"The Show Must Go On" ch 34 & Review responses for ch 33
Garnet's growth - "I'm glad I'm not seeing the same Garnet as we did in the previous chapters. I recall she almost felt like a one-dimensional in character whenever Kuja was involved, like she did not want to hear anything about him. I'm glad she has matured enough in this chapter and that she is now willing to open more to Zidane's requests."
I really wanted to show some growth in both Garnet and Zidane, which is why they started off their conversation noting how they've both changed since they've last seen each other. Zidane's changes have been obvious through the course of the story, but Garnet's grown as well, into a queen that doesn't need to rely on someone else and is ready to lead, with or without a king.
I think looking back, even Garnet would admit she was too hasty in how she dealt with Kuja the first time around. She was angry that Zidane had lied to her and stressed by the timing of Kuja’s reappearance, and didn’t give herself the time she needed to properly try the case or to pass judgement.
In some ways, I’ve now set her back on the path she was on before Zidane proposed, as at the time, Garnet had seemed to be doing pretty well by herself - she missed Zidane, but had resolved to live on without him. But then Zidane showed up, and they both got caught up in the fairy tale ending without stopping to think if that really was the right decision for both of them.
Zidane and Garnet now - "thank you for giving zidane the opportunity to be honest with garnet, and for giving garnet the closure she deserved. i'm glad that they still care for each other even if the situation is what it is."
It's a little bittersweet that it took Zidane falling in love with Kuja to realize he had truly loved Garnet, but that being with her wasn't the right decision for either one of them. But yes at least this is giving both of them some sense of closure that they didn't have before, since he'd left so abruptly and without being able to talk to her.
Character growth - "I like that Garnet and Zidane finally got a chance to talk and I really like how Garnet shines here. She's compassionate and so concerned with balancing responsibility, justice and mercy, even with people who have hurt her. It was also nice to see how much Zidane and Garnet had both grown. In their conversation you can see the things that drew them together, even as you can see the circumstances that made them no longer right for each other. I felt this did justice to both characters.
The scene with Kuja was briefer, but so emotional! I liked how Zidane has grown enough to see through Kuja's actions this time - it was a good counterpoint to their earlier meeting in the dungeon."
It's almost unbelievable that it's been less than a year chronologically since the events in the dungeon before, given how much all three characters above have changed. But I really love doing the compare/contrast between then and now, it just emphasizes how much they've each grown as people, beyond the constraints of what they thought they should be (Garnet as a queen with a king by her side, Zidane as the fairy tale hero, Kuja as, well, the dead villain).
Zidane's grand plan - "Speaking of Zidane, he's such a sweet, loyal idiot! T0T When he said he wanted to share Kuja's sentence, one part of me is like "AWWWWW" and another part is "NOOOOOO"!"
As far as Zidane's terrible plan, I can't see him doing anything but throwing himself fully into it, even if it puts his life into jeopardy... he's just that kind of all or nothing guy.
* * *
And sharing some AMAZING fan art for my story - thank you!
"this is a little something to show my gratitude for your work, I hope you wouldn't mind."
https://twitter.com/TonyxsteveStony/status/1271844272354914304
* * *
New chapter:
- ffnet: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8057142/35/The-Show-Must-Go-On
- AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17712662/chapters/68074378
I really wanted to show some growth in both Garnet and Zidane, which is why they started off their conversation noting how they've both changed since they've last seen each other. Zidane's changes have been obvious through the course of the story, but Garnet's grown as well, into a queen that doesn't need to rely on someone else and is ready to lead, with or without a king.
I think looking back, even Garnet would admit she was too hasty in how she dealt with Kuja the first time around. She was angry that Zidane had lied to her and stressed by the timing of Kuja’s reappearance, and didn’t give herself the time she needed to properly try the case or to pass judgement.
In some ways, I’ve now set her back on the path she was on before Zidane proposed, as at the time, Garnet had seemed to be doing pretty well by herself - she missed Zidane, but had resolved to live on without him. But then Zidane showed up, and they both got caught up in the fairy tale ending without stopping to think if that really was the right decision for both of them.
Zidane and Garnet now - "thank you for giving zidane the opportunity to be honest with garnet, and for giving garnet the closure she deserved. i'm glad that they still care for each other even if the situation is what it is."
It's a little bittersweet that it took Zidane falling in love with Kuja to realize he had truly loved Garnet, but that being with her wasn't the right decision for either one of them. But yes at least this is giving both of them some sense of closure that they didn't have before, since he'd left so abruptly and without being able to talk to her.
Character growth - "I like that Garnet and Zidane finally got a chance to talk and I really like how Garnet shines here. She's compassionate and so concerned with balancing responsibility, justice and mercy, even with people who have hurt her. It was also nice to see how much Zidane and Garnet had both grown. In their conversation you can see the things that drew them together, even as you can see the circumstances that made them no longer right for each other. I felt this did justice to both characters.
The scene with Kuja was briefer, but so emotional! I liked how Zidane has grown enough to see through Kuja's actions this time - it was a good counterpoint to their earlier meeting in the dungeon."
It's almost unbelievable that it's been less than a year chronologically since the events in the dungeon before, given how much all three characters above have changed. But I really love doing the compare/contrast between then and now, it just emphasizes how much they've each grown as people, beyond the constraints of what they thought they should be (Garnet as a queen with a king by her side, Zidane as the fairy tale hero, Kuja as, well, the dead villain).
Zidane's grand plan - "Speaking of Zidane, he's such a sweet, loyal idiot! T0T When he said he wanted to share Kuja's sentence, one part of me is like "AWWWWW" and another part is "NOOOOOO"!"
As far as Zidane's terrible plan, I can't see him doing anything but throwing himself fully into it, even if it puts his life into jeopardy... he's just that kind of all or nothing guy.
* * *
And sharing some AMAZING fan art for my story - thank you!
"this is a little something to show my gratitude for your work, I hope you wouldn't mind."
https://twitter.com/TonyxsteveStony/status/1271844272354914304
* * *
New chapter:
- ffnet: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8057142/35/The-Show-Must-Go-On
- AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17712662/chapters/68074378