The Hearts of the Suffering

[Arashi_Leonhart]

Not really. I can do that for jokey-stuff, but the banter in this chapter is about as funny as this is going to get.

[Nephirin]

Hm. Knight in Red. Sounds like Tohsaka might resummon Archer. And You Are My King sounds like Waver will grab Rider again.

[Arashi_Leonhart]

Speculation is my bread and butter.

[Ergast]

Besides the fact that I'm with Bridgeburner about prefering post-UBW (I can't remember any good post-UBW story besides "When Left" finished, right now, and that one was centered on the side characters), I'm really excited about this story. I can't say little more about your style that I hadn't said already thousand times, so I'll go with just "I'm following it and I already want the next chapter"

Hm. Knight in Red. Sounds like Tohsaka might resummon Archer. And You Are My King sounds like Waver will grab Rider again.

Personally, I can think of another character that might be a Knight in Red. Although, to be fair, is the same character.

[ItsaRandomUsername]

Fate/stay night: The Reunion Special is a go. Am eagerly awaiting any potential twists and turns that this may have in store.

[shiningphoenix]

Might be red herrings, because I have no idea how EMIYA might obtain his goal in this situation. Ten years after the Fifth War it's extremely unlikely for Shirou not to know his identity, and even more for Rin. So it's not like he can get summoned and ask "So... about them ideals... what you think? Still being stupid?"

I thought EMIYA's true dream was still to save people and make them happy. Why wouldn't he show up if Rin tried to summon him?

[Arashi_Leonhart]

Besides the fact that I'm with Bridgeburner about prefering post-UBW

I don't think you guys would like what I would do if it were post-UBW.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

It already can't be post UBW due to Caliburn being referenced already.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Well fuck, good point.

[Arashi_Leonhart]

I could buy Continuation of the Dream being what happens when Saber gives up on the Grail in UBW True. Just, instead of the dream being "that time when I fell in love and found peace" it was "that time I watched two people I admire act really cute together."

[Ergast]

Have you read Fate/Once Again? It's not a masterpiece, but it's an above average Sixth War, and the Shirou x Rin parts are very good. The fic is dead, though.

Edit: I think it's pretty much a given that the two of us would have preferred a post-UBW :P

As I said, besides When Left, I can't remember any good post-UBW story finished. And some of them were one or two chapters away from the end.

And yes, I read it. It was a funny story. Not brilliant, but way above average, for FF.net standars.

I don't think you guys would like what I would do if it were post-UBW.

Eh, maybe, maybe not. If it ends with an earned happy end, I'm happy too. And with that I mean that the main characters earn it after much suffering and all that. But! You are the writer, so write what you feel it's better.

[Malgos]

Actually, I might have been thinking that very thing when writing it, I was watching SAO Extra at the same time.

Maybe I should watch that. Considering it already made me smile from just reading your conversation, it should be way more amusing to actually see that happening.

Not really. I can do that for jokey-stuff, but the banter in this chapter is about as funny as this is going to get.

I'm not exactly into grim dark stuff, but I like the sound of that. I kind of dislike when some authors throw in some random lighthearted parts as breather chapters, it throws off the mood. Not saying you would do that in the first place, but it's good to know that it will be pretty dark as the title indicates.

I actually never really read any Sixth War stories as they failed to grab my interest be it simply through their summary or during the first few chapters, but I'm really looking forward to this.

I don't think you guys would like what I would do if it were post-UBW.

Not sure what I would get, but I'd be interested nonetheless.

[forumghost]

Eh, maybe, maybe not. If it ends with an earned happy end, I'm happy too. And with that I mean that the main characters earn it after much suffering and all that. But! You are the writer, so write what you feel it's better.

Pretty sure that Arashi means that, given he's (IIRC) said that he's not a big supporter of the pairing, people who are fans of Post UBW fics would be disappointed by the lack of RinXShirou

[Laith]

But in UBW True she doesn't really give up on the Grail, just on the Fuyuki Grail Wars because that party is shit. I don't think that being told, just once, in passing from Archer that her desire was silly would have been enough for change Saber's goal.

Nah she does give up the Grail

The Holy Grail is breaking down.
The thing she sought, the thing that should have saved her.
She destroyed it with her own hands and finally realized her mistake.
One boy and one hero.
The man that got twisted at the end of his ideal was still a boy.

[Arashi_Leonhart]

But in UBW True she doesn't really give up on the Grail, just on the Fuyuki Grail Wars because that party is shit. I don't think that being told, just once, in passing from Archer that her desire was silly would have been enough for change Saber's goal.

It isn't just Archer saying it, but being confronted with the Shirou-Archer dichotomy in general. UBW good implies she understands on some level, not just because Archer told her "give it up," but because she knows there's something wrong with the idea overall and that Shirou has the answer with him somewhere. I always took the fact that she goes without a fight at the end of True as being her understanding that literally, it isn't her fight.

^ Yeah, that.

Pretty sure that Arashi means that, given he's (IIRC) said that he's not a big supporter of the pairing, people who are fans of Post UBW fics would be disappointed by the lack of RinXShirou

I never said I wasn't a supporter of the pairing. It has more to do with what I view the end result of the UBW route to be, not any issue with the romance. If anything I've so far tended toward Rin and Shirou as a couple when it comes to what I've written--could work out in Escaping, happened previously in Far Side and Shared Resonance, two pwps, UST still hinted at in What I See...

[forumghost]

Nah she does give up the Grail

Yeah, her destroying the Grail willfully counts as her giving up the contract.

BTW Arashi, since this is post Fate-Route, does that mean Saber is chillin' in Avalon? Or are you gonna bend Canon there to have her included in the story?

I never said I wasn't a supporter of the pairing. It has more to do with what I view the end result of the UBW route to be, not any issue with the romance

Sorry, poor wording on my part. I suppose I could have said:

"Arashi is one of the group that feels that the relationship won't really last, due to it being primarily Teenagers+Hormones+Near-Death Experience"

But that's a bit of a Mouthful.

[Arashi_Leonhart]

Spoiler:

I wouldn't say I'm bending canon. She's not in Avalon yet.

It's also how I'm nerfing her.

^ Nah, I don't actually think that. They have plenty of things to build off of as a relationship. The talk about near death experiences and stuff I have pointed out, but as a general food-for-thought point, not necessarily because I think that's a good benchmark or anything.

When it comes to their relationship, I just always felt like in the end, it would still amount to Shirou taking off for god-knows-where to pursue his dream and that Rin would support him where she could, but she also has a life of her own.

Not that this is the point that I would emphasize in a post-UBW story. I'll keep what I have in mind on the off chance I decide to go somewhere with it. Although I've kind of thrown all of my other good ideas into this story atm.

[hatori]

This is... good.

[LJ3]

I'm glad to see this kind of cast. To see what development you have in mind for Fate Shirou.

Is there some particular themes you want present through this? That this will be 50/50 the 6th and Magus Association politicking?

[Arashi_Leonhart]

I don't particularly consider this a "6th" since at this point the cat is out of the bag that the system is broken. If you expect a bunch of Servant fights, you're probably going to be disappointed. Anyway, it's mostly about giving myself a final conclusion to some character arcs. The politicking is mostly in the setup and in establishing antagonists to what I want Waver and them to go through. Each of what'll end up being the team of protags will have a sort of rival antagonist central to their story.