First of all, wow. Just...WOW. I don't know if I've ever read anything as emotionally powerful as this, written by fan or pro. It was *staggering*! The theme of time passing, nothing lasting forever, a new age dawning...if you'd hammered it home any more it would've probably started *hurting* the work as a whole, especially with the multiple-perspectives format.
Next, about continuity. I've never actually played any kind of Mega Man game, but I know that there's next to nil story in the games themselves. Furthermore, I read this work right on the heels of Magus523's novelizations of games 3-7 in the classic series, and there's a staggering amount of stuff I would not expect to be in the games that is consistent between this story and his. How much of that is actually in the official canon, versus thought up by one fan and accepted by another? Another question: are you planning to retcon Mega Man 9 and 10 into this story? And why don't you go into detail about the 'King Incident'? Is IT canonical? Could you point me to more information on it, preferably in another fanfic?
Finally, with regards to Rock's morality...well, he and I have very different views. To be more precise, I'm REALLY effing pissed that he chose to be all high and mighty instead of sucking up and admitting that killing isn't always wrong. Instead of embracing his emotions - that which makes him more than a robot - and showing the desire to be human, he hides from them, afraid of the possibility of the world being - as he himself puts it - not like a Disney movie. So morality isn't monochromatic; deal with it! And it's doubly infuriating that the First Law should've REQUIRED him to kill Wily, if anything. Think about it: refraining from harming him IS allowing, through inaction, harm to come to others! The Law contradicts itself! And I would think that the only two possible outcomes of that are a) unavoidable mind freeze, since it's impossible to follow the Law, or b) utilitarianism (in the philosophical sense) providing a tie-breaker, requiring Wily's death to prevent the suffering and death of thousands of others.
My opinion is going to take a few words, so bear with me. To avoid personal backstory, skip to the word: "All", which begins the 5-th word-block/paragraph.
Like many, I grew up playing the various Rock Man or Mega Man games. I never really tried to connect a plot between them, they were simply fun. I stumbled across your compatriot, Magus523, and his novelizations of the Mega Man universe.
What was formerly an entertaining shoot-'em-up became the tragic story of a young boy with gears for a heart who must go away to war again and again to protect what is precious to him.
Now, I only played the first couple of games, up to Four at one time or another, and I knew after the First Rebellion that Rock/Mega was just going to have to keep fighting. As I sped through those fan-fics, I hoped each time that the poor boy would finally have some peace.
And then I came to Mega Man 7, where Magus stopped writing. He mentioned how the next chapters of Mega Man's adventures were simply too painful to right down. Then, of course, I found THIS story.
All of the suffering, the pain, the loss, the destruction, and the devastation suffered by the Light family, and borne most of all by Rock himself, was WORTH IT. In your fiction, you give MEANING to the meaningless battles from Nintendo to Gamecube. You give a perspective from all of those who were instrumental to saving humanity and to bringing the next generation of 'bots into the world: Reploids. Everything that Megaman, Protoman, and Bass (post-Damascus-Paul style) fought for, everything Dr. Light lived for and, ultimately, what they all gave their lives for, was Hope. The Hope that X represents, Hope for a better future than that which Mankind and a good man driven mad by the wiles of fate (and game-designers) have made.
What I'm trying to say is, well done. You told of the Light's struggle in language which demanded recognition and emotion. You rarely, if ever, made spelling/grammar mistakes from chapter to chapter. Best of all, perhaps, you introduced and fleshed out the 2-D game sprites into characters from a true saga. Speaking for the newbies to this mythos, that instantly made your story better and helped me to connect with my 8-bit friend. Well done, 5 stars, and a tear shed for those fallen. And thank you, Storyteller.
Daaaaaaamn... You know, I was kinda wondering what Zero's take would have been on this situation... but I guess that'll have to be for another day, hmm? Hope to see one like it soon!
Well thats one of the single most emotionally painful (if cathartic) thing I have read in my life. Some might critsize how the same events are recounted over again. They fail to see how perspective changes everything. There had to be a point where one of the robots stepped past the limits of their design fully. By that same token, something had to occour to obliterate virtually all memory of that event, and remove all the players from the stage. Like the end of the first chapter of The Rein Gold, the main charicters had to leave. What you have done here is brillant, taking something that lacked depth, and giving it the emotional mass of a neutron star.
I stumbled on this story a few years back, when I was just curious about fan-fiction, and had I not read it I would probably have never become interested in the genre at all. Even now, coming back to re-read it after so many years, I have to say it is easily the best piece of fan-fiction I have ever read, and is in the upper echelons of any written work I have ever read. I had tears forming in my eyes at the end of every chapter, which is something most people I know wouldn't think possible.
About the only piece of constructive criticism I can offer you is that each chapter doesn't do a very good job of grabbing attention off the get go. The build up through the chapters are superb, but had I not been a mega man fan I probably wouldn't have gotten to the 'point of no return'.
Keep up the great work, I look forward to everything you write.
Sean
Jake Richey 8/18/09 . chapter 11
Dear Author,
I'm 23 and have been a Mega Man fan since about age 8, lol 15 years. I have often thought up fanfics of some of my favorite video game characters. Usually an amalgamation between the heroes like you would find in games like Super Smash Brothers or Dissidia Final Fantasy. I've got to say this is one of the best stories I've ever read! Taking the same story from each character's viewpoint is an ingenious idea. I'm hoping I can find more stories by you and check them out. This was great!
Wow. Heavy stuff there. Mega Man's final hurah. Went out in a blaze of glory, he did. Same with Proto Man and Bass. Even Roll and Rush did it. All to simply bring Zero to a halt, yet still not enough to kill him. And yet, who knows. Maybe what Mega Man, Rock, became in those final moments, were what ultimate, TRUELY, changed Zero to become the Maverick Hunter, X's best friend and brother-in-arms.
This entire story is powerful. Frankly, Treble's chapter had me in tears. Having never played MM8, Duo's story was foreign to me - but well done. The entirety of Last Blue Sunset was great - showing the development of Rock versus Wily, culminating in the final duel - and in the end, Dr. Light's passing over. Added to all the others...suffice to say that you earn a large number of kudos.
Magnificent. Only a few minor grammer errors that pale compared to the greatness of this story.
You show only a few core events which every characters' POV is centered around with a few of their own. Normally, this might be a bit bland, but you made it so dramatic and enjoyable. It wasn't at all repetitive.
The characters were done perfectly. I cried like a baby when I read Megaman's chapter. The pain and frustration along with the sense of being forced into his role as protector. All of it was so moving.
I really enjoyed the way you portrayed Zero. Of the very few stories trying to explain Zero's origin and personality, I think you did it the best. Most people have Zero as a rational thinking being. That is utter bullshit. In X5 or X4, I forget which, the cutscenes show Zero as a complete loony. This makes it more likable because it fits with that bit we saw. The sheer power of Zero really serves to bring home the fact that Reploids are strong. They are on a completely different level from mere robots. Granted Zero was a messed-up berserker at this time but whatever.
Every chapter was a masterpiece with every character conflicted with so many emotions. Bravo Erico. Bravo indeed.
Um... yeah. The point of this reply... The truth is, I really wasn't going to. But lemme tell ya. This chapter made me cry. Not metaphorical, crying on the inside cry.
i mean broke down, tearing crying.
Now, that doesn't happen. EVER. Believe me, I rarely ever cry. It takes something really, really sad to do something like that.
And this chapter did it.
So, kudos to you. This story, this chapter in particular, it's really something else. So again, kudos.
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