On 8/28/97 3:49 PM, Chris Davies at cdavies@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca wrote:

                            Eighteenth Night:
                           A Tale of El-Hazard

I was wondering if another one of these was coming. :)

   The element of air is associated, in mystical theory, with "thought", 
much as fire is associated with "passion", and water with "spirit".  But 
that's not where the idea for Afura's passion for reading comes from -- it 
is derived from watching the preview of the episode of the El-Hazard TV 
Series ... sorry, the episode of "Wanderers:  El-Hazard", as Pioneer is 
calling it, which introduces her, wherin her huge collection of books is 
revealed.  (Watch, the TV series will reveal that she's using them to 
press flowers or something.  Sigh.)

They'd better not. :)

   But the concept that Afura might be the most "intellectual" of the 
Daishinkan was *vaguely* suggested, I think, on the Fifth Night of the 
series, when she was the Priestess who was discussing matters with Dr. 
Schtalbaugh.

I came up with much the same idea for the Afura 'fic I'm working on now; 
I agree with your interpretation of that scene, and you'll notice at 
least a couple of other places where she's the one to make plans for the 
trio. Not to mention a few 'clever' remarks. :) Mine is more about how 
she grew up and got that way... though right now I'm not sure what to do 
with it, it's starting to sound too much like the Disney Beauty and the 
Beast for me to be comfortable. :(

I liked this story overall, except for the end:

   "I have very good ears," she told him without any trace of false 
modesty.  "What sort of stupid things are you thinking about, Makoto?"

   He hesitated, which told her much of what she wanted to know.  "I 
haven't been making *any* progress with the Eye of God ... and ... what 
if, some night, a year or so from now, when I haven't made any more 
progress than I have now, I --"  He fell silent.

I can't see this in Makoto's character, at all. At most, he's not 
strong-willed enough to say no; he's not wishy-washy or indecisive, not 
in that respect. I could see him possibly giving in to pressure from 
Shayla-Shayla -- or even giving her a 'date' out of pity -- but not 
giving in to loneliness on his own part. 


Travis Butler
(The Professor, formerly of Myth and Magick!, Lawrence, KS;
 tbutler@tfs.net, now from the Wandering Powerbook;
 <http://www.tfs.net/personal/tbutler/>;
 Mac page <http://www.tfs.net/business/tbutler/>)

...Argue ideas, not personalities.