FIC: Repeat to Fade, Part One

[lucia_tanaka]

Title: Repeat to Fade, Part One of Three
Pairing: Snake/Otacon, Snake/Mindscrew
Rating: Let's slap this with an R for disturbing themes and some sexual content.
Summary: Like a genetic memory etched into his being, he felt dread. A field of flowers and a weapon in his hand. A place like this could break him, like it had broken another man. The

Comments

[daniela_lynx]

Oho. Wow.

First: I think the title suits it.

This was beautifully surreal, and dear god was it painful. I liked the way you integrated one of the lesser known canons (Is Metal Gear Mobile considered so? The story makes it possible for it to stand alone, but it does fit into the main timeline.) Anyway! The idea of Snake in a VR world was nicely executed and very chilling. Maybe it's your icon influencing me a bit, but was the rose garden a reference to Utena? The way those scenes flowed reminded me of Utena, particularly the movie.

The painful part... was the way this VR clone of Hal, which had enough information to be deeply uncomfortable to Snake, kept changing attitudes, and how Snake eventually had to kill him twice to keep on living. It may not be Hal, but it has his mannerisms and face, and the consequences carried on into their Real Life, albeit in a subconscious level. I wonder how it's going to affect their relationship.

(I also liked that he uses a katana against Snake's rapier, and how he didn't have any "fighting

[lucia_tanaka]

I may keep the title. Does that mean I have to credit Fly? I wonder...

No one played MGM. We did a big poll at the capslock comm and out of a metric ton of participants, only, I think, one or two played it. So it's dubious canon at best.

It was explicitly an Utena VR at first, but then I realized "ohmigod, it's like the MGS3 ending" and I'm gonna run with that. But, yes, first draft even had Hal in one of the duelists outfits. Then I realized hope stupidly self-indulgent that was and cut it.

VR!Hal... if I pull this off, over time he'll get increasingly like RL!Hal while maintaining his Uncanny Valleyness. Hopefully. :crosses fingers:

Thank you for the glowing review. ♥

[daniela_lynx]

A pity. It was an interesting story, despite the constraints of its medium.

It does work both ways, isn't it :3 I have Utena fresher in my memory, since I rewatched it a few weeks ago, but it does have echoes of the MGS3 ending. All those white flowers and dancing petals, and a loved person bleeding to death amidst them. It's very poetic, and the layers makes the fic even more meta <3

Uhuhuhu, VR!Hal <3 I love him already. He's so creepy. Here's to more 4th wall breakage *toasts* I wish you success with the next parts!

[lucia_tanaka]

That was exactly the vibe I was shooting for, so thank you so much. ♥

[silver11016]

Head tipped back to speak to the artificial sky and artificial gods, "This flower theme is a little overwrought, isn't it?" He asked no one.

"You should see the source material. It's even worse," someone answered.

Oh wow I never thought that Snake and Otacon in Ohtori would work the way you just made it. And mmmm yes cracks in the fourth wall.

And I just love the way you depicted Snake's pain, the way he knew it wasn't real but felt unspeakably guilty anyway. I can't wait to see how it colors his perception of Otacon in the future, and the way the guilt will keep eating him up inside.

I want art of StudentCouncil!Snake and Otacon now.

[lucia_tanaka]

the Utena symbolism is apparently really obvious, heh.

You will get to see how it colors his perceptions, yep.

oh man, if I could draw. alas, I can't. D8

[daniela_lynx]

... Would you give me your blessing if I attempted to drew it?

[lucia_tanaka]

Absolutely. Especially if you maybe supply lineart because I like coloring things, derp.

[thelonebamf]

Well I was *supposed* to go out and run errands, but then you had to post this little gem. :)

This was fantastic, I'm glad I wasn't thinking down the wrong path with the Utena references. (Not a series I'm intimately familiar with, but it was easy enough to make the connection.) Lovely description and the scene with Hal and the knife was just so... something I'm incapable of coming up with words for (but great and tender and wonderful).

Thank you for posting this (and the MGM script, that was interesting!) and I look forward to more!

[lucia_tanaka]

You are so totally welcome. I'm glad you liked. 8D

[wohdin]

Oh

Wow.

This is really engrossing. And powerful.

I wish I was actually affected by things intended to be creepy so I could get the full effect of this fic, but it's still a very excellent read. And the, er, combat sequences are written very well.

Can't wait for part 2 oh boy oh boy /giddy

[lucia_tanaka]

oh god, I remember almost quitting because of the fucking fight scenes, any quality in them is Thene's work, she made me keep on with them.

I'm thrilled ya'll like it. \o/