James_D_Fawkes

[Hereafter] Chapter CLXIV: Twelve Days of Christmas

The last of the Christmas chapters, I swear!

I just couldn't escape it. It might have been nice to be able to fit all of this into a single chapter, but it would have meant cutting a lot of really good moments. Like the one Taylor and Olga share this chapter, or the bit at the end.

I think, however, that we can start moving on next chapter. There's so much stuff I need to cover, and I'm trying to fit it all into about 10 chapters, and we're already almost halfway through that. Oh ...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLXIV: Twelve Days of Christmas

♪ On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ♪

♪ a fire-breathing dragon just for me! ♪

"Renée's Present" by Gifted Monster

With an awkward blush and a stumbled curtsey, learned just for this moment and to give her gift a bit more gravitas than what the contents would ordinarily inspire, Rika gave her gift to Renée. Hastily wrapped in some traced wrapping paper, Rika delicately handed it to the automoton-turned-woman.

"What...is this?" Renée inquired, looking down at the paper.

Emiya had taken an almost twisted delight in making the paper as bright and gaily coloured as possible, as if seeking to pro...

[Hereafter] Chapter CLXIII: Bonds of Friendship

You might call it the second half of the Christmas chapter.

Weird as it feels, we're already 3 chapters deep into the intermission, which is usually around 10 chapters long, and I originally intended to have this one be a little bit shorter than the previous ones, but it's looking like I won't be able to manage that, just by dint of how much is going to need to get covered and how many promises from here alone that I'm going to need to pay off. I don't think it can be helped.

And ...

Payment Structure Update

Remember this conversation?

Yeah. So, Patreon may or may not have already made all of you aware, but I received a notification email myself not too long ago, and the long and short of it is this: whether we want it or not, because of some policy changes by the Apple Store, Patreon is going to switch all pages to the subscription model I talked about in that post.

There isn't much I can do ...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLXIII: Bonds of Friendship

♪Padoru, padoru!♪

Link.

[Hereafter] Chapter CLXII: Christmas in Chaldea

Another longer one again. After several chapters where I got about as far as I intended to, this one didn't quite manage to reach the part I wanted, but I think it's better that it didn't. There're several moments with the team here that I think were worth keeping in over the idea of squishing parts out so I could get my original vision of this chapter.

I have a couple of ideas for things I could do to fill some of the long stretch of time that's going to be happening in-story between t...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLXII: Christmas in Chaldea

It would've been super convenient if things lined up so that Christmas came to Chaldea during IRL Christmas...so I guess it gets to be Christmas in August instead?

Link.

[Hereafter] Chapter CLXI: Hanging Questions

Another longer one, this time. After how many hundreds of thousands of words and 5 Singularities, Ritsuka, Rika, and the other members of the cast not named "Olga Marie" finally start to get a few answers about some of Taylor's bullshit.

Although it did wind up feeling a little anticlimactic. I had, like, half a dozen different ways I planned out those bits and I wound up using the most conservative one because it didn't feel like as much like an infodump.

So! For those of you who...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLXI: Hanging Questions

There's no avoiding it anymore.

Link here.

[B-A] Background Ascendancy - Part 4

Yes, today is a two-for-one. Not only did Hereafter get a new chapter, but so is this! Rikkuta's adventures in the wacky world of Dragon Ball continue!

So it's been a while since I did anything with this, but I do, on occasion, come back to it and think about giving it more love. The pilot post got plenty of comments, but not much love otherwise, so I'm still not sure exactly how much everyone is liking this, but...

Well, now that we've got 4 chapters done, maybe it's time to put ...

[Hereafter] Chapter CLX: Philosopher's Legacy

Here it is, the final chapter of London. Feels. Feels galore. Feels all over the place. Bask in the feels.

There were some questions me and the editors talked about in regards to who would be coming back with the team, and there was an extra person or two I thought might make the trip...but at the end of the day, we settled on who we originally planned to come back anyway, so if you were hoping a certain someone might stick around, sorry, but not today.

Next chapter... Well. Next ...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLX: Philosopher's Legacy

The wrap-up chapter.

Link.

[Hereafter] Chapter CLIX: Station of the Grand

One last chapter - just the one - and London is over. But that's the cooldown chapter, where goodbyes are said and everything is tied up neatly with a bow. This chapter is the penultimate chapter of London, and there's a lot of stuff that happens in this one, a lot of important stuff, including some things that I'm sure some people saw coming and some things that will take everyone by surprise.

A certain someone has laid down a trap, and he's let everyone know it.

Fun fact: this w...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLIX: Station of the Grand

Should be pretty obvious where I want to get with this one.

Link.

[Hereafter] Chapter CLVIII: The Lightning and the Storm

I actually intended to get farther along than I did, and yet this chapter is still 6700 words long. My intent was to finish the fight and have a certain someone use their Noble Phantasm before the end to fit even better into this chapter, but it didn't work out that way, so oh well.

There's just one more chapter until the end of London. Or, well, that's my intention, at least. I might have to push the next chapter out further than I expect in order to fit everything, but there's still s...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLVIII: The Lightning and the Storm

Hahaha! Hahahahahaha! Haha!

Link.

(Listen, it's as close to a "distinctive laugh" that I can get for that guy. Not everyone does what Oda does and has every character laugh in a unique and identifiable way.)

[Hereafter] Chapter CLVII: King of the Storm

One or two more chapters until the end of London. Things dragged a little bit here and there, and I tried to inject some new, interesting bits to fill in the parts of canon London that weren't so great, but the end of this Singularity is in sight and I've still got a surprise or two left for you in store.

For now, however, the conclusion of the Barbatos fight. Taylor lampshades some of my own feelings on this fight in the narration, but I tried what I could to distinguish Barbatos from ...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLVII: King of the Storm

A familiar face arrives.

Link.

[Hereafter] Chapter CLVI: "M"

I like releasing Hereafter Material pages like this, now. I might release them in their normal posts at some point, such as when this chapter moves down all the way, but for now, this keeps things neat and tidy.

So! I...can't really say much about this one without spoiling some things, but the degree to which you're surprised will obviously vary. It's a hazard of writing this sort of thing, so there are some pitfalls that just can't be helped.

Having said that, though... Well, I t...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLVI: "M"

It's not quite over yet.

Link.

[Hereafter] Chapter CLV: The Evil Fairy

I think this is going to very much be a hit or miss kind of chapter. It's going to depend entirely and completely on what you think of a certain someone and how I interpreted her for this chapter and Hereafter in general. I'll release their material pages to accompany next chapter, when the last bit of spoilery information is no longer a concern.

For now, however... Well, there' s not a lot I could say that wouldn't reveal too much, so I guess I just have to leave it in everyone's hands...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLV

I'm holding the title secret until the proper release.

Link here.

[Hereafter] Chapter CLIV: Victorian Fairy Tale

A day early!

We're closing in on the end, now. I'm taking some liberties here, mostly because canon London just reused assets between the Association's tunnels and the tunnels used for M's underground lair. Also because there are some differences between here and canon, so there's that, too.

A certain someone will finally get her full reveal next chapter. Not sure how many of you will be surprised, but I hope I get at least a few.

EDIT: Moving down all the way. 8/3/2024

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLIV: Victorian Fairy Tale

The final battle isn't here yet, but we're inching towards it.

Link.

[Hereafter]Chapter CLIII: Londinium Hostage Crisis

We're getting closer, now. Next chapter... Well, that would be telling, but I think it's fairly obvious where it's going.

There were a couple of things I wasn't planning on revealing quite so soon, but the spot for them was perfect, and it made sense for what was happening in the narrative, so I just went with it.

Also, have a short sidestory to go with this chapter. I liked the idea of the scene so I wrote it out, a quick thing that expands upon something revealed in the chapter,...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLIII: Londinium Hostage Crisis

Had a bit of a time figuring out what to use for the title, but I think this works.

Link.

[Hereafter] Chapter CLII: A Thorny Path

I wanted to go a little bit further at the end there...but that line was perfect to stop on, so I did.

Eagle-eyed readers have probably already figured out who that was at the end there, but there's still a little further to go before she gets a proper reveal in-story, and then I get to let her flex a little and show off. I have a few fun things I want to do with her when she's finally on-screen in person.

I'm really looking forward to it. Taylor, on the other hand, might not be s...

(CiP)[Hereafter] Chapter CLII: A Thorny Path

Because I couldn't come up with anything I liked better than that pun.

Link.

[Hereafter] Interlude RF: Once Upon a Dream

How many of you will catch it, I wonder? It's too early to release their Hereafter Material entries because those contain spoilers, so it's entirely down to your own wits and how closely you're reading the chapter to realize some of what's happening in here, but I do wonder if the hints were too subtle.

This is another pretty big one, folks. Man, I love how it turned out. All of the twists and turns this one took. I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I did.

As a certain someone o...