06/19/2017: Chapter 74 up (+ fifteen years)
Chapter 74: Unraveling is out. It is also TQftL's fifteenth anniversary.I wanted to be able to finish the fic today, or else post the climax (chapters 75 and 76) - alas, it wasn't to be. But in a way, this is a pretty appropriate chapter to post today. It's not the most exciting or action-packed chapter, but it's a very nostalgic one, including, referencing or calling back to several events, characters and places from very early in the fic (don't worry, I don't expect you to still remember any of that), and one of the scenes here I literally first thought up when I was twelve or thirteen, making it by far the oldest scene this late in the fic - it has evolved over the years, of course, but my thirteen-year-old self would still recognize it. That feels pretty amazing, and looking back on all that history and the little thoughtless, childish writing decisions from the early days that this chapter lovingly embraces and recontextualizes a bit is a nice way to celebrate the fic's fifteenth anniversary.
I confess I'd probably be spending more time on this chapter if it weren't the anniversary, but I think it more or less does what it's supposed to do, and I'm content with that.
Thanks to everyone who's been here for this journey, whether you started reading this year or a decade ago. I know I have readers my age who've been following this story since they were kids, and it's amazing to think something I wrote has been a part of their lives for so long. Thanks to everyone who's been cheering me on over the years, poking me about my progress until I got here. And of course, a very special thanks to elyvorg and opaltiger, who've been my beta-readers for the past several years.
COMMENTARY DONE
Comments
Silverlatios47 (06/19/2017 20:25:34)
Oh man!! Hype! It's probably been a whole decade I've been a fan now too. We're finally here at the cusp of the end. I really need to sit down and give the whole thing another read through soon. I'm going to go read that now.
Rindstone (06/20/2017 23:18:12)
I meant to never post here again, but I like saying happy birthday. So, happy birthday TQftL! I've only followed this for a year, but I still feel nostalgic. My posts are terrible, so I'll just end now. Farewell until the end/next-anniversary-if-it-comes-to-that-which-I-doubt!
Thaylie (06/21/2017 19:20:05)
Oh man, this is so exiting! I was literally trembling while reading this. I've been following this for a long time; I was in middle school when I found it, and am graduating college now. Happy birthday TQftL, it's been a wild ride and I can't wait to see how it all ends.
Altissimo (06/22/2017 02:14:43)
you dont happen to have some sort of record of when each of the ILCOE chapters were posted do ya? because i'm trying to remember how long exactly i've been reading this and I'm preeeeetty sure the last available chapter when I first read through the story was 29 and I'm wondering whenabouts that would have been lol
Negrek (06/22/2017 18:04:13)
Happy fifteenth, QftL! You'll get your review tomorrow when I hopefully have stable internet again. :P
@Altissimo, you can use the Serebii thread to figure out when the ILCOE chapters were posted. Just use the chapter index in the first post to pick whatever chapter you want to check and look at the date on the post.
Altissimo (06/22/2017 19:46:46)
so… sometime in december 2005/january 2006. So yeah like 11 and a half years. Damn.
Altissimo (07/09/2017 00:37:52)
oh btw which of the scenes was the extremely early one?
Butterfree (07/09/2017 10:10:51)
The one with the Mew Hunter. I wrote a little retrospective on my first few plans for the ending of the fic on Tumblr here.
Altissimo (07/10/2017 00:04:49)
ah gotcha, thanks for the link. cool stuff - it's always interesting to see how and when the fic developed!