Yeah - I have much the same feeling myself. I'm getting a little dizzy. :)

>It's getting better and better Gryph!

Thanks - glad you like it.

>Of course, now the question is, what happened in the (does a little
>math) 5-weeks-and-change between SotS 4 and Wakaba's arrival.

Well, among other things, C-term Finals Week (last week of February), WPI's version of Spring Break (first two weeks of March), and the first week of D-term (third week of March). Telling that will probably take the form of a few more side stories; one is already complete, but has to wait until the others are ready, and then the stage will be set for the Fifth Movement (which looks like it will begin a day or two before the end of Spring Semester Blues).

For those of you interested in such things, the fill-in pieces go by the working titles (in chronological order):

Entr'acte: A Question of Faith
Entr'acte: How to Court a Princess and
Interlude at Bancroft Tower No. 1 in D Minor

>Man, WPI is beginning to take on apsects of your average anime high
>school:
(snip)
>I suppose that is the effect your trying to get. :)

Something like that, yeah. :)

>You know, it's rather easy to envision this entire series as anime
>OVAs.

I suspect a good bit of that can be attributed to the fact that I have a very cinematic imagination - that is, I often see things as animated sequences, then have to translate them into prose. This can be rewarding, and is often terribly frustrating as well, especially since I can clearly see the way things ought to be drawn, but have no skill or talent whatsoever to draw them with. We'd be up to... oh, at least our ankles, in Symphony-related artwork if I had the ability to produce decent drawings.

>Hmm, will Wakaba be chanting Honou No Ya soon enough?
>I envision her leaning (heavily) towards fire.

Poor Wakaba didn't even get the 2-second briefing the Magic Knights got. She has no idea what the midget was talking about...

>It's quite refresing
>to see Gryphon, Marty, Zoner, and the gang from Utena's
>viewpoint--heck it's the next best thing to meeting them myself.

This was an interesting thing to develop, too, when I started working on Christmas Rose. I found it very peculiar to be working on a story in which my own avatar is a supporting player, and a fairly remote one, at that. The phenomenon brought home to me how much the universe and its original core characters have evolved. Wasn't that long ago that Gryphon-sensei would have been in Corwin's position himself... :)

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor in Chief, Netadmin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/

I know exactly what you mean. My "writing imagination" is very cinematic (and, as of late, "anime-tic"), and I run into exactly the same problem with images that don't go down on paper well. I have a good double handful of scenes and songs for Drunkard's Walk that won't be going in there (yet) because they yet defy my ability to translate them to prose. As far as artwork is concerned, I'm not hopeless, but the amount of time it takes me to do anything I feel satisfied with pretty much rules out production in that direction.

What I'm hoping for, someday, is a good PC-based animation studio, that'll let me do character design and modelling, and will tween for me between key images... then I'll start getting these recalcitrant images out of my head...

Anyway, back to the original topic...

-- Bob
---------------
"Shinji. Same name as the master key -- well done, Ikari. Shinji can't be copied. Splendid plan." -- Tabris, in Tenshi Muyo! Rei-o-ohki

That delightful sequence represents the first-ever outright contribution by our very own Special Guest For Life Phil Moyer to an EPU story! During the final review process, he pointed out that Spring Semester Blues was missing that vital component, which, in the grand tradition of a place Zoner and I used to work, was equivalent to volunteering. :)

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor in Chief, Netadmin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/

Who said the spaceship-on-the-Quad incident had anything to do with the Duelists' Society?

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor in Chief, Netadmin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/

Did I read too much into the context clues?

"A girl in a funny uniform with a sword? Probably somebody here to try out for the Duelists' Society, or someone from another school who heard of them and came to see if she could take one of them on. As for the way she had appeared, well, sure, that was a little weird, but at least she hadn't come in a ship
and thruster-scorched the grass again."

I thought the "take them on" part seems to indicate the Duelists, or at least the Federation. Did I associate too much in that free association?

t.

Trigger Argee
trigger_argee@hotmail.com
Manon, Orado, etc.
Denton, never leave home without it.

Apparently so. The mention of someone scorching the Quad with a ship's thrusters is meant to refer simply to another strange incident that's occurred at school this year, not necessarily anything to do with the Duelists.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor in Chief, Netadmin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/

Is that going to get explained in one of the fill-in pieces?

Eric J. Heckathorn
ericjh@stargate.net

Probably.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor in Chief, Netadmin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/

I think that Zoner was just the easiest to get to the right place at the right time to deal with the issue. SOMETHING was going to happen, and a little tweak of the patterns - if you check the thread 'The Weapons' on the General board, you'll see Megazone's comments on it - would be just enough for his subconcious to tell him 'go here, it's a good idea'. And it's also possible that there was just enough of the need of Utena to 'Escape to a safe place' with Akio being murder-bastard at her that HER power along twisted fate to insure that the person to meet her in Midgard was the one person best suited to help her at that moment...

Of course, Clef couldn't do anything AFTER she worldwalked, and while 'So You've Arrived...' helps UTENA, there is, as far as we know, a book called 'So You Just Had Someone Arrive From The Tenth World In Your Presence'. Considering that Eris and Belldandy both state they know very little about the Tenth World, I would expect even the redoubtable Derek Bacon would have a problem writing that one.

Besides, from what we've seen, Megazone just kinda zens his way through life right now. He's building the traps and stocking the armories and training the armies, and no one can see it until the enemy strikes and finds their target is far more prepared than they think.

--
Geoff Depew - Mephron
Haberdasher to Androids, Malakite of Lightning and Angel of Tech Support Professionals
(They won't give me LARTs, they say that's restricted to Michael.)

I think your right on on that one... besides, Zoner's influance can be quite subtle. Which is why, when I saw where the "so you've arrived" book in just the right place, I knew it was zoner's doing, even if he didn't have a DIRECT hand in it. Just like right after Wasaba's arrival, she walks in THE correct direction to find Utena and the Duelist club.

I find it interesting that someone who calls himself the end of the world doesnt learn better from his mistakes. After all, he got whupped after insulting Utena... then he does the exact same thing to Wasaba. Idiot.

Interesting tennant that the rings pass on 'imprints' of fighting styles from previous owners. I havent seen Utena yet (but I'm going to have to... My must buy anime list is now longer than my net work profits for the rest of my lifetime, it seems) but it certainly seemes to me from in context in SoS that Utena didn't get that benifit.

___________________

Vaughn doesn't know I exist. I guess this explains why the rest of reality keeps ignoring me as well. >_<

They don't. There's a story arc that comes right after the US-released tapes stop in which the reason Wakaba has Saionji's fighting style becomes vastly obvious.

However, I don't wish to post spoilers for those who do not wish to read them. The plot synopsis and script for the episodes are available at http://www.duellists.tj/synop20.html and http://www.duellists.tj/utena20.html respectively. However, they don't make a whole lot of sense unless you saw the start of the arc (or read http://www.duellists.tj/synop14.html and http://www.duellists.tj/synop15.html and even then, they're kind of obscure without actually seeing the show.)

-- Juniper
----------------------------------------
"Fac me cocleario vomere!"
-- Onatah, on NE:CiF MUSH

Sorry to burst your bubble, friend, but Zoner had nothing to do with either of those occurrences. The book was left behind by Azalynn (who, frankly, has a sense of cosmic timing as good as any Chaoswalker -- it scares us sometimes), and Wakaba appeared on the quad because... well, probably because it's the closest big open area to Utena's current location. (I'm not sure of the exact reason why, but let me tell you this... Clef had no intention at all of getting Zoner involved in the teleportation process this time around. :)

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and these are two of those times.

--truss.

The big magic dimensional bubble appearing -inside- the Wedge would have blown the Dramatic and Touching Ending, rendering it merely Dramatic. And possibly harder on bystanders. :)

It would have also made the thruster-burn comment (and the rest of that bit) harder to slide in.

------------------------
"There's a complete hole..." "That's pretty."
------------------------
Chad Collier
Digital Bitch
J. Random VFX Company

Like (but to a lesser extent than) Bancroft Tower, the stone in the center of the WPI Quad has mystic significance. It's the intersection of a couple of the area's many ley lines. So Wakaba's appearance there is not a coincidence, but it's got nothing to do with Zoner. He's not even on the planet at the time it happens.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor in Chief, Netadmin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/

And the 'real' affect of the seal is that stepping on it dooms you to never graduate from WPI. Hmmm... most of the people I know (including me) who flaunt their business on the seal (sleeping on it, eating on it, just stepping on it, doing other things on it) generally don't graduate. At least, not on time...

-Craig
Yay! It's almost time for Otakon, then it'll be almost time for College! Thanks to WPI for a PHENOMINALLY BAD time to open the dorms. On a SUNDAY? How polite... the only day I can get there is a SATURDAY...

When the hell did that myth start? Never heard it in my entire time at WPI, and I know several people who walked on it and graduated - most on time. I did and graduated, but I took 5 years - changing your major going into your 4th year will do that.

-MegaZone, megazone@megazone.org
Personal Homepage http://www.megazone.org/
Eyrie Productions FanFic http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
See what I'm selling on eBay

Except that you're dead wrong. MZ had absolutely nothing to do with it. "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

The world is pretty much like it always was - coincidences happen without any interference. It isn't like MZ is manipulating all of creation, even the gods don't do that.

>didn't have a DIRECT hand in it. Just like right after Wasaba's
>arrival, she walks in THE correct direction to find Utena and the
>Duelist club.

Again, nothing to do with me, Eris, or any other manipulative force. If you're standing on the quad at WPI the most obvious place to go is the Wedge - it has a glass front with two entrances and generally a fair bit of traffic coming and going. When random people arrive at WPI and park in the Quad Lot they're most likely to head towards the Wedge, the second most likely entrance is the front of Daniels Hall - which connects directly to the Wedge as well.

She just did the logical thing.

-MegaZone, megazone@megazone.org
Personal Homepage http://www.megazone.org/
Eyrie Productions FanFic http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
See what I'm selling on eBay

Except that you're dead wrong. MZ had absolutely nothing to do with it. "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

The world is pretty much like it always was - coincidences happen without any interference. It isn't like MZ is manipulating all of creation, even the gods don't do that.

Well, sure, that's what you want us to think.

(Sorry, had to be said.)

--Zenigame, who's thinking of all the literary critics who read deep stuff into literature, and all the authors wondering 'what crack was he on when he read my book?'

My favorite example of which, is all the speculation on the deep meaning behind why some of the Dr. Seuss stories are in colour and others are in B&W, when the real reason is that B&W is what they could afford to print at the time because colour was just too expensive.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled Duel, already in progress...

-Z, who would get a huge kick out of any of the Dr. Seuss characters (except the Whos0 appearing in UF...

---
We are Dyslexic of Borg. Your ass will be laminated.

To subtle for me. I'm just a lowly programmer in the service of Skuld...
I could see either or both of your suggestions.

>Of course, Clef couldn't do anything AFTER she worldwalked, and while
>'So You've Arrived...' helps UTENA, there is, as far as we know, a
>book called 'So You Just Had Someone Arrive From The Tenth World In
>Your Presence'. Considering that Eris and Belldandy both state they
>know very little about the Tenth World, I would expect even the
>redoubtable Derek Bacon would have a problem writing that one.

A world even Fate and Chaos don't know much about. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing... Considering the apparent state of things, and that we're talking about Belldany and Eris, it seems like a bad thing.
>
>Besides, from what we've seen, Megazone just kinda zens his way
>through life right now. He's building the traps and stocking the
>armories and training the armies, and no one can see it until the
>enemy strikes and finds their target is far more prepared than they
>think.

It's as big a mistake to underestimate Chaos as it is to underestimate Good.

Captain Willard
Commander, Free Socorro Liberation Front

How do you know she didn't? Maybe there was some reason beyond a personal liking for Utena that Skuld pitched in with Corwin to help draw the leys for the Thorn of the Rose... a person of such potential deserves a weapon that can match her, after all. Corwin did say that Skuld wanted the Thorn to be a weapon worthy of a Valkyrie. You can read that a couple of different ways...

>Or maybe the Master Mage was worried? If Utena is wearing the
>power-limiters that Belldandy was going to make for her, he might not
>be able sense her anymore? If he could before?

Clef has no ability to sense anything in Midgard. The Veil of the Tenth World is too strong for him to pierce without an artifact, and he can't hang around near the Rose Gate (the thing he used to send Wakaba to Earth) - it's way too dangerous to loiter in that vicinity for long. (It's a pain to use the Gate as a scrying device anyway; it's not built for that. Nobody but the Master Mage could manage it at all, and it requires so much of his concentration - well, you saw what happened to him when he used it to contact Zoner... )

Basically, he's being neurotic. Utena was pitched into Midgard and Clef, while he had the window of opportunity, used the Gate to grab at the nearest straw - the Chaoswalker. Since then he's been filled with doubt as to whether that was actually a good idea. He has as little information about the Norse gods and their minions as the Norse gods have about his world; all he knows for sure is that the Chaoswalker is powerful, and nominally good. "Chaos" doesn't imply very good things in Cephiro, but the little guy was desperate. As of Spring Semester Blues he's second-guessing himself, and Wakaba's appointment is the result.

>Maybe I've just been
>watching too much DBZ?

If you've seen any of it, you've been watching too much.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor in Chief, Netadmin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/

Err. Well, my first response is that Skuld didn't do anything about a major magic power that blasts out more or less at random. But I do have to admit we don't know WHAT enchantments got put on that sword...

>Clef has no ability to sense anything in Midgard. The Veil of the
>Tenth World is too strong for him to pierce without an artifact, and
>he can't hang around near the Rose Gate (the thing he used to send
>Wakaba to Earth) - it's way too dangerous to loiter in that vicinity
>for long. (It's a pain to use the Gate as a scrying device anyway;
>it's not built for that. Nobody but the Master Mage could manage it
>at all, and it requires so much of his concentration - well, you saw
>what happened to him when he used it to contact Zoner... )

Well, I was kind of rushed for time when I was writting. One of my thoughts was that Clef knew it was Utena pulling people through, and then she stopped. This could be good or bad. As you say, he wouldn't know.
>
>Basically, he's being neurotic. Utena was pitched into Midgard and
>Clef, while he had the window of opportunity, used the Gate to grab at
>the nearest straw - the Chaoswalker. Since then he's been filled with
>doubt as to whether that was actually a good idea. He has as little
>information about the Norse gods and their minions as the Norse gods
>have about his world; all he knows for sure is that the Chaoswalker is
>powerful, and nominally good. "Chaos" doesn't imply very good things
>in Cephiro, but the little guy was desperate. As of Spring
>Semester Blues he's second-guessing himself, and Wakaba's
>appointment is the result.

I can see that. Well, as far as I know there's no deadline there, so he just needs to be patient. As long as your muse doesn't abandon you again, things will work out.

>If you've seen any of it, you've been watching too much.

Ahh, it grows on you.

Like a mold...

Captain Willard
Commander, Free Socorro Liberation Front