysis of the ending theme, though take it with a grain of salt with how it applies to this story, given different contexts and whatnot.

I would only make minor changes, such as Trixie subbing in for Madoka herself, then Reuenthal in the place of Sayaka (first one passed), Mitter’meyer in the place of Kyoko (second one passed), Lavitz in the place of Mami (third one passed), and Kael as Homura (fourth one passed).

Reasons as follows (without real spoilers for any of the series mentioned)

Trixie: Main character who has potential, and who (if you have read We Remember Everything or Nothing Lasts Forever) is now given another chance to do things over. Protected by a similar soul, she is wandering towards major events and trying to outrun the darkness that follows her along the way.

Reuenthal: Instead of being the loyal and longtime friend of the main character, he instead plays the part of being Trixie’s longest ally who is not Kael. Similar to Sayaka he has a strong sense of right and wrong as he perceives them, he is uncompromising in what he believes in, and he has personal goals and ambition. 

Mitter’meyer: A companion who is strongly tied to the Sayaka character, though in reverse of how Kyoko bonded with Sayaka after initially being fight-to-the-death confrontational, for Mitter’meyer is instead a longtime friend of Reuenthal. He would do almost anything for his friend, who he could not be more different than in terms of personality, making them odd (but true) friends.

Lavitz: A far more powerful fighter than the main cast who is held back by something, he is capable of serving as a mentor to the others as well as keep them safe. He has a deep heart and cares for his companions greatly, much like how Mami bonded with those she taught and looked after.

Kael’thas: Selfishly cares more for Trixie than the situation surrounding them, even though the weight of a world rests on their collective shoulders, much like Homura’s obsession with Madoka. He would do anything to protect Trixie, even if it meant to go so far as make a new world just so they could be together. Like Homura’s obsession stemming from another timeline, Kael’s innate connection stems from his tenure in We Remember Everything while his greater one comes from his tendency to place others before himself, this factor expounded greatly by Trixie becoming his only friend and also the manner she unconsciously reminds him of Jaina in appearance.

For my next ending theme, it would be a more lighthearted one that focuses on an event similar to the one that will be the focus of next chapter: Brewfest. Gathered at a festival of sorts, the song in question is Tabi no Tochuu from Spice and Wolf. 

Beginning with the sight of a cheerful and bustling festival, we see Trixie dragging Kael towards the commotion as the latter is rolling his eyes. Trixie takes a free mug of beer as they reach the festival and chugs it down quickly, still having a tight grip on Kael with her other hand.

This drink done, Trixie looks over and sees that there are game stalls set up with prizes and things to be won. With a competitive spirit she runs over to the closest one, where she crosses paths with Reuenthal and Mitter’meyer, the latter of whom is participating in the game to try and impress Evangeline, who is watching happily as her husband exudes the energy and spirit she knows him for.

The game is interrupted by Trixie’s entrance, as Mitter’meyer steps aside and bows to Trixie, who thanks him before trying on her own. She tries, and Kael does as well, but neither do well at the ring tossing involved in the game. After their third failure, Reuenthal coughs and takes a ring. Slowly going through the motion of throwing it to demonstrate a technique, he then manages to succeed on the first try. Thanking him, Trixie then begins hurling the remaining rings with complete success as the others laugh.

As the game comes to a close, Trixie looks for the next activity to participate in while Kael looks and notices that at a bar set up Lavitz is sitting and drinking with a large Pandaren, who is with one hand drinking and with the other warding a far younger Pandaren away from the potent ales he is sharing with the Human. The Younger Pandaren gives up and grumbles, but catches sight of a young girl with blue hair running by and decides to go off and join someone her own age.

The two run past where Trixie and Kael have wound up, another game: this time a drinking contest. Trixie is sitting across from a tall Night Elf, who she quickly and easily outdrinks despite their greater size. The Night Elf bested, she continues on to drink against the Pandaren who had been with Lavitz, who manages to keep up with her much better. Others come to join them and watch as the two continue to try and outdrink the other with increasingly potent brews.

The young children stop running about when the blue haired one bumps into Reuenthal by accident, who had been leaving the crowd. While stoic and cold, he manages a smile at the girl and points her towards the nearby Mitter’meyer and Evangeline, who the girl then runs over to happily. Her Pandaren playmate goes to cheer on her older relative against Trixie as the blue haired girl is hoisted atop Mitter’meyer’s shoulders to get a better view.

Once the contest is over, Trixie is the one still standing, and she does not appear even all that tipsy, though her cheeks are blushed. Kael helps her up while the crowd around them disperses to take part in another event: musicians had begun to play their instruments and the crowd was gathering in the center of the circle shaped festival to dance together with their family and friends.

Trixie takes the opportunity to drag Kael into the crowd and begin dancing along with him, Kael not relenting as much this time and actually smiling as the two once again form the center of attention. Swirling around, making grandiose sweeps with their bodies, the two put on a show for others around them while other people they know all begin to dance as well in the area around them.

Alone on the sidelines of the festivities are Lavitz, Reuenthal, and one other, all of whom are watching as their friends enjoy themselves. As the crowd grows larger and larger they continue to sit aside, though a slightly drunk Reuenthal seems tempted to go. Something keeps him back as he watches them though, his different colored eyes shining as he watches Kael and Trixie enjoy their spotlight.

From the group of dancers, Mitter’meyer smiles to his friend and nods to invite him to join them before once again joining the crowd of happy festival goers. Noticing this effort, Trixie beckons him as well as she and Kael continue to be joined in the center of it all.

Lavitz nods to the other man, encouraging Reuenthal to go as well. After a moment more of hesitation, the half-Elf leaves the sidelines just as a knife swipes down at where he had been standing. Still on the sidelines, Lavitz watches the half-Elf join the others out in the center as he grips the forearm of Vanessa, who he keeps from chasing after her mark.

After struggling at first, Vanessa drops her knives and lets her arms relax. This done, Lavitz lets go and instead ushers her forth to join everyone else. He takes a swig of his beer as Vanessa begrudgingly joins the others, only to find herself welcomed by Trixie and everyone else, the Rogue being led hastily into the crowd by the blue haired child in the group.

With now nearly everyone participating in the festival cheer, things begin to fade while focusing once again on the center where Trixie and Kael revolve around and around as they move to their own pace, Trixie leading with her steps and Kael following.

Once faded out, it’ll be replaced by a picture of Trixie dreaming under the night sky, resting beneath a cherry blossom tree, with Kael sitting beside her and brushing her hair out of her eyes while a light shines down on them.

…and that’s it! I think it’d be much easier to flesh out such ideas if I could sketch them all out but I don’t have the skills to do that or the time really, but it is kind of fun imagining a scene to the music I listen to. This stuff has all been in my head awhile, and I thought it’d be fun to get it out. Feel free to read into any of it as you will, as I do like my symbolism!

Anyways, this is my apology gift for not being able to repay your dedication with a new chapter yet, and I hope it tides you over just a bit until the weekend, when I can finish the next chapter!