Subject: [FFML] Re: [SM] Shades of Gray Chapter 9: Closing the Circle
From: Aaron E Nowack
Date: 1/12/2002, 9:33 PM
To: durandall@rakhal.com
CC: ffml@anifics.com



On Sat, 12 Jan 2002 04:34:54 -0800 Brian Randall <durandall@rakhal.com>
writes:

Aaron E Nowack wrote:
        "This is not the end.  It is not even the beginning of the 
end.
        But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
                -Winston Churchill


        I seem to remember that quote being used for a fairly cheesy 
movie 
involving crashed planes and time-travel.

Churchill was quite the quotable fellow.  Of course, given that this
chapter is closer to the end than the beginning of the fic, its not a
totally acurate quote.  Anyway...

        Mordrangar laughed harshly.  "No, little human," he said, 
mouth
settling into a fanged grin.  "I expect you to die.  Slowly."  
With
these words, Mordrangar's claw swept forward to impale Jadeite.  
The
former general leapt out of the way, narrowly dodging the attacky.


        The attacky what? Well, I suppose as a claw, it does have 
qualities 
of attack-ness about it...

Heh.  The last-minute post-spellcheck typo strikes again!  

        As he landed, Jadeite formed a ball of pure flame between 
his
hands.  With a wordless yell, he sent the rapidly expanding 
fireball at
the Dragon, who with a snort swatted it out of the air, sending it 
to
tear a massive hole in Jadeite's front line.


        Pure flame, of course, being heated carbon atoms, from what 
I remember.

Really?

        No, really.

Ah.
  
        "Pathetic," the Dragon of Earth commented as he surged 
forward,
nearly crushing the impudent human underneath his scaled coils.


        Ryu: You know, I have a daughter named Makoto who throws 
around 
lightning bolts.

Mordrangar:  You know, I rule a mighty kingdom and have a legion of
minions who throw around lightning bolts.  And by the way... take out
that Ranma fellow as soon as you have a chance.  Water Dragons just can't
be trusted.

        Err... don't mind me.

        Jadeite stumbled backwards as the Dragon pulled itself to 
its
full height, towering over the battlefield like a colossus.  He 
lightly
tapped the ground before him, whispering, "Rolling Inferno."  The 
wave
of flame and explosions sped towards the Dragon, which tried to 
get out
of the way, its massive bulk for once a liability.


        Yeah, but with the Gargantuan Size defect you automatically 
gain a 
few extra hit-dice. It's all good.

But that -4 to AC can be pretty annoying.

        A quick swipe from one of its claws sent Jadeite to the 
ground,
grasping at his now wounded shoulder.  The Dragon loomed over the 
human,
poised for the killing blow.  "You were not as challenging as I
expected," Mordrangar said, knowing that he could impale the human 
with
one of his claws faster than Jadeite could get off a spell that 
could
hurt him.  "I almost pity you."


        Wounded how? Are these claws large enough that they should 
be 
spreading bloody bits of Jadite-shoulder abour the arena of combat? 
Narrow enough that severed and chipped flakes of bone are scattering 

the area amid the spray of blood? Did it merely smash against the 
general's presumed armor and bruise him to the bone while slamming 
him to the ground? Or was it just a colored flash before the number 
'542' appeared over Jadite's head, only to be replaced by the 
flashing yellow triangle that indicates that it's Jadite's turn 
again?

Heh.  You know... the really scary part is that I was playing Final
Fantasy VII for the first time while writing the Jadeite/Mordrangar
scenes...

        Er... don't mind me. On a bit of a rush from actually 
finishing a 
fanfic....

One day I will discover that rush.


        Jadeite rose to his feet, muttering a spell of healing 
that,
while not completely removing the injury he had suffered, managed 
to
numb the pain and restore function to that arm.  Jadeite looked up 
as a
low growl was released from his opponent's throat.


        A shower of white sparkles, and the number over Jadite's 
head is 
'320', flashing in green...

Double heh.

        It was also good to be spending some time with the two of 
them.
Mamoru was always a bit of a loner, but Tamori had also been 
rather
scarce the past few weeks, as had Ikawa and Motoki.  Shoju sighed
inwardly for a moment.  Things had gotten pretty boring at times 
without
his friends to hang out with.  But he knew that these things went 
in
cycles, and that probably in a month or so he'd be seeing them so 
often
he'd get sick of them.


        Shoju: Hmm... according to this cycle, they hang out with me 
more 
often every time a new Final Fantasy game is released... but Final 
Fantasy XI is going to be an online game! Crap!

...ROTFLMAO.  Really.


        Hm. Gorhan either sucks at politics, or really needs someone 
else's 
power to pull this off. Well, youma aren't too bright from what I 
can figure, really.

There are the smart youma, and the dumb youma.  The smart ones don't have
anything to do with Asphara, and even less with anything that involves
going up against the Senshi, given their as yet perfect score when it
comes to getting rid of inconvenient invading youma. ;) 



        "Nothing really," Meno said.  "Just the results of a 
little side
project of mine.  Anyway, what about Hoshi, Tamori?"


        HEH! This is great. Alike, yet not. Very nice.

*whistles inncocently*

        Meno: Come on, Hoshi. You know you want to try being a 
pseudo-magical 
boy with strange powers.

        Hoshi: Will it get me chicks?

        Meno: You'll have the power to fight for truth, justice, and 
the 
Japanese way!

        Hoshi: Will it get me chicks?

        Meno: You can save humanity from evil!

        Hoshi: Will it get me chicks?

        Meno: You'll be the staunch and upright defender of all that 
is good 
and right in this world!

        Hoshi: Will it get me chicks?

        Meno: *sigh* YES, it'll get you chicks.

        Hoshi: Okay. As long as I don't become some yaoi-esque 
pretty-boy.

My god... that was so ludicrously funny that if I ever do an omake
collection for this it's gonna _have_ to be in there. 


        Nyxan smiled, another bolt of dark energy growing in its 
hands.
"Not particularly."  The youma Overlord released his attack, then
vanished.  The bolt of shadow did little more than irritate the 
Dragon,
but the firebolt that arrived from the opposite direction did more
damage.

        Now THAT is a smart General.

Mm-hmm.  There's a reason the Senshi are never even going to _see_ him in
this fic. :)

        It was as though a dam he had never known existed had been
destroyed.  Everything was suddenly so clear.  New memories were 
open to
him, memories of an ancient time, of another civilization.  Power 
flowed
through and around, a dark power that was his to command.  And 
with
three words, similar to those with which Sachiko had shocked him a 
brief
time ago. he summoned that power to battle.

        Uh-oh.

At least I'm not going to _ever_ have to try and come up with a somewhat
original to say "All his memories of being a Champion in his past life
came flooding back to him." again.  


        Mordrangar was first to recover, shaking his head.  "Fool! 
 I
will destroy you!"  The very earth heaved beneath Jadeite, sending 
him
flying once again.


        Now HERE is a question for you.

        That phrase 'the very earth' is meant in the sense of a 
planet, yes? 
But then, if it is, then it's not really Earth, is it?

Um... well you see... um... it's kind of...

I go reword now. :)


        The forces of the Mountains of Desolation hesitated, and 
then
one by one they lowered their banners and dropped their weapons.
Jadeite's army surged forward, shouts of victory filling the air.
Jadeite himself turned towards his Generals, and smiled as his 
sword
vanished.  "Victory," he half-whispered, savoring the word.


        o/` Final Fantasy Victory Music o/`

        Jadite has gained 3000 EXP, and 0 GP!
        Jadite has gained a level!

Heh.  I will admit that One Winged Angel got some heavy playtime during
the writing of this chapter... 

1) This story is now officially more than half over.  Just so you 
know.


        Mmm.... Can't wait to see more.

Glarg... I just realized that now that Chapter 9 is released, I have to
feel guilty every day I don't work on Chapter 10!

2) As always, kneel and worship before those brave souls who 
choose to 
preread my horrible, horrible writings. They are: Angus MacSpon,
Chaeotica, 
and my ever-loving sister Rebecca Nowack.  Or, if kneeling and
worshipping 
isn't your thing, just read Angus's excellent fanfics, and pester 
him
about 
the next chapter of Sailor Moon 4200.


        You have almost as little faith in your skill as a writer as 
I do in 
mine. I hereby award you a Tin Shinji in recognition of your 
humility@

Yay! ;)

3) Please do C&C this, if you read it!  It's muchly appreciated!


        Please write more of this, if I C&C it! It's ALSO muchly 
appreciated!

See... I'm already feeling guilty!


           Aaron Nowack
"Never let reality get in the way of a good hypothesis."
http://www.geocities.com/anowack/
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