#an excerpt from a story i may write

[ljf613]

I've spent almost two months trying to get the first chapter of this HTTYD fic written. Some of these characters and scenes just do not want to cooperate. In the meantime, here's a scene that did come pretty easily.

"Are you sure about this, Gobber?" Stoick asked, for what had to be at least the fifteenth time.

"Yes, Stoick," said the blacksmith, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice. "They'll all be fine."

"But did it have to be him? Is he really prepared to handle this? Does he have any idea what he's doing?" Stoick waved his hands, clearly agitated. "No offense, but has he ever even killed a dragon before?"

Gobber considered this, and realized he didn't actually know. Best not to mention that part.

"Of course he has!" Gobber replied. "But that's not important. The important thing is to make sure that the kids learn how to survive, and to do that, they need to know their enemy. And no one knows more about the beasts than he does-- he's practically a modern-day Bork!"

Even Stoick couldn't deny that.

"And why can't you do it? You know, the way you have for years and years." He didn't appear willing to give up on this point, so Gobber just sighed and admitted the truth.

"I'm not getting any younger, Stoick," he explained. "And between my regular duties and training the new apprentice, I just don't have the time or energy to also handle dragon training. I'd think if anyone would understand that, it would be you."

"Aye," said Stoick. "I do understand. I suppose I'm just worried about... you know."

Gobber did know. That was the problem. 

"Mhm," he grumbled noncommittally.

"Speaking of your new apprentice, how is he doing?" Stoick seemed to have decided changing the subject was the best course of action here, and Gobber would not complain.

"Oh, a right terror he is," said Gobber, sighing. "Always touching everything and knocking things over and getting into trouble. Not so different from the last one."

"The last one, eh?" Stoick smiled.

"And just as clever, too," laughed the blacksmith. "I have high hopes for the boy. I have a feeling that when I finally do get around to retiring, the forge will be in good hands."

- Excerpt from “A Better Version of Our Best”

[flanaganfilm]

Midnight Mass - excerpt from the original 2010 novel

A few people have asked about Midnight Mass back when it was a novel. That was my first stab at telling the story of Crockett Island back in 2010. I made it a ways into the book before pivoting and trying to write it as a script, and then broke it again as a series in 2014, more half a decade before we'd finally start making it for Netflix.

I dug up the old, unfinished manuscript from 2010 (some day I may try to finish it). It's got some spelling and grammatical errors, but I was surprised to see that some of the early scenes made it all the way to the screen relatively unaltered. Here's a little taste of what those pages looked like, and how at least one scene arrived in the series a decade later almost entirely unchanged...

[adaolilies]

it's one thing to be spaced out, it's another to understand what spaced out means.🦩

[ambiguouspuzuma]

The single most important piece of writing advice I would give to a lot of amateur writers is to write less beautifully - or at least to write beautifully less.

I rarely find a piece of writing I can't read because it's too simple, or too concise and to-the-point - not memorable, perhaps, but also not a headache on a page. On the other hand, I see loads of pieces which are effectively unreadable because they're far too rich to swallow, and badly in need of watering down a bit.

The absolute worst culprit is the dialogue tags and stage directions. I'm a big fan of letting people write in their own style, but I would love it if a lot of writers could please cool it with letting me know every time a character blinks or licks their lips. I don't need to know that, especially if it happens every time they speak.

So many dialogue excerpts look like this:

"So this is how we talk?" he queried quietly, his eyebrows furrowed into knots. "Apparently," she replied with a puzzled grin, bouncing on the balls of her feet with restless energy. "Isn't that... exhausting?" he questioned, a lop-sided smile snaking its way across his lips. "The bouncing?" she asked shyly, her eyelids fluttering in shame. "No, of course not," he told her, his lean arms reached out to pull her closer. He buried his face into the mess of her hair, taking a deep breath of her perfume. "I just feel a little nauseated by all of these actions." "I don't know what you mean," she giggled, brushing the hair back out of her eyes as her cheeks flushed red. "Don't worry," he sighed, rolling his eyes up towards the ceiling.

I'm assuming this is a convention that comes from somewhere, given its ubiquity - perhaps somewhere in the world of fanfiction, where there will be short, intimate pieces entirely focused on the ways in which characters interact with each other. But to me, in an original work, it's so exhausting that I can't make it down the rest of the page.

Dialogue may be the worst, or most obvious offender, but the same principle extends pretty much everywhere else. Each line doesn't have to be some great quote you can hang on your wall, and it's hard to read a whole story written like that.

There's been some recent backlash on here against modern films where every line of dialogue is a quip, at the expense of building an authentic conversation, but that's how a lot of people start out writing - thinking that each sentence should be made as flowery as possible, when too many flowers in the same pot will crowd each other out.

You need to leave some gaps to let the sunlight in, and illuminate the beauty of the occasional flourish you do include. Think of it like vanilla extract, to make a reference that was topical when I started writing this post: you need to add a little for flavour, without which the writing will be too dull, but tip the bottle and I will actually be sick. Write beautifully less. Learn to embrace the prosaic.

[girlreblogger]

the annoyance with blk y/n and the stories she’s in is hilarious. her characteristics might be the problem one day or her side characters the next. it legit feels like we may never get to a balanced solution on what to do with our own representation since the wrong ppl always talk about it and create it. we have mean and shallow ppl who take over the conversation, ppl who really self hate but try and cover it up with “i just don’t want her to be a stereotype” and then the ones who probably love and support tyler perry movies.

the bottom line is the ppl who do write those niggafying, toxic (it’s a buzzword but that’s what they are) or smutty fics (not talking abt the actual good ones with a blk reader though 🧎🏽‍♀️) can do wtv they want and owe you nothing. that’s why they get so frustrated. i don’t think all the times those should be crucified for what they write when other groups of ppl (or our own) write all kinds of other crazy shit.

and.. i know a lot of ppl who don’t want to say it but y’all keep bringing up the smut and niggafying as the main problem, but i think it’s some of the ppl writing it and their underlings. it’s just no one wants to say anything.

an excerpt from a draft of mine

“a lot of ppl on here be weirdos or mean asl. so when someone block you don’t be like “oh what i did” “they that mad cause of my (internet—fictional—digital on screen) presence”

like nobody got time to go to your acc and say “i don’t like you” who cares. oddly some miserable ppl do actually but still. the lack of awareness is ridiculous. that’s why ppl don’t f with y’all.”

i was talking abt all of tumblr and every other app but it applies here.

from what i see on here, some are just straight up weird, cliquey, and chiesty (if that’s how you spell it) and that’s why ppl be so mad abt those types of books 💀. we also have to acknowledge the amount of overwhelming & honestly damaging blk yn fics (not to be confused with ppls screwed ideas of stereotypical) there are. i understand why ppl write them for personal reasons but when it comes to our own reflections of ourselves as blk women it’s almost hurtful to read some of the things people put “her” through. i mean even her with a white man that use aave and has cornrows is hurtful.. 😔 (i’m trolling now 💀) naw but fr. i personally don’t like reading blk women just being written for smut or going through crazy situations or kinda like.. i don’t wanna say unfulfilling but like.. idk i can’t think of the word. (edit: ppl write blk yn to be in unfulfilling situations) but girl i can watch a tyler perry movie for all that.

again. ppl write these stories for there own personal reasons, relate to them and enjoy them for those reasons as well. that’s why depending! on what it is i don’t think blk writers should be bombarded with hate like that. also ion think smut should be banned like y’all go to far can we just slow down on it … there are some nice ones out there i promise 🧎🏽‍♀️

but in all seriousness there are many other reasons why i feel toxic and smutty fics are popular for blk yn but i don’t think anyone cares to hear that and the conversion will prolly go back to nigga eren somehow which is crazy cause y’all be arguing over a fictional white man.

oh! 😒 i almost forgot 😒 the ppl who are against “ghetto” y/n to try and advocate for more fluffy or like.. normal (healing) stories and from what i see the ppl who are the most up in arms about it in my personal opinion seem to dislike certain parts of blkness that i appreciate personally and so i just straight up disregard their opinions. y/n doesn’t have to “act” (😒) blk but i see ppl get mad about her protecting her hair….. with a bonnet….

sigh, anyway but yeah we need more soft and sweet fics or just like calming ones? but someone gon have to write it! i don’t like this app or my writing all too much so i gave up a while ago.

just like many other blk writers….

gaspp! we should also do like a fluff challenge or sumn where writers do like fluff … march? girl idk so maybe that will trend and all the ppl who spend time arguing and going back and forth with ppl who write stories they don’t like can like idk look for other writers who write soft, normal, fun stories and reblog them or make a list of them. or maybe like possibly write their own stories too????

everyone says the smut fics gets the most likes and they do. that’s why you keep seeing them. so maybe support or refreakingblog the fics that are comforting to you so others can be as well.

i actually made this page to repost softer fics because i was tired of blocking certain tags so i can avoid heavy smut and subtly abuse fics. also pls leave the ppl who niggafy anime characters alone they will not be stopped. i mean we still have ppl who have been calling chris evans jamal since 2020.. calling him that to this date. married and all.

sigh… 2 more days until blk history month ends. maybe next year we can find a balance between “dramatic” and smutty fics and soft and slice of life ones for blk y/n next year. remember this is tumblr too and the ppl writing aren’t even getting paid for this but it’s for the ppl yk.

ppl who are respectful and reblog tho.

muah

[burningvelvet]

a post in honor of lord byron's 200th death anniversary —

the greeks were very fond of byron, who when he died in 1824 was a military commander and notable influence in their war of independence. as one of the most (if not the most) famous members of the philhellenist movement, byron used his poetic platform to try to remind people of greece's reputation as the source of western traditions in art and culture. the greeks then honored byron by decorating his coffin with a laurel wreath (below). they also erected statues for him, like this one below in athens depicting him being crowned with a laurel wreath (a symbol of greatness, especially in poetry/music [which historically overlapped]) by a female personification of greece. to this day, some statues of byron are annually wreathed in tradition, and the names byron/vyron/vyronas are still used in greece for roads, towns, and people in his honor.

"’Tis sweet to win, no matter how, one’s laurels,

By blood or ink; ’tis sweet to put an end

To strife; ’tis sometimes sweet to have our quarrels,

Particularly with a tiresome friend:

Sweet is old wine in bottles, ale in barrels;

Dear is the helpless creature we defend

Against the world; and dear the schoolboy spot

We ne’er forget, though there we are forgot.

But sweeter still than this, than these, than all,

Is first and passionate love — it stands alone,

Like Adam’s recollection of his fall;

The tree of knowledge has been pluck’d — all ’s known —

And life yields nothing further to recall

Worthy of this ambrosial sin, so shown,

No doubt in fable, as the unforgiven

Fire which Prometheus filch’d for us from heaven."

— excerpt from Lord Byron's Don Juan, Canto the First (writ 1818, pub. 1819).

"The mountains look on Marathon –

And Marathon looks on the sea;

And musing there an hour alone,

I dreamed that Greece might still be free;

For standing on the Persians' grave,

I could not deem myself a slave."

— excerpt from Lord Byron's Don Juan, Canto the Third (writ 1819, pub 1821) — this stanza is part of a section often published on its own under the title "The Isles of Greece."

"Byron was at once a romantic dreamer, who wanted life to square up to his illusions, and a satirical realist, who saw what was before him with unusual clarity and found its contradictoriness amusing. The clash between the two Byrons is nowhere more noticeable than in his last writings, done on Cephalonia and at Missolonghi during the months before his death. There we see the Greece he dreams of, and the Greece which, in different ways, destroys him."

— excerpt from Peter Cochran's "Byron's Writings in Greece, 1823-4."

"Oh, talk not to me of a name great in story;

The days of our youth are the days of our glory;

And the myrtle and ivy of sweet two and twenty

Are worth all your laurels, though ever so plenty.

What are garlands and crowns to the brow that is wrinkled?

'Tis but as a dead-flower with May-dew besprinkled.

Then away with all such from the head that is hoary!

What care I for the wreaths that can only give glory!

Oh FAME! - if I e'er took delight in thy praises,

'Twas less for the sake of thy high-sounding phrases,

Than to see the bright eyes of the dear one discover,

She thought that I was not unworthy to love her.

There chiefly I sought thee, there only I found thee;

Her glance was the best of the rays that surround thee;

When it sparkled o'er aught that was bright in my story,

I knew it was love, and I felt it was glory."

— Lord Byron's "Stanzas Written on the Road Between Florence and Pisa" (November, 1821). What is illustrated here, and what I try to illustrate all throughout this assortment, is Byron's conflation of love and glory, and the idea that poetry and politics are both ways to deserve and achieve — not fame, but what fame seems to promise — love.

"But 'tis not thus—and 'tis not here

Such thoughts should shake my Soul, nor now,

Where Glory decks the hero's bier,

Or binds his brow.

The Sword, the Banner, and the Field,

Glory and Greece around us see!

The Spartan borne upon his shield

Was not more free.

Awake (not Greece—she is awake!)

Awake, my Spirit! Think through whom

Thy life-blood tracks its parent lake

And then strike home!"

— excerpt from Lord Byron's "On This Day I Complete My Thirty-Sxith Year" (1824).

"What are to me those honours and renown

Past or to come, a new-born people's cry

Albeit for such I could despise a crown

Of aught save Laurel, or for such could die;

I am the fool of passion, and a frown

Of thine to me is as an Adder's eye

To the poor bird whose pinion fluttering down

Wafts unto death the breast it bore so high –

Such is this maddening fascination grown –

So strong thy Magic - or so weak am I."

— although the much more popular and published "On This Day I Complete My Thirty-Sxith Year" is often believed to be Byron's last poem, the above is likely Byron's actual last poem. Like the former, it wasn't solely written for Greece, but for his page Lukas Chalandritsanos who he was in unrequited love (or lust) with. It is sometimes titled "Last Words on Greece" (named so by his friend and sometimes-editor Hobhouse).

[ghostedcas]

Ok so like, I really like ghost and könig....I was wondering if you could do a not so safe for work story for me? I don't really mind how it plays out as long as you could maybe put some knife/gun play in there and lots of teasing...would mean a lot to me

knifeplay and gunplay🤭🤤 i am such a whore for these it's so sad

i hope you eat well darling 🫶

könig x afab!reader x ghost

wc: 896

tw: SMUT SMUTTY SMUT SMUT, knifeplay, gunplay, penetration with an inanimate object, a lil bit of a blood kink (just a teensy bit), poorly translated german

MINORS DNI

a/n: i had the most evil lil smirk on my face when i read this request, i love it sm. when i tell y'all i was smirking uncontrollably as i wrote this?? also can y'all tell what petname i like the most lol

a/n 2.0: i tried to make this relatively gender neutral but reader is described with female genitalia

--------

"schatzi, can you come here? ghost and i have something we want to discuss with you." you hear könig say, beckoning you into his and ghost's shared quarters. his tone sounded rather serious and it made you fear that perhaps you may have done something wrong.

however when you entered the room you knew that that was not the case, or so you hoped anyway. in ghost's hand you saw your journal. it was no simple journal though, no, this journal contained all of your dirtiest thoughts an fantasies.

"nice of you to join us, love. we found quite the intriguing... stories in this little book of yours." ghost says, you can practically see his smirk behind his balaclave.

"oh my go- i can explain!" you say, trying to think of a defense for the things written in that book. things that may or may not have involved some very filthy deeds between yourself and your two boyfriends, things far filthier and taboo than you had already experienced with them.

"no, no, maus. we don't want an explanation, we don't want to hear your pathetic little excuses, dirty little thing..." könig says with a chuckle. "there was one entry both ghost and i found rather... intriguing. something that we would love to make a reality, our süße schmutziges mäuschen."

he pulls you over to the bed and has you sit next to ghost who begins to read off an excerpt from your journal. you can feel your face begin to heat up in embarrassment as he reads, making sure to emphasize every dirty little detail.

you wanted nothing more than to sink into the bed and disappear, this was so embarrassing that words couldn't even describe how embarrassed you were at the moment.

"you naughty little minx, writing down all your little fantasies in this little book. i bet you wanted us to find this, hm?" ghost asks qith a smirk. "you knew exactly what would happen, you knew we would find this book filled with all your filthy little thoughts."

"no! no, i didn't!" you protest.

"knives and guns? my, my maus... you have quite the imagination." könig chuckles deeply.

"sweetheart, if you wanted to try these things, you could've just asked us." ghost adds.

the next thing you knew you were tied down to the bed, clothes discarded as ghost and könig sat on either side of you, könig tracing a large hunters knife gently down your torso as ghost ran one of his pistols across your cheek, caressing your face with the gun.

"hold still maus, wouldn't want to cut your pretty skin... unless? would you? would you like to bleed for us schatz?" könig asks with a dark chuckle, you can feel your heart skip a beat at the suggestion. it was hard to tell if he really would or not, especially as he ran the blade of the knife across your skin so slowly and carefully, if he pressed any harder he would definitely break the skin.

"maybe another night little love, for now, just enjoy our teasing." ghost says with a smirk, mask still on, but you could hear the smug smirk in his tone of voice.

"just lay there nice and pretty for us maus, our good little maus, ja?"

and so there you laid as your two boyfriends ran their weapons across your body, slowly and agonizingly teasing you with them, it was torturous, agonizing even. but in the most pleasurable way possible.

just as you were getting used to the sensations they were subjecting you to, you felt könig's cold blade lift away from your skin as ghost trailed the gun down your torso. the next thing you knew you could feel something solid press to the entrance of your cunt. the handle of könig's knife.

without much warning he slowly began to press it into you, watching your face as it contorted in surprise and pleasure, soft gasps and moans escaping your lips.

as könig thrusted the handle of his hunter's knife in and out of you, you felt ghost bring a hand up to your throat, wrapping around it just so.

"that's it love, just lay there and take it. lay there and let us take care of you. we'll make all of your little dirty fantasies come true." ghost mutters as he leans down, whispering in your ear.

you felt ghost bring his other hand down to rub your clit as könig continued shoving the handle of his knife in and out of your cunt, your orgasm building a lot quicker than you anticipated it would. and your boyfriends could tell.

"go on maus, let go for us. cum for us like a good mäuschen..." könig demands.

"yes sweetheart, that's it, just let go. that's a good good mouse." ghost encourages as your orgasm washes over you, body shaking under their touches.

as you come down from the intense pleasure, the two clean you up. ghost hands you a bottle of water after untying your wrists from the headboard and massages some lotion into them as könig wipes your release from your thighs with a warm, damp towel he retrieved from the bathroom.

"you did so good baby, so so good." könig smiles.

"we hope we lived up to your filthy little written fantasies," ghost adds. "because we have many more stories to recreate."

[audible-smiles]

So, I think I may have accidentally found the worst book ever written by a human being.

I don't know if you guys have ever heard of Savitri Devi; she was a Hitler stan who moved from Greece to India, got really excited about "Aryan" racial mythology, changed her name, and tried to fuse Nazism with Hinduism. A lot of her ideology is patently absurd (e.g. Hitler is an avatar of Vishnu), but none of it is funny because she spent her entire life actively trying to build a coalition of the most violently racist people you can imagine. Hindutva paramilitary groups, American neo-Nazis, early ecofascists; you name them, she probably went to their meetings and wrote propaganda for them.

So, knowing this, it makes one feel particularly deranged to learn that she also wrote fiction about- and from the POV of- her many cats.

The book in question is called Long-Whiskers and the Two-Legged Goddess, or The True Story of a "most objectionable Nazi" and half-a-dozen Cats.

Published in 1965, this text features a protagonist named "Heliodora", who Devi admits in the introduction is just her lightly fictionalized self-insert. In the beginning Heliodora heroically rescues a stray kitten and its mother, but then the narrative grinds to a halt to explain the weird racial theories that brought her to India, before it picks right back up with the cat fancying. Here is an excerpt that may convey a little of how jarring these transitions can be:

"An unexpected thought crossed Heliodora’s mind, like a flash of lightning: “Had I gone to Europe in 1939, or even in 1940, 1 should not have had this lovely creature, nor, in fact, any of these cats to which I have given a home. They probably all would have been dead, by now — would have died of misery, in some gutter, without love, poor beautiful felines!” And a strange question followed that thought: “Was it for them that I was fated to remain here?” She knew the thought was a nonsensical one and the question too. For of what account was the life and happiness of any creatures, nay, of any human beings, including her own, compared with the Service of the Aryan Reich and of the Cause of truth?

It is all. Fucking. Like This. There are grim descriptions of feline suffering contrasted with long, ecstatic descriptions of her cats learning to trust the only nice human in the world (her). There are passages on the virtue of vegetarianism and the evils of (especially Kosher) slaughterhouses. She thinks it's a great idea to do medical experiments on criminals rather than animals! She thinks kids who throw rocks at cats should have their hands cut off! She starts chapters with direct quotes from Mein Kampf! When her favorite cat runs away she writes the (fully imaginary) story of his adventures on the streets, including him having cat sex. Here is the cat sex:

"The coquettish she-cat jumped up and ran away, only to stop again some twenty yards further and again to roll in the grass, calling for love, — and again to ran away as soon as the lover was about to take her. At last, however, — after many an unsuccessful leap and further and further galloping in the moonshine, Long- whiskers overcame her faked resistance and possessed her. He forgot himself, and she — his black silky panther — forgot herself. Their individualities ceased for a while to exist, and in him, the eternal He-Cat, Creator and Lord of everything, and in her, the co-eternal, sphinx-like, dark Feline Mother, Lady of all Life, once more mingled their opposite polarities and took consciousness of their double Godhead, as they had been doing for millions and millions of years. And once more the divine spark — the Creative Lightning — flashed through their furry bodies, and the daily miracle took place: there was life in the female’s womb."

Sooooo......anyway...........the lost cat finds its way back to her, but has caught feline distemper and dies in her arms, but then he is REINCARNATED IN ENGLAND, as a kitten in a decent (white) home where his family loves him. Heliodora is coincidentally going back to Europe at this time (she lists her religion as "national socialist" on the travel paperwork), which means we get pages and pages of her obsessing over every 'misstep' in the war, and Germany's tragic loss, but more importantly, she meets a random cat and he is (unknown to her), the reincarnation of her beloved Long-whiskers, the Cat Who Fucked. She sees that he's well-fed and happy and is like "I finally understand why Hitler was so nice to the British; they treat cats well so I guess they're Aryan too". I am not making any of this up:

“They have poured streams of fire over Germany; betrayed their own race; identified themselves with its worst enemies ...”

“Prrr, prrr, prrr,” purred back the cat; “that is because they had been (as they are still being) misled, deceived. But one day they shall wake up from their delusion, tum against their bad shepherds, and help the people of their own blood to build up a new Europe — the very Europe of your dreams, in which we creatures will all be happy — for they are good people at heart; good people like Aryans generally are, taken as a whole. Prrr, prrr, prrr . . . The proof of it is that they have taken such good care of me! Prrrrrrrrr . . .”

This version of her cat grows old and dies. Meanwhile, Heliodora is arrested and imprisoned for distributing Nazi propaganda. When she gets out, she meets the reincarnation of a different cat she had left behind in India. (All of her cats want to find her again after death because they love her so very much.) In between her banal, mundane descriptions of caring for this new cat, she describes her various arrests, interrogations, and brief periods of imprisonment. And then she moves, gives that cat away and gets another fucking cat. It is at this point where I completely lose track of which cat is meant to be the reincarnation of which other cat; this woman goes through cats like potato chips. She says she doesn't even love them as individuals, but as one piece of "the intangible Essence of Catdom", so I guess it doesn't fucking matter whether I know their names or not.

This woman's primary thesis is "human suffering doesn't matter, only animal suffering matters" and she beats it into the ground. Her secondary thesis is that national socialism is the one true religion and will save the world. Not only is this a deeply self-obsessed, morally incoherent, grotesque piece of writing, it is also boring as hell. It's half stories about how people who are mean to animals all deserve to get murdered, and half a travelogue where the protagonist goes on screeds about race-mixing every time she visits a new city. While you're reading it you feel as if time has stopped, and you will be stuck reading this terrible book for the rest of your life. All she knows how to do is repeat her two ideas over and over again. Honestly, it reads like heavy-handed satire of a very specific type of white woman. Heliodora wears golden swastika earrings.

I'm exhausted. Never read this book.

[queen-haq]

Fic: Never You (Penelope x Colin) - Part 5

Fandom: Bridgerton (TV show)

Spoilers: S3 released scenes.

Summary: They may have been friends once but his callous words decimated their relationship. Determined not to have anything to do with him, Penelope is ready to move on. But Colin isn’t giving up, not at all. Friends or not, they are connected for life - and he intends to remind her of that.

Excerpt:

“You would hate me for not wanting to court you. You would be that selfish?”

“Of course you would think that.”

“What else is this if not punishment?”

Masterlist (contains links to previous parts and my other stories)

Part 5

“Open the door this instant, Penelope!”

Hearing the banging on her door and her mama’s voice yelling from the other side, Penelope quickly put away her writing materials. The newest Lady Whistledown column sheet was almost ready. She had planned to complete it while Prudence and Portia were busy entertaining callers this afternoon only to be interrupted repeatedly. Irritated, she walked to the door and opened it, allowing Portia Featherington to barge in.

In her mother’s hands was a lovely bouquet of lilies which Portia placed on the nearby desk.

“The Bridgerton boy is here.” There was no mirth on Portia’s face, her striking eyes gleaming as she confronted Pen.

“Is he?”

“Which, I know, you’re already aware of because Mrs. Varley came up here to inform you.”

Pen kept her mouth shut.

“Is there a reason you turned down his invitation for a promenade?”

“I don’t feel well.”

“Not good enough, Penelope! When a gentleman comes to call on you, you must always say yes!”

“Even on our deathbeds,” Pen muttered under her breath.

“Yes, even then,” Portia retaliated. “Martha!” She screamed, calling for Penelope’s maid. “Wear something suitable for your walk with that boy. There will be others who see you in the park.”

“I thought he left?”

“Fortunately, he did not.”

“Mama, he’s not courting me. We’re just friends. You know that, right?”

“It doesn’t matter. He’s a Bridgerton. Where he leads, others will follow and that is the only thing working in your favour in your advanced age.”

And with that statement Portia stormed out, leaving Pen alone with Martha in her chamber.

“These flowers are beautiful, Miss. I’ll put them in water.”

Pen watched as Martha busied herself with the vibrant, varying colors of the bouquet. In one of their letters she had mentioned to Colin about her newfound appreciation of lilies, and apparently he had kept that in mind.

“Shall I fetch the orange dress for you, Miss?” Martha asked, returning to her.

“No, the pale green one please. And the matching shawl.”

As Martha scurried about, Pen took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

***

Penelope exited her home and headed down the stairs, Martha following behind her. Her mother was watching them through the window, taking note of everything going on, and Pen didn’t want to give her mama anything new to harp about. Colin, of course, was using her reticence to his full advantage. He stood on the sidewalk, a wicked smirk on his face, looking more handsome than any gentleman had a right to. Pen ignored the flutter of butterflies in her stomach, reminding herself how angry she was at him. What she wanted to do was take him to task for calling on her when she repeatedly asked him not to. Instead, she was forced to greet him with a stiff smile.

“Mr. Bridgerton,” she said coldly, stopping in front of him.

His smirk transitioned into a full smile. “Pen,” he said with a deliberate languid drawl, trying to goad her no doubt.

“Mama is at the window.”

“I’m aware.” Colin’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Shall we promenade?”

Penelope glanced over her shoulder and found her mother watching her like a hawk. She turned back to Colin. “Forcing me into this wasn’t very gentlemanly of you.”

He quirked his eyebrow. “Perhaps I’m no longer a gentleman.”

“Maybe you never were.”

She wanted to offend him but he seemed impervious to her taunts, instead offering her his arm for their walk together. Aggravated, she ignored him and started down the path by herself. Within seconds he was next to her, his long strides now matching her own pace, with Martha following behind them.   

“Did you like the lilies?” Colin asked.

“I did not.”

He simply smiled. “That’s unfortunate. Maybe I’ll bring roses in the future.”

“Absolutely not!” she huffed. “Mama will get the wrong idea.”

“We are friends, Penelope,” he reminded her. “Friends give each other gifts. We’ve exchanged them in the past.”

“Never in front of Mama!”

“And I’ve visited you before,” he insisted.

“No, you haven’t. We’ve always only spoken at your home or social gatherings. In fact the only other time you came with flowers was to call on Marina.” The grimace on his face made her heart squeeze with envy. Even after all this time simply saying her cousin’s name evoked such a strong reaction in him. But as much as the idea of him still harboring feelings for Marina hurt, she wasn’t going to let pain distract from her focus. “I can’t have you encouraging foolish ideas in Mama’s head.”

He clenched his jaw, agitated. “Is this really about Lady Portia or are you worried your mystery suitor will get jealous?”

She stopped midstride, turning to level him with a hostile glare. “He knows there’s nothing between you and me.”

Colin took a step towards her. The blues of his eyes darkened, blazing with emotion. “Even after last night?” His voice was a throaty murmur, his words only meant for her ears.

Her heart quickened, His gaze drifted down to her lips, pausing momentarily, as if he was remembering touching her, the feel of his hot mouth on her skin. And then his sight travelled lower, to where he licked and kissed her chest, and the lovebites he left on her breasts that she had to scrupulously hide behind a scarf this morning lest her mother noticed. The way he was looking at her set her body on fire, she felt it intimately between her legs.

They were surrounded by people, yet it felt like it was only the two of them. As she found herself drowning in the depth of his eyes, the world ceased to exist.

And then the image of his panic-stricken expression flashed through her mind, reminding her of how horrified he was after kissing her.

Instantly she pulled away, turning away from him. She started walking faster, trying to regain her composure in the few short seconds it took for Colin to catch up to her.

“You can’t pretend it didn’t happen, Pen.”

“You’re right, I can’t. But that doesn’t mean I’ll allow a moment of foolishness to sway me from what’s important.”

“I know you. You wouldn’t have kissed me that way if you really loved someone else.”.

It was the conceit in his words that infuriated her. “Is that so, Colin?” She turned to confront him. “Didn’t you proudly claim to have flirted with half the women in London? I’m sure you’ kissed many of them. Will you stand there and tell me you cared for all of them? That all those ladies held a special place in your heart? Or will you be honest and admit a kiss can just be a kiss without it meaning anything?”

His eyes narrowed onto her. “Do you expect me to believe our kiss meant nothing to you?”

“Don’t treat me like a naïve debutante, Colin. I’m fully aware passion can exist without love.”

“But that wouldn’t be true for us, would it?” He didn’t move, yet it felt like his body swayed closer, encroaching on her personal space, making it impossible for her to think. Even breathe. “Because there is love between us. There always has been.”

Her heart pounded in her chest. For so long she’d yearned for his love, ached for it. Over the years there were so many times she thought herself a fool for even thinking he could love her. But then he would seek her out in a crowd to dance with her, they would talk about things they dare not discuss with others, and the hope in her heart would bloom despite her insecurities. Just like it did now. “Speak clearly, Colin. Do you love me?”

“Of course I love you. I’ve loved you since we were children. You’re my dearest friend.”

“But are you in love with me?”

“Are you?”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. There were children playing in the park, families around them talking and laughing. Yet all she felt was Colin’s piercing gaze tear through her, the air thick with tension as the minutes ticked by. “Yes. Even though I desperately wish I wasn’t.”

His face ran the whole gamut of emotions, from utter shock to panic to fear. “I… Pen…”

“You’re not in love with me,” she stated matter-of-factly.

“No.”

His response didn’t come as a surprise, she had always known the truth. And despite the pain that wracked through her, she felt relief. Because she would no longer have to wonder. Now there was certainty and it brought with it a strong desire to move on.

There was much trepidation in his voice as he spoke next. “I’m sorry if I-”

“There’s no need to apologize.” Her voice was calm, steady. “You haven’t done anything wrong.” She glanced behind him, her eyes absently taking in the view behind. “We can’t help who we love.” There was a numbness that slowly spread through her, enveloping her heart, her very being.

“I care for you, Pen. And I know you, you’re kind and sweet and want to see the best in people. Which is why I’m worried-.”

“You don’t know me,” she replied, snapping out of her daze.  His face came back into focus, along with the rest of the world. “Not really. You’ve only seen certain facets, parts that I’ve chosen to show. I’ve always been so worried about what others would think, of being palatable to my family, to you and Eloise, to society… and for what? What was even the point?” She started pacing, her mind reeling.

As much as she aspired to be good, she could never fully commit to it. Lady Whistledown was borne from the part of her that wanted retribution against the ton for always ignoring her. In the clear light of day she was voiceless and unwanted, but in the shadows was where she thrived, where her words meant something and she had value and control. There was a time when she used to think the different parts of her could coexist and she could still be more good than bad, but Eloise’s words during their last argument proved otherwise.

“What are you talking about?” He blocked her path, forcing her to look up at him. A confused expression marked his beautiful face. ”I’ve always known who you are.”

She peered up at him. Everything he said about her – kind and sweet and only seeing the best in people – was actually true of Colin himself. He deserved someone who was equally beautiful and kind, and that would never be her.   “You’ve been a good friend, to me and my family. And I appreciate your concern but I can look out for myself. Arthur is a good man-”

“Arthur?” The sudden vitriol in Colin’s voice was sharp. “Arthur what?”

“That’s not important,” she said dismissively. “What matters is you no longer have to worry about me, Colin. I absolve you of that responsibility.”

“You do, do you?” Anger laced his voice, his eyes growing dark with contempt. “Because of this Arthur?” He took a step forward, crowding her, the proximity between them so close that she could feel his breath humming her skin, could almost feel the touch of his fingers against her gloves. “Tell me, Penelope, does he know you?  Did you show him all the parts of you that you claim to have kept hidden from the rest of us?”

Irritation surged through her at his mocking tone, but she reminded herself to be patient. “He understands me better than most.”

“A man you’ve known for mere months?” Colin’s eyes glistened with fury. “Why does he get that privilege? What has he done to earn your trust so easily?”

The hate in his voice took her by surprise. “Why are you behaving this way, Colin? I thought you would be happy for me.”

Jaw clenched, anger masking his features, his eyes roamed over her face. “You expect me to live a life without you in it and be happy about it?”

“So what should I do, be a spinster for the rest of my life to appease you? Do you not see how selfish that is?”

“I don’t give a damn!”

Penelope noticed the glances thrown in their direction, the look of concern in Martha’s face. Even though Colin hadn’t raised his voice, the tension on his face made it clear they were having an argument. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm him down. “This isn’t who you are, Colin.”

“Isn’t it? Maybe it’s you who doesn’t know me.” He dipped his head lower, his eyes smoldering with rage. “Maybe I’ve always been unreasonable and selfish. Maybe I’m willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people who matter to me.”

She didn’t know if the threat in his voice was deliberately meant to scare her but it elicited the opposite reaction, provoking her anger. “You’re not my guardian or my protector. I’m not your responsibility. I don’t need anything from you.”

Instead of backing off, his voice grew more determined. “You don’t have a choice in this matter, Penelope. I will not lose you.”

“Except I’m not yours to lose. I do not belong to you. You don’t get to make demands on me when you don’t even love me,” she reminded him coldly. “I will marry the man I choose and live the life I want. And it’s you who has no say in that matter.”

Feeling strongly in her resolve, she turned and walked away.

To be continued...

A/N - Thank you for reading. If you have the time, I'd love to read your feedback!

[cookieblobber]

The Possible New Future of the Sonic Franchise - Thanks to fucking Sonadow

WOW! SO…THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED 💀

A few days ago it was rumored a Sonic Generations remaster was happening and will be revealed in the State of Play, which then revealed Shadow will be playable. It was really unknown what the hell this meant, but many theorized this was going to be a Bowser’s Fury/Kirby Return case: Game from an old console is remastered/ported with a whole brand new campaign that may or may not be related and possibly intertwined with said game’s story or lore.

They were correct.

Oh yea did I forget to mention BLACK FUCKING DOOM IS BACK?????

There isn’t much yet to go off of right now in terms of what’s being planned here besides this excerpt on steam

————————————————

Alright, enough showcasing, what the hell am I talking about by this game (that was just revealed) being a new future for the Sonic franchise? Well, it’s mainly due to these two things: the usage of Black Doom, and this fucking logo

A little bit of a history lesson -

Shadow the Hedgehog (2005)

….wasn’t really a well received game. Besides how many viewed it to be trying too hard to be edgy and dark and gritty, its gameplay was a lot left to be desired. Confusing and lore retconning writing, weird awkward gameplay, you probably already know by now, it was arguably where SEGA/Sonic Team got scared of doing spin-offs with other characters. The concepts and ideas were there, there were still reasons to like the game and like how Shadow improves as a character in the canonical story of the game, it was a small shiny stone in a pile of coal. Besides 06, this was the most development or focus Shadow would ever receive as a character before his massive change in writing in 2010.

Due to the 2010s change in writing style and how characters were written thanks to SEGA to avoid any association from “erm Sonic tried to be serious at one point? Cringe!”, Shadow possibly became the most controversial character of the cast, with him going from a really intriguing 3 dimensional character about trauma, loss, and trying to move on from the past, to many feeling like he’s regressed into a Furry Vegeta or a tryhard loner who doesn’t need friends to help him, the IDW comics being a big example of this. He still had a few good moments like his whole prologue in Sonic Forces, but even then it wasn’t anything intriguing like his story in Sonic 06 where he learns to accept his future might turn out shit, but he’ll always fight back with his team if things get dark (see what I did there?).

Before I continue, I would like to say - blaming Ian Flynn for how Shadow’s written in the IDW comics where he’s more brute and moody…..doesn’t seem correct, imma be real. I know he may have the occasional odd idea of the characters, but it’s very clear the way he’s written is due to certain mandates from SEGA and how characters/the world should be like. If Shadow’s whole moody brute demeanor is truly how Flynn views the character…..how does that explain how he was written in the Archie comics? aka the older comic series Flynn wrote for before SEGA started to get strict with the franchise, aka the series many believe to have had really great Shadow moments? I’m not saying there can’t be criticism for how Flynn may sometimes write characters, but in the case of him being the sole reason for how Shadow is written, that assumption made on him is a lil unfair.

Regardless, in recent times, it’s no doubt that the franchise is starting to rebuild it’s confidence again: acknowledging the old 3D games, including 06, having a more serious story with layers and depth like in Frontiers, Frontiers itself reintroducing Sonic’s friends and their struggles, making them playable once again in a 3D game (again, Shadow was cool to see in Forces but, you could only go so far with a simple reskin of Sonic). Not to mention after the update that brought back these characters, we got Sonic Superstars where the main selling point was that it was a co-op game, and Sonic Dream Team having a focus on the franchise’s more forgotten character: Cream the Rabbit (not to mention bringing back a sorta SA2-style gameplay where 6 characters were grouped into 3 styles of controls). Oh yea also prior to all that, Amy was made playable in the original Sonic genesis games via Sonic Origins.

———————————————

So, what does all that have to do with the future of the franchise, and why is Shadow 05 important here?

First off: Shadow is getting that same treatment as other friends, but possibly on an even bigger level: being a new playable character in an older title and being a big enough deal to get his own story and reintroduce people to what makes him who he is sadly no co-op gameplay but hey that would require completely changing this game from what it was initially was. This is really perfect timing as with the upcoming release of Sonic Movie 3 and Shadow being the next foe for Sonic to face off, Sonic x Shadow Generations will be a perfect title for new fans to dive into and learn more about Sonic’s history and dive further into Shadow’s history, just like what Sonic Origins was for fans who just came back from watching Sonic Movie 2.

This whole thing is also a massive implication that other characters than Sonic may start to get their own campaigns again, building more lead-ups to possibly full on spinoff games. I should say this again: Forces did try to do something with Shadow, but for the most part it was just reusing whatever the game already had to create a quick and easy 3 level prologue that…doesn’t really add all that much to the overall story (at this rate you can probably assume Forces tried to do a lot of things Sonic is now attempting to do, however due to the kinda era it came from, it didn’t have much going for it). Sonadow Generations seems like something bigger and more personal to the character involved, something that could possibly rival the OG game’s campaign.

The fact in this story, they’re going so far as to make Black Doom the main antagonist of this campaign and giving back Shadow’s tribal logo is a massive sign that this is a true attempt to revisit Shadow’s entire legacy. They could’ve easily just made his whole ordeal involve what happened in Sonic Adventure 2, after all that’s what he’s most remembered for, but going as far as to properly acknowledged a lesser known game as being part of the Sonic lore instead of dismissing it simply because it wasn’t well received, it continues to show the confidence this series has started to regain. Sure, it’s weird, it’s wacky, it’s wild, but it doesn’t make it any less something to acknowledge or at the very least make good out of something bad. While we did get hints of Shadow 05 still being part of the canon via the Eggman logs in Frontiers mentioning Black Doom, having him come back officially was still a completely wild thing to see; never in a million years would anyone have thought he would come back as the main villain.

The biggest part of this whole thing is: if SEGA is allowing for Shadow 05 to be fully acknowledged

.

this might mean they’re starting to pull back on their restrictions on the character.

——————————————

As I stated before, it is very clear they wanted nothing to do with this game or anything similar to it ever again, I mean the fact we never got any spin-offs after this really shows they weren’t gonna come back to other characters ever again. But now…everything’s on the table. If Black Doom is making an appearance, if Shadow’s tribal logo is back as part of his identity, what else could there be next? Will Shadow start to use guns again? Will he ride his motorcycle, and other vehicles like in 06? Hell, will motherfucking Mephiles come back again for this campaign?

Not to mention the description of the game stated that Shadow will confront painful memories, will we see Maria in HD getting shot, or the commander from Shadow 05 who was out to get him making a reappearance? This might be the first time in a whole decade since other human characters (not counting Sage since she isn’t exactly fully human) making an appearance again in the Sonic franchise. Again, we may have gotten hints of them still being a thing with the likes of Frontiers’ Eggman logs bringing up GUN and Maria, but actually showing up in-game means other humans can still make appearances in-game.

(Take this part with a massive grain of salt but I’ve heard that Ian Flynn in the past has expressed he wanted to bring back Black Doom and Mephiles, but SEGA didn’t allow it, now that one of them happened, it proves that there indeed has been less restrictions now)

If there are less restrictions being made on stuff like acknowledging Shadow’s game, what could this mean for how Shadow himself may be written now? We’ve seen how apparently well written Shadow was in Sonic Prime, could this carry over to the games and comics where he has a less frustrating depiction? I mean, the fact Ian Flynn was hired for one massive mainline game (Sonic Frontiers) and suddenly they’re doing all these lore related things for the franchise or going back to pull up any old stuff and see what they can do with it, it shows there is a level of trust between SEGA and Flynn and letting the man cook. And it makes complete sense too, he’s been a long time writer for the franchise since the Archie comics, he seems to have a great understanding of the characters.

If Shadow 05 is getting this level of acknowledgement, what about other more forgotten games? Will we one day see Sonic 06 be better acknowledged, or more likely a character like Silver having a bigger role in something related to the events of 06? I mean for some reason recent episode titles of the upcoming Knuckles show revealed one episode called “Flames of Disaster,” who’s to say they aren’t already looking into 06 for some ideas for not just the movie canon, but as well as the main canon?

—————————————

I’m drifting off a little but I’m sure you get by now what I’m tryna say. This game, as it may seem like just a simple small remaster with extra content, may end up creating something bigger for the franchise going forward. Seeing how Sonic Team is behind this remaster and not Blind Squirrel (the people who made Sonic Colors Ultimate; while possibly rushed by SEGA, they’ve also have had a questionable track record with remasters), and hints that Flynn is behind this story, I think we are in great hands with this game. This may be the first remaster to finally be flawless in every level, which I know is a little sad to say when it comes to this 30+ year old franchise, but hey, can’t win them all!

——————————————

Before I end this comically large essay, I would like to make one final note on this whole topic. As I was writing this and taking breaks last night, I came across a tweet that was kinda starting to go around about this game.

To summarize, the tweet essentially claimed that Sonic was still stuck in the past. The franchise was still relying on nostalgia pandering as its identity, and due to the contents of Generations being a whole celebration of Sonic’s history (and what unfortunately started SEGA’s cling onto Green Hill and Chemical Plant), aka alleged nostalgia pandering, it proves the franchise’s identity is still about how when Sonic used to be cool. It hasn’t attempted to evolve in the past 14 years.

You can probably guess what my thoughts on that take is after reading this whole post.

.

.

.

.

.

No.

I don’t think so.

As I already showed, the addition of Shadow’s story more than proves this is still stepping forward. It’s taking an old beloved game and instead of just updating graphics or performance and leaving it at that, they’re making something brand new out of it that may define future ideas for other characters that isn’t about Sonic. Not to mention this game barely attempts to be all like, “Revisit all these iconic locations from your childhood!!!” SEGA is clearly looking at Generations not as that one game they can rely on for easy nostalgia pandering, but as a successful and fun game from the last decade in its own right. I mean to the general public, it’s considered to be “one of the few good Sonic games.”

It can be argued that the addition of Shadow and Black Doom may be pandering to the audience into Shadow but…really? They’re tryna solely pander and play on the nostalgia of a small minority of players who liked a game that was considered to be the start of Sonic’s downfall in the 2000s and make that the selling point of this remaster to the general public? Where some in said general public may argue that they’re about to ruin a rare good Sonic game with stuff that they think no one ever liked??? I don’t really believe it.

Hell, speaking personally, I’ve never played Shadow 05, I don’t own a GameCube, maybe a PS2 but even then I didn’t get much games at the time. While I sorta played around with the franchises growing up, I fully got into it around when Sonic Mania came out (and even then it took me a while to finally play it). So even though I may be hyping up Black Doom’s return, I myself am not coming from any rose tinted glasses or anything, these are just observations from the many discussions I’ve seen online or videos showcasing these games. Same would go for a lot of people into that game as many while loved it, still would acknowledge where it fumbles and how it’s definitely not the definitive Sonic experience to have.

Sonic has begun to evolve, experimenting with new ideas and offering new and different ways to enjoy the franchise. As mentioned earlier, lots of shit happened in the past 4 months. While I agree that something like Frontiers relying on the same old levels for Cyberspace to be stupid, that shouldn’t undermine the actual new stuff it offers for the franchise. I feel like we’re already far beyond the franchise needing to be like “hey remember Green Hill???” as it’s main identity for a game/the franchise. And even then, this shouldn’t mean Sonic can’t look back on previous entries anymore ever again.

Many want Sonic to be like other franchises, like Mario, Kirby, etc, they’ve been also occasionally doing the look back on an old title or old past, so why not let Sonic do the same? We shouldn’t immediately respond to a callback with claims that it’s poor nostalgia pandering, as the take away imo always should’ve been that there should be a balance between original and new and looking back on what worked.

I am happy to say that regardless what this remaster is, we are in good hands again.

———————————————

also unrelated as hell but pray for this man, he has not uploaded a Sonic video in 4 months, I think SEGA killed him by over feeding him with content 😭

[animatedhooligan]

Light Novel Excerpts from "The Courtship of Hotaru Haganezuka" (Spoiler warning)

Official English version released on June 27, 2023 Just sharing some highlights and canonical tidbits from Chapter 2 for romantic Haganezuka fans. Don't go too wild with it.

(It's the "slightly" that got me xD)

It's officially in writing that he's attractive. Do not feel ashamed. xD (Photo source)

...But sorry to everyone who ships Haganezuka x Kanamori.

Kanamori is 26 years old, happily taken and if I may point out, 11 years younger than Haganezuka. Note that he addresses him as "Mr." just as Tanjiro and Kotetsu do for an elder. ELDER!

----

Here is some characterization confirmation for all the fanart and fanfics depicting Haganezuka as shy and awkward in matters of love:

Ergo, I don't think the average mature Haganezuka x Reader content actually captures his character that well. By all means, a healthy imagination can still characterize him as assertive and suave as it wants to :]

---

Anyway, the atmosphere of the date:

^ (I can't get over the repeated emphasis on the background noise of the fountain)

The two things she learns about him this entire date are 1) He makes swords and 2) He eats mitarashi dango when he's not making swords.

---

Haganezuka, a quiet man:

Haganezuka with women:

-------

Anddd then this happens...

---

I won't go into detail, but he handles that stinker very well and rejects her on the spot. It's implied that he marries in the future, but definitely not to this woman.

Anyway, I encourage everyone to read the light novel! It's not a shallow fanservice in the slightest. There are even meaningful moments of character in this chapter with Haganezuka, but overall the novel is wonderful collection of tales full of laughs and meaningful expansions to the Hashira backstories.

Of course, it's best to purchase to support the creator: Amazon link

However, you can read a fan-translated version here: link - I will note that this version, translated directly from Japanese, has some notable differences in how the others talk to Haganezuka. I want to say they're kinder to him compared to the official English version, but overall the story is the same and hits all the bases.

How does this chapter end, though?

Fan artists and fanfic writers, do your thing.

[cosmere-mini-bang]

Welcome to the Cosmere Mini Bang!

Event Info | Guidelines/FAQ | Timeline | Ask

What is a Big Bang/Mini Bang?

From Fanlore:

A Big Bang (or “Bang” for short) is a specific type of challenge usually involving long fics and accompanying artwork. This type of challenge is a reprise of the old zine tradition of collaboration between artists and writers for internet fandoms. Most Big Bangs have a similar format: Writers sign up to take part in the challenge and begin writing stories. When the early drafts of the stories are available, each one is assigned one or more artists, or artists might claim stories from posted summaries. Artists create fanart to go along with the story. This art can take the form of illustrations, manips, photo collages, vids, icon sets, etc.

Mini bangs are similar to big bangs, but are smaller in scope, with a smaller word count requirement than traditional big bangs.

So, what exactly is the word minimum?

We’ve set up two tracks for this event: the Mini Bang and the Petite Bang.

For the Mini track: writers are expected to write a minimum of 3k words. Artists should create one simple piece to accompany their writer’s fic—the definition of a “simple” piece is up to artist discretion, but should approximately match the amount of work writers put into their fic.

For the Petite track: writers are expected to write a minimum of 10k words. Artists should create one complex piece OR two simple pieces—again, definitions are up to artist discretion.

How long do I have to do this? 

Writer sign-ups are open from Wednesday, May 1 to Wednesday, June 12, and are expected to have 50% of their work done by Sunday, August 4, at which point they will be asked to provide a summary and excerpt of their fic for artist claims. 

Artist sign-ups are open from Wednesday, May 1 to Wednesday, July 31. Claims happen a few days later, and artists will receive their assignments a few days after that.

Fics and art are to be posted beginning on Wednesday, October 16. This gives writers four months total to work on their fic, and artists a little over two months to create their art. 

Sounds good! How do I sign up? 

Sign-ups open on Wednesday, May 1. The form for writers is HERE, and for artists is HERE. Please be sure to read the Event Guidelines/FAQ before signing up!

[juinxa]

SHE

[ an excerpt from BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME! that I wrote so long ago ]

[ TW: suggestions of animal cruelty (nothing actually happens they were just being loud kids) ]

OR, kisaki’s first encounter with his slice of Heaven

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

                KISAKI WAS ALWAYS a nervous child, never sticking up for himself. His younger years weren't his best, but maybe he could’ve made up for it when he was older. For now, he was teased and an easy target for lunch money robbing. He never fought back. Was there any point when the most he could be scream before they would tape his mouth shut? Older kids were more dangerous than they used to be. He wasn’t sure he heard about kids mugging other kids from his parents. He wasn’t sure that he heard about kids his age abusing animals like it was an afternoon run. Though, he knew better than to criticize them. Who was he to say anything when they were dangerous. Ah, who was he kidding?

Kisaki Tetta wasn’t a hero.

Maybe he could’ve been the smart sidekick with the smart plans. He didn’t have the looks of a typical hero protagonist when he had black, messy hair with strands poking out, dark bags that carried heavily, and a face that wasn’t unique enough to attract model agencies. However, his smarts made up for it. His intelligence was exceeding more than others. He knew how to plan things accordingly, and whether there were bumps or not, he would easily find a way around them in order to reach his goal.

His classmates were a bore; they never interested him in the slightest. Sure, there was Hinata Tachibana, but she was more of a female who praised everyone, and she rarely stood around him to know much. Everyone in his year was bland, tasteless, and boring, overall. He couldn’t understand the joy of having many friends when everyone seemed to distance them from himself. He could’ve tried, but he didn’t know why he didn’t. Maybe it was fear of rejection. Maybe it was because they weren’t worth it. Maybe it was because he knew there was someone better out there.

Better there was.

[Name] [Surname], who was a year above him. She went to the same school as him. She also attended cram school. She was a peculiar girl with a likable personality, and he wondered why she had to be in the grade above him. Coincidentally, they sat next to each other in cram school. She always spoke about her adventures with her friends. Every story she told was interesting and caught his attention. He was always invested in what she had to say next. She was like an enigma force, like a book with millions of stories, or like a refreshing air after a day of being locked in a cramped room. Kisaki truly thought this girl was a heavenly slice of life.

Not to mention, she paid more attention to him than cram school. She explained that she was only there because of her parents and didn’t really want to attend. He felt flattered, flattered at the fact that she had rather spend time with him than listen to what was going on. She was given two options, and she went for the one that included him. She was including him in something that she chose. Refreshing. It was refreshing. At that point, he enjoyed her company. She was a good friend to have around.

”Kisaki, we should totally get ice cream afterward. You’re like my cram school friend, y’know?” She murmured, spinning her pencils through her spinning fingers. Kisaki pushed down the phrase “cram school friend” into his throat and decided to twist the words to his own liking—my best friend. ”I’d like that,” He smiled at her, heart racing fast at the offer.

At other times, she would ask other questions.

”Kisaki, you’re very quiet. May I ask why?” She asked, placing her chin atop of her hand while she stared at the words she was writing like she was in a trance. He continued on, thinking over his next words. “I’ve always been at the top of my exams, and many tend to avoid me because of it.” She hummed lightly, placing her hand down on the table to put her head down. It didn’t sound like he enjoyed those experiences. She never understood why being smart had to do with isolation and loneliness. Without much thought, she crawled out a response, “That’s stupid of them. If they spoke to you as I did, they’d see more than just a smart student. I suppose they’re missing out on a piece of art.”

‘There it was again,’ Kisaki thought, ‘that stupid heart thump.’

[Name] had no problem opening up to him about her concerns or worry. She’d ask for advice about troubles she was experiencing. He loved helping her out. Whenever she would confess something, he felt like he was getting closer to her. She was growing vulnerable around him, and it was blissful to know that she could trust him. There was a bond—a genuine bond that he had never experienced with others. It was the type of bond that exceeded any other he had. It wasn’t a bond of pity like others may have done. This was a true bond of friendship. She had willingly taken the time to befriend him, and Kisaki knew how important time was. You could never get time back, once you wasted it, there was no chance of getting back. You couldn’t reverse time!

So when she took the irreversible time to speak, know, and understand him, Kisaki felt like he was at home. It wasn’t like the location of the home. It was a sense of familiarity—where you could be safe behind the walls that wrap around you and hold memories. He held memories with her. He didn’t care if it was only at school. To him, as long as it was with her, he’d cherish it to the end of time.

She was always oblivious to her surroundings. He took notice of it. Cram school came with its own difficulties. There were those in cram school who were aggressive. Some were even rude to her, but she was never phased by it, simply ignoring their threats and taunts. She was strange indeed. When he asked her why, the answer was the same as always: “Hm? Why do I ignore them? They aren’t threats to me or my friends. If anyone hurts my friend I’m mad. Besides, I’m a pretty patient person.”

No threats to her or her friends. He wondered if he were threatened, would she do something? Would her patience run low if someone bothered him? He didn’t have the answer, and he wanted to know. She didn’t seem like the type to fight anyone. Throughout his time with her, she never displayed any signs of violence or aggression. Languid is what she was. 

“Who can make me mad?” She repeated Kisaki’s question, in which he nodded. Pondering, she poked her chin with the eraser on her pencil. “I don’t think anyone can make me mad. Oh(!), but I know someone—or some people—who can annoy the hell out of me.” Her smile was wide like she enjoyed having them annoy her. Kisaki felt his throat clench. She seemed very happy about the ones who could annoy her. Why was she so happy?

”Mikey and Baji!”

”Mikey?” He breathed out. It sounded familiar to him, but Baji was a foreign name to him. Since Mikey was the only one he was familiar with, he asked, “Who’s Mikey?”

”Hm, he goes to a different school, but he’s my friend! He knows how to get on my nerves, though.” The girl admitted, giggling at the memories of what he had done. Kisaki felt his hands grow sweaty. Her giggles were nice, too nice to be caused by someone named Mikey. He felt his brain freeze. It was as if he felt there was a threat towards him. Why was he feeling this way? He had only seen her around school and during cram school. He never hung out with her outside of school. He had a chance with the ice cream scenario, but he couldn’t go out late as she could, so he had missed an opportunity.

”Mikey, huh?”

”Mikey isn’t his real name. It’s actually Sano Manjiro!” She beamed, and Kisaki felt his hands go cold, mouth losing its salvia that lapped around, and his legs began to bounce from confusion. The Sano Manjiro? Who hadn’t heard of him? He was an infamous name around the elementary schools. He was a delinquent who managed to beat up many middle and high schoolers. He didn’t know how you were affiliated with him. You were so pure and innocent, so how did you know him?

It kept Kisaki up all night. Mikey seemed to be one of your closest friends. When he thought back to previous conversations, it was then he remembered that you mentioned him in some of your stories that sounded like dreams to him from how adventurous they were. He couldn’t believe he forgot the repeated name you continuously brought up. Mikey was always in your adventures. If he met Mikey, would he be able to tag along? Would he be able to understand the inside jokes you had? He definitely would’ve. He wanted to be her true friend! He wanted to be by her side! She stuck with him, always acknowledging him, unlike others. He opened up to her and she opened up to him about her feelings and thoughts.

Kisaki knew her better than anyone! He was her best friend!

”Kisaki, do you wanna walk home with me? You don’t have an umbrella, I see.” She noticed, looking out the window to see the small neighborhood that was dark from the heavy, thick clouds. Cram school had just ended and everyone was packing their papers and pencils, rushing to get out before the rain could start pouring. There were whispers thrown around about how it was going to be a bad storm, which didn’t deter the [h/c] haired girl one bit. Kisaki had just finished putting his things away, now only staring at the girl who was looking out the window. Her black umbrella was loosely in her hand, still waiting for the inevitable response of her friend.

”Um,” His hands grew sweaty, legs almost collapsing like there was a building he was lifting. This would be his first time hanging out with her after school. He couldn’t miss the chance. This could be his only chance to then hang out with her on the days there was no cram school. His adam apple bobbed as he swallowed his spit that was overflowing in his mouth. He was nervous, so nervous that he could barely muster a sentence. “I w-would like-like that, [Surname].”

Ignoring the stutters, she turned around to finally walk out of the classroom. Walking past him, she grabbed his hand to lead him out. The sky was darker now, giving the school an omniscient vibe. Putting up her umbrella, she released his hand to pick it up over her and Kisaki’s head. It was drizzling, faint sounds of patterns forming puddles in the potholes around the streets. Some kids from different schools were walking as well, chatting away while the pair walked in silence. The silence was insufferable to Kisaki while [Name] didn’t mind it. She enjoyed peace and quiet from time to time.

“[Surname], do you still want to take up on that ice cream appointment one of these days?” He felt his throat go dry, almost shaking that he actually said that. She hummed lightly, not even thinking before speaking. “I’m afraid I can't, I’ve been very busy these past couple of weeks compared to the last time I asked.”

His heart dropped as his eyes were wide. She didn’t spare him a glance, looking forward towards a park. Kisaki felt like he failed. She had been busy in recent times? He almost cursed at himself for not just taking the chance when she has asked him last time because now she was too busy. “I see, can I ask with what?”

”It’s personal.” Was her response, but she continued, “I think the rains picking up.”

Kisaki nodded in understanding, but truth be told, he wanted to yell in frustration. He was masking it well under his smile. He did feel the rain go harder as his shoulder was poking from the umbrella, slightly soaking his uniform. However, the sounds of the rain could not block out the cries of a kitten. Kisaki stopped as soon as she did. He noticed her head turn towards the park where a group of middle school delinquents stood around a box. He gulped, realizing that they were one pester him for money. He freaked out, worrying for the safety of the girls next to him who continuously stared at them like she was trying to figure something out.

”Hey, what are they doing?” She wondered, stepping forward on a twig that snapped loudly. Kisaki’s breath hitched, knowing that it drew their attention. [Name] heard the noises of a distressed kitten, but she didn’t know if it was coming where she thought it was coming from. The group of boys craned their necks to see the pair under an umbrella. Then, their eyes laid on Kisaki, someone who they knew very well as they began to walk towards them. Kisaki looked at her, hands shaking, “[Surname], we need to leave. We shouldn’t involve ourselves with them.”

”Oh, and why not?” One asked, looking down at the female and male. She didn’t pay mind to them, looking past them to see the cries from the kitten stopped as soon as they left, followed by a small cat poking it’s head out, perfectly fine. She heaved a sigh. It confirmed her suspicion. They were bothering a defenseless kitten, so whenever they left to come to them, it had stopped meowing because it was left alone. However, it may only be because they moved their targets to other people—them.

”Kisaki, you wouldn’t have any money leftover. I really need a drink right now.”

”Hmm, who’s your little friend?”

”She’s very pretty! Is this your girlfriend?”

”Nah, no way he could’ve bagged a girl!” With a push, he was stumbling back on the ground. The rain was getting worse, making the sidewalk runny and slippery. They surrounded him while a boy stood in front of [Name]’s face, keeping an eye on her. Kisaki’s breath was taken from him as a punch was delivered to his stomach. 

“Stop,” [Name]’s voice was hushed when the older male’s burly finger was placed on her lip. He grinned at her, looking into her eyes that were blank. Kisaki gasped, garnering all of her attention. She hadn’t noticed that she spaced out, too focused on the box that was away. It looked red? Was she seeing things?

”Leave her out of this!” Kisaki wheezed out, “Run!”

”Kisaki?” She muttered, looking down to see his glasses on the floor the same way his body was. One of the older boys laid his hands on her shoulder, pushing her into his chest. She repeated once more, trying to be patient as best as she could. “Leave him alone.”

”Hm, we couldn’t hear her?” He taunted, leaning closer to her mouth. Her mouth was parted, and he didn’t notice, but her eyes were shaking at the frustration that was bubbling within her. “I said: leave him alone.”

She was pushed down on the ground, the grip on her umbrella coming unloose. Her hands scraped against the concrete, an abrasion ripping the top layer of her skin off. Her face was in a puddle, dirtying her uniform. Kisaki’s voice was shrill as someone delivered another kick to the stomach. They moved their attention away from her, focusing on the smaller boy that “owed” them money. The leader leaned down, smiling at Kisaki’s busted lip and bruised skin. “We need you to speak up, Kisaki~“

“Hey,” [Name] placed a hand on his shoulder, gripping it tight, “leave him alone.”

”Huh?” He turned around to her, “What are you going to do—!”

Her knee swiftly knocked into his mandible before she pulled her knee back to strike again in his face. Pulling his hair, she swiftly threw him aside. The commotion stirred Kisaki. It was then he stared at her. Kisaki saw something different. She looked different. The atmosphere was different. The emotions being expressed were different. Her skirt was dirty with some stains of blood from her first victim. One of the other males grabbed her shoulder from behind, in which she pulled her arm forward before jabbing him in the face with her elbow, making his head fling back. Turning around towards him, the toes of her feet slammed into his jaw, sending him back.

Moving her head to the left, she avoided a quick punch from behind. Grabbing the arm she dodged, she pulled him over her body, slamming him onto the ground. He coughed violently, eyes going white from the impact. Her eyes looked at the last member who came at her with full speed. She scoffed, striking a hit in his face before he could react. His nose cracked as he fell to his knees. She took the chance to then give a back kick in his face.

”I warned you. I gave you three chances, and you didn't stop.”

Kisaki’s vision was hazy, but he saw the whole thing clearly. He didn’t know where that came from. He didn’t know how you managed to take care of them so easily. You saved him. Why did you save him? He carefully heard your words, and the next sentence made his heart stop.

”You hurt my friend.”

The rain continually poured down on him, drenching him to where it felt like a flood take over his body. He remained still like the other bodies around him. His pulse was racing while his body was weak. The rain was loud, the thundering booming and clapping. It was everywhere. The droplets fell and fell on him—until they didn’t. His eyes were cracked open, staring at the sky that was then blocked by a black umbrella. He was no longer being attacked by the rain. His eyes widening when [Name]’s face came into view. Her shining [e/c] eyes staring down at him in concern while her [h/c] hair was framing her face as she bent down. She looked like an angel coming to help. She was like a descendant from heaven.

His slice of Heaven.

”Kisaki, are you okay?” She placed his head on her lap, observing the wounds on his face. “Can you stand up?”

He nodded slowly, admiring her appearance, saving it to his memories. Her eyes were full of worry. They continued to stare at each other, ignoring all other surroundings. She sighed, “I’m sorry I didn't fight them sooner.”

”It’s okay,” He confessed, and it was true that he believed it was okay. You had a breaking point that they crossed. Smiling, Kisaki reached up to her face before dropping his hands back down. She didn’t grab his hand, only focusing on his wounds. After a short while, she decided to help him up from the soaking floor. With careful steps, she pulled him to his feet, cautiously keeping her hands around him to prevent him from falling. He almost fell if she hadn’t caught him. She smiled at him, telling him to not worry since they were going to get him fixed up.

He liked her smile. It comforted him in a way that no one else could. Kisaki’s stomach bloomed in a euphoric way, his gut tightening when her saw her dazzling eyes. She did so much to help him. He almost felt pathetic, but he was grateful for her at the same time. She could’ve gotten hurt, but she protected him. There was a reason for it, and he was then reminded of what she said way back: “They aren’t threats to me or my friends. If anyone hurts my friend, I’m mad.”

She was his friend. She was his first friend. Kisaki was infatuated with that idea. He wanted more of it. He didn’t know what more he could want, but then he finally knew where it had to go from there. It could go from friend to something more. He swore he’d do anything to protect her, to understand her, to have her. Kisaki didn’t know how just yet but he would find out. After all, she was the first one to know him, really know him. She was the first person to accept him with open arms. She was his very first friend.

And his very first love.

—

never published this, let alone the story, probably never will bc I lost motivation from it but I didn’t want this to sit, I wrote it almost three years ago? Time flies

[mamapyjama]

Rereading old interviews and losing it at how frequently and fondly Hori talks about Katsuki. You can hear his happiness talking about him— he’s such a proud dad to this naughty little kid.

Interviewer: Is All Might your fave?

Hori: Have you seen my cheeky son?!

Okay, I have more interview excerpts that I found reassuring.

1. May 2015 interview where Horikoshi talks about his ‘vertical axis’ of All Might passing the torch to Izuku, and a follow-up question showing that Bakugou is part of that main axis.

2. April 2016 interview where Horikoshi talks about what he thinks a hero should be. He wants to give the readers that feeling that everything will be okay when the hero arrives, which is why he’s dragging Izuku’s arrival out of course. 😮‍💨

3. June 2018, he talks about how ‘rough’ he found it writing the kidnapping plot, and how he only felt better once Katsuki was safe. Also talks about expanding his previous thoughts on what makes a hero, using Dk and Bk as examples.

From the same interview, hints that Eri will be important in the final arc. 👀

4. August 2018, he talks about Bakugou’s childlike nature. He wants readers to understand that he’s just a kid.

5. December 2019 (same interview as the first I shared, but a better translation). Another reminder that Bakugou is not meant to be seen as a horrible person. Also love that Hori will stubbornly reiterate this in the story to prove his point. He wants us to love his boy. 🥹

More to come (pic limit!)…