Iwanako: Mean Time to Breakdown {updated 2015-4-1}

[HoneyBakedHam]

Can't argue with that logic.

[Leaty]

(deadfic)

[Blank Mage]

Meant to work on the chapter tonight but I'm feeling off so I went ahead and scored Báthory in her Castle. Now you can watch Emi get obliterated with a tasteful musical accompaniment!

Is it wrong that my favorite chapters are invariably the ones where characters completely lose their shit?

Don't care. Super excited.

[YOTC]

Meant to work on the chapter tonight but I'm feeling off so I went ahead and scored Báthory in her Castle. Now you can watch Emi get obliterated with a tasteful musical accompaniment!

Is it wrong that my favorite chapters are invariably the ones where characters completely lose their shit?

Don't care. Super excited.

Drama is grand.

[HoneyBakedHam]

Leaty, the Google Docs interactive version of MTtB is simply amazing. I'd say you should just drop putting chapters on here and just notify us when you have a new chapter in Google Docs.

Also, I'm loving the YouTube music for the GD version. Much easier to use than that KS media player others had used. And to have that fanfic of Iwanako in a hospital bed as the background for the music? Riveting.

[Alpacalypse]

Just listened to the scored version of Bathory.
I cannot figure out how I'm supposed to feel reading that scene.
On the one hand, Iwanako is being a complete bitch and I should hate her utterly for being so callous. On the other hand, Emi was being a complete idiot and that apology came across as pretty crap not that I'd ever be able to do any better in that situation
I shall ponder this for quite some time, methinks.

Onto, the scoring, I thought that it was really good, especially seeing Shadow of the Truth making an awesome appearance.
However, I'm gonna be pedantic here and recommend one edit: have a notice to end Childhood's End right after Iwanako says "Don't" when Emi tells her that she wants to make it up to her. Childhood's End works throughout the rest of it, but I think that ending the music right there would be pretty effective.
That's just my opinion, though. *shrug*

Good job

Also, Caged Heart is Hisao's theme? You sure about that? I ask since it plays in a few other places, most notably when Hanako blows up during her bad end. Please enlighten me, as I know not of what you type.

[Leaty]

(deadfic)

[HoneyBakedHam]

Personally, I don't Iwanako is in the wrong in any way. She's going through a life-changing experience and right back into the hospital not even a week into her new school life (at a school that she has no idea how to take it all in). She knows she feels bad for the times she did screw up when it came to handling other people's health issues, but to try to now go to school surrounded by it?

Throw all that in and her confidence and self-esteem problems right now..I'm surprised she's holding it together this much. I wouldn't hold it against her if I was a classmate of hers. If anything, I'd wanna extend a friendly hand to help her get used to the place.

Maybe I'm just into the whole hurting, angsty, I-feel-so-alone feeling cause I went through that throughout grade school and partly still today, I don't know. I just know that I wonder what it would be like to be a student there myself everytime I'm on the forums reading these fanfics.

[Alpacalypse]

Elizabeth Bathory

I've read about her! How the hell did I not draw that comparison before?! Dammit, brain, I thought you were good at remembering useless facts!

That was a very good idea

Yay, I was helpful! +1 self esteem, + 50 life exp.

Caged Heart is almost always reserved for Hisao's internal monologue.

That put everything nicely in perspective. Thanks for enlightening me!
One step closer to omniscience!

this guy's version

Having never played Silent Hill 2 (and probably never will because I'm a wuss who's very susceptible to horror-induced nightmares), the only thing I know about it is that the music is pretty f***ing awesome. That cover just helps to cement that. Thanks for posting that link
Actually, it does work pretty well as Iwanako's theme. Even the name (tenuously) works, since Iwanako is the one responsible for the letters in KS. Good choice.

[Blank Mage]

For my part, rereading the last few chapters has reminded me just bow irrevocably toxic Iwanako's internal monologue has become in regards to Nurse and Mutou. Any authority figure, really. It's gotten to the point where I think heartfelt sympathy will come across as unwanted pity, but anything else will only further validate her Iwanako VS The World mentality. I guess any productive advice will have to come from Hanako or, perhaps, Shizune. Hanako, obviously, is less threatening than a toothless, abused, quadriplegic puppy, and it's literally impossible to be angry at someone whose entire life makes even Iwanako's look warm and inviting by comparison. Shizune can be surprisingly helpful when it comes to offering practical advice and hard truths as a peer, not a superior.

I feel like Lilly's song and dance won't accomplish much. She's too perfect to really be seen as an equal, and advice coming from her doesn't seem like it'd be as effective. Like someone who inherited a small fortune trying to give you well meaning but ridiculously trite financial advice, while you owe $1400 and make minimum wage.. "You should use coupons! It doesn't seem like much, but it really adds up!" ...uugh. I'm, uh, not a huge fan of Lilly.

[HoneyBakedHam]

Yeah, but she does have that healthy adolescent sex drive.

[Leaty]

(deadfic)

[Oscar Wildecat]

... Hisao-shaped hole ...

Every time I hear that term in context of this story, I have a mental image of Iwanako walking up to a Hisao-shaped hole in the ground and saying, "Nope. Nada. No way. Not for me." She then proceeds to fill the hole full of concrete; and, once it hardens, breaks out the jackhammers and dynamite and begins to create a Iwanako-shaped hole in its place.

It's not an easy process...
It's not a pretty process...

But -- come hell or high water (as we say in these parts) -- she will make a place for herself.

[In other words, I'm still loving the story. ]

[Steinherz]

... Hisao-shaped hole ...

Every time I hear that term in context of this story, I have a mental image of Iwanako walking up to a Hisao-shaped hole in the ground and saying, "Nope. Nada. No way. Not for me." She then proceeds to fill the hole full of concrete; and, once it hardens, breaks out the jackhammers and dynamite and begins to create a Iwanako-shaped hole in its place.

... goddamn it, cannot unsee

[Leaty]

(deadfic)