Author Topic: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -  (Read 82332 times)

Aya Squawkermaru

  • "You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war." - William Hearst
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Re: A New World, Book 3
« Reply #90 on: August 03, 2011, 11:00:13 PM »
Whew, finally caught up on all this. I'm no literary critic, so I can't really put into words why I enjoy this so much, so just know that I enjoy this quite a bit. It'll be interesting to see how the Mishaguji and the Tengu army affect the outcome of the battle.

Spoiler:
I also enjoyed the Portal 2 reference.

Zelinko

  • The Wandering Mind
Re: A New World, Book 3
« Reply #91 on: August 04, 2011, 01:54:03 AM »
I believe tagline has shifted from "Who will survive?"  to "You will see the tears of time..."

Spoiler:
Doubt anyone will get it

Also I think that action may draw the attention of at the other major players that have stayed neutral as well Shit just got real. I mean the simple fact that she resurfaced is one reason that the Judge might return. 
« Last Edit: August 04, 2011, 12:15:04 PM by Zelinko »
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Iced Fairy

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Re: A New World, Book 3
« Reply #92 on: August 06, 2011, 05:36:19 AM »
A massive explosion rang through Renko's ears.  She quickly tossed up an umbrella spell and wiped the blood from her eyes.  The sticky fluid was hard to get off, but fortunately it hadn't had time to dry.  She opened her eyes, and was stunned by the chaos.

Space was rent open throughout the clearing, as dozens of Maribel's strange gaps hung randomly about.  Throughout them Lunarians and youkai - and Lunarians turned youkai -  swooped and danced, each firing off deadly spells.  She watched Marisa chase a Lunarian who had spouted angelic wings through a portal and end up crashing into Shou, while her angel winged foe found herself flying out a different portal into a crossfire between Eirin and some Lunarian defense system.

And right in front of her was Maribel, laughing madly at the chaos in a voice that wasn't her own, while the Lunarian leader stared down in fear and hatred.

“Oh 'Lord' Tenshou, just so you know, you were right about this being a self fulfilling prophecy.  I'd have never returned if you hadn't attacked the humans.”  Maribel sidestepped an errant bolt from the melee before continuing.  “Oh and another thing I should thank you for.  Now that humanity's civilization is mostly gone it'll be much easier to set up the youkai nation.  If you hadn't killed so many people needlessly we youkai would have had to integrate with society slowly.  That would have been quite difficult.”

“Shut up!”  The man's composure finally snapped and he drew some kind of gun.  “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” he yelled as he fired. 

Maribel hopped lightly out of the way of the attacks.  “What are you so mad about?  It's not like your petty obsession with revenge led you to destroy your nation, your world and your race, while empowering everything you hate.  Oh wait.  Sorry that is exactly what happened, isn't it?”

Something was wrong with Mary.  Something was dreadfully wrong.  But Renko couldn't deal with it until the battle was won.  She had to finish this quickly.

First she tossed up an umbrella spell over where Maribel was.  Mary had been using some boundary trick to dodge the rain, but Renko didn't want to know what would happen if she stopped.  Then she flipped out her Hakkero and fired a laser right at Tenshou.

The shot reflected off his shield into space.  Renko swore.  She didn't have enough power to defend and attack at the same time.

A feeling of danger made Renko leap forward.  The ground behind her exploded with a sharp crack as several ice bolts impacted behind her.  The transformed Lunarian with angel wings fired a few more blasts at Renko, forcing her to jump away.

The woman turned her attention to the main fight.  “My Lord!  The devices are still partially working.  I can still help you!”  The desperation in the woman's voice tore Renko's heart up.  The disdain that covered Tenshou's face at the sight of his transformed friend only made it more pathetic.

Ran spun out of nowhere and slammed into the woman.  The two tumbled to the side in a mad grapple.  Tenshou didn't even spare them a glance before firing at Maribel again.  This time Maribel just held out her hand and a octagonal border blocked the attack.  Renko started to feel like she was totally outclassed in this fight.

“You're rather quick to abandon your allies aren't you?”  Mary taunted again.  “Did you care about any of the people you've sent to their deaths?  Do you care about any of the people here?  Or are they just pawns for your advancement?”

Tenshou started charging a magical shot.  “Shut up beast!  You don't seem to give a damn about your minion either!”

“Ran can take care of herself.”

Renko could see Tenshou was about to release his magical attack.  She called upon her training and reached out.  The magic was odd, mixing magical lines and binary.  But with her limited coding experience from college and Patchouli's training she understood enough of it.  She wormed past the binary and ripped the heart out of the spell.

The magic fizzled as he threw it.

Her reward was a wave of exhaustion.  Renko forced herself to start moving, but Tenshou managed to snap off three shots at her.  She started to reform her wards when a tombstone fell out of nowhere and absorbed the blasts.  Renko made a mental note to thank Mary and hid behind the gravestone's cover.  From there she surveyed the battlefield.

The main fight was pure chaos.  Shou and her opponent were only visible as blurs of light that occasionally clashed.  One of the robots was letting out blinding fireworks and electrical shorts as it slowly died.  Eirin was on the ground with a small smoking hole in her chest.  Marisa was leaning over Eirin and casting some sort of spell on her, but the magician was missing a foot.  Chen and another girl were fighting another Lunarian and – wait, when the hell did they get here?

The only thing that made any sense was Ran's battle, where the kitsune was slowly crushing the woman she'd intercepted to death.  Renko had wondered why the analytical youkai used such a brutal style.  Now she understood.  Ran was simply eliminating all the unnecessary variables from the fight. 

Renko glanced back at Maribel.  Her friend was easily dodging the Lunarian's attacks, though Tenshou looked like he was recovering from his blind rage.  Renko needed to find some way to tip the scales.  Then she recalled the Lunarian woman's words before Ran took her down.

Looking back at the battle she saw them.  Three machines that weren't contributing to the fight.  Renko lined up a shot at one and tossed her biggest star bullet at it.

The machine exploded.  Then a lance of energy flew out and blew the tombstone Renko was hiding behind to pieces.  The impact sent Renko tumbling as her wards tried to compensate.  As she picked herself off the ground she wondered if Eirin had tried something similar and gotten caught by the trap.

Well hopefully the trap was stupid.  Renko summoned up a magical familiar and sent it off.  The magical circle skittered through the air between the two towers, then exploded into a stream of bullets that attacked one of them.  In a flash the machine retaliated and struck the other tower.  The resulting string of counterattacks turned both of them into rubble.

Renko started as a wave of power rolled over her.  She turned back to Maribel's fight.

Tenshou unleashed another futile barrage into the octagonal barrier Mary had somehow managed to conjure.  Maribel's expression twisted into an alien smirk as the attack ended.  “It's amusing.  You actually had a chance you know.  Even after all your stupid leaps of logic and poor decisions, you still had a chance.  If Renko hadn't thought to shatter those devices that were chaining my full abilities one of your allies might have been able to get a lucky shot in.  If you hadn't doubted your own powers those extra forces of yours might have stopped one of my allies from interrupting our battle.”

Mary pointed at the man.  “But the time for what ifs has passed.  Die.”

Gaps opened above and below Lord Tenshou and immediately began vacuuming up everything in the area.  The suction dragged Renko three feet before she got a good grip on the ground.  Debris started flying as the forming whirlwind started to howl.

And Tenshou's screams were sucked into the void as the winds started pulling him apart.

“Mary!” Renko called out to her friend, but the wind swallowed her words.

As Tenshou spasmed Maribel continued.  “Oh right.  I'm not sure which gap your soul will be sucked into, but don't worry.  It's far far away from where the Shinigami can reach, so you won't have to spend your afterlife with any impure souls.  Your own private hell, to rule over by yourself.  Won't that be nice?”

The Lunarian didn't seem to respond at all.  From the way his eyes had rolled Renko was certain he was unconscious or dead.

Renko forced herself step by step through the winds towards her friend.  A stray rock hit her and made her stumble, but she pulled herself to her feet and continued on.  Finally she managed to reach Maribel and get a hand on her shoulder.  “Mary!” she screamed over the wind.  “You need to stop!  He's dead!  It's over!”

Maribel turned towards her, eyes blazing gold.  “I'm sorry Renko, but I'm Yukari now.  And it's not over until he pays for his insolence.”

The words stabbed into Renko like a knife.  Mary was gone?  No....

Renko shook her head, then hugged her friend close.  Maribel stiffened at the embrace, but Renko didn't pull back.

Renko took a deep breath.  “Mary.  I'm sorry.  I'm sorry I didn't see how much this was hurting you.  How the hatred was eating at you.  I'm sorry I couldn't help you move past that.”  Renko squeezed Mary a little tighter before continuing, “But you can't run from this Mary.  I know that it hurts.  I know you don't like the part of yourself that hates, that kills, that burns for revenge.”

“But I love you Mary.  All of you.  Even the parts of you that get angry, or even the parts that hate.  Those aren't the parts that make you a monster.  Those are the parts that make you human.”

“I...”  A shudder ran through Renko's arms.  “I told you Renko.  Your friend Mary is no more.  I am the youkai sage.”

Renko shook her head.  “Even without my eyes, I can see the truth Mary.  I know that's still you.”

Maribel froze in Renko's arms, her eyes glazing over.  The winds died and the gaps faded away.  Renko closed her eyes and whispered, “Please, Mary.  Come back to me.”

----

Mary opened her eyes.

Around her the space was dark, just like the gaps that she had come to call her own.  Still, it took her a while to realize where she was.  The boundary of consciousness.

Before her was a woman.  Their blond hair matched, as did their violet dresses, but the other woman was older.  More regal and composed.  She had all of Maribel's physical qualities, except she was inhumanly perfect.

Maribel knew who she was immediately.

Yukari seemed oblivious to Maribel's arrival.  She simply stood in the mindspace, reading a book with no title.

“You!”  Maribel winced as the shout echoed loudly, then forced herself to continue.  “Who the hell do you think you are?!”

Yukari looked up from her book.  “Me?  I'm just a distant memory.  One that should have faded away long ago.”

The words stopped Maribel in place.  This... wasn't what she was expecting.  She fought off the confusion.  “I want my body back.”

“Good.”  Yukari smiled softly and closed her book.  “This is your life.  I'm glad to see you taking control again.”

Maribel gaped at the spirit.  “That's... it?”

The woman nodded her head.  “You seem to think I'm Yukari.  I'm not.  I'm just fragmented memories, combined with what you think Yukari should be like.  A shadow of the youkai sage, who you gave control to because you didn't want to become a monster.”

“But,” Maribel looked at the floor.  Her eyes began to swim with tears.  “But...  I... I don't want to be a killer.  I don't want to hate... to hate this much.  I... I....”

“Sh....”  A gentle hand patted her on the head.  “I understand.  It's hard for you.  You aren't the type of person who can accept the need to kill.”  The woman sighed.  “And I gave you problems too.  These memories that compose me confused you.  Made you question what was real.”

Maribel sniffed and wiped her eyes.  “I...  Renko is right isn't she.  You're right aren't you.”  She looked up at the woman.  “I'm sorry for trying to make you a scapegoat for my anger.”

Yukari's shadow shook her head.  “It's alright.  I'm part of you after all.”

“Mhm,”  Maribel nodded weakly.  She sighed, then managed a weak smile.  “I made you act like a total bitch didn't I?  Half of that stuff was made up too.  All just because I wanted to hurt him.”

“Like I said, it's all right.”  The woman winked.  “And well, you should remember by now Yukari didn't care about looking like a total bitch.”

“I suppose not.”  Maribel bowed to the woman.  “I'm ready to accept myself now.  Thank you kindly for acting on my behalf.”

The woman bowed in return.  “It was my pleasure.”  As she began to fade into the darkness she stepped forward.  “Oh and Mary?”

“Eh?”  Maribel blinked in surprise.

The woman placed her hat on Maribel's head.  “Please watch over Gensoukyo for me.”

And then she was gone.

----

Maribel opened her eyes to find herself in Renko's embrace.  She sighed in relief then hugged the other girl in return.  “Renko....”

“Mary?”  Renko pulled away just enough to look Maribel in the eyes.  Then the woman let out something between a laugh and a relieved sob.  “Mary!  You're back!”

Mary's eyes teared up again.  “Yeah.  I'm back.”  She smiled.  Then then she started sobbing.  She was alive!  Renko was alive!  It was all over, and they were both alive!  There was so much she wanted to say, to do, to explain.  But all that came out were sobs.

She clung to Renko for dear life as the emotions she'd tried to bottle up poured out.  Renko just hushed her and held her, alternating between holding her close and patting her hat back into place as sobs wracked her body. 

As the sobbing slowly stopped she saw the rain had at some point changed to water.  A steady deluge that slowly washed away the blood.

Maribel buried her head in her friend's shoulder, and let the rain lull her to sleep.

-----

Only the phoenix arises and does not descend.  Everything Changes
And nothing is truly lost.

Maribel sighed in contentment as the tea warmed her stomach.  Sipping tea in the fall was one of life's greatest pleasures.

Renko sat down on the walkway beside her, then waved to the young girl sweeping the steps.  “Kuroko, that's enough for today.  People expect a few leaves in the fall.”

“Okay, Miss Renko,” the girl replied.  She flicked one last leaf down the stairway, then went to put the broom away in the shrine's storage room.

Well technically it wasn't a shrine anymore, Maribel thought as she took another sip of tea.  There was no god for the Hakurei Shrine after all.  But when they'd bought the land they'd rebuilt the shrine mostly the same as it had been before.

Maribel had been a little worried when Renko'd suggested they take over the shrine.  But most of the youkai who had stayed in Gensoukyo had seemed perfectly happy with it.  And once Kanon had shown up to insist that the Hakurei shrine should be run by humans the few hold outs caved in. 

Now it served more as a tea house.  A place at the boundary of the Tengu's new capitol city and the village of Gensoukyo.  Between the magitech world the kappa and humans had built, and the pure magic of the wild youkai.  A place where steam fairies and flower fairies could meet up and plot mischief, though Maribel was going to make them sorry if they tried anything here.

Maribel's introspection was cut of as Ran flew in over the rise.  She reached through a gap and grabbed another cup of tea as the kitsune landed and bowed.  “I see you three are doing well.”

“Ah hello, Miss Ran,” Kuroko said.  Maribel nodded her own greeting and handed Ran the tea.  Ran accepted it and sat down on the shrine's back porch.

The four sat there for some time, just sipping tea.  After a while Ran asked, “Has Kanon dropped by recently?”

“Apparently Utusho's been having problems with the generators again,” Renko replied.  “Kanon's been busy helping with her barrier powers.”

“Ah.  That's too bad.  I know she said she wanted the watch them finish the radio tower,” Ran nodded towards the structure that now rose above the expanding city.  “I have to admit, it is impressive.”

“She'll be there for the shrine consecration at least,” Maribel replied.  “They need three miko after all, and she's better trained then the triplets or the Kochiya.”

“Oh!  Can we go to the opening ceremony Miss Maribel?”  Kuroko asked excitedly.

Maribel smiled.  “Of course Kuroko.”

“I'm still not sure why they had to make it a clone of Tokyo Tower,” Renko said.  “You'd think the kappa would want to create something new.”

“Just because we youkai aren't bound to tradition any more doesn't mean we don't appreciate it.  And it was a nice building.” Ran stretched.  “I imagine they'll rebuild the original in Tokyo too, though Momiji will probably focus on getting a road open for the humans first.

“Should you really be treating the shogun so familiar?” Kuroko asked.

Ran smirked.  “She's not my shogun.  Gensoukyo is the 'ancestral homeland of the youkai, now and forever.'  Momiji was smart enough to realize this land can't be ruled by any one group.  You humans might like having a government, but we youkai don't.”

“Though I'm surprised by you humans,” The kitsune said as she looked over the city.  “This is supposed to be the age of youkai, but humans are the ones driving the expansion now.  The tengu and kappa are just keeping up, really.”

“It has been seven years,” Renko pointed out.  “People are surprisingly good at bouncing back.”

“Hm...  Perhaps.”  The kitsune stood.  “Well I'd love to stay a bit longer but I need to talk to Alice about those Makai tourists.  Do you have magic lessons at the SDM today Kuroko?  I can fly you over.”

“Ah, yes.  Thank you.”  Kuroko hopped to her feet, then gave Renko and Maribel a questioning glance.

Renko smiled and nodded.  “We'll pick you up for dinner.  It's beef stew tonight of course.”

“Great!”  Kuroko's happy smile turned into a frown. “Though Patchouli said we're supposed to be going over bio magic....”

Renko chuckled.  “I know it's no fun, but it's very helpful.  That regeneration spell she's teaching you is the reason Eirin's still alive.  That and Reisen's medical skills.”

“Right, right.”  The young girl rolled her eyes at having to hear another 'war story.'  Maribel smiled herself as their young ward followed Ran into the sky.  It was a good sign that Kuroko could brush those stories off.  Especially since that war was the one which had taken Kuroko's own family.

Maribel leaned against Renko and watched the wind play with the leaves.  “Hey Renko, do you think Kuroko would mind if we adopted another kid?”

Renko laughed lightly.  “She's old enough that you could ask her about that you know.”  Maribel pouted until Renko relented.  “But I did overhear her talking with the Kaenbyou kids about how it might be nice to have a sister, so I think she'd agree.”  Renko shifted causing Maribel to plop into her lap with a surprised squawk.  “Now, when were you going to ask me about this Mary?”

Maribel frowned.  “It was just a thought.  You know I'd ask you before I seriously thought about it.”  Her further protests were silenced when Renko bent over and kissed her on the lips.  Maribel relaxed and lifted herself into the kiss.  When Renko finally pulled away Mary growled lightly, “You're insufferable sometimes.”

“Yep!” Renko replied cheerily.

Maribel was considering how to respond when the sound of someone coming up the steps caused them both to start.  Maribel sat up as an older man in worn but very beautiful archaic robes crested the hill.  Maribel wondered if he was from one of the villages or cities on the outlier areas of the tengu shogunate.  While the new capitol of Japan was the most technologically advanced city in the world, places that were further away tended to actually be a lot closer to the human village in Gensoukyo.  It was much easier to help the locals rebuild a preindustrial city that could survive the winter and expand later then to get a postindustrial city running all at once.

The two bowed to the man as he approached.  “Welcome to the Hakurei Shrine,” Maribel said.  “Can we get you some tea?”

The man smiled and bowed in return.  “Ah, thank you for the offer, but I'm just passing through.  I need to get to the village before dark I believe.”

Renko nodded at the mans words.  “That's a good idea.  The spellcard rules should protect you if you stick to the village and major roads, but wandering around after dark is always dangerous.  Still it is a long walk, if you want you can take a break here and Mary here could teleport you to the village later.”

The man's eyes widened a little bit at that and he turned towards Maribel.  “Ah, I see now.”  The man hestitated for a moment before bowing deeply.  “Allow me to introduce myself properly.  I am Sareseno Watatsuki.  I've come to visit my aunt in the Bamboo Forest, and my cousin in the Netherworld.”

Maribel's started in surprise.  “Oh!”  She realized she had no idea what to say.  “I... that is.”

The man chuckled lightly.  “You need not worry about justifying yourself to a failed poet.  Besides I know the truth of events.”

“I see.”  Maribel shook her head to clear it.  She still wasn't sure what to think of the man, but she didn't sense any malice from him.  Quite the opposite in fact.  “Well, I can teleport you to Eientei directly if you like.  It's hard to get there by foot.  Do you want to take a break here or...?”

“No, but thank you.  I'm very eager to meet with my family, and I wouldn't want to impose on you more then I needed to.”

Maribel nodded at his words then opened one of her gaps to just outside Eientei.  “This should put you by the front gates.  I hope your reunion goes well.”

Renko spoke up softly from her side, “You may also want to visit Muenkuza.  You might be interested in talking with one of the Shinigami there.”

A somber look flickered over the man's face.  “I see.  Perhaps I will.  Thank you again.”  He moved towards the portal before hesitating and turning back to them.  “Ah yes.  I think you should have this.”

He handed her a tome from his travel pouch.  Maribel hesitantly took the well bound book.  The title, in strong but simple letters read. 'The Rise and Fall of the Lunar Civilization.”

“I wish you two good fortune,” he said as he entered the portal.

“Safe journeys,” Maribel replied hastily.  The boundary closed with his passing and her eyes quickly returned to the book.  She felt Renko move to look over her shoulder as she opened the tome and skimmed through it.

Before her appeared stories.  Tales of victory and defeat, of reason of madness, of hatred and forgiveness.  But one story called to her more insistently then the others.  She quickly flipped to the back.  To the moment everything changed.

Ignoring Renko's surprised hum, she scoured the page looking for the answer to the one question that had plagued her since the battle.  She scoured the chapter, looking over it twice, then moved on to the next section to check there.

She repeated this process five more times before sighing and giving up.  Renko squeezed her shoulders as she closed the book.  “What were you looking for?”

Maribel bit her lip.  She didn't want to worry Renko about this.  Finally she sighed.  “I wanted to see if what I said was true.  If that really was Yukari talking though me, or I was just lying to hurt people.”  She closed the book.  “But it doesn't say.”

“Are you still worried about the connection you have with her?” Renko asked softly.

Maribel grimaced.  “I don't know.  I think I just wanted to know why things turned out this way.  What Yukari's plan was. And, well... I suppose I wanted to know more about the person I was.  Or wasn't.”  She reached up to touch the hat that the shadow had given her.

She closed the book.  “But I guess we can't get all the answers.”  She patted Renko's hand and smiled.  “Anyways, we should get started on dinner soon.  Otherwise Kuroko will lean how bad you are at staying on time.”

“Hey, I'm never more then a couple of minutes late!” Renko protested as they headed towards the kitchen.  “You're always exaggerate these things Mary.”

"I give our story to dreams, so that as long as the world lasts, it is not forgotten."
« Last Edit: January 08, 2012, 07:23:20 AM by Iced Fairy »

Iced Fairy

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Re: A New World, Book 3
« Reply #93 on: August 06, 2011, 05:43:17 AM »
In the end I think this song sums up my feelings now.

This is the longest project I've ever done, and I incredibly happy and somewhat sad to see it done.  In fact I think this is the longest completed work in the Library, unless you take UDs work as a combined fic.  I don't know if I'd ever want to do something like this again, but I'm very glad I did.

I...  thought I'd have a whole lot more to say, but I can't think of anything, so instead I'll simply say thank you for reading and I hope you'll enjoy whatever (shorter) thing I think up next.

Feel free to question me about anything, though know that sometimes I'll refuse to give an answer.  :)

Metaflare

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Re: A New World, Book 3
« Reply #94 on: August 06, 2011, 06:02:11 AM »
Fitting new avatar you have there  :3

This was a wonderful story, and I'm kind of glad to see it finished. I've seen enough good stories die off due to neglect, so I'm happy that you had the drive to finish this.

Aya Squawkermaru

  • "You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war." - William Hearst
  • Relevant quote is relevant.
Re: A New World, Book 3
« Reply #95 on: August 06, 2011, 07:01:05 AM »
Ah~ that was a pleasure to read.

I don't think I have any questions. Whether or not Yukari was actually speaking through Maribel is left to the discretion of the reader, and if you wanted to answer that you would have. Instead, let me just thank you for writing all of this.

Oh, actually, looking back over it, I do have a question. What happened to the curse gods that Suwako released?

Zelinko

  • The Wandering Mind
Re: A New World, Book 3
« Reply #96 on: August 06, 2011, 03:33:45 PM »
And it ends.  A new dawn rises and world slowly rebuilds.

I must wonder though who rules the moon now? 
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KrackoCloud

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Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #97 on: August 06, 2011, 05:43:13 PM »
It's over. Now I got that empty finished feeling!
Congratulations and thank you on making it to the end. It was a good read.

Kasu

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Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #98 on: August 06, 2011, 06:08:33 PM »
Congratulations on finishing the series~

It was a great read although the 'future' Gensokyo did confuse me sometimes.

Anyway though, I do have a couple of questions.

What happened to Marisa?

Are there any other post-war cities besides the ones in Japan?

Apparently, Thomas the Tank Engine isn't one to take crap from anyone.

Iced Fairy

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Re: A New World, Book 3
« Reply #99 on: August 06, 2011, 06:51:38 PM »
Thanks again all for reading.  And for commenting so I know people read it.  :)

Oh, actually, looking back over it, I do have a question. What happened to the curse gods that Suwako released?
She resealed them.  She mainly used them like a close range weapon.  Unseal curse god near Lunarian, then seal/beat the winner.

Quote
What happened to Marisa?
She considered getting a "totally awesome" mechanical foot from the kappa, but she got talked out of it and instead got Eirin to regenerate the missing limb.

Quote
Are there any other post-war cities besides the ones in Japan?
Yes, but none as technologically advanced.  The tengu and kappa are improving on the previous cities in some areas.  Most of the rest of the world is gearing down, creating more sustainable cities for the reduced population.  Also magic is returning as a usable force, with all the ups and downs of that. 

I'd considered a couple of expansions to the epilogue, one that had Shoutoku helping to rebuild a city in Egypt, but it didn't really add to the flow of the ending. 

Zelinko

  • The Wandering Mind
Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #100 on: August 06, 2011, 07:18:20 PM »
A question about the Rain.  How big of an area did it cover? Would we be dealing with a global recovery of youkai populations or just in Japan? 

Still its been a long good ride, farewell, A New World.
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Kasu

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Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #101 on: August 06, 2011, 07:20:10 PM »
I know that I'd love a  "totally awesome" mechanical foot. :3

And now that I think about it...  What about the remaining radiation?

Apparently, Thomas the Tank Engine isn't one to take crap from anyone.

Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #102 on: August 06, 2011, 07:22:32 PM »
All I have to say is: "Thank you!". I loved being let in to this world for a little bit.
I have...a terrible need...shall I say the word?...of religion. Then I go out at night and paint the stars.

Iced Fairy

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Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #103 on: August 06, 2011, 08:02:58 PM »
A question about the Rain.  How big of an area did it cover?
Mostly the area around Gensoukyo.  Between Keine and the Myouren Shrine not many people were effected.

Quote
Would we be dealing with a global recovery of youkai populations or just in Japan?
There's a global recovery of youkai, but Japan is at the forefront because a great deal of youkai started there, and those youkai are used to dealing with humans.

Quote
What about the remaining radiation?
Since this is set in the future I made the assumption that mankind will create more eco friendly methods of destroying entire cities (I'm not sure if that's optimism or pessimism).  Some areas will be uninhabitable by humans for some time, but most of the damaged areas bled off the dangerous levels of radiation already.

Aya Squawkermaru

  • "You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war." - William Hearst
  • Relevant quote is relevant.
Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #104 on: August 06, 2011, 08:30:18 PM »
You hinted that Nitori might join the fray (something about "Nitori is probably cooking something up.") but you never used her. Was her role just too insignificant to cover, did you forget, or did she just not do anything?

Iced Fairy

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Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #105 on: August 06, 2011, 08:41:52 PM »
You hinted that Nitori might join the fray (something about "Nitori is probably cooking something up.") but you never used her. Was her role just too insignificant to cover, did you forget, or did she just not do anything?
Too small to cover.  I didn't really have any idea on what would happen other then "Nitori in power suit fights Lunarian and wins with Tengu assistance."  One of the cut scenes was her being appointed as a kappa ambassador since she played shogi against Momiji but it once again didn't really add anything to the plot.

Thaws

  • _m廿廿m_
Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #106 on: August 07, 2011, 02:11:29 PM »
Congratulations on finishing writing this!
This has to be one of the most awesome and epic story I've ever read, kind of wish it'd last forever.
Thank you for writing this, I enjoyed reading the series a lot, especially the fight scenes in book 3, because those are so intense and have characters being epic. :o

gammaraptor

  • i won't depend on anyone anymore
Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #107 on: August 07, 2011, 09:49:35 PM »
Great ending =D. Enjoyed reading it.

Zelinko

  • The Wandering Mind
Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #108 on: August 07, 2011, 11:04:07 PM »
A random thought I had at work.

What of the Moon? When Humans eventually get back there will they find the Moon of Armstrong and Aldrin or the Moon of the Lunarians?
This Space For Rent

Kasu

  • Small medium at large.
  • This soup has an explosive flavour!
Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #109 on: August 08, 2011, 01:47:24 AM »
One last question.

Sorry if this was mentioned somewhere in the story, but what happened to the moon rabbit that was captured by the SDM?

Apparently, Thomas the Tank Engine isn't one to take crap from anyone.

Iced Fairy

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Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #110 on: August 08, 2011, 01:58:23 AM »
What of the Moon? When Humans eventually get back there will they find the Moon of Armstrong and Aldrin or the Moon of the Lunarians?
Little of column A, a little of column B.  The Lunarian capitol will be mostly running on battery with a battalion of rabbits keeping the place going.  It'll be a little weird, since the moon rabbits set how the moon should look, and they're used to the strange dichotomy.

Quote
what happened to the moon rabbit that was captured by the SDM?
After the invasion end Flopsy returns to her maid training and ends up being Remilia's personal maid.  Her ear gets regenerated but she never shakes the name.

Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #111 on: August 08, 2011, 02:49:43 PM »
Congrats on finishing the ending! I'm going to have to go back through the other two stories again...

nintendonut888

  • So those that live now, pledge on your fists and souls
  • Leave a sign of your life, no matter how small...
Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #112 on: January 08, 2012, 07:54:36 AM »
Mmm hmm hmm.

Well, this was quite a wonderful thing to read over Winter Break. I've always been a little skittish about reading the fanfiction of those I know, but I'm glad to have taken the plunge. It's kind of hard to say what hasn't been already said in various places, but you have a wonderful style, and I would definitely like to say I've learned a thing or two from your writing. You are very good at conveying emotions, and painted battles in a way even my sad little mind could follow. :D

All in all, great read. Though I'd have liked to see more resolution on everybody, I think that's how "distant future" epilogues should work: A minimal focus on the aftermath. That makes it all feel mysterious and intriguing. :3

And uh...yeah. Thanks for writing this, and sorry it took so long to start and then finish it.
nintendonut888: Hey Baity. I beat the high score for Sanae B hard on the score.dat you sent me. X3
Baity: For a moment, I thought you broke 1.1billion. Upon looking at my score.dat, I can assume that you destroyed the score that is my failed (first!) 1cc attempt on my first day of playing. Congratulations.

[19:42] <Sapz> I think that's the only time I've ever seen a suicide bullet shoot its own suicide bullet

Alfred F. Jones

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  • y de la lucha que hizo por Madrid
Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #113 on: September 23, 2012, 07:11:23 PM »
This is over a year after completion, but I lost track of this story before the end and Donut reminded me that I needed to finish the story at some point. So I went back and read all three books in about as many days.

This is such a good story, oh wow. I wish you did long works like this more often, because you are damn good at this world-building business, dropping hints and allusions that the audience might not notice the first time around and leaving plenty of stuff up to interpretation. Well done!

Iced Fairy

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Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #114 on: September 23, 2012, 09:00:00 PM »
Ah, I didn't realize I'd lost you along the way, since you were still commenting in third book.  Well thanks for finishing the story and the compliments.

As for longer works... I just am kinda bad with them.  My vision of Gensoukyo is a lot more slice of life and episodic.  It's probably why my crossover fics end up longer then my head cannon ones.

Maybe I should consider compiling a link set of all my shorts though.  Most of them have some interconnection, and I probably could put together theme sets for stuff.  Like stuff centered on Hatate or Marisa.  Might give a better idea of the continuity and connections in my headcannon.

Tengukami

  • Breaking news. Any season.
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  • I said, with a posed look.
Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #115 on: September 23, 2012, 10:07:59 PM »
Maybe I should consider compiling a link set of all my shorts though.  Most of them have some interconnection, and I probably could put together theme sets for stuff.  Like stuff centered on Hatate or Marisa.  Might give a better idea of the continuity and connections in my headcannon.

I strongly encourage this endeavour.

Also, looks like I have a lot of reading to catch up on ...

"Human history and growth are both linked closely to strife. Without conflict, humanity would have no impetus for growth. When humans are satisfied with their present condition, they may as well give up on life."

Iced Fairy

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Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #116 on: September 27, 2012, 05:12:01 AM »
So having a Noir song linked reminded me that I never got around to referencing where all the chapter quotes came from.  I shall fix that.

Quote
In Xanadu did Kublai Khan
A stately Pleasure-Dome decree,
Where Alph, the sacred river ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.
- Kubla Khan, Samuel Tailor Coleridge
The prologues start, a tale of a lost paradise,
Spoiler:
for the lost paradise of the moon.

Quote
Only the phoenix rises, and does not descend...
- Sandman: Exile, Neil Geiman
Sandman is something I always reference when doing Touhou, and Exile is one of the finest shorts in the series, along with Ramadan.

Quote
To find glory in battle is a virtue in the soldier,
a vice in the general,
and a positive crime in the statesman.
- George Santayana
An old quote that speaks for itself. 
Spoiler:
I couldn't find myself making Yorihime and Toyohime the kind of villains the story needed.  They're racists and generally unlikable, but they avoid killing at least.  Sadly not all statesmen are similarly blessed with morals.

Quote
“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.”
-Peace Pilgrim
Another quote that's exactly what it says.

Quote
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
- Anne Frank
This quote had multiple meanings.  I wanted to show how much Gensoukyo had changed for the better since book one.  That Renko and Mary's journey hadn't been a waste. 
Spoiler:
However, it also shows how quickly the world can change for ill.  Hope and despair.

Quote
“So stand to your glasses steady,
This world is a web of lies”
- Pilot Song from WWI
I got it from A battletech book, but it's been around since at least the first world war. 

The lines as I know them:
"We meet neath the sounding rafters.  The wall round us are bare.  They echo the peals of laughter.  It seems as the dead are there.
So stand by your glasses steady, this world is a web of lies.  Here's a toast to the dead already.  Hurrah for the next one who dies.
Cut off from the land that bore us, betrayed by the land that we find.  The good men have gone before us, and only the dull left behind.
So stand by your glasses steady, this world is a web of lies.  Here's a toast to the dead already.  Hurrah for the next one who dies."

Quote
“Parting is all we know of heaven, and all we need of hell.”
-Emily Dickinsen
Even in Gensoukyo where death is less of a black box, death is a big deal.  Perhaps more so in that it happens less frequently to the residents of this world.  To those who only die through violence, death will always be a great tragedy. 
Spoiler:
I actually felt bad about offing the Lunarians here.  I think I ended up sparing Reisen II as an apology.

Quote
“Sometimes I think it should be a rule of war that you have to see somebody up close and get to know him before you can shoot him.“
MASH - Colonel Potter
From the series that was in Korea but about Vietnam. 
Spoiler:
It is on some level terrifying to realize how much death we can unleash with switches and buttons.  How many a man can kill without ever seeing their faces.  Sometimes I wonder if this makes us more likely to commit such horrible acts.  Then I remember how good humanity was at killing each other back when we had rocks.  Still for the average person, it's something that might make them think.

Quote
I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.
-Tora! Tora! Tora!, Isoroku Yamamoto
While the exact quote is contested, the feelings were there.  Yamamoto was correct in his assessment too. 
Spoiler:
Maribel is very very angry.

Quote
People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them.
-Stranger in the Village, James Baldwin
When I grabbed the quote I didn't realize it's full significance, however reading more about it I find it fits even better. 
Spoiler:
The Tengu in their pride want to deny their connections to Gensoukyo and their status among the youkai.  But they can't escape those connections, and their responsibilities.  They can either work with them, or be broken by them.

Quote
He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.
-Analects, Confucius
I don't think much of Confucius, but he had some good ideas mingled in his works. 
Spoiler:
And yeah, the whole end of the book is about diplomacy, and how it's much easier to find friends when you are a murdering pretentious douche.  Funny how that works.

Quote
“King's pawn to E5”
The traditional opening in chess. 
Spoiler:
Kanako's so pissed they didn't do the Sicilian defense.

Quote
You may be obliged to wage war, but not to use poison arrows.
- Baltasar Gracian
A bit of a misnomer since the Lunarian's didn't need to wage war either. 
Spoiler:
However it covers my opinion of their larger tactics well.

Quote
If love can destroy, can hatred save?
- Noir
One of my favorite quotes from a series I should watch again. 
Spoiler:
And a fitting question for Mima, Marisa, Kanon and Mokou in this tragedy.

Quote
A man cannot sleep under the same sky, that shelters his father's killer.
- Confucius
Something I agree less with, but the drive for vengeance is hard to escape.   
Spoiler:
A fitting quote for Shoutoku's quest for revenge, Huian's battle to prove Meiling's power, and Maribel's slide into madness.

Quote
It is good that war is so terrible, lest we become too fond of it.
-Robert E Lee
Something of a reminder to myself I guess. 
Spoiler:
I enjoyed writing the Lunarians getting owned a lot.  It's also a good final quote for Jiyuwan, another warrior bound by honor to the wrong side of history.

Quote
It is the living that cry for vengeance.
- Battletech, Malicious Intent
Another quote that's less true in Gensoukyo then in the real world, but I think it still has some bearing.  It's easy to get caught up in the wrongs of the past and not see what needs to be done now. 
Spoiler:
Once again Shoutoku and Maribel find themselves chained to their fallen kin

Quote
Have faith in God, but keep your powder dry.
- Oliver Cromwell
Faith is odd in Gensoukyo.  To believe in something you know exists is different then to believe in something you have been told exists. 
Spoiler:
And this quote was all about Momiji.  I always thought Momiji would be the type of person who has no need or respect for gods and saviors.  Someone who figured you shouldn't trust to mystical powers when you could do it yourself.  But I also think she'd be brave enough to admit when she needs help, and to have unrelenting faith not in a goddess, but in Kanako as a person.

Quote
The best laid schemes of mice and men...
-To a Mouse, Robert Burns
"But little Mouse, you are not alone,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes of mice and men
Go often awry,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!"
Spoiler:
And sometimes, even when everything goes right you might wish it hadn't.  Isn't that right, Yukari?

Quote
Only the phoenix arises and does not descend.  Everything Changes
And nothing is truly lost.
- Sandman: Exile, Neil Geiman
Quote
"I give our story to dreams, so that as long as the world lasts, it is not forgotten."
- Sandman: Ramadan, Neil Geiman

I ended where I began.  With Sandman quotes.  Both of those stories talk of Beginnings.  And Endings.  And how, though everything that begins will end, it will also live forever.  In dreams, in hearts, in minds, and in the stories we pass on.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2012, 05:15:18 AM by Iced Fairy »

Iced Fairy

  • So like if you try to hurt alkaza
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  • I will set you on fire k'?
    • Daisukima Dan Blog
Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #117 on: January 15, 2013, 04:38:36 AM »
Hideki was so awesome as to bundle all of the books into a kindle format.  However the link was in my shorts thread so i'm tossing it on here so people who actually want a copy after reading the story can grab it.

http://www.mediafire.com/?of818lky76excd1

gammaraptor

  • i won't depend on anyone anymore
Re: A New World, Book 3 - Complete -
« Reply #118 on: January 15, 2013, 07:29:11 PM »
Ahh time to reread the entire thing :D