#And I have to spend that constructing lesson plans so. Basically no breaks

[bluethedream]

.

[bagheerita]

The stars aligned such that I re-watched SGA's "Sunday" and TNG's "Lessons" within a week of each other and... do Stargate writers just not understand what women find attractive or what they want out of a relationship?

I've always disliked "Sunday" for the untraditional reason of Elizabeth's "subplot" with Dr Jackass Beardface.

Not related to my actual point, but I've finally gotten to the end of season 7 in my SG1 rewatch and have realized "Grace," an episode I had fond memories of but didn't remember details about, is basically the writers trying to force Sam into heteronormativity. (Like, it's fine if she wants a boyfriend or whatever, but the fact that this hasn't been an issue for 7 seasons and now suddenly the mental constructs of her friends and family are telling her a man is what she's missing in her life... you know what FUCK OFF JACOB.) And then Pete gets introduced in an episode where his strange stalkery interest in Sam and refusal to accept her boundaries is portrayed alongside Osiris manipulating Daniel, which is... not a great introduction for the character. I haven't watched these later seasons in about a decade and was hoping the fandom was exaggerating their hatred of him, but nope.

But I'm at the end of season 6 in my Star Trek the Next Generation rewatch, and I'm so annoyed to realize that they'd already written the "burden of command vs personal life/love life" storyline with a love interest introduced in the same single episode story over a decade earlier, and it was way more satisfying. Picard falls in love with a Scientist Lady and they bond over a shared interest in music, and it's great. In her first scene she's a little rude and insults him for drinking Earl Grey tea, but it's very easy to see that she's just nervous and awkward with people and she immediately tries to make up for the insult instead of assuming that he's into negging. I actually understand through the medium of storytelling that these characters have a compatability and a deep attraction for each other, even if "love" still feels imho like a jump we only accept for narrative convenience. The episode looks into some ways that the fact that he's In Command could affect their relationship, and they end up breaking up when they realize that neither will sacrifice their career to be with the other. Perfectly contained one episode relationship.

Meanwhile over in Atlantis, Jackass Beardface interrupts Elizabeth's work, places himself in charge of her wellbeing, won't let her finish a sentence, consistently lies about his motives in asking her to eat lunch with him because he finds it humorous, and insults her taste in movies. The writers expect us to believe that she finds all that attractive enough to cancel her plans with Teyla and want to spend more time with this oh so tempting specimen of masculinity... only to leave him sitting on a bench and forget around him entirely when duty calls. He never shows up again. Honestly, the character of Jackass Beardface doesn't deserve anything better but since this collection of scenes that are excruciating to sit through only exist to further Elizabeth's character, it's really a shame that this goes entirely nowhere.

[absoluteindulgence]

Paradise (BNHA POC!CUTIES COLLAB)

Happy Black History, Honeys!!! I’ve spent the last 12 hours working on this and I’m still unsure of the finished product, please if you like what read don’t be shy to comment (or if you didn’t DM me, constructive criticism. I haven’t written a story in a while so have mercy lol) Characters are Aged Up🆙 but it’s fluff? I tried my hand at Ludus but can’t say I executed it right lol. Thanks in advance to everyone that reads it! I’m gonna go pass out now, respectfully.

The time you spent together always resorted to some kind of new fun. Always smiles and laughter, learning something new about each other. You didn't spend a lot of time together during your days of being highschool kids, but after some time apart and rekindling something most may call "Puppy Love," you've been finding more reasons to get out of bed.

Kirishima was strong and kind-hearted when you knew him back at U.A., Giving off the proper sentiment that would make you believe in yourself. It's kind of embarrassing how hooked you were to each other's personality, painstakingly apparent to your other classmates wishing for you two to just date but never doing so. Resulting in the classic 'Will They, Won't They' trope annoying everyone; Only to continue like that in your young adult years. Pushing your childlike fun on each other, date after date.

You woke up early, just to get a sense of the mid-winter weather. Still wearing your pajamas, you opened the window near your bed; the brisk air immediately greeted your room with little atonement to your mildly groggy body. You shivered right away, knowing that even though the sun was high in the sky, the wind would be unforgiving until the afternoon. Promptly doing your beauty routine, you dressed warmly and threw your hair under a cute beanie Kirishima had bought you for Christmas. Eager to meet at the station with your Red-haired date. It would be the first date you would've had in weeks, and ironically enough, on Valentines' Day.

As you reached the meetup station, he was already there, fifteen minutes earlier than when you two were supposed to meet. This was typical for him, and many times you had tried to beat him to the punch, but he was always one step ahead. As you got closer, he raised his head from staring at his phone screen, reciprocating the smile plastered on your face as you hugged him.

"Hey, Little Miss Cozy, you look great!" His sharky grin made your heart pulse.

"Aw, thank you, you don't look bad yourself, Kiri" You glanced at his outfit; he looked so stylish! His PR team has really helped him with his image since he graduated, and now he looks like he belongs in a sophisticated J-pop group. "I'm so glad we're hanging out today!" 

"Yeah, me too. Too much work and not enough play are bad for the body!" He dramatically sighed as you playfully pursed your lips in agreeance, and in return, he held your hand through your winter knitted mittens, "Plus, I missed my partner in crime."

Your face heated up from the sweet confession just to retort with, "I feel the same way, Handsome."

His raspy chuckle coming right after as he casually brushed his red hair back with his fingers. Kirishima had promised to make it the best day you could ever have on the holiday. Planning something you didn't even expect; an indoor Ice Skating rink. It would be your first time engaging in the sport, and you were anxious. Unsure about your own elegance and precision to be the best on ice. But he reassured that it would be a fun experience nonetheless, and you believed it would.

"Don't worry, Cutie, if at any point you think you're gonna fall, just hold me tighter." With his graciously, flirtatious wink, you were blushing, with a demure grin.

After traveling to the venue, Kirishima greeted the clerk who would be taking your admission tickets. Right after, you two went to the counter where you get sized up for the Ice Skates. After getting them, you were slightly frantic on how to tie them, bewildered by the laces and hooks. Kirishima saw how confused you were, lightly chuckling at your frantic fingers working so hard to figure it out on your own.

"Hey, don't stress yourself out before you get on the ice, let me help.'' He squatted close to your feet just to help settle your feet into the rented skates. They were a perfect fit, and as he helped, he looked up to beam at you. "You know I feel like the Prince of your story, ready to whisk you away after knowing that the shoe fits you so perfectly."

How smooth, you thought to yourself. Physically flustered and speechless, you had no cheeky rebuttal. Which only made the buff redhead break out into laughter. So many times, did his bold flirts silence you and make your heart flutter. But it was one of your favorite traits that he had. After getting your shoes on, you held his hand the whole way to the rink, continually repeating, "Don't let me fall, okay?"

"Of course, My Princess" He nodded kindly, taking on his role of 'Prince' too seriously. Bringing you to almost trip as you tried to hide your face. "Hey, at least wait till we get on the ice."

Another carefree chuckle leaving his toned body, making you happy to enjoy this experience with him. Getting to the rink may have been a battle, but now you were finally getting onto the ice, working your legs slowly to steady under the frozen ice. Not wanting to move too fast and create an inconvenience for anyone enjoying the rink. Gradually, you took a breath, calming down, as you held Kirishima's hand tighter. He smiled so warmly the whole time you focused on getting comfortable on the ice. The patience he carried just to keep you feeling safe and secure made its way into your heart, knowing that there was no malice energy.

"Are you ready, Princess?" Finally finding your footing, you nod. "Okay, then I'll teach you the basics."

His skating directions are so thorough and straightforward that you're able to follow them and feel like you can execute each move flawlessly. He politely assists you with your stances, placing his big, callous hands onto your waist gently just to help you find the proper posture to keep you from falling. It's fun learning how to do it, but now you're eager to start, and Kirishima can tell.

"Okay, Princess, that's all I have to share. Let's have some fun!" He holds your hand firmly as you slowly glide around the skating rink, feeling your legs space out naturally to create the best gliding and position one leg in front of the other. "See, you know what you're doing!"

Your childlike smile shoots Kirishima straight in the heart as you make the first steps to skating like a pro. He knew you were a fast learner and always admired that. Your persistence to learn something new was fascinating to him. You would start off anxiously and felt as if you didn't know what you were doing. But once you had the chance to shine, you left no skill invalidated.

"Hey Kiri, you think we can go a little faster? I wanna get some more momentum and see if we can do a trick!"

"W-what, you sure you want to try that on your first time at a skating rink? Certain moves require being a professional figure skater… Which we aren’t."

"You have a point, but we should still try anyway," You smile with reassurance, "We didn't graduate from U.A. not to be durable in various conditions!"

You raise your other arm showing off the muscle you gained from being a student at the number one school. Kirishima looked a little bewildered, thinking that your ideology doesn't equate to ice skating whatsoever, but he agreed that you weren't wrong. U.A. definitely had their trials, and you were put through many of them as a first-year.

"I mean, just look at that couple; they're so graceful, and I think we can do that!"

You pointed to a couple of what looked like professional ice skaters making a move you had never seen before. Your eyes sparkled as their chemistry was unmatched by everyone else in the rink. They spun so gently and romantically that you felt like you had to try to do something just as beautiful as that. Kirishima took a couple of Ice skating lessons on the side only to gain more flexibility and agility to become a better defense hero during his agency apprenticeship. It worked well, and he learned many things that he didn't expect to use in his daily life.

Looking at the skilled ice skaters, he felt like that could be him and you, and so he looked back into your eyes, reciprocating your glittery gaze. With a pure and toothy grin, he said, "Okay, let's give it a try."

Excited by his answer, you almost jumped for joy, forgetting where you were, and almost slipped and tumbled into the Red-haired hero. You laughed off the blunder, and you both kept trying to reach the speed it would take to get into any ice move. Having the fundamentals of chemistry be explained had made you even more pumped. Learning the basics of a spin and how to get the most out of sticking your leg out and balance. Kirishima praised you every time you got further into the rotation. You felt good knowing that you were trying and learning something different, respecting the art of figure skating.

Surprised that you were doing so well, you lost focus for a second and accidentally bump into Kirishima, resulting in him falling to the ice-cold floor. Horrified that he's injured, you kneel close to him to inspect, but instead, he laughs, looking at your worried face.

"I'm okay, Princess; this isn't my first time falling on the ice."

"Are you sure? I mean, it looked like you fell kinda har-"

To avoid a freakout and reassure you, he stole a kiss from your lips, lasting more than three seconds as you didn't want it to stop, but he pulls away with a light chuckle, "This floor is cold as hell, though."

"I-I'm sorry," You slightly pout, not knowing what else to say.

"But hey, I'm here with the hottest girl, so this makes up for everything."

Your goofiest smile was starting to form as you reached out to help him up. "Okay, Mr. Flirt, you got me there."

His laugh was highly pleasing to your ears, and you laughed with him. As he stood up, he patted himself down and checked his skates, making sure everything felt the way it did before the fall. After the check, he wanted to leave the rink, it made you anxious, thinking that something else was wrong with him, but he laughed again, "I know you wanted to try a pro move today, but I actually have something else planned."

"Something else?" You tilted your head to the side, confused as to what he could be mentioning.

"Yeah, but it's a surprise, so I'm not gonna say anything until we get there." His shark-like grin came back, making you grin in return.

"Okay, but can I have a hint?" You imitated puppy dog eyes but couldn't keep your face straight, laughing at your own face.

"Hmmm, I'll think about it" He smiled. "Maybe when we're closer, but let's return these skates and go."

And with that, you returned the skates getting your cute and comfortable platform sneakers back. You had even forgotten what shoes you wore since you were in the rink skating for a long time, Feeling like you had sweat enough from the body-induced activity. You were excited to figure out where you might be going. You tried your best to make guesses as you rode the bus to get there and passed by each stop. Still not able to put the finger on where you might be going.

"Here's your hint, Princess," You turn from looking out the window to look back at him. "It's as sweet as you."

Even with such a cute but corny remark, you still didn't have a clue. But you were getting off at the next stop. No dots connected as Kirishima grabbed your hand, guiding you off the bus with him. He smiled the whole way, eager to see your expression on the date's secondary location. The walk may have lasted for five minutes until he stopped, turning to look at you, "We're here."

The building looked a little shabby but still had a colorful banner saying 'Welcome.' A little creeped out, you wondered what was being welcomed. Ghosts maybe? Not humans, maybe clowns, though. You were reluctant to step further, but you looked into Kirishima's eyes, and his expression looked pure and unaltered by the outer appearance of the building. You feigned a light smile, unsure what to expect inside the establishment but prepared for what's to come.

Intertwining your hands, your date tightened the grip, caressing your hand. As if doing his best to comfort you as you walked closer to the entrance, his toothy grin never leaving. As he opened the door for you, you entered the building, the floor looking just as bland as the outside, but you had to be admitted in to get to the specific base, and as you got to your final destination, Kirishima let you walk in first to scope out the scene.

In an instant, you're blinded by beautifully bright colors, pleasingly happy music that didn't sound creepy and candy-like decor from wall-to-wall. Shocked by what you're seeing, candy hung from the ceiling while numerous candy stations were on the floor. Your eyes became huge, looking at what could only be considered a candy paradise. Kirishima stood next to you, nodding at the beauty of the atmosphere filled with gleefulness and sweets all over.

"Well, Princess, welcome to Sugar Sanctuary."

He presented the place so nonchalantly, and yet his energy about the place said otherwise. Your jaw had dropped, not even knowing a place like this had existed. Your eyes couldn't even focus on what was in front of you; you just wanted to explore the floor and eat as much candy as possible.

"We burned so many calories skating, I think we should reward ourselves. I remembered out of the blue that you used to have a sweet tooth, and I wanted to see if that still holds true now."

You turned to hug him tightly, almost jumping into his arms. His eyes widened as you held him, " Of course that's still true! Let's leave here with a dump truck worth of sweets!"

His chuckle reverberated through his body and onto yours as you held him; without protest, he nodded. "Let's do it!"

And with that, you venture into the venue, reading fun facts about the candy, playing the video games that gave out real prizes. Kirishima had a point to prove, his goal was to win you whatever you wanted, and he did it so well, surprising you at his gamer abilities. And his claw skills were something to see too! You never thought you would have this much fun on a date, and yet, here you were having the time of your life with the man who was your highschool sweetheart.

Although your relationships would continue to confuse your friends, you always looked at the bigger picture to smile and have fun. Avoiding all the complicated politics of your connection, taken at your own pace, and not listen to others' opinions as you enjoyed Kirishima's company and vice versa.

You spent every moment tasting different sweets and fresh pastries from the floor that you almost forgot to take photos of the unique location. You spotted a photo booth, and with no hesitation, You lightly tugged your redheaded date to follow along. The booth itself was spacious when inside and looked like it had enough room to fit half a dozen people. But because there was so much space, you tried to create a wonderland of candy surrounding you, bringing you closer to your date.

Kirishima happily obliged to set up what seemed to take a while but eventually, ready to pose for the flix. Unironically, you two looked gorgeous, making quirky faces as the camera flashed, focusing in on the memory. However, the moment was just perfect enough to steal a kiss from him and to thank him for all that he’s done to help you celebrate a holiday that you usually overlook. After caressing your lips onto his, you say, “You know what, Kiri, you truly delivered. And I want you to know that I appreciate you.”

He goes in for another kiss, just to rest his forehead on top of yours, “No, thank you, I’m happy to rescue my Princess from a boring any time of the year.”

With a couple more photos taken in the booth, you leave heading to their lounge area to share a complimentary cake with a candle to grant a special wish together, hoping to have endless moments and to keep smiling together.

[botwstoriesandsuch]

im loving the history lesson posts!!! what are you're thoughts on the ruins in Tabantha? based on the memory near the skywatchers and the shrine quests in the region, the stone ruins in tabantha existed about 10,000 years ago and were destroyed or vacated and left to crumble. but the stone structures contrast heavily with the wooden architecture of Rito Village? bUT if i'm remembering correctly the song lyrics go "pride of the rito/pillar to the sky" so the rito stone and tabantha itself has (1)

Ok first off, I AM SO SORRY! I read this ask months ago and I worked on it in my google docs and then I was going pure theory mode and then another person sent in another ask about ruins and I was getting all excited so basically long story short I got so caught up in making a masterlist of all the ruins that I completely forgot about this ask until now... So anon I apologize for the terrible wait but hopefully you’ll still enjoy what I have in planned. 

You’ve given me a lot to work with so I’m going to break this up into several posts based on your asks. I’m gonna post them on different days becauseeeee content management, schedules, things.....I’m lazy and also if I posted all my thoughts in one post it would be like a giant book with zero pacing so

[Today] Thoughts on the Ancient Columns and the Ruins of Tabantha

[Some time later idk when I post it I’ll shove the link here] The Effects of the Calamity on the Rito and People of Hyrule

The Relationship between Skywatcher Locations and the Cunning of Calamity Ganon

Buckled in ladies, lads, and gentlefolk? It’s time for a history lesson, Part 1 o’ Trois. So today here is

Ancient Ruins, Architectural Parallels, and the Probable Worship of the Fae

So! Let’s start with the ruins of Tabantha. Specifically, the Ancient Columns. 

Anon you’re correct in that these ruins are over 10,000 years old. We can not only gather this from the fact that their condition is the same even 100 years ago, meaning they have to be older than a century (see their crumbled state and similar moss patterns) but also from direct lines from the Creating a Champion (CaC) book itself. 

However, I’m inclined to believe (for several reasons that I’m going to get into) that these ruins have nothing to do with the “pillar in the sky” as mentioned in the Rito songs. For one, the pillar of Rito village is of an entirely different architectural style, given that it looks like the natural work of wind erosion. And for another, the existence of the Rito village pillar has to have been much younger, around 100 years old, in order to coincide with the Sheikah Shrine quest, as the Sheikah platform thingy has to correlate with the characteristics of the pillar’s shape. Ergo, ergo, ergo, the “pillar in the sky” isn’t 10,000 years old and has no correlation with the Ancient Columns.

Ok so! Back to the actual ruins themselves and what we can analyze from them. 

Circled above is every instance of ruins in the Tabantha region. Although I should specify that I’m talking about the Ancient Hylian ruins, as that is the type that is most notably scattered across this area. 

We know that all these ruins are off the same civilization because of their style and material. 

[Remember this picture for later^^]

In addition, we can also tell from ruin maps in the CaC book that these ruins are from the same Hylian civilization, as well as the important detail that these ruins were centered around the Goddess. 

Citing that other screenshot at the beginning on the Ancient Hylian Culture, these ruins were built around the same time as the Sacred Springs, so I think it’s safe to assume that these ruins had a religious purpose.  

But I can take this one step further! Up until now, all this information has been based on interpretations from the botw ruins and official info alone, but if we take into account the real life counterparts/parallels, I can prove the exact purpose to what these ruins are for!

Firstly, these ruins are obviously inspired by architecture in Ancient Greece, and other old Empires (like the Romans and Byzantines) across the Mediterranean. 

We also know that the ruins are constructed out of limestone. One, because moss is able to grow on it, so it is unlikely that it is marble. And two, we can see the actual limestone texture when seeing the broken parts of certain columns and walls. 

[and kinda quick side note here: but the existence of large limestone rich structures 10,000 years ago gives more credit to the theory that Botw takes place after a large flood, notably the events of Wind Waker. One, because limestone is a material mined near the sea, as seen with the Island of Paros and Naxos for the Ancient Greeks. And Two, this ancient sea was directly mentioned in the description for botw rock salt. And also Three, this explains the weird placement of certain structures, such as the buildings placed on suspended and isolated rocky plateaus like the ones I showed earlier by the Skywatchers. So there’s your mini theory which kinda proves that the Tanagar Canyon was probably an ocean trench at one point and it also still proves my connection of the Ancient Hylian ruins being parallels to the Ancient Greeks and all that because...ocean. Greece, peninsula, hundreds of islands, lots of quarries in Hyrule by the sea. Akkala is by the sea, there’s quarries, also the islands with mining equipment like Tingle Island. You get it by now right?]

Anyway. Greeks, Romans, polytheistic gods, temples for sacrifices, limestone, yadayadayada. Safe to assume that these Hylian ruins were of a civilization centered around a temple of some sort worshiping a powerful being, or beings, such Hylia. Hurray! Theory seems done.

BUT!

I can take it

A step FURTHER!!!

You see, I was originally gonna leave this post at that. The Ancient Columns are of an Ancient Hylian civilization 10,000 years ago that worshiped some higher powers. “Great!” I think to myself. “Time to get all my screenshots so that my ADHD followers wont die immediately” 

But but but! As I was spending an hour or so getting said screenshots, I took this picture right here and came across a revelation so bright you could have placed a light bulb over my head... 

A pretty enough capture, got a nice aerial view of the ruins, the suspended island thing in the middle of the path... nice view of Tanagar Canyon and the Ancient Columns, the sunset is all pretty and—Oh hey! The Great Fairy Fountain is there. Heh, that’s nice. You know it’s kinda weird that it’s just plopped right in the middle of all these Ancient ruin and temp—

BAadaBing, badaBoom, ladies, lads, and gentlefolk! I’m here to tell ya that these giant fae ladies were once worshiped by 10,000 year old Hylian civilizations. And not just this fairy mind you, but all four of them.

First piece of evidence? The proximity of 10,000 year old structures to every Great Fairy. Mind you, these are the most rare type of ruin in the game. 90% of the ruins are of settlements destroyed 100 years ago by the Calamity, and then the other 10% is still divide up between the Ancient Sheikah and Zonai. So I find it quite interesting that almost every case these special ruined civilizations are near a Great Fairy. [Uh, spoilers for all the Great Fairy locations btw]

First, of course, you got the Great Fairy in Tabantha. 

Then you got the one in Akkala, by the Torrin Wetlands (again, the highlights in yellow are of the canonical 10,000 year old Hylian ruins)

The Lanayru Promenade isn’t even up for debate at this point....I mean it was the parade ground for the ceremony up to the Spring of Wisdom. How much more “Ancient Hylian” can you get then that?

The only kinda iffy one is the Great Fairy in the Gerudo desert, but even THEN this fairy is by two out of the three only instances of 10,000 year old ruins in the entire desert, the third instance being the Zonai labyrinth. 

But, sure. Correlation might not equal causation. But I think the picture becomes all the more clear when you take a look at the timeline of events!

Note that no one in Hyrule really knows what the fairies are all about. Sure, you got that one researched in Tabantha that knew about one of them, and some of the elders in Kakariko had a sort of understanding that a fairy was their neighbor. However, their stance was that of wariness and caution, and they very much did not worship or give offerings to them. Dorian, for example explicitly shows suspicion towards the fairy, and thinks they might be dangerous. (Which, to be fair, is valid if you’ve ever read ANYTHING about the fae)

My point is, people don’t know what the Great Fairies are, or what their powers, motives, or *anything* really are. Sure, 100 years might have passed, but it would be pretty hard to forget something as eye catching as the fae. The people of Hyrule can remember century old white horses, cook books, treasure locations, ancient songs, and vague legends, but the majority of them don’t know about the Giant (seriously, it’s right in the name) Fairy Fountains?!

That is, of course, under the assumption that the Great Fairies existence was known 100 years ago. But what if it wasn’t?

You might be inclined to assume that the fairies lost their power because the Calamity prevented them from getting offerings 100 years ago, but in truth, there is no evidence whatsoever saying that their lack of power originated at the rise of Calamity. 

It’s entirely likely that they haven’t been sitting around for 100 years, but 10,000, or even more. It explains why no one knows anything about them, and also their proximity to the ruins. 

A beautiful spring you say? You power is directly correlated to offerings you say? 

Gee if only there was some ancient civilization that existed a long time ago, that has ties to old religious practices, temples, and polytheistic, which has parallels to the Ancient Greeks and Romans who build their civilizations centering around certain gods and offerings to said powers, and also if only these said civilizations were nearby to all of the fae oh WAIT!

Even when Link gives his offerings, the results are only that of the Great Fairy Fountain blooming, not an entire spring. Could an entire spring existed long ago, providing for the hundreds or thousands of people who worshiped the fae? Who’s to say that these old 10,000 year old civilizations gave offerings to the fae not only for the magic and all that, but for the vitality and life that they provide? Who’s to say that those earlier relief arts of warriors on chariots were of people with enhanced armour. Fairies that give you magic defense would be quit helpful for a civilization that liked to battle... the possibilities are endless....

TL;DR, the Ancient Columns, along with the other 10,000 year old Hylian structures, were constructed for religious purposes, centering around the Great Fairies, who accepted their offerings in exchange for the vitality of their springs, as well as their enchantments. 

So! That’s that. Can you believe this is just me tackling only one aspect of anon’s ask? I realize that the majority of the ask was about the Rito but...oops! That’s why I split it into parts. [When I post the other posts I’ll update the contents at the top to link to them]

A like and reblog is appreciated! I spent too long on this, including an extra week because tumblr deleted my original draft which was much longer... so if you liked it, let me know! It’d be nice to know that my time didn’t completely go to waste, :P Anyhow thanks for reading all this

[mollyscribbles]

Owl House rewatch thoughts

* Hard to say from what little we see of her, but I think Luz' mom might have been less worried about her daughter reading fantasy and more about the "multiple incidents of bringing uncontained live animals and explosives to school" thing.

* If Eda considers Luz' Azura book as being only useful as kindling, it means she's not inclined to view human books as something she can make snails on.  Considering how unique her portal to the human realm is treated, where did Amity get her Azura books?  I've seen people suggest the author travels between realms, but if that were the case, Amity would've been able to get the latest volume from a local store rather than needing to borrow Luz' copy.

* Suggestions for other species that escaped from the Boiling Isles: the platypus and peacock mantis shrimp.

* "Weak nerd arms" ok really identifying with Luz here.

* Really love this take on Chosen One stories.  Because yes, there is an appeal in being told you're special, you're unique in the best possible way, but ultimately this is a story about people who aren't "special" so much as outcasts who do their best with the situation they're in.  Which is something that a lot more people can aspire to be.

* The fact that this was a set scheme(as the multiple fake maps would indicate) rather than a trap specifically designed for Luz indicates that even people who've spent their lives on the Boiling Isles would be drawn to the idea of being a magical chosen one. I bet Amity's not the only one to have an interest in fantasy literature around here.

* Oh wow Amity's first appearance outside the credits is . . . something.  It's easy to forget just how far she grew in one season.

* Eda's not a *bad* teacher, so much as she has yet to learn that teaching requires expanding on a concept you introduce and explaining your reasoning.  "Here is what you can learn from tasting snow" instead of just "here, taste these different kinds of snow"

* Hm.  For someone who despairs at the concept of the school teaching blind obedience, her teaching style kinda relies on it.  Bit of a hypocrite there, Eda.

* Gonna be honest, the first time I watched this and King mentioned Eda sneaking a drink of elixir, I thought it was going to turn out to be a magic-looking flask.

* It seems slightly odd that King's apparently known Eda for a while but didn't have any idea of the curse.  Maybe she was just REALLY good about keeping up with her elixirs pre-series.

* Really like the metaphor for a chronic illness that's kept under control by medication.

* If the Emperor's Coven provides access to all forms of magic, you'd think others aspiring for a spot would be permitted a multi-track education at Hexside.  That might be why none of them seem to be that impressive at magic when they're supposed to be the "best of the best" -- even if they have *access* to all forms of magic, they've only had training in one specific field during the bulk of their education.

* lbr, Lilith's cheating was worse because at least Eda told Luz what she was doing.

* You'd think Willow and Gus might have caught on that Luz didn't have permission for them to come over when she told them to hide from Eda.

* It's nice that Eda realizes raising a kid with a "screw the rules" mindset will result in a kid who breaks her rules sometimes.  Cleaning up the mess she caused is really the correct punishment for Luz; directly dealing with the consequences of her actions but otherwise considering it a lesson learned.

* Reading to kids in the library is an A+ way to shift Amity from "Jerk" to "Jerk with a heart of gold" territory.

* Prediction: At some point, Luz will return to the human world (probably only briefly but Eda won't know at the time) and Eda will come across the "Coping with empty nest syndrome" book Luz got her from the library.  She'll cry.  King will cry.  Hooty will cry.  Every viewer will cry.

* Pretty sure that, given what the world is like, if any of them ended up questioned about their actions during the body swap episode, they could just say "Oh yeah I was body swapped that day. What'd I get up to?" and everyone would consider this a perfectly logical explanation for them acting out-of-character.

* HC that Hexside is fully aware some illusion-track students skip class by having an illusion of themselves attend in their place, but they figure a student maintaining a decent replica of themselves for the duration of the class period requires enough effort to count as a form of class participation, so they just let everyone think they're getting away with it.

* Gus and Willow are really ride-or-die friends.  Always nice to have.

* Probably some of the mystery appeal will be gone from the Human Appreciation Society once a legit human is just attending classes on a regular basis; being able to get definitive answers to questions rather than spending your time speculating would cut back on the draw.

* I love all the details they include on this show -- a lot of other shows would just stick in scribbles while panning past pictures instead of writing out all of Eda's incident reports.

* The pallisman is a neat concept; sort of like a mix of a wand and a familiar, a magical control that will have opinions of its own.

* Given Bat Queen apparently has enough of, um, a biological aspect to have kids, I wonder if that means Owlbert is capable of laying eggs.  Or having eggs with another owl/pallisman if the male pronouns are anything to go by.

* I mean even Phineas and Ferb didn't question Perry laying an egg when he uses male pronouns so could go either way in terms of what Disney would allow.

* Reading the book fair signs, it looks like sci-fi is a popular genre in the Boiling Isles.  Makes sense, since what we'd consider Fantasy would be more contemporary/urban fantasy to them.

* Getting the vibe that someone on staff had a less-than-amicable experience co-writing with a friend to inspire this one. And/or experience with shitty contracts.

* The Hexside requirements also required knowledge of basic runes, but given Luz apparently had no issue with that I'm guessing she just picked those up offscreen.

* "I've seen worse" is the ideal admissions response tbh.  Like . . . she pulled off the required spells and the headmaster has seen decades of students' awkward first attempts.  It probably counts as a good day when no one's admissions test resulted in needing to bring in someone from the Construction Track to repair the building.

* It's very reminiscent of D&D that the majority of the cast has the response of "This is clearly a trap.  Let's check it out!"

* You'd think that carnival fortune tellers wouldn't have the same appeal in a world where it's something you study at school.  Unless it's viewed the same way as those "magic" shows they have sometimes where the tricks all involve chemical reactions.

* Kinda surprised a school that teaches kids fire spells doesn't have some kind of fire suppression system in place.

* Hrm.  Guessing the mind guardian went back and undid their own damage offscreen; otherwise they'd have had to go re-do the repairs before leaving.

* Good they had the wifi and charging cable coming through the portal to explain why Luz' phone still has service and the battery's not long dead.

* Luz, how have you survived this long with your instinct for pushing buttons.  The same as the rest of humanity in a world full of buttons, I suppose.

* Probably if they thought about it, the best criteria for picking Grom royalty would be less who's the most skilled at magic and more who has the most low-key fears. . . . nvm, having a Stay-Puft incident would cause them to reasonably scrap that approach.  Maybe appointing someone who obsesses over grades would have better odds of producing a relatively-simple-to-combat exam paper.

* I'm thinking the letters are written by Eda, who doesn't intend anything sinister by it so much as being the type to cover her bases when pulling off a scam and realizing Luz' mother would need some evidence to indicate her daughter was safely at camp.

* The band-aids clearly have some healing spell built-in, considering they've been used to heal inanimate objects.

* someone on the writing staff has a long-standing rant about Quidditch they've been holding back on.

* I know that normally the humor in the cut from "she's finally growing up." to Luz planning the heist would be that she's doing something that sensible adults would consider to be a bad idea, but if Eda saw her just then she'd wipe away a tear of pride and go "Her first self-planned heist! They grow up so fast!"

* Eda's the one who talks about cheating at stuff, but Lilith has a habit of playing *dirty*.

* I would like to say I appreciate them going with a more serious credit sequence because it was disconcerting with Star Vs when a dark ending was followed by "I THINK EARTH'S A REALLY GREAT PLACE"

* Lilith may have made a 30-years-late attempt to redeem herself, but I really don't trust her.  I don't quite want her dead, but she DID spend decades trying to force her sister to join the Emperor's Coven as a prerequisite for curing her curse.

[matrixreimagined]

The Dream Chronicles

Chapter Six on A03

or right here :)

"Come on, coppertop. Flying in the Matrix doesn't mean shit if you can't support your own weight in the real world. Five more."

Neo dipped down again, feeling his arms quake as he grew closer to the floor before he forced himself back up. And again. And again. The sweat beaded on his brow dripped to the steel floor. His arms and abdomen and legs were aching for five minutes of just sitting down. He'd be happy to collapse. But Apoc must have been a drill sergeant in another life because the man knew exactly which buttons to push.

You think Trin deserves a weak, scrawny kid who can barely muster his way through a pull-up? You think she's going to want someone who can only embrace her with the floppy-noodle arms of an infant?

Fuck that.

Neo let his arms take his weight and ignored the quiver of his abdomen while he closed his eyes and pictured hers. There was no waking up from this, he had accepted. This was real. The dreams he had lived for had become his reality and he would be damned if he didn't do everything in his power to keep it.

Neo inhaled has he dipped down a final time before forcing himself back up. He let out a small gasp as he allowed his knee to make contact with the floor.

"Well done," Apoc said, tossing a towel at him.

Neo brushed away the sweat before trading it for a water bottle. "Please tell me we're done for the day?"

"Why?" Apoc quirked a brow. "Think you got enough in you for another round?"

Neo decided silence was the best course of action.

Apoc shot him a grin. "Don't worry. My goal is to push your limits. Not break them. Because you'll be doing this tomorrow, too."

"Great." He took a long gulp. "Love this. Super fun."

"I take it you have no memories of this?"

"What? Basic training? Calisthenics? Can't say I do."

"It won't be forever. Just until you're at a healthy mass. Think you could eat lunch?"

"Eating it won't be the problem. I'm worried about holding it down."

"We can forgo lunch for now. Want to take a nap before you get your Matrix crash courses?"

Desperately, but he shook his head in denial anyway. He'd slept long enough. "No. I'm good to start. I want to catch back up to where I was. Or, where I should be, I guess."

That was going to take a while, he knew. While his dreams had given him enormous insights into the world around him, every member of the crew looked at him like a stranger. Even Trinity did not know him the way that he knew her.

Yes, she was welcoming. The undeniable chemistry between them was alive and real. And the crew were largely trying to not make him feel like an outsider, but the fact remained they didn't know him.

He could recite one of Dozer's kids' favorite story books cover to cover. He knew Tank's anniversary and that Apoc collected old-world trinkets. He knew that Switch would slouch when they had a winning hand at poker and Morpheus was a worse liar than Neo was. But they did not know him.

And they wouldn't. Not until he had reintroduced himself. Not until he listened to them all, relearning what he knew. He would be a stranger until he relearned himself.

"Are you absolutely sure you don't want to take a short break?"

"Positive," said Neo, rising to his feet. "Besides, I'll just be in the chair anyway. I'll relax my muscles and work my brain."

Apoc led the way out of the makeshift gym in the engine room and back to the main level. Trinity was sitting on a stool near the operating station examining the screens intensely.

She turned at the sound of steps and offered a smile when she saw them. "How did it go?" she asked Apoc.

"Amazingly. Honestly, I've never had a coppertop do so well in the first week, let alone the first day."

Neo looked at him incredulously. "Seriously? You gave me so much shit about how I was doing!"

Apoc smirked. "Well, a pat on the back wasn't going to help you do better, Messiah."

"You'll sleep like a baby tonight," said Tank. "You want to take a break before you start this?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm ready to start."

"All right. Trin, can you get him set up?" Tank spun around back to the computer and opened a case with a bunch of small drives. "I know you already remember a lot but your girl wants us to cover your bases." He held up one that had Jiu-Jitsu crammed across it in red ink and ensured that Neo was indeed plugged in and ready to go. "Hold on."

A sharp pulse went through his body, tensing him up. He felt impossibly stiff as a rush of information entered his system and then it was gone, leaving him thrown back and limp. And breathed in and shuddered. "Oh shit."

"Hey Mikey, I think he likes it." Tank gave him a grin, but his eyes flashed to Trinity. She smirked and swept his brow.

"How do you feel?"

"Shit, that's a rush."

"Feel up for another?"

"Hell yes." He leaned back. "Hell yes."

Kung Fu.

Karate.

Aikido.

Taekwondo.

Krav Maga.

Fencing.

Arnis.

Boxing.

Kickboxing.

Drunken boxing.

Quarterstaff.

Judo.

It went on and on, hour by hour. Every offer of a break from Tank was denied. He kept going, desperate to regain the parts of his memories that were lost.

Morpheus came by when dinner had passed without a sign of Tank, Trinity, or Neo.

"How's he doing?" Morpheus asked.

"He's a freaking machine," Tank said, rubbing at his own eyes. "Not even tired from this. The only reason we're stopping in the next half hour is because Mamacita over here is insisting."

Trin whacked him upside the head and Tank winced even as he grinned.

Morpheus looked at Trinity. "Can I ask what your plan is?"

"Day divided into real world and construct for the next few days. He's physically training with Apoc, who insists he's doing well. I think with the speed at which he can handle the trainings, he should be done in two days with operations, combat, and first aid. From there, we can divide time in the construct between vehicular and stealth trainings and practice within the construct. Open world—drop him in and see what he can do and go from there."

It was a thorough plan though Morpheus quirked a brow. "Hmm."

"You disagree?" she asked, not unkindly.

"No. It makes sense. I'm just surprised you're choosing to have him spend so much time in training."

"Like I said, Morpheus, it's not the training itself that I disagree with. He needs just as much as any newbie. But Neo has an advantage in speed and that will be utilized."

Neo, whose eyes had been fluttering as he learned to stitch, cauterize, and otherwise close a wound, blinked back into reality. He exhaled sharply. His eyes opened and he caught Morpheus' gaze.

"Neo," the captain addressed, "how are you holding up?"

"I know what moves were missing in my mind," he replied, his lips twitching into a smile. "I know Kung Fu."

"Just a few more programs and first aid will be done," Trinity told him as Tank switched the drives. "We'll stop there for the day."

Neo nodded and smiled at her before Tank inserted the next lesson and, once again, Neo's eyes fluttered through a new program.

"Truly astounding," Morpheus murmured, watching the screen that monitored Neo's brain as the new information was uploaded.

"I've never seen a poddie adjust like this," Tank said with a disbelieving shake of the head. "This point, we're usually still getting the kid to trust us enough to upload something and if we're lucky enough to get them in the chair, they can barely handle an hour at this."

"He's doing well." Trinity handed Tank the next disk in the program sequence, allowing Neo to remain completely wired in while his brain recalibrated itself with the new information.

"Doing well?" Tank said. "Trin, your boyfriend is freaking out of control."

"Still human," she repeated the small phrase that had somehow become her mantra over the past days. Yes, Neo knew more than any poddie had ever known. Yes, his skills were already unparalleled. But she'd be damned if that was all he was reduced to.

"Ain't denying it," said Tank, "which is kind of what makes this all so incredible."

Trin gave a slight nod. "Just make sure it stays remembered when we get to Zion. I don't know what's going to be worse—the Council or the military."

"None of it will be pretty. You'll have your work cut out for you."

"That's why I want him in shape as soon as possible. Aside from the obvious reasons. Neo is going to need to be able to take care of himself so that we can deal with the backlash of finding the One."

"It might not be so bad. Most people will be happy."

"Happy or angry don't help me. Happy will be excited, intrusive. He's as anti-social as they come. He won't like being the center of attention. And angry? He'll be dealing with the backlash of the disbelievers of the world, pushing him down without knowing a goddamn thing about him. The only people who will actually help us are going to be the apathetic ones."

"Keep some faith, sister." Tank placed his hand on her arm. "We found the One. That's pretty damn amazing."

She shot him a smile before turning her attention back to Neo's brain scans.

Morpheus shook his head. "We really did it. Decades of searching and he's only feet away from us."

Trin ran her hand through her hair.

Morpheus, Tank... honestly everyone was so damned excited that they had found him.

And it wasn't that she wasn't.

Trinity could not deny the way her heart pounded just being feet away from him, nor the way her skin practically ached to be in contact with his, always. When he had been training with Apoc, she had to force herself to focus on the routine maintenance she had been working because all she wanted to do was go to him.

Even though she knew where he was, she had wanted to track him down and not let him walk from her sight.

What made it worse was that the feeling was mutual.

He didn't just cling to her because she was familiar. In a way, they all were to Neo.

It was so much deeper than that.

Neo had woken up without her just a day ago and had wrecked half of the medbay because she hadn't been there.

Through and through. Balls to bone.

Isn't that what the Oracle had said all those years ago?

She fought the urge to laugh. The Oracle certainly never mentioned anything like this.

"You okay, Trin?"

Tank and Morpheus both eyed her with the same look of concern. She offered a smile.

"Just thinking." Without any real explanation, Trin turned her attention back to the screen. "How much more does he have to go in this stack?"

"Maybe thirty minutes."

Trinity nodded. "All right. Once this stack is finished, he's taking a break. I don't care if he can handle more."

"You got it."

"I'll be back." And it took her more effort than she'd like to admit to not flat out run from the room and to her room. Their room.

She leaned against the door, letting out a long breath.

Overwhelmed, both by the fact that they had actually found him and by everything that Neo seemed to know, she crossed to the small sink. Turning the faucet, she splashed cold water onto her face.

Even leaving the Core to take five goddamn minutes to reassess had her on edge. It felt wrong.

She had lived without him for years and now leaving him under Tank's perfectly capable care had her ready to punch the glass in front of her.

Trinity turned the faucet off, leaning forward against the sink.

Did her heart always beat so heavily?

Her body quaked.

Neo knew her intimately. The books next to her bed. The ink on her body. Every single place where the smallest touch would have her gasping against him. It shouldn't be possible but there was no denying it.

Her chest felt tight, her head was pounding.

Ans his memories… What did he know? What had he seen?

Some of them were conflicting, it seemed, but they all focused on her.

The Oracle had said nothing about that.

Her breaths began to come faster and faster.

He loved her; he had said in his moments of clarity after arriving on the ship.

Did he? Or did he love a memory of her?

There was a loud creak and she wanted to push up and look behind her, but her muscles were frozen.

She inhaled through her nose, but each breath was still short.

There was a thud of the door closing and two arms wrapped around her from behind.

"It's all right," Neo whispered gently, pulling her back into his chest.

The world seemed to be slipping from her fingers but he was firm in his grip, holding her upright. He stepped back, nearly dragging her with him as he guided her back to the bed softly. "It's okay, Trin."

He sat down, pulling her to his lap. It took little effort. She fell back into him with ease even as her breathing continued to come in heavy pants.

With one hand, he held her steadily to him. With the other, he gently caressed her as he kept whispering sweet assurances. "You're safe. I'm here. I've got you."

His words and ministrations didn't stop. She tucked her head into the crevice of his neck and breathed in his scent. There was still the tinge of antiseptic but there was something rich and earthy underneath it. Warm and gentle and so utterly Neo.

She felt a kiss atop her head.

"I'm never letting go," he whispered and the doubt started to slip away at last.

Her breathing slowly came back down and she let out a long breath.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

She swallowed. Wasn't she supposed to be the one comforting him?

"I don't know." And Christ, had she ever sounded so weak and unsure? She was one breath away from a whimper. "It's so much."

His grip tightened and he held her closer. "I know, love. I'm so sorry."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to feel right now."

"You feel what you feel, Trin. You don't need to feel anything."

"Not feeling isn't the problem," she said with a shake of her head. "I feel… so much right now. More than I ever have in my life and I don't know how to make sense of it." She sighed softly, leaning back to get a better view of the man who was undoubtedly the One. "Aren't you supposed to be finishing up the programs?"

Neo offered a small smile. "Asked Tank to take me out. Something felt off."

He wasn't talking about the program.

Trinity swallowed. "Hooked up to the Construct, you felt me having a panic attack?"

"I knew something was wrong," he said, his eyes staring at her with such concern and such adoration that it was hard to take in. "I didn't know what. Told Tank I wasn't feeling well"— thank god for small favors, she thought—"and came to find you."

Her lower lip quivered. Oh.

"I know…" Neo looked torn. "I know that this isn't easy for you. I… can't imagine what you are going through right now. And I'm not making it easy. Even now"—he sighed and shook his head ever so softly—"I'm not making this easy. If you want me to go, if you need space from me—"

"I don't." It came so quickly it surprised Trinity but it was true. "I don't want you to go. I don't want to be away from you. I don't want a moment to go by where I'm not touching you but"—she raked her hand through her hair harshly before continuing—"Jesus, I… I don't know you, Neo. But I do. And I need you and I don't know how that's possible." She looked into his eyes, the words spilling from her faster without leaving a moment to breathe. "I can't make sense of this. I don't know you, but you are so familiar to me. Every step away from you, even to let you train, makes my skin crawl but that shouldn't—"

Neo cupped the back of her head and brought his face to meet hers.

She kissed him back, lips slowing to allow for a hundred gentle but desperate kisses to pass. She angled her head, twisting in his arms to straddle his lap. Her hands traced up his torso, stopping only to cup his face.

Neo was hers.

"Why?" she asked, pulling back before placing another kiss on his lips, "Why does it feel like I'll die"—she pressed her forehead to his—"if you're taken from me?"

Neo shook his head softly enough so that she was undisturbed in their current position together. "I don't know. I wish I could give you the answers."

"You are mine," she breathed, the declaration like a prayer.

"I am." He tucked her hair back. "And you are mine."

"We don't even know each other," she whispered, "dreams and shadows aside."

"We'll learn," Neo promised, "but you cannot deny that this is more than just dreams and shadows." He pulled back and kissed her forehead. "It doesn't all need to make sense, Trin."

She offered a small smile. "Everyone is so excited about finding the One and all I want to do is lock you away so no one can touch you."

"Except you."

"Except me," she agreed, lightly stroking his face.

He kissed her nose and her lips once more. "I'm just saying, if you want to tie me to the bed and never let me up, I wouldn't be opposed."

She cracked a smile. "I'm sure you wouldn't."

With a gentle shove to the shoulders, she sent him down onto the bed. Neo grinned as his head hit the pillow.

"Finally going to have your wicked way with me?"

Trinity laughed, leaning down with him. "Shut up."

"Make me."

And she did. With a smile, leaning down to capture his lips. Soft and slow. There was no need to rush.

They had time.

The world could keep moving at the speed of light, but they didn't have to. Not when there were moments like this.

"Are we happy?" she asked, leaning against his chest.

Neo wrapped his arms around her and rolled her to her back, kissing her as he did.

"Deliriously."

She smiled and traced his brow with her finger, "Good."

Trinity pushed her hand around his head and wrapped her it around his neck, gently pulling him down to meet her in another kiss.

A sigh escaped her as their lips touched. Familiar and beautiful, he kissed her with a desperation that rocked Trinity to her core.

Years of waiting on her part and dreams on his, finally culminating in reality. How had she lived so long without this, without him? It was unfathomable.

Neo broke the kiss, only to hug her tighter.

"I'm sorry things are so confusing."

"It's not your fault."

"I know." He caressed her face. "I'm still sorry."

"We'll figure things out," she told him with a sense of renewed optimism.

Neo narrowed his eyes, looking thoughtful. For a minute, he stared at her. Then, he pushed up to a sitting position, taking Trinity with him.

"I want to do this right," Neo said. "I don't—I don't want things with us to be based on a dream-world."

"Okay." She wasn't entirely certain what that meant.

"I'd like to take you out on a date."

Trinity blinked. "We're on a hovercraft, Neo."

"A modified date then."

She wondered if her cheeks were flushed again. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking I go hit the showers—"  She laughed at his candor, but Neo continued, "Then, we get takeout from the mess hall, and we just stay in tonight. And talk, just the two of us."

And it just wasn't fair, Trinity thought, how fucking perfect he was. He'd been taken from the Matrix, told his entire life was a lie, and his concern still lay with her. On making her feel good and safe.

Swallowing, Trinity nodded. "I think that sounds perfect."

"Okay," he agreed, leaning forward to kiss her. "I'll be back in twenty."

"I'll be here," she promised, and Neo rewarded her with a heart-stopping grin. Oh.

He recalled, without a problem, where the towels were kept and grabbed one. He walked over to the drawer which contained her yarn and trinkets and stopped himself before he opened it. He glanced back to her. "Where would I find fresh clothes?"

"Morpheus had planned on putting you in the room next to his. There should be spare clothes in there."

"Thanks, love." Neo bent down and kissed her head before he left to head to the washroom.

She wondered, when the door had closed behind him, if he noticed the endearment.

Trinity rose to her feet. While Neo showered, she'd get their dinner ready so neither of them had to go back out. Keep things simple that way. Luckily, she thought, nearly everyone else would have already eaten so the mess wouldn't be too crowded.

She slipped down the hall. Sure enough, only Tank was present when she walked in.

"Coming to join me?" he asked.

"Just grabbing dinner for me and Neo. We're going to eat in our room."

Our room. It slipped out before she had even stopped to think about it.

For the thirteen years she had been on the Neb, it had been her room. Her private space, where she could and did go to get away from everyone else when the world seemed to be too much to manage. She spent more time in that room than in her apartment in Zion, which Trinity supposed was also their apartment.

Why was it so easy to make that transition from me to us?

Tank grinned at her. "Oh really? Quiet night in, just the two of you?"

She really hated how much she was blushing these days. But, a part of her, the giddy and excited part, shrugged a shoulder.

"He says it's a modified date. Since we're on the Neb and can't really go anywhere."

She half-expected the Operator to make a joke but instead he just shook his head. "That's freaking adorable."

"I know!" She found two mugs and started to prepare their teas, adding, "It's almost… unnerving."

Tank stood up, walking with his bowl to stand at the little counter next to her. "Which part? Being treated like a princess? Or the fact we finally found the One and he is already completely and utterly whipped by you?"

Her lips twitched. "Ooh, I'm going to have to go with both."

"Fair enough. And for the record, since I know you've been waiting with bated breath, I approve."

"Oh, do you?"

"Hundred and ten percent, yes. I know he has memories of you, in some obscure way, but I like that he's still making an effort. It's like, he's the One—the guy who's going to save Zion and the world. And he is still living and breathing to make you happy."

He was that, Trinity thought. She could see it on his face, the way he lit up when she came into view. The way he always moved, however casually, closer to her.

It was more than familiarity. He was familiar with everyone on the crew, but he made her feel so damn special.

"It sounds unbelievable when you say it like that," she said as she grabbed a tray and started to fill two bowls.

"So absurd that it has to be real."

With a smile, she picked up the tray. "See you tomorrow."

"As your friend, have fun. As the guy who bunks in the room next to you, please don't have too much fun."

Trinity rolled her eyes. "Good night, Tank."

"Bet it will be."

She transitioned the tray to one hand and shot him her middle finger over her shoulder as she went back to their room.

Ships had been designed for utility, not for comfort. For that reason, Trinity knew that there wasn't much she could do to brighten the room up.

That said, she unlocked the little table from where it was strapped to the wall and moved it so that it was next to the bed. She quickly found a spare blanket and set it across the table as a makeshift cloth, before setting their dinners side by side.

She was nervous. Actually fucking nervous, which seemed almost silly to her.

Trinity rarely got nervous in the Matrix. And while fear occasionally bubbled up when they met a sentinel on a search and destroy mission, it felt far more justifiable than this.

Nervous over dinner.

A date, at that.

She ran a hand through her hair and wondered if there was anything else, she could do to make the room look… nice. Nicer, at least. There were candles on the Neb, but they were supposed to be saved in the event of an emergency or power loss. This was neither, but she wondered if she could get away with taking just one…

She was saved from having to make a decision when the door opened. Neo slipped back inside, dressed in a fresh set of slacks and a blue sweater. He'd found one with minimal wear and tear. It was well-fitted. He looked really good.

She wondered if she should have changed but the thought quickly vanished from her mind as Neo grinned at her.

"Looks great."

Trin found herself smiling back. "Making do on the Neb." Spying a bottle in his hand, she asked, "Is that Dozer's homebrew?"

Neo nodded. "Stopped by his room on the way over. It's no bottle of wine but it'll do."

Smirking, Trin added, "Just go easy. A sip of that can knock Mouse on his ass."

"Don't worry. I have no intentions of getting drunk. I just thought it might help us both to relax a bit."

He closed the space between them, setting the bottle on the table. In their small room, it didn't take much.

He caught her chin in his hand and angled her face up. She expected him to kiss her, but he didn't. Instead, Neo just seemed to be soaking in her sight.

It was only a bit disconcerting, but she still shivered under his gaze.

"You're so fucking beautiful," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Neo…"

He really shouldn't be allowed to say things like that, she thought. It wasn't fair, the way he could make a statement and just demolish every single wall she had spent a lifetime carefully constructing.

"I still can't believe you're real," he admitted.

"Very real," Trinity promised.

Finally, he bowed his head, pressing his lips to hers.

They were still so soft and not used to the coldness on the Neb. Warm and assured, his kiss made her a little weak in the knees. Again, she had to remind herself that while Neo was familiar to her, he knew her completely. He knew her body intimately.

And that was an intimidating thought.

With a peck to her lips, Neo broke the kiss. He stroked her cheek with his thumb before dropping his hand, reaching for hers. He led her over to the bed, carefully sliding in so as not to disturb the table she had set up.

He waited for her to sit first. Despite their earliest encounters, in which Neo had thought himself dreaming, he was proving to be quite the gentleman. Which fit in with everything she had seen from him prior to meeting him.

In the Matrix, Neo had been such a gentle creature. It had really thrown her for a loop. Usually, when Morpheus found an individual he believed to be the One, they were characterized by blind ambition or strength.

For a while, Morpheus had even thought she could be the One.

The Oracle had shut that down fast with her revelation. She hadn't been disappointed to not be the One. Truthfully, she was grateful not to have the burden of all that placed on her own shoulders but then the Oracle had hit her with the rest.

Entwined with the One, bound to the One.

A thought that had been so much more frightening before she met Neo.

The moment they started watching him, she knew he was different than the usual potentials Morpheus chose. After just one night on duty, she realized very quickly that she would have to either lie to herself or accept that they had found the One.

Still, nothing could have prepared her for the night in the club.

Her world had spun on its axis exponentially faster and she no longer knew what direction she was going in. And she could not bring herself to care.

Neo opened Dozer's homebrew and poured a hearty shot into each of their teas.

He handed her the first mug as he set down the bottle. Then lifted his own.

"To what's real," he toasted, and she raised her cup, echoing his sentiment. They clinked their mugs together. She took a large gulp, feeling her nerves building.

Because now he was here. In her room. He was sleeping in her bed. Tangling his life with hers until she was no longer sure which strings belonged to him and which were hers.

Neo, on the other hand, seemed to be sipping at his beverage. Probably for the best. He had no tolerance to the heavy stuff yet.

She set her mug back down and caught Neo's eyes.

It really wasn't fair that he was so handsome.

"So, what were you up to while I was being put through basic training?" Neo handed her a bowl.

Trinity rolled her eyes. "Basic training?"

"Apoc is a drill sergeant."

She felt herself grin in response. "I'll be sure to pass on the message."

"Oh, please don't. I like being able to move my limbs." He took his own bowl and dramatically demonstrated being able to lift his spoon. Trinity found herself laughing in response, still in awe of the man in front of her.

"I was running repairs most of the morning," she answered after swallowing a bite. "Then I had to do some paperwork. Respond to a communication from Commander Lock."

Neo barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "What did Deadbolt want?"

Her lips twitched at the nickname used on a man Neo technically hadn't actually met yet. "Yesterday, I sent in the new red pill paperwork, which is standard for whenever we unplug anyone. Lock wanted to know why we pulled someone of your age out of the Matrix."

"And what did you tell him?"

"Half-truths. Agents were after you, limited time to make a decision, and we assessed that it was better for your safety to take you than to leave you in the Matrix. I'm sure by the time I check the communications tomorrow he'll have sent another message but there's nothing he can do about it."

"Quite literally too late," Neo agreed. "I'm not sure how much of what I know actually translates into this world, but I'll give you fair warning: Lock does not like me."

Trinity found herself unable to stop smiling as they conversed. "Lock doesn't like anybody."

"Which is perfect, because you won't find anybody who likes Lock." Neo paused. "Maybe I shouldn't pass judgement until I actually meet him in the real world. I mean, I technically have no real reason to hold as much animosity as I do for him."

"Sounds sweet," Trinity said. "I give you an hour in Zion before you change your mind."

Neo shrugged. "For Niobe's sake, I'll give him a chance." Then he paused and sighed. "It has occurred to me that I technically haven't met Niobe, either."

"No."

And fuck, it was confusing for her because he talked about all these people like he knew them. He had memories that weren't real, both from the Matrix and from his subconscious and Trinity wasn't sure if one was more valid than the next.

"It sounds like you're remembering more," she commented.

"Some things are still hazy," Neo admitted. "But the dreams are becoming a little bit clearer. Everything is."

"You were on a large dose of painkillers while we were working on you. It might have kept you a bit groggy."

Neo nodded. "Maybe. But I also think I'm just remembering more. Before… so much of what I dreamed almost seemed to disappear when I was waking. The dreams with you were easy to recall because I had them so many times that they became more habit than dream, but the other ones… it's like, the more time I spend with the crew, the more I'm remembering."

"It's a lot to process."

Again, he nodded. "But let's not talk about that. Why don't you tell me about being unplugged?"

"You don't already know?"

"Bits and pieces," he admitted. "Still, I'd like to hear you tell it."

"It was shortly after I hacked the IRS…"

"Which, if I haven't told you, is incredibly hot."

She shot him a half-hearted glare. "I was fifteen."

"To be fair, I was the same age at the time."

"But you hadn't picked up hacking yet."

"True." Although he was interested in computers, he hadn't been able to afford his own until college. "Why the IRS? I mean, at fifteen you weren't paying taxes."

Trinity shrugged a shoulder and set down her mostly eaten dinner back on the table. She leaned back scooting back across the bed until she hit the wall. "Because no one had done it before. Because I hated the government. Because… I was fifteen and stupid?"

"Clearly not stupid." Neo set his own bowl down before scooting back to sit next to her, against the wall.

She smiled at that. "I was impulsive. And I didn't fully think through the consequences of my actions. I was a freshman in high school by day and a top-10 FBI's most wanted cyber-terrorist by night. It was… a strange time."

Neo smiled softly back, the fondness in his eyes nearly made her lose her breath.

"I bet."

She looked down, unable to handle his gaze. It made her light-headed. "I, uh, I was walking home from the library one day, when a car pulled up next to me. Agents, although I didn't know what that meant, at the time. They told me I was under arrest and to get into the car and I made a break for it.

"At that point, Morpheus had been monitoring me for a couple months. He was reluctant to take me out because I had a good relationship with my family. Typically, he tried to only take kids who wouldn't be missed or people with fewer social ties.

"He had been debating whether to take me for a while but once the Agents targeted me, he made a snap decision. He was already in my city; his crew was taking out another potential."

"Ghost." Neo filled in the blank.

"Yes. He separated from his crew and went after me. I, quite literally, ran into him. It all happened very fast. He told me he could show me what was wrong with the world. That he could tell me what the Matrix was, once and for all, but that it wouldn't be easy. I would lose my life in the process. That if I went with him, I could never go home."

She hesitated. It had been a long time since she truly allowed herself to think back to her life before the Matrix.

Morpheus had been right. It hadn't been easy to walk away from her family without so much as a goodbye. To abandon the life she had carefully constructed, even as a teenager.

But Trinity had craved answers. She had wanted, more than anything, to fill the hole in her chest that consumed her.

Knowing about the Matrix hadn't done that. If anything, it just made the world feel colder. It made sense, of course. She had her answers, had a better understanding for the world around her.

And then the Oracle had called.

Normally, under usual circumstances, going to see the Oracle was a choice. Some people wanted insight or answers beyond what Morpheus or Zion could provide for them. They wanted clarity or reason or something to help them navigate their new world.

Trinity had been skeptical of the very idea of an all-seeing Oracle.

When Morpheus had told them, Ghost had been eager to see her and learn more. And Trinity had, politely, declined.

Before Ghost and Morpheus could even jack back into the Matrix, they received a message from one of the Oracle's priestesses.

A brief note, acknowledging Trinity's disbelief and reluctance, but asking, nonetheless, for her attendance for tea.

Fucking tea.

And while she had still been nervous, still unsure, Morpheus had pushed her.

"It's a great honor for the Oracle to request one's presence," he had told her.

So, she went.

For tea. And cookies. And a conversation with a grandmotherly woman who successfully fucked her up in a matter of minutes.

The result of which, Trinity realized, was now sitting in front of her.

"You must have been frightened."

"Terrified," she admitted, before realizing that Neo wasn't talking about the Oracle, but about taking the red pill. She thought back to the moment where Morpheus had held a pill on either outstretched hand.

Neo's hand found its way to her thigh, squeezing gently in support.

"I—I've never regretted my choice. But it was hard to leave my family. And I didn't have time to fully process what it would mean before I took the pill."

"You were fifteen," he reminded her. "It's hard to understand anything at fifteen." Neo stopped, his eyes widening a fraction almost in surprise. Trinity inclined her head, unsure what was going on in his head.

"What's wrong?"

"Fifteen," he repeated.

"Yeah?"

Neo swallowed. "Was it summer?"

"Yes." She narrowed her eyes.

"That was about the time that the dreams started."

Her own eyes widen, her lips parting. "O-oh."

"I… is that possible? No, no, that can't be right."

"Given the circumstances, I'm not sure I can classify this as coincidence or synchronicity."

He was silent, looking down, like he was trying to process it all.

Welcome to the club.

She wondered if she should resist the urge to close the space between them, to allow them each the space to process it all.

Fuck it, she decided instead.

Trinity rolled to her knees, following through before she could change her mind. She leaned forward, reaching for his face, angling his head up to kiss him.

She still didn't know what it all meant but she was certain that she felt more at home in his arms than she ever had in the Matrix, the Neb, or even Zion.

Neo's hand wound its way into her hair, cupping her head, as his other arm circled her. He pulled her closer and she found herself climbing onto his lap. He hummed his approval, the vibration of his lips making her nearly dizzy.

And it's like, all at once, the hole inside of her chest was gone.

"Trin…" he said her name in a desperate voice, kissing her again until they were both breathless.

He had been dreaming about her for fifteen years. It had never occurred to him that his dreams could be based in reality. That Trinity, his Trinity, was real.

She wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his.

"I'm so afraid," Neo whispered, "that every time I open my eyes, you're going to be gone. That this is just an elaborate dream or maybe I got hit by a car on my way home from work and this is just a coma."

"I'm here," she told him, squeezing harder. "You're awake and this is real."

"Can I… can I just hold you for a while? While we talk?"

She nodded, her lips twitching. Trinity slipped to the side so that she was sitting across his lap rather than straddling him. Neo rewrapped his arms around her as she settled, resting her head on his shoulder.

She placed a hand on his chest. The steady beat of his heart was strangely comforting "Tell me about when they started."

He slipped a hand under her shirt, feeling her skin. It wasn't sexual, she knew. It was meant to ground him the same way her hand over his heart was helping her remain steady.

"The first dream I remember was the club where we met. And I remember it feeling so surreal. I didn't understand half of the words I was saying but I remember you. You warned me that people were after me and told me that there were answers out there."

"You must have been confused."

Thinking back, he hadn't been confused. At fifteen, his first reaction to dreaming of a beautiful woman pressing against his body was to wake up with a physical reaction, which he had immediately taken care of.

He probably shouldn't comment on that.

"At first, I thought it was just a random dream. Collection of my subconscious and all that. But I kept having different dreams. Some in the Matrix, the others on the Neb, or in Zion. It was all too… detailed.

"I used to take the bus to one of the local colleges in high school to be able to use their computer. I'd try to find things about you, but after the IRS, it was like you were wiped from the map.

"But I found leads on the Matrix. Nothing I could access, but ghosts and whispers pointing me in the right direction."

Toward you.

His hand rubbed circles on her back as he continued. "It was too chaotic to make sense but there were too many coincidences to let it go. After a while, I thought I was going crazy."

She couldn't blame him. She'd think the same thing if their position was reversed.

"You really thought you were dreaming that night in the club."

Neo nodded. "I'd had that dream so many times before. It felt real, but it always felt real, you know? Like I was going through the motions of the dream, waiting to find out which version I was in for."

"Hence, propositioning me?" she teased.

Neo half-laughed, half-sighed. "Yeah, I did that, didn't I? I'm really sorry about that. I can't imagine how confusing that must have been for you."

"It was… unexpected to say the least. We weren't going in with the plan to unplug you that day."

"I'm glad you did."

"Me too." She nuzzled her head against his shoulder, snuggling into his embrace. "Even if I did catch a lot of shit for it."

"Did you?" He sounded almost amused.

"Are you kidding? I kissed you while you were still plugged into the Matrix."

"Twice."

She lifted her head off his shoulder to shoot him a look.

"Uh-huh. Even fucking Morpheus got in on teasing me."

Neo grinned all the more. "Yeah, well, I like it when you're flustered. And flushed." His hand cupped her cheek and, right on cue, felt her face heat up.

"You do seem to have that effect on me."

"And this is while I'm trying to be good." He leaned forward, bringing his cheek to hers to whisper in her ear. "Just imagine what it'll be like when I start to misbehave."

The teasing words sent a wave of warmth through her body faster and harder than Dozer's homebrew ever had. Oh, he should not be allowed to say things like that, she thought. And yet… a part of her was dying to know what he was like when he wasn't focused on being good.

She appreciated that he had slowed down, that he was truly trying to give up some of his control with what he knew by letting Trinity take control of the speed. But fuck…

The things he knew.

Part of her wanted to know it all and part of her wanted time to just stop so she could just lay down in his arms and not have to think about the rest. To ignore, just for a little while, that Neo was the One and that he was meant for great things. That the moment they left the safety of their bedroom, he would be forced to become a hero.

Neo kissed her cheek before he leaned back against the wall.

She didn't want to think about his mission or the expectations that were already starting to pile up on his shoulders. Instead, she wanted to just enjoy the night. His presence.

"Tell me about your life in the Matrix," she said.

And maybe, for a little while, they could leave the rest of the world behind.

He told her of his life. Of the job he hated and his nighttime activities. How he had to force himself not to spend every spare moment trying to sleep, to get back to her.

And, in turn, she told him about monitoring him. About sitting down at the computer, annoyed, at the start of her shift, only to leave at the end convinced that they had found him.

They talked until the ship went into its overnight stasis and the lights around them dimmed.

Trin caressed his face. "You look exhausted."

He shrugged it off. "I'm fine."

"You spent hours exerting yourself physically and mentally. Why don't you sleep?"

"Haven't I done enough of that?"

She read between his words, though she wasn't sure how she knew to. "I'll be here when you wake."

"I"—he hesitated—"can I stay?"

Her heart ached. It was his room, too. At least in his head, but he was still trying to give her space and control and everything else she might need to adjust and she adored him all the more for it.

She nodded and admitted, "I'd prefer it if you did."

Neo sighed, almost in relief.

She got up to move the table back to the wall, just in case any late-night sentinel activity forced the ship to jolt. Neo tugged back the covers as she did, climbing under and opening his arm for her to join him.

She slipped under, face to face, so she could see him. His arm wrapped around her, pulling her flush against him.

"Good night, Trin."

[raywritesthings]

Not His to Change

My Writing Fandom: Arrow Characters: Oliver Queen, Laurel Lance, Robert Queen Pairing: Laurel Lance/Oliver Queen (if you really, really like bittersweet endings) Summary: Oliver gets to the afterlife once his work as the Spectre is completed and finds a surprise - and a lesson - waiting for him. Notes: Basically canon-compliant but not for Ol*city or M*rlance fans. Not really all that Lauriver either, tbh, this fic doesn’t really have an audience. Oh well. *Can be read on AO3, link is in bio*

As Oliver felt the energy leave him, he used his last remaining moments as the Spectre to construct the new world that his friends would inhabit together, a combination of two Earths. Two timelines needing to be merged. He brought back some whose lives had been cut short, softened the blows that others had suffered and crafted what he felt was the best version of reality for each of his loved ones that he could think of.

There were some things that he could not change. His father still remained buried on Lian Yu. Oliver could not think of a way for him to have become the Green Arrow without his father’s sacrifice out there in the life raft; the truth was, he was almost more scared of the man he might have ended up being without the island.

The other was Laurel. Oliver’s heart ached, but guilt twisted in his gut at the thought of callously cutting the doppelganger he had gotten to know the last few years down just for the crime of not being the ‘right’ one. The fact was, he had lost his Laurel years ago. And without her loss, the whole second wave of heroes in their city would never have been recruited. Her legacy had had that much of an effect. So he did his best to create the life he wished she had had the chance to have before it had ended; the life she deserved.

A wistful part of him wished that was a life with him, the same way he had wished it in the dream world the Dominators had created. But guilt stayed his hand again: Mia. Getting to know his daughter as an adult made her so real and alive, he couldn’t bring himself to deny her the right to existence. In the new version of Earth, he would remain with Felicity if only for her. So he would give Laurel her happy ending that the Undertaking had robbed her of instead.

Everything decided, his eyes slipped closed, and Oliver felt himself drift away from the realm of the living. Gradually, he felt awareness settle back into his body. The bone-deep exhaustion had left him, and he slowly sat up in the bed he found himself resting in.

It was his old bed, the same that he had had in the Queen Manor all those years ago. Brow furrowing in puzzlement, Oliver rose and looked through the dresser and closet, finding clothes to change into. Once changed, he ventured out of the room and down familiar hallways and stairs. He could hear the low murmur of voices coming from the kitchen, so Oliver cautiously pushed the door open, freezing in shock at the sight of the two people sitting at the kitchen island.

“—think you’ll stick around long, or back to traveling?” His father was asking.

Laurel shrugged, though as she did so, her eyes drifted to him in the doorway. “There you are, Ollie. We were starting to wonder if you were planning to spend your whole afterlife asleep.”

Her remark lacked the bite Siren would have had, her smile light and teasing instead.

“This is… we’re all here, then? There’s not a- a—” He wasn’t sure how to voice his question. Oliver couldn’t remember if being the Spectre had given him knowledge of Heaven or Hell, but he would have imagined wherever he ended up, he wouldn’t be sharing it with both Laurel and his father. They’d sat on rather opposite ends of the scale of morality, after all.

“Welcome to life after death, son,” his dad said. “Or what did that Dumbledore character call it in those books you liked?”

“The next great adventure,” Laurel supplied.

Oliver still felt a little numb, but as he drew up to his father’s chair, the older man stood and embraced him.

“It’s good to see you,” Oliver mumbled into his father’s shoulder. His real father. Not a dream, not a hallucination. Although, was it really the same thing?

He had changed the least about his father and his life, Oliver felt he could say. But even still, he had done what he could to clean up this and that, with the exception of the affair that had created Emiko. Even that he had improved with Emiko being a welcome member of the family rather than his parents hiding her from him and Thea. So was he talking to the father he knew, or just another figment of the man that wore his face? He hadn’t considered that at all, and it made his stomach twist uncomfortably.

Over his father’s shoulder, Laurel was watching him, her look both knowing and compassionate all at once. But this was a Laurel he had never really known either, as much a stranger to him as her doppelganger had once been.

His dad pulled back, keeping a hand on Oliver’s shoulder as he looked between the two of them. “Laurel asked me to let her know when you were coming to join us. There’s some things you ought to talk about, and I think she can explain it better than me.” There was a brief squeeze to his shoulder. “I know how hard you tried.”

“Tried what?”

But his dad walked out of the kitchen. Laurel slowly got up from her own chair but maintained a few feet of distance between them. “So, how was being master of the universe?”

It took Oliver a second to place the memory that question stirred; sitting on the floor of her apartment with a bowl of ice cream in his hands. He hung his head. “Definitely not what it’s cracked up to be. Let’s say I don’t miss it.”

“Not wanting that kind of power for yourself is what makes you a hero, Oliver. But… you did make some choices. Choices that weren’t yours to make.”

He licked his lips. “I couldn’t just kill your doppleganger.”

Laurel held up a hand. “I’m not talking about her. I’m talking about me and Tommy.”

He stared at her in confusion. “You loved Tommy.”

Laurel sighed. “I did in a way. But he wasn’t the love of my life. You know that better than anyone.”

Oliver shifted from one foot to the other. “I had a daughter, Laurel.”

“And I’m not saying you should have given her up, either. I am saying that I didn’t need to be forced into some kind of consolation prize marriage of convenience to make you feel better. I was happier without it.”

“How do you even know that?” He couldn’t help asking. If he had changed time, didn’t that mean everyone else forgot the old timeline? Wasn’t that how Barry said it worked?

Laurel shook her head. “Since I was dead, I got to pick which version of memories I could keep. I chose the version of the life I actually lived.”

Oliver swallowed a lump that was stubbornly trying to rise up in his throat. “Then… you really are my Laurel.”

“Mm-hm.”

He took a step closer, unable to help himself from folding her into his arms. It had been so long, and he had missed her every single day. She hugged him back.

“Everything you went through, everything you lost,” he said in her ear. “Why would you want to remember?”

“Because it created me. The best version of me I know how to be. I wasn’t going to let anyone take that away from me.” She drew back and cupped his cheek. “Not even you.”

“Only you could be that stubborn,” he said, the warmth in his tone belying his words. Laurel smirked back at him. “What happens when Tommy passes?” Even if he had brought his friend back along with so many of his loved ones, Oliver knew it couldn’t last forever. Everyone died eventually. And when his friend got to the afterlife, expecting a version of Laurel that now only existed as a fiction Oliver had invented to assuage his own conscience…

“Then he’ll find his place in the afterlife. I don’t imagine he’ll want to see me, at any rate.” Laurel left his arms completely, walking back to her chair to get a bag that she’d left hanging off the arm. “Considering he was getting ready to file for divorce before the me in that timeline was killed.”

Oliver’s eyebrows pulled together. “What?”

“From what I was told, he could see exactly what he saw in the timeline you and I remember. No matter how much power you have to wield, you can’t change who people are in their bones, Oliver. Only they can change themselves. And I wasn’t about to do that.” She finished slinging the bag over her shoulder, fixing her denim jacket so that it sat properly.

She loved him still. The lump was back, and he brought a hand up to try and wipe at the moisture starting to gather at his eyes before it could get out of control.

“If I could — if there had been a way,” he started. A way for both Laurel and Mia. God, he’d seen the way Mia had gotten on with Laurel’s doppleganger. He was sure his daughter would have found an even more supportive mentor in the Laurel he had known most of his life. The same way Thea once had.

She shook her head sadly. “Your family comes first, Ollie. We both know that. That’s why I’m not staying here. There’s a whole lot of afterlife to explore, a lot of it I didn’t see when I was alive. So you wait here for your family. It’s okay.”

It wasn’t fair, but he knew he would let her go. She was always the bigger person between the two of them, in the end. She walked past him and towards the door, and he couldn’t quite stop himself from saying, “If we’ve got the rest of eternity to spend here, my family might get sick of me after a while.” How many breaks had he and Felicity taken with their relationship, after all?

She looked back, a wan half-smile tugging at one corner of her lips as the long, blonde hair he remembered best spilled over her shoulder. “Then I guess you’ll just have to come running after me if that happens.”

He nodded. “Always.”

“Goodbye, Ollie.”

“Goodbye, Laurel.”

She let herself out of the kitchen, and he heard the front door shut moments later. Slowly, he walked to the island and took the chair she had sat in. Like most times, she had left him with much to think about.

If anyone could see fit to defy him even when he had held the power of a near-God, it was Laurel. A breathy laugh left him at the thought. She always was able to bring him back down to Earth, even when they were no longer on it. Wasn’t that a relief?

[kentthewolf]

8 Steps: How To Do In 2 Hours, What Most Do In A Week

Regardless if you work from home or commute to an office, many discover it can be a battle to focus, be productive, and finish every one of their assignments.

Since becoming a self-employed marketing specialist (on February 16th, 2020), I've constructed an effective full-time business, launched various side hustles, finished numerous enormous tasks for a few clients without a moment's delay, and worked far less than 40 hours per week while venturing and spending much more time with my family than I ever had before.

Yet, my secret isn't earplugs, espresso, "more self-control," or an enchanted time-management application. (Truth be told, I don't utilize one single efficiency apparatus by any stretch of the imagination.)

In this article, I'll show you the specific, exceptionally intense techniques that caused me to soar my efficiency and get magnificent outcomes without depending on “willpower”.

It's entirely conceivable and regardless of whether you're self-employed or an employee, these tips will help you as well.

1. Stay away from productivity killers

Regularly, individuals attempt to help their efficiency by adding a wide range of assets:

Time management app, calendars, site blockers, productivity books, and so on

Yet, making an inadequate framework more proficient doesn't prompt greater productivity.

Before you add more, start by deducting things that kill your productivity.

It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential. — Bruce Lee

Rule Number One: Never check your email or messages first thing in the morning.

55% of Americans check their email before they even go to work.

The problem with checking your emails or messages so early is that it puts people in a state of reaction: It fills their head with tasks, stressors, and mini-fires they need to put out before they even had a chance to do all their top priorities.

And since they see their emails before they’re at work, they can’t even do anything about it yet! So, it stays in the back of their mind all morning and they can’t be fully present.

(Later in this article, I’ll show you how to check your email in a more productive way.)

Rule Number Two: Limit all notifications.

Loads of individuals' phones are an interruption factory — with a wide range of alarms, messages, updates, and notification, it resembles having an infant in your pocket. 

However, it's unimaginable for you to focus like this. 

To start with, people are awful at performing various tasks. Regardless of how hard you attempt it, in the event that you get a notification like clockwork, you can't zero in well on the thing you're doing. 

Second, if a notification pulls you away from your work, when you return, you'll burn through a great deal of time as your mind has to readjust to what you were doing, and returns to a similar level of productivity before the interruption. (You lose throughout 23 minutes each time, really.)

Third, checking your notifications resembles a drug: 

Each time you check a message, email, alert, and so forth, your cerebrum discharges dopamine, a compound that causes us to feel better. 

In the long run, your body gets dependent on these chemicals and you begin wanting it — and the best way to fulfill that hankering is to check Gmail, Instagram, Facebook, and so forth 

An exceptionally basic arrangement is simply to set your phone on flight mode or "do not disturb" during explicit times, particularly toward the beginning of the day. 

For the individuals who need to take this to the next level, I energetically suggest disabling all unimportant notifications from all applications on your phone.

Rule Number Three: Don't sit in front of the TV, read the news, or check/utilize social media before anything else in the morning. 

Productivity is tied in with achieving your most elevated priorities, efficiently and effectively. (Take it from a marketing professional, who’s predominant chunk of work ties back to social media at some point)

Activities for your boss. Building your business. Making a side business. Composing the book you've for the longest time been itching to compose. Preparing for a long-distance race. Getting a degree. 

Odds are, be that as it may, your most elevated needs are not Instagram, messages, and viewing SportsCenter. 

The issue is, when individuals start the morning by consuming data, they haven't stepped toward their main objectives and they're as of now filling their brain with (generally) pointless, distracting stuff. 

None of it will assist them with achieving their greatest errands. Furthermore, more regrettable, things like the news cause individuals to feel more negative, stressed, and pessimistic, further influencing productivity. 

Yet, there's a reason behind why such a large amount of this is centered around your mornings…

2. Overcome the most important time of the day 

The secret to soaring your efficiency is exceptionally straightforward: 

Overcome the initial three hours after you awaken. 

This is the point at which you're generally innovative, engaged, ready, gainful, and stimulated. 

That is the reason it's essential to secure your mornings and try to benefit from those hours. 

Here's how:

To begin with, require a couple of moments at the very beginning of your day to do an amazing morning schedule. 

It may appear to be strange to invest energy in the first part of the day not to work, but rather to prepare yourself to work. However, I guarantee those couple of moments will change your productivity.

If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first six of them sharpening my axe. — Abraham Lincoln

A few plans to "sharpen your axe:"

Meditate. Go for a stroll. Eat healthy. Peruse something motivating. Compose your objectives on a handy-dandy journal. Stretch. And so forth

It doesn't need to be muddled (or long), however plan something to help you feel 100% prepared — mentally, physically, and emotionally — so you're engaged, inspired, focused, and driven.

At that point, when you begin working, you'll have a huge load of momentum to take out the entirety of your assignments.

Second, try not to settle on an excessive number of insignificant choices and, instead, do the same routine consistently.

That is really the mystery of world class level competitors/athletes:

They do the exact same ludicrously, exhausting, boring schedules throughout each and every day.

They eat the same healthy foods. They do the same exercises. They do the same warm-ups.

Once more, mornings are the point at which you are generally beneficial and focused. Try not to squander your psychological energy on minor choices. "What am I going to eat? What am I going to do? What am I going wear? Where am I going to go?"

In all actuality we just have a restricted measure of significant level for mental execution every day.

By doing the same things consistently, you can utilize that elevated level of cognitive energy on the things that matter since all the minor task of your day are on auto-pilot.

Third, accomplish extraordinary work.

After your morning routine, you may have somewhere close to 2–2.5 hours remaining from your initial three hours. That is the point at which you will accomplish your best work.

The remainder of this article will show you how.

3. Why you need to make teeny-tiny assignments

Many individuals think they battle to complete their assignments on account of laziness or an absence of willpower, inspiration, or determination.

In any case, frequently, the explanation is undeniably more straightforward!

For instance, somebody's plan for the day may resemble:

Compose blog article

Build a website

The genuine issue is each task is so overwhelming!

To compose a blog article or construct another site, it could take somewhere in the range of 3 to 30 hours!

Each errand is so huge and inconclusive, there's no foreordained length or approach to quantify its fulfillment — but to complete the entire damn thing. (I speak from experience; can’t you tell my frustration?)

Also, in the event that it winds up requiring 30 hours, it'll remain on your to do list for a few days, if not weeks.

Instead, break them into explicit, noteworthy errands that can be executed in less than 60 minutes.

For instance, rather than "compose a blog entry," it very well may be "compose an outline," "make a draft for the intro," "compose 10 ideas for the title," "compose 200 words," and so forth

These are explicit, significant, and quantifiable.

Much like with sweets, teeny-tiny is better:

With smaller tasks (ex. 20-minute long), you have certainty you can complete them. In any case, if your assignment is to assemble a site (which can require days, weeks, or months), the finish line might as well be in the North Pole.

When you make your errands "teeny-tiny," you'll finish a greater number of assignments in less time than previously. By observing yourself finish more things, you'll pick up momentum and certainty.

When you have a significant plan for the day, it's an ideal opportunity to orchestrate them the correct way…

4. Prioritize like a pro

One of my most extraordinary lessons came from the "80/20 Rule."

Otherwise called the "Pareto Principle," it clarifies that about 80% of your output comes from about 20% of your input.

For productivity, that implies 20% of your work makes 80% of your outcomes.

A few people, however, simply do their daily agenda in any order. So, they may complete a great deal of errands before their day's over, yet get little outcomes (assuming any).

Actuality is, in everybody's plan for the day, there's only a couple of things that have the "greatest value for your money."

So, pick the 3 most significant things — no more than 3 — and put those at the top.

At that point, do those 3 things each in turn and don't do whatever else on your list until you finish those 3 things.

By doing these basic things first, you get the most outcomes every single day.

Once more, you have the most inventiveness, focus, and mental energy in the mornings; so, devote your best time of day on your highest priority tasks.

To figure out your best 3 tasks, try asking yourself:

What three things totally can't stand by until tomorrow?

What are the three things that on the off chance that I finished, but did nothing else, would have the option to get by with?

What are the three things that will have the greatest effect on my life?

Assuming, in any case, you have 5 basic assignments that all should be done today, locate the two things that, in the event that you don't do them, have the slightest repercussions.

At that point prioritize the other three.

(Figuring out how to prioritize will change your productivity, and in addition your life.)

5. Why limiting your time can zap your speed

Have you ever had a whole month to do something minuscule — and that "miniscule thing" winds up requiring the whole month?

There's a law for that.

It's designated "Parkinson's Law": Work expands to fill the time necessary for its completion.

In other words, whatever time you give yourself to finish an errand, it'll take that measure of time — regardless of whether it's 30 minutes, three hours, or three weeks.

Along these lines, to help your efficiency, don't give yourself more time to complete something:

Give yourself less.

Make a forceful time limit and perceive how quick you can do it. Clearly, you need to do a good job, but try to push yourself in terms of speed AND quality.

You'll see that the errands that once took "quite a while" really complete significantly quicker.

More, frequently, you'll really make a superior showing since you're giving your full concentration and focus to hit a pressing time limit.

This is the way you utilize Parkinson's Law for your own benefit.

6. Take interval mental breaks

It gives you stretched intervals to be super-engaged and undistracted while additionally giving you breaks to recuperate and reenergize.

Regardless of whether you're working, composing, or learning, taking regular breaks is essential.

It resembles working out at the gym: You need rest between practices so you can do it again and still have perseverance, strength, and force.

You can do a work duration of 25 minutes — with a brief 5 min break — I for the most part complete 50 minutes with a 10-minute break.

Throughout this break, however, it's essential to really "take a break" and not simply browse email, check social media, or occupy yourself.

Normally, I'll go for a stroll to walk my dog, do yoga stretches or even basic calisthenics to stimulate blood circulation throughout the body; at that point, I reset the clock and go once more.

7. Improve your performance with music

You did your morning schedule. You have your organized daily agenda. You haven't browsed through your emails or messages. You set 50 minutes on your clock and are prepared to tackle the day.

Now what?

Here's a simple tip to help you take your working capacities to the next level:

Tune in to the same music on repeat.

Here's the reason why it’s so effective:

Instead of continually hearing different songs, which urges you to tune in to the words, by tuning in to the same one, you melt into the tune, quit zeroing in on the words, and simply feed off the energy.

My secret sauce is to listen to Binary sounds. Search “Binary Work/Study Music”, it’s far less distracting and gives you more focus to work. (I’m doing it as I compose this article piece!).

8. Conquer the last challenge

The past productivity systems are incredibly amazing and intense.

Yet, here's a severe truth:

Regardless of how well you plan your day or the number of productivity systems you use, in the event that you hate what you’re doing or don't know enough about what you're doing, you won't be productive.

So, on the off chance that you attempt these tips and still battle to complete things, ask yourself:

Do you really want to do them in the first place?

Is there something you're anxious about or afraid of?

In any case, while there are times you need to beat internal opposition — particularly when attempting to transform yourself — some of the time it's an indication of a more profound issue.

Possibly your body, brain, and gut are attempting to reveal to you something.

Talking from personal experience, the last time I opposed accomplishing work, it was on the grounds that I was in an occupation I hated and I wound up quitting (which additionally fixed my depression and allowed me to educate myself more on the thing that mattered most to me).

I can’t tell you for sure, but I do recommend taking some time, digging deep, and seeing where that opposition is coming from. You might just discover a whole new your

I can’t wait to see the greatness you will accomplish.

[wmshappen]

Lockdown Learning

If the devil finds work for idle hands, we can only assume from this summer’s Instagram posts that the devil must love sourdough. And the country’s new army of amateur bakers weren’t the only ones using having more time on their hands to good advantage—lots of people looked to learning new things as a distraction.

But first things first - if the only thing you ‘achieved’ this summer was making it through each day, don’t give yourself a single moment of grief. By doing just that, you’ve already done great. However, as time has wound on and those of us working in events swapped fields and packed schedules for staying in, some of the WMSH team have been enjoying learning new skills or taking on new hobbies. We’ve found that focusing on things you enjoy, be that a new challenge, doing something physical, or spending time making your micro-universe nicer, comfier or more tasty, can be great for your mental health.

Check out what we’ve been up to below:

JD

I decided not to let my lack of actual garden stop me attempting to grow some of my own food. I ordered some tumbling tomato seedlings online, and repotted them along with spinach and kale seeds into hanging baskets so they could bask in the sunshine from the SW facing window that basically turns the lounge into a greenhouse from May to October. Moving them into the shower for a drench became part of the daily routine and within a month, they’d started to fruit (and are still going). To accompany them, I started growing micro salad in a seed sprouter, which made my weekend at-home brunches much more Instagram-worthy. 

As a side note - hanging tomatoes make an excellent Zoom background. So many people commented how good they looked and I like to think a bit of greenery brightened those meetings a little.

Stephen

During lockdown I learned how to use 3D projection mapping, with Mad Mapper and Wayne Sables’ excellent online Vimeo course. The introductory lessons were great, and included insightful interviews with professionals from creative industries. As with most things, the real learning came with practice; but after only a few hours I managed to project 10 different video streams simultaneously onto a complex icosahedral 3D sculpture, using a projector, a laptop, and a demo version of Mad Mapper. This technique has been used in art installations, live music and stage performances, outdoor exhibitions and video game demonstrations, and I look forward to finding more and more places to use it.

Alice

I love doing something physical, knowing it will likely take me all day. The garden has been one big and on-going project this year, something that would normally be left untouched while I’m away on-site throughout the summer. However, through watching many YouTube videos, countless calls to my mum, many plant deaths, and lots of back-breaking work, I’ve cultivated my garden to a point where it’s unrecognisable from where it was. I’ve laid turf for the first time, pruned back trees and bushes that I would previously have had no idea what to do with. I’ve built a rockery, a compost heap, and after learning that there are different types of rakes, with entirely different purposes (who knew?!), I’ve brought myself a new one for raking leaves this autumn, which I’m way too excited about.

As well as gardening - while I’ve always been a bit of a DIY-er - I upped my game this summer by refurbing the kitchen. I even created a Gant chart when I was struggling to figure out the order things needed to happen in, and used a white board to track ‘to do’, ‘to buy’ and ‘snags’, just like I would when managing a festival build site. The refurbing is still ongoing, but so far has included laying flooring and fitting skirting for the first time, and finally conquering my fear of sawing things. I’m still not very good, I can’t cut straight to save my life…but things get cut. One piece of sawing led to another, and I ended up making multiple coffee tables for my new garden oasis, and a footstool to go with the 2nd hand chairs I upcycled. I learned what a ‘pocket screw’ was, which was a bit of a game changer, but I haven’t totally perfected it yet.

Youtuber’s The Sorry Girls , and instagrammer Angela Rose have been major sources of inspiration. Also, my father-in-law, Bob, who’s a DIY expert. He’s always available to give advice, offer encouragement, or send me tools.

 I’ve also spent a little time trying to improve my 3D modelling skills – while I’m a wiz at doing 2D site plans - my 3D constructions don’t always look polished. I took an online tutorial on virtual room dressing and lighting effects for Vectorworks. For practice, I made a room, I put a person figure in it, and set about trying different lighting / finishing options. It’s hard to explain how I got there, but one thing led to another, and I ended up 3D modelling something akin to a bloody murder scene in a movie. Lesson learned – what you, when you’ve not left the house for several days, think is funny…may freak your team out when you show them.

Alice Hunt / @mrsalicehunt

[bytheanchorarchived]

BASIC INFORMATION

FULL NAME: Reid Lois Garwin PRONUNCIATION: ˌ rid ˈloʊəs ˈgɑrwɪn MEANING: Transferred use of the surname derived from the Scottish reid (red). The name arose as a nickname for someone with red hair or a red, ruddy complexion. REASONING: While I don’t know how much thought was put into his name, I take Reid’s name as being more connected to the metaphors and stereotypes usually associated with red haired people. In a way, he is also stereotyped this way. He is shown as bold and quick tempered and wild, and bratty, and brash, and while he can be all of those things it’s more of a first impression of him, the surface level, which I think works perfectly from what people think red haired people are like to what they really are like. Additionally Garwin means ‘rough’ which adds to that idea of his character. NICKNAME(S): Re, mostly by Tyler. And you know, troublemaker. PREFERRED NAME(S): Reid. BIRTH DATE: November 12th, 1990. AGE: 16-17 (canon), 19-24 (other verses) ZODIAC: Scorpio. GENDER: Male. PRONOUNS: He/Him. ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Biromantic. SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Bisexual. NATIONALITY: American. ETHNICITY: Caucasian. CURRENT LOCATION: Ipswich MA, USA (canon). New York City, NY (some verses), Paris FR (some verses) LIVING CONDITIONS: Boarding school dorm (canon), though his mother lives in town, she is constantly traveling and so Reid spends most of his time at Spenser Academy, sometimes choosing to sleep in his own empty house in the colony. TITLE(S): One fourth of the Covenant of Ipswhich. Water elemental. Troublemaker. Part of Spenser’s swim team. 

↬  INTRODUCTION VIDEO

BACKGROUND

BIRTH PLACE: Home birth, at the shared coven property, assisted by coven midwives. His mother was not happy about it. But it is the custom of the coven when it comes to the first borns of the line. HOMETOWN:  Ipswhich, MA. SOCIAL CLASS: Reid comes from an old family, part of the witches of Salem, who ran from the trials, and settled the colony of Ipswhich. As founders, they became important, and the whole coven turned out well off. To add to it, his mother also comes from a good family, mix of English and French, and she went on to be a big name in fashion business, having an eye for discovering new designers and the charm to acquire the best deals, she makes very good bank. So all in all, money is not something that really concerns him, as it doesn’t any of the boys. He was very well bred and raised, and what he does that clashes with it, he does so of his own will, on purpose. Which means, when he has to he knows how to behave socially perfectly, and chooses instead to dress down, and talk in slang, and act up. EDUCATION LEVEL: Complete High School at boarding school.  Reid was brought up in Spenser Academy since he first entered school, at age 5. At Spenser he took things such as French, piano lessons, and of course made it into the swim team. He tried joining several different other sports teams but nothing truly stuck like swimming. He always hated the rules and the uniforms and all that. More and more as he grew up and it all started to suffocate him. He loves to read, and does so frequently, but hates traditional studying and school in general. He doesn’t like anyone to know he can play the piano, so only the other three boys know this about him. He learned French because his mother has some French in her family, along with English, and often took him along to France and England for business or family trips.  FATHER: Joseph Garwin. MOTHER: Meredith Garwin. SIBLING(S): N/A BIRTH ORDER: N/A CHILDREN: N/A PET(S): N/A, he is a cat person though. OTHER IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS: [1] Caleb Danvers, Pogue Parry, and Tyler Simms. The four boys grew up together, and they represent the four families that made a covenant of silence, promising to keep their powers and magic as a whole in secrecy, after escaping the Salem which trials, and settling into a new land. They are each the eldest son of each of those families, and as such, are given the Power — which is to say that once they turned 13, they first received raw magic, into them, and at their 18th birthday, they will each Ascend and get the full share of their Power, become one with it, which will be with them until they die. Because of this, each generation is very close and dependent on one another to keep the others stable. Caleb as the eldest of the four, and the son of the man who caused the derail of the last generation, feels responsible for all of them, is the mom friend, and as such buts heads with Reid nearly constantly. They are usually at odds, since Caleb is quick to get annoyed and Reid can’t resist baiting him, however there is a point where they both meet, in their playfulness and boldness, and rise up together in shenanigans and dares. And at the end of the day, whenever either of them really needs someone, the other will always be there to help. “You know I got your back / I know you do.” Caleb represents the element of Fire, opposite to Reid’s water. Pogue is more the fun big brother friend, who also looks out for the others, but in a more relaxed, and somewhat irresponsible way. He joins in on the fun, and often wins out over them, he passes an air of more security and experience, and is usually one riled up by jealousy. Because of that, Pogue and Reid have a very companionable relationship, with Pogue usually being the one to try and keep the peace in the group, without bossing any of them around. He’s the one Reid shares his risque and bad behavior experiences with, he’s the one he goes to when he needs advice but can’t tell any of the others. They have a more level headed bond, and there are some things Reid’s done that only Pogue knows. Pogue embodies the element of Air, which is why he and Reid are so compatible with one another. Tyler is the one Reid is closest with in the world. When they were kids, Tyler being the youngest, due to his parents pulling away from the coven before his birth, was the easiest to pick on, and Reid would prank him a lot. Slowly, though, that turned into fondness, and later on protectiveness. Reid is fiercely protective of Tyler, and despite his blase facade, he will tear apart anyone who comes close to hurting the boy. Hanging out with Tyler is easy, because though they are very different people, Tyler never judges him. Tyler is often also very impressed by him, and his deeds, which Reid admittedly enjoys, specially because, deep down, he’s the one to admire him, for being as good as he is. Tyler is a good person. Studious and talented, and correct, and Reid both admires it, and enjoys it when he’s able to make him tag along with his crazy plans. Tyler is his best friend. And he is also the person with whom Reid is the most affectionate. They often just lie together in bed and read, or go walk around together in town, and get up to trouble sometimes. Tyler knows who he is better than anyone, and reads him more easily than the others. Tyler represents the element of Earth, who grounds him. IMPORTANT EVENTS: Just before Reid was born, the past generation’s coven started to derail. Caleb’s father was quickly becoming an addict to using the Power, which consumes the weak human body each time it’s used, and because of it he was causing an imbalance in the covenant. The others, unable to watch him consume his own life, and basically slowly kill himself, and after realizing there was no helping him, each reacted in their own way. The tension in their bond, caused the cycle of their births to be stretched, which means Reid was born almost a whole year after Caleb, and Tyler was born almost two whole years after the eldest. It was also because of the break int he coven that when Reid turned seven, his father couldn’t stand to stick around watching William Danvers decay anymore, and after many fights with Reid’s mother as he grew up, they decided to get a divorce, and Joseph left Ipswhich never to be seen again. From time to time, Reid gets a birthday card with cash in it, and some words, but he throws them away, and his father never attempted to have any further contact with him. When Reid turned thirteen, as said above, he got his first share of Power. The five years between thirteen and eighteen are considered test or trial years. It’s when the boys first get to experience magic, and learn what their powers can do, but not still in full capacity. Because it’s just a small portion of the real Power they will get at eighteen, the magic doesn’t decay them yet, and they have to learn to construct their own will power and backbone to restrain their use of it on their own, so that after they turn eighteen, they have learned to resist temptation before it’s a problem and don’t become addicted to it before they even start. This is a big source of his fighting with Caleb, since they have very different views on control and restraint, and Caleb has the burden of his father’s mistakes on his shoulders, which often lead him to judging Reid more harshly than he would otherwise. Reid also often will use more Power around Caleb, out of spite, than he usually does when they’re not together. Secretly though, he has a huge fear of everything they say about him being true, and him becoming the next weak link of this new generation, which is why he develop a finer and more layered control than the others, learning to use just the exact amount of Power needed for every given situation.  At the start of their senior year, just before Caleb turns 18 and ascends (becomes one with Power), a series of haunting events lead them to finding out the line of the fifth family, which used to be a part of the coven and they thought dead, has not ended. They find that descendants of that line have been growing up and decaying young and having sons and passing the Power along, outside the coven, without support or even knowledge of what it’s happening to them. Because of it, Chase Collins, their generation’s fifth member, comes after them thinking he’s found the answer to the consumption of the body by acquiring more Power. Since ascending means becoming one with it, he blackmails Caleb into giving him his full share, after he gets it, and therefore sacrificing himself in return for the safety of the rest of the coven. After a fight, William ends up giving up his own Power to his son, and Caleb defeats Chase with it. When Chase first starts acting up, though, Caleb blames Reid for it, and they spend a lot of time fighting over it. Reid also begs for the chance to help in the fight, but after Chase baits and hurt Pogue, Caleb refuses to let him, and Reid still resents him that, knowing well that Caleb could have easily died and left them behind.  MY REID GARWIN HEADCANONS COMPILATION ARRESTS?:No. Not because the cops didn’t try, but when Reid is in trouble he uses to get out of it. Unless he has been on a masochist roll and decides to punish himself allowing himself to get arrested, which would be verse dependent.  PRISON TIME?: No.

OCCUPATION & INCOME

PRIMARY SOURCE OF INCOME: Trust fund given to him by his grandparents, after his father left.  SECONDARY SOURCE OF INCOME: Whatever job he gets after High School while he’s trying to figure out his life. TERTIARY SOURCE(S) OF INCOME: He will eventually get inheritances from his mother’s side of the family.  APPROXIMATE AMOUNT PER YEAR: Unknown. CONTENT WITH THEIR JOB (OR LACK THERE OF)?: Pretty much. Reid is not the university type, and after High School he spends some time just trying to figure himself out. He gets jobs here and there, and might even follow one of the boys to college, but he’s not decided on a career and he is in no rush to. PAST JOB(S): N/A SPENDING HABITS: Reid is not a big spender. It is true that his rebel clothes are all mostly designer, but that’s pretty much it. He is even the only of the four boys who doesn’t have his own car, since his mother sees it as absurd and he doesn’t really have need to push on the matter. He mostly eats fast food, and or at Spenser, and his hobby can be sated by trips to used books stores, which can’t be considered expensive. MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION: Probably something Tyler gave him a long time ago, like a pendant or a ring / bracelet or something. 

SKILLS & ABILITIES

PHYSICAL STRENGTH: Good physical strength, from years of swimming. OFFENSE: Reid is almost always ready to fight and go at it if he needs to. Specially to protect any of the boys, like when he stops a fight from escalating between Aaron and Caleb by making a friend of the former start puking. He is fast, a quick thinker, thinks outside the box, and strikes preemptively. He would be fairly unpredictable in a fight which is a good trait to have. Offense is the best defense. Reid uses his Power in his offense, and his power is connected to his elemental, water, which means his magic moves and reacts in a similar manner. DEFENSE: Reid is also extremely guarded, and always defensive. He has a tendency to just assume everyone expects the worst of him (which they usually do) and so his logic is what is the good in trying to explain things, or tell his side of the story if no one will believe him? And so walls up, attack mode he goes. SPEED: Reid is fast and slim, but nothing out of the ordinary for a swimmer. INTELLIGENCE: Highly intelligent and also intuitive, though it might not look like it. Reid is so good at getting to people because he’s very very good at reading them. He knows exactly what pushes them, or how to make them fall for something, or what is pissing someone off etc. Like his element (water) he runs deep, and as a child of a single mother, he has learned to anticipate what people are thinking and or feeling. The thing is he doesn’t always use it for good, but he does have high emotional intelligence. That’s why he can read complex books for hours, but systemic evaluation fails him and school bores him. He’s smart in out of the box ways. ACCURACY: Because Reid grew up hearing that he was the weak link in the group, the one more prone to becoming and addict and ruining everything, he spent countless hours training his control over power, and has the most refinement of all the boys. He never uses more than he has to to do exactly what he wants. Which is show by how the explosion of magic in his eyes is always very controlled, and only ever turns black when he absolutely needs full power (once when they all use it to levitate the car whilst running from the police, and another when he is fighting Caleb who is the most powerful of all of them). He has incredible focus and measure. As water is very versatile, so is Reid and his fighting technique. AGILITY: Reid has agile thinking, always understanding or seeing things before everyone else in the room. STAMINA: Reid has good stamina due to swimming and the Power. TEAMWORK: Reid can work in a team when he wants to, and has done it his whole life growing up with the boys. They studied together, learned about power together practiced together, went on vacations together, had sleep overs etc etc. He works in a team all the time, but he can get in moods where he needs to be alone. He’s definitely the most independent of the boys in that sense, because he goes out and does his own things, “had things to do”, while the others tend to move more in a pack, or with family. It depends on his will. TALENTS: Playing the piano, swimming. SHORTCOMINGS: Focusing for long periods of time, Cooking, Cleaning, Following Orders, Standardized Tests, Impulsive, Defensive, Pushes people away.  LANGUAGE(S) SPOKEN: English (native), French (not totally fluent). DRIVE?: Yes. JUMP-STAR A CAR?: Yes. More or less. With Power. CHANGE A FLAT TIRE?: Nope. RIDE A BICYCLE?: Yes. He owns one. SWIM?: Yes. Very well. PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?:  Yes, the piano. PLAY CHESS?: Yes. BRAID HAIR?: No. TIE A TIE?: Yes. PICK A LOCK?: Doesn’t have to. Power.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

FACE CLAIM: Toby Hemingway. EYE COLOR: Icy Blue. HAIR COLOR: Natural Blonde. HAIR TYPE/STYLE: Longish, disheveled. GLASSES/CONTACTS?: No. DOMINANT HAND: Right. HEIGHT: 5′11′’ feet (or 180 cm) WEIGHT: Unknown. BUILD: Slim, lean muscles, tending to the thinner side. EXERCISE HABITS: Daily swimming, plus cardio. SKIN TONE: Pale, white. TATTOOS: See this post. PIERCINGS: N/A. MARKS/SCARS: A few from scrapes with people or childhood ones, just minor pale cut ones. NOTABLE FEATURES: Striking blue eyes, bright blonde hair, broad shoulders. USUAL EXPRESSION: Smirking, smug, goading. CLOTHING STYLE: Over-sized, ripped, jackets, boots, beanie, fingerless gloves, fashionably rebel. JEWELRY: Yes. He wears rings and bracelets and pendants, it depends on his mood and his outfit. May also wear earrings. ALLERGIES: N/A BODY TEMPERATURE: Cooler than average, like water. DIET: Highly inconsistent. Take out, cafeteria food. PHYSICAL AILMENTS: N/A

PSYCHOLOGY

JUNG TYPE: ENFP ENNEAGRAM TYPE: Type 5. The Investigator ( Ego fixation: Retention. Holy idea: Omniscience, transparency. Basic fear: Helplessness, incapability, incompetence. Basic desire: Mastery, understanding. Temptation: Replacing direct experience with concepts. Vice/Passion: Avarice. Virtue: Non-Attachment. Stress: 7. Security: 8.). Type 4. The Individualist ( Ego fixation: Melancholy (Fantasizing). Holy idea: Origin. Basic fear: Having no identity or significance. Basic desire: To be uniquely themselves. Temptation: To overuse imagination in search of self. Vice/Passion: Envy. Virtue: Equanimity (Emotional Balance). Stress: 2. Security: 1.). Type 8. The Challenger ( Ego fixation: Vengeance (Objectification). Holy idea: Truth. Basic fear: Being controlled, harmed, violated. Basic desire: Self-protection.Temptation: Thinking they are completely self-sufficient. Vice/Passion: Forcefulness. Virtue: Innocence. Stress: 5. Security: 2.). MORAL ALIGNMENT: Neutral Good and or Chaotic Good. TEMPERAMENT: Sanguine. ELEMENT: Water. PRIMARY INTELLIGENCE TYPE: Interpersonal, Musical and Kinesthetic APPROXIMATE IQ: Unknown. MENTAL CONDITIONS/DISORDERS: Low Self Steem. Isolates himself emotionally. Doesn’t believe he is worthy of love, or that love is for him. Fear of commitment. Fear of depending on anyone else. Fear of happiness. Shocks people to test them. Blows things up for himself for fear of it not working out. Pushes people to see if they’ll push back. Doesn’t believe in happy families. Self-destructive behavior. SOCIABILITY: Reid is very sociable. He likes to be in large groups and to be the center of attention. He feels comfortable in large parties, and is popular in school. He likes to tell outrageous stories, to shock people and make them laugh. He can go from 100 to -100 quickly though, and suddenly need rest or isolation. He can find rest being alone with strangers, so he’ll often push close people away to think or breathe. EMOTIONAL STABILITY: Reid is usually pretty relaxed, but there are a few key things, or people (name Caleb) who get under his skin and make him feisty and irritable. He is prone to jealousy due to his fear of being replaced, and not being good enough for the people he loves in the first place, so that can mess with him. Other than that he usually doesn’t care about what people think of him, or what they say. He does as he wants, and only cares about what people say of his friends. OBSESSION(S): Taking control over his use of Power. PHOBIA(S): What they say about him being true, and him being addicted to Power as soon as he ascends and end up decaying and ruining the coven.  ADDICTION(S): None. DRUG USE: Recreational pot, smoking on and off. ALCOHOL USE: Reid drinks occasionally but only ever at parties or things like that. He can get plastered, and enjoys doing so, but it’s not often.  PRONE TO VIOLENCE?: Sometimes. But not often and not by everyone. Mostly idiotic people amuse him, instead of making him angry. 

MANNERISMS

SPEECH STYLE: Reid purposefully talks in slang, abbreviating words, rarely saying them entirely, joining words together and using pet names and his own specific terms for things. His tone is relaxed, and drags a little, and he likes to say things that will shock people.  ACCENT: American. MA. QUIRKS: Talks with a smirk, sarcastic, slouches his shoulders, bites fingernails, hangs off people, very touchy, puts his arm around them, or uses them as head / leg / etc rest, specially so with Tyler. Makes people feel like they’ve known him forever when they talk. Can be mysterious when he wants to. Plays with things on his hands when he’s nervous. Looks down when avoiding subjects. Side smiles and shrugs a lot. HOBBIES: Reading, playing the piano (occasionally), swimming in the ocean, climbing (and jumping off cliffs). HABITS: Staying up late and sleeping in, drinking lots of coffee, reading in bed, sitting to watch the ocean, going off alone when there’s too much nervous energy in him. Falls asleep during class due to boredom and his escapades.  NERVOUS TICKS: Doodles to keep himself occupied and have an outlet for build up energy, will doodle on anything, from cash, to notebooks, to Tyler’s arms and hands. Clenches his jaw. Becomes antsy  and irritable. Can’t stay still. Will rather stand than sit down. Sits at the edge of his seat when he’s bothered, like he’s ready to get up at any moment.  DRIVES/MOTIVATIONS: Mastering his Power, protecting Tyler, not becoming the person people think he is. Keeping a good relationship with his mother. Standing out.  FEARS: Letting someone in and being abandoned. Being an addict. Not being good for committed relationships, turning into his father if he ever tries. Ending up alone. Self destruction. The future. POSITIVE TRAITS: Fun, Charming, Curious, Protective, Affectionate, Resilient, Spontaneous, Intuitive, Open Minded, Determined, Loyal, Honest despite what people think. NEGATIVE TRAITS: Self Doubting, Self Destructive, Reckless, Impulsive, Flighty, Jealous.  SENSE OF HUMOR: Sarcastic, ironic, dirty, forward, intelligent, cheeky, pop references. DO THEY CURSE OFTEN?: Yes. CATCHPHRASE(S): “Harry Potter can kiss my ass.” “Hell boys, Let’s drop in.” “Say my name.” “You kinda remind me of [my grandmother].” “You want me to stop? That’ll impress Harvard.” “It’s not over yet, boys.” “Big deal.” “I don’t see anyone else in here, do you?” “We were just playin’em.”  “I swear.” “Didn’t it, though?” FAVORITE QUOTE: “You know we got your back.“ FAVORITE QUOTE (ABOUT): “It’s always Reid.” REID SPEAKS (sample of my own Reid quotes)

FAVORITES

ACTIVITY: Thrill seeking, gambling, swimming, reading. ANIMAL: Cats. BEVERAGE: Beer. Coffee. Tea (he learned it from his mother). BOOK: Classics (such as Stephen King’s). CELEBRITY: N/A COLOR: Grayish blue. DESIGNER: Changes from time to time. FOOD: Chinese take out. FLOWER: Sea Lavender. GEM: Crystals. HOLIDAY:  Christmas. MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: Bike. MOVIE: Mystery and horror ones. MUSICAL ARTIST: Many. QUOTE/SAYING: “Selfish people live longer.” SCENERY: Mix of urban and nature. SCENT: Pines, coffee, cold salt (ocean). SPORT: Swim. SPORTS TEAM: Spenser’s Swim Team. TELEVISION SHOW: Supernatural. WEATHER: Fall. VACATION DESTINATION: England.

ATTITUDES

GREATEST DREAM: Enduring the Power. GREATEST FEAR: Failing the other boys and his mother. MOST AT EASE WHEN: Surrounded by people, doing something fun. Or with Tyler. LEAST AT EASE WHEN: Cornered or being judged. WORST POSSIBLE THING THAT COULD HAPPEN: Become and addict to Power. BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT: Believing there is a future for him. BIGGEST REGRET: Not having been there for Caleb regardless of his orders. MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT: Being found out as bisexual by the other boys before he was ready. BIGGEST SECRET: He craves not to be who people think they are. His sexuality. TOP PRIORITIES: Proving himself, gathering attention, protecting the others. 

adapted from

[perhaps-a-pencil]

Character Construction

Making intriguing characters with great chemistry isn’t always easy, but they can transform a good story into a great one just by their sheer spark. Here are a few general tips to keep in mind about characters, plus a look at how I design my characters in case my methods work for you, too! :)

 In General...

Tropes are okay. In fact, building your character off of a few key characteristics can help keep them grounded as the story continues. Find a few traits that stay constant throughout the story so you always have something to return to. For instance, one of my characters can be broken down to these 3 traits: curious, smart, logical.

Identify how you want your character to change over the course of the story. Character growth can emphasize a theme within your story and highlight the good/bad within human nature. 

If you have a plot already, make sure your characters grow in a way that makes sense according to the events they go through. 

If you don’t have a plot, you can build one around character growth. Ask yourself: what events can cause them to change this way? For example, if you want a character to go from someone who doesn’t believe in altruism to someone who trusts in the kindness of others, maybe they are saved by the help of others where they least expected it and slowly began to realize there are plenty of people out there trying to make the world a better place. Maybe they end up becoming someone who helps others themselves.

For characters that spend a lot of time together, it’s easier to have good chemistry if their personalities click. In other words, choose traits that are complementary. If one character is notoriously reckless, try to pair them with someone who might exhibit more caution. A character who is studious to a fault could benefit from someone outgoing and impulsive to drag them into adventure.  Even if it doesn’t drive character growth, it can so much more entertaining to write and read.

Use complementary traits to drive the plot. So many great scenes can come from small conflicts between characters that lead to growth. Maybe that impulsive character rushed into battle, but now they are in danger. The cautious/logical character is now faced with a dilemma: act as they are used to, or change and do something they know isn’t logical. Putting characters in situations that highlight their different traits pushes character growth.

FLAWS = STRENGTHS. Or, more accurately, a character’s flaws and weaknesses come from the same trait. Whether or not it is a strength or a weakness depends upon the situation. Take a character who is very empathetic. They understand others well and are eager to help, but someone wittier and a little more villainous could easily take advantage of this to manipulate them. On one hand, being empathetic is a strength (this character can relate to others and may serve as a confidant in hard times), but it is also a weakness (they are easier to manipulate and exploit).

How I Design Characters

Character sheets have never been my thing, but they can help a lot of people break down important traits and events in a character’s life and have helped me think of things I might have otherwise missed. Aside from considering the tips above, I try to write up a character guide with the following format:

Past. Everyone has one, and everyone’s past experiences shape their beliefs, impulses, and perspective. This is the place to explore: 

The character’s family/friends. Who were they? Did they get along? Who had the strongest impact upon them and why? How have others supported them, and how have others created challenges for them?

Their best/worst times. Why are these memories so good or terrible? Who were they with? How do these events shape them?

Events/trends that build key traits. Why is your character the way they are? What small moments of character growth have they already undergone, and what lessons did they learn from that?

Their old goals/aspirations. Most people don’t end up pursuing their childhood dreams. What did your character want when they were younger? If it changed, why? If it didn’t, why not?

This one’s a no-brainer: events leading up to the beginning of the story. How did they end up where they are? How do they feel about it? Do they have any regrets? What are their goals now?

Plot-Based Goals.  Depending on the story you are writing, your character’s goals might create the plot. For the stories I write, my character’s goals are secondary to the plot because they are mostly in situations where they do not have complete control over their actions or futures. Here, it is good to identify:

What does the character want in the context of the story? 

What items/people are important to them? In what way? Do they want to protect this person from others, acquire a rare item to get rich, uncover information to better understand a nagging question they have, or defeat their worst enemy? If so, why?

Endgame. No, not the one from MCU, but the one for your character in their story. What is their final goal? Why do they want it?

I look back on this section to help me construct the plot. Here is where I ask why; the plot is where I ask how.

Key Traits. I talked about this earlier, so basically jot down the key traits of your character. Kind, creative, bold? Uncertain, curious, athletic? What do they fear the most, what do they love the most, and why? 

Depending on your story, it can also be helpful to get logistics on other character aspects. For instance, how educated are they? Economic status? 

If your story has magic, unique tech, supernatural powers, ect., then consider the character’s relation to this magic/tech/power. How much do they know about it? Can they use it? If so, how? What are their limitations? What is unique about the way they use it or make up for not being able to?

Character Arc. The shortest, but sometimes most important, piece of the puzzle. Here, outline what trait your character will develop or change in the story. Consider what theme this will send, how it will relate to the plot, and which other characters might help spur this development.

In general, keeping track of all this in a document really helps guide me while writing. I can figure out which characters fit together, which might clash, and how to build the plot both around them and from them. For my main characters, I also did a writing exercise where I just describe them in as much detail as possible, focusing on who they are as a person. I also like to have a Pintrest board of art to help me picture them (since I can’t really draw lol)

Also, don’t feel bad if you don’t stick to your plan! Writing is an evolution, a process of change and growth. You might discover a lot about your characters just by writing them, and if it goes against the plan, that’s okay!

Hope all of this helps! Feel free to ask if you have any questions. Good luck and keep writing! 

[nomadiiccc]

BASICS.

♔  IS YOUR MUSE TALL / SHORT / AVERAGE ? He’s pretty tall. 6′3″. Leggies for days.

♔  ARE THEY OKAY WITH THEIR HEIGHT ? The only thing that bothers him is Thor being taller. But he pretty well towers over everyone else, so it’s all gravy.

♔   WHAT’S THEIR HAIR LIKE ? Black ( brown-black, not true blue-black ) hair down to his collarbones/upper back. Straightish, but goes really wavy when wet or if it’s humid out. Generally it’s got some soft waves towards the ends.

♔ DO THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THEIR HAIR/WITH THEIR GROOMING ? I mean, he can magically alter his appearance and/or create an illusion so people don’t see what he really looks like so yes and no. No he doesn’t take the time, but yes he puts a lot of thought into his appearance.

♔  DOES YOUR MUSE CARE ABOUT THEIR APPEARANCE ? See above.

♔  DOES YOUR MUSE CARE ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK ABOUT THEM ? More than he’s ever willing to admit. He carries an attitude of ‘Idgaf’ but he gives many fucks. While someone’s opinion of him isn’t the END of everything, it does have an impact corresponding to how much he values that person/their opinion and how much he respects them. If Ant Man lobs an insult at him it’s going to have a lot less weight than Thor saying the same thing.

PREFERENCES

▸ INDOORS OR OUTDOORS ?   Indoors, sometimes. ▸ RAIN OR SUNSHINE ?   Rain.   ▸ FOREST OR BEACH ? Forest. ▸ PRECIOUS METALS OR GEMS ? Metals. ▸ FLOWERS OR PERFUMES ? Flowers. ▸ PERSONALITY OR APPEARANCE ? Personality, but appearance will snag him first. Personality will make him stay or turn it into a repeat performance. ▸ BEING ALONE OR BEING IN A CROWD ? Alone. ▸ ORDER OR ANARCHY ? Anarchy, but only to an extent? He doesn’t want to bring the whole establishment down, but he’s damn sure gonna buck against it and challenge it at every turn. That’s his role in the story. ▸ PAINFUL TRUTHS OR WHITE LIES ? He very much wants to shy away from this question, so I guess that’s an answer in itself. White lies, but he is an agonizing truth-dealer to others. ▸ SCIENCE OR MAGIC ?   Magic. ( but it’s science of a sort, anyways. ) ▸ PEACE OR CONFLICT ?   Conflict, tbh. He gets restless without it. ▸ NIGHT OR DAY ?   Night. ▸ DUSK OR DAWN ?   Dawn. ▸ WARMTH OR COLD ?   Cold. ▸ MANY ACQUAINTANCES OR A FEW CLOSE FRIENDS ?   A few close friends. ▸ READING OR PLAYING A GAME ? Reading. But it does depend on the game.

QUESTIONNAIRE

▸ WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MUSE’S BAD HABITS ? Turning everything into an opportunity to make a joke/comment at someone else’s expense; wounding people unnecessarily so they don’t ‘hurt him first’; lying & using so many illusions it’s hard to tell what’s real anymore; failing to communicate his needs & instead expecting others to perceive them off his very vague clues; picking at/rubbing his hands when he’s anxious; secluding himself; a penchant for destruction and conflict that makes him restless and violent if he hasn’t participated in awhile

▸ HAS YOUR MUSE LOST ANYONE CLOSE TO THEM ?   HOW HAS IT AFFECTED THEM ?   I mean, he essentially had his entire family ripped away from him in an instant because the lie of his parentage was revealed. So it was a loss of family and a loss of self, and I don’t think you ever come back from losing yourself. Not as the same person, anyways. From a mischievous but relatively well-behaved young man, Loki turned into a hateful, spiteful, violent criminal who murdered on a couple planets, and then tricked his way onto the throne that he didn’t even really want in the first place. ( I don’t incorporate The Dark World into my main verse, so he hasn’t lost Frigga, but in another verse he does lose Odin, which puts Thor into the Allfather role and he ends up as Thor’s advisor. It’s a different kind of journey there with a lot more backstory, but there’s a big effect on him. I don’t know that he ever quite forgives Odin, though. )

▸ WHAT ARE SOME FOND MEMORIES YOUR MUSE HAS ? Playing with Thor when they were still children, and just being together in the sunshine before Loki fell into Thor’s shadow. Learning magic with Frigga and his first big accomplishments with certain spells that are now as easy as breathing to him. Even moments with Odin when it was Thor late to lessons and not meeting expectations where Loki excelled in diplomacy.

▸ IS IT EASY FOR YOUR MUSE TO KILL ?   Yes. And even before he fell from grace, Loki learned to kill without remorse because of Asgard’s war-like culture. There’s such an emphasis on battle that killing is as commonplace and noteworthy as passing an exam. It’s a benchmark of success, rather than the deliberate taking of another human’s life.

▸ WHAT’S IT LIKE WHEN YOUR MUSE BREAKS DOWN ? hahahaha. Well. Shit hits the fan, sometimes almost literally. Generally he lashes out with his magic, because everything builds to a fever pitch and overwhelms him and if he doesn’t push some of it out somehow, he might explode himself. He stops taking care of himself, so behind whatever illusion he constructs, he’s disheveled and tired and dirty, but he doesn’t sleep well or eat. Unfortunately he also tends to cry easily, though it’s not just sad crying, it’s also frustration and bitterness too. He tends to also direct that frustration and bitterness at himself for breaking down, which just makes him feel even worse, so it’s a pretty vicious cycle. ▸ IS YOUR MUSE CAPABLE OF TRUSTING SOMEONE WITH THEIR LIFE ? With his entire life? Probably not. Maybe once he trusted Thor with his life, but now I think he’s too twisted and resentful to truly trust at that level. His self-preservation instinct is so strong that he’s never going to go into anything without some kind of escape plan if things go south, and it’s probably only HIS escape plan, not anyone else’s. So not only will he not place his life in someone else’s hands, no one should entirely trust him with theirs. Because when it comes down to it, he’s going to flee instead of dying for someone else.

▸ WHAT’S YOUR MUSE LIKE WHEN THEY’RE IN LOVE ? Count yourself as Loki’s newest fixation. Granted, he does tend towards polyamory and will likely have another lover somewhere else, but while he is with one of them, the others do not exist. He is fond of staying in bed for a week exploring each other’s bodies, or just laying together and reading. He wants that easy intimacy, that comfortable presence of someone beside him. His edges sharpen and instead of barbed words, you get playful banter that is very clearly playful instead of some complex headgame. He will also leave little gifts, or demonstrate with cooking a favorite food or doing a favorite activity. It’s his way of showing he’s observant, and that even though there are others, he remembers you specifically & distinguishably.

TAGGED BY:   @fatherofmachine TAGGING: you with the face

[willow-salix]

Mistakes that Novice Writers make - Part 1. Story Construction.

Mistakes That Novice Writers Make and How to Avoid Them –

Part One Story Structure.

Hi again you lovely lot, here again for another dose of Witchy Writing Wisdom, you lucky buggers. That or you’re bored and have nothing better to do, either way, hello.

As you all probably know by now, I’m Willow, Paranormal Romance author, witch, medium, endless reader and cat slave.

A few people have asked me to put together a video on the mistakes that you might make as a novice writer and how to either avoid them or learn how to fix them.

This is a very wide topic and far too much to cover in one video so I’ve decided to make this into a series of videos that I will post each day until it’s finished.

Making these mistakes can immediately give you away as an amateur writer and, even if you aren’t, they can make you seem that way. You could have been writing for the best part of your life, but if you never learnt the basics then you will never improve past a novice. Harsh, but true unfortunately.

These are a basic guide of what to avoid and what not to do. This is coming from bitter experience, writing class lessons, the opinions of other writers that I have spoken to asking what they would include in this list, readers themselves and a shit ton of practice. All of which I’ve done so you don’t have to. How much do you love me now? The answer had better be a lot.

This first video will focus on what to avoid in your story construction and what is seen as amateurish. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Firstly, a bad story concept. This sounds so obvious, doesn’t it? but for some it’s not. If you think your story through, follow a story formula to make sure you have all the elements you need, and plot it properly, that will be a massive help.

What can also help is joining a writing class or group, if you can’t get to one physically, then online forums and groups can be just as good. There you will be able to get a lot of feedback if you pitch the idea. Believe me, people will question things and make you think about it. They will likely pick up on and question the things that you hadn’t even thought of.

If you don’t want to do that, then getting it checked by a beta reader can make all the difference. Some new writers seem to think that they have to go it alone all the time, that they can’t ask for or accept help when it is needed or offered. They will self-edit and review before publishing and then wonder why they are getting negative reviews. That lack of help shows. And I’ve been just as guilty of this myself in the early days. I thought that no one else would know and love my world as much as I did and therefore couldn’t be of any help. I was so wrong. Help is always a good thing and even the best, most successful writers still have trusted beta readers to show their work to first.

This moves us on to plot holes. Yet again this is a problem that can be fixed with careful plotting rather than trying to just write without a plan, and then with careful editing and observation.

Poor cause and effect is just as bad as a plot hole, your reader knows that stepping out in front of a car will hurt, it will cause damage and possibly kill you. but if your character walks away without a scratch it will jar with your reader. Just because you need that car to hit someone to show who is the bad guy, you still need to keep it realistic.

If you character shoots and kills someone research what the lawful procedure will be, what will be their punishment and comeback in your country. If your character breaks into a house and gets caught what would happen if it was a real-life situation in the place your story is set? All of this might seem like it can be skipped, because hey, it’s all fiction, right? Wrong? Just because its fiction doesn’t mean that anything can happen, things have to feel realistic, they have to have an element of truth to them for your reader to gel with the story.

Random story elements will also confuse your reader and lead them down a path you never wanted, so by the end they feel cheated out of a potential plot point that they found quite enticing.

Just because you get an idea for a funny, quirky or poignant scene doesn’t mean you have to use it if it doesn’t make narrative sense.

This brings me to my next point, overly confusing plot. Inexperienced writers often feel that they have to try and impress their readers and make an impression, which to a certain extent is true, but they go about it the wrong way. Trying to be too clever, or too complicated will almost always backfire.

Having a large, convoluted and detail laden plot can put a lot of readers off and can be very hard to write successfully.

Having 6 red herrings, 3 turncoats, 10 hidden clues, 5 points of misdirection and 4 plot twists, all in one story will just make for an exhausting and hard to follow plot that most will either give up on without finishing it or feel confused and unsatisfied by the end. And that is not what you want.

Don’t try to be too clever, don’t try to baffle your reader. You want them to relate and engage, not feel like they don’t know what 2+2 is.

As with anything there are extremes and while being too complicated is bad, so to is being too simplistic and vague. Some writers drift towards vague writing as a way of creating mystery and surprises within their story, but in reality, this rarely works.

Unneeded scenes are a big problem with novice writers. They seem to think that the more there is, the better it is, which is not always the case.

Don’t get hung up on word count. By trying to bulk up your story you can often do more harm than good.

It might seem cute or easy to add an extra scene with your main characters dog doing all sorts of weird and wonderful things, but it will be recognised as what it is. Filler.

Say it with me, if nothing actually happens in a scene, if it doesn’t add to character development or if it doesn’t push the plot along, then it doesn’t belong in your book.

Now, I’m not a total monster, I know these kind of scenes can creep in, and you’ll love them, but they need cutting. Notice my word choice there, cutting, not deleting, cutting. Nowhere is it against the rules to add the scene at the back of the book as a deleted scene or to put it in a blog post or on your website. It doesn’t have to die, it just has to get its arse out of your story.

Under these rules you can include big scenes that are masquerading as really important but focus more on what’s not happening rather than what is. For example:

You have 5 people in an office having a meeting. They spend 4 pages of back and forth dialogue discussing possible problems, chatting about how, no, Gerald didn’t place that order, no, that big client didn’t cancel his contract blah blah blah, all filler and no real information for us readers. It’s not needed.

Have a meeting to discuss a problem that is happening or has happened, one that does actually affect the story, not what might happen. Keep it current, keep it relevant.

Our last problem relates to the ending. As I’ve said many times, your ending must be satisfying to the reader. If your ending seems too easy, too obvious or very short and rushed, your readers will know, and they will not like it. Weak endings weaken your entire book.

That’s it for book structure mistakes. Thanks for watching, tune in tomorrow for the next part in the series focusing on Characters and Narration.

As always, hit me up on social media with any questions or suggestions for future videos or even books you might like me to read and review.

Blessed be, and happy writing.

undefined

[bedlamgames]

Q&A #91

Today questions on tickling, werecreatures, the NH conversion, and gambling among others. 

Anonymous said: Will you consider tickle torture as a punishment at the Ensnared Rose? Or literally anywhere else, coupled with bondage or sex. I kinda have a thing for it.

I hadn’t thought about it myself, but sure why not. I’m sure I could include a scene easily enough in both the Rose and as an option for when slavers punish slaves. 

Anonymous said: *sees Truly Divine commission* oh fuck yeah dude

I know right!

justanothorguy1 said: A) I can't help but think the game is some alternative universe where both WoW and Warhammer have combined (especially with Shallya and the Empire for some reason). B) Is there a way to gain trainer. An event where you spend money to train you in slave training?

They’re certainly both heavy influences with more of the latter than the former, though lots of settings have an Empire and in a lot of ways the one in NH is very different to the one of the old world. No gun powder, egalitarian, no obvious emperor, and doing way better in terms of the amount of lands held and races controlled.

Will admit though that the brief for that commission for portrait awhile back was basically to take a draenei and send him an old world holiday :D

There is a way to gain trainer for slavers with a deep mountains assignment. 

Anonymous said: How do you get Mighty Strength Slaves? I try Biomancy and it says 'it breaks against their already impressive body', so do I need to corrupt them or something?

Try one of the Keldan Alley assignments in the city. 

Anonymous said: Will there be a way to get Were-Slavers/Slaves far more often? And will there be unique items needed to contain/arm them?

I’m sure I’ll do more with them in future. Saying that they will continue to bugger off around full moon time given that for a sexy game they’re way into full on body horror. 

Anonymous said: I keep stumbling across little details in No Haven that I'd missed before but that remind me why I started playing. For example, taking advantage of the Priestess of Shallya in the town when your slaver has the Corruptor trait, somehow I didn't trigger that until just now.

Awesome, especially as that’s some pretty early content for the game, and I do like including those. Next update with the leadership challenges has some of those, with probably my favourite involving being a certain race while in bondage. 

joyfullyunadulteratedruins said: Do you have to be available in camp in order to pick rank up rewards now? I got so many rank ups where it just picked the bonus automatically, not letting me pick a slaver. The only time I have been given a choice is when I've been in camp. Unless ofcourse there's some other factor I'm missing.

Disrupt/Complete Profane Ritual are listed twice on the Expiring Assignment notice

Did you have a space free for a new slaver including potential new slavers from assignments?

I’m going to change Ritual sometime anyway so it works like later assignments where you’ll be able to select the assignment type like with Coastal Corsairs or Tall Tails. 

sillydreamerdinosaur said: What system are you thinking of moving the No haven to? (instead of RAGS) - And do you need help with any aspect of it? Cheers and thank you for all the hard work :)

Twine is the plan due to the many lessons of what not to do from converting WR. 

One thing I’d love to know a way of doing which I looked into before when I first started doing WR and couldn’t get an answer on is a way to construct variables out of variables which allows me to do some vaguely clever stuff in RAGS. Don’t get me wrong that RAGS is a disaster zone, but it is neat that I can have two arrays where say ‘Variables(0)(2)’ is 1, and ‘Slaver Number Array(4)(3)’ is 5 I can then use that combination on another array and just write ‘Look Array([v:  Variables(0)(2)])([v: Slaver Number Array(4)(3)])’ into a conditional check and it knowing what I’m referring to in the Look Array using the values of the other two arrays is rather handy. Same with being able to refer to RAGS items which I use for slavers and slaves as ‘Slaver [number variable]’.

Given I’ve used this way of handling variables and arrays a ton in NH I’m going to have to work out how to convert all that in a sensible manner. I’ve got some ideas of how to tackle the challenge of converting that logic where you can’t just construct variables like that with free abandon, like using objects more which alas I had no idea were a thing when I started WR, but any suggestions on that front would be appreciated. 

Anyway thank you for the kind words and the offer :)

thelastkillstreak said: Hey, what would you think of for like a gambling camp nightly activity? Like, you could choose how much money to bring, then bet money at first, then a lot of lewdness XD I think that'd be cool; because you could tie it in as a hypnotic char and lewd your target while there's more than one other person at the camp

That’s a really neat idea. Added it to my things to do notes. 

joyfullyunadulteratedruins said: So when You (as in the leader of the camp) goes on assignments, sometimes you're still allowed to manage your slavers and sometimes the game "skips" until that assignment is over. What determine that? It seems random to me. You'd think having a 2:nd in Command would decide it but it doesn't seem like it. Sometimes the game even lets you manage the camp for one day until it "remembers" you shouldn't be and it starts skipping.

It’s tied into the planning nightly activity which you can use to leave some orders for while you’re away. Some of the longer assignments will trigger that one automatically like Pillow Talk so you get a couple of extra days after heading off. 

Second in Commands are there, among other things, to improve the activities your slavers can get up to when you’re away for awhile. 

[atamascolily]

A Natural History of Tatooine, part 25/?

In which Jedi Talent Night is full of surprises, Mara all but screams "Notice me, sempai" and Luke completely misses the point yet again.

(Previous installments)

True to Corran's predictions, everyone except Mara was excited when Luke announced the next day that Talent Night was a go. The weeks leading up to the performance were noteworthy for the furtive whispers and glances as the students planned their acts in secret, and faint strains of music could be heard coming from their quarters at odd hours.

The students' distraction--not to mention some of the teachers--was evident in their lessons. Luke was sure this was one reason why Mara detested Talent Night so much. Still, he found himself looking forward to it as the appointed day drew closer.

"Are you going to perform?" Callista asked him one evening as they readied for bed.

"Me? No." Luke shook his head. "I'm not against it, but I don't feel like I have any particular talents."

"I strongly disagree with that," Callista said, making a seductive gesture with her fingers.

"I mean, sharing on stage," he corrected, though he couldn't help but smile at the compliment. "How about you?"

"Oh, I'm thinking about it..." she said. "'Got to show those young whippersnapers who's boss, after all,'" she said, adopting the whiny growl of a popular Tondorian comic artist from the Clone War era whose holos they had been watching together.

He laughed. "Well, I'm sure you'll give them all a run for their money."

But she refused to share any details, insisting that it would ruin the surprise.  

So it was with no small amount of curiosity that he arrived at the meditation hall on the appointed evening to discover the cushions lining the walls had been re-arranged in loose semi-circles to create a kind of stage at the center of the room. Three folding screens had been set on either side of the room to create a makeshift backstage. Dorsk 81, who had improbably volunteered to be MC, was fiddling with a set of voice amplification devices from a stool tucked away to one side of the stage.

Kirana Ti hit the han as if it were time for meditation as the community filed in and took their seats, laughing and joking amongst each other as they settled down. Luke couldn't help but smile at their easy camaraderie, and glanced pointedly at Mara when she took her place on his left side. She ignored him, blank on the surface and tightly wound underneath, any other emotions obscured  by that massive wall she'd constructed in her mind. She was the only one besides Luke wearing formal robes, and he couldn't help but wonder if she was making a statement.

Instead, he turned to Callista, sitting on his other side. She wore a light blue dress and leggings worthy of any lounge singer on this side of the mid-Rim. "Don't you have to get ready?"

"I'm performing towards the end," she said. "Tionne wanted to be last."

Mara pursed her lips at this exchange, but said nothing.

On stage, Dorsk 81 cleared his throat, which vibrated through the room with the amplification. "All right, gentlebeings," he said in his calm, accented Basic. "It's Talent Night, and you all know what that means - a chance for everyone to show off all the skills we've acquired that have nothing to do with lifting rocks or staring at walls for hours on end."

There was a ripple of affectionate laughter from the audience at this.

"Be kind, cheer on your fellow students and teachers, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show." He paused and added, as if an afterthought. "And nobody set anything on fire this time, okay? Once was enough. That said, there are fire extinguishers at the ready backstage and please make sure you know where all the exits are, keeping in mind that the best one is usually behind you."

More laughter from the crowd.

"Good. May the Force be with us all. All right, opening up the evening is our very own favorite ex-hermit and prospector, Streen!"

Streen had befriended a number of pikka birds, whom he had trained to do simple tricks with a combination of his Force talents and very generous bribes of fruit and nutmeats. He beamed at the  applause at the end of his routine, and his birds swooped away out of the meditation hall at his whistle, earning him one last round of cheers before he departed the stage.

Up next was Cilghal, who recited an excerpt from the Mon Calamari epic poem, <i>The Myriad Wonders of the Great Mother Ocean</i>. Cilghal was an excellent orator, but Luke the journey of the Small One as she made her way to consult the Oracle of the Hidden Reef less than engaging, and his attention wandered during the lengthy Catalogue of Fishes.

It probably made more sense in the original language, he decided.  

Kirana Ti and Traitakh's offering was not so sedate. The two accomplished warriors presented a paired skills demo with live weapons that had everyone spellbound. Even though it had clearly been choreographed to show off their best moves--Luke was certain Traitakh would <i>never</i> indulge in a spinning kick in a serious fight--it was impressive. He made a mental note to ask Traitakh about it next time he was in the dojo.

After that, Kam, Aerial and Wedan presented a series of abstract shadow puppetry, while G'ata the Bith tootled away on a kloo horn. Luke wasn't sure how this combination had come together, but he was pleased to see Kam working so well with the newer students. He sent a pointed glance at Mara, as if to say, <i>See what good things can come from Talent Night?</i>, which of course she ignored.  

Dorsk 81 had prepared a comedy routine, although Luke suspected a sense of humor did not come naturally to him. Coming from an orderly, predictable world where asexual cloning was the normal mode of reproduction and individuality was not encouraged, Dorsk 81's comic timing was skewed differently from the galactic standards. Judging from the sheer number of Corellian jokes--most of which Luke had heard from Han back in the old days--he suspected Corran had been heavily involved in preparing his apprentice for the stage.

"That's my cue," Callista said, as Dorsk 81 finished his routine to polite, but not enthusiastic applause. She got to her feet and threaded her way through the audience as Kyp Durron sauntered onto the stage. He was dressed entirely in black, sporting a ridiculous top hat and velvet-lined cape that Lando had no doubt encouraged him to purchase during his recuperation on Coruscant after the Exar Kun debacle.  

This year, Kyp had prepared another magic act, but he'd toned down his performance considerably after last year's unanticipated pyrotechnics, offering card tricks and sleight-of-hand that he'd picked up from Lando. After showing there was nothing up his sleeve, he pulled a ysalamir out of his hat, to the delight of his fellow students.

"Amateur!" Mara coughed under her breath, unimpressed. "If you watch his hands instead of his big mouth, you can see him palm that damn lizard right at the beginning. If he's going to spend all his time practicing, he ought to get it <i>right</i>--"

Kyp's fascination with prestidigitation had started while under house arrest on Coruscant for several weeks with a ysalamiri nutrient frame tied to his back to keep him from using his considerable Force powers to cause trouble. After endless rounds of sabacc with Han and Lando had grown stale, the two ex-smugglers had started teaching him simple tricks, and he'd been fascinated by sleight of hand ever since. By the time Mara had arrived to take over his training, she'd found him contrite, repetant, and prone to pulling flowers out behind her ears at the slightest opportunity. She harassed him endlessly for it--but more for his poor form than out of distate for the medium, Luke noted.

Happily, Kyp had calmed down considerably under her caustic tutelage, and had stayed firmly on the straight and narrow path after his near-disastrous brush with the Dark Side and the wild rampage that had nearly taken out the uneti trees. If a fascination with card tricks would keep him from flirting with the Dark Side again, Luke was all for it.

Then it was Callista's turn. She sauntered on stage, a vocal amplifier in hand, and as the music kicked up, Luke couldn't help but break into a grin. Her performance--a rendition of Peckie Blue and the Starboys' greatest hit, "Cosmic Lover" that was one of their mutuals favorites--soon had everyone rocking and swaying in their seats except for Mara, who sat rigidly upright.

"Oooooo," Callista crooned on the chorus.

"<i>And nobody loves you Like I love you, Cosmic lover, We belong together Ain't no distance too vast to hide me When you look at me like you want me Cosmic lover I'll love you forever now that you are mine...</i>"

Luke didn't need to turn his head to <i>feel</i> Mara stiffen beside him as if she'd been hit in the face, though nothing in her posture changed. He sneaked a glance in her direction, but her expression was still neutral--but the intensity in her mental projections had thickened and strengthened to absorb the brunt of her reaction. It was as if the song had some special meaning for her that he didn't understand--

And then Mara's tension vanished. Luke blinked and realized the song was over. With applause and whistles and cheers, Callista bowed, and made her way offstage.

"Thanks, Callista for that great performance!" Dorsk 81 said, as he strolled back onto stage. "And up next--last but certainly not least--we have our very own instructor Tionne Solustar--"

"No," Mara interjected, her voice carrying through the hall without the need for amplification as she rose to her feet. "<i>I</i> am next."

Dorsk 81 was so surprised he put up no resistance--not that anyone could resist Mara when she was glaring at them. "Uh--whatever you say," he said, edged back offstage.

Furtive whispers ran through the audience as Mara stalked to the stage. No one had any idea what was about to happen.

What was she doing? Luke wondered. She clearly had planned this well in advance, and yet--and yet--

Onstage, Mara turned and faced the audience. She gestured to something Luke couldn't see offstage, and recorded music began to play -- a long, slow, sultry Aviden tango.

For a long moment, nothing happened. Then Mara pulled back the hood of her cloak, revealing that she'd braided her red-gold hair off her neck in a series of interwoven loops that rivaled an Alderaani wedding crown for sheer complexity. Then as the music built, her robes slipped to the ground, and Luke inhaled sharply along with the rest of the audience at what was revealed underneath.

Mara wore a red shimmersilk strapless gown that perfectly matched the color of her hair, one that left most of her back exposed. Gold flickered through the dress as she moved, as did the circlet of pearls and gold around her neck and and the emerald bracelets that ran up her otherwise bare arms to the elbows.

Slowly, langourously, in time to the music, she extended her arm to one side, curved it, and leaned into the position, holding herself perfectly still, her expression still resolutely neutral.

And then the music picked up, and she burst into action.

Luke had forgotten that Mara's cover at the Imperial court had been as a dancer, that she'd even gone to Jabba's palace and danced for the crime lord while she plotted to kill Luke when he came to rescue Han. She rarely talked about that part of her life. He'd certainly never seen her dance before.

He discovered he'd been missing out.

The music swayed, and she rocked along with it, leaping and gliding to the right and the left, backwards and forwards with the rocking beat. He didn't know much about Aviden culture, didn't know what the song was supposed to represent, but in Mara's hands, it became a weaving of life and death and the interplay between them, as she rose like a mythical phoenix from the sky into the depths and back again.

He forgot who he was, so absorbed in the melding of music and Mara as she wove a story with her motions that there was no room for any other thoughts. Her timing was as precise and complex as in a battle, but there were no weapons, no violence, no blood, and no death. The Force was with her, and she gave herself up to it utterly.

And then, as quickly as it had began, the music slowed. Slowly, langourously, she slid into one last pose, held it as the music built to a climax - and then, silence.

Only when Mara had broken the position and made one deep bow was the spell was broken by applause and Luke was released from his trance.

"<i>Well</i>," Callista said in his ear. Had she been beside him the whole time? He'd been so engrossed he hadn't noticed her arrival. "Well, that was <i>something</i>."

Luke closed his mouth, managed to come to his senses long enough to mumble something vaguely coherent. She gave him an odd look, but let it pass, settling back down beside him on her cushion as Mara stepped behind the screens and vanished.

Dorsk 81 got to his feet and cleared his throat. "Uh, wow, that was amazing!" he said awkwardly, adjusting his bow tie as he fumbled to regain his poise. "Give it up again for Jedi Instructor Jade again!"

More whistles and cheers from the audience. Everyone, like Luke, was impressed, even if they weren't quite sure whether or not it was appropriate to show it.

Now that he was back on firmer ground, Dorsk 81's confidence returned. "And now, last but certainly not least, our very own Tionne Solustar with the latest addition to her real-time historical song cycle, 'The Ballad of Cray and Nichos'!"

Kam emerged from behind the screen with a carved wooden chair, which he placed in the center of the stage, before exiting back the way he had come. Tionne came out a few moments later, her ballichord slung over her shoulder. She settled in the chair, plucked a few strings on her ballichord to ensure it was in tune, and glanced up at the audience when she was ready.

Callista squeezed his hand. "Here we go," she said quietly. "Ready to be a hero?"

"Ready or not, here we come," he said, and then Tionne began.

Tionne was as good a songwriter as she was a musician. She stuck mostly to the facts, though privately Luke was grateful she had steered away from Cray's intense disappointment in her droid-lover's inability to help her escape from her prison aboard the <i>Eye of Palpatine</i>.

In the ballad, Luke and Callista and Mara were supporting characters; the real stars were Cray and Nichos. Tionne sang of the tragedy of their love, of Nichos's illness, their decision to go out together in a blaze of glory to destroy the <i>Eye of Palpatine</i> and save the galaxy, even as Cray gave up her body to host the benevolent Jedi spirit trapped in the computer core.

Despite his best efforts, Luke found himself tearing up. Callista, who had lived through it all, wept openly. So were most of the students. They, too, were a part of the history; they, too, would have songs written of their deeds if they were worthy and heart-felt. <i>We will become legends to inspire those who come after us,</i> he thought, <i>and hopefully learn from our mistakes. What better legacy for Cray and Nichos could we have offered them?</i>

The ballad ended with Mara rescuing Luke and a resurrected Callista, even as they mourned Cray and Nichos's sacrifice, and swore to keep their memory alive in the New Jedi Order. As Tionne strummed the finale chords, the students roared, and treated the beaming Tionne to a standing ovation. Admist the whistles and cheers, Kam returned to the stage, this time bearing a bouquet of ivory paradise-lilies, and gave his wife a passionate kiss--which made the students cheer even harder.

It was only after the tumult of applause and congratulations slowed and the audience began to disperse, that Luke realized Mara had never come back to the hall after her performance.

Then Callista said, "Luke? Are you all right?" and took his hand, and that particular thought slipped away and did not return.