#but then you also have the long-fic ideas that get put on the backburner for my other longfics

[soulless-angel25]

you like kotlc?

Yep! I think that the story is really interesting overall. And the concept of this world that is completely hidden from us is soooo intriguing, and the fact that there are so many things that we just don't know because Canon (Sophie) doesn't know either is really fun! It also provides a lot of opportunities for fanfic to be made for it, just fan content in general. It's like how I have a few ideas for heavily canon divergent AU's for it. I've also seen some really good fan content as well!

So yes. I very much do like KOTLC.

[itshype]

My DC x DP Masterpost

Here is my masterpost of works that fall into the category of a crossover of DC comics and Danny Phantom. Mostly, these will be notfics. If any of the links are broken please message me ASAP. Edit: I will not be doing taglists because people are quite frankly abusing the idea.

What's a notfic?

So, this was really common in fandom like 10 years ago but it's less common now so I'm just including this quick explanation in case. Notfic/Not!Fic is the halfway point between an actual fic and a prompt. It mostly sort of has the tone of describing another fic to somebody, or working out an ongoing plot with a friend (e.g. Instead of writing out an entire set of dialogue, a notfic might just put "Jason and Tim discuss why they both want to fake their deaths").

Permissions Housekeeping

I totally don't mind if anyone wants to take all or part of what I've written for any prompt and write an actual fic or create another transformative work as long as I'm appropriately credited. If you're just taking the most oblique inspiration from something I've made I'd appreciate at least a tag so I can read it!

Also if you'd like to tag me in any of your works please do, provided that it's the first if it's in a series and not Jazz/Jason as the main pairing, please.

Works

Kingmaker, Kingbreaker, Crowntaker, Realmshaker

Danny isn't the Ghost King but after defeating Pariah Dark the new king knows Danny has massive political influence.

Navigate any storm, with nothing but the stars to guide you

Danny is obsessed with space so the whole 'superhero' thing is on the backburner.

Please don’t pet me! I am working!

Repeat after me, SERVICE ANIMAL CUJO. (Minor Connor Kent/Danny Fenton)

It's a boy, congratulations... to me!

Danny insists Connor is his clone even though he's really not.

Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss, Godhood

Danny gets caught and tells the JLA that neither he nor Vlad are ghosts.

New type of Vlad just dropped

When a ghost's obsession is destroyed, they get a new one.

Mother of the Year

Talia Al Ghul gets to be a good mother. As a treat.

Amorpho Whomst?

Danny, Dani and Dan trade off on responsibilities.

Halfa? Half a What?

Danny's half human, no one's sure what the other half is.

The second, secret Justice League

There's another Justice League that not even the Justice League is cleared to know about.

Excuse me, do you work here? Danny is sent to represent the first, non-secret Justice League.

Triple Threat

The Champion of All Magic and The King of All Ghosts have a mutual triplet.

Like peas in a pod [person]

Jason is healed of the pit rage but has a whole new problem.

There's a Mr Wight Hood to see you?

Jason adopts Danny instead of being the Red Hood.

The Wight Baby For The Job Sequel to Mr Wight Hood

You Make Miso Scared

Danny's always talking about soup time.

Reverse Bruce

Give baby Jason MORE PARENTS!

Work Experience

Danny has to learn about Ghost culture before he can rule it.

Mansplain Yourself

Constantine probably knows best about ghosts over the Justice League's newest member...

The Opposite of a Golden Ticket

International star Ember McLain is in danger

Haustoria Horror

Undergrowth's got Poison Ivy

Like and Survive!

Danny runs an advice website for young heroes

You're not the Boss of me!

Batman accidentally outs his family to Danny

This is a PSA

Danny's Wail affects the JLA

Floral Fiasco

Poison Ivy errs

How I Met Your Brother

Dan joins the JLA

The Manhunter's Manhunt

There's a miscommunication with the Martian Manhunter

The Green Knight

Jason lives (just this once)

___

The Job

Danny's gotta put food on the table (Also available in DP only version)

Always A King (DC x DP)

The Realms must have a king

Series: The Surprise Obsessions of the Ghostly Batclan (image heavy)

Ghost Bruce HC

Ghost Jason HC

Mini prompts

Danny Phantom vs The IRS ; part 2

Phantom's mistaken identity

Billy and Danny are secret twins

Danny scars the batfam

Superheroes need more therapy

All-caste Jason

Poison Control

[corishadowfang]

How do you generally plan out your fics? Because Fallen Stars seems to incredibly well planned I want to attempt to write something that is just as intricate 😂

Ooooh, man, I'm not sure how good my planning actually is (I say, staring at my many, many outline documents), but I'll explain things as well as I can? And hopefully at least some of it'll be useful.

(General writing advice disclaimer: What works for me might not work for everyone, so take everything with a grain of salt, and feel free to toss out anything that you don't like, haha.)

I...think I'll break this down into stages, maybe? Just to hopefully keep things more organized. (And also throw this under a cut, since I have a feeling this'll get long...)

Pre-Planning

So, uh...everything is very freeform to start off with, haha. The earliest stages are less, "What would make a good story?" and more, "What's fun about this concept?" So there's not a lot of structure to this part! I might write pages and pages of worldbuilding; I might just tinker around with a punch of different scenarios in my head; I might write snippets of concepts that I think would be fun--whatever! I tend to do this for a couple of reasons:

There are a lot of times where I get struck with an idea when I'm already working on a big project, so like...I don't really have a lot of time to actually plan out a story right at that moment, haha. So it goes on the backburner to marinate for a little while!

It kind of lets me figure out if this is something I'd actually like to write, or just something I'd like to play around with in my head.

Even with fanfic (which is generally a low-stress hobby), I can still sometimes...kind of get into "perfectionist" mode. Just messing around with things, focusing purely on what I find fun without worrying about whether it works narratively, with no expectation that I have to write the story, kind of gives me the freedom to figure out what I actually like about the idea and really hone into that. It helps fuel excitement for the project if I do decide to write it, and can give me a lot of cool ideas that I might not have given myself the freedom to think of otherwise!

Planning

So there's...no real timeline for anything, aha. Usually at some point, something will click over, and I'll go, "Yeah, okay, I do really, really want to write this story." At which point, I start taking some of the random ideas I have and trying to get them a bit more organized. This usually ends up being broken down into three broad categories.

The Characters

This is probably the biggest thing in regards to actually developing the story. Before writing, I generally like to have at least some basics down:

What is the character like at the beginning of the story, and why?

What sorts of things have caused them the most problems, and what would it take for them to resolve those problems?

What is the end goal for them in the story? (Do they get better? Worse? Learn how to live with the hand they've been dealt?)

What sorts of things would need to happen to get them to that point?

The main character(s)' arcs generally affect the direction the story goes in--essentially, I'll tailor events around what would help to push them toward their arc's end (ideally, with some interesting emotional conflicts for them to grapple with)--so I want to at least have a pretty solid idea of the main characters' overall arcs before I begin writing.

Uh, I guess just for an example, here's some of my early notes on Skuld and Brain for Fallen Stars:

Skuld: She’s still…she’s still reeling a little.  She hasn’t stopped to examine what the end meant for her, but she’s grieving the loss of her home, of people close to her, and she’s…in a lot of ways, Scala feels alien.  She wants to stay here, but she doesn’t, because it’s not home.  She’s also…just very tired of being in a position of authority that she doesn’t feel prepared for.  She was put into the position of Union Leader, and with her friends, she managed that fine, but now she…well, she’s tired.  She wants to be a kid again.  She wants someone else to worry about the world, and she’s angry over the fact that her childhood was basically stolen from her and that she’s been put into this position she didn’t want.  She’s angry because a part of her feels like if she hadn’t been put in charge, maybe she would’ve been able to make the most of her time with her friends.  (She also has very complicated feelings about Scala in general.  She wants to stay, but she also wants to leave.  It’s hard.  Mostly what she wants is just to run away for a while and not have to deal with any of this.  She’s tired.) Brain: The boy basically repressed all of his feelings about the end, but they’re all coming back baby.  As usual, he threw himself into his work—and now he’s throwing himself into this, too, working himself to the bone because the sooner he can find the others, the sooner he can stop grieving them.  (He’s totally fine!  No trauma at all, definitely.)  That said, he’s also tired.  He feels extra responsible for the end of the world because he had the Book of Prophecies; he’s trying not to think about it, but it’s the reason he won’t ask for Master’s Defender again.  He thinks he doesn’t deserve it.  He has complicated feelings about Scala, too, but tries to hide them a lot.  He also…he’s not quite as set on the ability to change fate anymore.  After his failure, he doesn’t really feel like it’s possible, so mostly he just wants to leave and spend time with his friends; worry about the things he can control.  (Skuld and him fight over it later, I think; probably after they find the Book of Prophecies and learn about Darkness.)

The World

I...quite often go overboard with worldbuilding, haha. It's a lot of fun! That said, a lot of worldbuilding ends up popping up organically during writing, too.

Before I start, though, I at least like to know the basics. I find it helps to like...sit down and go, "Okay, what sorts of things might trip me up when writing if I don't know them?" If all else fails, I'll usually take the time to sit down and think about:

Basic culture and how the society functions. What sorts of things are important to this society? What sorts of myths do they tell? How do they interact with other societies? Do they have trade? What's their governing system like? Things like that.

What sort of history does the world have? This can be very basic, but a couple of small notes can still help inform what it's like.

If there's magic--how does it function? Are there any consequences or limitations? What lets people use it?

If there are important non-human characters or creatures: how do they work? What's their basic biology like? How do they intersect with society?

For Fallen Stars, I ended up:

Determining some very basic stuff about how Scala functioned--essentially, stuff like, "They have a lot of trade," and, "they're run by a council," and, "because of the Keyblade wielder thing, they have a lot of stories focused around light/darkness."

Creating a very basic breakdown of the council--who was one it and what the individual roles did.

Getting a basic idea of what Ephemer's family's role in the society was (both previously, and in the current day).

Building up some ideas about legends--specifically, ones about the Union Leaders, and how Scalans would think about them in the modern day.

The Plot

The plot is...probably the least fleshed-out of the three, aha--for me, at least. That's because, no matter how much planning I do, the story almost always goes off the rails eventually. (Sometimes as soon as the first chapter, depending on what the characters do...)

That said, I do like to at least make sure I know two or three key things about it. Generally, these are either a) a major plot twist, or b) a major event. I generally call these "pillar points"; essentially, these will be spaced out across the story, and are the things that I'm working toward. Unlike a lot of the finer details of the story, these remain relatively stable; they're what help me stay on track, even if how we get there ends up changing.

Fallen Stars ended up having three pillar points:

Brain exploring the abandoned town and finding out about Darkness.

The whole crew going to confront Darkness, with Darkness appearing fully for the first time.

The end of chapter 39 all the way through the end of chapter 41. (Which...I can't explain exactly what some of those points are yet because of spoilers, aha.)

The pillar points are the main things, but I will sometimes do a brief outline or summary of the story--just with the knowledge that the details may change later.

Writing

And...after that, I'll usually start writing! That said, I still, like...adjust things as I work, haha. A big thing I'll do while writing is to like...think about the specific purpose of each chapter? Like, what sorts of character and plot points do I want to hit to move things along, etc. Sometimes I'll build out a general outline of chapters between the beginning and the first pillar point, then between one pillar point and another, etc. These are all really flexible, haha, but they can at least help get me thinking about what needs to happen.

And, uh...I think that covers the basics? (Don't look at the size of this post, it's fine--) Hopefully that's at least somewhat helpful--even if it's just to kickstart ideas for your writing process, haha! Good luck, and I hope you have fun with your story!

[melodygatesauthor]

Weekly Update

8/20/2023

Announcements

- A Bit Dodgy is almost finished -

The chapter coming out this week is the second to last chapter for the series. It’s such a bitter sweet thing, ending a series, especially one that I’ve built such a community around. I’ve written 5 novel-length fics over the course of the last year, and A Bit Dodgy will be number 6. On 09/04/2023 it will be my one-year anniversary of writing fanfiction since coming back after not writing for about a decade and l can’t believe it. Holy CRAP. I’ll take the time to reminisce about my numbers and statistics on my one-year mark, don’t you worry lol. There will definitely be a celebration.

That being said, ending a series never gets easier. Even though I write for these characters all the time, Steven, Marc and Jake in this case, I’m still closing the book on this version of them. It’s sad, but I’m also very ready to move on to other stories and other versions of these characters. I also think I’ll write some headcanons and one-shots as I feel the desire to just to take the edge off when I’m missing them. I’ll talk more about this when I finish A Bit Dodgy. <3

- Requests are officially closed -

I’m not sure if I’ll ever be in a position to take requests again or not. My WIP list is a mile long, and right now (summer) is a VERY busy time for both of my jobs. I’m lucky if I get one day off a week. All this to say, it’s not feasible for me to continue taking requests when I can’t even handle the fics I have currently in the works.

I’m not saying I’ll never do requests again, it’s just not realistic right now. There will still be follower celebrations and birthday events and things like that in which I may take limited requests, but as far as the regular ones go, I gotta stop taking them for now. - THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M MAKING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. PLEASE READ IT.

Fic Updates

Disclaimer - I never know which way the winds of inspiration will blow. Timeframes aren’t a promise/guarantee, they’re a goal.

Fic Updates Legend:

Blue - Update this week

Pink - Update in progress

Red - Backburner Fic (not currently working on. See WIP list for status)

You can find my current WIP list here

Chaptered Fic Updates

A Bit Dodgy - Chapter 17 is coming this week, but I need more time. So it won't come out tomorrow, it will be out Tuesday or Wednesday instead! Thank you for understanding!

Always Yours, Never Mine - Chapter 3 is done! Just need to finish editing! I'll be putting it out Saturday bbs <3

The Fractured Moon - My primary focus this past week has been getting A Bit Dodgy finished, and also working on getting the requests and stuff for my 2k celebration done. I'll be working on part 4 of TFM this week to hopefully post next week!

Mini-series Updates

Feeling You Can’t Fight - Chapter 3 is done! I just need to finish editing and posting hehe.

All on the backburner for now but will get additional chapters soon:

Not a Doctor - Part 2

Worth the Risk - Part 3

AI Character Bot Updates

I currently have the following bots on my list that I’m working on. If you have any suggestions or additions you’d like, please feel free to ask! I won’t make every single one I get asked for but I’ll make some of them as I get time!

DBF Jake and Steven (I already did Marc...did I ever post him? I thought I did but maybe not)

Patient Steven and Marc

Moon Knight Rescue scenario

Miguel AI Assistant Scenario (inspired by @missdictatorme's Halo fic).

Am I missing any? Don't see one on the list that you want to add? Send me an inbox or private message! No promises, but if I like the idea I'll make an AI bot.

Requests

I'm finishing up all the inboxes from my 2k Follower Celebration! I'm almost through those so please bear with me.

There are 2 regular requests I have that will both be released this week! Exciting! - Those are the last 2 I have. Starting next week, the "request" category of my weekly update will be gone!

I think that's all for now! Much love!

Don't forget to follow my other blogs:

@melodymakesart - My art blog

@lockandkeynovel - The blog for my original fiction novel, Lock & Key

@melodyreadsfanfiction - The blog where I reblog works I intend to read, a good place for fanfic readers to follow!

@melodygatesupdates - This is where I'll reblog any chapter updates for my fics and whatnot. This is what I use instead of a tag list!

[secretlywritingstories]

I've been thinking about words and numbers in terms of my fic writing. I like my yearly writing challenge of Posting Every Day In August (PEIDA) a whole lot but I also always get into a bit of a strange mindset.

You see, deadlines help keep me focused. Deciding to have a daily upload for a month straight means that I can't dillydally too much and I have to remember to sit down and get the words out. It provides a structure, I really like.

It also means that I might tackle fic ideas that would otherwise have been allowed to fade into obscurity and be long forgotten. Never to be put down for anyone to see. When you have to fill lots of days, you're more likely to reach for backburner ideas.

Though, it also does mean that I try to "machinify" something that's deeply creative and artistic. When you have to be "pumping" out so many words within a month, you can't really let yourself slip.

It is felt harder towards the end of the month, where I start calculating roghtly how many words I need to write before a certain date and how long it'll take me to get those words down. I've been writing daily (journalling, if not creative writing) for years and I've been quite a prolific fic writer for a while. Hell, I've got over 3,500,000 words posted on AO3 in the span of 7,5 years.

I've got a pretty good sense of how to sit down and write, and I am very concious of staying true to the characters and letting nothing rush me. But it is most certainly a balance game between numbers and words when it comes down to the wire. I know roughly how long I want a chapter or a one shot to be.

But then I also know what I want to happen in the story, and that more times than not, the words required to tell it, gets more plentiful than anticipated. I'm notoriously bad at predicting how long a fic of mine will be. All of my friends tease me about it, but I swear, I try to adjust from experience. It just doesn't work.

The characters are the ones who rule my stories, and they don't really care about deadlines or word counts.

And PEDIA is a chance to get more of my stories to shine, even if I turn a little fixated by the end of it. It is also something I do to myself because I can. It's impressive, posting over 100,000 words in just 31 days.

But the essence of the words can't really be meassured up in those numbers. And I write for the stories within the words, and not the numbers, whether that be deadlines or word counts.

I like stories, not just mine, because they can't quite be quantified. They are meant to be felt. And that is the reason, I keep writing and writing. Because I feel something and I want to capture and share it.

[infiniteorangethethird]

(kskdkrkekd ignore my ask before i sent it on accident before i could finish it)

hiiii we haven't talked in a bit so this is me popping by

how have you been doing? :)

i have finished reading hamlet so i am going to reread i fell in love with hope any day now and give you your promised highly detailed essay. yay? also i have been seeing a therapist, idk if i told you about that and i'm pretty sure that's a yay!! she's very nice

question time!! i miss your aro fic so i decided to ask something regarding that. firstly, can i ask why are there different mating systems? like, what is the in-world explanation and/or what is the narrative purpose? (idk if that's too much spoiler, you can just answer in private if you want or not answer at all, whatever you seem fit)

other question is about björn bc i love him. does he like musicals too?? i know you said you, yourself are not that into theatre but if yes, do you have an idea what types of musicals would be his fav?

that's all for now i think. you answer when you answer, if you want to at all - as always. no pressure!!

bye-bye (´^_^)ノ

hiiiii sorry this took me so long to get around to, I've finally started on my summer job and I can count my free seconds on just one hand 😭 otherwise I'm mostly fine, bit preoccupied with getting obsessed over various crochet projects and trying not to lose my sanity over them lmao

oh I am so looking forward to that essay of yours, it's been a hot moment since I read I fell in love with hope so perhaps this is a call for me to reread it as well. I'd say we should do a race to see who can finish sooner but I get the feeling neither of us needs any kind of extra stress right now, lol. And I'm glad to hear you found a good therapist! I remember you mentioned you were looking for one, so happy to hear that turned out nicely!

Imma be honest, it's been a hot moment since I thought abt my aro fic 😅 other projects came up and then I started working on Absolutely Nothing At All, so that one has been kinda put on the backburner lately - it's probably a good thing you're reminding me of it, then. Tbh I don't remember if I had any specific reason for multiple mating systems, I think I just wanted to represent many of them to say: no, the problem isn't with one specific system, the problem is with the idea itself. Then again I have been considering going through every idea I had thus far again and sort of "restarting" bc I wasn't entirely happy with what I came up with thus far, so who knows. Maybe next time you ask I will stick with just one system lol.

Oh yeah Björn is a really funny guy I love him too, for some reason I imagine he would be the type of person who loves musicals but purely for their music, and otherwise has zero clue as to what the musical is actually about. He would listen to the soundtrack on 24/7 loop but if someone came up to him like "actually this musical is about [plot]" he would give you the most confused surprised pikachu face. (What kind would be his favorite, I am honestly not sure)

man I really should think about getting back to writing this Thang I have been putting it off for so long I'm already forgetting things about it 😭

Anyway, how are you doing? I hope everything's going fine with you this summer break and that ur resting at least a little bit (and that your brain hasn't boiled yet in the heat lmao). Doing anything interesting lately?

[seven-stars-in-his-palm]

👀 ✨ ?

omg i have like 3 of these in my ask box is this heaven?!? wooo!!! thank you dear eybe...

👀 - Do you have any WIPs that you would never let see the light of day? If yes, what are they about?

ohhh that's difficult because if i plan on publishing everything i have Eventually, even if it takes years, because yes. but i suppose the least likely one that will actually get Out There is this little plot bunny about aziraphale going with the metatron to heaven right after accepting, giving him no time to prepare or let crowley know. so....he's just missing. and of course crowley freaks out, he has no idea where he's gone, so its a whole fic about him going back up on this huge spy adventure, reaching aziraphale, and he doesnt want to go back. so its just the final fifteen but in heaven and lot more doomed, if it can even be more. this is one of my few WIPs that has an explicitly sad ending by the way, and i think that might be why i don't wanna work on it (but then again that logic doesn't apply to the orpheus and eurydice wip i have open--maybe its just been sitting on the backburner for too long)

✨- Choose three adjectives to complement your own writing.

YOU'RE PUTTING ME ON THE SPOT detailed personal flowery. my method when it comes to doing the Writing Voice is pretending like i'm at the dinner table, eating some nice food, and gossiping to whoever it needs to be about the story i want to write as if i was there. it makes the voice feel personal, close, and mentioning the important details sometimes while also going into long-winded rants about he stupidest of things. it's just cozy :)

[mistresslrigtar]

Can I ask about Captain Link Araki and the Harbinger of Destiny?

Thanks for the ask! This WIP was actually the second long fic idea I had, my first being the completed long fic Love in the Age of Calamity.

I really like the Link/Groose dynamic at the end of SS, so I thought, what if Link is a pirate captain and Groose is his first mate, BUT Link is the reckless one and Groose has to be his voice of reason? My Captain Link also doesn't have any common sense 😂 AND he's a womanizer. I know that's not really PC these days, but he IS a pirate and a con artist, after all. He's a reluctant hero and will fight it tooth and nail until his back is up against a wall and he has no choice but to accept his fate.

I've written 9 of what I expect to be a 20 chapter story, but I keep putting it on the backburner when other ideas crop up that I think I can actually complete sooner.

Here's a snippet from Chapter Eight -

“Welcome to the King of Red Lions.” Link sweeps his free hand in a broad arc, giving Zelda his crooked, boyish smile that never fails to draw a pretty woman in. Until today…

Zelda skids to a halt beside him, eyes widening as she looks over the battered hull. “This is your ship?” 

“Yeah.” Link tries not to let her derisiveness get beneath his skin and restrains himself from rising to her bait. Zelda’s pretty lips curl in disdain, and Link’s smile wanes as his stomach drops unpleasantly and his cheeks pink.

“You’re braver than I thought.” Zelda shakes her head. “That thing looks like floating garbage. Is it even seaworthy?”

“Hey!” Link rears back. Garbage?! It’s one thing to insult Link, but belittling the King is taking it too far. Who does she think she is? A princess… right. A spoiled rotten princess and Gustaf had made Link feel sorry for her. Well, she’s damn lucky Link’s even going to let her set foot on his ship after that remark. “Show some respect for him, Your Highness.”

Zelda snorts in a most un-Princess-like way. “What kind of sailor are you? Don’t you know ships are referred to as she?”

“The King isn’t just any ship. He’s seen better days, but he’s fast, reliable, and will take your sorry ass out of this hell hole.” Link points to the gangplank. “Now, you can either board your only means of escape, or I can haul you aboard.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Zelda’s eyes narrow as she looks him up and down, assessing how much truth there is behind Link’s words.

“Try me.”

[itsseohannbin]

Hannji Rambles / Another Life Update

hiiii Pookies!!

Hope everyone is doing well and taking care of themselves!!!

I'm just popping in with a quick life update (cause apparently I'm having a lot of those lately) to kind of let everyone know what's been going on lately.

I know I said a couple weeks ago that I was ready to come back to tumblr and begin posting again, and I am, however, there's been a bit of a change of plans in regards to me starting up my writing/posting fics again.

Because I have been put on a temporary stress leave by my family doctor for the next couple weeks, I'm trying to reduce the amount of stress/triggers in my life until my next appointment, where I will be reassessed to determine if I'm fit to go back to work or not. I want to continue writing and posting because writing has always been a strong outlet for me to relieve stress and clear my brain when the noise gets too much, however, I need to make changes to what I will posting in order to help keep my stress levels under control.

SO,

that being said, I will be posting the remaining few parts/chapters of Like A Volcano (for all my Hannie stans out there who are ever so patiently waiting), BUT at this time, I will not be writing/posting a Jisung POV for this fic. I wanted to, and I was super excited to write a part in his pov, but I've been struggling with writing it for the last few months and it's really put a damper on my already not-so-good mental state. Maybe in the future, I will upload a snippet, but since the idea of creating a Jisung POV for LAV is causing more stress than it's worth, it will be put on the backburner for the time being. I AM SORRY FOR THOSE WHO WERE WANTING IT I JUST CANNOT WORK WITH IT RN!

However, the last few parts will be edited/revised and posted in the coming week-ish so I can finally put that fic to rest and start up The Blackened Heart again bc I am so so excited to start writing that again!

In addition to the Jisung POV being scraped (for the time being), I am also putting a halt on the LAV spinoffs I had in the works (Connected, which is the Chan x Jo spin off, and Waiting For Us, which is the Minho x Ash spin off) simply because both of them are causing more tension and stress than necessary.. I don't like it when writing feels like it's becoming a chore, I'd rather write stuff that I'm excited to write and post, and that entire AU series has quickly become the opposite of what I want to do... I will be coming back to them eventually, but as of right now, I need to do what I can to alleviate the amount of distress in my life, and that means putting LAV/Connected/WFU on hold.

I am happy to say I will be continuing my commission for the lovely @bethanysnow that I've been slowly working on while I get back into the swing of things, ((beth baby i am so sorry its taking so long im just really struggling right now so please bear with me :( )) and I'm of course still writing drabbles, fake!text posts, and my OT8 "The L Word" series.

Thank you all for the never-ending support and love I'm still receiving from a lot of you despite my inactiveness. Just know I read every single one of your comments, reblogs, and things that you all tag me in. I am still very much here in spirit, just slowly working my way back up to being a fully functional human being

In the meantime, as some of you may already know, I am starting a small business where I make beaded keychains, rings, lanyards, bracelets and more. Beading has very quickly become a safe haven for me and its very therapeutic to just sit for hours watching tv and making stuff to eventually sell. I am starting up an instagram account specifically for this business called Hannji's Creations, so if you're interested in what I'm making and such, feel free to give me a follow over there. I'm making a lot of SKZ themed stuff, however, I'm also opening up ideas for other kpop groups and other styled collections in general.

Thank you again to everyone who has stuck around and checked in on me these last few months. I know life can be tough sometimes, and lately I'm having a hard time getting back up somedays, but you guys all make it more bearable, so thank you. thank you for your continuous understanding and unconditional love..

You guys are awesome!

can't wait to show you all what's in store!!

Much Love,

Hannji <3

[fastcardotmp3]

hello!! for that writing ask list, i would love to know your thoughts on #2 and #23! ♡

and i would love to answer!! <3 <3 <3

💛 writers asks! 💛

2. Anything you would like to write but feel like you're unable to?

honestly? everything and also nothing. if I really want to write something I'm generally not all that afraid of giving it a shot, because I'm also not afraid of abandoning something or putting it on the backburner if it needs to marinate for a bit longer. (or even just never posting something! I have done that a few times!)

I write fic for a good time and if I'm not having a good time I simply stop! and honestly if I saved every idea that feels beyond my skill level for when i'm ReadyTM, they'd stop being interesting to me, and then what's the point!

but there's still plenty that I know I don't currently have the time and energy for too-- everything from the Long Lamented uncle eddie fic to two different nancy fics I've started docs for this month. I know I will be able to, I just don't have it in me right now.

23. Dialogue or description? Why is the other one so hard?

this is going to be the most annoying answer I could give, but they are inseparable To Me! I genuinely enjoy finding the beats where description and dialogue bounce off of each other, like finding the rhythm of a scene is so cool when it clicks and it only works when the two things are working in tandem.

which isn't to say that they're not both hard in their own ways, and sometimes just getting a guy to express a Feeling is the most challenging thing I've ever done, but sometimes I realize it's actually way easier than that because all he has to do is shift his weight you know? you hear me? i love writing it is my nemesis and i adore it <3

[rapono-writes-stuff]

Projects I'm working on or am actively planning:

Red red red, why am I not dead? ch.7 (Carrion)

Started

Finished the first chunk of the chapter (everything leading up to perspective change). Having some difficulties deciding if I should scrap some scenes that were supposed to happen before the end of chapter 6 (changed order for better pacing), or try to rework them into it. Also dealing with the fact I've had to go wildly "off-script" since some stuff the original to doesn't fit with the fic retelling/doesn't make sense imo.

Out of your depth (Subnautica)

At least 70% done

Same Subnautica fanfic I was working on before, just changed the title. Old concept that's been a brainworm for years, that I've been slowly chipping away at. Nicknaming it the Transfuser AU. Getting close to the end of fic, just currently trying to write a high action scene while making sure what happens both makes sense and is easy for the reader to follow.

Your Coworker is a monster ch.4 (FNAF)

Started

Accidentally forgot this existed (thanks ADHD, very cool) until someone recently left a comment on it. Currently trying to figure out the pacing for the next chapter (how much should happen without ruining the pacing or making it boring), as well as planning how to pace the rest of the fic. (I am not the best at pacing long fics/not very good at slow builds so please pray for me 😭)

Nightmares do come true [title not final] (BATIM/BATDR)

40-60% done

Also accidentally forgot this existed (thanks ADHD, very cool). Sequel to Keep your friends close, and your demons closer. Got stuck forever ago and then unintentionally abandoned it. Despite not leaving any notes to self, managed to recall a bunch of my plans while ranting to friends about having not left notes for future me. Replaying/rewatching bits of the game to try and make sure I don't make them ooc before I start writing again.

The Graveyard Shift ch.3 (FNAF)

Still in editing/art piece not started

Massive roleplay I did with my partner being converted into a fanfic. While everything is technically already written, still in the process of editing the next chapter-sized chunk into fanfic material. Currently dealing with rewriting a scene that is inconsistent with things later established in the story, and with it also trying to fix a plothole that comes up multiple times throughout the story.

Are you one of us? [title not final] (Pizza Tower)

Planning

One of the fics from the poll of Pizza Tower fic ideas (Peppino loses the boss battle chase and gets adopted by the clones). Probably the most likely to be finished out of the remaining 3, but I've put it on the backburner in favor of working on the above.

My cell can fit two [title not final] (Pizza Tower)

Planning

Another more dark leaning fic (like Peppino's Day Off, but probably darker?). Without spoiling too much, Fake is locked in their boss room, and has been horribly mistreated. Peppino enters to retrieve the key, but is then locked inside until he finds said key. Peppino is forced to deal with the mistreated Fake whether he wants to or not, trapped inside with them. Also on backburner in favor of working on above fics.

[fatuismooches]

Compilation of Anon Asks (Part 1)

I have a BUNCH of sweet anons in my ask box frequently but I usually don't have the time to answer everyone so in this post I'm just going to be screenshotting the asks and putting my responses underneath. Not every ask is here since it'll get too long but yeah I'll make other parts soon. Kind of long, but may be worth it since I ramble a lot about cute Harbinger stuff and personal hcs so yea :)

As someone who also headcanons Childe to be cuddly af as well, this hurts me to my core😭 Like I just know this man would not give you a break you'd be trying to do literally anything and his arms would be snug around your waist, and he would not let go for anything 💀

As such, you are very correct when you say he'd have a hard time with a nontouchy lover. Childe's pretty disheartened at first. But is there a specific reason you don't like being touched? Maybe he can get you to explain? Maybe you can at least link pinkies with him? He's starving over here. Of course, he would 100% respect your boundaries, but he'd be very sad :( Boy would have to get real creative with his love otherwise he might explode.

♿️🛐 That's what I think. More seriously though, this idea has a lot of cute fluffy potential, thinking about how this would be nice in maybe an olden times AU (pls idk the names) 💓 I'm thinking that they hid their true identity from you for a long time - you looked so fragile and helpless, and lived all alone - perhaps they were eyeing you up because your blood seemed so sweet, more than the average person even.

But even though they have much opportunities to take you, they don't. It seems that they have fallen in love with you somehow, and they can't bear to reveal their true form to you now. Until you somehow stumble upon them dizzy, completely needy for your blood. No matter how much they feasted on others, their throats still burned for your blood. Some would be more resistant and tell you to get away from them now. But all of them in the end, are clinging desperately to your shoulders, begging you for your blood and love otherwise they may go mad. If you accept, well... you'll belong to them forever👀

(Would they turn you into a vampire?? Some of them definitely would I think, like Scaramouche and Dottore who want you to be with them for all eternity. Others would be conflicted over you keeping your precious humanity vs wanting to claim you as theirs.. :()

(I don't know much about vampires other than that I played Ikemen Vampire before so excuse me😭)

PLEASE I love this! At first you have no idea whether Capitano is unamused or unaffected by you cuz all you can see is the pitch darkness of his helmet covering his face so you end up dying a little inside cuz you don't really know how to act now. But little do you know internally he's wondering how it's possible for one person to be so sweet and cute. Poor man doesn't know how to express his feelings in any other way besides unintentionally staring at you menacingly and then patting you awkwardly.

This is fiction, anytime is possible 🛐🛐 He gets embarrassed when his kid makes fun of him for his first meeting with you 😭 (Would he let his kid meet Ei?😭 She would probably feed them sweets behind his back </3 Yae teaches his kid how to be mischievous)

Ngl, Scara as a dad is very interesting :( I feel as though he'd want to give his kid a lot of attention due to how much he suffered from feeling as though he was abandoned by his creator, but at the same time the only person who taught him how to love is reader so he isn't sure how to properly express his feelings to his kid and might end up staying away for a bit :( </3

Scara fic is on the backburner for now, I think I will wait until 3.2/3.3 to finish it, or when I have a long slot of free time💀 But I love my boy sm <33

Your Capitano brainrot always amuses me, I love to see it 😭💓 I can't wait for solid info on him to come out, bc you deserve accurate fanfics with your man

You know, I always wonder how you and other Harbinger lovers survive with such little content on most of them😭 This includes me but are y'all doing ok?

The way you are so right 🥝 anon... Maybe he'd been conditioned for years to keep a poker face and be trained for war and negotiation so he's always like😐😕, a sharp contrast from your wide variety of emotions.

Even with the mask on you can sense sometimes his emotions, it's not too bad when you get to know him because in the presence of others, you know it's just his usual face. But with you it can either be - a weird form of smiling, a downward mouth due to concern for you, or his usual face.

Seeing him watch you without his helmet on for the first time is such an experience😭 He be looking at you and you're a bit scared cuz his face is not very inviting and you question him and he's like ? in his head he thinks that he's looking at you affectionately and you're like THATS UR FACIAL EXPRESSION FOR AFFECTION??

Imagine taking your hands and pulling up his lips to form a smile and his mouth droops immediately lol

[birlwrites]

I love your writing; lachrimae was beautiful, Regulus when he was in captivity was so well written, and I'm eager to read the blood finch whenever you post it, not to mention evocatio. However, To The Dark Lord is The Best fanfic I have ever read. I understand that quality takes time; I'm not looking for a date, or a timeframe. I just want to know whether or not it will be updated. The answer will have no bearing on the reading of the rest of your work for me; I'm just curious.

it would be nice if i had a definite answer! i too would love to know. the unfortunate thing is, though, that i genuinely have no idea when i'll want to work on it again.

now, 'want' is a funny word in this context. i want to work on ttdl in the sense that i want it to keep going and i don't want to abandon it. but i also don't want to work on ttdl in the sense that i want to keep it backburnered so i can work on other things. i'm trying not to treat my fanfiction like a job, so the backburnering wins.

btw, my apologies if this comes across as abrupt or brusque - i've gotten this question a handful of times recently and every time i respond i get more plainspoken about it. i am not angry or upset with you! also this got long so i put in a cut, oops

it might be helpful for me to provide some extra context: i started ttdl while i was in college. i lived in a campus dormitory and was a full time student while also working part-time on the side. a substantial proportion of ttdl was written in intense binge-like writing sessions during school breaks or at times when i didn't have that much homework and thus didn't have much to do when i wasn't at work. the hyper-regular update schedule came from me having a large backlog of chapters that were already complete and ready to be posted, so i could post a new chapter every week regardless of how much time or energy i'd had to write in the past 6 days.

in addition, ttdl was pretty much always on the brain for me - like, i was obsessed with it. when i had spare time to myself, there was never any question about how to spend it. i struggled to keep up with '1 chapter a week' when school was in session, but that didn't matter, because i had that chapter backlog from my breaks.

this is important because that is not what my life is like anymore.

last year, i finished school, moved out of my parents' home, and began working a full-time job almost exclusively from home. i have a roommate, so the housework doesn't fall entirely upon me, but i still have far more responsibilities in my day-to-day life, on top of working a full-time job, with no long scheduled breaks like i had when i was in school. that's had a noticeable negative impact on my mental health, and countering *that* takes time and energy.

right away, i had trouble keeping up with ttdl. all the shenanigans involved in moving, furnishing a new place, and getting to know a new area were fatiguing, and then i jumped straight into my job with no recovery time.

i knew it would be rough, of course - i planned for it, and i believe i put ttdl on a deliberate, announced hiatus before i moved so that it wouldn't be an additional source of stress. and i was excited to get back to it once i was ready, whenever that would be! i had this vision of me writing new chapters in my new home-office setup in the corner of my bedroom, feeling organized and creative and productive.

here's the thing about a hiatus: people lose interest.

it's totally natural; i do too! there are so many things to read that it is difficult to remain invested in one that's not right in front of your face all the time. i don't blame anyone for that. we should all be able to chase the stories that spark our interest and explore new things.

however. ttdl is a very long fic. it is over 250k and it is not even close to being finished. it is also very complicated. my writing is not overly descriptive - those are basically 250k words of plot. complicated stories are hard to write because they require intense mental energy. long stories are hard to write because they require long-term focus. complicated, long stories are exponentially more so on both counts because those two difficulties feed on each other.

so, if i put my long, complicated megafic on a hiatus, and people lose interest, then when i scrape together enough of my mental capacity to put out another chapter, it is going to get less of a response than i'd hoped for. even though i know why it's happened, that doesn't stop it from being disappointing. and i'm busier now, and i don't have as much time or energy to spend on ttdl, and now i have the additional burden of worrying whether people even still care.

(this is not a strictly rational worry. like i said, full-time WFH isn't great for my mental health. i'm working on it, but it's a work in progress.)

so what happens next? updates slow down. i get progressively more demotivated because i feel like i'm putting in more than i'm getting out in this situation. posting new chapters stresses me out because then i have to worry about how many comments this one is going to get and how it'll compare to the one before. how many people are going to go to the trouble of telling me that they liked this thing i worked hard on? that number keeps dropping because my updates are slower. people lose interest. what if they don't like it anymore? i try to make my author's notes engaging. i ask questions so people will have something to say in response. of course, this doesn't work if people aren't reading the new chapters at all. i have no way of knowing. i try not to stress about it. i remind myself that i am incredibly lucky to get the response that i do because there are so many writers who get barely any attention or response from their communities. i stress about it. i don't want to post the next chapter. i don't want to write the next chapter because once i write it i need to post it because i've kept people waiting long enough, haven't i?

it's been five months and one day since i last updated ttdl and i don't know when i'll update it again. i want to - i really do. this story means so much to me, and i don't want to leave it hanging like this.

but i also need to chase the stories that are going to make me happy. right now, ttdl does not make me happy. it makes me stressed and disappointed and that's not how fanfiction should feel.

so, do i hope that someday i will come back to it? absolutely yes. i know exactly what needs to happen in the next chapter. if i get the motivation back, i can do it. i want to have that motivation back. i want to complete this story. (the series would reach over a million words, i'm pretty sure.) i don't want to have it sitting there on my ao3, unfinished, reminding me that people are waiting for more of my work.

but i've been struggling with that motivation for a while now, so please do not hold your breath.

[melodygatesauthor]

Weekly Update

09/17/2023 (Yeah I'm a day late, so what, wanna fight about it?)

Announcements/Reminders

Just a little reminder that I've slowed down production as far as writing goes. I'm still writing daily. Sometimes it's a sentence, sometimes it's 3k words, but I'm trying to be kinder to myself and remember that it's a hobby, not a job. I also really want to start my novel and stop pressuring myself to finish fics FIRST so I'm doing that.

Updates will still be happening for all my WIPS - see a comprehensive list of my current WIPs here - but I'm just not pressuring myself by setting deadlines. Thank you for still being supportive <3

ART ANNOUNCEMENTS

I'm taking art commissions! - Pricing - Follow my art blog: @melodymakesart

I did my first full color NSFW drawing! It can be seen HERE. It's a series, so there will be two more drawings coming out over the next couple weeks!

Fic Updates

So after taking last week off from working on my WIPs all together - (Note: I spent the week working on a Basil fic and also working on my Duke Leto fic) - I'm feeling a bit more refreshed and ready to get back into working on them again.

Fic Updates

Disclaimer - I never know which way the winds of inspiration will blow. Timeframes aren’t a promise/guarantee, they’re a goal.

Fic Updates Legend:

Blue - Update this week

Pink - Update in progress

Red - Backburner Fic (not currently working on. See WIP list for status)

You can find my current WIP list here

Chaptered Fic Updates

Always Yours, Never Mine - Chapter 4 is in progress, hoping to have the next update out either next week or the week after!

The Fractured Moon - Chapter 4 is in progress for this one as well. I'm not going to promise an update for next week but I'm actively working on it.

Mini-series Updates

Feeling You Can’t Fight - Okay, I've been putting off editing this one for so long and idk why but I'm going to get it done and posted on Wednesday 09/20/2023 this week!

Worth the Risk - That's right, babygirl is making her way back into my scope. You guys voted on this poll to give me an idea of what you wanted me to work on (not including TFM and AYNM) so I put this back in my field of view since you all seemed to want it so bad!

Remember to look at my WIP list for other backburner fics - There are many not included above lol).

AI Character Bot Updates

I currently have the following bots on my list that I’m working on. If you have any suggestions or additions you’d like, please feel free to ask! I won’t make every single one I get asked for but I’ll make some of them as I get time!

DBF Jake and Steven (I already did Marc...did I ever post him? I thought I did but maybe not)

Patient Steven and Marc

Moon Knight Rescue scenario

Am I missing any? Don't see one on the list that you want to add? Send me an inbox or private message! No promises, but if I like the idea I'll make an AI bot.

Note: Yes it's taking me forever to make them SHUT UP

I think that's all for now! Much love!

Don't forget to follow my other blogs:

@melodymakesart - My art blog

@lockandkeynovel - The blog for my original fiction novel, Lock & Key

@melodyreadsfanfiction - The blog where I reblog works I intend to read, a good place for fanfic readers to follow!

@melodygatesupdates - This is where I'll reblog any chapter updates for my fics and whatnot. This is what I use instead of a tag list!

[natigail]

I’m in the middle of reading your story “oh, you kissed me just to kiss me” and your writing it just, ohmygod!! Like, I don’t think any of your stories are bad or boring, far from it, but this one?? THIS ONE ohmygod😭😭!! and “rest in the belly of the wolf”!! That got me through the last couple of months❤️❤️

I want to write my own stories but I always get distracted or bored in the middle of writing. Do you have any tips for this? And if not, that’s fine, I just want you to know your writing is beautiful❤️‍🔥

AHH, I am so glad that you like my skz ace/sex worker AU! It was definitely my little project fic for a long time, as I was just savouring it to post in one whole bit. I thought it might be a bit niche with how it was formatted and having asexuality be at the very heart of the fic and so important for how the two of them fell in love. The fact that so many people have resonated with it (it's my most kudos'd fic, wow) is incredibly rewarding and validating. It makes my little aspec heart fucking soar.

And I'm glad you like the wolfpack AU too! That one grew legs and started running away with me, but man, it has been so fun to write and also tackling how Minho fit in with all of the boys and his poly partners along the way. Also I'm just a sucker for magical realms and it's been so fun to expand on a magical world I made on a whim for one vmon fic years ago.

I'm not sure if I'm much good at advice, because everyone is different and the best you can do is figuring out what works for you. I think if you struggle particularly with getting distracted or bored, I'd try to focus on writing the parts of the story that really made you excited. Like for most story ideas, you might have a spark or an idea for a scene that made you want to write in the first place. For now, and while you're building your habit, carve away everything you consider "boring", so you don't get bogged down with it.

Get to the meat of what makes you excited, and if you can, try to keep it contained to not get too long. It'll feel much more rewarding to finish a shorter story than struggle with a long one and get stuck. (I love my long stories but they're a big commitment and it can get overwhelming fast - another reason I like to put them on the backburner now and again to take a breather from them).

Also something that I do is "speak" out scenes, like just speaking to myself out loud in the bathroom, playing both sides of an interaction. That's probably because I'm very character and dialogue focused and everything else flows out from that for me. I also like to write to music that I'm familiar with, just having it on in the background as sort of white noise.

I am not sure if any of that is helpful at all but thank you so much for your kind words. I'll leave the fics below, if anyone is interested. (My skz fics has officially pushed aside my phanfic in terms of stats and that's such a strange thing but I love that fellow STAY have embraced my words with such open arms)

oh, you kissed me just to kiss me

Rest in the Belly of the Wolf

[kichimiangra]

You mentioned that you might hypothetically write a story for Digimon Ghost Game. What would be the plot of that potential fanfic?

I mean, I probably won't actually write it because me and writing don't always get along.... it's why I have more art than text for Nannersverse at this point. I'm just trying to force myself to write more for the sake of being able to shit out scripts for comics quicker. Nannersverse would have totally ended up a comic if I didn't stop myself! Then it would take so long that it would eventually get set on the backburner as another unfinished comic :<

BUT!

If I did do a Ghost Game fic it would probably be an attempt at a fictional "Season 2" where I collect all the loose ends or things I personally would want to see expanded on, so the main main plot would be a whole "Gulus can't count, the endbringer is coming and it's only been 2 years" but opening with a few episodic chapters that feel like episodes to establish how the world is now that Digimon are kinda an open thing and not a secret, how people reac to their existance. and what the GG Gangs normal lives have been since then. Maybe Jellymon and Angoramon have hit that point in their development by now that they no longer default to Rookie form, but are permanently Champions to show that even if it's only been 2 years the relationship to their humans have had a substantial effect on their growth? But more importantly because I'm bias as fuck, the early chapter highlights would be on specifically how Hiro and Gammamon's lives are effected by the constant existence of Big brother Gulus popping up unannounced for almost anything, going from who was originally a background character in their lives to a constant element needing getting used to, such as watching Gammamon seemingly hold a two way conversation with himself with only the black eyes being an indicator he isn't going full Gollum. Plus the fun that they are trying to get Gulus to be good but he is VERY resistant to behaving good.

"The Plot" would eventually show up and the episodic chapters would end to focus instead on a serialized narrative of trying to put an end to the end bringer, maybe it kills or captures Quantumon? It wouldn't be a fast arrival, Maybe the Gulus Virus that had been going around the digital world was technically caused by the end bringer (So like, back on Krypton Gulus was just a normal Gammamon before he himself got infected, but instead of 'infection' he 'devoured' the virus, writing it into his own digital code thus birthing his permanent evolution into Gulusgammamon) and with the virus spreading around the digimon in both the digital and human worlds all eyes are on Hiro, Gamma, and Gulus as nobody really trusts Gulus to not be the active cause of this spreading virus, with the only one believing in him being Hiro and Gamma? This way later there can be like... the narrative buddy fight, so to speak. (Though I don't think Hiro would buddy fight :/ He's so passive...)

I'd have to chew on it a bit more to think of what I would do for "The Plot-Plot" but I do know I would want a Huge amount of focus to be on Hiro and his two Gamma's, as what Ghost Game did well was it's smaller personal character moments and also I'm bias as fuck.

-------------------

About a week after your original ask of "If I wrote a digimon fic what would it be?" and my answer was GG but only if I found there was a story that I wanted to tell with the characters, I remembered that there actually WAS a digimon fic I had considered writing but it was also in a "still chewing on it" point of existence, but I had already answered the ask so cuz psuedo on topic I'll add it here!

A while Back KarnEX did a video discussing the early concept for Digimon Frontier I found myself biting my lip because I liked the original idea, so I had started ideating the vague idea of a digimon fic using the concept. (Although once again my brain is like "But what if.... comic...?")

A report is seen on the tv about 'more' children/teens/whatevs going missing, establishing an ongoing crisis. The Protag is going somewhere or something or whatever maybe a travelling circus or music show or SOMETHING to get a moderate group of kids in a single place and a group of Digimon appear and kidnap protag and the other kids; isekai'ing them to the digital world (though the kids don't know they're not in kansas anymore yet.) end of setup.

Here in the digital world for the first act, it follows a Ratchet and Clank: Deadlocked plot: They have been kidnapped by the Digimon who work for a gladitory arena and are being forced to compete for the entertainment and profit of the arena owners (Captialism is the true villain lol). The Arena has Digimon competetors but the arena has found that the more interesting fights come from capturing humans and making them Fuse/Biomerge evolve with a digimon competitor, many of which have ALSO been forced into the arena against their will. From there protag ends up meeting their partner and it becomse kinda like a tournament fighter shounen manga as protag meets other competetors and their own issues trying to survive the arena (characters and storylines like "The Pacifist won't fight but has to learn it's okay sometimes" or the "Dog eat dog competitor" or "The Competitor who is a cinnamon role paired up with a bad or abusive human/digimon partner" etc.) Eventually after the first arena tournament round ends and the second begins; round two requires team fighting and protag manages to create a team of merry misfits and their digimon partners that he befriended/ gained the respect of during round one. They start realizing that they think they can escape the arena via a very specific escape route and try to get back to civilization and call the police on this child-monster-battle-thing. Most of their group get's out, accidentally leaving one of their own behind, maybe there's a forced "Dark Biomerge Digivolution" forced upon the kid or maybe there's a "They left you behind like bad friends!" or maybe there's a "He stayed behind for a reason!" I dunno this character is probably the Ken/Matt/Rika/that one friend who has baggage that digimon likes to have. It's a good character trait I love it.

Now that (most) of the main group has escaped the arena the second act begins where they are effectively let loose out in the digital world, realize that they infact got isekai'd, maybe they have to collect some kind of Macguffins? Maybe the arena is actually run by Satanists summoning the Digital Devil? either way the arena was bad but it was all a front for something worse and the kids need to find a way to stop it, save the other competetors in the arena and go home without the world being destroyed all while some drama plot is being set up with the left behind character. I don't have all the bugs worked out with the second act, I just know it's the big adventure act where they get to explore the whole open digital world while realizing just how close they were to something very very bad happenning to them back at the arena, but also how once you get out of the corruption of the arena this world is beautiful and worth saving.

Act three would be finishing up anything that needs to be done in the overworld, maybe a classic "I have the chance to abandon my friends and go home alone" plot of temptation the the protag gives up and then return to the arena for a final showdown and liberation of the other humans and digimon. Just finishing stuff up y'know.

It's an Idea that could be told with completely original characters but could also be fun to make all the missing kids into known characters from the franchises Anime/Manga/Games/ etc., not in like.... a Xros wars "All the protags are visiting the episode from their own worlds" way but in a "This universe's version of the character" way. Y'know full AU. Also I could put Jerri there and then NOT kill her Leomon.....

Also I had an idea for a mysterious Arena Champion who is a baddass but you learn that they're not in sync in the fusion, the Digimon is repressing their human and steering the whole fusion themselves because they aren't gonna let their human, who is too nice, to get themselves killed so they do what they have to do, repressing the human part of the biomerge in order to take all the hardship themselves. Was gonna consider Koichi from Frontier but I don't think I can do much more than Frontier already did with him and make it interesting. Was gonna consider Ken and Wormmon, having Wormmon repress Ken in the fusion in order to protect him and do the bad stuff himself or vise versa. But then I watched Ghost Game and ngl Hiro with Gamma and Gulus as the champion where Gulus convinced Gamma to help repress and placate Hiro in the fusion so Gulus can fly the plane because he thinks the other two are so soft it'll get them all killed sounds fun and I am biased as fuck.