[FFML] [R1/2] Hearts of Ice, 26/26

[Krista Fisk]

At 12:38 PM 6/3/2009, you wrote:
>Krista Fisk wrote:
> > Well, here's hoping this part doesn't suffer from the weird formatting
> > the last part suffered from. C&C is welcome and appreciated.
>
>I have quite a but to say, but first
>
>SPOILER ALERT!  -- Do not read this until you have read Hearts of Ice #26


Heh, I think I'll leave this spoiler space.  :)


>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>-
>
><snip very kind words>  ^_^;;;




>My only criticism might be that chapter 26 felt rushed, but
>that might have been just me wanting more. That's not always
>a bad thing - I have better memories of a great meal if I
>leave the table not feeling like I could never eat again.


You're not the only one who mentioned that it felt rushed.  I was 
trying to convey a sense of urgency with Ranma being in a hurry to 
return to life, but I think my effort to sprint to the finish line 
myself, seeing it so close, made me cut some corners.  KaraOhki gave 
me some good advice, and I went back through this final section and 
fleshed it out a bit.  I think it helped, but you can judge for 
yourself because I finally gathered all the various parts of the 
Phoenix chapter and posted it to my website 
here:  http://www.akane.org/heartsofice/story/HeartsOfIce-Phoenix.htm



>As an aside, there were dozens of episodes of Star Trek
>Next Generation where I would look at the clock (Pre-Tivo)
>and notice that they were in deep, deep, tribble doo-doo
>with 6 minutes left in the time slot. (Not even counting
>the credits and end of episode adverts!) They still
>cleaned things up and had time for a nice spot of Earl
>Grey, hot.
>And what is up with that anyway? Did they loose the concept
>of preferences in the 23 century? Couldn't the captain
>just click the check box for "Hot"?  And don't get me
>started on DS9 - Don't you people have paint stores anymore?
>A little 'desert sage' would have really brightened up the
>place and you wouldn't have felt so angsty all the time. Jeez.


Heheheh!



>Anyway...
>
>As for this chapter...
>I'm very pleased that you re-animated Ranma, I'm not sure
>if I could have taken it if you'd have sent him off to
>his ancestors.


I had a happy end planned from the beginning.  ^_^  In fact, once I'm 
finished with the epilogue, I'm thinking about posting my outline 
(from which I deviated on several points), as well as some tossed 
scenes that just didn't fit right, just for fun.  The HoI Blooper Reel.



>Over the years I've been pretty outspoken about [Dark]
>elements in the Ranma universe. There were some brilliantly
>written [Dark] stories over the years, but I cannot bring
>myself to re-read them. I suspect the wounds they left were
>part of what banished me from Nerima for so long.
>
>There are plenty of violent acts in HoI, and it doesn't
>get much worse than literally sending Ranma to Hell,
>but there remained within the characters something of
>Takahashi's Nerima for me to hold onto.
>It's a journey I will take again, even though I may
>not be the same at the end.


One of my main purposes in writing this fic to begin with was to 
explore the concept that to properly appreciate heaven, you have to 
taste a bit of hell first.  ;)




>In conclusion...
>
>Thank you for a great story, well told, and
>Thank you for inspiring me to again seek out my inner Nerima.
>
>I look forward to the afterword, and to sitting down for
>a nice read, beginning to end. Maybe I'll even print it
>and stick it on the shelf with Lord of the Rings, Harry
>Potter, and The Foundation Trilogy  - all comfort stories
>that I re-read from time to time.


Wow.  Thank you.  I think I'll print this email and keep it for 
whenever I feel depressed.  ^_^

-Krista