Fic Update: "By Any Other Name"

[mark_asphodel]

It was one of those days in which I looked at my WIP-pile and said, "Dammit, finish something."

So, here 'tis: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5572950/1/

Well, then, what is it?

It's the love story of George and Minerva, of course. But, ah, I'm supposed to be a canon purist, so where the heck did this come from? Hey, it's post-game 'fic. I have leeway. See, a while back, shimizu_hitomi noted that the dynamic between George and Minerva was one of the better things about the FE1 manga adaptation. I hadn't given much thought to George as a character before; he's not much use in FEDS, and he just struck me as another one of these Archanean ego-trippers (see: Astram). Then I went back and read his scenes in FE3. Nuh-uh-- George is awesome. He's smart. He does things. Useful things. And hey, he has a backstory in the designers' notes (he's kind of a "Levin" figure, as in he's the prototype for an FE character who comes from a noble/royal background and doesn't want to deal with it). And he's allowed to be all these things without ever really signing up for Marth's fanclub, which otherwise tends to be the dividing line between the sheep and the goats. George totally merited some exploration and exposure.

[No, I don't spell it "Jeorge." I'd also use "Niena" for Nyna if I could get away with it.]

And Minerva needed to get out of that convent. Her official character ending is one of the most craptacular in FE, up there with "Canas died in a snowstorm." Anyway, this is another post-war snippet of my "Tales of the Unified Kingdom" series; it actually originated as a spit-take scene in "Wandering Planets," this M-rated thing I wrote to see if I could actually depict Cain/Catria in a positive sense (jury's currently out on that one). As with too many ideas, it ultimately took off on its own.

Also, I have strong (negative) opinions about romance stories elsewhere in FE fandom, and I thought it worthwhile to demonstrate the kind of relationship I find interesting. I don't know how well this succeeds as romance, but it does star actual adults, which IMO is a nice starting point.

Comments

[myaru.livejournal.com]

Her official character ending is one of the most craptacular in FE, up there with "Canas died in a snowstorm."

This is why I decided to pretend I didn't see it. FE3 script? Endings? I know not of what you speak.

You broke my heart with that Canas comment.

Romance is hard to write reasonably. Fandom being what it is, the bad stuff is inevitable, because all people want to see is fluff - or angst. The middle ground - or better, realistic romance - often requires longer, carefully plotted stories that may pay off with patience, but never give that wonderful, immediate thrill that everyone likes so much.

[writerawakened.livejournal.com]

I have to wonder what NoA has against the name NIna. It worked for Nina from Breath of Fire...

But anyway. I agree that it's the immediacy of fictional romance (and FANfictional romance) that seems to draw people in. Look at that famous tale of those two Italian bozos named Romeo and Giulietta. XDD

Real romance (or, um, so I've gathered) is slow and ponderous. And in many cases, sad to say, uninteresting to people who aren't the two lovers themselves. It's mostly when love goes wrong that third parties get interested (see: Tiger Woods, etc.), viz. by the whole "train wreck" concept. Either that or, like most crummy fanfics tend to do, play up the passionate "love at first sight" shtick (see: R+J) On a somewhat related note, I don't buy the whole "love at first sight" notion. If it truly is "love at first sight" in the literal sense of the phrase, you're basically falling in love with the other person's...looks. Which, call me traditional, seems a little bit shallow. They don't call it "love at first hey-how-are-you-where-do-you-work-what-are-your-interests-how-do-you-view-the-world-what-is-your-personality-let's-go-out-and-see-if-we-have-an-emotional-connection", after all.

Uh, sorry, I rambled. XD;;

[penandpaper71.livejournal.com]

I agree with you about Minerva's ending. It always struck me as a giant cop-out. Like they weren't quite sure what to do with her after they handed the continent to Marth and simply wanted her out of the way (Which strikes me as completely unnecessary anyway. If Marth really needed to rule the entire continent at the end of Book 2, which I suppose goes along with the whole "Prince of Light" thing even if the whole thing leaves me feeling a bit uneasy, there was still plenty more that Minerva could have done for her country outside of the convent then she could hidden away in it). Instead, she abandons her responsibilities and runs away, which... is not like Minerva.

I agree with myaru that Minerva's not the type to simply bail on her responsibilities. If she was then she wouldn't have insisted on being the one to stop her brother or taken a throne that she didn't want in the first place. Whenever her country needed her, Minerva was there, trying her best. So, having her run off at the end strikes me as horribly out of character. "True Leader" Minerva became anything but and I can't deny that I don't like what they did to her character.

... I'll stop now, before this turns into a long, drawn-out rant. I'm sorry. FE3 is a good game, but it did some things that I really don't like to a few of my favorite characters, which makes me cranky.

On a side note, news of a Cain/Catria fic is very relevant to my interests, even if it never comes to anything. ^_^ I'm sorry. I couldn't resist saying something. I'm a very shameless shipper. I'll go away now. I'm sorry to trouble you.

[shimizu-hitomi.livejournal.com]

!!!! <333

Need to sleep, will review tomorrow...

[kanthia.livejournal.com]

Hey...just wanted to let you know that I'm totally not stalking you and PitFTW messaged me today:

I'm so so so very sorry! I did read your fic a very long time ago and memorized the ictalized parts because i thought it was so poetic. When i was writing that, i remembered those words and kept trying to remember where they came from. When i failed to remember, i just wrote the fic and left it at that. As soon as i can get to an actual computer, i will write an author's note. (i am on my phone now) Again, i'm really, REALLY sorry!!!

Basically, her excuse is that she memorized my fic and regurgitated it, basically word-for-word, three years later because it was omg that good. Not that I believe a word that she says, but what can you do -- she's a twelve-year-old on the internet.

Thanks so much for giving me a heads up on this whole ridiculousness. Hopefully it'll all get sorted out in the end...I'm hoping she comes away from this a little red-faced and we both move on with our lives.

I'm not upset, by the way. I found this whole thing sort of hilarious, especially considering the 'caliber' of PitFTW's writing.

THAT BEING SAID, you are straight up awesome. Do you mind if I add you?