#The Long Con

[fairytail-incorrectquotes]

Gray: You know Candace?

Natsu: Candace dick fit in your mouth lol

Gray: I was talking about that girl from Lamia Scale who passed away bro

Gray: Grow up

Natsu: Oh

Natsu: No

Gray: She was friends with Joe

Natsu: Who's Joe?

Gray: JOE MAMA BITCH

[shrinkrants]

This is cryptocracy: rule by the concealed. It doesn’t need a coup or a canceled election. It survives by keeping the rituals of democracy intact while inverting their purpose. Laws become tools for punishing enemies and shielding allies. Agencies no longer serve the public—they protect the executive and advance his network. The state no longer mediates among competing interests—it extracts loyalty and delivers favors. Like any long con, it relies on trust. Institutions still exist, and so does the choreography. Press briefings continue. Elections go forward. But the meanings have shifted. The symbols remain to prevent panic. Meanwhile, decision-making quietly moves behind closed doors, carried out by loyalists, family members, and private operatives with no accountability. -- James B. Greenberg

[fandomgachapon]

An anonymous donor gacha'd the next three updates of The Long Con!

The next update is here, and the next two will be forthcoming.

[anarcho-sin-dicalist]

I didn't transition to trick lesbians into sex I transitioned to get them into dnd games.

[spookybokchoy]

“Dude let’s go to Comic Con this weekend! I got tickets”

Take photos, make friends, meet a celebrity, wander around artist alley or geek out however you like! Just make sure your wallet survives ;)

[lost-in-a-lavender-haze]

The long con to portray himself as the hero and win the affection of Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

screenshot from my sister: @lizabee18.bsky.social

[keferon]

Don’t mind me I just like to see him go bananas about cartoonish Autobot rules

Maaan…..if Prowl was in tfp he would spontaneously combust at least once a day

[the-blind-assassin-12]

for the writing asks: 3 for PoNR 4 for Aphelion 9 for The Long Con and then one of your choice for either Recall or Unfinished THANK YOU HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A GREAT DAY.

Hi Rachael!! Thanks for sending these!! My day has been busy but productive so I cannot and will not complain! I hope you're having a great day, too!

3: What’s your favorite line of narration?

First of all, thank you from the bottom of my heart for asking this about Point of No Return.

This one was easy for me. It was one of the very first things I imagined when I started thinking about this story and about what Ezra and Clara's relationship was like and what life on the Thulian farm was like. It's this lazy scene from Part Four that takes place during the rainy season on Kamrea, when all the work is done and they can finally rest:

Propping himself up on his side, he reached out to brush the fingers of his right hand over the cluster of freckles that covered the curve of her shoulder. There were seventeen individual points to that particular constellation, and he could trace over each one with his eyes closed. Ezra had never felt the urge to count the stars or the desire to know how many of them there were in the sky. The first time that part of her body was revealed to him however, he needed to commit each detail of that design to memory. 

Typically covered by clothing, the scattershot of sun kissed splotches on her left shoulder wasn’t the only place where Clara had freckles. A sprinkling of them would spring up across her face after long hours under the burning harvest star, another handful thrown haphazardly over her knees and the backs of her calves, more dotting her forearms and wrists, and he had spent hours lavishing each one of those little stars with attention. But the blossom of freckles on her shoulder drew his eye, his touch, his lips more readily and involuntarily than did any other part of her body. Collecting her soft hair between his fingers, he swept it away so that he could lean over to kiss the top of her shoulder. She was laying on her stomach, the white sheet draped over her lower half and her cheek pressed into the pillow. Shifting closer, he tucked her under his arm and let his kiss climb up the side of her throat. 

4: What’s your favorite line of dialogue?

This one is TOUGH when it comes to Aphelion because I feel like the dialogue is some of the strongest stuff in that story.

But sticking to dialogue that I've written for this one, I think this bit between Oberyn and Tyene in Part Ten was my favorite because aside from the Reader/Oberyn dynamic, I think the Oberyn/Tyene dynamic is my favorite to write:

“I was going to ask if you were up for a few rounds of sparring.” That got her attention far more than whatever she’d chosen to read - you could tell from the way that her shoulders lifted, chest expanding with an unnecessary intake of breath. You knew Oberyn saw it, too, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards before he spoke again. “It has been a long time since we have trained together.”  You blinked, your own excitement to see him in action growing at the thought of getting to watch the two of them practicing their combat skills with each other. Oh, this is going to be something.  “Sure.” Without lifting her eyes from the magazine that she was reading, Tyene tilted her head as she spoke. “But I’ll give you some time to warm up first, Oberyn.” She flipped the page, lifting a brow in an attempt to feign mild interest at whatever headline was scrawled atop the new one. A slight smirk that she couldn’t contain curved her lips as she turned another page. “Let you shake out the rust before I -” The rich, full sound of his warm laughter pulled your focus back to his face. Small creases formed around his eyes, stretching out like sun rays as his smile pushed his cheeks higher.  “Easy, little snake.” He warned her with the arch of an eyebrow. “Never forget who taught you how to strike.”  “I could never.” Tyene grinned, adjusting her position to settle more deeply into the armchair. Crossing her legs, she cocked her head to the side. “But you shouldn’t forget that part of what you taught me was that there is always more to learn.” She clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Like you said, it’s been a long time since we’ve trained together. I might have picked up a thing or two since then.”  Oberyn chuckled, his shoulders lifting slightly. The gleam in his dark eyes was playful and teasing, but in it you also saw pride and affection for Tyene, the expression tugging at your heart. They mean so much to each other.  “Good.” He nodded. “I’m counting on it.”  

9: Were there any alternate versions of this fic?

Short answer? Nope. In all fairness, it barely even exists in its current form. But The Long Con, while very neglected (not really, I am just intimidated by PATS and by writing the smut that this story requires) has probably undergone the least number of changes and versions in the draft/outline of any of my active wips. I've known since I started planning it what I wanted to happen at the end. If anything, the middle bits have... not really changed but solidified since then. I know where we're going but the drive is not easy so I'm procrastinating.

13: What music did you listen to, if any, to get in the mood for writing this story? Or if you didn’t listen to anything, what do you think readers should listen to to accompany us while reading?

Gonna go with Unfinished for this one, because I have been listening to the playlist for it for days on repeat and I really like the vibes:

Love Like Ghosts by Lord Huron

Reaching Out to You by Snow Patrol

Tessellate by Alt-J

Autumn by The Gaslight Anthem

Over The Love by Florence + the Machine

Back to You by John Mayer

For Me, It's You by Lo Moon

Thank you again for sending these in!!

[tenowls]

me when i don’t let past and future be

[mustasekittens]

🩵🩷

close up + alt ver for a print!

[fandomgachapon]

Fanfic Update

daisydiversions has gacha'd an update to The Long Con.

Chapter 3 is now up! Read it here

Excerpt:

“And who are you supposed to be?” Today she’s “Wren Devi,” older sister of still-missing Robin Devi, English Literature doctoral student at Syracuse University in New York. Robin went to the UK for dissertation research and never came back. As far as anyone can tell, Robin’s dead, the most recent in a long line of women trafficked for their organs. Sometimes their bodies were recovered. She doesn’t say any of that though. What she does say is: “I can be whoever you want me to be.” Disgust-irritation-resignation flies across his face and then he rolls his obscenely blue eyes. Carmen bats her eyes at him and gives a cheeky smile. The scowl slowly smooths its way into a smile and Brian chuckles. “It’s good to see you, Cami.”

Want additional updates? Donate to Hospitallers and fill out the donation form here!

[thoughtsandmusingsandideas]

Furina, who while devoted to the creator, knows that they are not all powerful nor all knowing- after all, they still referred to her as Focalors, they still treat her as an archon and one of their acolytes.

Furina, who regularly questioned her faith and her loyalties- after all, she was attempting to fool the Heavenly Principles, the loyal attack dog of the creator, but at the same time, why didn’t the creator try and stop the prophecy? If the creator had the power, and truly loved all their humans and archons, why let Fontaine drown?

Furina, who when an impostor appeared, received the same order as every other archon- hunt down the imposter, the heretic who defied their revered creator, and destroy them and their treasonous behaviour.

Furina, who during the search, wondered if she would be hunted down with the same vigor if others would learn of her duplicity.

Furina, who found you in a grotto only able to be accessed underwater, who saw the way the creatures of the sea attempting to help you patch up the wound in your side, spilling golden blood, and realized her faith was misplaced with far more ease than any other archon could have mustered.

Furina, who helped her creator heal in that grotto, apologies soft and regretful on her lips. She should have realized sooner; After all, she knows how easy it is to impersonate a god.

[chocodile]

Finished up my "weird furry species" zine for Furlandia 2025!

This 28-page zine focuses on lesser known and lesser seen animals, including a text section for each "group" featuring some of my personal worldbuilding and design tips, and a ton of fun, silly character designs. Over 70 of them, in fact! And 4 full color pages, too! Illustrating this took... a very long time.

Physical copies will be available at Furlandia 2025, AWU 2025, and any other con I go to!

[anghraine]

I watched "Measure of a Man" not long ago, and while it was indeed very good, the weird, toxic, bitter relationship between Picard and his JAG ex really made me nostalgic for one of my favorite Kirk/lady of the week relationships—Kirk and Areel Shaw in "Court Martial."

Kirk himself is the one on trial in "Court Martial," and Areel is the prosecuting attorney rather than the judge. They're exes in their early 30s who broke up in the past for unknown reasons, but are still fond of each other, respectful, and retain an amicable, pleasant relationship years after their break-up. Both of them handle the strain of Areel's professional obligations with maturity and grace, but not impossibly idealized invulnerability. Areel recommends a good defense lawyer for Kirk and regrets the role the situation places them in, but she also doesn't sabotage her case against him and is good at what she does.

The thing that really makes this a favorite "Kirkmance" for me, beyond all this, is that it's very obvious that both of them still care a lot about each other and remain deeply attracted to each other. Neither of them have anything to gain by this. They're both too intelligent and sensible to consider re-kindling their old romance; it fell apart for a reason, despite the lingering affection/attraction, and for pragmatic reasons, sex isn't on the table.

But both early and late in the episode, Kirk and Areel seem to enjoy the flirtation for what it is: not calculated or desperate, not useful, not some fridge horror dub-con scenario, not a high-romance disaster waiting to happen, not even a prelude to a one-night stand, just a fun and affectionate acknowledgment that the chemistry remains strong and they still love each other in a way. There's something genuine and tender and unforced about their flirtation and mutually agreed-upon good-bye kiss that is just so conspicuously different from the tactical Kirkmances. I think it's really lovely, actually:

[svnnnne]

"Got you something…!"

[ningadudexx]

thank you to alejandro saab for being so kind!!! it was awesome to meet you :) i was so excited!!!

stuff i forgot to post and monkeys ^_^ monkie kid... so epic....