| What the title says. This thread will be a collection of my Gungrave fics written for various contests at fanfiction.net. I've posted a few at this board (and they'll be linked on this thread), but since I still have a lot unposted, I decide to keep it in one thread. It's also to avoid flooding the board like what I did at fanfiction.net and AO3. Since these are all contest entries for general forums, fandom knowledge is not necessary. But in case you need some, go check: Fandom Primer Gungrave wikia Aftermath fan series wikia (by BlueFlameWarrior) TABLE OF CONTENTS (WIP) A Tale of Hate and Love (Gungrave anime) Bedridden and Bored (Aftermath fan series) For the Sake of Survival (Aftermath fan series) Halloween Night Fever (Aftermath fan series) Her Tears (Overdose game) Lessons from the Streets (Aftermath fan series) Lost Leg (Aftermath fan series) Mother Tiger and Her Cubs (Aftermath fan series) Pain Perception (Aftermath fan series) Recollection (Gungrave anime) The Chivalrous Thug (Gungrave anime) The Will to Live (Gungrave anime/Aftermath fan series) LABELS Gungrave anime - Based on the anime canon. Overdose game - Based on the second game canon. Aftermath fan series - Set after the anime, in an extended universe by me. |
The_BiologistMar 18, 2018 3:39 AM
| The Will to Live Summary: Brandon's will to live had gone to the grave along with Dr. Tokioka. But with Mika around, it might just resurface again. Written for: Caesar's Palace Monthly Oneshot Contest - Prompt: "You make me want to live, [Rowan]. Not survive; not exist. Live." - Aelin Ashryver Galathynius in Queen of Shadows. Caesar's Palace Challenge: Summer Olympics - Table Tennis: "Write a hurt/comfort story." |
The_BiologistNov 9, 2017 7:31 AM
| Lost Leg Summary: Brandon considered his prosthetic leg as part of his body. It was imperfect like his dying leg before it left him, but it let him do some physical activities every day. Then it broke, and he felt like losing his leg once again. Written for: Writers Anonymous Broken Object Writing Challenge |
The_BiologistNov 9, 2017 7:31 AM
| The Will to Live has always been my fav. No, the whole Betray Me Not series is awesome. There's barely any action, but the top-notch drama makes up for it. As for The Will to Live, it's mainly because it is set during the last few episodes of the anime and then continues towards your extended universe. I don't think there has been a lot of post-canon fics around; even if there is, they're insignificant unlike this one. One word: FEELZ! See? You portrayed Brandon's angst so, so well. During the first scene, he's dying, and he has resigned to such a fate. But the main problem? He still has an unresolved conflict: Harry. The conflict is a complex one, because on one side, Brandon has to kill Harry for vengeance (killing him and Mika's parents) and accomplishing his duty of protecting Big Daddy's Millennion, but on the other side, Brandon can't kill Harry because Harry used to be his best friend. Brandon chooses the second option, and that's where the anime ends... ...But things continue in your extended universe, and you just break him further lol. I think I recall reading a few other fics (rare) in which Brandon survived, but the consequences of killing Harry/betraying Mika and Millennion are just glossed over. Here, the consequence is so dire for Brandon's psyche, because he chose to betray Big Daddy's Millennion for Harry, AND he's saved by Big Daddy's child... And Brandon's character just makes things even harder. He can't forgive himself, he's too afraid to ask for forgiveness from Mika, yet what delights him the most, at the end, is FORGIVENESS itself! Da feelz, man! The way you include the prompt in the story just adds to the feels. What keeps Brandon go on? Mika. The most touching fact? Mika needs Brandon's love as much as Brandon needs Mika's love. Manly tears are shed. Are you planning to upload Decisions here? I love that one so much! |
 "Who wouldn't want to be like me? Handsome and free like a bird in a tree! Badaboom!" |
| Thanks for stopping by, impmon! impmontamer03 said: Are you planning to upload Decisions here? I love that one so much! Maybe I'll do it on a separate thread for Betray Me Not and its companions. But not now, since I can't directly copy paste everything from fanfiction.net. I need to first convert everything to BBCode format first (before that, I have to convert the fanfiction.net doc to HTML format) so that the italics etc are all kept here. |
| The Chivalrous Thug Summary: Brandon's and Maria's relationship drew the attention of a hawker at West District. He wondered why a refined lady would want to date a street thug. Written for: Written for The Song Challenge at The Plight of Little-Known Fandom forum. Prompt: Write a story that gives an outsider's perspective of at least two key characters in your fandom. Choose a location that's ideal for people-watching (e.g., a bar, a saloon, a front porch, a cafeteria, a restaurant, etc.) and write your story from the POV of an outside observer (e.g., an entertainer, a waiter/waitress, an old gossip, etc.), watching your characters and thinking on what they know or guess about them. What insights can we get from seeing your characters as an outsider does? Bonus points, in my book, if you're able to capture the same poignant tone that is present in "The Piano Man." |
| Lessons from the Streets Summary Brandon took Mika to the slum and tutored her about the treacherous streets. Written for: The Room: PROMPTAPALOOZA! May Writing Challenge - The Drabble Fic Challenge Awards: The first place winner in The Room: PROMPTAPALOOZA! May Writing Challenge. |
| W00t! A champion story! I can see why this wins the contest. Stylish (using "Lesson x" instead of "Chapter x"). Also, it's so fun and lighthearted. Mika's the best! You're so good at writing her! Yeah, I never like her in the anime, but here, she's awesome. Cheeky lil' brat... "Big bad mafioso" haha! And as Norton picks on Brandon, she just yells at him and steps on his foot lol! There's such an irony. Brandon may be so badass out there, especially in the streets, but he's helpless against Norton... Meanwhile, Mika is easily terrified in the streets, but against Norton, she can easily deal with him. Now I wonder if you'll be uploading Retribution. It's your best stuff, y'know. Ps. Pressed the post button too soon. |
impmontamer03Nov 10, 2017 7:06 PM
| "Who wouldn't want to be like me? Handsome and free like a bird in a tree! Badaboom!" |
impmontamer03 said: Mika's the best! You're so good at writing her! Yeah, I never like her in the anime, but here, she's awesome. Cheeky lil' brat... "Big bad mafioso" haha! And as Norton picks on Brandon, she just yells at him and steps on his foot lol! If you trudge through the reviews at fanfiction.net, you'll find a lot of reviewers that praise Mika's character. ;) Also, one of the reviewers PM'd me that he/she will be using Mika's character for his/her OC's characterization in his/her upcoming fic... The joy! Especially the fact that this reviewer is blind to Gungrave. impmontamer03 said: Now I wonder if you'll be uploading Retribution. It's your best stuff, y'know. Maybe soon. But it won't belong to this thread because it's not a contest fic. |
| Mother Tiger and Her Cubs Summary: "How can mother tiger carry her cubs without hurting them? Her teeth are really scary, right?" Similarly, why couldn't Brandon's arm, which had wrecked many bones and safes, crush Mika's ribs when he carried her? Written for: Caesar's Palace Challenge: Summer Olympics - Wrestling Freestyle: "Write anything you want!" Awards: Silver Medal in Summer Olympics - Wrestling Freestyle |
| The cutest thing ever! No wonder it gets the second place in the Olympics! Even the fiercest beast in the wilderness can be so gentle to their kids, which parallels Brandon's situation. Also, the brief mention of why Mika is so protective in your work is a nice plus. There's some development after the anime ends. :) |
| "Who wouldn't want to be like me? Handsome and free like a bird in a tree! Badaboom!" |
| YESSSSS! Looking forward to it! Hope you can get the crossover up too! |
| "Who wouldn't want to be like me? Handsome and free like a bird in a tree! Badaboom!" |
| Since I don't usually write in the POV of multiple characters in a chapter, I may want to poke a veteran first before uploading it here. Afraid that it'll be messy because the first chapter features these POVs: Brandon, Royal Knights omniscient (may change to Omegamon), Dorumon. |
| Huh, Omegamon? You're using JP terms? Would suggest a glossary for JP - dub terms. Y'know, many people know Digimon; I bet a few of your veterans know that (and they're likely to watch the anime dubbed). Maybe do it like: JP - Dub Omegamon - Omnimon Dukemon - Gallantmon Gaia Force - Terra Force Kaiser Nail - Wolf Claw |
| "Who wouldn't want to be like me? Handsome and free like a bird in a tree! Badaboom!" |
impmontamer03 said: Huh, Omegamon? You're using JP terms? Would suggest a glossary for JP - dub terms. Y'know, many people know Digimon; I bet a few of your veterans know that (and they're likely to watch the anime dubbed). Maybe do it like: JP - Dub Omegamon - Omnimon Dukemon - Gallantmon Gaia Force - Terra Force Kaiser Nail - Wolf Claw Noted. Thanks for the suggestion. Yeah, coming from Indonesia, I grew up with Indonesian dub, which uses JP terms in general. However, I also played the games, which is why I know the dub terms, too. |
Knight_Miklotov said: These are all good stuff. :-) Mother Tiger is giving me diabetes along with Lessons. I agree about Mika's characterization: she's far more likeable here because she's a fun, cheeky little brat. Meanwhile, Lost Leg and especially The Will to Live hit me right in the feels. It'll be nice if you can upload Betray Me Not series here. The whole series is basically a trip to feelsville! Thanks for stopping by, Miklotov! Let's see if I have the time to convert the whole BMN series to BBCode. I plan to upload the rest of these contest entries along with Retribution this weekend though. |
| Recollection Summary: Sometimes, people thought of him as a weirdo simply because he couldn't seem to enjoy Christmas. He wished people knew how much he wanted to love the holiday, because he used to have so much fun on that day when he was younger. Written for: The Plight of the Little-Known Fandom Christmas Challenge Optional Prompt: "I'll Be Home for Christmas" - Write about someone who is lonely and missing their family and friends OR Write about someone in the military. Awards: The Plight of the Little-Known Fandom Christmas Challenge - Runner-Up The Dark is Drowsy Forum - January 2018 Fanfic Recommendation |
The_BiologistFeb 16, 2018 11:30 PM
The_Biologist said: Recollection Summary: Sometimes, people thought of him as a weirdo simply because he couldn't seem to enjoy Christmas. He wished people knew how much he wanted to love the holiday, because he used to have so much fun on that day when he was younger. Written for: The Plight of the Little-Known Fandom Christmas Challenge Optional Prompt: "I'll Be Home for Christmas" - Write about someone who is lonely and missing their family and friends OR Write about someone in the military. Awards: The Plight of the Little-Known Fandom Christmas Challenge - Runner-Up Gratz on the award! Eh, just realized that I haven't reviewed it. This is a fantastic Christmas tale because it highlights both the joy and the sorrow. The joy is the past, in which Brandon can celebrate the holiday with his friends and family. But Brandon's luck...is so horrible that the joy never lasts long. His parents are killed by some thugs (love the reference to Twisted Death, because it makes Rafael's death MUCH MORE satisfying). Then his life in the orphanage doesn't last long because well, you can't stay young forever. When he meets the gang, the joy also doesn't last long because, well, thugs. The last thing he has is Maria, but he CAN'T be happy either because his job puts her at risk. Brandon basically has nothing to celebrate in Christmas, making Christmas just another day for him to train and protect his loved ones. |
| "Who wouldn't want to be like me? Handsome and free like a bird in a tree! Badaboom!" |
| Well? Looks like there's another award in the list. :) Awesome, sis! Would suggest linking to the award post at fanfiction.net for extra kick! |
| "Who wouldn't want to be like me? Handsome and free like a bird in a tree! Badaboom!" |
| A Tale of Hate and Love Summary: Harry is the embodiment of Hate. Brandon is the embodiment of Love. When Hate and Love meet, who will triumph? Written for: Written for Writers Anonymous All/No Dialogue Challenge - No Dialogue. Notes: Based on Dhammapada Twin Verses 1-5. |
The_BiologistMar 18, 2018 9:17 PM
| Talk about feelz! :) The newest work just reminds me of why the ending of Gungrave anime is beautiful, much better than the game! You just brought out the best of the clumsy second half of the anime. Now, I don't think I can view the second half the same way again after reading this, because despite all the crazy sci-fi stuff, the main theme is actually THIS! Karma, love and hatred; those three things make up the second half of the anime. Verse 1 and 2: To Harry, karma is a b. He killed Brandon and had Maria and Butler Tokioka killed. Then he sent his agents to chase Mika around the town. At the very end? His Big 4 were all killed, Sherry was killed, and he was chased around the town. What he went through was exactly like what he'd once put Mika through. Brandon on the other hand, did whatever he could to keep Mika safe. Later on, well, he had to be separated from Mika, but at least he had someone who loved him deeply. I personally think it'll be much better if you can include the bits when Mika pleaded with Biscoe to stop the attack on Brandon, highlighting the reward he's reaping from his kindness towards Mika. But seeing how tight-knitted everything is, I doubt it can be included. Actually, I wouldn't have noticed the "karma" pattern in the anime if I haven't read this. :P Verse 3 and 4: I find that these are shorter, but they are basically where the summary comes from. :) Harry is really the embodiment of HATE. It's actually karma being a b to Harry, but he just blames Brandon for everything. He's too blind to realize the truth. Meanwhile, Brandon doesn't really care about that. He just cares about whether he can bring Harry down and secure Mika's future (and well, vengeance because Harry killed him)...which isn't something pleasant because Brandon is the embodiment of LOVE. Verse 5: Where everything concludes, and where manly tears are shed. :') Brandon is the true winner, no question asked. What's better than defeating your mortal enemy and turning him back into your best friend with pure shame and guilt? I'll continue commenting on Verse 5 later because I've got something to do and I have a lot to say about this verse! |
impmontamer03Mar 19, 2018 10:18 AM
| "Who wouldn't want to be like me? Handsome and free like a bird in a tree! Badaboom!" |
| Goshdangit! I nearly forgot about verse 5! "Hatred ceases by love." And that's why the ending of Gungrave anime is so beautiful. Despite whatever Harry has done to Brandon (murdering Brandon, killing all his loved ones, causing the whole Millennion to view him as a traitor although in a way he's right about that), Brandon forgives him. Brandon's got a heart that's big enough to forgive even a horrible person like Harry. That makes him a true winner in the anime, which is why the anime's ending always beat the game's imo. He doesn't only make Harry feels guilty and ashamed; he also fixes the friendship that has been broken. He does that all with SUCH A PROFOUND LOVE IN HIS HEART! *cries* Harry actually doesn't deserve such an amazing friend like Brandon, but at least he's redeemed. Wish you luck in the contest! |
| "Who wouldn't want to be like me? Handsome and free like a bird in a tree! Badaboom!" |
| Thanks for the reviews! You're right about featuring Mika pleading with Biscoe, but it's just impossible to include that moment because Brandon knows nothing about it. I'm still doing editing passes to make sure that it's polished before the judging begins. I hope I can win this time because WA is the biggest general forum at ffnet (and thus I'll get more exposure). But what can an ESL among a group of natives do... |
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