I DID IT!

I am a bit exhausted.

I need a vacation now that my vacation is done.

It was great being able to spend time with friends and family and always have something to do, but it's exhausting. I now understand why my mother looked so drained after we went to Disneyland when I was a kid.

I tried to get back into the rhythm of things. I sort of did too.

Can you tell when I was on vacation?
Also, yes, I did officially switch my project over to PT, because I didn't even touch OatS

I hit my half-way point, and the cabin almost did too! Go us!
Also, I could TOTALLY write over 23,000 words in one day... I got this... >_>

I sprinted at the end to try to make up the difference. It was never going to be enough to hit 50,000 words before midnight tonight, but it was enough for my secondary goal: FRIGGEN FINISH "PEEPING TOMCAT" BEFORE AUGUST!

I was doing so well for MONTHS by having weekly updates. Then I tripped at the finish line, and my past month of updates were all over the map. On top of that, it's been EIGHTEEN DAYS since I last updated! EIGHTEEN!

I was regularly updating every week, and then I vanish just before the final chapter! Ug!

Writing from scratch takes too much time, and I still have to edit this thing!

Buuuuut! It IS written! It's done! I completed a story! I finished a manuscript! I didn't abandon a novel! And boy was it a massive undertaking.

Sugar Cubs Facebook sticker
by Quan Inc

So this is how I wrote the final chapter:

• Write a section; have to stop
• Re-read/edit previously written section to get back into the mindset of the story, and write the next section; have to stop
• Re-read/edit the tail end of the first section, then the entirety of the second section to get back into the correct mindset, write some more, and then stop
• Re-read/edit the tail end of the section written two sessions ago, then the previous session to get back into the mindset, write some more, and stop

You get the idea. So, except for the section I wrote this morning, I should be fairly edited. Still, this chapter is HUGE, so I might have to take an hour or so to go from start to finish in order make sure the whole thing flows.

I know section B flows from section A and that section C flows from section B. What I don't know is if the same feel flows from sections A all the way down to section... I dunno... G? There was a LOT that had to be unpacked in this final chapter.

Part of me wanted to break this last chapter up again buuuuut....

1) Not enough drama really happened for the individual scenes to hold up as their own chapter, especially since I didn't want to focus on the akuma attack this time.

2) My readers waited over two weeks! They deserve something for their time. I just hope they appreciate a massive chapter as a trade off for the wait...

And when I say massive chapter, I'm not kidding. I don't know if it will all survive the final cuts, but as of right now it is 18 pages long! Huh... so... a page per day since the last update... neat...

Anyway, yeah, it's friggen 18 pages long and 8660 words! Prior to this final chapter, I think the largest one I had was about 7600+ words long.

Did I mention I don't know how to wrap up stories??? I think this chapter just kept going on and on and on because I didn't want this story to end. There was still more and more and more story to tell, and I didn't want to let go.

Again, we'll see how much stays when I go at my baby with the knife.

I probably don't have to show as much of the Chat Noir appreciation day festival....

GAAAAH! I'm so nervous to post this thing. This is it. I have no other chapters for this story. My readers will have to wait MONTHS for me to have "One and the Same" ready for posting. They waited so long. They've followed me on this journey for MONTHS. I just hope I did the story justice with my ending. I hope my readers feel satisfied with how I concluded things. I hope I didn't write one of those epic stories that gets ruined by a crappy last chapter.

Tanuki Facebook sticker
by Yanare Ku

If you can't tell.... I'm a nervous wreck.

This is the most terrifying thing for me: concluding stories. I want to stick in Schrödinger's limbo: my final chapter is simultaneously brilliant and trash until I post it and the reviews start coming in.

I should trust that I'll be fine.

First of all, it's my first "Miraculous Ladybug" fanfic, so I'm not all that well known in the fandom. If I start with a dud, then oh well, live and learn.

Secondly, it's fanfiction; it's free. If people don't like it, then oh well... 

Third, I don't have an editor or even a beta. I'm doing this whole thing solo, so it is what it is.

Fourth, I wrote this story because *I* wanted to know how it would go, and this is an ending that is satisfactory for me. At least, it will be once I finish editing everything. I should be content in that alone: I wrote a story that *I* enjoy reading.

I mean, I even wrote the final scene while listening to the "Umbrella Scene" song again. I managed to get to the final sentences right at the conclusion of the song, and it fit perfectly together. That HAS to be a sign that the conclusion works, right?

Finally, I should trust that my fans who have been enjoying the story thus far will enjoy this last chapter. I like it; they would too, right? Besides, they seem to all be patiently - and sometimes not so patiently - waiting for this conclusion. I can't keep them waiting much longer, can I?

I mean, these are the reviews I've received since my last update on the 13th:

Jowy's Pixie: Awww, seeing all the love Chat Noir was getting was so awesome and cute. Poor Plagg towards the end though ahaha, he did kinda have a point. I'm glad that Adrien seems to have cheered up slightly. That moment with his father was really touching. It was so heartwarming to read. I know I've probably said this a few times now, but I just can't emphasise enough just how well you've managed to capture their personalities. The level of accuracy is phenomenal! It was something that I really felt while reading this particular chapter for some reason.
          I'm sad that the story is ending, but I'm really excited to see what happens along with the possible sequel you have been pondering. Trying to come up with akumas is the worst so I feel your pain. I have no idea how the writers of the show keep coming up with fresh ideas. Eeek, I'm super excited for what happens next. I really love this story. It's been so unique and well written. I wish you the best of luck with the next chapter. Keep up the great work!

And then the other two I received this past week:

- Woohoo! I found and caught up just in time for a Friday update! It’s fun to read the first person perspective, especially from Adrien’s point of view. I don’t think I’ve seen that yet. Kudos! And best of luck with the rest!

- Are you kidding? That would have been a great way to end the story! But there's still the shocking revelation that has to happen, and Tikki and Plagg's reunion... okay, there's loose ends, but I'd be perfectly happy if this was how it ended. And you're nearly a week late. just an FYI. :P Keep writing!

My chest hurt a little when I realized that the person excited to finish reading in time for the "Friday update" would have to wait all weekend actually, since I was only about half-way done with the chapter at that point.

And for the second review... I WAS WRITING!

So, with reviews like these, I SHOULD trust that they'll be happy with how this ends... right?

Helga from "Hey Arnold"
created by Craig Bartlett

Serena/Usagi from "Sailor Moon"
created by Naoko Takeuchi

I'll be fine....

Also, I don't care what the Camp NaNo site says. If I get this chapter up today I'll consider my July camp goal achieved.

Alright, enough delaying... time to go back to do edits. Keep an eye out.