#bonnie could have slowed down her aging

[cforbes]

imagine an ending for the vampire diaries where damon and elena, stefan and caroline, and bonnie and enzo just got to live long happy lives together as vampires (and a witch) as a family. like they could have had it all.

[fandoms--fluff]

The Things I’d Do For You

Older Mikaelson sister reader x Hope Mikaelson

Summary: Hope distances herself away from you and everyone so you go to her school, and comfort her through a breakdown about your dead family members and her fears and guilt and everything

Warnings: mentions of death, swearing

A/n: very fluffy but angst at the same time i think? And of course had to incorporate Alaric bashing. Currently working on more hope content!!!!!!

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Some would think with the mass age difference of six hundred between you and your younger sister, Hope, that the two of you wouldn’t be that close. But it’s the total opposite. Ever since Hope met you and you guys have bonded, you’ve been closer with each other than anybody else. 

You may have different mothers, both are dead, but you still feel close to one another either if you were half sister like now or full sisters. 

Your mother abandoned you when you were very young, and even when she was there, she wasn’t ever the best mother anyways. You crossed paths with your father, the original Klaus Mikaelson, when you were in England in 1492 after you were turned almost a century prier from being killed by ironically, a vampire, when you were 19. He was on his journey to just about complete the sacrifice with Katerina Petrova in some little days when you showed up. He automatically could tell you were connected to him in the first couple minutes of talking. Something about you seemed so similar. 

That’s when he got you to open up about your past that you both put together what had happened. Starting when your mother and him had a long relationship until she ran away one day with no trace to follow. Like she evaporated out of existence, fell off the face of the Earth. She was pregnant with you, their daughter and obviously hadn’t wanted Klaus to find out about you and tried to do everything in her power to get rid of you, not knowing you’d be a first born Mikaelson witch-tribrid when you were born. 

It was the first time in a while that Klaus had openly showed affection with anyone, but with you, he didn’t skip a heart beat. After meeting for the first time and connecting with your father, you guys had went your separate ways, Klaus not wanting Mikael to find out about you. 

You had kept in touch with each other, meeting all your aunts and uncles, besides from Finn until Mystic Falls in 2010 and Freya later on after you came back to New Orleans because a call from your uncle Elijah about something he shouldn’t tell you over the phone. After that, you quickly packed your things and left Mystic Falls after saying goodbye to your friends, Caroline, Stefan, Bonnie, and Damon. 

After everything that had went down over the years when Hope was growing up and learning how you were her sister and about your past. She always made it clear that she looked up to you and wanted to be like you, someone who’d drop everything to help her family. You didn’t know how to feel about that when she first told you after you read her a bed time story when she was six, but after that, you knew how special you are to her. Even your dad and Hayley pulled you aside to say how grateful they were to have you stay in Hope’s life even though you had every right to not want to. 

She had started sneaking into your room at night when she was supposed to be asleep when she was seven. It woke you up straight away when you heard the doorknob turn, but after a while you knew how to tell it was her. You’d always welcome her into your arms and let her cuddle you to her hearts contents. 

It slowed down for a couple years when she was entering her teenage years, thinking that she was too old for it, but caved a couple times. 

It picked up greatly after your guys’ dad and uncle Elijah died, plus her mom, Hayley, who you were starting to consider a mother figure yourself. And it hadn’t stopped or slowed down, not that your complaining though, it’s just when she was younger she’d always tell you when somethings wrong or if she just wanted cuddles. Now, she barely opens up, and when she does, it’s when she’s on the brink of a meltdown and you calmly pull her out of it. 

-

Like right now, you’re really worried about your baby sister. She hasn’t phoned or texted you for a couple days now since going back to the boarding school after winter break. You’re getting anxious about what might happen, considering everything that happened with the boy that she was dating and he had died the previous year. 

You’re pacing back and forth in your room at the abattoir when you feel a presence in the doorway. “What are you doing here Marcel?” You stop your pacing and turn over to look at the younger vampire. 

“I just wanted to check in on you, I haven’t seen you out in a couple days” he says and comes into the room, standing in front of you. 

“I’m just worries about Hope, I haven’t heard anything from her in almost a week and she hasn’t been answering my phone calls or texts. I’m trying to figure out if I did something to make her mad at me, or if I forgot about something and she’s mad about that” you rant to him. 

“Hey, take a deep breath, I’m sure everything is fine. How about you go visit her, and if your nervous, you have friends there that can also give you a helping hand about it, right?”

“Yeah, thanks Marcel” you guys quickly hug before he leaves and you start packing a bag. 

-

Once you get to Mystic Falls, you were about to turn around from the school and just go over to see Damon, but before you can, you get a phone call from an unknown caller. Sighing, you answer it, not having any reason not to. 

A voice quickly starts speaking, “Hey Y/n, I’m Lizzie, Hope’s friend- kinda friend? from school. I know from what Hope had told me about you that you dont like to be disturbed, but I think you might want to know about this.”

“What happened, is hope alright?” you ask concerned. 

“I don’t know, she hasn’t left her room besides for necessaties and won’t talk to any of us. I was wondering how fast you can get here, I know it’s far from New Orleans but I’m worried about her. It’s as if she’s turned off her emotions even though she hasn’t activated her vampire part” Lizzie quickly tells you, worry evident in the girl’s voice. 

“Hey, hey, sweetie, calm down, it’s going to be okay. Believe it or not, I was just on my way to the school, I’ll be there in five minutes, okay?” You soften your tone. 

“Okay, thanks” she says, clear that she’s taking deep breathes before hanging up. 

You put your phone down and immediately step on the gas, breaking more than one speed limit getting to the boarding school in record time. As you step into the school, you see a tall blond girl leaning against a wall, waiting anxiously. 

You walk over to her, and place your hand on her shoulder. “You must be Lizzie, right?” You say.

“Yeah, sorry about the panicked phone call, I didn’t know who else to phone” she murmured, calming from your gentle touch.

“It’s alright, I know you’re worried, is Hope in her room?” You asked, already knowing the answer. “Um, yeah. The last time she came out was to take a shower last night” she tells you. 

“Okay, thanks Lizzie. I’ll see you later” you smile and squeeze the siphoner’s shoulder before making your way to your sister’s room. 

You knock on her door, not getting an answer, but you know she’s in there from her breathing and heart beat. You memorized how they sound when she was younger in case anything happened. 

Unlocking the door with your magic, you walk into her room. Her back is facing the now closed door and you, “I thought I made it clear I didn’t want you Lizzie” Hope sternly says, not noticing it’s you and not her blond friend. 

“Good thing I’m not Lizzie then” you tell her, crossing your arms over your chest. 

Hope immediately freezes, realizing who is in her room. It’s definitely not her frenemy, but her big sister. The same sister who she’s been ignoring for almost a week. The same sister who she knows was worried the second she made her phone calls go to voicemail.

She doesn’t know what to do, but she does turn around, which she doesn’t know if it’s a smart move or not, seeing the stern and worrisome look you have. 

“Y/n” she mumbles. 

“Hey Hope, I want you to know that I’m not mad at you” you tell her, slowly making your way over to her. She lets out a breath of air she didn’t even know she was holding in. 

“All I want to know is why you’ve been pushing everyone who cares about you away” you crouch down in front of where she’s sitting on her bed. 

She shakes her head, trying to avoid eye contact with you. 

You look over to her nightstand and see pictures and small trinkets laid out in a haphazard manner. Looking closer, you notice the pictures are the ones you printed for her when she was 12. They’re some of her, you, your guys’ family, both of you in selfies from when she was really young. 

You reach over and pick a handful of them up. “I remember this day, I took you to the zoo and you wouldn’t leave the lion exhibit because you were waiting for Simba to come over to you and have a conversation with him. I’m pretty sure Hayley despised me for allowing you to watch Lion King all those times, she said one day you’d drive her crazy with how much you sang the songs” you hand Hope the photo. 

She chuckled, tears forming in her eyes. “I remember, I kept begging mom to go back to the zoo with you after. I was committed to try talking to a lion” she looked back up at you with a sad smile, remembering the day more clearly. 

You see the emotion in her face, you smile knowing you’re getting somewhere. Digging another one out of the pile. “Oh, this was a fun day. Dad took us to the ice cream place and allowed us to get whatever we wanted. By the end of the day you had, I swear, the biggest sugar high ever.” 

Hope took the photo handed to her, it shows a picture that you’re taking with your phone with your guys’ dad across the table and her beside you with ice cream all around her mouth. “Mom yelled at dad the second she saw me” Hope’s smile widened. 

“Yeah, boy did he get a talking to. But even through all that, you still somehow fell asleep in my arms, and ironically it was during the loudest part of it” you say, making you both chuckle. 

You sort through the pictures in your hands, pausing after seeing a specifically worn out one with light yellow aging on the outline.  

“Hm, now where’d you get this one?” You say with a risen eyebrow, lifting a picture of you from the 1840s. You’ve been looking for it in your room at the abattoir but you had a hunch of where it went, and it seems you were right. 

Hope pauses for a second, realizing she got caught with something. “...I may have taken it from your room. It was after m-mom died and I couldn’t find you, but I saw this on your dresser. And I thought you looked to so pretty in it, I took it because... I don’t know really. I guess I was scared that you were going to leave too and maybe having something close to you from your history made me think that it help with my paranoia.” your younger sister slowly explained, thinking back to when she took it. 

“You were really scared, weren’t you?” You softly say more than ask.

“Mhm, I thought you’d be next. But then it was Dad and Uncle Elijah. I’m so scared you’re gonna leave me too” Hope sobbed, finally breaking after not talking for so long about it. 

You immediately put the pictures down and lean forward from where you’re still crouching and pull her into your arms. One of your hands lay on the back of her head, rubbing your finger tips in slow circles. It’s something you used to do when she’d come to you with nightmares. 

“Oh sweetie, I’m so sorry you’ve felt this way. You don’t have to worry, I’m not going anywhere, I won’t let anyone make me leave you ever again” you tell her and kiss her forehead. 

You wrap your arm tightly and securely around Hope’s lower back. After a second, you stand up, carrying her. Her legs automatically wrap around your torso and she clings to you tighter than before, letting her emotions out as she cries into your neck. 

“E-everyone around me d-dies. I th-thought if I distanced myself from everyone then n-no one else would die” she explains her actions to you through her sobs. 

You start walking around the room and slightly bouncing her as if she were a baby. Some may find it weird that you’re doing this with a fifteen year old but it’s starting to calm her down, so screw what other people may think weird about it. 

 “Baby, that would seem like the best choice at the moment, but after a while you’ll feel so alone until you don’t feel at all. Think of it as a human humanity switch. No one, especially me, wants you to go through it, it’s horrible” you tell her, your own eyes starting to water from how your sister has been feeling. 

She clings to you, her arms wrapped around your neck, like a koala. She doesn’t want anyone else she loves to die. “I want them to come back” she whimpers through her crying. 

“Me too, me too. If I could just wave my hand and have them appear, I would.” You go back over to her bed and sit down on it with Hope now sitting on your lap, not wanting to let you go.

“I-I miss Mommy and Dadddy and uncle ‘Lijah” she mumbles, trying to blink her tears away. 

"Oh I know you do, I know sweet girl" you comfort her, rubbing your hand in circles on her back. You feel horrible for not realizing it sooner, how she felt on the inside about all of this. But who can blame her, she's only fifteen and lost so many important people in her life, and now scares that by getting close to anyone will send them to their death beds aswell.

She nuzzles further into your chest and scrunches up fistfuls of your shirt in her hands. Looking to the side, you see the simba stuffed animal you got Hope for christmas when she was eight in front of her pillows.

You unwrap one of your arms from the fifteen year old and grab the stuffed animal. Kissing Hope's forehead, you slowly start to move a couple inches away from her, earning you a whine of protest. Before she crashes back into you, you press the stuffed animal to her chest.

"You still have this" you say softly. She looks down and slowly unwraps her arms from you, noticing what you're talking about.

She picks Simba up into her arms and snuggles him after a couple back and forth glance between you and the stuffed animal. "Would never get rid of him, you gave it to me" she pouts at how you dare would've thought that, behind the lion's head.

-

“Well now I know where all my things are going” you softly chuckled, noticing the reason why the sweater Hope is wearing looks so familiar, it’s yours.

"You're clothes are just comfier" she mumbles into your chest, the lion held tight in her left arm.

"Is that right?" You ask with a teasing smile on your face. "Mhm."

"You're not gonna leave. Right?" She looks up at you with widened puppy eyes. "I'm not going to leave, I promise" you brushed the hair out of her face. You get an approving nod, before laying back into her big sister.

"I think it's time I move back into our old house" you say and she looks up at you with confusion. "Oh, right you've never been there, have you?" You ask. She shakes her head.

"Well, our dad built-actually got hybrids to build it, but that's whatever, a mansion just outside of town, and I'm pretty sure everything's still there. All I have to do is pack some things and get the keys to it from New Orleans before moving back in. I can't believe Alaric never told you about it- actuay I do believe that, he's an ass" you tell her.

"Wanna know a secret?" She whispers into your ear like she's seven again. "Of course" you whisper back.

"I think he's an ass too" she smiles, getting an affirming smile and nod from you. "Now you're speaking my language" you kiss the top of her head.

"I love you, y/n/n" she tells you.

"I love you too, little sis."

[rainydayz-nstuff]

I have come back again! This time I wish to request a farmworld Finn where his s/o had been with him from his Ice Finn era up to Fiona and Cake. I also want to see another version but with Fiona. I wonder how they would interact.

Since I saw your other request I’ll make that one more Fiona based while this is Farm World Finn based. That way, we get the best of both worlds.

When you were a young teen you had a mother and father. You were an only child with a huge extended family.

You never really had many friends since you spent most of your time by the river with a journal, or around your farm with the family.

You knew of Finn who lived nearby at his own farm.

Your families were considered business rivals, but there was never any hatred between anyone.

You were just grabbing a pail of water when you were shot back by the blow of an explosion. Your barn collapsed and you still to this day don’t know what happened to your family.

But they were presumed to be dead after that chaos.

When you went towards the danger, you found Finn with a strange crown on. His eyes were wide and almost fully blue.

And Jake… something was off with him too.

Your witnessed him freezing people and building up a structure using their ice blocked forms.

While whispering Jake snapped to your direction and Finn caught you.

Instead of being frozen, he instead trapped you in ice handcuffs, muttering things that your could barely make out. Things like “princess”, “home”, and “power”.

You blacked out at one point and when you awoke your saw two Finn’s and two Jake’s.

Even after you grew, you still think that part was a dream.

Finn grew weak, which chased the cuffs to melt where they could easily break.

You spent most of your time in the woods after that.

Years after that incident, you still stayed deep in the woods. Never talking to anyone, never seeing anyone.

That changed when you met a young girl who was barely a few years old. She had bright blonde hair and was adorable.

While holding her small hand you elf her out of the woods. Near the entrance you hear yelling, it was a grown man’s voice.

“Bonnie? Bonnie?!”

The little girl picked up her pace and she smiled with tears streaming down her face.

“Daddy!” She cried out before running to her dads arms.

He caught her before lifting her up. His mechanic arm turned into a weapon as he pointed at the edge where he saw another figure behind his daughter.

You were hesitant to step out, but his face… it was familiar.

“Finn? Finn Mertens?”

You stepped out of the woods and pulled back your hood. Finn stared at you in shock and horror.

He had tried to forget about you from his young age, still feeling guilty about what he had done all those years ago.

He stuttered your name before you stepped closer. He stepped back.

You smiled at him and he saw there was no hatred or resentment.

“It’s good to see you…” Your voice was quiet, but he could still hear it clearly.

After that night it sparked the friendship you once had before.

You moved in with him and his family, but the kids didn’t warm up right away, unlike Bonnie.

It was hard on all of them since their mom had just died.

But you wouldn’t replace her. You didn’t even think of Finn romantically… yet.

That all changed one day while you were helping his kids with cleaning the house. He saw how you interacted with them and it was… nice.

No worrying about them being alone, no thoughts of them growing without another parental figure.

He had taken you out to help with preparing the firewood when he suddenly wrapped his arms around you in a hug, your back pressed to his chest.

You leaned into the hug, your hand clasped over his. His chin rested on your shoulder while he sighed.

“… I’m sorry, for what I did.”

His words shocked you and you just leaned back more. “I never blamed you.” You whispered back.

After that day, you both started a slow and steady relationship.

The kids started to love you more and treated you as another parent to them. And you always mentioned their mother and how she would be proud of them.

You would never replace her and they knew and respected that.

One day you were watching the kids again when Finn entered with some ‘guests’.

One was an older man, a young woman, and a cat. But the cat was walking on its two legs.

Finn then walked over and put a piece of gum in the soup, the one his first wife had made the day she died.

You were stirring it up while Finn placed a kiss to the side of your head.

“This is Y/n, they’re my partner.” He introduced you. “Don’t mess with them.” He stated quickly before ordering his kids to set up the table.

You poured everyone their bowls of soup before sitting down with a smile.

Fiona, the young woman, looked at you in awe at how you could handle the whole house and kids with ease.

“Heh… you all should kiss.” Cake, the cat, muttered to Fiona.

The woman blushed deeply before you let out a laugh.

“Not the first time I’ve heard that.”

Yeah… Finn got jealous and protective of you whenever they spoke to you after that.

Hope this was okay! Probably could have done this differently.

[creepedverse]

What do the regular townespeople in farnbury think of everyone in the gang?

Nico is the town's resident natural disaster, an unpredictable cherry bomb of a girl most people have a mind to keep their distance from. She's well known for being the singer at the bar, the dancer at the red room, the spitfire bitch. The older residents don't like her. In their eyes she's dangerous, an affront to the town's morality. She's violent, angry. Doesn't answer to anyone. The younger folks approach her with a morbid curiosity. It's like watching a car wreck slowed down, minutes before the collision. They're either in love with her, idolize her, or are terrified.

Tobin causes a lot of trouble, so they either don't know him at all, or think he's just a little shit. Some people might just chalk him up to be a troubled teen and give him the benefit of the doubt though

Tali doesn't talk to anyone. She doesn't like people. But she's very chatty and charming with the locals at the bar, they see her as a take-no-shit girl with an attitude that they can get behind

Bonnie is the 'resident granddaughter.' Her grandparents have been there for decades, and she'd visit very summer growing up. so the elderly love her, and everyone else finds her overly-awkward yet sweet... some of the local girls in her age range aren't too fond of her, though

Tommie is fairly elusive; the average townsperson doesn't really know he exists. Those that do only see him as a tall shadow stalking the city streets at odd hours.

Dia is very charming to everyone she meets, having honed those skills due to her connections to high society. Many of the old people in town adore how polite she is. So even if they don’t have much of an opinion on her as a person as she’s pretty new in town they appreciate her enthusiasm for prettying the town up with the murals she paints on some stores. Some folks are sceptic about as to why someone that’s obviously of a higher class than the rest of them decided to live in such a small town, especially when it means more driving or plane rides to continue her work.

scout grew up in farnbury and knows quite a few residents given how she grew up with them! but shes sickenly introverted and never leaves her room so most people don't know her or think much of her besides that she was weird when they knew her in middle school :P

Blythe has been the source of fear, intrigue, and annoyance to many. Blythe’s doll was donated by ancestors who had lived in Farnbury their whole lives. Once Blythe could, she possessed the doll to have a physical form once more! Ever since then, many around town have heard rumors and claims of her haunting powers, leaving many to scurry by the antique store fearfully, or catch curious glimpses of her. She had been frequently bought and then returned no more than two weeks later. However, there was a gap in her appearance in the store for three years, leaving many wondering where she had been for that stretch of time.

Shannon is looked at with general pity by the townspeople. Nobody is really knowing what exactly happened to her. When the incident happened, the press papers referred to her as "abandoned lone survivor". While many appreciate the way she sews and fixes peoples furniture, clothes, etc. shes still seen as a weirdo. Gossip questions usually ask where she came from, why her parents left poor little her in that hospital. She gets along with younger townsfolk during her shifts at the boba store though.

[denimbex1986]

'In a huge moment in Doctor Who history, David Tennant and Ncuti Gatwa's Doctors now co-exist, raising the question of what's next for the Fourteenth Doctor after "The Giggle". After the historic bi-generation, David Tennant's Doctor finally gets a chance of having a normal life on Earth, safe in the knowledge that his successor is out there looking after the universe. It's a moving ending for this most human of Doctors, who always harbored a dream of settling down. However, it's hard to escape the fact that Doctor Who has an Earthbound Doctor again, 50 years after the original exile of the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) came to an end.

Doctor Who's shock bi-generation has created two Doctors. One is Ncuti Gatwa, the charismatic intergalactic adventurer who takes up the baton from David Tennant. The second is David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor, finally allowed to slow down and reconcile the traumas of the Timeless Child, the Flux, and everybody he's lost. Intriguingly, Russell T Davies stated in the in-vision commentary for "The Giggle" that the bi-generation has essentially created a Doctorverse, where each Past Doctor now has their own adventures. This explains how the older Doctors could reunite with their companions in Tales of the TARDIS and teases an interesting future for David Tennant's Doctor.

David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor Has A Family On Earth

15 years after he was forced to leave Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) with the Metacrisis Doctor, David Tennant's Doctor finally gets a home life of his own. In the epilogue to "The Giggle", the Doctor joins Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and her family for lunch in the garden. The Doctor's TARDIS is effectively their new shed, and it's revealed that he's still taking it for short hops when nobody is looking. He's already taken his favorite niece, Rose (Yasmin Finney) to Mars, and traveled to New York's gilded age with "mad auntie Mel" (Bonnie Langford). However, the Doctor seems to finally be at peace, and the orphaned Timeless Child finally has a family of their own.

Doctor Who also revealed that the Doctor's former companion Mel was also an orphan, so it's a touching epilogue that both she and the Fourteenth Doctor get a brand new blended family. The Doctor tells Donna that he's never been happier in his whole life, and it's heartening to know that he can now take the time to reconcile all the pain and loss with a strong family by his side. It's the perfect ending for David Tennant's Doctor, who has harbored these hopes since his Tenth incarnation told Rose that he could never truly settle down with her. Finally, he has a chance to do just that, and it's a lovely happy ending, until the next time the Earth is in deadly danger, of course.

UNIT Now Has A Doctor On Call

For the first time since the 1970s, Doctor Who's UNIT has a Doctor on call, although unlike Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor, David Tennant's incarnation isn't on the payroll. At least, not yet he isn't. After all, UNIT already has a highly capable and dependable scientific advisor in the form of Shirley Anne Bingham (Ruth Madeley). Russell T Davies has said in the behind-the-scenes show, Doctor Who Unleashed, that the Fourteenth Doctor is effectively retired at the end of "The Giggle." However, there is a grand tradition in popular culture of classic heroes being brought out of retirement in times of crisis.

It's been confirmed that Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave), Mel and Shirley will return for the Ncuti Gatwa era of Doctor Who, so they won't need to bother the Fourteenth Doctor in the next season. However, the Fifteenth Doctor will have his hands full, showing new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) all creation, so he can't be around all the time. This means that, should the worst happen, UNIT can turn to the retired Fourteenth Doctor for help and guidance, either in a future episode or the rumored Disney+ spinoff.

David Tennant Can Star In Doctor Who UNIT Stories & Even Spinoffs

Before coming back to Doctor Who, Russell T Davies stated his desire to see Doctor Who spinoffs for past Doctors. The bi-generation and RTD's reveal that Tales of the TARDIS is a side effect of that process create the possibility of future adventures for David Tennant as the Doctor. A limited event miniseries' featuring a previous Doctor would be an inventive way to fill the gaps between seasons of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor Who. Tennant remains a big draw, and while it's right to rest his Doctor for now, leaving him on Earth does feel like a shrewd piece of future-proofing by Russell T Davies.

The other possibility for David Tennant's Doctor is a recurring role in the rumored UNIT spinoff series on Disney+. The Fourteenth Doctor returning for a season finale or mid-season two-parter would be a great way to boost interest in the UNIT show, should it happen. In fact, now that the bi-generation has apparently brought back every former incarnation of the Doctor, a UNIT spinoff could even have a rotating cast of special guest Doctors. It's an exciting time for Doctor Who fans, as it truly feels like anything is possible in this brand new era of the long-running sci-fi show.'

[aj-applebox]

That Great, Old Beast - A Short Story

[Woop woop here's the final, finished short story, That Great, Old Beast. Started writing this for a class weeks ago and I'm finally done with it. Came out to around 3600 words. Maybe I'll write a longer version in the future, but for now, I'm done touching it. Hope you enjoy!!]

..

[Possible Content/Trigger Warnings: Explicit Language, Alcohol/Drug Usage, Implied Death.] 

 .. 

Ronan couldn’t remember Bonnie anymore— not the way that he could remember the green of Michigan and the freckles of his mother’s cheek. He lost her by the docks of some town he couldn’t name, cradled in his mother’s tender arms. He lost her face to the fog— her voice to the crashing waves.What he did remember was the way she smelled, like rosemary and sea salt. Just before she left, Bonnie leaned down and pressed a kiss into Ronan’s curly, blonde hair— the same hair that their grandmother used to have, and that their mom loved so dearly. Then, squeezing Ronan’s tiny hands and kissing her mother’s cheek, she cooed words of comfort in their ears:“I’ll be back. I swear,” Bonnie whispered.Ronan was too young. The only thing he knew how to do was wail— how to puff his cheeks and cry.By the time Ronan reached the age of five, his blonde hair darkened to a hazelnut brown— much to his mother’s dismay; and Bonnie, when Ronan asked about her, was no more than a distant memory... Ronan and his mother were nomads. They had lived in fifteen different states by the time he started to care. Usually, they stayed with his mom’s friends— on pull-out couches, in trailers, in attics. The first time they ever really settled down was at a grimy, old motel in the middle of Arizona.  Ronan had just turned six. The motel room reeked of a constant, burning incense— the sort that gave him a headache.

“Mrs. Mallory likes the smell,” his mother explained.  Ronan hated Mrs. Mallory. She yelled at his mother a lot, and she said that Beau, his new best friend, would burn in hell for his red hair. “Ro! Look! Kate bought me Thunder-phant Man!” Beau squeaked, while shoving his newest figurine into Ronan’s face, “His eyes light up, and when you press this button—”Rumble, CRACK! A staticky thunder and crackling sound effect grumbled out of the tiny speaker on Thunder-phant Man’s back.“Isn’t he so cool?”Beau lived in the motel room next door with his older sister Kate. He would let Ronan play with his exclusive set of Electric Elephant-Man figurines; and he didn’t mind when Ronan ranted about dragons and wizards from the books he was reading. Since Kate was rarely home, Ronan could spend every day in their room, which smelled like instant noodles and cheese puffs, instead of incense. But one day, Ronan woke up and knocked at Beau and Kate’s door. It swung wide. Like Bonnie had years earlier, Beau and Kate had vanished.Suddenly, Ronan felt like a toddler washing his hands under the spray of a watering can for the very first time. He had taken, and taken, and taken, and then run out of water before his hands were fully clean. Unlike Bonnie, when Ronan asked about them and when he would see Beau again, his mom set down her cigarette and answered, “They took a Greyhound outta town last night. I’m sorry, baby.”  But what Ronan heard was that Beau and Kate, his first ever friends, had been guzzled up by a huge, gray beast.  And so, two months later, when his mother scooped him up in her big, strong arms and whispered that they were leaving, and that they were going to a Greyhound station— Ronan wasn’t upset. He was going to see Beau again. “Get some sleep, baby,” his mom whispered, in a voice sweet and slow like honey. “It’ll be a long drive.”  Ronan closed his eyes, but he didn’t quite fall asleep. He listened and peeked through his fingers as that colossal, old beast— the one he saw gulping up Beau and Kate in his dreams— finally came into view. It nuzzled up to the pennies in his mother’s hand, and with a screech, the hound opened its enormous maw and swallowed them whole.But even in the belly of that beast, Ronan saw no sign of Beau. That great hound grumbled away, away, away…. And out of the beast’s huge eyes, Ronan watched as the burnt, desert plains of Arizona faded into the suffocating lush of an endless, green forest. Ronan imagined reaching out and sticking his hand through the trees, and how it would surround him, like the thick, matted fur of Susie, a black cat who sat on the steps of Mr. Alfonso’s corner store, where his mother bought her cigarettes. Don’t pet it, Ronan! It’s probably got fleas, his mother would say. Eventually, that great beast groaned to a stop, and spat them out in the dirt driveway of a tiny house surrounded by green. Their new home was no bigger than the motel room they had before, but it stood on its own and had its own steps, and the floor was real wood! It also came with a very tall man who had steel, beady eyes. Except Ronan didn’t care about that man all too much or the new house; because just behind it, the forest crept close— all tangled, tempting tree-branches and mossy ground. While his mother and the beady-eyed man chatted on the front porch, Ronan slinked away. Still no sign of Beau, but if he were anywhere, it’d have to be in those deep woods.Skipping over gigantic boulders and combing through the thick brush, Ronan recalled a book that he’d rented from the library back in Arizona. In it, an elven knight braved the great wilderness and on the other side, found the ancient, lost kingdom of Whistleplume.Ronan armed himself with the thorned branch of a nearby tree. Whistleplume was near.  

It lurked in the edges of his view, and all he had to do was cross the Silver Blooded Canal, a violent stream filled with the agonized souls of all the adventurers that came before him. Finding himself imbued with a newfound magic, Sir Ronan the Great felled an enormous oak over the stream and readied himself to cross. Unfortunately, the second that Sir Ronan set foot on the log, he tumbled clumsily into the water. He sputtered, the coursing river carrying him down, down, downstream, until he washed up on the shore of a small clearing, filled with delicate, white flowers.  Sir Ronan stood, stepping into the clearing. In those flowers, he found Marina. Marina looked up at him— in his muddy shoes and soaking pajamas. She wore a pretty dress and two long, curly pigtails. Ever the Great Knight, Sir Ronan dropped into a kneel— for he had stumbled upon the lost queen of Whistleplume.  .. “Fuck, I hate him!”  “What’d he do this time?” Ronan asked. 

“Ugh—!” Ronan could hear Marina’s eyes roll through the phone. “He ate my leftovers in the fridge again. That’s like, the third time. And I’ve already told him about it, and he keeps doing it. I’m so fucking pissed.” Queen Marina of Whistleplume had a job now. Two jobs, in fact. One of them, as a student counselor for incoming Stanford freshmen. The other, as a receptionist for a law firm. She lived in her own apartment that she shared with her boyfriend, Jordan— an engineering major two years younger than her.  “I wouldn’t care so much except I’m the only one who cooks in this damn house, and it's not like he pays for the groceries, either.”  Marina talked about life plans. She talked about studying for the bar. She talked about developing her own law firm. About fame and success.  “Like how dense can you be?”  “Yeah, that’s um— Yeah, that’s messed up.” “I know, right? Ugh—!” .. It turned out that there was a whole world out there, despite their history as Queen and loyal Knight to the kingdom of Whistleplume. Ronan learned that the day he turned fourteen, and the beady-eyed man handed him a hefty stack of job applications.  “There’s something wrong about you,” the beady-eyed man grumbled. “Always floating five feet off the ground.” “Oh, leave him alone, Richard,” his mother tutted, from her slump on the living room couch. “No, no, Carol, he’s gotta grow up sometime,” the man huffed. “I don’t like that look in his eyes— Like he’s always somewhere else. And I don’t like him always running off in the woods, especially not with that girl. Who knows what they get up to.” “Richard!” “He’s not a kid anymore, Caroline, accept it!” His mother shoved herself up from the couch, jabbing her cigarette at the beady-eyed man’s chest like a rapier.  “He’ll always be my baby!” she gritted; her face shrouded in smoke. “No, he’s a teenager! And trust me, I know what they’re like, and it ain’t nothing good.” Ronan set the stack of applications down on the kitchen table and watched as his mother and the beady-eyed man squared off in the living room. The beady-eyed man dodged Ronan’s mom’s rapier with quick, practiced steps— and parried with his glass of whiskey shield.

The next morning, Marina was missing from her seat in class, which usually meant that she had gotten into an argument with her mom.

Ronan found her between the Keating's farm and the creek where they had first met, building a lean-to against two huge pine trees.

"Richard doesn't want me meeting you out here, anymore," Ronan mumbled, sliding down to sit against one of the trees."What?" Marina huffed, "Why not?""I think he thinks we're doing stupid shit.""Well, I mean, kinda. I did skip class to work on this.""No. Stupid shit. Like, y'know...""Oh, ew, you're like my little brother.""I know.""Did you want to be doing that kind of thing?"Ronan groaned, "God, no.""So why does he think that?""I dunno! I guess I'm getting older, or whatever.""Okay. Case closed. Just ignore him."Ronan huffed. Marina had leaned a few logs up against the trees in a makeshift nook and covered the whole structure in a crackly blue tarp. In that moment, she was dragging blankets inside to pad out the floor. Seeing that Ronan was still sitting outside, and not making an effort to help, she paused and turned to him."Ronan. What's wrong?""Richard's been on my ass about getting a job. He says there's something wrong with me."

“Fuck him. There’s nothing wrong with you.”"What if there is?"Marina tossed aside the blankets and plopped down beside Ronan. She huffed, leaning back on her hands. "I know you're not like all the other kids. And that's fine. Neither am I. Why do you think I'm here? We're both looking for something in these goddamn woods. Belonging. Quiet."

"What'd your mom say this time?" Ronan asked."She wants me to go into the military, like my brother."  

"Are you?""Going into the military? I don't know. I don't want to.""So don't.""You don't get it. She's worked so hard to give me a chance in life. I've gotta make her happy. It's the least I can do.""Well... If you had a choice, what would you do?""I don't know. Maybe I'd paint. I'd get a little cabin in Alaska and sketch the wildlife. What about you? Are you gonna be a writer?""I think so. My mom doesn't mind.""And Richard?""Fuck him."Marina laughed, "Yeah! Fuck him. And fuck everything else. Everyone else. I'll do what I want. I'll fight everyone. The whole world.".. When Ronan was eighteen, he and Marina had both applied and gotten into colleges in different states. Marina had forgone her previous ideas of fighting the world, and had instead developed a very clear, and sensible plan: four years at Stanford University, then four years at Stanford Law, then pass the bar, and spend the rest of her life as a lawyer. It made her mom happy, and anyhow, she was good at that sort of thing. It made sense. The only thing Ronan was good at was writing, because it meant that he could spend hours at a time in a world outside of himself— outside of the kid that never grew up, outside of the boy who spent more time reading books than partying, and outside of the person that the beady-eyed man was so very disappointed in.

“So, I was telling him that he’s gotta have an appointment, and he was getting so fussy with me, I swear! Like, I know he’s got a real big problem, but there’s a lotta people with big problems. I mean, Mr. Johnson, the attorney he was trying to see, wasn’t even in town that week, like—” “—Hey, uh, Marina?” Ronan cut in, scrubbing his face with his free hand.  It was ten p.m., and Marina had called him as he was trying to fall asleep for the night.  “What— Oh, hang on, I think my pizza’s here.” Ronan rolled over in his bed, listening as Marina shuffled her phone around and talked to the pizza delivery driver. After a moment, she apparently had settled down again. “Okay,” she garbled, between bites of pizza, “What is it?” “... I’m sorry, I— I know this is important to you, but I’ve gotta head to sleep. I have work at six tomorrow.” “What? Oh, shit, right, you’re what? Three hours ahead?”"Yeah." “Okay, okay, fine. I’ll let you go,” Marina huffed, “But call me as soon as you get off work.” “I will, I will.”..Ronan’s fingers trembled, hovering aimlessly over his keyboard. He had a five-thousand-word story due in two days, and he’d hardly even started. He was on the phone with Marina again, but a brief lull of quiet had overtaken them.“Hey, Marina?” he uttered, breaking the silence. “Hm? Oh, sorry I was just checking my emails,” Marina hummed. “That’s fine—” “There’s this professor I have, God, I have to tell you—” “I—” Ronan croaked. “—He keeps assigning things like two days before they’re due! Ugh… What were you saying?” “I’m… I’m worried. I feel like this isn’t the career for me.” “What? How come?” “I just— I know you said to chase my dreams and everything but… I mean, I have bills to pay. And I’ve gotta help out my mom… So I’ve been working all these different jobs to try and keep up, and by the time I find a moment to actually write… I’m exhausted.” “Oh, Ronan, you just have to keep working at it! I mean, look, I used to be all mopey like this too— but y’know what? When I stopped complaining and actually started hustling— It all panned out. Besides, you said you wanted this. Maybe, if you'd chosen a more traditional career path, you wouldn't have to work so hard.” “Right.” “Anyways— About this professor, right?” Ronan bit his tongue and stared up at the ceiling, as if it could tell him what to do. In their youth, Marina filled the space that Beau had left. She was always there when Ronan needed her. It was only natural that he did the same.  So why now did it bother him so much?.. Ronan stared out his window, watching the faint glow of the streetlights and passing cars outside his apartment. Though it was a perfectly reasonable time to be awake for Marina, it was midnight in Massachusetts for Ronan.  “Can you believe he’d say that to me? I mean, seriously! It’s not my fault he’d gotten the date wrong. So I told him—” “I don’t think I like these calls, anymore, Marina,” Ronan cut in, his anger, for once, getting the best of him. “What?” Ronan stared up at the ceiling again, as if that god they all kept talking about might finally step in for him. “Well— I don’t know,” he uttered, “I just feel like you don’t really care what I say, so long as it makes you feel better.” “So… What you’re saying is… You hate me.” “I don’t hate you, Marina,” Ronan groaned. “Then what the fuck is this?”  Ronan’s throat burned with bile. The last time he’d heard Marina’s voice like this— all venom and crackling hellfire— he’d broken a precious watch that Marina’s brother had given to her. Ronan was twelve, and he’d never been handed something so precious before. He dropped it in the mud. The glass casing shattered, and the muck had gotten into all those shiny, polished gears. “Christ, Ronan! Where’d you go again?” Marina groaned, “You’re always fucking doing that!” “Um, sorry—” Ronan stammered, blinking away the memory. “Look, Ronan, I don’t need this right now. Whatever the fuck this is.” 

“No— Marina! Marina! I’m not trying to be mean to you. I’m just trying to communicate, you know? I mean, you’re always preaching about that, right? Let’s just have— a civil conversation.” “Fine,” she spat, “What is it?” Ronan threw his blanket off the side of the bed and sat up. Too fast. And the world spun— hot, pounding blood in his ears. Was it always this hot in here?  “I don’t… I don’t hate you, Marina, I just… I don’t know. Lately, I feel like I’ve been distant, and you haven’t noticed or cared.”“God— What do you want me to say to that, Ronan?” Ronan curled in on himself, wincing as the joints in his back cracked, “I don’t know.” A car alarm blared outside Marina’s apartment— BEEP, BEEP, BEEP…Ronan’s heart beat the sixteenths in between each blare— BEEP, ee, and uh, BEEP, ee, and uh, BEEP, ee, and uh— Marina swore and slammed her window shut with a sharp crack. Ronan flinched.“Look, if you’re that pressed about it…” Marina huffed, “Why do you keep picking up? Why don’t we just stop? You can go off and find someone who ‘actually cares’ and I’ll do the same.” 

 Ronan bit his lip so hard it split. His mouth filled with copper. “Just like that?” he whined. “Like what?” 

“Marina, don’t you remember when we were kids? When every stone was a mountain? When those still creeks were oceans, and those woods stretched past everything we’d ever known? Don’t you remember building forts? Talking about life. You said you wanted to paint. You were gonna build a little cabin for yourself in the wilderness to do whatever you wanted."

Ronan raised his head and pictured meeting Marina’s eyes. He knew what she would look like. Her face would be pinched, as if she had just sunk her teeth into the flesh of a grapefruit.  

“Doesn’t that mean something?” Ronan begged, suddenly soft. “Doesn’t that mean something to you?” 

“I’m not that person anymore, Ronan,” Marina replied, her tone even and dry. “I hate this about you. You’re always, always living in the past. You’ve gotta—” 

“Fuck you.” 

“Ronan–” Marina started, exasperated. Ronan hung up. Ronan had never been good at letting go of the people he loved. Not Bonnie, not Beau, and definitely not Marina. That night, Ronan deleted Marina’s number from his phone and caught the next bus back to those old woods and still creeks. When I think of you, Ronan thought, later, while he was staring out that old beast’s eyes again, I think about tearing my lips on the shards of life’s great, big femur— and sucking out the marrow of all that it is to be human. Doesn’t that mean something?. 

.

Marina had outgrown the youth that Ronan so deeply cherished. It was an odd thing, knowing so much about a person, and then suddenly, so little. Ronan couldn’t help but mourn. That grumbling Greyhound spat him out in the ruins of his youth again, now much older, and even less certain of things. He saw his mother out in the garden, no longer so big and strong, but frail.And Ronan saw that beady-eyed man, in legacy, not figure. In the dusty ashtray on the porch, and in the cracks of the floorboards. 

His mother, catching a glimpse of Ronan lingering on the driveway, called out to him.

“Oh, Ro!” she cried, “What on Earth are you doing here?”Ronan’s mother dusted her hands on her dress and staggered over. She greeted him with a warm, if slightly confused smile. “It’s not fall break already, is it?”Ronan, suddenly feeling very, very small, sunk into his mother’s arms, as he always did. And she held him very gently, as she had always done.“Ma…” Ronan whispered, “Won’t you tell me about Bonnie?”“Ronan…”“What happened to her? Why’d she leave me?”His mother cupped his face in her trembling, wrinkled hands, and rasped, “Bonnie loved you so very much.”

Ronan knew that already, but he didn't like how it changed his mother’s face to talk about Bonnie. Her eyes glossed over, in a way that reminded Ronan of glistening sea glass. 

Somehow, it had never occurred to him that adults could cry. ..

In the morning after, Ronan treaded down the creaking porch steps and gazed outwards. Where there were once lush forests, cars and trucks bustled about— on clean roads, and surrounded by sleek, pristine buildings: the beginnings of a brand-new city, creeping up on the edge of their old driveway.As if sensing his disapproval, the sun stretched its warm hands outwards, fingertips catching the edges of rooftops and peeking through windows. To the city, it said:“I’m still here. In spite of you, I’m still here.”

Squinting against the glare, Ronan spotted the silhouette of a flock of geese, careening over a distant, winding river bend. If he were brave enough, he would rush down the driveway and chase after them. His torn sneakers would melt into the smooth sidewalks, and his socks would meet the damp grass. 

He’d follow them way, way past the horizon, and on the other side— in that tremendous world beyond— he’d be reborn.

[monstermertens]

alright, here’s how things went down about as far as i remember;

edit: i've added dividers to represent the various "arcs" of my memories' "plot." there are three major arcs so far, as well as an "epilogue," and while the second and third blocks are still pretty big, i think they're a lot more manageable!

last updated: oct. 19th

vampworld was the result of a wish for simon to never become ice king. which, technically, yeah. he sure didn't do that. it was Way Worse.

aside from the opening where little marcy is stealing simon’s shoe, all events shown in the episode “the star” happened as normally depicted.

i was left in the tank, and once pep finished repairs, we went moving to look for bonnie. she was really badly hurt, drained of most of her color, but was able to patch herself up just enough to keep from. not getting back up. she spent a few days in the tank to recover.

i reached the milestones of a five year old within the first day in the tank. i guess i was pretty irritating, because bonnie eventually had peptank equip me with some basic equipment and let me outside to explore, so long as i kept within peptank’s proximity.

bonnie kept an eye on me from inside, and photographed me to document my growth progress throughout the whole thing. we had photos of me at the approximate ages of one (initial arrival), five (initial spurt), eight (when bonnie was lucid enough to notice), ten (photograph taken by the star), and every year since thirteen. my growth leveled out at around fifteen, and bonnie’s hypothesis was that something about babyworld inherently kept its inhabitants young.

i called it the neverland effect, and the name stuck, even though she thought it was too whimsical :p

anyway! while i was exploring, i did a lot of scavenging, and i had a watch so i could talk to peptank! when i reached about ten i started to go inside buildings, and that’s when the pillow corner really got started. i tried to grab “useful” stuff like tools or rare curios, but i ended up stuffing my backpack with every scrap of threadbare fabric and squashed pillow i could find.

and so, the pillow corner was born.

the scraps i collected supplied a lot of what i wore until i was physically ten. bonnie reworked some of peptank’s assistive arms to make him into a temporary clothing manufacturer cause i outgrew everything super fast

i know i was captured by the star around ten. she sent a photo of me to bonnie. i remember that much.

bonnie didn’t have the manpower to get me back and was forced into a toxic domestic situationship with the star. this part is where my rate of aging gradually started to slow down. we lived in the vampire city, and most of the star’s thralls left us alone

for timeline’s sake, i was ten when i was kidnapped and held hostage, and the memories start to trickle back at around fifteen, but really come back full force at 16-17. zero to fifteen was about a week, ten to fifteen was a couple days, and beyond age “fifteen” is when i slowed to start aging normally. bonnie and the star were together for years.

i was trans, but really clearly a dude from the get-go. bonnie had me on hrt pretty quick. a pretty painless process all told — i mostly just forgot about it, y’feel? (and i still do sometimes, despite the body being afab!)

i lost my arm while exploring outside the vampire city during that time. the star had less explicit control out there, but punishment was just as swift for the vampire who attacked me.

the full story is… graphic. and intense. but it’s over here if you wanna read it.

i know a lot about how the vampire nobility worked! back in the old days, it was basically just individualist imperialism, where vamps had to Start strong and Stay strong in order to stay on top and ensure their survival. it was well established by the time the vk took in the star. by the time i met her, she generally didn’t bother sucking up the souls of vamps she considered below her, and was used from time to time as a threat by the vk for others to stay in line. and she loved it.

but, when i was around sixteen or seventeen, the empress stole the vk’s crown and went rogue to do her own thing anyway. start her own vampire city. meanwhile, the crown somehow ended up back in the hands of our world’s simon petrikov, who had never escaped her thrall. the empress made him maintain the sun-blocking clouds put in place by the vk.

our simon petrikov was… i don’t know how to say it without sounding insensitive. but he was something truly, ghoulishly inhuman. most of the time, the crown was on his head, but there were times where he would keep it on his hip like he did when he was with marcy in the main timeline. blood on his hands and a crazed, almost hollow look in his eye. he was terrifying.

once in a while, he’d have a moment of lucidity where he wasn’t consumed by her spell or his own dissociative devotion. that was sy.

i met both simon and sy when i was around fourteen or fifteen. first simon, as something to be feared, then sy, as someone to be helped.

tldr; they were a system. when i first heard of them, they were just simon petrikov. but then i met sy and realized what was going on.

…the star came looking for me, since i’d technically run away from being her captive. she saw simon/sy, and she got. mad.

she hated him for leaving her when she was a kid. he tried to explain the situation with simon, but simon had had his time in the back seat and forced himself to the front despite sy’s protests.

i think something in her broke. but like, in such a way that something else started working again. she started moving towards becoming marcy.

marcy, bonnie and i helped sy and simon out, and they learned to work together. after we eventually took out the vampire king, sy and marcy reconnected, and marcy helped simon adjust. they moved in together after our finale, when the sun came out. bonnie and i stayed nearby with peptank.

marshall was. honestly just a really weird coincidence? like. freakish. but he was a more relatively recent attempt at adoption by sy, similar to marcy, and he was a lost werewolf prince — kinda like rapunzel in tangled? but as a monster prince, he was entitled to challenge vk for the title of king of all monsters. after that, the magic crown would be his by right. (luckily, he wanted no part of that thing.)

the werewolves were originally a pack as large as the vampire clan, but by my time they’d been reduced to a small rebel faction. marshall was the son of their last king, but he didn’t originally know any of them. they were similar to the railroad in fallout 4? the only ones left who really had the means to take down the established oligarchy, but far from the only ones against it.

…i had a goofball crush on marshall. he was about seventeen, i was around sixteen, but then he found out that i was originally from babyworld and had only spent a year or so in vampworld. but he was cool! kinda like a big brother or older cousin.

monsters were like the elementals of our world. some canon elementals existed too — candy, fire, ice, and slime — but my timeline’s “elements miniseries" equivalent surrounded vampires, werewolves, wizards, and demons, and might've been after the finale...?

marcy took a role similar to pb and fp. she was the vampire queen, in her giant bat form, with all her character development flushed down the toilet. and it made her sick to come back from.

our “finale” — my timeline’s equivalent to the last episode of adventure time — involved a werewolf/vampire standoff, with most other people left alive on the side of the werewolves. i was kinda like the sole survivor, if you remember the fallout 4 metaphor from earlier. y’know, running around helping folks, recruiting them to help our cause in exchange for protection from vagabonds and vampires.

marcy was… akin to zuko, if he didn’t become the firelord at the end. she fought, but like i said, she and simon lived on the outskirts, kinda like bucky’s initial steps to recovery in wakanda, but with a buddy. two for one, with sy and simon as her roomie!

preeeetty sure simon and sy were originally jewish, too. they and bucky are pretty similar, actually — go figure!

vampworld didn’t have a finn anymore before me. i usurped him and took our narrative role, since… he was already dead. or i guess he was just never born?

no humans untouched by vampirism or some other monsterous affliction or magical protection survived the initial fallout of the mushroom war. most other stuff was able to mutate, but... well, if you've watched arcane, "nature has made us intolerant to change. fortunately, we have the capacity to change our nature."

it would explain why simon/“ice king” would initially be the only one capable of surviving rather than sy, since he was using the crown to keep them alive.

we had a betty though! she went missing and was presumed dead at the end of the mushroom war, which, turned out to be the time travel thing with hambo, like in canon. again, to draw a parallel to fallout 4 — she was like nick valentine. except we weren’t all that close since i knew other humans already. i had fuzzy memories of fionna and her simon, martin, and huntress, (all human), and bonnie told me about them while i was growing up. and the fact that more humans did come out of vaults like to the ones vault-tec built. (guess that explains what little human population there was.)

so that’s where vampworld martin came from. poor guy.

we had a minerva campbell too, but she never knew martin mertens, and she had lost her son when he was young…? she didn’t like talking about it. but something in her told me that she was just like my original mom, back in babyworld. i didn’t like thinking about that. frankly i still don’t so i’m gonna lock that up and move on

my timeline's equivilant to the "islands miniseries" also took place after the "finale."

i dunno if i ever found out why huntress wasn’t a wizard. maybe she would’ve been, if she hadn’t gotten ganked by the star. …whoops.

my timeline had a nico the catboy. he was still a cat, but he lived out somewhere with a werewolf pack, i think. we met after the showdown against the vk, and he was really cool. we started dating kinda by accident — luckily i had more life experience and he was more comfortable with dating me than marshall was. which i’m glad for, ‘cause marshall was a great familio-platonic bestie, and nico was a great partner.

nico was taller than me, long and lanky. He liked to sprawl out on top of me no matter what position i was in. and when i played with his hair, and scalp massages where i scratched behind his ears. his hair was super long, too — he rarely ever cut it.

if i had to assign him a human race, i’d say he was diné, at least in part. there were definitely holdovers from human culture across ooo, and that one resonates with what i remember about my nico and how he would read as being “coded.”

i, on the other hand, mostly cut my hair short. after the first time i chopped it all off when i was ten or twelve, it was never longer than about my shoulderblades.

i got a lot more comfortable taking my arm off with nico around. i didn’t like not wearing it since it’d lost it traumatically and shiz, but nico just… i dunno. he made it easier.

i used to sleep curled up in his arms with my face buried the crook of his neck. he smelled good, like boyfriend hoodies and a healthy cat. lean and muscular, so he was basically the ideal proportions for my sweaty ass to hold at night.

he was also super easy to lift, which i did all the time. i’d just scoop him up and carry him off, either because i was feeling needy or to help him calm down. eventually, i was able to haul him under my left arm just as gently as i could carry him bridal style.

this post is an ever-expanding wip as i remember stuff, so have a guinea pig 🐹

pixel art credit: 🌌 | 🌆 | 🏙️ | 🌄

[zip-toonz]

talk abt pkmn characters? YESSSS OF COURSE OF COURSE !!!! id like to hear anything u have to say abt the kalos rivals.....OR the lumiose siblings i care them too...

YEAAAAAAA

I have a lot of thoughts about Kalos as a whole all the time!! Heres a little something for everyone

Shauna: OK LETS TALK ABOUT SHAUNA!!!! I don't think I paid much attention to her as a kid but now adays I love picking apart her character. She's by far the most flexible of the the Rivals. In the game she's Sweet but doesn't seem to have a whole lot going on besides being really supportive and upbeat and I may have missed something while replaying the story of X but I don't think she really had a unique goal? Besides being the Rival who has the starter weak to yours. Which SUCKS cause she's such a charming character for what she is in the games. I know she states she's enjoys making memories with you and her friends and honestly I wish they did more with that. Shauna could have been the Rival who was in it for the adventure! maybe have a scrap book of all the things she saw and enamored with exploring the region. In the Anime (my personal favorite version of her due to nostalgia) She's energetic and social and has a established dream a goal! She wants to be a performer, she wants to be Kalos queen and knowing she succeeds brought me a lot of joy! I love that she's not above snarky remarks, I LOVE IT! She's a teen girl and Im glad she acts like one. To this day the playful "You're so slow" directed at Trevor in the summer camp arc lives rent free in my head. You can FEEL that they've know each other since for as long as she can remember. Or her "wow you don't know anything!" when talking to Serena and Bonnie about Pokémon showcases like YES I LOVE THAT! It doesn't really feel mean but rather like she's being playful. In the manga (I love her so much in the manga) the bluntness is bumped up to a 10, I lost my mind when she calls Trevor a wimp. She makes a snide remark about X or Y and again it doesn't feel mean spirited rather that's she's really comfortable with them and calling it as she sees it. And honestly I love that. She's down to earth. She's not afraid to call bullshit and make a scene if she has too. AND despite all that she's still a 12? (based on X's wiki age being listed at 12) year old girl who's still sensitive and has moments of vulnerability. She cried over her furfrou she cried when she hurt Viola while under the influence of Honedge. Then cried harder when Y scolded her before Y ALSO burst into tears. She cried over Pokemon getting hurt. like SHE STILL CARES DEEPLY SHE JUST ACTS TOUGH. (Also furfro groomer Shauna was so neat too! I'm just bias to Performer Shauna because pokemon performances blew my mind as a kid and still do)

Tierno: I often feel bad that when I was younger I didn't really like Tierno all that much as a character because when I got back into XY I was like WOW HES SUCH A COOL CHARACTER. ESPECIALLY IN THE MANGA. In the games he's a sweet kid who loves dancing and is self admittedly not that great at battling. He often gets distracted by the moves the Pokémon are using rather than the battle itself and that's really sweet. In the anime he's a skilled battler that integrated his love of dancing into battling and going so far as to use that to deflect opponents. He has a rhythm with his Pokémon and it strengthens their bond in a way that isn't as traditional as most other trainers and its COOL. And in the Manga he's sweet but not a pushover. He loves his friends, cares deeply for those around him, and went so far as to take care of X's Pokémon while X locked himself away. He wants just as much as the others for X to come back out of his shell but when X blows up on him early on he stands his ground while remaining civil about it. I was in awe of his sheer strength. He can do a flip on skates while carrying Shauna and Trevor like!? THATS SO BADASS ACTUALLY. and while he doesn't battle a whole lot in the manga he can handle himself pretty well. I love that his weight is not used as a joke. He's a fat kid who loves dancing and never he's a fat kid isn't that soooo funny like no its not funny I'm glad he's just allowed to exist as he is and love dancing. I love that the manga made his strong and sweet. I'm sad that he like the Kalos rivals as a whole tend to be ranked really low on tier lists or are just blatantly forgotten due to the time constraints and the in Game story suffering because of it. (READ THE XY MANGA PLEASE I BEG YOU IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE)

Trevor: I've talked about Trevor a ton because I constantly put him through the horrors. But It's wild to know that of all the kids Trevor has this vague hidden lore just chucked into an interaction with his sister if you just happen to talk to every npc and end up in the right house in Jaune Plaza. Its just sitting there. It really makes me think he was intended to be a bigger character in the games. I felt like I interreacted with him the most while replaying the games so maybe he was. He's your Dex rival. he wants to fill the pokedex and its not until you happen to talk to his sister that you find out why he's so fixated on doing it. Its like he's coping with the fact his parent's left him to train Pokémon. Trevor is also not the best at battling in the group so maybe filling the Dex is the next best thing to him. And the lack of parents is never touched upon in the manga or the anime as far as I'm aware so its just this little piece of trivia sitting abandoned in the game. I love that Trevor despite being shy is kind of snooty in the anime. He can be full of himself or a bit of a smartass at times and I like that. Makes him feel less like "oh he's just the shy kid" and more like he's a teen boy who can be a bit full of himself its a welcomed change of pace. I love that the anime makes him a photographer. Its a neat idea. Making a Photo Dex is so unique and the fact he's determined to photograph every Pokémon and hopefully discover a new one is sick! The scene where he's geeking out about Spewpa (I think?) is cute. Like of course he as a photographer and a huge nerd is gonna notice the little things. And in the manga they just commit to him being a huge Pokémon buff by making him a Professor. His dynamic with Sycamore is just Adoptive father and son to me because of the manga and the one in game interaction. Trevor clearly looks up to sycamore but even better is in the manga Sycamore RESPECTS HIM. And of all people Sycamore is (by game lore) the only known positive adult figure in his life. I like to think sycamore has been helping his sister and him for years and honestly the thought that Trevor probably has slipped up and called sycamore dad and then died inside is so funny to me. (Unrelated tangent but I love that they keep giving Trevor scary dog privileges with huge Pokémon twice his size being on his team like why do you have an Aerodactyl and a Tyrantrum Trevor!? and I love that he specializes in Fairy egg and Fossil Pokémon exclusively in the games like what a weird restriction but also a fun one)

X/Calem: WHY ISNT HE IN THE ANIME WHY WHYYYY. I love X a lot. I like the concept of his character I like his dynamic with his friend group and the fact that he clearly has a favorite (Trevor)/j. But more than anything I love that X is a burned out gifted junior trainer. One who locked himself in his room to avoid the fame. Its such a neat angle to go with for a Rival. He never deserved to have his privacy invaded so consistently. He never deserved for people, grown adults even, to disrespect his boundaries. And the fact of the matter is that it traumatized him. Enough to give up what he loved. it's so upsetting and yet so real. His whole arc is one I really enjoy. His trauma feels real. His depression and anger breathe a lot of credibility to it. Child stardom does tend to do a lot of harm. He felt so unsafe to the point he chose to shut himself away to avoid it. And it wasn't even just him it was his Pokémon too. He didn't want them involved with what he saw as his problem. its just GOD!! I know he doesnt have an anime counterpart but personally I think an anime Calem could have worked. They made a rival for ash in the series and I get that they tend to avoid making anime rivals based on the male player character cause that's what Ash is meant to represent but like DUDE. In my mind an anime verse Calem (as opposed to X and game Calem) is a really lax dude who loves being a trainer (And just happend to be really good at it). He like the rest of the rivals in the anime could have been traveling separately (Maybe even returning from traveling abroad for training) and been introduced in the Summer camp set of episodes along side the other rivals. How funny would it have been if he recognized serena as his neighbor. I have more thoughts on an anime Calem but I feel like at some point ill just make him real and properly flesh him out.

Y/Serena: Honestly I've always played as the female player character and since Cal and Serena are the same as far as I'm aware in the games I'm gonna jump to the anime. UNPOPULAR (?) TAKE BUT I HATED ANIME SERENA FOR A LONG TIME. I know why of course. I was mad because of how much they pushed the crush on Ash. It really pushed me away from her character. I never liked how it ended up reducing her character at times to "she likes Ash" when there was so much they could have done with her. I've since come to accept that its not her as a character I hate but how she was handled that I hated. I like her dynamic with Bonnie in the anime. They act like sisters and its fun to watch them hang out. I liked her in the first 2 episodes when we see her interacting with her mom. I like her being bitter about her mom pushing her to train as a Rhyhorn racer. I like her making snide remarks about it. I like the episode where she teaches ash how to Race. I like episodes where the focus is on her and not on her Crush. I just wish she had of been more than what they made her at times. In the games your rival is a skilled trainer. Why couldn't Serena have been? I never really saw the chemistry between them and it really hurt Serenas character. I like parts of her but I feel like there was more that could have been done. IN COMPARISON Y IS SO WELL DONE. Shes pissed her mom kept putting her in the spotlight and being expected to follow in her footsteps so instead she becomes a sky trainer!? BAD ASS AND REALLY FUNNY. Shes the groups glue and holding them together!? INTERESTING! Shes stubborn but well meaning?! COOL. Shes a strong trainer and a force to be reckoned with!? SICK! Despite her strained relationship with her mom she still worries about and misses her!? NICE! Y is what I wished Anime serena could have been. I don't mean that to down play Anime Serena I've come to like her but Y is so strong of a character while Serena was just beginning to get there. I wouldn't say I want A!Serena to be Y I just think if she had at least one of Ys characteristics she would have been stronger. If I was given the chance to change Serena in the anime Id keep the Performer aspect and the lack of serious interest in battling those are fine but I'd think adding naturals leadership skills or hell having her develop an enjoyment for racing would have given her a little more grip. at the end of the day I want her to be better because I do care about her character

Clemont: Anime Clemont my beloved. Watching this kid fail time and time again only to keep trying is everything. I like his dynamic with Bonnie in the anime he's a good older brother stern with her but not mean to her. Keeping dedenne for her until shes old enough to be a trainer. Protecting her when theres danger. Correcting her behavior. You can tell he cares about her and it never feels like he hates or resents her. I like his dynamic with Ash in the anime they really admire each other. His whole deal being that Ash gives him the confidence to venture out of his comfort zone is sweet and fun to watch. I love seeing his wacky invention of the day. And I LOVE CLEMBOT BAYBE!!! Anime Clemont is really fun to watch in general. Hes sweet yet very awkward but doing his best to better himself. I like how much he cares for his Pokémon and his friends. I find the running gag that hes a terrible runner funny. I think about how much that backpack must weigh too given his inventions. I love his team in the anime straying from that of the games with Bunnelby and Chespin being my favorites. Overall I understand why I liked him so much when I was younger because hes just enjoyable to watch (Talking about the anime cause my memory of Manga and Game Clem is basically sticker residue)

Bonnie: I ADORE BONNIE. Usually I have the hardest time enjoying little kid characters in a show because they tend to be written for the sake of annoyance or just poorly developed but Bonnie is a delight. She's a kid yeah she does childish things but its never pushed to the point where its actually grating to me. She gets upset, sometimes irrationally so but she's a child. That makes sense for her character. Like her puffing her cheeks and arguing that she wanted to hug Pikachu because it was cute only for Clemont to ask if Pikachu liked it is Kid behavior. and she apologizes when corrected that good! her finding every Pokémon super cute or getting sleepy because it past her usual bedtime its like YEAH she's like 6 -8 ish if I had to guess. She loves taking care of pokemon and I kind of wished we got to see her as a trainer starting her own journey. I love the bit of her trying to find clemont a wife because like SHES A KID SHE DOESNT FULLY GRASP THE WEIGHT OF THAT SHE JUST WANTS SOMEONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON HER BROTHER CAUSE SHE CARES ABOUT HIM. I love bonnie focused episodes. She's very well done for a little sibling character

[macaulaymontgomery]

Full name: Macaulay Marie Montgomery

Nicknames: Aully, Culkin, Kevin, Lil Mac

Age: 23

Star sign: Aries (April 6th)

Hometown: Aurora Bay, CA

Occupation: Attendant at Pinball Wizard arcade

Pronouns/Gender: She/her, cis female

Time in town: from the ages of 11-18, returning after 4 years (mostly) away

@aurorabayaesthetic

this bio contains mentions of childhood illness (specifically kidney disease) as well as toxic relationships, please be warned if you find these topics triggering

main info.

the birth of macaulay marked the montgomery family unit as "complete" with her mother finally getting the girl she had always hoped for macaulay brought a wild streak of brightness into her family, bringing her own brand of chaos from the moment she could walk and always wanting to be just as unbridled as her oldest brother

when she started slowing down around the age of six it didn't take long for the family to take notice or for the doctors to figure out what was wrong -- after a series of tests it was determined that macaulay was suffering from chronic kidney disease

after various treatments and medications having no success, and with no viable matches within her family macaulay was placed on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. the wait took over two years, with macaulay spending constant time in hospitals, until she got her "new" kidney at nine years old.

she was eleven when she family moved to aurora bay, and it was the first time she'd ever gone to real school. while she excelled at the social aspects of her education, focusing on academics was always a challenge to her -- which frustrated many teachers who always insisted that she was "bright"

not wanting to dwindle her life away in any more classrooms, macaulay took off out of town quickly after highschool graduation. she first spent time selling magazines across the country, then becoming a roadie for submergence's last tour then backpacking and hostel surfing in europe, before moving on the the eagles of death metal's tour when submergence went on hiatus

after a recent relationship took a scary turn that had her boarding the first plane out of amsterdam, macaulay decided that it was time to come home and be closer to familiar faces until she decides on her next move

fun facts.

go-to karaoke song is 'something to talk about' by bonnie raitt

drink of choice is tequlia sunrise, but is constantly seen at the arcade with a large gas station slurpee that 50/50 odds are has some vodka in it

has easily over a dozen tattoos, all done by her brother

once got arrested in paris for disorderly conduct

claims she made out with jack harlow after the VMAs two years ago

main method of transportation is a skateboard -- a skill she picked up in high school

has a vast collection of little hotel soaps

pierced nose, belly button, and double pierced ears

current connections.

younger sister of @mackmontgomery, currently sleeping on his couch

childhood friend/neighbor of @luckylewis (ex-london situationship/it's complicated) and @lorelailewis (best friend)

london friends gone stateside with @cricketcampbell

got hit with @kaylatullz 's car once

former personal assistant to @xaviermattthews

wanted connections.

roommate! can be someone with a similar vibe or completely different so we can have some odd couple vibes!

crash! someone who hit macaulay with a car once while she was on her skateboard (because i just think it's funny)

arcade rivalry! someone whose ms. pacman score she's breaking her back to beat

smoke em up buddies! she's a big fan of ~herbal refreshment~ and chilling out

other general chaos/messy exes/enemies/batshit shenanigans are welcome, feel free to hmu!

[esta-elavaris]

omg i just finished a series of assessments for the new term. it’s barely the start yet i’m already eager to graduate. anyways, why am i talking about me — aaa! i was washing the dishes earlier and i suddenly wondered if you’ll open a q&a portion as a “commercial break” for catch the winds, because i’m so curious like when did you think of the plot? how long did it take? how did you come up with theodora? i have so many questions! your book has stuck to me a lot that i still can’t get over it, and it’s been what? almost a week since i finished it? i’m a mess!

by the way, how are you doing? i hope you’re fine and practicing self-care! <3

Talk about you! I don't mind at all! I know what you mean, though - I graduated uni like four years ago but I still remember just being so ready for it to be over by the time I got to my final year. I feel like the first year is a novelty, the second year you're used to it all and have a good rhythm, and by third year you're just ready to move on. Or that was my case, anyway! It'll go slow, and then the second the final thing is handed in it feels like it all flew by, it's strange.

ANYWAY - aaaa! Thank you! I'm thrilled to hear it stayed with you for so long. Honestly, I never considered doing a Q&A thing because I just never thought anybody would be interested in something like that! I don't want to bore people who just want the next chapter haha. That being said, I'm more than happy to answer any questions you have on here! Any time, just shoot me an ask or a message, whichever works for you. I do apologise for the insanely long essay I ended up writing you here, I got carried away.

I kind of had the plot in mind for a while but in two different ways. I wanted to write a Norrington fic, and I wanted to write a "modern girl in X" fic for a long time. With the modern girl trope, my first thought was to do a Dragon Age fic, but it's been done so many times in that fandom (I know I'm not the first to do it in POTC either, but it seems to be really prolific in Dragon Age fandoms, whereas I haven't read many POTC fics because I avoid reading in fandoms I write in), so I tried to think where else it could work and Norrington was the answer.

It took a looong time between getting the idea and actually writing it, like at least a year, because I nearly didn't write it at all - and when I did, I wasn't even going to post it. I figured the idea was too far-fetched for me to be able to pull it off, and even if I did that not many people would be interested in reading it because OC fics tend to get a bad rap and "modern girl in X" fics double down on that bad rap. I was also terrified of writing in this fandom because it's so complex with so many difficult characters and so easy to get wrong, so that kept me away for a long time, but my original novel has pirates and a similar fantasy vibe so I figured it would be good practise.

I gave in and finally wrote the first chapter in the middle of the night when we were going through a heat wave that made it impossible to sleep (boo for no AC in Britain) just to get it out of my system, and then I liked the prologue enough to post it, same for the following chapter, and so on, until before I knew it we were at the start of the first movie. It was only ever for my own enjoyment at that point and I was amazed when more than ten people ended up reading it haha, I'm still stunned by how lovely people are about it. It hasn't left me alone since, although I did have a looot of doubt in the early chapters as to whether I could pull it off, because James was a tricky character to get the hang of.

Aaaand where Theodora is concerned, looks wise she's inspired by a mix of Anne Bonny from Black Sails and Sansa Stark (in the later seasons ofc) from GOT, but those aren't exactly who I picture, just a bit of a resemblance. A lot of creating her was trying to think of what sort of woman James would fall in love with, and we already have that with Elizabeth, but I didn't want to just write a second Elizabeth and put her in the story. Although where Elizabeth is concerned, I knew it was important that she and Theodora had to get along and be friends because I really didn't want to go the route of writing a female OC who immediately fought and didn't get along with the one other main prominent woman in the movies, it just felt icky, and it'd take a lot of the nuance out of the difficult situation as far as the three of them are concerned.

The good thing is, a lot of what I imagine James loves about Elizabeth are a lot of the more modern aspects of her (we stan a progressive king), so I felt like he'd be a good fit for a modern OC as long as she tried to understand where he was coming from and the parts of him that still would be rooted in the time he's from. Even the most feminist views by 18th century standards would probably still be a bit backwards by modern standards, so I knew they'd have to love each other enough to put their mutual stubbornness on hold to understand one another rather than just fighting over every little thing, because that would be exhausting.

Most of all with Theo, I wanted her to be able to hold her own in her environment without being a Mary Sue who just magically had these abilities and was good at everything. My thoughts then went to her being a soldier, but I'm sure I've read some LOTR modern girl stories (I considered writing one of those, too, because Boromir is the love of my life but I don't have the balls to touch Tolkien) where that was the case and I didn't want to run the risk of subconsciously copying them. I also don't know enough about the military to be able to portray a modern day soldier convincingly or accurately and I was worried about being disrespectful in that regard, so having her be a soldier's daughter felt like a great middle ground.

It also gives her and James common ground because she understands the mind-set, thanks to her father's influence, and the lifestyle to some extent, even in the different time period. Her father himself is majorly inspired by Ant Middleton (he did a lot of Channel 4 shows over here, I don't know if they're available to stream overseas but they're very good), and a lot of the mental toughness things he teaches her translates well to her being able to hold her own and not having breakdowns over minor problems every other chapter, but doesn't quite put her at a level where she's infallible and doesn't struggle, because that's just not human. She could climb a mountain, she couldn't go to war, y'know? At least at the start of the story. She doesn't have a choice by this arc.

It was also important to me that she felt a bit lost in the modern world and is more suited to a place where day to day life is more difficult because she thrives on that, so it's not a case of she's giving up a place where she was totally happy for the sake of James. I don't doubt that she still would, but it would feel a bit iffy. Having her be Irish also left the opportunity for a good excuse for her weird modern behaviours, a source of conflict early on in Port Royal with the other residents, and I knew I'd be able to write it decently because I'm Scottish and our history with the English/how we were (and still are, in a lot of cases) viewed by them is quite similar, even if it's not completely the same.

As far as how she and James click, I wish I could explain that but they take on a life of their own when I write them and I just let it happen. There's logic to it, I swear, but I couldn't describe what that logic is lolol. Plus this answer is embarrassingly long already so B) I think mostly it's a willingness to abandon their stubbornness to an extent where the other in concerned, and the fact that they're both fiercely loyal. I think her silliness at times also gives him the freedom to loosen up, which he'd appreciate, whereas how good and reliable he is would provide a major source of comfort and a sense of safeness for her.

All of that being SAID - I went into this story with only a few solid ideas. The Tortuga scene from the prologue, the bit where she watches Elizabeth accept the proposal, the end of the first movie, and a few parts that are going to happen between now and the end, so I'm very excited to get to those parts because it feels like it's what all of this writing has been for ahah.

And I'm doing okay, thank you for asking! Just a bit run down, but it's fine, it'll pass, and I had a lot of fun answering these questions, so thank you for that :)

[creaturefeaster]

Any info you can spare on West Wiles?

Oh, definitely. I can tell you his entire backstory, really. I have the time. So if you're in for a read, go ahead and read more :3.

West was an animal farmer in a small village settled sea-side, about 400 years before the present story. At the starting point of his relevancy, he was beginning to make a family with his wife, who was newly pregnant with their first child.

One early & foggy morning, a large ship was found washed halfway onto the shore of their village, completely vacant inside. It was a confusing sight indeed, and sparked many scares and rumors for several weeks, but when nothing seemed to come of it, the scare died down.

A few months later though, the people of the village came under a mysterious 'night plague,' in which one would die suddenly, drained of all blood, looking as though they had aged a thousand years in their state of departure... and it only seemed to strike at night.

Nobody would ever know who the next victim of this plague would be, or when it would happen, so fear spread across the village once more.

The deaths at first were slow, depressing but easy to manage. But as the next couple of months went by, the death toll was rising at an alarming rate. Now granted, this was a small village of about two to three hundred, so after 3 or 4 months of this it was a total death zone.

Many people died, and in the rare instance they didn't die, they became pale and driven mad by an intense thirst for blood. Very very few people in this village even knew the folklore of vampires, and none assumed they truly existed. So this issue was fought only with isolation and avoidance of each other, out of fear of catching this horrible plague.

West was one of the few who did know of the tale, of blood sucking beasts of the night, and while he generally wasn't one to believe in such outlandish legends, the tragedy that had befell his village certainly made him suspicious. He would begin keeping lookout during the night, and begin risking his life for the safety of his remaining neighbors & family.

5 months into this nightmare, and 1 month before the birth of his child, West was one of the few in the village assisting with the construction of caskets for the fallen, doing whatever he could to try and end the suffering of his village.

When it got to the point where he was having to build caskets even for those who had not yet been afflicted though, he became so unnerved that he would break a shiv off the wood of a casket, traveling the nights with it in hand. With still no explanation for plague, he'd be fully under the belief now that vampires truly were to blame, especially after seeing some worrying silhouettes in the nights prior to this one.

Out of luck he would finally find one, though he was certain that there's a group of them out there. He'd stalk them from afar and follow them back to their group far out into the wild.

This is where he would meet Bonnie, as well as a group of over a dozen other vampires. If you wonder why this find was so easy for West, most of these vampires were extremely fresh from the draw, not having been afflicted for more than a few years at best. Having initially survived mostly off of animals as well, they were not what you could consider experts in their field

Because of that, many didn't know what to do when West showed up. Out of an intense rage would overcome West, he would end up successfully killing many of these vampires that night. The few who knew how to become a bat would flee. Bonnie would be the last to fight against West, all alone.

He lost, though. But in the breaths just before death, he vowed to Bonnie that he would see her dead, even if not by his own hands. And this cursed his bloodline in the process! ^_^ The first born would be doomed to die young if Bonnie was not stricken down. And so his first born gets born, grows up, becomes a vampire hunter themself, has a child, and dies young when they can't end up killing her. And the process repeated, for a very long time. This repeats for so long, the curse is just a family story at this point, but still a mysterious affliction.

This curse is passed through his blood, and at no point is there ever a second born, so his bloodline travels a very thin tightrope down his family tree.

Now, I want to finish this explanation off by stating that many of Bonnie's group were not actually involved in the take over of West's village. Bonnie and the others would have no idea why their entire group was attacked so violently, and the secrets of the ones who did know were ultimately never told, as they'd been killed by their own karma that horrible night.

West only knew Bonnie to be the last living vampire to have destroyed his home and life, and Bonnie only knows West as a stranger who destroyed her family. Bonnie's side is such a different one >_<. But she has the fortune of having 400 more years of story to tell, so I won't get into that right now.

[dollycas]

#FlashbackFriday - Beating the Wrap (Bonnie & Clyde Mysteries) by Julie Anne Lindsey #Review / #Giveaway @JulieAnneLindseyAuthor

On Flashback Fridays I will share with you the books I was not able to review when they were first released that have been screaming at me from my To-Be-Read bookshelf.

Beating the Wrap (Bonnie & Clyde Mysteries) Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series Setting - Georgia Cozy Queen Publishing LLC (November 15, 2021) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1954878117 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1954878112 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09782VVYN

Bonnie Balfour adores the changing seasons, fabulous fall activities and holiday hoopla, but will a corpse on the porch squash her holiday plans? Thanksgiving is right around the corner in historic Bliss, Georgia, and Bonnie is trimming display tables at Bless Her Heart, especially for the occasion. A Gift of Gratitude display, beside the front door of her second chance dress shop, encourages shoppers to leave messages of good tidings for neighbors and friends. Unfortunately, someone has left a cornucopia of complaints instead. And they’re all about Bonnie! When the scrooge turns out to be a neighbor, fed up with Clyde’s habitual petty theft and trespassing, Bonnie’s claws come out in defense of her kitty. The heated exchange leaves a bad taste in Bonnie’s mouth, but the man turns up dead before she can dish out a proper apology. Determined to see justice served, Bonnie and Clyde dig into the case with gusto, only to land in hot water with the handsome Sheriff Wright. A series of anonymous attacks soon have the town wondering if Bonnie can find the killer before it’s time to cut the turkey. Or if she’ll be the next one on his carving board. Dollycas's Thoughts Bonnie Balfour and her kitty Clyde are back and Clyde has been getting into a bit of mischief. Bonnie had no clue until she found a batch of complaints in her A Gift of Gratitude box. The idea was to encourage people to " leave messages of good tidings for neighbors and friends". Instead, her neighbor across the way used the opportunity to spout off about Bonnie. After a little public argument, Bonnie does try to make things right but unfortunately, someone killed the man before she can make amends. Thankfully that fine-looking Sheriff Wright knows Bonnie had nothing to do with the murder even though the evidence points her way. But, he doesn't like her nosing into his investigation especially after it is clear she is on the killer's radar. As Thanksgiving quickly approaches will the good people of Bliss be thankful the killer is behind bars? Or will they be mourning the death of the owner of Bless Her Heart? Another stellar cozy from Julie Anne Lindsey! Ms. Lindsey has created a wonderful cast of core characters. Bonnie is crafty and creative, she's also very smart and becoming quite the amateur sleuth. She has a great assistant at Bless Your Heart in Lexi. The girl is wise beyond her years and a good friend and helper to Bonnie. Then you have Gigi, Bonnie's grandmother. Most people Gigi's age would be slowing down but this woman is opening a new bake shop right next to Bonnie's store. She is strong in health and opinions and not afraid to take anyone on. Bonnie's parents Bud and Blossom own a flower farm and are just as sweet as can be. They are always around to lend a hand. Sheriff Mason Wright aka HANS (Handsome New Sheriff) may just be Bonnie's, Mr. Right. And I can't forget Clyde, Bonnie's black cat who wears bow ties to match his owner's attire and is as cute as can be but sometimes he is very naughty. All these characters are genuine and dynamic and continue to develop nicely. The mystery was very well-plotted and written with all the real-life subplots entangled perfectly. Ms. Lindsey threw in some great twists, a red herring or two, and just the right amount of humor and romance. She sets a brisk pace which makes it virtually impossible to put the book down. I really value the author's descriptive writing style. I could easily visualize everywhere Bonnie traveled. I felt like I walked right into Bless Your Heart and pulled up a chair to take in all the store has to offer. I could look out the window and see all the happenings Bonnie's friend Cami has organized on the square. I even caught a ride out to the victim's place and took in what his neighbor had going on and to Bonnie's new home and the Sheriff's unique place too. Yes, her words allowed me to escape right into this book. Beating the Wrap really tickled my fancy. I love these characters and this fun little town. I am looking forward to Gigi opening her bakery and Bonnie and Clyde's next adventure. I hope to escape into Eyelet Witness soon.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

Julie Anne Lindsey is an award-winning and bestselling author of mystery and romantic suspense. She’s published more than forty novels since her debut in 2013 and currently writes series as herself, as well as under multiple pen names, for Harlequin, Kensington, Sourcebooks, and Crooked Lane Books. When Julie's not creating new worlds or fostering the epic love of fictional characters, she can be found in Kent, Ohio, enjoying her blessed Midwestern life. And probably plotting murder with her shamelessly enabling friends. Today she hopes to make someone smile. One day she plans to change the world. Learn more about Julie at julieannelindsey.com Author Links Website     Facebook    Cozy Queens Reader Group     Twitter    Goodreads Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N -

Also by Julie Anne Lindsey

Written Julie Chase

Find more by Julie Anne Lindsey here. Julie also writes as Bree Baker and Jacqueline Frost.

I am giving away 1 Kindle copy of Beating the Wrap! The contest is open to anyone over 18 years old. Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited. You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower. Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow. Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Following My Facebook Fan Page. Read the full article

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QUESTIONS FOR DIANA, March-July 2001, part 1

These are Diana's answers to some of the questions which were asked between March and late July 2001. The main topics on this page are: writing; fanfiction; Fire and Hemlock; Howl's Moving Castle; Harry Potter; Dark Lord of Derkholm, and The Tough Guide.

On Writing

From Elly

I wanted to say thank you. Your books fitted right in with my imagination and I'm glad because they gave me other worlds to go to when this one didn't start out as very nice. They weren't the only things but your books helped and I'm still here! I hope you don't mind that I wrote this. Aside from reading I guess it is inevitable that I also love writing, I can't not do it and I would like to share it. I'll only know if people want to share it too if I try to get it out there so I was wondering what your advice on getting an agent would be? It seems the best way would be personal recommendation but I don't know any authors. Anyway thanks again for the books, I'm glad you find such pleasure in what you do. Thankyou in advance for any advice and I hope I haven't taken up too much of your time.

Other Comments

I'm 21 now just finished my degree and off to see the world!

Diana's Reply

I'm glad you're still here and off to see the world, and if I had anything to do with this it makes me gladder still. About agents, do you write for adults, or children, or both? My agent only really handles children's writing, but if you let me know what you write, I could ask her to recommend you someone.

From Bob

How do you start writing? Do you just sit down and write, or do you make a lot of webs, character outlines, and drafts first?

Other Comments

Age: 11 Gender:F Ambition: to become a writer

Diana's Reply

Generally I just sit down and write, with a sketchy outline in my mind - which outline seldom survives as soon as the book gets going. Most of the preparation takes place in my head and I very seldom commit plans to paper. But there are exceptions. For instance, long before I wrote FIRE AND HEMLOCK - like six years - I was writing shorter and longer pieces that didn't seem to add up, except that I knew they would in the end. Most of these ended up as Polly's Tan Coul inventions. Three or four other books have started like this. It seems to depend on the book.

From Bonnie

What is the best way to start a book? Do you start with a conversation or a description. I usually start with a description but I find that when I do that I get into a dead end later on, having nowhere to go from there. Also, when I've read books by other people, I tend to not notice the descriptions, but just take it in. But, when I write descriptions they go very flowery and you lose interest. How can I stop this from happening?

Diana's Reply

The best way to start a book is the way you want to do it. Start with the bit that grabs you. But descriptions do make for a slow start. I suggest you write your description, if that is the way you want to start, and then go back over it and reduce it to two sentences at the most. There is a lot of this going back to it in writing. You never get away with writing a thing just once. And remember that people, and what they think and do, are the things that move a story along. Concentrate on your people.

From B Bishop

Dear Diana, well, after the Chrestomanci series I did go on to read your other books and I love them all! So whether or not you write another Chrestomanci book makes no difference to me anymore just keep writing! I especially liked Dogsbody, Howl's Moving Castle, Drowned Ammett. I am now down to the last two or so books you've written and am already in dread of the Wynne Jones withdrawal pains. You're the best! If you can stand a trivial question I'd like to know where you write. If it's a study what does it look like and what kind of things are in it. Thanks!

Diana's Reply

I start writing in the most comfortable chair I can find in the sitting room, in everybody's way. For the second draft I move to my study, which is very small and crowded with: one cat, trying to walk on my keyboard, about sixty pictures, hundreds of books, stacks of paper there's nowhere to put, two chairs, in hopes the cat will sit in the other one (she does in the end), and dozens of dragon-things because I love dragons. Oh, and the red stool I balance my coffee on. I have a red carpet, a red window-blind, a red cuboard, a red filing cabinet and a blue table.

From Joni Harbottle

Greetings, Ms. Jones! I am an advanced Creative Writer at an Arts School in Florida (U.S.A); A very good writer I am, But, I have a problem with certain story formats. I can Write in a narrative point of view, but never at an outside angle like you do. If you would be so kind as to give me some pointers and rules for how to write like this, I would be very honored to recieve you tips, for you are an outstanding, exellent writer and author! Lets keep this between us- personally, I think you are much better than J.K.Rowling. After all, her plot lines are so predictable; while your's are much more "one-of-a-kind" and interesting! Please send me a reply of some sort and once again, I'd be honored! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! Hope to hear from you soon, Your Loyal fan, Joni Harbottle- 13/F/FL

Other Comments

I am thirteen years of age. I Live in Florida, It is the peninsula state at the eastern corner of North America! I have read many of your books and I am a big fan!

Diana's Reply

I see and sympathise with your problem. I suspect you may be one of those writers who do brilliantly best when telling the story from INSIDE a character, and you really wouldn't want to change that (everyone has their own way of doing it and you really oughtn't to change the way you ARE). It puts you in there with Dostoevsky, the Brontes and other great writers. But I see you'd also want to learn all the skills there are. I can tell you that I learnt to write at an outside angle by reading and rereading Jane Austen - and from Dickens, too, a bit. I'd recommend you to study Austen. It is a skill one can only learn, not be taught.

From Hannah

Dear Diana I have been a fan of yours for about a year or so now, after I picked up Charmed Life by chance in a bookshop. I would just like to say that all your books are FANTASTIC and I really really love them. I've read almost all of them and my favourite is probably Fire and Hemlock because Tom is so likeable and, well, just plain nice. I think your books are WAY better than Harry Potter. Anyway, is Power of Three published in Harper Collins now because I haven't seen it anywhere. Also, could you give me some advice (pretty please) on writing fantasy, because my LIFELONG DREAM is to get published. Sorry this question is so long, and _please_ could you write some more books soon???

Other Comments

I am 13 years old, a sulky teenager whose life has been CHANGED by DWJ's books from wandering round in bookshops looking for decent fantasy books to an ardent collecter of her stuff.

Diana's Reply

Yes, POWER OF THREE is going to be republished later this year. I have done the proofs and have been discussing the illustrations, so I know it is really on the way. Writing fantasy - well, first don't ever even try to write something you are not violently interested in, and then start as near to the interesting part as you can. It helps if you can visualise (and hear and smell and touch in your mind) the most peculiar scene in your story, first, before you start writing; and then consider it and try to follow logically the reasons for its happening like that. The logic will lead you to the fantasy. This will be in places you never expected.

From Erica

Do you believe in describing the character's physical appearance right away or letting the story clues come together to form it's own mental image?

Other Comments

I am 12 years old and truly hope to become an author when I "grow up" I would really appreciate an answer to my question, because I am currently writing a short story. An English teacher told me that I shouldn't describe the physical characteristics right away and not out right. I'm not so sure I agree with her. I need some advice.

Diana's Reply

The fact is, everyone has their own way of writing, which they're happiest with. If you are happy describing, then do it. But I will say this on your teacher's behalf: descriptions tend to pass your reader by so that they don't remember them. Usually the best way to fix a person's appearance in your reader's mind is to SEE (and hear and even smell) the person to yourself so clearly that it will all come over to your reader without you having to decribe any of it. But PDJames, the detective story writer, evidently agrees with you. She likes to describe everyone in detail when they first appear - and she is, after all, a good and a famous writer. Perhaps you should mention this to your teacher.

From Jack Fotheringham

I was wondering how you first got into writing and if you could scan your signature and email it to me?

Other Comments

I a a ten year old and for christmas 2000 I got Fire and Hemlock and ever since i read it I have been hooked on your books. My friends think I am mad reading all these old books But they havent read any of your books From Jack

Diana's Reply

I'm sorry, I don't have a scanner, so I can't send you a signature. It was very difficult to get into writing. I was two years younger than you when I realised that was what I wanted to do, but I had to wait another 30 years until I had a book published.

From Karen Schwab

How on earth do you "do" your characters? There's something about many of your books that grips me in the first paragraph, and did the first time I picked up one of your books (Magicians of Caprona, about 20 years ago when I was 15). It seems to have to do with the characters and how their concerns are very ordinary. In other fantasy books a character only cares about Right and Truth and Justice but your characters seem capable of arguing about who gets the last brownie. What's your explanation or perspective on that? Thanks.

Diana's Reply

Well, I do like my characters to behave as ordinary people would - to the extent that I usually put in an actual, real person just to keep the rest honest - and as you point out, most people spend very little (if any) of their time thinking about Right and Truth and Justice (or only if their teacher seems to have been picking on them). And life for the most part is a mass of small ordinary acts, which, if you are lucky, does add up to something greater.

From Emily Manley

Hi Diana! I just want to say that I absolutly love all your books that I have read! I especialy love the chrestomanci series and would like to know if you are going to write any more? Oh I am writing a book too and you are the one who inspired me to, but it seems to be taking me a long time to finish the first chapter. How long did it take you to finish your book? Thanks a lot!!!!!!

Other Comments

I am 12 years old. love reading. Love all of your books! I go to Parrs wood high school in manchester and am in year 8. I love English but think that we should be able to do more work on books eg..reading in class and writing more stories!!!!!

Diana's Reply

The first book I ever finished writing was when I was about your age and it took most of a year. People at your stage of life never get enough time. These days I usually do a book in four to six months - but this is only usually. Some books took up to ten years. And I can't promise another Chrestomanci book, because I don't work by planning. I have to wait for a book to come up and hit me. If that one turns out to be a Chrestomanci book, then a lot of people will be happy, me included.

From Sarah R. Cattell

Ms.Jones, My question is how long does it nomally take you to write a book once you have gotten the idea and put pen to paper?

Other Comments

I absolutally love your Chrestomanci books. Granted I am only just about done the first volume, I have hardly been able to put down the book so I can get back to work, and to what else I need to do. I am 19 years old and work at Wal-Mart in Prince Frederick, Marlyland.

Diana's Reply

You asked a difficult question there. Sometimes a book will spring into my head in the middle of one afternoon and I will be writing away at it for the next six months, without any previous preparation at all. CHARMED LIFE was like this. But other books have a long, hard passage and can take up to ten years of thinking and refiguring. The odd thing is that no one knows which kind is which unless I tell them.

From Richard Starfield

Do you think that anyone can become an author if they really want to, or does it require a special talent you have to be born with (like magic in your books)?

Other Comments

I'm sixteen, and several times I've tried to start writing a book during a long holiday, but the plot often turns where I'm not expecting and then everything gets muddled... I have really enjoyed all of your books which I have read so far. The first one I read was The Lives of Christopher Chant, and I love the idea that somewhere there might be universes with magic in them... I've just read Power of Three - the next one I want to read is Deep Secret but I don't know if I'll be able to get it. I read a question on this page about time travel - my theory is that it may have occured/will occur/be occuring because if we discovered it now, would we rush off to medievil times and attempt to explain it to them? I think not - we'd probably say "leave them alone - they were happy the way they were" and anybody attempting to prove otherwise might "vanish"... In the Dalemark Quartet, does Drowned Ammet occur at a similar time to Cart and Cwidder? And is Tanaqui really Cennoreth? It seems to be hinted at throughout the book but its never said directly, although The Weaver does call Mage Mallard 'Duck' at some point, doesn't she? I think Hexwood is one of the best books I've ever read. Please keep writing, and thanks so much for answering the questions of the populace. Richard.

Diana's Reply

Anyone can be an author, of course, but it takes determination, because you have to teach yourself how to do it. Nobody else can really do it for you. It took me ten years, but I am slow to learn. I've just heard that DEEP SECRET is out of print in the British edition. get a bookshop to order you an American paperback. Yes, I agree. Time travel/crossworld travel may well be happening to us now, but they are not letting us know. There are quite a number of good sf books about this - nice one by Robert Silverberg for starters. And several by Andre Norton. DROWNED AMMET and CART AND CWIDDER overlap. CART AND CWIDDER happens in the early summer - the same gale is mentioned in each - but DROWNED AMMET starts years earlier and goes on into the autumn following the closing of Flennpass. Tanaqui is indeed Cennoreth.

Fanfiction

From Michela Ecks

Hello, My name is Michela Ecks. I am working on a paper for an english class at Northern Illinois University on fan fiction and copyright. For this paper I was hoping I could have some information from one of my favorite authors whom there is little to know information on this topic on the net. I was also hoping that I could have permission to post that information to my web site at http://writersu.s5.com/ and in particular to the page at http://writersu.s5.com/law/policy.html though I only really need the information for my paper. At any rate, if you have the time, I would be very happy if you could answer the following questions pertaining to fan fiction and copyright in regards to your own work for me: 1. Do you have a set policy regarding fan fiction derived from your stories? 2. If you have such a policy, what is it and why did you implement it? 3. If you have such a policy, is this a policy that you created yourself or was it created at an agent or lawyer's behest? (Which is the case with Katherine Kurtz, and Mercedes Lackey...) 4. If you allow fan fiction derived from your work, why? (Terry Pratchett was quoted some where as saying that it creates good will among fans. J.K. Rowlings said somewhere she found it flattering.) 5. What are you general feelings on fan fiction? Do these feelings differ when it is fan fiction based say on books versus television? Thank you for taking the time to read this note :o) Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Diana's Reply

My attitude to all information is that, once it is out in the public domain, then it is there for anyone to use. By all means post what information you want, where you want, but DO make sure it's accurate. Chinese Whispers sort of things can happen so easily. In answer to your other questions: 1. If I objected to fan fiction (or any other kind) derived from my stories, I'd be going mad by now. For instance, Neil Gaiman tells me - as if I needed telling - that he derived AMERICAN GODS from my EIGHT DAYS OF LUKE. I was pretty pleased. 2. I just say 'Feel free'. it would happen even if i didn't. 3. Heavens! Do some people use lawyers for this? The creeps get in everywhere. 4. Terry Pratchett, as always, speaks sound sense. 5. My opinion varies with the quality of what is written. Some is OUCH!!! Some is 'I wish I had thought of that!'

From Anna Beyer

I was wondering if you mind others writing fanfiction on your books and posting them online (at a place such as fanfiction.net). Most writer whose books are the center of fanfic there dont mind, but some sections have been deleted recently at the request of the author. Also, I was wondering exactlly how big an event must be to split a world. Does it need to be a war or something on that scale, or do small things such as whether or not to press the snooze button create more worlds. I ask because I wonder how it can be decided if events are large enough to create a split. In Chrestomanci's world, are females treated as equals of males, or are they stuck in the dark ages in that sense?? Are females just as likely to become powerfully magical as males, or is that rather rare? :) I hope i havent bored you have to death with my questions. I think your a marvelous writer, and I can't wait till your next book comes out!!!

Other Comments

I am 13 and I live in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina, in the US. I can daydream new stories for days on end just by reading a chapter of one of your stories. No other writer has this efect on me, and I hope you keep writing for many years to come.

Diana's Reply

I have no objection at all to people writing and posting fanfiction based on my books. Once a book is published, it is for everyone to do what they want with. I simply can't see why anyone would want fanfiction withdrawn. Must have been some special case there. Interesting question, how big an event would have to be to split a world. The large events like battles and meteor strikes are obvious, but after that you are into chaos theory. I've been fascinated by this ever since I read Asimov and his notion of the minimum necessary change. One of his is the simple shifting of a shortly-to-be-needed cannister to a shelf where it won't be found - rather on the lines of 'For want of a nail the battle was lost...' You can think of all sorts of these. But there could be others - like butterflies in Brazil - or a tree root growing across a certain path - or a piece of paper accidentally shredded - or someone's baby crying all night so they were not their best the next day - or.. Well, I'm sure you can go on. Usually I find it easier to deal with the larger events, like Napoleon winning the battle of Waterloo (which he damn near did), causing all the aristocrats swanning around in Belgium to flee to India, thus making the world of curry and treacle pudding that Chrestomanci remarks on.

Fire and Hemlock

From Marie Denley

In preparing a recent lecture on Fire and Hemlock for my Children's Fantasy Literature course, I looked closely at names, titles etc. and their sources. (Well, I am a medievalist trained partly by your husband, whom I admire just as much as I admire you, so you can expect that kind of minute pedantry!) (1) The 'heroic' titles: is 'Tan' anything to do with the Welsh for 'Fire', as a sort of honorific - 'the fiery one'? (2) Does 'Coul' have any relation to Finn Mac Cool, as a prominent Celtic hero? (3) I'm stumped about the origins of the other heroic names of the Dumas Quartet members. Are they out of your head? (4) I'm also stumped with 'Obah Cypt'. I keep wanting it to be either an anagram, or related to some other form of wordplay/word-and-idea associative pattern, devices you use prominently in the book (e.g. with the permutations of Nowhere, or with the poisonous-plant female names, Ivy and Laurel). I've always been hopeless at anagrams in crosswords.However, my students weren't able to spot anything so I feel slightly less obtuse. I have read around quite a lot to try to solve these; I apologise if I've missed an obvious source. Perhaps I shouldn't be nit-picking like this, but Fire and Hemlock is such a patterned book that you offer the temptation.(For example, I assumed that Hunsdon House was the eighties version of Huntly Bank from the ballad.) Writing that lecture was probably the most enjoyable experience of my career. Thank you for writing a superbly rewarding novel, and for being willing to answer questions.

Diana's Reply

How nice that you were trained by John. Ok, answers: 1. Like most things in FIRE AND HEMLOCK 'Tan' has a double source. It is partly the Welsh word for fire, but it is also an adaptation of the medieval 'Dan' as in 'Dan Chaucer'. 2. 'Coul' does probably reflect Finn Mac Cool, but it also is 'cool!' in the way kids use it. I think there are other origins in there, but I'm not sure what. 3. The other names of the quartet are indeed out of my head, but I usually find there is some good reason for names, like reflecting 'Hannibal' and 'audacity'. 'Thare' defeats me too, though. 4. the Obah Cypt first occurred to me in a totally different piece of writing which will probably always remain as a five-finger exercise, though it gave certain things to the stories the quartet wrote. 'Obah' is an adaptation of 'Obeah', the West Indian form of (black, quite often) magic. 'Cypt' is a sort of anagram of 'ptyx' which seems to be a sort of holy vessel or container in use on Christian altars. So the whole thing means 'a container for dark magic'. 5. Yes, but 'Hunsdon House' is also a very formal country dance.

From Rachel

I absolutely love all your books. It's been particularly interesting to reread now what I read first years ago and see how it's changed (Norse gods--who knew!) Anyway, I have a few questions. In Archer's Goon, where in the book is it proved that "pig's fly, making them hard to catch." I get all the others, but I just can't find any pigs. Also, what are the references in Laurel, Morton, and Sebastian Leroy's names? The only one I got was 'Lorelei.' Plus one little thing that is probably irrelevent: I've never been able to figure out whether the other members of the 'family' in Fire and Hemlock, the ones at the funeral, etc., are immortal as well. Since I'm a little obsessed with Fire and Hemlock, I spend a lot of my time musing about this and researching Tam Lin. Well, that's the end of my ramblings. Thanks!

Other Comments

I'm a sixteen year old who lives in children's book stores and endures odd looks from the sensible adults who step over her.

Diana's Reply

The reference to pigs in ARCHER'S GOON is to Dillian and her disappearing house. Dillian farms the police and police are often (particularly in America, but here too sometimes) called pigs. 'Leroy' means 'the King' and Laurel and Morton are, in some sense, queen and king of faerie. Laurel has 'Lorelei' in there, but laurel also symbolises triumph and long (or even everlasting) life. It's only one of the names she takes over the centuries. Sebastian was the saint who was shot full of arrows. If you look at things from his point of view, he had a lot to bear. 'Morton' is a name that glances at 'mort' - death. Yes, the others at the funeral are mostly immortal too. One of them is Robin Goodfellow - ie Puck. I hope the sensible adults don't kick you as they step over.

From Libby

(Must start off with flattery...) I've just been reading the answers to the questions from March 2001, and I've noticed several times that you've mentioned things about your books coming true. Well, people always say "write what you know..." and I noticed that you gave Tom Lynn that gift in Fire and Hemlock. This wasn't a coincidence, was it? I loved F&H although it was so different from most of your other things -- took place in the "real" world (although we all know that it isn't the only one). Funniest thing happened -- I felt just like POlly -- I'd read the book last year, forgotten the title, and hadn't realized it until I started reading... So, was that jinx a coincidence, and will you be writing another part in the Chrestomanci series or the Dark Lord of Derkholm/Year of the Griffin series? S'il vous plait? Also -- who was the Chrestomanci in the Magicians of Caprona? Is TOUGH GUIDE TO FANTASYLAND available in the US? I haven't been able to find a copy. Thanks for listening to this loooong ramble! Thank you THANK YOU THANK YOU!! for writing such wonderful books.... don't ever stop. Know of a gateway to any related worlds in the Midwest US?

Diana's Reply

There are gateways all over, to go backwards through your message. The Tough Guide certainly IS available in the US. Ask a bookstore to order you a copy from Daw Books. The Chrestomanci was the same one in all the books - except for THE LIVES OF CHRISTOPHER CHANT, where that was Gabriel de Witt. And I can't tell you what I'll be writing next because I don't know myself usually until I start. And no, it was no coincidence about the things coming true in FIRE AND HEMLOCK. I was hoping to lay the jinx by this, but no chance. They still happen at me.

From jenni

about the book fire and hemlock, who is that woman Laurel suppose to be, like what kind of a moster is she and did she die?? what happened to the people after the car(horse) knocked into the rose bushes? what does the fire and hemlock picture signify? how did they overcome polly's charm

Diana's Reply

Laurel is the dreaded (and loved) immortal goddess who likes to carry off young men. She doesn't die. She has to take someone else's life to keep on living. The other people disappeared at the end when the car knocked over the rose bushes because they were immortals too and they were, for the moment, defeated. The fire and hemlock picture is the the thing called an Obah Cypt which was really a spell to enslave Mr Lynn's soul. Polly's charm was only a weak little opal. Strong magic can suck a thing like that dry in seconds.

Howl's Moving Castle / Castle in the Air

From Mashael Zaidi

Hi! I absolutely love Howl's Moving Castle (so much that when I first read it 4 years ago from the library, I wanted it so bad so that I could reread it that I typed it up on my computer...everyone thought I was crazy) and I wanted to know more about (I know you haven't written the sequel for it yet but you might have some ideas) life with Sophie, Howl, and Morgan, as well as what Lettie and Wizard Suliman's child's name is(is it a girl or a boy?). Basically, I wanted to know if you had any ideas for what they would be like in the future, names, traits, anything at all:) I already read that Morgan would have his parents worst traits, which is the most perfectly lovable and hilarious idea:)

Other Comments

I'm an almost 18 year old about to head off to university and I've cherished your characters from Howl's Moving Castle since I was 14. I also have a special affection for Poly and Thomas, as well as everyone from Castle in the Air.

Diana's Reply

I am IMPRESSED. You typed the whole book? You must know it almost as well as I do - in fact I know you do because you realise that Morgan would grow up with Sophie's faults as well as Howl's. I think Lettie's baby was a girl, wasn't it? When the book does get written I think some of the other kids in it will be the children of the two fat nieces and Dalzel. But I don't know more than that yet.

From Angela Nguyen

Hi! how are you? Well ive read your book called castle in the air and i'm doing a book report on that book and i would just like to know more infomation about. Anything will do just a bit more infomation will do. thank you. Angela

Other Comments

Well i just want to say i really enjoy reading your books. bye

Diana's Reply

I think all you need to know is either in the book or on the website.

From Katie

Is there any chance of another book with Howl and Sophie? (Howl's Moving Castle is my favourite)

Other Comments

I hope you do write another book with Howl and Sophie.

Diana's Reply

I keep wanting to do another book about Howl, but it so far won't come to me.

From Margaret

My favorite book of yours is Howl's Moving Castle. I've loved it for years and years. I have read the sequel to it and was wondering if you plan on writing another.

Other Comments

I'm 19 and am attending school in California. I am a music and technical theatre major. My mother is a librarian so you can imagine how early I started devouring books.

Diana's Reply

Yes, I would like to do another book about the moving castle, but, even though I know a lot of things that would be in it, the book has not yet shown itself ready to be written. It's something I keep in mind though. (I may say I have tried to do this book five times, and it still isn't ready).

From Aifric Ní Ruairc

Dear Diana, I would really love for you to write another book about Sophie and Howl. They are so interesting and I want to know more about them. I loved Howls's Moving Castle and Castle In The Air. Any chance of another?

Other Comments

I am 11 years old. I love reading but your books are my favourite. I think that even J.K. Rowling robs your i

Diana's Reply

I would really love to write another book about Sophie and Howl, but it doesn't happen that easily. I would love to have Morgan in it when he is older and also the kids of the two fat nieces (who I know were born with tiny useless wings and rather long teeth) but books don't come to me because I plan them. They happen at me, and so far a new book about Sophie and Howl hasn't happened.

From Aaron Casto

I was wondering how you came to make the story of Howls Moving Castle?

Other Comments

I am 13 and have read Howls Moving Castle 4 times.

Diana's Reply

I made the story of HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE because I visited a school where a boy of almost exactly your age asked me if I'd ever written a book about a moving castle. That turned out to be the spark that set the book going.

From Hong

I love how you twisted the Fairy Tale formula in "Howl's Moving Castle", especially the stepmother and "eldest of three" aspect. I'm someone who loves fairy tales but at the same time, enjoys making parodies of them and I wondered if you felt the same way. And will we see Michael or Martha again soon? And definitely, where can I get a Howl of my own?

Other Comments

Sophie and Howl are my current favorite couple, which I find surpisingly because not until the very end was there even a hint of romance. Not even romance novels have given me a couple as satisfying as those two are. I simply adore them, on their own and together.

Diana's Reply

You'll have to join a very long line to get a Howl of your own, unless you happen to run into him before the rest of us! The line now stretches all the way round the world. Yes, I do like incorporating fairy tales into my books - and not usually twisting them, more adapting them to the present day - because they are the kind of tale that says more about life and people than any other. And, as I have written to other people on this page, nothing seems to make a new book about Howl and the others GO anywhere yet, although I have made several tries. Books will never be forced.

On Harry Potter

From Elizabeth Brown

Dear Diana, I'm a new reader of your books and I was wondering if you were a little upset about the Harry Potter boom and some of the "adaptations" JK Rowling made from your books?

Other Comments

19 and wishing the bookshops had more of your stuff

Diana's Reply

Yes, I was a little upset, because that amount of borrowing merits some kind of acknowledgement at least. I just don't know how deliberate the plagiarism was. And I got very tired of scandal-seeking pressmen asking what my feelings were. I usually gave them a smoooth answer about how good it was for the genre and was always pleased when they said 'You're no fun!' and went away.

From nadine

i just have to say, i think your books are amazing, and i think you are one of the most underrated childrens author! but what do you think of the harry potter series by j.k. rowling?

Diana's Reply

Thank you. I enjoyed the Harry Potter books, but I did find some parts of them strangely familiar.

From Alisha

Witch book was published first, "Charmed Life" or JK Rowlings Harry Potter books. There are alot of same things in the books. Your books are great!

Other Comments

Im 14 years old, and I love to read alot of different kinds of books!

Diana's Reply

My books were published 25 - 20 years before the Harry Potter books. My guess is that JK Rowling read them when she was your age. I think she must have liked them.

From Emmanuel

First, I want to thank Diana for her answer to my preceeding question, on the possible inspiration by J.K. Rowling on her own writings. Speaking with friends about this possibility, I learned today that a writer called Nancy Stouffer is filing a lawsuit against J.K. Rowling for copying her book "The Legend of Rah and the Muggles", featuring a young hero called Larry Potter and published in 1984. An article on this matter has been published in "Le Voir" a newspaper from Quebec in Canada. So I just want to pass this piece of information to Diana for her reference.

Diana's Reply

Thank you. I had heard about Nancy Stouffer actually. The fact that she was not Rowling's only source adds to my feeling that she sopped up these things unconsciously when she was young. Did you know - this is something similar - that Beatrix Potter lived as a child near a big London cemetary where the graves are, to this day, labelled Peter Rabbett and Jeremiah Fisher, both people who died before BP was born? What I mean is that things stick in your head when you're young and you don't always know where you got them from.

From Sara Krasner

I absolutely love Diana's Chrestomanci series! But I also love the Harry Potter books. Does Diana Wynne Jones ever feel uncomfortable having a little "competition"? Even if she does, I still think her books are wonderful.

Other Comments

I'm 13 and I really appreciate Diana's work. I hope she keeps on writing. She brightens the imaginations of her readers. Her books are definetly on my favorite books list!

Diana's Reply

'Competition' isn't really a problem to most writers. Most of the time you're delighted that someone has liked your books enough to do something similar - for instance the current best-selling fantasy in America was inspired by my book EIGHT DAYS OF LUKE and the writer sent it to me before it was published to see what I thought. And I told him FANTASTIC! And look at it this way: most books are only several hundred pages long and people can't keep rereading them too often, so they will naturally then want to read another book quite like it. So nobody loses.

From Lisa Jo Rudy

Dear Diana, I discovered your books as a grown up -- introduced by an editor who was helping me along with my own YA novels. I believe the first book I read was Witch Week -- and I found it to be one of the most original and intriguing works of fantasy I had ever read. I'm reading my way through your entire booklist now. Yet somehow, even with an interest in YA fantasy and SF, no one had ever sung your praises to me! Knowing all that -- I have to ask you how you feel about the extraordinary reactions folks are having to Harry Potter. I had one friend of my parents tell me how marvelous it was that someone had come up with the idea of writing about a school for wizards... and how wonderful to read about MAGIC of all things! I mean -- they're great fun, well written -- but Rowling seems to be getting credit for inventing the fantasy genre! Thanks so much for your thoughts.

Other Comments

Would you be willing to read and/or comment on unpublished sf/fantasy? I know this is probably an outrageous imposition but hey -- it can't hurt to ask!

Diana's Reply

Best wishes for your YA novels. And, yes, I don't think I can be the only writer of YA fantasy who gets irritated that most adults seem to think Rowling invented the genre. You do wonder what all these ignorant people were reading when they were young.

From Shaun

Hi Diana, I don't mean to be irritating, just curious. My question is: between your own books and JK Rowling's Harry Potter books, whose would you prefer to read and why? Have you read all of the HP books? Do they fascinate you?

Other Comments

I'm 22 this year

Diana's Reply

Well, actually, I'd always rather read a book by someone else. I know too well what's coming next in my own books. This problem, unfortunately, arises with the Harry Potter books too. I hope I never end up on a desert island with only the choice you gave me!

From Cody Kinker

What do you think of the Harry Potter series? Are you going to write a sequel to your book Witch Week? (thats my favorite book you have written) Also do you write the anwers yourself?

Other Comments

13years old male

Diana's Reply

I do write the answers myself. No one else knows what the answers should be. When you ask about a sequel to WITCH WEEK, do you mean something that isn't the other books about the enchanter Chrestomanci? The problem with WITCH WEEK is that by the end of that book the world that it happens in is destroyed, melted back into our own world, and it would be hard to do a sequel from here.

Dark Lord of Derkholm / Year of the Griffin / Tough Guide

From Paul Andinach

I've been rereading 'The Dark Lord of Derkholm' recently, and some of the character names have been bothering me; I keep getting the feeling that there's some trick to the pronunciation. Is "Derk" pronounced to rhyme with "irk" or "ark"? Is there some trick to Mr Chesney's name, or is it pronounced the way it's spelled? Are there any other character names (in any of your books) with tricky pronunciations we should know about?

Other Comments

I'm 20 years old, and I live in Australia. I've been a Diana Wynne Jones fan for years and years and years. I think the world would be a dimmer and less interesting place without any Diana Wynne Jones books in it. Thank you very much, Diana.

Diana's Reply

'Derk' is pronounced 'urk'. I think it is that world's form of Derek, but I wanted it to be like a knife-name, like Blade. And, well, Chesney COULD be pronounced to rhyme with Disney - I certainly had that in mind. But don't tell any lawyers. Thank you for enjoying my books. You have no idea how encouraging it is when someone tells me that.

From Liz

I just finished reading The Year of the Griffin and was wondering if there are going to be any more books about Derkholm.

Diana's Reply

There will be more books about Derkholm because I have sworn so to my sister, but I'm afraid I won't be able to start on one until next year at least.

From moira

do plan on writing any more books that are set in the world of year of the griffin and dark lord of derkholm... i really enjoyed them and would love to see more

Diana's Reply

yes, I swear, I have sworn, I love writing about griffins.

From Rose

When will you make the sequel to Year Of The Griffen?

Other Comments

I love your books andI love to read. I hope you keep up the hard work.

Diana's Reply

I am not sure when I will do the sequel to YEAR OF THE GRIFFIN. I am still thinking about what will be in it.

From Hannah

Hi my name's Hannah and I'm sorry if someone's already asked this but I couldn't find it anywhere. But, is there a sequel to Year of a Griffin? I bought it last week and I'd finished it the same day. It was absolutely brilliant and I read it again the following day, but I desperately need more of the same!!!! Is there a sequel? If there isn't, please please please can you write another? Write a whole series. Twenty if not more!!!! And make Kit and Elda the main characters!!! Please!!!! I first read the Skiver's guide when I found it a jumble sale and I was hooked. I didn't manage to find anymore of your books until I found a section in my local bookshop saying "if you liked Harry..you'll love this" and they had all your Chrestomanci series. Ever since, I've have been begging, cajoling and threatening my friends with death (not really) to read your books. I really love the world you've created with Dark lord of Derkholm and all that's keeping me going through my AS-levels is that someday you will write a third instalment if one doesn't already exist!!! A little bit of emotional blackmail will do my cause no end of harm but I want to say that you are a brilliant and humane writer and I think your books deserve to be as widely known as HP as they are just as good if not better. So I say it again! Please please please please please write more books about Derk's world, I know it's not up to me and I can't force you but I'm still going to try! Thanks for all you've written, Hannah (o:

Other Comments

I'm 16 and I live in London. I am an AS-level student and I don't know whether to study Chemistry or English at university, Arg! (o: I love reading I miss it so much, now that I have so litle time. Thanks for many hours of pleasure in the school library and at home when I've been reading your books.

Diana's Reply

My sister feels the same way as you do about YEAR OF THE GRIFFIN and has made me swear a solemn oath that I will write more about griffins in Derk's world. So, you see I have to write it eventually. I am as sorry as you are that it isn't NOW. I have been terribly busy these last two years with other things, and then I was ill, so nothing has been written at all lately. Do not despair though. I love writing about Kit and Elda and almost can't wait. Best of luck in your AS-levels.

From Justin

I'm currently reading the Derkholm books and went back to read the Tough Guide as prep (Loved the mention of "Gna'ash" in Dark Lord of Derkholm :)! ) and realized the map is Europe upside down. Then I further realized that the placenames, for the most part, are anagrams of real places (Caysib=Biscay; Rowany=Norway) and was wondering if that was intentional? If so, what does "Nuneaton" represent? Also, will Harper keep the books in constant print? I've been picking them up as I find them, but stores have been having a difficult time ordering them.

Other Comments

Charmed Life was actually the first fantasy I ever read, followed by the other three Chrestomanci books. Now, at 17, I've read all the big authors, including all the works of yours I can find in the Seattle area. Thanks for getting me into this wonderful genre!

Diana's Reply

The map of Europe upside down in the TOUGH GUIDE was the idea of my agent's daughter (who is also my goddaughter) when she was about 14. We thought it was brilliant of her. Then my agent and I had a wonderful day's fun filling in names, a lot of them, as you realised, normal names backwards, and some just made up, like The Scrots. But my agent said one of the things that always annoyed and amused her was the way one or two names on the maps were always names of improbably ordinary towns - like Nuneaton. So we put in Nuneaton, though it could easily have been Bognor Regis or Hartlepool or Devizes. I hope Harper will keep the books in print. But you never know with publishers. At the moment they are reissuing most of them, so I hope your bookshop will be able to get hold of them. The ordering of books is ridiculously difficult. I have had a book on order from the States for four months now and there's still no sign of it.

[blametheeditor]

Jeremy Messed Up: Chapter 1

NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES

The Sequel To Mike Messed Up 

Previous  |  Next

Mike was just a night guard waiting to be killed by the end of the week. Now, he is the proud, and soon to be sole owner, of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. Business is booming, animatronics are teeming with life, and Foxy is back in the spotlight after so many years. Even so, the dark past of Freddy's is slowly encroaching upon them. One with more ties than they could ever imagine.

Content Warnings: Mentions of death, want to harm someone, cursing (lots of cursing), mentions of being followed

___________________________

"I wish you good luck Mike! You're gonna need it!"

Mr. Seal removes his name tag and Freddy Fazbear tie, tossing them carelessly onto the counter beside the entrance's cash register, a growing smile plastered onto his face.

"But, I guess I really don't care! So have the greatest last day of your life!"

The man then reaches for the restaurant's doors. The very doors he had been saving everything in order to buy. Every last penny he could scrounge up, making sure he was living on almost nothing just to become the owner of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria.

The joy. The thrill. The promise.

...what a fucking waste.

But now it was over! What he thought would be his downfall was really a dream come true! And it was all thanks to the little asshole currently yelling for-!

"FREDDY!"

Well fuck me.

Before Mr. Seal could so much as think of sprinting as far as he possibly can for good, a paw suddenly latches onto the back of his uniform. Not even a full second later and the grasp becomes solid, stating he was, in fact, stuck here. And just to add salt to the goddamn wound, he is then lifted and held up by the back of his shirt like a kitten needing a time out.

Why they listen to the brat without hesitation was beyond him. Not to mention humiliating.

"Already on it," Freddy responds, looking over the former restaurant owner with a critical eye. Mr. Seal doesn't even so much as twitch as he dangles however. Only glaring at the kids currently giggling up at him with arms crossed in anger.

That's when Mike comes tearing out of the East Hallway, seeming as if he was haphazardly thrown together. Of course he had four helpful and loyal animatronics by his side to run the restaurant now under his command, but the stress of everything seemed to have caught up to him.

Late nights of paperwork, late nights of fixing when Chica got dough inside her joints, Bonnie with his ears being yanked on harshly by little kids, Foxy running into way too many walls, and Freddy never being one to actually tell him when something is wrong, late nights of counting the steadily growing profits, late nights protecting the restaurant, late nights helping design new shows, late nights discussing new songs...

Now that Freddy looks at him, Mike seemed exhausted almost. He's been doing so much for them, without ever slowing down. It actually slipped their mind he's only human. Maybe he could get him to finally take a break.

But, at the moment, he had another problem to attend to. One a certain Mike would most likely begin cursing about for no specific reason.

"What the f-!"

"Language, Michael," Freddy warns with a murderous glare. The person they will kill for or not, he was going to get stuffed if he speaks harsh words with children around.

"-azbear do you think you're doing!" Mike amends, skidding to a halt before the towering animatronic. A smirk decorates his face at seeing how pissed up both the bear and his apparent 'partner' were. Of course one was pissed about being held in the air like a kitten, the other for his name being used as a curse word, but, hey, the kids were getting a kick out of it!

Oh, yeah, kids. Is it really day time? God he's had too much coffee. What was going on? Mr. Fuck doing something again? Leaving?

Right! Leaving! And more ominous quotes to his pleasure of adding cause fuck logic!

"What do you mean 'greatest last day'?"

"Exactly what I mean," Mr. Seal states. A moment passes with two sets of bright blue eyes staring at him, causing the man to kick at the animatronic's arm before huffing. "What?"

"You can't just say 'exactly what I mean', dude. Creepy as-"

"Michael."

"...Bonnie."

"Hey!" said bunny exclaims, whipping around to find Chica snickering quietly as he glares at her.

His red gaze turns pitiful when Foxy bursts out laughing. He quickly turns to Mike for help, Freddy even. Being open meant he can't just tackle the son of a bitch and teach him a lesson right then and there. But apparently the only people who'd help him were ignoring him! And-

Wait a goddamn minute! Are the parents laughing at him, too!

"Why would this be my last day?" Mike demands softly.

His leg just healed. He's been running around like a chicken who's head was cut off while still running this once hell hole of a children's paradise. If Mr. Seal wanted to hurt him again, using those who have even taken care of him this entire time, and with innocent people's lives on the line, he will kill him.

And Freddy looked just about ready to.

"You better have a good explanation for this, Mr. Seal," the animatronic breathes, eyes nearly bleeding to black.

"I'm not pulling another stunt," the man offers. A glance off to the little bastards who were making fun of him, and he gives a pointed look to the ground.

Mike nods once before Freddy obliges. And with the former restaurant owner set onto the ground, they can finally speak like civilized people. No need to-

"Oh come on!"

"Talk," the bear murmurs as Mr. Seal attempts to rip away from the steal grip still keeping him in place.

"You've simply broken the contract, Mr. Schmidt, " is all he says. A smile then begins to appear, growing brighter as Mike becomes pale, confused. Afraid.

One, being called 'Mr. Schmidt' is a death sentence. He was either 'Mr. Shit', or 'Shit', something Bonnie has quickly warmed up to and will forever state his name is, in fact, anything but Mike.

But being called by your true last name with the proper title at the beginning was impossible. So impossible he and Foxy believe he has flesh eating moths that are summoned just by that to hunt the targeted person and murder them.

Don't ask them why. Just, moths.

TWO! Two! Uh...there really was no two.

Well, other than the fact that, apparently breaking a rule in the employee handbook allows Mr. Seal to kill him, and almost doing so not even a few months ago, then yes, there was much to worry about.

What contract? He was never given one even after becoming the 'official' owner of the restaurant under his boss' guiding hand. Was there really something to be worried about? Will he lose this place? Will they get scrapped and melted for parts and steel? Is he going to face death again? Will he lose this time? Like he's always been told would happen?

This was too much. Mike was working his ass off, losing sleep and losing sanity all the while. He wasn't eating, wasn't even leaving the restaurant. So many people were telling him he was going such a great job, parents thanking him over and over again for some reason.

The man's eyes suddenly widen as his breathing quickens. The room begins to spin, unable to tell what was where. What was what, even. Just a blur morphing into a vortex sucking him into nothingness. And in between the high-speed winds, the motion and movement going around and around, faces peered inside. Clear faces.

Freddy was watching him, concerned. Even Bonnie. Chica appeared just like the rest before fading just as quickly as Foxy. Even Mr. Seal appeared, only, he wasn't Mr. Seal. Then the animatronics came back, only...different. A lot different. But just as quickly they faded away.

The room faded away. He wasn't spinning anymore. As if it was all just a hallucination.

How long since he went to sleep? How long since he actually sat down and ate a proper meal? Took care of himself even? He showered and brushed his teeth, but something seemed to be missing. Something not even the voice repeating his name gently could give.

Wait, who the hell was saying his name? Damn it did he not answer the phone?

"Mike."

Freddy's equivalent of a heart skips a beat as the man he owes his life to for saving his family suddenly stumbles away. His paw quickly tightens around the flailing arm, pulling Mike closer to steady him as those eyes quickly focus once more. And it didn't escape his notice the human was now leaning heavily on one leg. The one that wasn't broken from their 'first' adventure.

Seems like it won't be their last.

"Looks like you're driving yourself into the ground, Mike," Mr. Seal finally announces.

God the kid looked awful. He hasn't really been paying attention considering the brat ruined his entire life essentially. And he never had the reason to considering the admittedly bright little bastard only needed to be told how to do everything once. After that he didn't even attempt to help with the place. He got payed either way.

Turns out Mike took things a bit too seriously. Or maybe he should've helped just a little more...

"Why the hell haven't you told me about this contract?" he's finally questioned. Even with Freddy attempting to make him head back to the office and rest, those eyes lock onto him, apparently back in the real world.

And as Mr. Seal looks Mike over once more, he can't but feel as if he screwed the guy over. Said guy screwed him over, but he looked ready for death. Something he not only begged but almost caused a little while ago.

Why can’t he just take one win! One!

"Well, I thought it'd be better to hear it from the person you work under, now."

"Odd way to put it, Mr. Seal."

Mike can't help but glare at the seemingly random customer butting into their conversation. Sure he seemed pretty tall and strong, but like hell he would let this asshole just do whatever he wants! Not with Freddy fucking Fazbear on his side!

"Mr...Mr. Emily?"

...goddamn it.

Prologue  |  Chapter 1  |  Chapter 2  |  Chapter 3  |  Chapter 4  |  Chapter 5  |  Chapter 6  |  Chapter 7  |  Chapter 8  

[sharperthewriter]

Chapter 25 of Roneo and Kimliet

Chapter 25

(Feb. 14, 2006, 5:18pm)

And so, the third scene of act one began. This was the moment of truth for Kim, now that she was in the shoes of Juliet whether she liked it or not.

Entering the stage first were Zita and Ashley A, playing Lady Capulet and the Nurse respectively.

"Nurse, where's my daughter? Tell her to come to me." Zita asked.

Ashley A replied, "I already told her to come. Come on! Where is she? What is she doing? What, Juliet!"

Kim took a deep breath, script in hand.

It's only a play, Possible. It's only a play.

With confidence, she entered the stage.

"What is it? Who's calling me?" Kim asked.

Ashley A replied, snickering, "Your mother."

"Madam, I'm here. What do you want?" Kim asked.

"I'll tell you what's the matter-Nurse, leave us alone for a little while. We must talk privately..." Zita said as Ashley A was about to leave the stage.

"Nurse, come back here. I just remembered, you can listen to our secrets. You know how young my daughter is."

What? Kim's heart was beating a bit faster.

"Yes, I know her age down to the hour." Ashley A countered.

"She's not even fourteen." Zita said while reading her highlighted parts.

Zita, you know that I am about to be 17 in a few weeks...but I'll roll with it. Kim thought to herself, her heart rate slowing down.

"I'd bet fourteen of my own teeth-but, I'm sorry to say, I only have four teeth-she's not fourteen. How long is it until Lammastide?" Ashley A asked.

"Two weeks and a few odd days." came Zita's reply.

Ashley A then went in to a long monologue.

" Whether it's even or odd, of all the days in the year, on the night of Lammas Eve, she'll be fourteen . She and Susan were born on the same day. Well, Susan died and she was too good for me. But like I said, on the night of Lammas Eve, she will be fourteen. Yes, she will. Indeed, I remember it well. It's been eleven years since the earthquake. She stopped sucking on her thumb that day."

Ashley A grinned to herself.

I think we should add big thumb-sucking baby to the list of insults on Possible.

Cara lowly growled at another change to the script of the removal of more objectionable content, but allowed the play to continue.

Ashley A continued with the censored monologue, "Juliet always loved to suck on her thumb but she got tired of it eleven years ago. By then she could stand up all by herself. No, I swear, by that time she could run and waddle all around. I remember because she had cut her forehead just the day before. My late husband picked up the child and said 'Did you fall on your face? You'll get smarter as you get older. Won't you, Jule." And I swear, the poor pretty thing stopped crying and said, 'Yes.' Oh, to watch a joke come true! I bet if I live a thousand years, I'll never forget it. 'Won't you, Jule,' he said. And the pretty fool stopped crying and said, 'Yes!'

Kim lowly grumbled to herself.

So far, so good.

"Enough of this. Please be quiet!" Zita exclaimed.

Ashley A continued, though, from the script.

"Yes ,madam. But I can't help laughing to think that the baby stopped crying and said, "Yes." I swear, she had a bump on her forehead as big as a rooster's head. It was a painful bruise, and she was crying bitterly. And my late husband said the same thing to the young Juliet!"

Kim growled at Ashley A, "Now you stop too, Nurse, please!"

Ashley A replied with a line removed due to a religious reference.

"Peace. I'm done talking. If I live to see you get married someday, all my wishes will come true!"

Zita replied "Well, marriage is exactly what we have to discuss. Tell me, my daughter Juliet, what is your attitude about getting married?"

Kim was blushing red in the face upon hearing Zita say that. Ashley A took in this surreal scene with glee, hoping to report that part back to Bonnie.

It's only a play, Possible. Again, forget the...Scottish play...and get back to the real world!

Kim continued, the blush on her cheeks getting lighter.

"It is an honor that I do not dream of."

Zita then replied, again with some of the dialogue being cut out for obvious reasons.

"Well, start thinking about marriage now and I am going to say this quickly: the valiant Paris wants you as his bride."

Ashley A added, "What a man, young lady. He's as great a man as any in the whole world. He's as perfect as if he were sculpted from wax.

Zita replied, "Summertime in Verona has no flower as fine as him."

"No, he's a fine flower, truly, a flower." quipped Ashley A.

Zita then added in a monologue.

"What do you say? Can you love this gentleman? Tonight you'll see him at our feast. Study Paris's face and find pleasure in his beauty. Examine every line of his features and see how they work together to make him handsome. If you are confused, just look into his eyes. This man is single, and he lacks only a bride to make him perfect and complete. As is right, fish live in the sea, and it's wrong for a beauty like you to hide from a handsome man like him. Many people think he's handsome, and whoever becomes his bride will be just as admired. You would share all that he possesses, and by having him, you would lose nothing. Answer quickly! Can you accept Paris's love?"

Kim then replied, "I'll look at him and try to like him, at least if what I see is likable. But I won't let myself fall for him any more than your permission allows."

Troy Bolton then came on the stage, playing as Peter.

"Madam, the guests are here. dinner is served, people are calling for you, people have asked for Juliet, and in the pantry, people are cursing the Nurse, Everything's out of conlrol. I must go and serve the guests. Please, follow straight after me." he said his lone part in the scene.

"We'll follow you. Juliet. the count is waiting for you!" Zita replied.

"Go. girl. look for a man who'll give you happy nights at the end of happy days!" Ashley A said, with a slight grin on her face. She, along with all the girls in Bonnie's group, would expect Kim to show up...alone...at Junior Prom a few months from now.

And with that, scene three ended.

[avictimofthejazz]

👶--Scene from Childhood/Jim Street @bonnie-barstow-of-flag

The puppy whined and squirmed, trying to lick James ‘Jim’ Street’s chin but the ten-year-old just pushed him down gently and kept examining his floppy ears for burrs. Even when he heard slow footsteps coming up behind him, Jim did not look up from his task.

“I had a word with Charlie Benson at the store this evening.” His grandpa sat down on the porch steps. “He says you were picking fights at school.” Joseph Chesterson studied his grandson’s profile, noting the way Jim’s jaw tightened as he started checking the puppy’s paws. Joseph kept talking, “I told Charlie he must have had the wrong Jim Street. The Jim Street I know doesn’t go around behaving like that.” He studied his grandson another minute. “Well? Does the Jim Street I know go around picking fights at school?”

Jim buried his fingers in his puppy’s fur and finally let the animal lick his cheeks. “No sir. I don’t go around picking fights.” He swallowed and pulled his puppy closer. “But I do finish ‘em sometimes.” Joseph smiled faintly. “Charlie told me you sent Joey home with a black eye and a bloody nose. I don’t see any marks on you though.” “Joey wasn’t expecting me to hit him, sir.” Jim finally looked up at his grandpa. “I’ve been telling him since the end of Christmas break to leave me alone and it’s the start of May now. I gave him lots of chances to stop picking on me and, if he had, I wouldn’t have hit him!” Lips quirking up into a smile, Joseph reached over to rub the puppy’s ears. Jim had a surprisingly long fuse for a boy his age—he could take a good deal of harassment and teasing before it finally burned down. When it did burn down, though, he reacted quickly and precisely. Even at ten, he never cared to waste his energy. He was a lot like his father in that regard. Gabriel Street had an even, smooth temperament and kept his head well under pressure. Ironically, that was part of what got the young Private First Class killed back in ’53. “So what was he picking on you about?” “Mom.” Jim looked down and rubbed his cheek against his puppy’s head. “And….dad.” The hesitation was clear in his voice. He worried his bottom lip for a minute before continuing. “Joey’s been telling everyone that Mom and Dad didn’t get married….that she ran off with him and he left her because he didn’t want me. That’s why she had to come back to White Rock.” Joseph sighed and rubbed at his forehead. That serving of hateful gossip had been going around since Nora came home with Jim. With Gabriel dead, she had nowhere else to go and Arizona held few prospects for her. Though they told everyone what happened to Gabriel overseas, White Rock’s gossip mill distorted the facts and turned Nora into a cautionary tale against running off with handsome young men. Jim, unfortunately, often found himself caught in the crossfire of these rumors. “So that’s why you hit him?” “I told him to stop—lots of times.” Jim insisted earnestly. “I told him my dad got killed in Korea and mom still has the flag from his funeral! I told him Mom has a few photos of Dad with me when he came back on Leave that one time—that Dad didn’t go because of me. He left because the Army sent him overseas!” Then he paused and pulled his puppy closer. “But guys like Joey don’t want facts, do they?” “No.” Joseph agreed quietly but said no more, giving Jim a space to air his thoughts. After a moment of thinking, his brow crinkling in concentration, Jim spoke again. “Guys like Joey just want to pick on someone. He wants to feel like he’s better than me so he’s going to run his mouth a lot and make believe that makes him somebody important. Doesn’t matter if he lies about it….or makes stuff up. And he beats up lots of other kids too….like Lewis.” Jim named the token nerd of his class—a skinny boy who wore all his older brother’s hand-me-downs, and big, wire-rim glasses that used to belong to his grandfather because his parents could only afford the lens, not frames to go with them. “He steals Donny’s lunch because Donny’s black.” Jim mused, “And he pulls Sally’s braids because Sally wouldn’t give him a kiss at recess one time. And he throws spitballs at Miss Ferguson…which isn’t good because she’s the nicest teacher I’ve ever had. He put a tack in her chair too once…and a mousetrap in her desk drawer. That’s how she broke her finger right before Christmas.” Joseph’s eyes slowly widened as Jim casually recounted his classmate’s reign of terror. The whole town knew that Charlie threw his weight around because he earned a medal in Korea, and he thought it made him a somebody. They also knew that his son Joey was a brat, but Joseph had no idea the boy’s behavior had gotten this bad. “How long has Joey been bullying everyone like this?” He finally asked, only to earn a shrug from his grandson. “Joey’s always been like that—even in first grade he used to put tacks in peoples’ chairs and make Lewis hand over the cookies in his lunch. But he’s gotten worse this year.” Jim set his puppy down on the ground, just for the dog to affectionately flop at his feet and roll onto his back. He leaned over and rubbed the dog’s belly fondly. “I suppose it’s because no one’s ever stood up to him before.” “Until you punched him?” Joseph gently prompted. “I guess so. He really acted like it’s the first time someone hit him.” Jim admitted. “Maybe he won’t give me as much trouble tomorrow….” “He’ll think twice about it anyways, since he knows you’ll stand up to him now.” Jim nodded; his attention seemingly focused on his dog. The puppy wiggled, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he fixed adoring chocolate brown eyes on the boy. After a moment, Jim spoke again. “Am I in trouble for hitting Joey?” “Did you enjoy hitting him?” Jim frowned, considering his answer before he spoke. “Not really. I thought maybe I would but when I did, and he started bleeding…well I didn’t enjoy that much. I just wanted him to leave me alone.” “Then no, you’re not in trouble.” Joseph smiled down at the puppy. “It sounds like that boy was due for a black eye anyways. Now if you’d gone picking the fight yourself, or enjoyed beating him up then it would be a different story.” “What’s the difference?” Jim squinted. “There are two kinds of people who fight in this world, Jim. There are ones like Joey—they’re bullies who like to pick on anybody they think is smaller or weaker than they are. They throw their weight around because it makes them feel important. Then there are fighters—like your Dad and like you. You don’t fight because you like beating other people up. You fight because bad guys need to be stopped and sometimes that’s the only way to do it.” “Oh….” Jim scrunched his nose thoughtfully. Then he frowned. “Do I still have to go to Confession?” Joseph blinked. Then he laughed and ruffled Jim’s hair. “Your mother and grandmother will probably make you go on Saturday—but I don’t think Father Don will be to upset. I’ll lay you odds he got in fights when he was a boy too.” Jim’s eyes widened as he tried to reconcile the idea of the eighty-year-old patriarch of St. Michaels, with his head of wispy white hair and his cane, getting into school yard scrapes sometime before the turn of the 20th century. The skeptical gleam darkening his eye suggested that he did not quite accept that mental image. Joseph just laughed as Jim’s expression grew more pensive. “Come on…your grandmother nearly has supper on the table. Let’s go get cleaned up.” Jumping to his feet, Jim waited for his puppy to flop back onto his stomach and re-arrange his oversized paws enough to stand. “Don’t worry Gramps…” Jim briefly slipped his hand inside his grandfather’s larger, calloused one. “I don’t think I’ll have to fight with Joey again tomorrow.” Joseph smiled a bit. “I think you’re right. In fact, I think tomorrow Joey’s going to be on his best behavior around you and anyone else standing nearby, lest he get another black eye to match the first one!”