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butterfly in nine laps : bonus lap
Q: What was the point of Butterfly?
A: Butterfly in Nine Laps actually does have a basis behind it along with a collection of references. For instance, the kitten is the same kitten that Nanami got Touga in the anime series. The box Juri brought it in is the same box that Nanami used. Etc. The photographs on the walls in Mikage's chapter are parallel to the Nemuro Memorial Hall. The camera Touga borrows is the same as the snapshots he does with Akio in the anime series. Etc.
This is a way of getting completely off-topic from your original question.
Q: So what's the theme of Butterfly?
A: The apocalypse of adolescence. Aka, growing up when you're a teenager when all you have to guide you are fucked-up families, nowhere to go afterwards, and a whole lot of family secrets that you're just pretending don't exist. Living when you're dead inside. Being better off dead when you're still alive. You know, the usual.
Q: Why do people have such wierd obsessions in this fic?
A: Because it's better than thinking about how the world is just that fucked up, and they can't seem to do anything about it other than suppress the memories. Check out 'ritual behavior' sometime.
Q: Why is the ficworld so surreal?
A: It's not. It just seems that way because all the students feel that life is surreal. Then they further act out their own issues. Ohtori Academy is all about people trying to make sense out of a nonsensical world, Akio and Anthy included.
Q: What order should I read Butterfly in?
A: Any order, doesn't matter. The one suggested is listed under the writings. It's interesting to note that the actual order I wrote it in goes more like, "Akio, Touga, Shiori, Kozue, Shiori, Anthy, Shiori, Juri, Saionji, Utena, Anthy."
Q: When does this all take place?
A: Before the movie. No, wait, during the movie. No, wait, it doesn't happen at all. What were you asking again?
Q: Does Touga--
A: Yes.
Q: Does Akio--
A: No.
Q: What does Lap [insert name here] have to do with the rest of the story?
A: Absolutely nothing.
Q: But how do you have a story if none of it relates?
A: Thank the gods for the fact that the Utenaverse is terminally fucked. You could write something about talking cheese and still call it canon. Writing Utenaverse!fic is like driving a tank cross-country. There's very little you can't utterly crush beneath your treads.
Q: Where did all the parts you removed from the stories go?
A: The original kitten molestation scene was the worst of it all. After that, I just yanked any parts out that started going that way. Someday I might write all the sections back in, but right now, they're unreadable on purpose. If people really, really beg for it, I might put up the kitten scene. On second thought, no, I still won't.
Q: That's not fair! I was only reading because I wanted smut!
A: Boy, tough luck. Now you know better.
Q: Okay, so where are the parts you said you couldn't put up on FF.net?
A: Those were mostly kitten parts. I could not put them up. I could not finish writing them. Sorry. I think I wanted to keep from vomiting up my lunch, thanks.
Q: Why does Touga swim?
A: Because he drowned.
Q: And Juri on the swing set?
A: End of Evangel--oh shit! Wrong series! My bad.
Q: ...what?
A: Never mind.
Q: Okay. What about Touga with the Candelabra in Shiori's Garden?
A: Because Anthy did the same pose during the series.
Q: And that wierd counterpart to Chu-Chu? The thing with the mouth?
A: Shiori's familiar, just like Anthy's Chu-Chu had an earring and tie much like that of Akio.
Q: Then why does it have a wierd mouth?
A: Let's not go there.
Q: Is there symbolism to how Touga/Shiori and Anthy/Akio killed the Nanami cow, then?
A: Next!
Q: How did Touga die, exactly?
A: His father answered Utena's call for help. Since Touga's father warned him once already about playing with others, and twice by drowning the kitten, that was the last straw. He let Touga drown.
Q: ...
A: Do you really think that Touga could help Juri in that slow of a current and not just hang on the boat/riverbank himself while Utena was right there on the bank screaming for adult assistance? I mean, he could. But I wrote that he didn't.
Q: Is this why Juri doesn't trust adults?
A: She wants to break free of the things that bind her back from growing from adolescence to adulthood. Shiori, her memories, everything. Not that she remembers Touga's death in specifics. Even Juri has reasons why she can't succeed in having a revolution yet.
Q: Why was Juri such good friends with Touga?
A: Because of implications on movie!Shiori's part that Touga had a thing for Juri. Also because of a manga reference that had her in love with Touga, not Shiori. At least, I think that's how it went. Watch me not keep up to date with the official translated manga. I could be completely fucking wrong, in which case, Juri's good friends with Touga because of esoteric parallels with Utena and, uh, self-affirmation and confidence. And having metaphysical balls. Yeah. Which Touga doesn't. Not in the movie, at least. Must be the dead thing.
Q: Then why does Juri not recognize Touga's name when she's accusing Utena of only fighting for him in the movie?
A: I'm calling that 'tragic irony.'
Q: Really? I'm calling it 'bull shit.'
A: BING. O.
Q: What's Ruka's damage?
A: Ruka is dead, but he chooses to die again on his own terms, just like in the series.
Q: What's up with Miki and Kozue?
A: Incest. Pregnancy of Kozue that was covered up. Miki denying it all.
Q: Why didn't Akio play a bigger role?
A: Because Anthy dominated the movie. With whips and chains in bed.
Q: Why didn't Utena show up in her chapter? What gives?
A: Because it mirrors how Akio was mostly absent in the movie except in how the media shows him via videotape, paintings, etc. Also because Butterfly actually occurs before Utena gets to Ohtori.
Q: So it DOES happen pre-movie!
A: Uh. Fnord.
Q: I think you just didn't want to write her.
A: Actually, I had a good start, but my inspiration went in a completely different way.
Q: Why did you have Juri be the girl in the boat?
A: Because that's the way it happens in the movie? Shiori says as much, even if she's skewed. This also is a reference to Series-Juri talking about how her sister almost drowned once, and the boy who saved her died in doing so. In the series, Juri brings this up because she says she can't remember the boy's name and all that jazz, and thinks it was cruel of her sister not to remember either.
Q: Was there ever a kitten at all, or was it a symbol of independance that Juri was trying to impart to Touga and was later killed by Touga's father, but reappears each time as each character either reaches out to it or rejects it?
A: Beats me.
Q: What was the point of Butterfly?
A: Yes.
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lap 01 :
lap 02 :
lap 03 :
lap 04 :
lap 05 :
lap 06 :
lap 07 :
lap 08 :
lap 09 :
overtime :
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