Thank you
I have a couple notes:
1. Thank you
2. Best/favourite reviews
3. Announcements
4. Last note
1. Thank you
Dear Readers,
I am not allowed to post this on ff dot net—it's against the Rules & Regulations. I really want to inform you that… You guys are awesome! Please don't rat me out! If you were able to stick with me for the entire journey, you deserve a serious pat on the back and a hug because this was probably a horribly torturous sequel. Thanks for all the awesome reviews! They were all so wonderful.
I wanted to write this sequel because Prussia, in many fics, forgets whom he is/starts fading because he's no longer a country. I coupled that idea with my grandfather's Alzheimer's and bam we got this evil fic. My friend told me that evil wasn't a strong enough word for the pain/feels of this fic lol. I (don't really) apologize for the serious feels you guys had to withstand. I'm just glad there are so many dedicated readers out there!
Also life is wonderful, but things like Alzheimer's happen and it's not something you can control. I guess I just wanted to open your eyes that this sh*t happens. So there you have it! Thanks for sticking with me, Matt and Gilbert.
~Awesome Maple
2. Best/favourite reviews
"You're back! :D More Mattie and Gilbert! 3 I can't wait to see how this sequel turns out... I hope we get to see some more of Ludwig's family. This chapter has got me hooked. What is this mysterious disease that Gilbert has? I guess I'll have to wait and see. Kudos to you for writing a sequel to What Must Shall Be! I absolutely adored that story and I'm always happy to see more 2p!Canada and Prussia." –Impeccably Bizarre (oops lol I don't think you were expecting it to be this bad)
"wellhellofriends:hahaha, here we go agAIN
good tho bro that ur writing about shit that you lived thru, idk how to put it. im ot good with words, but hey ur cool" –Guest (wellhellofriends)
"Whoa... Emotional. You really expressed the intense emotional grief of Matt and Gilbert in this chapter- the feels hit me hard. I liked how you ended the chapter with a suspenseful and sorrowful note. Thank you for sharing your Alzheimer's story. It really puts things into perspective, doesn't it? Best wishes to you and your family as you work through this." –Impeccably Bizarre
"My heart is breaking, too! I can't bare to see Matt and Gilbert torn apart after Where Must Shall Be! This fic is fantastic so far, though. You manage to crack my heart a little but more every chapter (and don't worry, that was a compliment). Poor Matt and Gilbert :( I wonder how Ludwig is coping..." –Impeccably Bizarre (man your reviews were soooo awesome this time around!)
"My heart is breaking but I love the story! I am definitely looking forward to see what happens next. My Grandfather also had Alzheimer's but he died right after I was born so I never knew him." –Maeve007 (I'm sorry for your loss. I guess in a way you can see the process through this fic?)
"you are making me cry" –GMoriell (I feel sadistic for liking this comment but… I don't know why I like it. I guess I'm glad the emotion is coming through!)
"wellhellofriends:oh jesus. please dont go breaking my heart. i love this so much, the story is so good and everybodys in character... just. its heart wrenching. im glad the way you have shown what you have felt with your grandfather is through writing, because it teaches others too. gah. im going to go read a fluffy fic so i stop crying, keep going bro!" –Guest (wellhellofriends)
";; NOO MATTIE NOO oh my gosh you've done it... Gah... My heart is racing. Especially after your author's note said that you would break my heart again on Sunday. I don't know whether to be excited or worried. Another emotional roller-coaster of a chapter; fantastic job :D You seem to know just how to make me want to cry (again, that's a compliment XD)." –Impeccably Bizarre (oops?)
"you know, this fic is much more difficult to review... It is beautiful and touching and EXTRIMLY sad. Besides, the idea that all this is a real life experience is raising the level of grief too. A lot of readers become attached to your Gil and Matt from "WMSB" and to read about not so "happy even after" is… rather hard." –GMoriell (You really opened my eyes with this comment. It's weird to think that people get attached to fictional characters… But we do!)
":omgomg i love this so much but gah! all this heartbreak is making me saaaad :(( nnnn i dont really know what to tell u but, gosh! this is so good! hopefully youll get the Fem!Pru x 2p!Can fic up and running!" –Guest (thank you! I actually started working on it after this comment haha)
"Ohmygod this is so good! You're a great writer! I love the way you've writen Matt and I'm glad this thing has 28 chappys! I'm reading this instead of watching the super bowl (the time of year where we, America, have a giant football show and all Americans watch, it's super awesome!) yes, all American stereotypes are true, most of us are fat and lazy, but we all know how to throw a party and get drunk off our butts. Thanks again for this great piece of art and for taking your time for us readers!" –Blubble (Ok so this particular review is from What Must Shall Be, but I thought I would put it here since our wonderful Blubble binged on my two fics in probably 1-2 sittings. I watched the super bowl (in 2017 we get American advertisements finally. We're stuck with our shitty Canadian ones. Your ads have a reputation of being really funny so we Canadians are pretty excited for the 2017 super bowl!). I cheered for New England simply because it had the name "England" omfg I'm such a Hetalian. The halftime show was… Kinda sucky. I hope Beyoncé comes back! The left shark made me laugh though).
"Ohmygodimgoingtocry I spent the whole time thinking it was cancer, but this is even worse! Waaaaaaah
I love your story maple, you're so cool! I read the first story and it was brilliant as well but this is just making me cry God dammit" –Blubble (The review above was Feb 1st and this one was Feb 2nd I think Blubble binged on it. And thank you! I don't think of myself as cool in person, but I guess I am here!)
"NO oh my god NO Gil no no no no
That last line certainly was a punch to the stomach. You certainly know how to toy with our feels, don't you? Ha, and that author's note; "it's all downhill from here." Goddammit. I am seriously in awe of how well you write these chapters... It's like you know exactly how to make us laugh or cry. It's still only just sinking in that Mattie and Gil's story isn't going to be a happily ever after... I think the most impressive part of this story, though, is how consistent you are with updates. I'm TERRIBLE at updating my stories XD Can't wait for the next update!" –Impeccably Bizarre
"Why?! Why did you have to do that?! Oh my absolute God! I'm not even Christian! What did you do?! Ohmygosh this story is so good but it's making me cry!
I love it so much though that I have to keep reading dang it." –Blubble (this made me laugh a lot and I showed this to a couple friends and they laughed too!)
"Aww. I just... I can't. This is so heartwarming and sweet, yet heartbreaking and painful. Three more chapters? I must prepare myself." –Impeccably Bizarre (I hope you were prepared!)
"how could the first story a story that's so happy and sometimes funny make the sequel turn into such a sad story i feel so sorry for matt his life just ain't fair please finish this wonderful sad story soon" –miagirl3 (It's finally over!)
"I only feel pain
Great story
You succeeded in the feels.
( And the correct grammar is wonderful as well)" –Freedom-is-key (nice URL! And thanks for the grammar comment; I try really hard to make the grammar as clean as possible.)
"I'm honestly not ready for the ending, but it has to happen sooner or later. This is so sad, but I really love the emotions! Gilbert forgot Ludwig, it really is the end now! :(" –BitterSweet Crazy
AND FINALLY, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL REVIEW OF THEM ALL:
" *sigh* " –GMoriell
3. Announcements
As I've said time and time again, the next fic is going up any time between
Thursday, February the 26th to Thursday, March 5th.
So tune in!
4. Final Note
And thus, the legacy of Gilbert and Matt has finally ended. If you noticed, I have a pattern—all my fic titles are from different lines from different Shakespeare plays. This particular series are both from Romeo and Juliet.
Paris: Happily met, my lady and my wife!
Juliet: That may be, sir, when I may be a wife.
Paris: That "may be" must be, love, on Thursday next.
Juliet: What must shall be.
—Romeo and Juliet, Act 4, Scene 1, lines 18-21
What it means is, "what has to happen will happen". In the context of Romeo and Juliet, it means that Juliet has to marry Paris (on Thursday, as said on line 18). In the context of Matt and Gilbert, it means that they have to work with each other and cooperate.
Her blood is settled, and her joints are stiff.
Life and these lips have long been separated.
Death lies on her like an untimely frost
Upon the sweetest flower of all the field.
–Romeo and Juliet, Act 4, Scene 5, lines 26-30
In the Romeo and Juliet context, it means that Juliet died too early. In the Matt and Gilbert context, it means that Gilbert died too early. Matt explains the metaphor in chapter 10 towards the end, saying that when a frost comes too early, it kills plants. So death is the frost, which killed Gilbert (the flower/plants) too early. You get the point. Haha… How sweet. Chapter 10 is posted the day after Valentine's Day. I'm so evil, jegus.
The next fic's title will be from Twelfth Night, Act 3… But you will have to wait for that!
Anyways, thanks for sticking with me!
Love,
~Awesome Maple