 Messages |
Topics |
Attachments
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
Messages - rowan_a._seven
Pages: 1 ... 10 11 [12] 13
166
« on: May 01, 2003, 09:47:44 pm »
Pretty impressive. I only skim read it for a variety of reasons, but such a basic viewing of this story is more than capable of revealing the great talent that went into it. The characterizations are deep, credible, and fascinating, and the story truly has an epic sense. In a good way, it feels more like an El-Hazard world story than a Makoto/Ifurita/other main characters tale. The themes it touches upon are also intelligent and compelling, and the character growth is beautiful to watch. Great job.
167
« on: March 26, 2003, 09:30:09 pm »
Did anyone actually cry when Kalia died?  No, but I did like the character though. Kalia had, IMO, some terrific dialogue with Jinnai in the first half which left a somewhat positive impression of her on my mind. Personally, I would've enjoyed seeing her developed a bit more. However, her death really didn't affect me much. It just didn't seem to have a powerful resonance to it.
168
« on: March 18, 2003, 06:52:55 pm »
One possible problem. Kalia's tomb and desert-Ifurita's oasis are at opposite corners of the known world. Could Jinnai and Kalia have traveled that far in OVA2? Seeing how quickly Jinnai and Groucho were able to travel from the Hive to Roshtaria in the Alternative World, I assume that Bugrom, once they've built up momentum, are some of the fastest creatures on El-Hazard. Also, I don't think it was ever stated just how much time passed between Kalia's awakening and Fujisawa's arrival at the Oasis. Besides, if you were trying to prevent the Trigger of Destruction from ever being used again, wouldn't you place the "key" as far away as possible? You've obviously studied the hints at geography much more closely than I have. Thanks, but I owe a lot to Jason Youngberg's MST3K Wanderers scripts. Reading through those and rewatching Wanderers episodes provided a lot of place names.
169
« on: March 17, 2003, 04:59:25 pm »
 Well, here's that fanmap I mentioned. It's pretty much all speculation on my part combining the Wanderers, the OAV series, and the video game (I haven't read the manga), and my reasoning behind placements is posted below. Any comments, criticisms, and suggestions would be greatly appreciated, and if any of you notice any locations I forgot to include please tell me about them. P.S. I would like to thank Rob for providing the link for this image. P.P.S. Yes, I know the Stairway to the Sky isn't on this map. In the OAV series it appears to be right next to Florestica, and it seemed a bit unnecessary to include it. However, I've begun to have second thoughts about that omission, and I might represent it with a symbol in the final version. The Alliance: Roshtaria - I put it in the center since it's the leader of the Alliance, and there appears to be something that might be a giant city where I put Florestica. Gannan - the first nation to be conquered by Jinnai. Figured it would make sense for it to border the Holy River of God, and since Jinnai seemed to be launch his invasion from a desert I put it parallel to one. Plus it has a port. Balta Hill - Ifurita destroyed the capital city (at least I'm assuming that was the capital city). Anyway, it looked like it was on a plain region, and something resembling a crater exists where I placed the name. Doros Land - a lot of people seem to place this country south of Roshtaria, and its waterways imply that it's close to a body of water. Laide and Geynos - I'm assuming that Jinnai had his troops attack Laide from Doros Land and then attacked Geynos from both Laide, Gannan, and Balta Hill. Complete speculation on my part, but with the apparent size of the Bugrom army I think Jinnai would've employed a surround and conquer strategy rather than marching from one direction to another. Ogresio, Baron, El Dolash, Kobisho, and the Disano Highlands - all from the Wanderers, and I based their locations on the order that they fell to the Bugrom march led by Queen Diva. I put them in the west since the east was already fairly full. Volcano Lisabi - Something that resembles a conic mountain exists where I placed the name. Might be a volcano. Might be a crater. Looked close enough for me. Jungle - a guess, pure and simple. Desert of Bleached White Bones - That region looks like it is a desert. It is also on the Alliance side of the river. 1+1 hopefully equals 2. Spring of Arliman - The protagonists appeared to have done a great deal of traveling through the desert to get to Arliman so I placed it near the desert's end. Barrage Market - Since it's a marketplace, I figured it would be closer to the Alliance nations than Arliman. Nanami probably traveled to the Spring because of the potential business opportunity. Trigger of Destruction/Oasis - It is surrounded by a mountainous desert region so I placed it near the mountain chain but still within the desert. Lilicoco Mt. - Since it was Fujisawa's original destination, it is probably safe to assume that it is close to the Trigger of Destruction and that Fujisawa merely took a wrong turn somewhere. Holy Mountains of God - It's reasonable to speculate that they're the largest mountain chain on the map. Mt. Muldoon - It looked like a separate mountain, but since mountains tend to group together I put it near the Holy Mountains of God. Seminary - I think it would make sense for the Seminary to be near Mt. Muldoon. Forest of Mirage - Dr. Schtalubaugh's group seemed to travel quite a ways to get here, and it is next to a river. Since the south was already decently filled, I put it in the north. Mt. Fhena - There's a sharp and very noticeable mountain peak where I put it. It could be another mountain, but since this is a fanmap I felt I should go with the obvious conclusions. Duchy of Paralia and Beansland - They were briefly mentioned in the Alternative World as possible honeymoon locations. Since the mainland had already been decently developed and islands tend to be looked upon as favorable vacation areas, I placed them in that southern island chain. Neutral: Holy River of God - I believe this geographical feature goes without saying. Forbidden Island - Pure speculation, but since it remained undiscovered for so long it's probably closer to the Bugrom Empire than the Human Alliance. Bugrom Empire: Ancient Ruins - They were underground in a rocky region with water. Since a desert lies to the south I placed it in the rockier north. 1st Hive - It was located in a dark, flat region. I found a dark, flat region. Kalia's Tomb - It exists in a desert on top of a canyon. I put it in the desert. 2nd Hive - It is being built at the bottom of a canyon. Since Jinnai did tell Queen Diva to build a new hive at Kalia's Tomb, I'm assuming that it's in the same place. The Bugrom might've put those trees that can be seen in the background there through their terraformation talents for building supplies and nourishment, or those trees might've always been there and were simply not shown in the Magnificent World 2. Hill of Stones - This is from the video game, and I placed it near the Holy River of God since I thought it would make sense for it to be close to Mt. Muldoon and the Alliance.
170
« on: March 14, 2003, 10:09:38 pm »
Since there doesn't seem to be a definitive map of the Alliance kingdoms, someone probably ought to draw a "fanon" (fan-canon) map, if they haven't already. I created one using a screenshot and Microsoft Powerpoint that contains locations from the OAV, TV series, and video game, but I don't know how to post images to this forum. Maybe I should just spruce it up a bit and email it to Rob. FWIW, I've assumed/hoped that Roshtaria and Gannan shared a border in my fan fiction. Well, on my map they do share a border, albeit a small one. I pretty much stuck Roshtaria in the center of Alliance territory, OAV nations to the east and south, TV nations to the west, and Mt. Muldoon in the north.
171
« on: March 14, 2003, 09:56:11 pm »
Anyway, who here thinks they'll touch it at least with a 10 foot pole? *Raises hand* Hopefully and eventually, at any rate. I'm definitely going to wait till at least the midi is converted before attempting to download it, and even then I might have to wait a while longer due to size and uncertainty about whether my computer can run it. By the way, what Sega Saturn emulator would you suggest using for the game?
172
« on: March 01, 2003, 10:02:53 pm »
Part of my bias when determining Qawool as NOT BEING the cyborgian base for Ifurita is actually partly sister influence; she's a robot nut, but doesn't care for cyborgs. But seeing two of you have pushed for it, I may seriously have to reconcider. Qawool being an Ifurita clone just seems more plausible than her being an Ifurita prototype to me. The prototype theory could work, but you would probably have to do a whole lot of explaining to satisfy a perceptive audience. IMO, TV Ifurita would work out much better as an OAV Ifurita prototype. Kinda like OAV1 or something more intricate? Something more intricate. In OAV1, there was never any danger of the Alliance shattering. It was more a matter of reassuring the various delegates that they could still win, keeping everybody calm, and preventing widespread panic. Now, however, the situation is drastically different and open to internal dispute. Going by the El-Hazard Role-Playing Game and Resource Book, there were 24 representatives of the Alliance who came to discuss the Bugrom threat with Princess Rune Venus. Six kingdoms/nations/tribes of the Alliance were also named in the Magnificent World: Roshtaria, Balta Hill, Doros Land, Gannan, Geynos, and Laide, and between the Bugrom invasion and the out-of-control Eye of God they all suffered damage. The Alternative World makes reference to the Duchy of Paralia and Beansland, and if you include the Wanderers continuity there are also Ogresio, Baron, El Dolash, Kobisho, Disano Highlands, and Volcano Lisabi, though the last two sound more like geographical features than actual countries. At any rate, there's likely twelve or more members of the Alliance. The eastern nations all appear to be heavily damaged at the end of the Magnificent World, while any Alliance nations to the west probably escaped the conflict relatively unscathed. The Bugrom invasion also devastated the eastern military forces. Now, as an Alliance, member nations probably have an agreement to the effect that they'll defend each other against outside attacks and help one another rebuild after disasters. This would likely result in the western Alliance nations/tribes having to raise taxes and sending massive amounts of _their_ resources and finances to the eastern Alliance nations to repair eastern cities and militaries. This has the potential to strain relations between the West and East. There is also the question of Roshtaria's future role in the Alliance. The current risks of using the Eye of God are so horrific that it's unlikely to be unsealed again for a very long time. To my knowledge, all Ifurita did at the end of OAV1 was deactivate the Eye of God. Galus' sabotage likely remains unfixed, and without someone like Makoto to turn it off immediately after the target is obliterated the entire world could be decimated. There's now so much that could potentially go wrong if the Alliance attempted to use the Eye of God again that the Ancient's ultimate weapon is effectively useless. It's too dangerous to use unless one is suicidal. Since the Roshtarian royal family's control over the Eye of God is probably one of if not _the_ main reason why they're the head of the Alliance, a situation now exists where the need for Roshtaria's leadership of the Alliance could be questioned and weakened, causing more conflict and division. Additionally, the Alliance probably perceives the current Bugrom threat as trivial and miniscule. It is unlikely that they believe the Bugrom Empire can bounce back and become a serious danger again in only a few short years since they seem to know extremely little about the Bugrom. So long as Jinnai limits the Bugrom to minor raids and keeps his growing army out of sight until he's prepared to launch another offensive, the Alliance will have no pressing need to maintain a strong sense of unity. Now, admittedly, all of these problems are solvable and wouldn't necessarily spell doom for the Alliance as a functioning partnership, but one can also insert the Phantom Tribe into this scenario. Should the Phantom Tribe reinfiltrate the Alliance, they would have the ability to exacerbate and intensify these divisions and tensions, thus undermining and potentially breaking the organization as a whole. Without a powerful and dangerous enemy to unite against, peace could prove to be the most dangerous foe the Alliance has ever dealt with.
173
« on: February 28, 2003, 11:14:57 pm »
Very interesting, Rob. I can see that you have put a great deal of thought into this. Now it’s time for me to reply. Alujah – you already know my theory about Alujah, I now know yours, and neither one of us can prove the other wrong.  Alujah’s origins and history are currently complete unknowns, and the possibilities are practically endless for fan speculation. Yours makes a great deal of sense and seems to be very well thought out, and, while I don’t necessarily agree with it, I don’t have any problems with it either. Qawool – an interesting idea, I will admit. It even makes a certain amount of sense. However, I think it could be refined and made a bit more practical. I also see a slight problem with your theory, though this is only applicable if you use Wanderers continuity to flesh out the Magnificent World a bit more. In the TV series, those seeking to become priestesses left to attend seminary at what I’m assuming is the grade-school level and had to spend several years taking the necessary classes and being instructed in the manipulation of elemental power. A person could conceivably skip a year or two, but it is highly unlikely that a 17-year-old Qawool could show up, complete every requirement in the matter of a year, and be chosen as the next water priestess. It is also at least partially improbable that nobody would ever notice a wind up slot, since it would be likely that a full medical examination would be performed on all applicants to ensure that they’re not Phantom Tribe infiltrators. Now, since this topic seems to encourage the bouncing back and forth of ideas, here’s your idea bounced back after traveling through my mind. Please don’t run away. Assuming Ifurita is a cyborg and that Qawool is a mature, non-cybernetically enhanced clone of Ifurita’s biological components, there are arguably simpler explanations for her behaviors. As a baby or perhaps even before her “birth” the ancient scientists would probably alter/warp/train her brain to work along the lines of a computer since I’m assuming a developing mind is much easier to mold than an adult one. She would be able to process and memorize data quickly and efficiently and probably possess a photographic memory, hence her “top marks at the seminary.” Miscellaneous memories, such as being saved by Makoto, would be filed away and not reprocessed until they become relevant again, explaining her actions after the Bugrom “attack” and Makoto’s disappearance. It wasn’t germane to her current circumstances so she wasn’t overly concerned about it. It is also likely that Demon Gods-to-be would have a basic obedience instruction encoded and be malleable to symbols of authority to make the later absolute obedience easier to pull off. Qawool was ordered to go to Florestica by the Holy Order of Muldoon and report to Priestess Miz, so that would be her first priority, even above looking for those who had accompanied and assisted her (Parnosse and Makoto). However, Qawool, probably through the influence of seminary and her tribe, has been taught to work within a set of rules such as don’t cheat, don’t steal, etc. When she learned that she had to either pay or work for Nanami in exchange for the food she ate, her learned operating parameters kicked in and demanded that she pay off her debt before completing her primary objective. Therefore her priorities were temporarily reordered. After she had satisfied Nanami and reported to Priestess Miz, she would be free to search for Makoto and Parnosse and probably would’ve had not they both turned up when they did. As for her fear of bugs, this could be a natural phobia or the result of more mental manipulation. With the technology of the Ancients, it is conceivable that in addition to training and restructuring a mind a basic operating program could be installed in or imprinted on a brain as well. This program would be able to label creatures as masters, allies, neutrals, enemies/threats, etc. and recommend a response. Since Qawool probably would've been created near the end of the Holy Wars, Bugrom would likely be perceived as an enemy/threat/danger and the programmed reaction be panic/run/eliminate. Over the course of her suspended animation until the present El-Hazard, the “Bugrom” label could’ve deteriorated or been corrupted to “Bug.” Her great elemental power is almost certainly the result of genetic engineering performed in order to enable the body to withstand the stress of channeling energies on the Demon God scale. In this scenario, if Qawool received the proper training she would be as equally proficient with Air and Fire as she is with Water. Now, as for her history, as I already wrote she was probably created near the end of the Holy Wars and that as a baby or small child, after the mental and genetic modifications were completed, Qawool was placed in a human hibernation chamber and would remain in there until the ancient scientists were ready to accelerate her growth, install the cybernetic components, and transform her into another Ifurita unit. However, before this next phase could begin, the Eye of God devastated the world, the Holy Wars came to an abrupt and violent end, and the location of her stasis unit was forgotten. Time passed until finally, sixteen-to-seventeen years or so before the first OAV series, Qawool was freed either through mechanical malfunction or discovery and adopted by a human tribe which practiced a form of socialism, explaining her assumption that she wouldn’t need to pay money for food since, where she comes from, food is shared by all so long as everybody performs their duties. Meals at seminary were probably free as well, further reinforcing this notion. As a child, when Qawool was taught to be polite, nice, not to lie, not to cheat, etc., this was taken as further operating protocal, and the natural perception of her instructor/village elder/guardian as an authoritarian figure led to more or less unquestioned obedience. The same relationship of deference applies to the Holy Order of Muldoon and Priestess Miz until she became ex-Priestess Miz. It is probable that Qawool’s mental programming causes her to perceive social relationships as a set of roles. Shayla-Shayla is the Fire Priestess, her fellow coworker, and a person who should be respected hence why Qawool never seems to doubt her or be annoyed by her antics. After all, Shayla-Shayla is a great priestess which implies wisdom so she must have a good reason for everything she does. Friends are people who hang out and perform recreational activities together, converse, care about one another, and help when needed. Priestesses should be respected and believed, and if a priestess shows up that she hasn’t heard of there must be a good reason and she should still follow instructions…so long as they don’t contradict any of her other directives. Makoto is a handsome boy roughly her own age who is intelligent, kind, treats her with respect, and has saved her life. Just about everything she has learned probably indicates that she should be in love with him, so her mind, to fulfill the mental role and categorization, simulates the emotion of love and convinces her that she is in love with him. As for herself, Qawool does have a distinct personality and set of feelings, but it’s buried, obscured, and heavily influenced by her mental programming which shapes the directions of her thoughts and responses. Love is a very hard emotion to control though, so now that she has fallen in love with Makoto her inner self might grow in strength and come into conflict with her programming as a consequence. She’s a completely organic Ifurita with a weaker and much simpler operating program, her own separate personality, and lacks the memories most Ifurita Demon Gods possess (i.e. destroying entire cities). Alliele & Parnosse – I agree with you that they and their family are servants of the government and probably high-ranking ones at that. By all indications, Alliele is technically a handmaiden to Fatora (at least it makes sense if she is), and Parnosse served as a guide to the incoming Priestess of Water, a job that would almost certainly be given only to a trusted and eminent attendant. Princess Rune – personally, I believe her to be rather competent and good at ruling, though I concur that she would probably prefer a simpler life. As for fitting her in a story, you could always make use of a de-aging agent and have her revert to the younger and less mature TV Rune Venus persona. More seriously though, you could add a political aspect to the story with a diplomatic crisis cropping up and dividing the Human Alliance when they need to be unified against a renewed Bugrom or Phantom Tribe threat. Londs – a fascinating and disquieting analysis. Unless things get very desperate though, I don’t see him actively trying to get rid of Alliele and forcing Fatora into a more…conventional relationship. Sure, he might argue with Fatora or Alliele, remind the former of her duties, and look the other way when the latter wishes to go with Makoto or somebody else into a dangerous situation, but it is doubtful that he’ll actually try to kill Alliele. As for not letting them use a flight craft, it probably states somewhere that supplicants to the Holy Priestesses must ascend Mt. Muldoon by foot. Romances – eh, not much to comment on here. Fish has certainly proved that odd pairings can be done when written well, and a little variation from standard pairings would probably be enjoyable to read. Technology – all of what you wrote sounds pretty feasible, though I don’t know about Makoto finding an entire crate of lamps. Perhaps a small chest with only three or so. Only three users still exist in the present, and if elemental lamps were somewhat common in ancient times one would think that instead of a triple priesthood there would be an elite order or something instead. Probably each kingdom had their own set of three elemental users, but most of them died during the Holy Wars and the survivors wanted to make sure that their powers would never be used for political purposes again and limited their number to three for the entire human race. Still, this is only my interpretation of the matter, and there isn't any real evidence to lend support one way or another. SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU MIND HAVING IMPORTANT FANFICTION STORY ASPECTS AND REVELATIONS SPOILED!By the way, the "Qawool is Ifurita's daughter from the future" theory has already been done by somebody and (IMO) done quite well at that. You can find that story here: http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=410247 Also, if you plan on including the Phantom Tribe in this project, you might want to read this story: http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=743761It's a very captivating character study of Galus as a youth, and through him a convincing and fascinating facet of Phantom Tribe life is revealed.
174
« on: February 25, 2003, 10:01:16 pm »
Now, to be fair, there is a very logical and sensible explanation behind Sakuya's character and personality.
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER*
*DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU WOULD BE UPSET BY HAVING ONE OF THE REVELATIONS OF TENCHI IN TOKYO BEING REVEALED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.*
Yugi wanted to drive a rift between Tenchi and the girls and created normal, nice, calm, and relatively innocent Sakuya, the antithesis to the chaos and strife of the Ryoko/Aeka situation, to accomplish this. I can understand why Sakuya is the way she is and even like the character a bit, though I will agree that her relationship with Tenchi did seem a bit rushed and forced.
As for Qawool, I have ambiguous feelings about her. I didn't like many of her functions in the Alternative World, but she does have potential.
175
« on: February 25, 2003, 09:05:34 pm »
I'd suggest you go with option 1 or 3, with the former being my preference. As you stated, the Alternative World did happen, it is part of El-Hazard canon, and it does provide some additional material to work with.
Starting with something different has promise, but a new story with alternative versions of the same characters is a different series in its own right and not really a continuation, which, unless it is very well written or interesting, might not be as appealing as a "sequel" is.
Despite the appeal of option 2, ignoring the Alternative World, to certain people, I'd have to strongly urge against it. Pretending something didn't happen will probably take away a certain amount of credibility to your project (As in "This couldn't happen because the Alternative World directly contradicts it"), and there are creative solutions to problems. Don't like Jinnai's characterization? Assume the food the Termite Bugrom gave him was drugged. Think Makoto was too bland? Assert that he's been in his lab far too long. Don't like the new characters? Plausibly develop them into something you can work with. Depressed because Ishiel wasn't in it (or any OAV/TV series for that matter)? Be creative and find a believable way to fit her in. And so on.
So yeah, I recommend option 1 (Passive Acceptance).
176
« on: February 12, 2003, 11:20:54 pm »
Thanks for the kind words Rob and Tim. I really appreciate your comments. Galus makes a note in the OAV that the Alliance and the Bugrom will destroy each other; "Who says history can't repeat itself?" Unless, of course, this is assumed to be an entirely seperate story within itself, but at least Ifurita's memory seems to cotain insectoid-ish looking warships... Hm, thanks for pointing that out. It's been a while since I've watched the Magnificent World in its entirety, and I've forgotten some of the details. I'll probably make a few revisions later to better reflect this, though like you said it might be a separate story. An awful lot of time probably passed between the Ancient Wars and the present, and some factor must've prevented the humans from becoming scientifically advanced again, though that could be just about anything. As for Jinnai, that was a very interesting bit of insight about his overloaded senses, something I had never even thought about. The only thing I ever speculated was that his ability to communicate had to at least be on some mental wavelength, or better yet, the "radio" communication you had noted.
The sensory overload idea came about as a way to rationalize what I viewed as some character discrepencies in the Alternative World and explain just why Jinnai seems to be able to figure things out so quickly. In AW, Jinnai quickly ascertained that he had been transported to an Alternative World, and I doubt he was lying about this because if he was he probably would've come up with a more believable one. He also identified the Eye of God within minutes when Makoto hadn't been able to make that connection despite all his research and time in Cretoria. This led me to conclude that Jinnai might have some sort of additional sense or senses. The writing was great in a general format, but in detail, the Groucho one seems way overdone. It's like glorified text, perhaps what he thinks, but I doubt it's something he'd be able to "say". Yeah, I realized the same thing when I was about halfway finished, but then it occured to me that Bugrom thinking patterns are probably so alien that they wouldn't make much sense to a human who isn't familiar with them anyway. Rather than go back and completely revise it, I settled with rendering the meaning of Groucho's thoughts in a comfortable method. I figured he had to have some telekinetic ability, but I never thought of him inheriting traits that are closely related to a bug I suspect that Jinnai communicates to the Bugrom on some mental or "radio" channel, but for him to understand the Bugrom he needs a set of their senses or a close approximation.
177
« on: February 11, 2003, 09:55:48 pm »
Title: Messenger’s Monologue
Author: Rowan Seven
Teaser: A Jinnai introspection piece.
Disclaimer: El-Hazard belongs to AIC and Pioneer. This story was written for recreational and entertainment purposes. I’m not making any money off this fanfiction.
Author’s Notes: This story takes place in the OAV series shortly after “The Alternative World.” For the sake of this story, please think of the OAV Bugrom and the Wanderers Bugrom as two similar but different races. My depiction of Jinnai is based heavily on his characterization in the first OAV series, his role in the other animated series to a lesser extent, public speculation, my own thoughts, and various works of fanfiction.
======
My name is Jinnai Katsuhiko, formerly the Student Council President of Shinonome High School in Japan, presently military leader of the Bugrom Empire, and the future ruler of El-Hazard. I will realize my destiny and defeat my eternal rival, the accursed Mizuhara Makoto, once and for all! The Alliance’s armies will fall before my awesome cunning coupled with bugrom might! I will establish an empire that will stand the test of time, and my name will go down in history as belonging to the man who conquered the world! God is on my side, and victory is merely a matter of time. WhahahahaHaHaHaHaHAHAHAHA!!!
Indeed, if it weren’t for the detestable Mizuhara and his tampering with Ifurita, I would’ve already achieved my rightful place in this world. Though I will admit to a certain…hastiness in acting before I possessed a full understanding of my new surroundings when I first arrived here, at least I was bold enough to seize the opportunity fate presented me with, and despite this early ignorance I was able to adapt to and turn the chaotic state of this planet to my advantage until my eternal rival interfered with my success. He will pay dearly for that!
Still, the past is the past. I’m a forward-looking individual by nature, and a few lost battles here and there mean nothing so long as I win the war. The future, with its many promising possibilities, awaits. Already I’m planning ahead, formulating training drills and skill education for the next generations of loyal bugrom subjects. During the last war the Imperial Bugrom Army proved unsuitable to the more…subtle aspects of warfare, but their sheer overwhelming numbers and versatility proved more than enough to balance this flaw out. However, due to the Eye of God disaster we no longer have the ability to duplicate that feat, and a craftier approach will be needed next time around for triumphant conquest to be attained.
Like a phoenix from the ashes, I will rise to meet this challenge. The bugrom are fantastic tools and followers, their one weakness being their simplistic mindset, but even this is surmountable for a brilliant leader like myself. They are loyal, powerful, highly adaptive, and eager. Their true potential has lain inert and forgotten for ages as they waited for me to arrive, and I have every intention of awakening their sleeping abilities. Super Bugrom are only the beginning. Camouflage, poisonous secretions, toxic sprays, radio communication, radar, further biological fusions, and perhaps even parasitism are talents I would not put beyond their range. All they require to tap into their innate capabilities is the proper leadership, leadership that I shall not hesitate to supply them with.
Queen Diva is another matter. Her role is vital for the Hive and my control over the bugrom, and the knowledge of this world she possesses is quite useful, but there are times when she…disconcerts me. Her faith is laudable and I will not disappoint her in that regard, but there is something dangerously…absorbing in her eyes and presence. I fear that I might lose myself in her and be distracted from my true calling, but fortunately my hate and spite for Mizuhara and sheer ambition have proved to be effective counters.
My ability to communicate with the bugrom has many side-effects, some of which worry me at times. My senses have been heightened and increased. I can detect electromagnetic signals, smell pheromones, hear sounds normally beyond the range of humans, and even see in the ultraviolet range. Additionally, my mental comprehension rate has been boosted significantly to the point where I can process massive amounts of sensory information and input rapidly. All this is necessary to understand and communicate with the bugrom, but it is also maddening at times. All this stimuli, all these sensations, they almost drive me to distraction. There are moments when I find it difficult to maintain my concentration, to keep my mind focused on the tasks at hand.
Regardless, I will overcome this obstacle just like I shall overcome Mizuhara and the Alliance. Occasional discomfort is a small price to pay for power, and I’m willing to put up with whatever I have to in order to gain the supremacy I deserve. God has revealed my destiny to me, and though he tests me at times to make sure I’m still worthy he has never abandoned me. So long as I keep my confidence and never give up, my eventual domination of this world is assured. True, my eternal rival will have the arrogance to try to interfere in divine will, but I have plans to take care of him and his misguided allies. In my spare time I’ve begun studying the remains of Kalia’s tomb, and when I have the forces to spare I’ll embark on an excavation of the ruined ancient city. I’ve already deciphered the ancient language, and I’m sure God will reveal something useful to me buried in the ruins.
I am Lord God Jinnai, Messenger of God, Military Leader of the Bugrom Empire, and future Overlord of El-Hazard. My destined triumph is inevitable. WhahahahaHaHaHaHaHAHAHAHA!!!
178
« on: February 11, 2003, 09:47:25 pm »
Title: Royal Responsibilities
Author: Rowan Seven
Teaser: A Diva introspection piece.
Disclaimer: El-Hazard belongs to AIC and Pioneer. This story was written for recreational and entertainment purposes. I’m not making any money off this fanfiction.
Author’s Notes: This story takes place in the OAV series shortly after “The Alternative World.” For the sake of this story, please think of the OAV Bugrom and the Wanderers Bugrom as two similar but different races. My take on Diva is a combination of what little information the anime provides, various theories posted on the internet, characterizations of her written by other writers, her analysis in the El-Hazard Role-Playing Game and Resource Book, and my own thoughts on the matter.
======
Duty, faith, and patience: these are the things that sustain me. As ruler of the Bugrom Empire, I must continue on no matter what. All of my subjects depend on me. Without a queen the Hive would be doomed. I am the mind, my workers are the body, and though the body is currently severely damaged and limited so long as the head remains intact the Hive will survive.
Truly, I have no choice in the matter. For over a thousand generations this has been the way of things. The queen commands and her followers obey. Nobody has ever questioned this, and nobody ever should. Under this system we Bugrom have thrived, even with the whole Human Alliance against us and countless attempts to wipe us off the face of the planet. This isn’t the first time the Bugrom Empire has borne the Eye of God’s fury, and we shall rebuild just like we always do. The Ancients made us well.
Even now, I am fulfilling my obligations to my people. Though I will admit to a certain pleasure in fornicating with Mr. Jinnai, despite his initial reluctance, it is all for the Hive. For me to enter my reproductive cycle and begin the egg laying process, proper stimulus is needed, and should I desire that stimulus be supplied by Mr. Jinnai rather than one of my own workers, it is merely a personal preference that nobody will begrudge me for. Already I can sense my body forming the eggs and implanting the genetic structures for the various castes in them. Soon a new generation will be laid and hatch, and the Hive mind will be filled with new voices. Within a few years we bugrom will number in the thousands again, and we will finally conquer the world of El-Hazard and be safe from our enemies. This is more than a hopeful dream. It is fate.
Ages ago, shortly after we first obtained our freedom, the God of this world promised that one day the bugrom would possess dominion over all the lands and all the oceans, from the heights of Mt. Muldoon to the depths of the darkest cave. A messenger would be sent to lead our armies to victory and usher in this new dawn, and thanks to racial memory my ancestors and I have never forgotten this vow and prophecy, each queen longing for the Advent to take place during her reign. I am honored that God has chosen mine for this glorious destiny to occur in.
I will admit, though, that the Messenger is not how I pictured him, but in many ways he’s better. Mr. Jinnai is a brilliant and specialized tool, currently marred by youth and obsession but with staggering and incredible potential. Flawed as he was at the time, when God first delivered him to us Mr. Jinnai came closer to conquering the entire world in under a month than my ancestors ever have in millennia. In a way, I am being tested by God to see if I am worthy of this great blessing. There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Jinnai has the will and intelligence to win this age-old war, but it is up to me to direct his growth in the proper direction and destroy his…impurities. What Mr. Jinnai will become and guide the Bugrom Empire to in the future is dependent on me, just like the well-being of the Hive. I will try my best not to disappoint the Creator.
Still, for now patience is required while we bugrom recover. It is a trait that my ancestors and I possess in abundance. When the ancient scientists first created us to serve as relentless engines of warfare we were patient, hoping that in time our masters would realize that we were more than biological killing machines. When we were made obsolete by the creation of demon gods and reduced to slave laborers, we were patient, carefully planning our liberation and hoping for a fortuitous opportunity to present itself. When we were finally free but constantly threatened by the human remnants and the Eye of God, we were patient, dreaming and waiting for the prophesized Advent to occur and for the Messenger to lead us to victory and into a world where we no longer need fear for our very survival, where we will be the masters and the humans our subjects.
The hour of judgment will soon descend upon these lands, and we bugrom will finally see justice served. In a way, I almost pity my human counterpart, Princess Rune Venus. Unable and unwilling to let go of the prejudices of the past and chained to rigid duty and servitude by her constituents and birthright, she shall bear witness to the unmaking of all that her ancestors strived for. No priestess, no demon god, and no ancient relic, not even the vaunted Eye of God, can defy divine will forever. Future victory is assured.
I know my responsibilities and am fulfilling them. Bugrom reproduction is proceeding apace as Mr. Jinnai completes Hive reconstruction. I am also assisting him in his studies of this world and shaping his character metamorphosis. My faith is strong and unshakeable. I know, can feel it in my very essence, that God is on our side. The prophecy of Advent still rings in my ears and in the recesses of memory. Patience is not something I lack, and I am quite willing to wait however long it takes for us to be ready for the second war.
I am Diva, Queen of the Omnipotent Bugrom Empire, and so long as I retain my creed the Human Alliance does not stand a chance.
179
« on: February 11, 2003, 09:41:52 pm »
Title: I, Bugrom
Author: Rowan A. Seven
Teaser: A Groucho introspection piece.
Disclaimer: El-Hazard belongs to AIC and Pioneer. This story was written for recreational and entertainment purposes. I’m not making any money off this fanfiction.
Author’s Notes: This story takes place in the OAV series shortly after “The Alternative World.” For the sake of this story, please think of the OAV Bugrom and the Wanderers Bugrom as two similar but different races. Katsuo, by the way, is Groucho’s name in the Japanese version of El Hazard, but for the purposes of this fanfiction I’ve used it as the designation for his Bugrom type.
======
Lord God Jinnai has entered his sleeping cycle now. I’m glad. His body requires lengthier cycles than we Bugrom do, but he often forces himself to remain alert longer than he should so the day’s work can be finished. I know it’s all for the Hive, but he should take better care of himself. Without him, where would we be? Where would I be?
I’m watching him now, standing guard over his bedside. I know he would prefer I be out doing something more constructive, more useful in the overall scheme of things, and once there was a time when I would have. Now though, I worry about him and want to make sure he’s safe. Hence my current vigil.
Lord God Jinnai is not motionless and silent in his sleep cycle like we are. He tosses, turns, and mutters the names of people and places. Some I recognize like Makoto and Nanami, but most are alien to me. Rarely does his repose look peaceful, and had I not seen what sleep deprivation can do to him on that alternative world I would be sorely tempted to wake him up and face his wrath for doing so.
This concern, though, worries me. A lot of my thoughts worry me now. I have…changed since Lord God Jinnai arrived, and I’m not sure if this change is for the better. Once, before the last war, I was one of many, no different or better than any other of the Katsuo caste. The queen was my sole master and wielded absolute authority. Her orders were to be obeyed, and no questions were ever asked. I didn’t even bother to ever think about them. I merely followed. I was a component of the Hive, I knew my place, and it was as another cog in the machine, easily replaceable with no emotions or feelings at all. I lived to serve the Hive and that was all.
Now though, my mind has…evolved. Being around Lord God Jinnai has introduced me to new concepts and ideas. He has taught me much. I understand tactics and ambushes, deceptions and strategies, and can even plan ahead. Before I lived only in the present, but now I can imagine and look forward to the future. I can take the initiative and perform unnecessary actions without orders. This…frightens me. What if I make a wrong decision? What if I betray the Bugrom Empire with my actions? I can question orders now, but should I?
And yet…this newfound sense of self tempts me as well. There is satisfaction to be found in comprehending Lord God Jinnai’s plans, in knowing that I’ve done a job well, in understanding the world around me and making a difference in it. I want to do more for the Hive and Lord God Jinnai, and to accomplish this I must continue to learn. But the more I learn the more dangerous I could become. I doubt myself.
Still, my evolved mental state does have potential advantages that might outweigh the risks. Come the next invasion, Lord God Jinnai will be able to accomplish much more in less time if he and I can coordinate attacks. Indeed, even the reconstruction of the Bugrom Empire could be hastened if he and I oversaw different parts of the process instead of the sole directorship Lord God Jinnai currently fills. Do I not have an obligation as a loyal servant of the Hive to do everything I can for the Queen and Hive mind? Am I not indebted to help Lord God Jinnai to the best of my ability?
I owe him…much. Lord God Jinnai is the cause of my mental evolution. Uncertain as I am about its merits and what it means, I still feel grateful to him for this. Gift or curse, it has given me the chance-no, the choice to be a more effective and useful bugrom. Therefore, come what may, I will continue to follow him no matter where the path leads. He is my lord. More than that, he is my…friend.
Friendship. For some reason, I am pleased by this. Before Lord God Jinnai, there were only orders, obedience, and coworkers. Now, there is him, and though he is disparaging and insulting at times, there are also moments when Lord God Jinnai is kind and praising, where we truly seem to have a warm connection. Through him, I become more than I used to be…more than any bugrom before me, with the exception of the Queen, has ever been.
I am Groucho of the Katsuo Caste, loyal servant of Queen Diva and aide to the Messenger of God, Lord God Jinnai, no longer because I should be but rather because I want to be. I am an individual. I am bugrom.
180
« on: February 09, 2003, 09:52:27 pm »
And I'm a student with an overactive imagination who is _hoping_ to write an El-Hazard fanfiction epic someday. I have developed a rough plot, written three character studies to clarify my feelings about them, and, using a screenshot off this site and Microsoft Powerpoint, created an El-Hazard map. Now all I need to do is actually write the story. By the way Rob, is it okay to post fanfiction to this forum? I'd like to post those character studies I mentioned here and learn what people think of them.
Pages: 1 ... 10 11 [12] 13
|
Show Posts