Story 191: "At Your Feet, His Emblems Fall" by M. Sebasky

[wendelah1]

I thought it would be good to start the New Year off on a cheery note. This is a post-ep for "This Is Not Happening," told from Frohike's point of view. Yeah, it's pretty sad, but at least now we know Mulder wasn't dead. I think I said in an earlier post that it takes talent to pull off first person pov. She has talent. This story works, and works

Comments

[mosinging1986]

Oh, I haven't read this in so long! It was good to revisit it again. I so love Frohike. He's a good man.

As much as I hated that entire storyline, I really like this story.

[wendelah1]

Yes, I feel the same way. I hate the way the William arc played out, pretty much from start to finish; nevertheless, this is a well-done story.

[ext_885971]

That was absolutely brilliant, so well written. I love Gunmen POV, wish there was more of it out there.

[wendelah1]

I'm so glad you liked it. More Gunmen POV? Let me think on that. I know! Have you read ML's Big Bang Story, "Isolation"? It might appeal to you. I admit to some beta-bias, but I think it turned out very well.

[amyhit]

Onemillionandnine also wrote a lot - A LOT - of TLG fic. The one I've read is Retam Sullet, which is over 300K. Mulder and Scully are in the fic eventually, and play an important role, in a manner of speaking, but it's absolutely TLG's fic. But Retam Sullet is apparently an AU of another long LTG-heavy fic - Tellus Mater - which is in turn the sequel to a slightly shorter fic called Pater Familias.

I can only rec Retam Sullet, though, being it's the only one I've read. It was really good, though I would say not for the faint of heart in terms of content. Onemillionandnine's writing can be kind of raw.

Anyway, as to this fic, I liked it well enough, though I certainly have my share of criticisms as well, and will come back to comment further when I've got my thoughts sorted out.

[wendelah1]

Those are all good suggestions. Very Lone Gunmen-centric.

[amyhit]

Things I didn’t like:

I was pissed off now. "Scully loved him more than any
of us. She would believe anything if she thought it
would bring Mulder back. If I were you, I wouldn't put
a lot of stock in what Agent Scully thinks right now.
After all she's been through, she's probably half out
of her mind."

On one hand, I like that in this fic Scully sensed there was something different about Mulder’s death - that there was the faintest chance he somehow might not be entirely, permanently dead.

But I’m not buying that Frohike of all people would be the one saying something like this about Scully’s state of mind. I could see it if the roles were reversed, with Skinner suggesting her grief was clouding her judgment and Frohike arguing that he believed in Scully’s judgment, whether she was grieving or not

I just finished watching TINH

[wendelah1]

Some thoughts on the episode. Scully looks like she's on the verge of tears every time Mulder's name is brought up. She's clearly on the brink of emotional collapse. Skinner doesn't look much better, but I think it's his feelings for Scully and also survivor's guilt that are driving him. I don't see him as Mulder's friend. He's Mulder's boss. He feels responsible for his death in the way that any commanding officer feels responsible for the deaths of men under his command

[amyhit]

Other things:The last scene of the fic is a point of conflict for me. I love the image of Scully sleeping on Mulder’s couch, and pulling her gun on Frohike in the dark, and as I’ve said, I like the part about Mulder’s suit. I like the way Frohike’s narrative finally crosses paths with Scully’s. It’s strange to be seeing Scully’s grief from such an external and limited POV, and to an extent it works for me

[wendelah1]

I think Woman's Work is the story you are thinking of. Bitter Algebra was written as a response to it.

[amyhit]

Hmm, maybe she didn't write her own version of this idea then. I presumed she had, given Sebasky's remark about having borrowed the idea from her, but the only other TINH fic I can think of by cofax is "Paying the Ferryman," though I'm not sure what idea it could share in common with AYFHEF. I presumed "Bitter Algebra" was it, and that Frohike was the common element.

[wendelah1]

No, I think you are right. Cofax references this story in the author's notes to Paying the Ferryman. I think what they have in common is that they are both post-eps for the same episode.

I just printed out this story to answer your comments. Back in a bit.

Okay. I think I really need to watch the episodes this references. It is a post-ep, after all. Back in a few hours, then.

OT:

This so pisses me off. I can't even edit my comments here unless I put the community in my own style, bypassing LJ's stupid changes to the comment form.

[estella_c]

Well, I thought this was an okay story, the woman can write, but like amyhit I dislike the *givens* of season 8 so much it's hard for me to like this story, or even to fully understand it. I remember telling nonphile friends that Mulder was dead again. I remember how they laughed

[wendelah1]

Well, I thought this was an okay story, the woman can write, but like amyhit, I dislike the *givens* of season 8 so much it's hard for me to like this story, or even to fully understand it. I remember telling nonphile friends that Mulder was dead again. I remember how they laughed.

I hear you. I'm not a big fan of season eight myself as you know.

The scene with Doggett, inoffensive in itself, seemed ultimately meaningless. Like, "I'm a sensitive-though-tough guy like you, let's bond and drink beer." Doggett just doesn't belong in the club, sterling character that he might have turned out to be, given world enough and time.

Maybe Sebasky was signaling to other Philes that she was in the camp of fans who accepted Doggett and rejected censorship. Wasn't there a big brouhaha over someone who refused to accept stories that had Doggett in them to her newsletter? I read about this at Fanlore. (Heads to Google)

Here you go:

But that small upset was nothing compared to the backlash that took place when Mulder more or less left after

[estella_c]

The Gunmen are NOT GONE. Haven't you read Kel's "Heaven?" Talk about being there when we needed her.

I see the extratextual reason for including Doggett, but that doesn't mean it is justified in the story. But I don't care. Not important enough to make a fuss.

[wendelah1]

Also ML's 2010 Big Bang, "Isolation."