Secret Letters from the Rose Garden*SPOILERS*

[tantrix187]

This fic could have been a novel made by punchline:
Secret Letters from the Rose Garden by Shinigami_Shimai

This fic is a prequel of Rule of Rose,as far I can read.
It explains Jennifers life after the giant fish zeppelin accident,during to live as Joshuan and then meeting Wendy.
This is a Shoujo ai fic,but a master piece.
It's not a horror fic,more a sad tale of our ...strong heroine =)

Read it it is worth for all fans:
www.shoujoai.ca/writing2/viewstory.php?sid=108

[PrincessJennifer]

It seems to be a really good story so far. I do like the writer's take on how Jennifer was found by Gregory, though there are some things about it that don't fit. Since I'm a supporter of Gregory's innocence in the kidnapping of the children, I can't see him behaving violently or threateningly towards his "Joshua". Also, it was not known that Jennifer or anyone survived the aircrash until after the orphanage massacre. And she says specifically that Gregory was the one who saved her.

[tantrix187]

I asked the author for you,and here is the answer:

I took some creative licensing because there are discrepancies in the game. The date in which the airship crashed and the dates in Gregory's diary do not match up so I had to improvise. There are the bodies outside of his house and other strange behaviours. Someone who seems innocent and nice can have a really mean violent streak, even if they do not mean to. They are trying to do what they think is best for their child after all. I read up on Child abuse laws as of that time and nearly everyone beat their child because they were considered less then animals. This lead me to the lines that Gregory more then likely delivered rough love to his child and is more likely the reason for Joshua's death. The concept of being "Saves" is relevant. If you look at the situation at the orphanages vs. the situation with Gregory it could appear that one is better then the other. No one really knows what she was talking about when she said he "Saved" her so I decided to interput that differently. I have a large knowledge of child psychology so took that into account while writing the tale. I know that I can not write a perfect tale of the game because there are tiny details that do not line up and that the creators left kind of in the dark so I'm trying to come up with the answers myself. I know, for instance, that people will more then likely disagree with my ideas behind Jennifer being in the filth room and the fact that the Head Master was a child molester. I in fact plan to show Wendy as a quite clingy and sexual child who tries to get Jennifer's attention in manners that some would not think appropriate for a child, but considering the sexual nature of the story, and my knowledge of the effects of child abuse and sexual abuse, I think it is the most plausible answer for Wendy's behaviour, not to mention the other girls as well.

Well, thanks for bring this up. Someone just emailed me stating there was a plot hole, but did not go into any details as to what it was. I'll try to keep things as close to the story a I possibly can, but that all depends on when I get the time to write more. I have several novels that need working on, People are begging me for more from The Shadowlands and Morbid tale. I tend to write mostly original works so this is all new to me. I'll try my best considering just how many people have asked me to continue with this story.

Well thanks for taking an interest. Nice to talk on a deeper level about this game.

jaa ne

Kat

[PrincessJennifer]

That person who emailed her was me.XD

I'm gonna move this over to Fanworks.

[shinigamishimai]

hi hi Kat here.

Well, I'm glad you like it, but after reading some of the forum I have to disagree on the innocence of Gregory. Keep in mind is that I'm a 32 year old lesbian who has been on her own most of her live, with no family, and has been writing this kind of thing for about 15 years now. Therefore my insight into this subject matter will differ heavily from the rest.

I've shown my friend the game, who as a degree in psychology, and he agrees that the man is a sociopath (edit: not exactly now that I think about it. A sociopath has no remorse for his actions and in this case Gregory does, he is more dissociative then anything else) and clearly unstable. His song and his stories clearly show his need to kill, the fact that two children have gone missing, along with his own son, and his inability distinguish that the child before him is not actually his son only adds to things. It would take a lot more then one child to make someone commit murder, never mind slaughtering an entire orphanage of children. The only other likely explanation for his odd behaviour is that he has some kind of Multiple personality disorder, but since he does show that is aware of his actions and feels guilty about them this can't be true either.

Jennifer saying that Gregory saved her seems more like Stockholm's Syndrome then anything else. If you do not know what this means it is when a person started to feel for their captor and ends up taking their side after a time. There have been cases of people who have been kidnapped locking in a basement for years and after a time start caring for their captors. This seems the most likely case consider she was locked in the basement and forced to be someone she wasn't.

Don't even think Wendy realized what she was doing when she ran to him as Joshua. She seems like the innocent girl who does not understand her feelings for Jennifer and felt neglected and alone in the world. When Jennifer finally rejects her completely she does what many heart broken girls would do, they seek revenge. I don't see her as manipulative, but more of a clingy girl who wants to keep Jennifer all to herself. This is not an uncommon act and it occurs a lot in children, more so in orphans have find themselves alone.

I've worked on several novels dealing with psychological aspects of characters and dreams. I also have a deep understand of dream theory and so see past many of the dream images for what they really are. That is what I'm doing with Secret Letters, telling the tale outside of the nightmares, a more realistic portrayal of the events that transpired because it is the underline story that I feel in love with myself. I'm trying to incorporated ever last bit of game pieces into the tale, from bits of dialogue to the letters passed from girl to girl. But a portion of it will be based on my interpretations based on what I know about this kind of situation, which I've lived through a lot of darkness in my past so understand a lot of what these girls are going through.

Anyways, I have to get back to work. Nearly finished a new short story for submission to a publisher, I really hope she likes this one.

Well, jaa ne

Writer/Artist Kathryn K Williams
www.shoujoai.ca

[PrincessJennifer]

I'd suggest you read through the various threads about Gregory's innocence, since we've debated the matter greatly.

And it still is impossible that Jennifer was found and taken to a hospital.

[Dinah]

Actually I kind of agree with her. It's possible that Gregory has what I have as well. (Bi-polar disorder.) WHere his moods and feelings change at a rapid pace. Thus he could be horribly violent and even to the point of killing a person for a while, and then suddenly switch to feeling alot of remorse for his actions.

And I definately feel the same way she does about Wendy.
Wendy really didn't have any real idea what she was doing when she brought the derranged Gregory to the orphanage.

Side note: I haven't gotten to read the fic yet. I've got to be going to class soon.

[PrincessJennifer]

There's a lot of evidence to support that she did know what she was doing, though.

And that still wouldn't make sense. We are never shown Gregory as violent, and Jennifer states he is nice to her. Even years after the massacre, she still feels guilty about having left him. If he were suddenly mean or violent to her, I think she would have complained to Wendy and made it one of the reasons she wanted to escape.

[Dinah]

Well she never really did give a valid reason for leaving.
Jennifer doesn't have the most reliable memory, so she could very well have blocked out the any violent behavior from Gregory.

[PrincessJennifer]

She does give valid reasons. And even with her selective memory, that seems to be the kind of thing she would remember.

[MaRayearth]

I read the first two chapters, they're good

I can't imagine Gregory being this violent at Jennifer at that point though ^^;