#can you tell I just finished a reread?

[incorrect-kkc-theories]

The Yllish Story Knot on the Lackless box contains instructions on how to open it.

The Box itself contains 2 items: 1) Instructions on how to make the box.

2) A really clear glass marble, that was super hard to make to make 3000 years ago, and was a prize for whoever opened it.

Not their fault that it took so long and glass smelting advanced to such a degree.

[applestorms]

thinking about how near refers to light at the end of the series— not really as light yagami, not even really as kira, and not quite as L, but rather an amalgamation of titles: L-KIRA, a twisted mix of two personas, masks on top of masks. no longer a person but a series of letters, a filtered voice through a screen. a man who has built his entire life in the space between lies, who cannot let himself stop for a second without the weight of his own guilt, his sins, crushing him. regrets repressed because this is the only way it could ever be, it has to be worth it, it has to, it has to, because you can’t even bring yourself to consider what it all means otherwise.

i am a firm believer that light yagami, the son, the student, the average human person, dies at the same time that L does. at least at the beginning of the series he has some semblance of normalcy to hold himself to, the Serious Student persona that keeps him walking to and from school and talking to people and eating dinner with his family at home. how many times do we really see him going outside, post-L death? how often do we see him outside of some L-based police HQ, talking to people he isn’t trying to manipulate? really, it’s no wonder he falls so far, alienated as he is from the rest of humanity. when was the last time he breathed long enough to remember what the sky looks like? hugged his mom, laughed with his sister? did he ever visit his father’s grave? does he remember what the breeze smells like? was he ever really happy? did he deny himself his only chance?

at least in the case of L and near the isolation feels intentional, a preferable choice, carefully and logically considered for all the pros and cons. light never asked for the position he fell into, that fell upon him, that he created for himself. he denies the death note being a curse, but it’s not like he could ever admit it if it was.

light’s story arc in death note really feels like a tragedy to me, specifically in the sense that he never really gets the chance to change. on a plot level this is true, much of the second half of the story post-L death is light utilizing the exact same strategies as before (taking away his ownership of the DN to Strategize, romancing a woman he doesn’t care for to use her, fighting a snarky troll of a super genius hiding behind a letter whose real name & face he cannot find), but it’s true on an emotional level too. light never really gets to grow up, he never gets the chance to truly question his ideals or goals without the world he’s built by himself crashing down around him.

i keep thinking back to the significance of matsuda asking him about his dad, how he could drag him to his death for the sake of all of this. light’s response, so truthful in its desperation, really sums it all up: he died for a reason. KIRA has to win, or his dad died for nothing. he cannot face the idea that he caused his own father’s death, so KIRA must be justice. there is no other alternative. KIRA is god, or light yagami killed his own father for a fairytale.

really, it’s so fitting that his name uses the kanji for moon. moonlight— not originating from the moon itself but a reflection, of something brighter, greater, more powerful than he could ever be. light dies the same way as every other criminal he passed his judgement upon, on his knees and desperate, pathetic, begging for life even as he knows he is doomed to the same fate of nothingness that he granted to everybody else. godhood denied. he said it himself, that he could never be anything more than a human, but somewhere in the fog he lost track of the person he once was. and it’s near’s cruelest observation that stands out the most to me in that final scene— that he never really had to be this. he could’ve stopped at any point, felt his guilt, paid his regrets, and moved on with his humanity still intact. light has spent far too long repressing and denying to ever consider that an option anymore— but there was still room for sympathy for the 17 year old kid who killed without thinking, long before he built up such a dedicated palace of lies to justify his actions and hide away his guilt.

L-KIRA dies on the floor of a dirty, abandoned building, surrounded by the people he spent years manipulating and lying to and betraying. light yagami dies in a helicopter, locked and chained to his only closest equal, holding a notebook that he would use to sound the death knell of his own fate and wearing his father’s gifted watch.

[greeen-bean]

I think my favourite part of the entire PJO series is the last chapter of TTC, where percy chooses the prophecy

Annabeth paled. "But, Percy, this means the prophecy might not be about you. It might be about Nico. We have to-"

"No," I said. "I choose the prophecy. It will be about me."

I love it for a lot of reasons.

From a story standpoint, there are a many times within the series previously where percy (and others) tries to fight against and defy the prophecies they are given. In TLT percy fights against being told he will fail, or that he will be betrayed by a freind . In SOM its the same with Clarrise. Even earlier in TTC, Zoë tries to get away with only having 4 hero's. And then for a these things to become true regardless, so it feels inevitable and unavoidable.

With this prophecy it feels different, everyone, gods and mortals alike, act like they have more control over the prophecy than they do. They believe they can change it. From the very start, Zuse, Poseidon, and Hades promising to not have children, this is done to avoid/push back the prophecy. But that's not how prophesies work, it was always going to happen when it did. It feels like a choice, but it isn't, not really. Then Zuse and Poseidon breaking the promise is presented as a failure or mistake, but that's not how prophesies work. It was always going to happen, it couldn't have been avoided. Thalia joining the hunters was a choice, but it wasn't. Percy choosing the prophecy was a choice, but it wasn't.

But they THINK it is. They THINK and BELIEVE they have controlled over it, so when percy (and annabeth) realise theyres another option (nico), they truly believe that they COULD change it.

But Percy says no. He chooses it. Even if it isn't really a choice he has. He believes it is, and a chooses it.

This also shows so much of percys character. His fatal loyalty. He couldn't not choose the prophecy, because he feels the need to protect Nico from it all.

[daddyplasmius]

hand on my stupid heart flashbacks

this is a No One Knows AU & Full Hazmat AU where Danny ended up in the Ghost Zone & didn't go back into the human world initially because he thought he was dead. by the time he realized he is, in fact, at least half alive, he'd already been missing for at least 2 weeks. will probs never finish homsh sorry. i wrote this a couple years ago in a haze & just haven't been able to finish it because i can't replicate the style, which i find is what i love about this fic the most. it wouldn't be the same without it. posting the flashback introsーwhich are meant to be read between chapters/the actual plot, starting after chapter 1ーcuz fuck it. excuse typos & shit, i never properly edited it, as i forgot it existed immediately after i wrote it original description of homsh: Danny Fenton has officially been missing for over a year. Maddie & Jack Fenton refuse to give up on their son. Sick and tired of the police running them in circles, and the case getting colder by the day, the Fentons turn to their last resortーPhantom. 800~ words (full unfinished fic is 20k~)

-

When Danny woke up surrounded by thick, green fog, and couldn’t breathe without swallowing heavy air that was more like water than anything, he was sure he was dead. The portal glowed behind him, illuminating the pitch darkness around him in soft, yellow, warm light.

He almost went back.

Almost.

He was dead. His parents were ghost hunters. They had drilled into his head from the moment he was born that he could never, ever panic in death. That he would accept it. That he would not be scared. So he would be prepared to be brave in the face of death and would not become a ghost.

He panicked. He did not accept it. He was terrified. And so he woke up in the Ghost Zone.

-

Danny went back through the portal when he saw some ectopuses acting… strange. Like they had an idea in their heads. Like they had a plan.

Which was weird, with animal ghosts. He had only been in the Ghost Zoneーmom and dad called it that, he rememberedーfor a couple weeks. Or, he had already been there for two weeks. Or maybe time worked differently and he was there five minutes, or four years orー

The ectopuses went through the portal and, despite everything, Danny went after them.

While he was busy reeling at being home, the ectopuses immediately attacked dad. Danny was horrified. Jack was overwhelmed. Danny stepped in, in a moment fueled by sheer adrenaline and stupidity, snatching a Fenton Thermos™ off a shelf and releasing his shaky invisibility. The ectopuses didn’t stand a chance. And when they were safely in the Thermos, he slowly turned around to dad, ready for the confrontation. Ready for the “what happened to you?” and the “where have you been?” and the “we’ve missed you”.

Dad scrambled to shoot at him.

Danny fled.

His parents didn’t recognize him.

-

The Lunch Lady attacked when Danny was mourning Halloween.

He’d waited all year. He made a costume that summer. He wouldn’t get to go trick or treating with Sam and Tucker this year. Or any year. For the rest of his lifeーor existence. Whatever.

The Lunch Lady appeared in the school and demanded in straight fury, “Who changed the menu?”

Everyone pointed at Sam.

Danny hadn’t known just how powerful ghosts could be. His parents never told him the specifics. Just that they were dangerous.

This ghost grew and her aura hit him like a hurricane, almost physically pushing him back. It was so strong that the students in the Casper High cafeteria seemed to feel it too.

The Lunch Lady was a much harder opponent than the ectopuses. She levitated meat. She used it as a weapon, and seemed to bring it back to life. She created weird meat creatures that grew sharp teeth and claws out of bones. They were mindless, attacking everything that got too close to the ghost. Danny would have run away without hesitation, if Sam hadn’t been in the crossfire.

Danny fought the Lunch Lady. It was a long struggle, but he caught her in the thermos after over an hour. When he turned to Sam and Tuckerーboth of whom he had to save due to Tucker trying to jump into the fightーall three of them bloody and bruised, he cringed. But a part of him hoped. Desperately.

Surely they would know him on sight.

“Wh-what are you?” Sam gasped at him finally.

Danny flinched as if she had struck him. “J-just… your friendly neighbourhood phantom.”

-

Danny didn’t know what possessed him. Oh. Pun not intended.

He just barely caught the Fentons leaving in the GAV, dragging suitcases behind them. He couldn’t help himself. What on Earth were they doing?

They were going to Vlad Master’s mansion for their college reunion.

It was a whole thing. But something was off. Besides all the adults reminiscing about the 80’s.

Danny sensed ghosts immediately but he couldn’t see anything. Unfortunately for him, Vlad could also sense him. It was two days of Danny staying invisible, and Vladーthe halfa? Is that what Danny is?ーtrying to kill Jack. Somehow, Danny managed to fight off Vlad, not turn back, and without the Fentons getting hurt. His secret intact.

VladーPlasmius, also learned about Phantom. And Vlad hated him. The manーghostーwhatever, seemed to only care about one thingーpossession. Of money. Of things. Of people. He was more ghost than Danny had ever seen. Vlad’s obsession was overwhelming.

Danny couldn’t believe someone so much like himself could be so disturbing.

[mattodore]

the reason why i was offline for a day was bc i was in cas editing mattodore and messing with my cas bg, yeah, but also... i found another oc ask game that i liked the questions for so i started drafting theo and matthias's answers for them....... there's 100 questions this time so i've just been like this in google docs

[starbuck]

“bro, SHOULD we?”

[pyrriax]

hi tumblr im pyrr pyrriax and im in my trimonthly artist arc, lord help me and all the projects that are currently sitting in my drafts while i am lured in by the siren song of drawing

[witchhazelevesque]

We didn't get to see Camp Jupiter's alarms blare when a gleaming mass is spotted in the sky, streaking right toward them. We didn't see the crowds gathering in the streets of the city, the soldiers in the barracks moving to gather their weapons, weary because haven't they dealt with enough?

We didn't see the Praetors of New Rome and their most trusted legionaires step out of the shadows of the Senate House as the flying shape resolved into the form of a dragon. We didn't see the familliarity of that dragon register on the faces of the soldiers who had fought at Camp Half Blood last August.

We didn't see the Praetors stop in shock as the word spread through the crowd, questions and doubts and disbelief.

We didn't see Reyna's lips part in astonishment, a rare sight as she’s not easily surprised, and in the same breath ordering her people to stand down. We didn't see Hazel let out a joyous cry, hands flying to cover her mouth as she mentally calls for her steed so she can meet her friend as soon as he lands.

And we didn't see Frank stand rooted to the spot, eyes fixed on the figure that's little more than a speck sitting astride the dragon's back, his heart thundering in his ribs, his throat, the entirety of his body.

We didn’t see him, never once looking away from the sky as he steps foward, pushing through the crowd, moving with more and more urgency as the truth hits him, until he's running, sprinting, lifting off the ground, barely conscious of shifting his form because all he can think is that he can't lose one more moment on this earth that rider died to defeat, not when that rider is alive and here and in reach. 

We didn't see the rider register the shape moving to intercept him, the resignation for a fight before the recognition of that giant eagle that he knows so well, the blinding grin as the eagle swoops in so close they should all go tumbling out the sky.

We didn't see the eagle morph back into a teenage boy who has missed Leo Valdez so fiercely that he thought the feeling alone could break open the surface of the sleeping world, who doesn't have to miss him anymore, because Leo is pulling his still shifting form onto the seat behind him.

We didn't see Frank Zhang in the open sky for the first time in his original form, or how he barely registers the sensation because he's too focused on wrapping himself around the boy he'd feared he had truly lost, head buried against his shoulder, arms tight around his torso, Leo's own holding just as tight to him, to one of the main reasons he was able to go through with his sacrifice in the first place.

We didn't get to see that. 

[im-still-watching-anime]

reading my drafts like damn this is so good i should really finish it and post it as i am actively closing the window

[jorvikzelda]

GOD why does my fic writing always get into the best fucking flow when i need to be SLEEPING

[seishun-emergency]

now who in enstars are insane enough to get away with "what if we defected, not to each others' sides, but to each other"

[sallysellsseashellssundays]

Randomly thought today about that one 50th anniversary special interview with David Tennant and Matt Smith (that I can’t find now!) where they were asked what they would steal from the other Doctor with David saying Eleven’s Tardis and Matt answering “Rose” and it’s just soooo... 🥰 🥰 🥰

How I wish someone would make a compilation post of the actors being Billie Piper and Rose stans because at this point I think it’s half of them! Jodie, Matt, David, Chris, Paul, Peter Davison for sure and I want to say I once saw a post about Sylvester McCoy as well???

[righteousdelusions]

funny that yoshida is actually the one who will be in trouble with his shady organization, not denji. denji asks what's gonna happen and yoshida deflects with his "i won't let you eat this cake" flirting.

yoshida, denji doesn't even know your name why would he care if you're in trouble, someone needs some manipulation lessons

[mishkakagehishka]

So like. My literature notes just got interrupted because i had a new wip idea. Which is so funny to me personally bc you'll be reading notes on the specific genre that brought that divine inspiration on me, and in the margins OC name possibilities and titles to (re)read as my "models" and then right back to literature notes

[the-little-ugly-fuckling]

who do i need to pay to make me one of those the-locked-tomb-characters-but-as-[blank] but like with rabbits, watership down style

[endlessburningdarkness]

how to go from daydream to draft:

begin by daydreaming as you normally do, or just after you've finished doing so. write down every thought you have. one after another. do not reread. do not stop for spelling mistakes. just dump out every thought. this is called stream of consciousness writing. you can do this for every scene you need a first draft for.

struggling to draft the scene? try to daydream about it. start thinking about how it would look, feel, what the characters would say, act it out in your head and then write out the stream of your thoughts as they arrive.

by now you have a few scene dumps. you may be tempted to go back and edit. do not do this expect for obvious spelling mistakes. do not read closely and start thinking "i need to rework this sentence." that is for later. now you're in the zone. draft more scenes. or work out what the next scene needs to be, scaffold it with a few comments. this will be the inspiration for your next deliberate thought stream that you will write out. repeat this process until you have the whole draft.

now that you have a draft or part of a draft you get to do this very fun thing called revise until you're happy. sweep through your draft with specific goals each time. one sweep to fix spelling/grammar. another for character voice. another for plot. repeat until you're happy with it.

leave it alone. just leave it for a bit. at least a few hours or days or even weeks. forget it exists. this will allow you come back with fresh eyes. then you can do your revisions with an eagle eye. now you may realize you need to add/remove scenes. you know how to get the first version down. close your eyes and daydream at your desk if that's what takes!

remember that fiction writing is persuasive writing. you are trying to persuade the reader to care about what happens next, the character's, the world, the feelings. as you're revising, consider whether you are persuaded. is the feeling/thoughts you wanted to provoke being felt by you when you read it? when working with beta readers, be sure to communicate what you're trying to convey so they can tell you if you've been successful or not.

this got a bit beyond getting the first draft done. hope you found it helpful.

bonus tip: check the spellings of names and places and other nouns that are not typically used, like the name of a magic tool!