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#i hope you like it! its inspired by the ending scene in chapter 25
birdyverdie · 5 months
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Comic based on @coffee-in-veins' Restructured, Refractured, Recalled fic!!
I am SOOO sane over this fic, all Reymas enjoyers should read it :')
Cleaner version + extra process ramblings on my Pillowfort!
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chansaw · 1 year
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Hey there! Hope you're hanging in there :) I'm someone who's constantly juggling project ideas and WIPs in their head, so I'm guessing you've got a lot to think about. But if you don't mind my asking, what are some aspects of your WIPs (any you want to talk about) that you're excited about? Scenes, or arcs, or themes, or whatever! Thank you!
HEY ANON!!!!!!!!! sorry this has been sittinig in my inbox for like EVER but its just because i have so much to talk about that my brain just kind of overheats like a macbook that's dying a slow and painful death.
okay first off: those of you who are familiar with my fics (shameless self plug) already know how much i enjoy writing existential horror, and i hope my yellowjackets animorphs au pays homage to that! applegrant (that is, k.a. applegate and her husband michael grant, who wrote the GONE series) gave me a deep appreciation and fascination for fucked up body horror stuff so i hope no return reflects that.
as for rottweilers: daniel waters' original pitch with heathers was "what if stanley kubrick wrote and directed a john hughes movie?" this is most evident in the cafeteria sequence at the start of the movement where veronica helps conduct the lunchtime poll; the whole scene was inspired by and pays tribute to the mess hall scenes in full metal jacket. heathers was probably the first movie to depict high school for what it really is: an active war zone.
yellowjackets challenges the viewer to consider "are the survivors the way they are because of the wilderness, or were they already monsters before the plane crashed?" personally, i think it's a little bit of both. however, one thing that's different between YJ and RW is that the yellowjackets already had an element of social cohesion before the crash - they went to parties together, jammed out in the locker room, etc. the westerburg girls are much more stratified, so the dynamics of power shift far more radically once their plane goes down. im excited to explore these tectonic shifts over the course of the story!
rottweilers is the most ambitious project i've ever decided to tackle - decidedly the longest. that's why i'm hoping to write at least four or five chapters in advance so i can drop them on a planned schedule. bc another part of what makes yellowjackets tick is its episodic nature, so hope that the end of each RW chapter/"episode" leaves you reeling the same way the cut to credits on yellowjackets does!
i'm also looking forward to weaving together the 1988 and 2013/14 (25 years later) timelines; it's such a fun narrative trick but it'll be challenging to pull off, even more so without the visual storytelling cues a tv show or movie would afford.
ANYWAYS SORRY this was a super long brain dump but i just love talking about my work so much so if you have any more questions ill try to answer them the best i can!!!! i love you anon and godspeed - we both got this o7
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4, 9, 25, 31
4. Are there any writers that inspire you?
Just about anything I read will inspire me in one way or another. In the course of writing When the Longing Returns I've directly taken inspiration from Angela Carter, Charles Dickens and Elizabeth Gaskell. The last was especially influential on Chapter 4.
9. Which Characters do you find difficult to write
So far I've only really written 5 characters (Erik, Christine, Raoul, Meg and Madame Giry) and none of them have been particularly challenging, because I've always known exactly what I want them to do in the scenes they're in. Like they all have their little challenges situationally.
With Erik my main concern is finding the right balance of self-confidence and self-loathing. I determined early on that i didn't believe ALW Erik to be defeatist--somehow he always manages to cling on to hope. So my gauge is "Does he sound too much like Edward Cullen in Midnight Sun? If yes, dial it back.
But I think I would say the one that will be most challenging in the future will be Madame Giry. And there it isn't so much not knowing how to write her, and more just finding difficulty in actually articulating it. There's some big scenes with her coming up one of which I wrote all the way back in Ch. 3 and its one of my favourite things I've written, but it was also quite challenging.
25. Have you ever daydreamed about side adventures/spin-offs from your fic? Tell us about them!
No so much side adventures, more like outtakes--scenes that take place in the universe of the fic birthday just don't fit the trajectory of the story. And they're mostly smutty.
31. Do you have any OCs? Tell us about them!
Now are we talking OC's for a piece of media or Original characters for Original works?
If the latter, not really no. If the former, my OC for Twilight, Ada, is very near and dear to my heart, to the point where I have a whole side-blog for her (@crookdeclipses).
I have always had a self insert for Twilight, but when I first came up with her she was called Audrey and she was very thinly written. I just didn't have a good enough scope of knowledge or emotional experience to come up with a character that add anything to the Cullen family dynamic. She read kind of just there. So when I embraced the Twilight Renaissance, I decided to completely strip her down and rebuild her from scratch. Just about the only thing she retained from the I original incarnation is her hair colour and her car. Audrey Cullen became Adeliza Charlotte Wakefield Cullen (Ada for short). I placed her backstory in Regency England (as I was coming off of a major Jane Austen kick) with the basis of her vampire origin being what if Marianne Dashwood's story ended.... badly? Like, at the foot of a cliff badly?
That background grew to involve her fiancé disappearing in action during the Napoleanic Wars who she then discovers (after she becomes a vampire) was actually alive, and an obsessive vampire creator who's affection she was not ready to receive chasing her across Eurasia (this aspect of her story was added to explain the numerous vampire covens of OC's I came up with back when Breaking Dawn came out and International Vampires became an option). The obsessive vampire creator (he's called Jonathan) was an idea I had because I wanted to explore Stephenie Meyers concept of "vampires can only fall in love once". Namely what happens when you fall in love as a vampire and the object of your affection doesn't reciprocate. Things don't end well for poor Jonathan (my heart goes out to the poor guy. I really feel like I did him dirty.)
Her full backstory and various other details can be read here
Thank you for asking <3
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amoc94 · 3 years
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My BTS Fanfiction Recommendation.
These will include Romance, Fluff or Angst.
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If you hope for more stories from those authors, please do something to support them. By giving shout out, comments, and reblog their works. It's how tumblr works, people.
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I have yandere fanfic recommendation in separate post. Please look at my Navi here.
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1. Monster, series. Mafia leader Taehyung, arranged marriage AU. There are several other interconnected stories with another member, but I like Tae's the most.
2. I Love You Too, long oneshot. Boyfriend Jungkook, ex-boyfriend Taehyung. I like this sooo much.
3. To Love An Empress, oneshot. King Yoongi, funny historical romance. Honestly, looking at his behaviour on the screen, I can picture him acts like the character in this fanfic. Grumpy, cool, but caring at the same time. Love it♥️
4. House of Cards, miniseries. Namjoon with foreigner reader, Idol AU, angst and romance. So beautiful that I cried😭
5. The Young Wolf, very long oneshot. Jungkook and reader in Game of Thrones AU. It's a beautiful angst.
6. The Shoulder In Which You Cry, oneshot. Namjoon x Reader, Jungkook x Reader, angst and romance, bestfriend AU.
7. Flux, miniseries. Jungkook x Reader x Yoongi, Office AU, Polyamorous relationship.
8. Mirrors, two short chapters. Jungkook x reader, friends with benefit AU.
9. Intertwine, long oneshot. Hoseok x reader, feat. Namjoon, past lovers AU, infidelity. The plot twist will leave your jaw drop.
10. Falling Trilogy, three parter. Jimin x assistant reader, Idol AU. The way the author writing the emotion and feeling...♥️
11. House of Cards, miniseries. Taehyung x reader, Jungkook x reader. Infidelity and angst, but again, very beautiful. I reread it several times, and it never failed to stir up my emotion.
12. Codename, Assasin Hoseok x reader, feat. Yoongi. It's on AO3. Hoseok is super sexy here.
13. Watchdog, long oneshot. Mafia Jungkook x waitress reader, feat OT7. Jungkook is cool, the type of boyfriend you will want to have, in your dream of course🤭
14. Guilty, miniseries. Mafia Namjoon, assistant reader. I want to strangle Namjoon in this fic, he was so bad at expressing his feeling.😁
15. Last Christmas, oneshot. Ex husband Seokjin x reader, feat. Hoseok. Looking at this pair of characters, love it and sigh in exasperation at the same time.
16. Into the Woods, miniseries. Goblin Jungkook with reader.
17. Kanalia, ongoing series. Queen reader x Royal Guards Hoseok. Stir up your emotion until you are confuse what to feel🤭
18. Hope, oneshot. Hobi x reader, Idol AU, marriage life. Smut, angst with happy ending. I cried.♥️
19. The Early Shift, miniseries. Yoongi x reader, Coffeeshop AU, Enemies to lover.
20. An Abundance of Scrunchies, miniseries. Rich hot single dad Hobi x reader as kindergarten teacher, funny, fluff. Its on AO3.
21. The Thin Blue Line, miniseries. CEO Hoseok x reader, office AU. Enemies to lovers. It's on AO3.
22. Fallback, miniseries. Jungkook x reader, Jimin x reader. Infidelity, angst. It's on AO3. One of my favorite, you should read it, because Jimin here is very ... intense.
23. Jaded, two chapters short story. Husband Jungkook x reader, Idol AU, feat. OT7. A bit angst, but beautiful. Also on AO3.
24. Obligated, oneshot. Namjoon x reader, arranged marriage AU.
25. Plateu, two chapters short story. Jimin x reader, Jungkook x reader, College AU. A bit of angst, happy ending (I guess, depends on how you see it. Kkkk). It's on AO3.
26. Moonlit Throne, series of drabbles. King Yoongi of Joseon era, inspired by Daechwita. The depiction of scenes, ambience and culture are amazingly close to reality, the author clearly did her research. Just the beginning of first part already had my jaw dropped. 🤭
27. Bow to You, miniseries. King Jungkook x Queen OC. It's angst, a heavy one. I usually will avoid this kind of stuff, but there are so many emotions mixed inside my heart, the heart wrenching dynamic between them that draw my curiousity of what is going to happen next, I just can't stop reading.
28. Never, Never Fall, oneshot. Music producer Yoongi x reader. It's not a good idea if you read this when you are sad, because you'll cry even more. But it's really worth it. Very very beautiful.
29. Second Chances, oneshot. CEO Jungkook x almost ex wife reader. The smut!🤭 It's ,again, so beautiful. Jungkook is such a charm here.
30. Guarded, Mafia Hoseok x reader, miniseries. This one is interconnected with Namjoon's "Guilty" that I mentioned above.
31. The Garden Thief, long oneshot, hybrid Jungkook x reader. Want to know how it feels like to have a handsome bunny doing it on you under the rain? Then this is the story for you.😝
32. Gwanghae Flow, oneshot. Yoongi x queen reader in historical AU. Borderline PWP, but I include it in my fav anyway, because, omg, the debauchery is too beautiful and intense.
33. Remembrance, long oneshot, Yoongi x reader. Lost of memory from accident, heavy angst.
34. Stoic, two parter, CEO JK x wife reader.
35. Reflections, mini series of drabbles, Musician / Idol Yoongi x reader. Exes to lovers, angst with happy ending.
36. Faded Love, long oneshot, CEO Jimin x Wife Fashion Designer reader. Infidelity, angst with (somewhat) happy ending. The pain was still there at the end tho.😭
37. Forgivable, oneshot. Yoongi x reader. He was drafted, but he didn't tell you. It's on AO3.
38. Bangtan Drabbles, series of -well..., drabbles. Short and fun reading, but well written. Also on AO3.
39. Don't Talk to the Neighbours, series. Idol Yoongi × reader is deaf. It's fluff, and their dynamic, it's different and interesting. On AO3.
40. Duty Before Love, ongoing series. King Jungkook x concubine reader. Curious of what will happen next.
41. Crashing Into You, long one-shot. Mafia Hoseok x reader. Very well written.
42. My Tiny Secret, CEO Seokjin x reader. Angst and infidelity, some fluff too. This story will give you a rainbow of feelings. Really good.
43. Propinquity (Law of Seesaw), one shot. Bestfriend to lovers AU. Fluff and angst. Very relatable for me.
44. All's Fair in Love and War, Korean Joseon dynasty historical setting, Jungkook x reader, Jin x reader. This is written so well, which very rare. A MUST READ if you love historical romance! It's on AO3. Seemed the author deactivated her tumblr acc.
45. Somebody Else, Yoongi x reader, feat Namjoon. Infidelity AU. Cried twice, it's still beautiful. God, just pray that I won't have to experience this kind of thing irl later, because it's so relatable. On WP.
46. Tuqburni, poly au, series. Yoongi x reader x Jimin. Infidelity and angst. It's on tumblr too.
47. Withdrawal, oneshot. Druglord Yoongi x reader, feat JK as reader's brother. Kind of toxic relationship, mixed feeling about him here. 🤧
48. Come Home to me, Darling. Two parter, very long chapter. Husband Jimin x reader. Angst and infidelity, the journey of finding oneself and appreciate life. So beautifully written.
49. The Good Doctor. Series, BDSM, Dom-Sub relationship. Very well written on Wattpad.
50. Boo. Taehyung as a ghost x reader. It's fluff, with some angst. But nothing as scary or creepy as the title. I like the ending. On Wattpad.
51. So Close. Yoongi x reader. Almost break up, but then you find your way back home.
52. After Hours. Boss Yoongi x reader. Short and light, fun to read. Plot twist at the end? Kkk
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53. The Weekend. Jungkook x babysitter reader. You met him every weekend to fuck. It's infidelity, it's complicated. It's wrong, but it feels so right at the same time. Who is in the wrong here, him to not be able to let you go, or you, for falling in love with him? Beautiful angst.
54. Seoul Underground. Mafia Namjoon x Reader x Mafia Jungkook. This deserves to be published as a novel. Ongoing, on AO3.
Authors:
@neonlights92 @smileyoongle @jingabitch @xjoonchildx @junqkook @lemonjoonah @yoonia @aiimaginesbts @foxyseok @kpopisthereasonihavenolife @ratedbangtann @hobidreams @underthejoon @flowerwrites06 @joheunsaram @parkhabits @btssavedmylifeblr @jkeuphoriadreamland @blue-jade @jamaisjoons @taleasnewastime @personasintro @threeletterslife @jjkthclub @solastia @jungk0oksthighs @roses-ruby @namfinessed @run2yoongi @chryblossomjjk
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I will reblog this post everytime two new stories are added at the end of the list.
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theartofdreaming1 · 3 years
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As usual, my thoughts regarding this week’s prompts and random thoughts on chapters 25-27 are below the cut.
heart
The imagery that really caught my attention this time was Peeta pointing out the changes in the moon to Katniss: The only indication of the passage of time lies in the heavens, the subtle shift of the moon. So Peeta begins pointing it out to me, insisting I acknowledge its progress and sometimes, for just a moment I feel a flicker of hope before the agony of the night engulfs me again. - So for one, we see another example of Peeta focusing on the small details in life (which I’ve previously hypothesized to being an important element in his recovery from his hijacking) as well as Peeta being the one to give Katniss hope, even if it’s just for a brief moment. Also, it’s a nice parallel to Katniss looking at the moon and desperately wishing for it to be “her moon” back in chapter 23. As a nocturnal person, I also love watching the moon from my living room window🌙
mind
Hmmh, I don’t think that Katniss and Peeta’s win was predetermined - although I do believe that by introducing the romantic angle, they significantly improved their odds. A Career winning the Games is not really that special and exciting, since it happens so often (although Careers generally satisfy that excitement for violence/blood/gore, that plenty of Capitol people seem to share). As a volunteer from District 12, who achieved an extremely good training score and proved herself to be very capable in the arena already, Katniss definitely had an edge by playing into the classic underdog story, which offered another exciting “narrative” for the Capitolites to follow - that, coupled (heh) with the romance angle Peeta introduced? Katniss (and Peeta) definitely had the entertainment (and excitement through novelty) factor on their side. Ironically, Cato’s chances of winning were not as good as he expected, precisely because he was playing it by the book.
soul
Poor Peeta (and Katniss), it hurts that their relationship was in such a rocky place by the end of the book. Especially those weeks right after the end of Book 1, when there were still cameras around District 12 and they had to pretend while hurting must have sucked big time🥺
Chapter 25
Ugh, the muttations are just so unsettling... *shudder*
Honestly, I’m just so impressed by Peeta’s presence of mind to draw that X on Cato’s hand, after he had just most of his calf ripped off, only to be grabbed and put in a headlock by Cato! He and Katniss work insanely well under pressure
God, Cato’s death is just so gruesome and awful... In the end, his “gift” from the Feast doesn’t help him win at all, but instead ends up prolonging his suffering a cruel amount... I wonder if in general these “gifts” come with a string attached (aside from the expected danger of trying to get them, I mean) - because the Gamemakers also intend for Katniss’s “gift” (medicine for Peeta) to force an even more cruel outcome on her - saving him from blood poisoning only to be forced into killing him herself... 🤔
I’m not sure if this is exactly medical protocol, but I’m terrified that if he drifts off he’ll never wake again. “Are you cold?” he asks. He unzips his jacket and I press against him as he fastens it around me. - Katniss is terrified of the idea of Peeta dying; at the same time, Peeta worries about her freezing - I can’t with these two 😩
Peeta begins to doze off now, and each time he does, I find myself yelling his name louder and louder because if he goes and dies on me now, I know I’ll go completely insane. He’s fighting it, probably more for me than for him - Katniss can’t lose any more people she cares about 😢; on a different note, Peeta fighting his unconsciousness “probably more for [Katniss] than for him” points out one of the crucial elements Katniss brings into Peeta’s life - she is that someone for whom he will fight - including for his own life and well-being - even when it feels easier to give up... Having that person in your life that keeps you going can make all the difference - if Katniss hadn’t had Prim and promised her “to really, really try” to win (and later also made Rue the same promise), I’m not sure she would have made it this far; it’s the thought of Prim anxiously watching her after Rue’s death, that forces Katniss to keep going, to not give in to despair after that particular traumatic event - Peeta, on the other hand, didn’t really have that kind of person in his life, as he will point out on the beach in CF (and Katniss acknowledges herself that the only person who will be devasted if Peeta dies is her)... that is not to say that neither Katniss nor Peeta aren’t fighters on their own - but it helps to have someone that inspires you to not give up
the adrenaline pumping through my body would never allow me to follow him, so I can’t let him go. I just can’t. - We’ll see the mirrored version of this by the end of Mockinjay 
Pity, not vengeance, sends my arrow flying into [Cato’s] skull. - Another act of rebellion, technically (sure, this can be spun as Katniss killing Cato so she and Peeta may win - before Peeta dies from blood loss - but we know better - Katniss’s motivation was compassion for her supposed enemy)
We inch down to the tail of the horn and fall to the ground. If the stiffness in my limbs is this bad, how can Peeta even move? - Peeta is tough as nails, yo!
Before I am even aware of my actions, my bow is loaded with the arrow pointed straight at his heart [...] I drop my weapons and take a step back, my face burning in what can only be shame. “No,” he says. “Do it.” [...] “I can’t,” I say, “I won’t.” - In spite of her initial reflex, Katniss chooses Peeta/ chooses not to kill him; it’s a recurring theme in their relationship (despite her wariness of others, she chooses to open up to Peeta eventually; although she vowed to never marry and have children, she’ll choose to have a family with Peeta); also, my psychology-brain just noticed how this moment illustrates how harmful thoughts/impulses don’t have to determine your actions and are not an indicator of who you are - it’s about what you choose to do
“You’re not leaving me here alone,” I say. Because if he dies, I’ll never go home, not really. I’ll spend the rest of my life in this areny trying to think my way out. - Again, makes me think of MJ; also, I think that from this point onwards, Katniss and Peeta are officially linked together forever; the bond they forged during this traumatic experience will connect them to each other until the day they die
“On the count of three?” Peeta leans down and kisses me once, very gently. “The count of three,” he says. - My heart😭
Chapter 26
... while our muscles are immobile, nothing is preventing the blood from draining out of Peeta’s leg. Sure enough, the minute the door closes behind us and the current stops, he slumps to the floor unconscious  [...] Through the glass, I see the doctors working feverishly on Peeta, their brows creased in concentration [...] I’m not sure, but I think his heart stops twice. - Peeta was in such a bad shape by the end of the Games; I’m still kinda salty that the movie really glossed over this fact :/
... they’re taking Peeta but leaving me behind the door. I start hurling myself against the glass, shrieking and I think I just catch a glimpse of pink hair - it must be Effie, it has to be Effie coming to my rescue - when the needle jabs me from behind. - Oh geez, in Catching Fire Katniss will also get sedated in a hovercraft because she’s upset about being separated from Peeta 😢 (also, Katniss thinking that Effie is coming to her rescue 😭)
While she [Lavinia, the avox] adjusts my pillows, I risk one question. I say it out loud, as clearly as my rusty voice will allow, so nothing will seem secretive. “Did Peeta make it?” She gives me a nod, and as she slips a spoon into my hand, I feel the pressure of friendship. - Katniss is so considerate of Lavinia’s situation, and Lavinia’s giving her a gesture of comfort and support; they’ve never been able to have a proper conversation (Katniss doesn’t even know Lavinia’s name), but still they managed to build up such a bond - compassion certainly is a strong thing to behold 😭 (and this whole scene is just through and through about compassion, with Katniss asking how Peeta is doing!)
Home! Prim and my mother! Gale! Even the thought of Prim’s scruffy old cat makes me smile. Soon I will be home! - Katniss is so excited to see her home and her loved ones again
I want to get out of this bed. To see Peeta and Cinna - Aww, the two people she grew closest to over the course of the past weeks (Haymitch will be added to that list in just a smidge)
Or do I hear a man’s voice yelling? Not in the Capitol accent, but in the rougher cadences of home. And I can’t help having a vague, comforting feeling that someone is looking out for me. - Thank God for Haymitch! 
And behind one of them [doors] must be Peeta. Now that I’m conscious and moving, I’m growing more and more anxious about him [...] “Peeta!” I call out, since there’s no one to ask - Katniss is sick with worry over Peeta; romantic feelings or not, she cares so fricking much for him by now!
I run for them [Effie, Haymitch, and Cinna] and surprise even myself when I launch into Haymitch’s arms first. When he whispers in my ear, “Nice job, sweetheart,” it doesn’t sound sarcastic. - These reunion scenes are so intense and heartwarming! And then Katniss asks about Portia and Peeta because their presence would make this scene complete 
when I asks for seconds, I’m refused. “No, no, no. They don’t want it all coming back up on the stage,” says Octavia, but she secretly slips me an extra roll under the table to let me know she’s on my side - It’s moments like these that help humanize Katniss’s prep team - they might be shallow, they might be completely oblivious and ignorant, but they aren’t that bad [of course, the prep team chattering about their mundane lives while talking about the event that ended with the deaths of 22 children shortly after, leaves a bad taste in our mouths]
I immediately notice the padding over my breasts, adding curves that hunger has stolen from my body. My hands go to my chest and I frown. “I know,” says Cinna before I can object. “But the Gamemakers wanted to alter you surgically. Haymitch had a huge fight with them over it. This was the compromise.” - God, the idea that the Gamemakers wanted to give a boob job to an unconscious, malnourished 16-year-old girl makes me sick 🤢 (Also, what’s the flipping deal about boobs?! As a pretty flat-chested gal, I’ve always been annoyed that there are barely any bras my cup size that are not push-up ones; I’m not self-conscious about it, so stop making me pretend that I’m bustier than I actually am!)
“I thought it’d be something more... sophisticated-looking,” I say. “I thought Peeta would like this better,” he [Cinna] answers carefully. Peeta? No, it’s not about Peeta. It’s about the Capitol and the Gamemakers and the audience. Although I do not yet understand Cinna’s design, it’s a reminder the Games are not quite finished. - Ugh, that sinking feeling when Katniss and the reader realize that the Games are still not over... Sidenote: Peeta flirted up a storm with grimy, bloodied Katniss and complimented her when she wore Cinna’s first, absolutely badass costume (”You should wear flames more often”)... Katniss’s girlish outfit  has nothing to do with Peeta and she knows it... Cinna could have dressed Katniss up in a trash bag and Peeta would have been smitten - although a trash bag by Cinna would probably still look pretty good ;)
“How about a hug for luck?” Okay, that’s an odd request from Haymitch but, after all we are victors. Maybe a hug for luck is in order. - Aww, Katniss actually wouldn’t have minded giving Haymitch a hug just because - sadly, this is about survival tips instead :/
But what was it Haymitch said when I asked it he had told Peeta the situation? That he had to pretend to be desperately in love? “Don’t have to. He’s already there.” Already thinking ahead of me in the Games again and well aware of the danger we’re in? Or... already desperately in love? I don’t know. I haven’t even begun to separate out my feelings about Peeta. It’s too complicated. - Poor Katniss... she didn’t have the time and peace of mind to sort out her feelings regarding Peeta before they all got tied up and muddled with her need for survival. Now she’ll be having an even harder time trying to untangle that mess :(
Chapter 27
Then there’s Peeta just a few yards away. He looks so clean and healthy and beautiful, I can hardly recognize him. But his smile is the same whether in mud or in the Capitol and when I see it, I take about three steps and fling myself into his arms [...] He rights himself and we just cling to each other while the audience goes insane. He’s kissing me and all the time I’m thinking, Do you know? Do you know how much danger we’re in? After about ten minutes of this, Caesar Flickerman taps on his choulder to continue the show, and Peeta just pushes him aside without even glancing at him. - Man, their reunion here always gets me - it would be so fricking good if Katniss didn’t have to worry about their potential doom 😒😔 - she barely has time to just be happy to see Peeta alive and well before slipping back into survival mode while Peeta is just genuinely thrilled to have her in his arms, completely unaware of the pressure and immediate danger Katniss experiences in this moment... It hurts so bad
I’m with Katniss - How did the previous victors endure rewatching those horrible moments from the Games?! I guess because they had to, but oof... I think I’d just completely shut down, blocking out the footage shown, ugh
But I do notice they omit the part where I covered her [Rue] in flowers. Right. Because even that smacks of rebellion. - In such a callous and cruel place as Panem, any act of compassion can be regarded as rebellion, it’s crazy. In a place filled with apathy, hedonism, greed, and cruelty, the most radical things you can exhibit are love, kindness, and respect!
A wave of gratitude to the filmmakers sweeps over me when they end not with the announcement of our victory, but with me pounding on the glass door of the hovercraft, screaming Peeta’s name as they try to revive him. In terms of survival, it’s my best moment all night. - Again, another instance where Katniss’s genuine feelings/reactions to Peeta are get muddled with her need for survival
The one thing I never do is let go of Peeta’s hand. - irrevocably linked with each other
Despite Haymitch’s running interference, I’m determined to see Peeta privately. - Katniss just wants to have an honest and open talk with Peeta 😢 (I get where Haymitch is coming from, and maybe in this instance it’s the right call, but we’ll see a similar situation in the beginning of CF when Haymitch advises Katniss not to tell Peeta about President Snow’s visit and that time, it doesn’t go so well...)
Then Peeta’s there looking handsome in red and white - for someone who isn’t sure whether she’s into him or not, Katniss sure mentions how good Peeta’s looking a lot 😏
“Well, there’s just this and we go home. Then he can’t watch us all the time,” says Peeta. - 👀👀 Peeta is so thirsty here; reminds me of when he pulled Katniss close to him in the cave before they set out to hunt... He clearly believes she’s also “already there” regarding their relationship; he’s never this “suggestive” (can’t think of a better word right now) with her once she lets him know that she doesn’t really know how she feels about him - I feel a sort of shiver run through me and there’s no time to analyze why - Katniss totally isn’t averse to what Peeta’s suggesting here, either (though there’s probably also a healthy amount of fear mixed in with the thrill of being wanted - letting people in can be terrifying)
I can feel Peeta press his forehead into my temple and he asks, “So now that you’ve got me, what are you going to do with me?” I turn in to him. “Put you somewhere you can’t get hurt.” And when he kisses me, people in the room actually sigh. - It’s me; I’m people 🙋🏼‍♀️ (also, the “turn in to him”?!?!! it just suggests such a closeness, I can’t-)
Katniss burying her face in Peeta’s shirt when she’s afraid she might cry learning that he lost his leg 🥺 (how awful it must be to be constantly on display while you’re dealing with your private feelings, ugh)
“... The moment when you pulled out those berries. What was going on in your mind... hm?” [...] It seems to call for a big, dramatic speech, but all I get out is one almost inaudible sentences. “I don’t know, I just... couldn’t bear the thought of... being without him.” - It might not be a super eloquent way to put what she was supposed to say, but this way, Katniss is being perfectly honest (and frankly, if she’d had the chance to properly process her feelings, she would have been able to voice this sentiment with less hesitation)
I go back to my room to collect a few things and find there’s nothing to take but the mockingjay pin Madge gave me. Someone returned it to my room after the Games. - For one, Katniss didn’t think of that pin (again), but also - was the pin returned to her simply because it’s standard procedure or did someone (like Plutarch, for example) arrange for Katniss to get the pin back, to keep her connection to this symbol going?
I stare in the mirror as I try to remember who I am and who I am not. - Poor Katniss! She’s been through so much, experienced so many traumatic events in short succession recently (aside from the trauma she already had), already had problems defining her identity beyond sheer survival, and now the Capitol also keeps pushing an identity onto her and a romantic relationship, when she hadn’t even had the chance to figure out how she felt about that yet
“... Haymitch has been coaching me through the last few days. So I didn’t make it worse,” I say. “Coaching you? But not me,” says Peeta. “He knew you were smart enough to get it right,” I say. “I didn’t know there was anything to get right,” says Peeta. - Oh boy. It’s always so painful to see Peeta realize that he’s been completely out of the loop; again, we’ll see how Katniss and Haymitch adopt a similar strategy in the beginning of CF: banking on Peeta’s good social skills and eloquence and keeping him in the dark. In a way, it’s a sort of compliment they pay to Peeta for being good with people, but, by not telling him, they are also using him for their purpose (which is motivated by caring for and wanting to protect Peeta, but still). Peeta is right to be upset about it - he has always been very clear about not wanting to be used as a piece in anyone’s games, really. And, as we will see later in CF, they are way more effective as a team when they are open and honest with each other.
“It was all for the Games,” Peeta says. “How you acted.” “Not all of it,” I say, tightly holding on to my flowers. “Then how much? No, forget that. I guess the real question is what’s going to be left when we get home?” he says. “I don’t know. The closer we get to District Twelve, the more confused I get,” I say. He waits, for further explanation, but none’s forthcoming. “Well, let me know when you work it out,” he says, and the pain in his voice is palpable. - It’s just so goddamn painful😢 They’ve both been done so dirty by that forced star-crossed lovers of Distrct 12 routine. (Sidenote: I appreciate that Peeta actually gives Katniss the chance to explain herself here - still, it’s too much to deal with on the spot so I can understand why Katniss ended up dropping the ball, even though it’s frustrating to read.)
That it’s not good loving me because I’m never going to get married anyway and he’d just end up hating me later instead of sooner. That if I do have feelings for him, it doesn’t matter because I’ll never be able to afford the kind of love that leads to a family, to children. And how can he? How can he after what we’ve just been through? - Oh Katniss, you certainly are skipping a couple of steps here; I’m pretty sure there are some options in between dating and being married with kids you could look into. Also, she’s just assuming that this is what Peeta wants, but she doesn’t know that at all - As someone who also has this stupid habit of imagining how whole conversations could possibly transpire and then resigning myself to the hypothetical outcome of said imagined conversation instead of actually having them: Don’t do that. ‘Never assume - it makes an ASS out of U and ME.’ 
I see Peeta extend his hand. I look at him, unsure. “One more time? For the audience?” he says. His voice isn’ t angry. It’s hollow, which is worse. Already the boy with the bread is slipping away from me. I take his hand, holding it tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go. - Ma babies! They are both so hurt and both just want to be with each other 😭 But they’ll need some time apart, to figure things out before they can do that.
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kazoo5480 · 3 years
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Almost finished! 30 chapters down, a few more to go. Thanks to those of you who wrote awesome notes, and who provide inspiration to us newbies every day with your lovely tales!
Chapter 1 Arrivals
Prologue – September 1943, New York City
25-year-old Killian Jones steps down the ramp off the Algernon straight from Belfast. He has $40 to his name, the clothes on his back. Having lost his brother in an accident, his mother to illness, and abandonment of his father when he was 7, Killian made a choice to leave his homeland and make his way to America. America was currently engaged in World War II, with no family left, he decides that a fresh start in a new land and a new line of work away from the IRA is just what he needs after the arrests and massacres taking place back in Ireland.
Gun running and violence is not a life he wants any longer, nor is a life in prison, or death. He is hopeful that despite his heritage, he will be able to settle into a new life, away from the massacre left behind on the emerald isle. Finding honest work is harder than he expected, even in a city this large.
Waiting in those long lines with all those other expats, hoping to find honest work and nothing. He goes every day for two weeks but quickly realizes that no one wants to hire an Irishman or give him a fair shake. But he believes you make your own destiny and believes in hard work and determination.
He hears the other men talking, that security and lounges, the US Army, and driving taxis are just about the only people hiring anyone right now if you aren’t American.
Killian has no interest in joining Americas crusade, so he finds a gig working the doors and security a little dingy nightclub at first, but slowly descends into the more glamorous nightclubs and lounges.
Word spreads quickly to his newest employer, Louis Lepke, who owns the Riobamba- one of Manhattan’s most posh nightclubs that Killian was once part of the IRA and has a hell of a left hook. Lepke, one of the most dangerous mob bosses in New York at that time sees potential in Killian, thinks that his past IRA ties could be beneficial to their enterprise, and he offers him a better paying job running pickups and drop offs of packages that Killian doesn’t open and doesn’t want to open.
While the money is nothing to turn your nose up at, Killian continues this path, socking away the cash and crafting an entirely new persona for himself while making his own contingency plans to disappear for a quieter life someplace near the sea, perhaps finding peace and burying his demons for good at last.
Killian will never forget the day he was able to move out of the vermin infested room he had been renting in a boarding house on the lower east side, and into a three-room apartment of his own for $80 a month near Washington Square Park. Not cheap by any means, but it’s a second-floor walkup, with a fireplace, and wide windows that overlook the street.
Lepke pays him three hundred a month right now, but he always earns tips from both ends of pickup and delivery, and that extra cash is always appreciated.
He will never forget the first suit he purchases, or his first pair of new shoes in god knows how many years. He knows with his new employment, he needs to look the part, so he only is careful in his wardrobe choices, dark colors that won’t show dirt easily, well-tailored shirts, wingtips in black and white, and two hats that he sees the other men wearing.
He manages to pry a floorboard in the back of his new closet loose, securing the hole with a thin layer of wood, ensuring nothing would fall through or be lost to the ageing building, and he uses this as home for his cash and very little valuables. He has no furniture to speak of, except a mattress on the floor with linens, but he knows soon enough he will have money to furnish his new home.
For now, he is only willing to spend money on rent, and groceries, he saves every dollar that he earns after his necessities are purchased.
What he does not expect is meeting Emma Swan, an enchanting blonde lounge singer at the Riobamba. Frank Sinatra even plays there on occasion, so the joint was always packed. But amongst all those entertainers, is Emma. With the voice of an angel, the body of a bloody goddess, and a fire in her green eyes.
He knows that from the moment he saw her dancing and singing across that smoke filled room, that he was going to have her no matter the cost. Tonight, her golden curls pinned back on one side with a glittering clip, wrapped in a floor length sequin dress cut scandalously low in the front, even for the nightclub scene at that point in time.
She is easily the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, and he wonders if she works for Lepke as well, a personal relationship perhaps, and the thought of any man touching her at all has him see red when those thoughts flit through his mind. He always hopes divine intervention is on his side to catch a glimpse of her during her sets, whether picking up or dropping off to his boss.
Occasionally he just sits in the back nursing a rum while he watches her, gliding around the small stage, dressed like sex personified, singing in that angelic voice of hers, enchanting the entire room.
She sings songs of love and happiness, sometimes she covers popular music of other entertainers, but he sees the sadness and demons lingering behind those emerald eyes, the glittering dresses and gorgeous gold curls. He wants to know more, scale those walls he can spot a mile high surrounding her.
On more than one occasion he is thankful for the low lighting of the club and his dark suits to hide the evidence of his rock-hard arousal that she stirs up every damn time he lays eyes on her. Green eyes that sparkle in the low lighting, locking on his blue. She sees him and he sees her, never exchanging words, just eye locks and then he is off.
In a rare occasion that Killian indulges the other members of his crew in playing craps, he casually asks about Emma to one of the kinder men, Bill Starkey, a slightly older married man, who handles the books for the clubs that Lepke owns.
“What of that lounge singer Starkey, she is a sight for sore eyes if I may say so myself”, Killian mentions with a smile. The older man looks him over for a second, and replies “She is a quite a dame, isn’t she? Voice of a siren an everything, but she is not to be trifled with - She keeps to herself, is a bloody fantastic piece of entertainment, draws the crowds in, but she does not mess with our crew. Many of ours have learned that the hard way he says with a laugh, Tough as brass that one is, so don’t bother with her”, and the man went back to the game.
When Starkey bids goodnight, leaving the younger men to their games, another crew member that Killian has somewhat befriended named Victor Whale leans over, exhaling a cloud of smoke. “If its Emma you’ve set your sightings on, you are not as slick as you think ya git, my girl Ruby mentioned that she caught you watching her shows on occasion, but Emma doesn’t date anyone around here, if she does date, it isn’t anyone related to our line of work”.
Bidding goodnight to Killian and the few stragglers still playing, he stands and Killian notices Ruby Lucas in her coat waiting by the door with a smile on her face. Whale takes her hand and pulls them out the door. Killian feels a pang of jealousy at their obvious companionship but pushes the thought away.
Ruby Lucas, the costume coordinator for the club, is a gorgeous specimen of her own right with long chocolate locks, hazel eyes, and legs for days. She has worked in the club a long time, and if anyone knows Emma, its Ruby. Killian decides that perhaps he shall inquire to Ms. Lucas about Swan but tucks the thought away for another time.
He has gained enough information about her for one night, he will have to just be patient. If Ruby has noticed him watching Emma, he would bet the few dollars left in his lightened pocket tonight that she has told Swan about him, and that is something he is not quite sure he knows how to feel about.
He wonders what Ruby would tell Emma, since she was obviously very much with Whale, she must know more about their conducted business, but appears to know when to keep her mouth shut. Maybe, the tides will be in his favor since he tends to keep a low profile in his job. The bosses like him because he is discreet and is known not to be messed with.
Emma sees him alright, black suits, navy wool suits, tuxedoes at parties, custom made shirts, and she would bet her last dollar that those cufflinks he always wears are actual sterling silver.
He has slicked back inky hair, tousled in just the right places, a permanent five o’ clock shadow, and forget me not blue eyes that haunt her for days every single time she catches a glimpse of him staring right back at her. 
She notices the way he carries himself, so confident, dangerous, and definitely a hustler. He must be connected somehow, and Emma does not want that complication in her simple life.
He looks at her sometimes like he would devour her like a man on death row, and she being his last meal. She cannot get mixed up with someone like him, she has survived this long without someone, and the last time she allowed someone into her heart it nearly broke her in two.
Her friend Ruby has casually mentioned him, his name is Killian Jones, he works with her boyfriend Victor, but she does not know exactly what his role is. Ruby giggles as she talks about how handsome Killian is, and notes that he always throws her a generous tip, never ogling her or being disrespectful like some of the other crew who think that any woman in the club is dumb enough to roll in the sack with them.
Ruby has been with her boyfriend for a few years from what she mentions, having been together since before Victor’s job with Lepke’s crew, whatever that may be. Ruby is also one of the few people that makes Emma smile genuinely and lifts her spirits. Emma considers the brunette one of her very few real friends.
One night after her set is done, Emma enters her dressing room, and slips out of her dress, carefully hanging it inside the garment bag, and lights a cigarette, swallowing a sip of her Manhattan. Her roommate Mary Margaret is getting better and better with her sewing skills, her emerald green gown tonight is delicate, covered in sequins and green feathers float around the hem of her dress, she admires the gown once more before zipping the bag.
Standing in her silk stockings and garters, she begins removing her jewelry and realizes suddenly that she is not alone. Sitting in a low chair in the back corner of the dressing room is Killian fucking Jones. She grabs for her silk robe, tying it quickly- trying to regain some of her modesty. Watching her with those blue eyes, fingers crossed under his chin while he leans forward, elbows on his knees.
"Don't stop on my account love, I simply wanted to introduce myself, and I thank the bloody gods that I was granted enough luck to watch your private show just now. He smirked at her, running is tongue over his bottom lip, and she wanted to punch that smirk off his smug face, even if her heart beat faster in her chest and not from anxiety.
“Emma breathe,” she internally chastises herself. Her brain reconnects, she stamps out her cigarette, and she manages to spit out “listen pal, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but I am not that type of woman. Go buy one down the street if you need to get your rocks off but get the hell out.”
He stood up, adjusting his trousers by the belt, which she noticed were fitting awfully tight, the evidence of his arousal clear but now covered as he buttoned his coat up.
He spoke, his voice a lilting Irish accent, “I apologize lass, I simply wanted to introduce myself and give you these in person,” he held out a large bouquet of creamy white roses tipped in pale pink, tied with a black silk ribbon. 
“You are a vision, both on and off the stage Swan, and I simply was hoping to make your acquaintance as we seem to catch each other’s eye from time to time. I thought perhaps my interest was reciprocated, but clearly it is not, and I shan't bother you again”.
Emma did not know what to say, still shocked, her red painted mouth in a grim line. She caught his cologne as he made his exit, carefully avoiding touching her in any way. He smelled of wood and spice, and definitely rum.
Right as he was crossing the threshold to exit, Emma made a rash decision, and grabbed his hand, locked eyes with him and said, “Don't ever do that again, thank you for the flowers, but I am not interested.” 
“They're nothing compared to you Emma, but I do apologize again”, and with that parting line Killian quietly exited, making sure to close the door fully behind him.
Emma locked the handle, ensuring no one else would interrupt her. She cleaned most of her face off and pulled on her burgundy wool dress and matching coat, gathered her things, and her flowers hailing a cab home.
Tagging a few who might be interested! @wefoundloveunderthelight @itsfabianadocarmo @purplehawkcaptain @the-lady-of-misthaven @the-captains-ayebrows @thesschesthair @myfearless-love @kmomof4 @jonesfandomfanatic @hookedpirate @xhookswenchx @let-it-raines @letmedieahooker @captainswanouat @captainswoon @cathloves @laschatzi @timeless-love-story @asluve @ao3feed-cs @ahookerandproud @ineffablecolors @the-darkdragonfly @donteattheappleshook @kymbersmith-90 @elizabeethan @the-darkdragonfly @tnlph @the-captains-ayebrows @captainswoon @captainswanouat @captain-swan-coffee​ @jrob64​ @whimsicallyenchantedrose​​ @captainirishstubble @onceuponadaily​ @resident-of-storybrooke​​ @greenlef777 Let me know if you want to be added or removed! 
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brave-clarice · 4 years
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“Clarice” Liveblog: Episode 1
Here are my extremely unfashionably late takes! They’re long, so strap in if you want.
okay, I genuinely thought the scenes in Gumb’s basement were ripped from the film for a second. extremely well done.
I both appreciate that they’re acknowledging the Bureau-mandated psych eval Clarice would have to go through (not sure she’d have to have another one a year later?)...
...but I sure wish they hadn’t chosen to open this show in a therapy-like session. it’s going to be subject to enough NBC comparisons as it is.
gosh, Rebecca Breeds is so pretty, and in the same almost, idk, elfin kind of way Jodie Foster is.
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“Bride of Frankenstein”! a novel reference! and a Hannibal Lecter reference even though they can’t use his name! I’m excited
I was afraid of this part, though--everyone’s going to call her “Clarice” aren’t they?
it’s very significant that in the books, Hannibal is virtually alone in using her first name to address her; even Ardelia calls her “Starling.” but of course this series chose “Clarice” as its title, so...
“the checkout lady at the Safeway asked me to autograph a melon” omg
so Clarice has supposedly been “mandated” to see an FBI therapist for an entire year? hmm.
tbh, this feels kind of like a proxy for Hannibal’s scenes in the movie, especially with the therapist calling her “Clarice.” not sure if I dig it.
“...given that your last therapist was an inmate” Hannibal reference #2!
they’re explicitly talking about Hannibal without being able to name him and it’s hilarious, frustrating, and immensely satisfying all at once.
there’s no way to avoid talking about him altogether without being disingenuous to Clarice’s eventual character arc, so I’m glad they’re ripping off the band-aid early
“you let that relationship be intimate”  Yeah, Clarice and Hannibal’s relationship IS intimate and YOU! SHOULD! SAY IT!!!
it’s kind of ridiculous for this guy/the show not to acknowledge that little trainee Clarice was sent to see Hannibal by someone who should’ve known better. That Crawford was doing it with the intention to save lives doesn’t mean he didn’t use the shit out of Clarice.
that’s not to take away her agency or minimize the choices she made after she met Hannibal. She wouldn’t have been in a position to make those choices if Crawford hadn’t arranged it, though.
even if they don’t have the rights to Crawford’s name, either (I have to assume that’s the case) couldn’t they at least mention this??
“hasn’t seen her own family in years” Are they actually going to address Clarice’s maybe-dead-maybe-not mother (depending on the canon they adopt, book or film) and possible siblings??? Please tell me they are!
Clarice’s “egregious” PTSD doesn’t have much to do with Buffalo Bill ofc, and this therapist seems to be making excuses to be the first in a long line of men getting in the way of Clarice’s career goals...
...which she recognizes and confronts him about. Call him out!!!
*Anthony Hopkins voice* That’s my girl.
the way she’s been written in this scene gives me a lot of hope going forward! she’s funny, she doesn’t take any sexist bullshit, she’s calm and polite but you get a glimpse of the rage underneath. 
wow, they promoted Senator Martin to Attorney General!
the opening credits (if you can even call them that) are a let-down, though
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she has her beads!
can anyone who’s not Hannibal please stop calling her Clarice
wonder if they’re going to touch on any of the extreme tension that existed between Senator Martin and Clarice in the novel? they didn’t interact in the movie, but in the book, Martin is under intense stress, and it doesn’t go smoothly.
of course in “Hannibal,” Martin invites her to “ride horses,” so they obviously reconciled after Catherine’s rescue and kept in some kind of touch.
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and speak of the devil: horses! (and Catherine)
“I can’t have a reputation, I’ve only done it once” Thank you for being the voice of reason, Clarice.
“Paul Krendler” *ugly screaming commences*
“you don’t have any people, Clarice” Aaand that’s the plot of the Hannibal novel!
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looks like they even gave her the ring Jodie’s Clarice wears!
oh yeah, this Krendler looks like a sumbitch if I ever saw one. No one will ever be as perfectly cast as the dude in Silence imo, but a much better fit than Ray Liotta. 
“small carat, but it’s a sweet ring” A very in-character observation probably directly informed by her comments about nail polish in Silence.
she mentions this victim’s nail polish (!) being “tasteful,” and I shrieked a little again.
I understand it’s necessary for Krendler to be a douche, but there’s not even going to be any payoff for the audience (or Clarice) when Hannibal eats him, so boo.
wait...wait, why aren’t Clarice and Ardelia in their Alexandria duplex? They’re not just best friends, they’re roommates! For the entire seven-year story! GIVE ME THE DUPLEX!!!
BUT points for Ardelia bringing Clarice a treat, since she was always leaving her candy bars in the Silence book!
Clarice interacting with the washer/dryer is a nice nod to the books, too.
speaking of... “What did we learn in the laundry room back at Quantico?” For some reason this line made me actually cry, I guess because this whole episode has been such a love letter to something I love so dearly, and it’s making me emotional.
FIRST PRINCIPLES!
DESPERATELY RANDOM!!!
wow, the men in Clarice’s new office giving her lotion as a hazing “welcome” gift is awful, and now I’m just mad (which is the point of the scene ofc).
so this ex-military OC is the John Brigham stand-in, I take it?
if that means John Brigham won’t be here, No Thanks.
Clarice telling him she’ll drive...a tribute to Dana “Why Do You Always Have to Drive?” Scully, perhaps (who was herself inspired by Clarice) as well as a nod to Clarice’s love of cars?
“Why do they call you the bride of Frankenstein?” Sorry, I don’t have the legal rights to tell you about my last intimate relationship.
“Already on my way to West Virginia Granny Witch” Look, this show could crash and burn from this scene on, and it would still have been worth it just for these first 25 minutes.
I like that Clarice is shown wanting to help people, and the scene of her with the baby is a nice call-back to the eventual shoot-out at the beginning of “Hannibal”...but I hope they don’t try to domesticate her too much. Clarice needs her hard edges. To be tough (reasonably so)--a cub growing into its big cat’s claws.
also, somehow I doubt that Miss Valedictorian spent her six years in the Lutheran home “changing a lot of diapers,” but sure, okay. If her siblings are alive in this, she might have changed their diapers!
even though Krendler’s a real dickwad so far, he’s not slimy enough for me. Needs more grease.
“I got a call from your therapist who’s concerned that you might genuinely flip out” I really do not like this subplot Sam-I-Am. Aren’t the huge glass ceiling/Boys’ Club obstacles enough?
seriously, though, I know Hannibal tells her that the metaphorical lambs will come back--at the end of Silence, though, she’s at some kind of temporary peace, not in danger of “flipping out” any time soon.
if Esquivel really is our Brigham stand-in, I’ve got...problems with that. He was Clarice’s teacher and became her friend, not some Krendler double-agent. (Also worried they’re setting him up as a love interest for her which...eesh, no thanks.)
and sorry, I actually hate that Catherine kept Precious the dog in this.
I have no problem with Catherine being a character, or with her interacting with Clarice...that said, I don’t know if her being shown as severely traumatized and reaching out to Clarice as a form of emotional lifeline is...a good idea?
I understand the symbolism of Catherine’s smashed mirror, but...smashed mirrors are already a Thing in this series (albeit not Clarice’s chapter in it), and that’s all I can think of here.
Catherine’s a victim of unthinkable trauma. Nevertheless...she’s talking to the woman who saved her life. Who risked death to do it. I just don’t like the way this scene is written. Apparently, in this show’s canon, Catherine hasn’t gotten the help she needs. But Clarice isn’t her therapist, and it’s upsetting to have Catherine being all “I’ll never be safe and neither will you.”
how does Catherine remember “the mannequins, the autopsy table”?? And why is she throwing them in Clarice’s face?
I’m going to stop talking about this scene now because it’s making me angry and a little upset, which is maybe the point? I just don’t think it’s written well. If Catherine’s going to be a recurring character, I hope she’s shown getting professional, medical help.
Clarice finding the victim’s papers in the box of pads is a direct callback to her finding the photos in the jewelry box in Silence. Nice.
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let’s agree that Hannibal and Crawford are both in Ardelia’s (too-cutesy-for-me) book
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another nice little X-Files homage?
I have some qualms about that big climax, but...meh. It was capital-F Fine.
Yikes, this is a full week late. Thanks for reading this entirely-too-long post through to the end, if you’re still here! 
To sum up my thoughts...
The Good: 
the visual connections to the Silence film (that green coat/blue knit scarf combo in particular)
Rebecca Breeds’ performance overall so far
Clarice’s strong writing/characterization
her sense of humor and her inclination to call out bullshit
maybe it was just me, but I also got a sense of Hannibal’s influence on her in some of her dialogue--her blunt observations--and I love it
Ardelia Mapp
the repeated in-your-face references to Hannibal Lecter
the respectful, non-exploitative way the victims were treated by the narrative.
let’s just say, not all Harris-inspired shows managed to do this. :)
the many, many allusions to the novel
“you let that relationship be INTIMATE” !!!
The Bad: 
the near-constant implication that all Clarice’s trauma stems from her experiences in Gumb’s basement
I just don’t understand this one...it’s not supported by the text imo
the “Clarice-is-a-psychological-loose-canon” subplot
almost everyone calling her “Clarice”
NO DUPLEX IN ALEXANDRIA! Boo!
Esquivel maybe replacing Brigham
the narrative choices they’ve made surrounding Catherine so far.
Seriously: please let Catherine seek/get help instead of screaming “HELP ME” at Clarice, who after all risked her own life to save Catherine’s, over the phone.
The Ugly: Paul Krendler, lol. Confession time: I also don’t care for the way they’ve styled her hair. Not sure why it bugs me, it just...does.
Overall, I’m thrilled to death with this. I was so afraid it would be disappointing, so even if it’s not a five-star episode (and pilots rarely are), it’s a great beginning! It’s beyond amazing to see our girl on the screen again. Just this hour-long episode did her character way more justice than the entire Hannibal film. Despite its shortcomings, it’s such a loving homage to characters and a story that mean a lot to me, and I love it just for that.
Going forward, I’d like to see more of Clarice as a person. Her hobbies and interests--cars, sharpshooting, running, fashion magazines stuffed under her bed, horseback riding, her total inability to cook...anything would do. I of course want to see more of her with Ardelia. I want to hear more about her backstory and find out which version of it (truly orphaned when her father dies or sent away by her mother) they’ll choose to explore. And while we all agree that this show is about Clarice and she don’t need no man, I won’t lie: I’d gobble up more sly references to Hannibal. He’s her endgame, after all.
I’d also like to really see the warrior underneath. There are flashes of her in the last twenty minutes of this episode. But Clarice Starling is a big cat, she’s a warrior, she’s between iron and silver. I’d hate for her to spend most of this show doe-eyed and traumatized. I want her to be ferocious, to see the woman who’s a match for the monster.
Krendler needs to get nastier. He should make us feel like we need to shower. In the novels, he wants to use Clarice--only for her body. And when she won’t allow him to, he takes his revenge. That’s what makes him so particularly awful. Let’s amp him up here.
And finally...maybe I’ll appreciate Catherine’s scene more on a second watch. Maybe I’m not being sensitive enough to her trauma, her struggles. But I didn’t like the way that scene was staged or scripted, and I didn’t like the suggestion that she just hasn’t gotten help after a year and is subsequently taking her pain out on Clarice on some level. I hope future episodes handle this subplot, and her character, a bit better.
Please let me know if you guys would like me to do another of these monstrosities for the next episode. (I promise it won’t take me an entire week this time!) And thank you again for reading!!! 
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babysizedfics · 4 years
Text
Mama Logan's xmas video
Background
As has been mentioned before, patton ALWAYS takes photos and videos of his family when they have littletime and he holds these photos and videos very dear to his heart
he used to send some of them to logan at the end of every day - mostly just his favourites. he would take thirty to fifty everyday and sent logan maybe 5-10 in the evenings
logan would simply reply with a :) or a 'Very lovely.' message
although whenever patton asked if logan saved them, logan said it was not really in his interest. he preferred to live in the moment, and besides patton kept the photos if logan ever needed them for whatever reason
So patton had hundreds and hundreds of photos and vids of his family after months of being a little family
until on the 25 november his phone unexoectedly was wiped over night and he lost all of his camera roll
he hadn't backed up his phone at all
patton was devastated, he cried for the whole day - logan tried helping to restore them but couldnt find any hope of doing it. pat took the phone to a workshop the next day but even they couldnt bring the photos back
even for the next four weeks every now and then he remembers how much he lost and geets tearful and sometimes just really down and everyone hates to see him like that
Now onto christmas day
a month later on christmas day the family all celebrate - in the morning they open presents and have hot chocolate
and logan bought patton a handheld camera to capture all of the little moments without worrying about ohone backup and storage. he makes sure to teach patton how to transfer files to his laptop too
they cook lunch, roman and virgil exchange gifts in secret, and then after they eat logan asks them all to come into the living room
vee gets a slight anxiousness since logan refuses to explain whats going on - he starts getting stressed but logan anticipates this and apologises and holds virgils hand to help him calm as they move to the living room
and logan sits them all on the couch - logan in the corner, then patton, roman, and virgil on the end closest to the door to feel less trapped
and he sends them all a small nervous smile then turns on the TV and presses play
a shaky handheld video comes onscreen - it shows baby vee cuddled in his logans lap, paci bobbing in his mouth and sound asleep. logan is smiling at roman, who is say next to them and stroking virgils head softly. the scene from chapter 7 of little accidents big developments, when roman first sees virgil in his new younger littlespace
the present patton in the living room gasps so loudly it makes everyone jump - his hands are slapped over his mouth and his eyes instantly well with tears. he looks at logan with a shocked and desperate expression
logan scootches closer to him on the couch, their hips touching and logan holding psttons hand tightly. he knows patton will be emotinal for this
"Are you being gentle with your brother, Roman?" Patton asks off screen
"I'm being really soft, look," the roman on screen says, sounding very quiet but clearly using his little voice
"Well done, little prince" on screen logan says with a proud, soft smile
'oh my god..' present virgil whines, burying his burning cheeks in his hands
'wow i really take up the screen with my presence!' present roman brags. he is smiling confidently and hoping it distracts anyone from his own blush and the way he us sinking back into the couch and avoiding everyones eyes
'i th-thought' patton breaks off with a sniffle 'i thought it was gone forever' he whispers through tears. but he cant rip his gaze away from the screen
then the video fades out - only to reveal a photo of family time where vee and roman were playing together and patton was laughing with them
then another photo of roman and patton smiling and posing with some cookies they made on week
then another of vee and logan napping together and cuddling on the couch
patton starts sobbing now because he realises - this isnt just one video, this is a whole compilstion of lhotos and videos patton thought were lodt forever
then a voiceover starts accompanying the slideshow/video - logan's boice
"I predict by this point if the video Virgil will be hiding his face in embarrassment-" vee makes a small whine from behind his hands. roman giggles
"- and roman will have probably made an overconfident remark to distract from his own embarrassment-" roman gasps in offence and crosses his arms
pictures keeping showing on the screen
"and patton, my love, i am afraid you may be shocked and confused. perhaps even upset"
patton sniffles and holds logans hand tighter
"but i assure you all, this video is not meant to cause discomfort. i only aim to inspire as much joy and love in you all as i feel whenever i look back on these images. yes, i keep them all saved and yes, i look back on them often. i do not want to overwhelm any of you. virgil, you may leave if you so wish-"
virgil doesnt move
"roman you may cause distractions if you fee uncomfortable being so vulnerable-"
roman doesnt say a word
"and pstton, i promise i will be right by your side through this whole thing as i am to be throughout our lives"
logan turns to patton irl and presses a kiss to the side of his head. patton cries more and wiggles his legs over logans lap and holds him tight as he keeps watching the video
the video goes on, so many photos and videos disaplying their family, and logan's voiceover constsntly stating how much he loves all of his family and why
he reassures virgil that his dependence and vulnerability is endearing and inspires logan with affection
he reassures roman that his boisterousness and creativity are bith amusing and enjoyable and inteligent
he reassures patton thst his dedication to the boys makes him so proud of his partner and so adoring of how big his heart is
the whole video is LONG - like twenty minutes
and patton is crying through it all and using the apron roman gifted him that morning to mop up his tears
but roman and virgil sre both big and very stubborn
theyve never actually been so open about how close they are when little, they dont deny it anymore but its hard to discuss openly
but here there is physical proof they cant deny, on screen shows how close and loving they sre as brothers when little
they both get emotiona during the video and are sniffling but keep their distance on the couch
until one video pstton had taken when they bith fell asleep cuddling on the couch after their first sleepover
virgil's face crumples and he shakily whimpers 'f*ck' and shoves himself over ont he couch towards roman
roman was ready too, his arm is open for virgil and he holds virgil around the shoulders as they both try not to cry at the video
they cuddle for the rest of the show
patton isnt able to watch all of it because he hides his face in logans shoulder so bing every few minutes
but after it they're all crying and cuddling and there are forehead kisses and whispers of love. and it's about thirty seconds before they realise the video has made vee start to regress
so they can let go of the emotional moment for a bit to prepare for little time
but in the future of course they still keep the video. patton watches it everyday for the whole week
and the thing is virgil never ever knew what his regression was really like from an outside perspective - he is barely sure of his own perspective because of the memory gaps
and this video sticks in his mind for weeks because he ACTUALLY acts like a baby, he's SEEN it now and it shocks and scares and excites and thrills him it's all so overhwelming
and every few days, then eventually every few weeks, vee tiptoes to logans room and shyly asks if he can watch the video again. he becomes fascinsted with this proof that his regression really is what everyone said it was - completey all encompassing
this is rlly messy pls ask questions if theres any line of inquiry that you want built on or explained more - i dont rlly know how to squeeze it all in djdjd
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thickenmyblood · 4 years
Note
I love how you really put a lot of thought into how you regard and read fanfic as well as how you respond to questions about how you feel aout it. Can I ask what are some parts/ideas in fics that really made you go wow, this is well planned or like I never would have thought about this or I forgot that this plot point and device were even a thing! I hope this makes sense
I love you, kind stranger. Thank you for reading my delirious posts and giving me the chance to scream about fics, which is always a pleasure. 
Note: If your fic is in this post and you don’t want it to be, let me know and I’ll take it down. 
Zeitnot by thereshaegoes
I love the idea of time travel, so when I read this fic’s summary I bookmarked it instantly. At first, I thought it was going to be eight chapters of Laurent waking up the day of the battle of Marlas, but the author really surprised me.
I loved that someone died at the end of each chapter (at first, at least) but what really made me go ‘oh’ is when Lauret realizes the Damen from “this new reality” is, in fact, his Damen! 
Damen not being with Jokaste was weird to me, but I shrugged it off as a personal choice the author had made. Then, when Damen was talking about abolishing slavery, I was still in denial. ‘Oh, well, some people don’t like to write Damen as a slave owner, which is cool’. And then, when the big reveal finally came, I was just… amazed. I literally put my phone down and went, ‘okay, this person really knows what they’re doing when it comes to writing’. 
I love the little plot twists. In my head, a plot twist most basic example is ‘oh, X is a traitor’ but… this? This is so much better.
Between the Shadow and the Soul by Anonymous
This work was… insanely refreshing, innovative, transgressive, and outrageously good. It does feature a lot of sex scenes, but at the same time, it felt like sex was the least important part of the story. I don’t know how to explain myself when it comes to this fic (and God knows I’ve tried) but… The sex scenes aren’t there just for the smut of it all, if that makes any sense. 
Auguste as a narrator is so unusual, and yet it made the fic so painful and enjoyable! I loved the way it left you wondering just how accurate his POV was. I loved the sex scenes with actual characterization. This author never, not even for one second, stopped focusing on the dynamic between Laurent, Auguste, and Damen. It could be argued that the Laurent/Auguste bit weighted more than the overall OT3 bit, but still… I had literally forgotten what sex scenes were for until I read this fic.
Sex scenes, especially in this particular work, are not parentheses in the story. They’re not there for the reader to take a break from the “actual plot” or “narration”. They are what holds the story together, and they’re opportunities for the reader to learn more about the characters
.
Cherry Wine by SteeleStingray
Yes, I’m back on my bullshit. Yes, I’m talking about CW again. But I’ll make it short because there is no way you don’t know how I feel about this work. If you don’t, check out this comment (which, by the way, is not even a fraction of what I wanted to say to the author when I read the fic). 
What I found innovative and made me go “is this allowed?” about CW is not the idea of an OT3, but rather this particular take on a relationship that consists of three people. I’ve read a few published books that feature similar couples (all of them suck, and when I say they suck I mean it) so I was very hesitant to read this because of that reason. 
Usually, when people write OT3 they pepper in a lot of stuff I don’t like to read about: extreme jealousy, misunderstandings, cheating, weird dynamics that feel stilted, awkward sex scenes where one of the three just sits in a chair and watches the other two like some voyeur from Juan José Saer’s stories. Guess what doesn’t happen in CW? 
Another thing I liked about this work is that it reminded me that themes in fiction aren’t limited to one specific work. This author really likes nicknames. At the time, when I had only read CW, I thought it was just a one-time thing. Turns out, it’s not. An emerald-coloured nightmare also features nicknames. I like this idea that you can tell who wrote something based on little details and narrative choices. It’s like the author is winking at you, going ‘ha, did you get it?’
Ink on Paper by deripmaver
I don’t usually like fics with non-linear narrative because I’m a lazy bitch who can’t keep up. I’d never really seen the point in using flashbacks, scenes from the past, or anything like that because my writing style (oh, fuck off, my writing style, who the fuck do I think I am) is more about references. And then I read this fic. And I was like, ‘okay, I’ve seen the light of not writing everything linearly like an idiot’. 
The Mannequin Gallery by marrieddorks
Yes, I realize I’m talking about all my favorite fics. I feel no shame.
This fic is a Modern AU. Everyone who has ever written a Modern AU knows that one of the trickiest parts is finding characters professions that make sense with who they are/what they like/what they’re good at. This story features Damen as an influencer. That’s it, that’s my whole tweet. 
It reminded me that even when you’re writing a Modern AU (or any sort of AU, really) it’s important to know what the essence of the characters you’re writing is. The way even Jord’s job makes sense… And how it feels like the author didn’t just steal the characters’ names and use them to create a random story (which is valid, too)... and… Okay, this has nothing to do with a plot twist or a narrative device but have you read this Nicaise? Have you? You haven’t read Nicaise until you’ve read this fic.
(and that's why) you're so beautiful now by iwasgonegonegone
This fic is 612 words. It has no plot. One of the tags reads, “listen they're in love and they're cute and that's all i have to say” and I… yes. This fic inspired me to write plot-less stories again. Not only that, it made me enjoy writing them. 
Lately, I’ve been talking to a friend of mine about a new pairing we both like a lot. We go back and forth for hours sometimes just talking about what they’d do, details about the worldbuilding, a billion ‘what-ifs’... and I love it. If one of us sat down to write a story based on all our conversations, it would be a character study fic. It would have, maybe, some plot to it, but… Plot would feel like an excuse to talk about their relationship. And I love that. I fucking hate plot, I hate it, and this… Yes. This fic is like a little slice of life. The author has mentioned before that they enjoy writing poetry (more than longer pieces of fiction) and this story reads like a poem. You know when you read a poem and you get this weird tingly feeling? Read this and feel that, you’re welcome.
The Life We Live by homewithyou
I’ve said before that I don’t go looking for mpreg. Sometimes, mpreg has come looking for me, and I’ve closed my door on its face. I read this fic mainly because I never pay attention to the tags on AO3 (healthy, I know) and I was too busy making myself toast to read the summary. 
I was five paragraphs in and this bit hit me like a fucking electric hammer to the head: “...which had been going haywire more often than not since the pregnancy began five months ago.” I was like, ‘wait, did I—am I reading—why am I—’ and then I just shut my mouth and continued reading. I’m glad I did. I’m glad I didn’t let my narrowmindedness stop me from giving this fic a try. I’m glad people out there are writing stories that they enjoy, about topics a few others would deem controversial. 
This also applies to the Lamen/Auguste fic I mentioned above. What’s the point of writing if you’re not going to take risks and be honest about what you like to write about? It takes honesty and commitment to write anything that strays from the norm. And so I’m glad this person posted this story, because it changed me in a small way (‘what if I shut the fuck up and read more mpreg instead of instantly clicking out?’).
This is another perfect example of how plot is poison and you don’t need it in your life (unless you enjoy poison. In that case consume the plot, write the plot, sniff the plot. And die). A morning in bed, just nuzzling and talking… living life… Again, this made me realize that you can say a lot about two characters just from a morning in bed. It made me want to write 25 pages of dialogue in bed (this and Manuel Puig’s book titled Kiss of the spider woman, which I recommend fervently). 
Plot? In this house? We don’t know her. You’re a strong, independent writer. You don’t need no plot.
For a more general response, I’d say that Steele’s worldbuilding is impeccable and made me look at the setting of stories differently. 
Foreshadowing is always amazing, but I haven’t read a lot of fics where it’s a prominent element (which is not to say authors aren’t good at it, I just don’t read enough fics to give you a good example of this). 
I really like oxymorons and when writers use funny adverbs. GallaPlacidia’s adverbs are to die for, so definitely check out her stories if you’re interested in that. 
I also love the way xlydiadeetz writes archs. She does this thing where she divides the story into different… timelines? archs? I… don’t even know. Amazing.
I hope this answer made sense. 
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noragami-ru-manga · 5 years
Text
Chronology of Noragami
To match the events in Noragami with real-life data, we’ve used everything: festivities mentioned, important events that have occurred in Japan, natural disasters, seasonal flower blossoming, study trimesters, exams and school holidays, moon phases that have appeared in the manga, solar and lunar eclipses, Hiyori and Yukine’s birthdays, Hiyori’s diary, and even Yato’s clothes.
Several members of Noragami_ru Manga discussed the series and its time frames, armed with both inspiration and critical thinking. There was a lot of information to process; some of the manga events were very easy to match with the calendar, while others really fell out of the timeline. A prime example is chapter 73. It was impossible to reconcile with any given date and broke the straight string of the events that did line up. Sometimes Hiyori’s diary would cavort and list its dates at random. However, we do know that the events of Noragami happen within the time frame of a little over a year. This one’s easy to check and  prove. The manga started when Hiyori met Yato, several days later they found Yukine and a year later, right after his first birthday, Yukine was accosted by Mizuchi and ended up stinging Yato. Yato then decided to end his father’s attacks once and for all and went to confront him.
Adachitoka started working on Noragami in 2010, and the first chapter was published by Kodansha in January 2011. These dates were the first ones to come to mind. Naturally, other years were carefully examined; members of the fandom stocked up with “magnifying glasses” and “microscopes” and meticulously checked and double-checked several other calendars and tried to reconcile them with the events of the manga. But years 2010-2011 were the ones that fit the best, and very soon you’ll see why. Get ready, dear members, readers and (un)expected guests. We can’t promise you over-the-top fun times. But we hope that you will be pleasantly surprised and look at Noragami and its amazing universe in a different light. Let’s go!
This is our first main clue:
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Hiyori says that it’s been two weeks since she first met Yato and became a half-ayakashi. The same day in the evening, they’ll find Yukine. “We had an early snow that day… I wonder if that’s why Yato named him Yukine?”, Hiyori will recollect a year later. It was 29 November, the end of 2010. The sky is overcast, it’s snowing, the moon can’t be seen so it’s impossible to match its phase with the calendar. But we will reconcile memorable dates with moon phases later.
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Here we can see young moon behind the trees. It’s an early winter evening; Hiyori comes home and brings Yukine along. Judging by the moon phase, it’s sometime between 10-12 December 2010. Hiyori’s parents come home and say that they’ve been at the class reunion. Those are usually held on Saturdays. If so, the date is 11 December.
The encounter and the first fight with Bishamon happen during fool moon:
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First signs of indelible blight start showing on Yato’s skin; Nora appears and tries to persuade him to give up on Yukine and use her instead. The fool moon at the picture looks like it’s been marred by dirt. Date-wise these coincide with 20-21 December 2010. A full lunar eclipse happened that night in real life. In Japan it could be seen in the evening, after the moon rising. Here is a quote from the Russian Wikipedia: “Since this lunar eclipse coincided with winter solstice, 21 December became “the darkest day” in the last 372 years. The next lunar eclipse on 21 December will happen only in 2094”.
The next is “Christmas” chapter (22-26 December). Yato is wearing a Santa cap, there’s a festive shop sign on the wall:
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In chapter 9 Hiyori goes on a temple visit to Tenjin’s shrine and New Year’s celebration with her friends. She miraculously avoids death on 1 January:
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7 January to 25 March is the last school trimester in Japan. Hiyori is wondering where Yato is. It’s the 3-4th lunar day, when there’s no moon yet, but there are signs of a very slim crescent.
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Yato’s epiphany in girl’s bathroom
Soon enough, Yato and Yukine will have to go through misogi – the ablution ritual.
By the way, these two important events changed places in the anime. There, Yato was dying from blight sometime near the end of December, perhaps on that same “darkest day” of the lunar eclipse. Several days later, on New Year’s, Nora set her ayakashi on Hiyori.
Yato meets up with Nora during another full moon. Why can’t they just sleep on these moonlit nights?
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Is it 20 January 2011? Or is it already 18 February?
Yukine meets Suzuha when the first spring flowers start blooming:
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Hiyori is graduating from middle school and preparing to enter high school. Plumes are blooming (which means it’s either February or March), and Hiyori has her promotion exams coming when she is kidnapped by Kugaha. Yato and Yukine rash to Bishamon’s residence to rescue the girl:
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Yato engages Bishamon in battle on the night of the crescent moon:
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If we try to match first flowers blooming on the ground with plum blossoming, then it can’t be February, which means it’s the beginning of March. A crescent like this generally appears on 7-9th lunar day. Date-wise it lines up with 10-12 March 2011. The date that interests us is 11 March, since it was a memorable one for Japan. A huge earthquake occurred that day on the eastern cost of Honshu, resulting in a giant tsunami. Nearly 16 thousand people died and 2.5 thousand went missing.
In Noragami this event leads to the gods’ council in Takamagahara:
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Bishamon manages to prove that her fall was the sorcerer’s doing, so the Heavens start their hunt on Ebisu. As a result, the actual perpetrator who’s used Aiha and Kugaha to set two warrior gods against each other goes unpunished, whereas Ebisu becomes a scapegoat.
Sakura starts blooming when Hiyori enters high school:
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First trimester begins on 1 April. Hiyori is ignoring Yato. According to the calendar, it’s the new moon. Fujisaki enters the scene.
However, as soon as Suzuha’s sakura starts blooming, Hiyory gathers Yato and Yukine, Tenjin, Kofuku and Bishamon and their shinki for flower gazing. There’s even a date this time – 13 April.
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The events of chapter 26 happen in early May. End of April – beginning of May are holidays in Japan, which Hiyori spends at home with her parents. Her diary, which we will examine later, is absolutely blank during this time. Hiyori’s mom says that it’s only May, but the water reservoir is empty. There’s also a newscast on TV about possible water shortage in summer, possibly due to abnormal weather conditions
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This time Nora appears on a moonless night and kidnaps Yato. Two weeks later Hiyori is seen looking for Yato, asking Daikoku and Tenjin about him. She is doing it with a purpose, since she has plans for 8 May.
Hiyori’s diary here deserves special attention:  
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It’s easy to match the dates with the calendar. For example, 10th is a Monday, January, therefore, 11th is a Tuesday. The next page of the diary has another Monday on it – 17th. The dates on the second frame are hard to match with anything, but there’s a mention of the picnic on the third one – 12-13 April, the days are Tuesday and Wednesday. On the fifth frame the pages with dates from 25 April to 7 May are empty. But there’s a trip to Capyper Land scheduled on Sunday.
Yato says he’s been living at his father’s for a month when he is sent to rescue Ebisu from Yomi:
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Hiyori’s friends make her go to Capyper Land with them on one of the May weekends. Yukine has been in Takamagahara for a while, where the time flow is different from Earth’s, which is why he’s lost track of time for a bit and only realizes that summer is coming when he meets Hiyori:
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There’s unrest in the Heavens. A storm is also brewing on Earth, as noted by Mayu:
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2011 was an unlucky year for Japan. Typhoon Songda approached the country at the end of May. Here’s an extract from a real-life news article: “Disasters come treading on each other’s heels. Typhoon Songda, which has been raging near Japan, is approaching Fukushima-1 nuclear station. Bad weather might cause floods and landslides, which the experts fear might result in another radiation leak”.
During old moon Yato is still in Yomi with Ebisu. Storms are raging in Japan and in Takamagahara. A partial solar eclipse is approaching, which you’d think would bother the goddess of sun herself. In Japan it’s supposed to happen early in the morning on 1 June. But?.. Apparently off-screen, Amaterasu lifts her divine ass and goes searching for… the god of the moon, who went missing from the world of the living?
Amaterasu helps rescue the gods from Yomi. When Yato flies out of the vent straight into Hiyori’s arms, it’s already 15 June – there’s a full moon in the sky. According to the calendar, there was a full lunar eclipse that night. Yato is covered in dirt and blight:
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After meeting with the reincarnated Ebisu, Yato releases Hiiro:
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Judging by these frames, it was Hiiro who used to cut Yato’s hair. Sometime later it starts growing out, so Yato has to pull it into a ponytail since he doesn’t have his free hairdresser now. Though he will get one in Takemikazuchi several months later.
Yato misses Hiyori’s birthday on 28 June. However, he takes her to Capyper Land on one of the weekends. School holidays start on 20 July. Hiyori is seen wearing either dresses or sundresses. It’s also summer when Hiyori sees Yato’s memories and learns about the god’s greatest secret.
Hiyori starts going to school in chapter 48, so it’s September. The month does not begin well: Fujisaki asks the girl to leave Yato alone, and she challenges him. Right after that he uses the second brush from Yomi to summon ayakashi. Those cause chaos at the hospital that Hiyori blames herself for and starts turning into an ayakashi, going further away from the Near shore. It was also in the beginning of September 2011 that tropical storm Talas approached Japan, resulting in 59 casualties. The damage it caused is considered to be one of the biggest ones in the last 20 years. It’s no wonder Hiyori is blaming herself for the disasters; after all, as early as March, right after Yato’s battle with Bishamon and the unrest in Takamagahara and on Earth, Tenjin said to the girl that Yato did that because of her and nearly turned into an aramitama (raging spirit).
In chapter 53 Yukine is secretly reading Hiyori’s letters and says that they haven’t seen each other in two months:
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Which means it’s the beginning of November. Fate brings Yato to another Iki and returns him to Hiyori once more. Their ties are written straight with crooked lines.
Yato starts preparing for Kamuhakari and makes clothes for Yukine and himself. Kiun appears and demands that he attends the divine council itself as well. It means that apart from feasting on free food, which was Yato’s intention, he will also have to participate in boring god meetings.
Tama the cat, who also appears at Kamuhakari, ruins this whole line of calendar match-ups. She died in June 2015, not long before chapter 58 was released, and Adachitoka honored her this way.
Bishamon misses Kamuhakari because she goes looking for the burial hafuri. Kazuma comes to Iwami. Full moon is shining through the window, which means it’s 11 November:
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Hiyori goes back home from the festivities while Yato has to stay at the boring part of Kamuhakari. The girl notes that it’s been three days since she came back, and recalls that it’s been a year since she met Yato. It happens around 14-16 November. She also thinks that they should throw a party for Yukine, cause it’s almost a year since they found him (two weeks after she met Yato). Yukine’s birthday will be on 29 November. But a lot of events will happen in Takamagahara before that.
By the way, the time flow in Takamagahara is just as messed up as in Yomi. One day for Yato is the same as three days for Hiyori. The moon is old again. And the time in Takamagahara flows three times faster:
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There’s also a peculiarity to Yato’s clothes.
“Yato comes to Kamuhakari in white clothes. But then the battle with the Heavens begins. Yato loses his divine white sleeve in his fight with Takemikazuchi. Then only the white cape remains. Finally, he appears in front of Amaterasu dressed in black.
We don’t know how long the battle lasted, but the time in Takamagahara flows differently than on Earth. It’s possible that it’s been two weeks on Earth between the beginning of Kamuhakari and Amaterasu’s trial. Also, during the new moon (when the side of the Moon facing the Earth isn’t lit by the Sun) the sun and the moon go side by side; sometimes the moon overshadows the sun a little, partially or completely. Yes, I’m still hoping an eclipse happened during the trial. Compare this: when Bishamon was at the brink of falling into the state of aramitama, her blight was dark. But Yato’s is black, and the stains it left on Amaterasu’s clothes are black”. (Ivan)
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And the calendar? A partial solar eclipse happened on 25 November 2011. Japan was not supposed to see it. However, a black spot landed on Amaterasu and scared her.
“I think that’s the whole point, that the solar eclipse wasn’t seen in Japan. It could only be seen in Antarctica and partially in South Africa and New Zealand. So the picture in chapter 71 is correct. Amaterasu is showering every god and shinki present with her sunlight, then the eclipse starts. Yato, who is tired of the battle and tormented by his shinki’s sufferings, catches his “wave” and tries to make the eclipse happen in Japan as well (albeit figuratively – by striking down the sun goddess), but Take interrupts the moon god’s show of power. Amaterasu looks somewhat tired throughout the trial; maybe she isn’t feeling well, among other things?” (Yana)
The full moon in chapter 73 messes up all the calculations once again.
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See, there has already been a full moon not that long ago. Hiyori had spent a day at the Kamuhakari, then waited for Yato’s return for three days, and there’s only one week left till Yukine’s birthday. There can’t be a full moon twice in two weeks’ time. Perhaps Adachitoka started the chapter with Ebisu’s kidnapping as an extra first and then turned it into a full chapter; they added the mention of Yukine’s birthday but either left the moon the way it was drawn for the extra or simply forgot about it.
The next chapter messes up the dates again.
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27 November is on Monday in Hiyori’s diary and there’s a note “Fujisaki-senpai was absent again today”. The thing is, 27 November 2011 is Sunday. It was Monday in 2017, when the chapter was released. It was a hard year: one of the mangakas had to take a long sick leave, and the manga soon went on a 14 month long hiatus.
Sometime before the birthday the Heavens summon Yato and he’s questioned by the sacred treasures and then Amaterasu herself.
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Yato wakes up covered in blight after Yukine’s birthday. Take’s shinki conduct another misogi, and Yukine admits that Nora kissed him the day before.
Yato goes looking for a shinki that can help him take down Fujisaki. Amaterasu has set a deadline for him on Ooharai, the Great Purification ritual (30-31 December). There has to be a crescent moon in the beginning of December – a very slim one, shaped as a bow. Kazuma comes to Yato and becomes his shinki.
In chapter 79 the dates in Hiyori’s diary are correct: 28 November is Monday, 29 November – Tuesday.
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And it’s almost full moon in Chapter 81 when Yukine starts wondering about his past, with the crack on his name growing.
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Please focus your attention on the top frames with the moon. Keep your hands on the table and lift your eyes off the bottom frames.
The next full moon is on 10 December 2011, and it’s supposed to be a lunar eclipse, too. Unfortunately, since chapter 81 there hasn’t been any other chapter that had a full moon in it. However, we do have Hiyori’s words in chapter 85 about missing the chance to spend Christmas with her friends. It means that the events of the latest chapters take place between Christmas and New Year’s.
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Ooharai is near.
***
Author of chronology: Yana Tarasova
Inspired, came up with ideas and then checked and double-checked them: Darina Episheva, Yana Tarasova, Amoeba Proteus, Ivan Ivanov
Comprised into an article by: Ivan Ivanov
English translation by: Anastasia Bazheeva
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helenarasmussen87 · 4 years
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Writing Asks
This the post where I know no one is going to ask me anyway.
1. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.
Something that is like a “Oh hey, what happens if we do THIS!” and go from there. Usually ends up having loads of emotions, comfort, angst, introspection, loads of kitchen sink dialogues, not too much action. Families, happy endings.
2. Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?
Fluffy stuff and humourous stuff. I am a little too serious for either one and my humour is drier than the desert and very odd. So no.
3. Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole?
Teacher and Student relationships. Necrophilia, abuse of all sorts, underage. Just not my thing. I’ve gotten unable to stomach a lot of grimdark and super dark stuff as I get older so I won’t write it. But go ahead if that’s your thing.
4. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?
Two, since I can’t have more than two on the burner. Learned THAT early on and they’re Terror AU’s One is a fixit, but with health complications and angst. The other is a Modern Day AU which has two professors falling in love after one gets injured and the other worked as an EMT and helps to take care of him and they fall in love.
5. Share one of your strengths.
I can offer insights on what flows and what doesn’t. I can also happily shred my own drafts if they don’t work. 
6. Share one of your weaknesses.
Action. I work at it, but it’s not my favourite. Or war writing. 
7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.
“Danny had to turn his head away to hide his smile, because he knew that it was a legitimate concern for Jose. Most of the time, he had jumped into bed with his partners first and then did the mating dance. 
Although extremely smart in other aspects, dating and social interactions were always a bit skewed, because he was always second-guessing himself and nervous as hell.
“That’s actually how things work out in these situations. At least it did for me and my ex and for me and Claude.” Danny explained calmly, making Jose nod and take another pull of his slurpee.
“So what do I do? Like is there a time when I bring up the possibility of us sleeping together?” Jose asked, the words slightly mumbled as he chewed on the straw.
“You don’t bring it up. You’ll just know when the time is right for it to happen. Sex isn’t what a relationship should be built on. Yes, it’s nice and it’s part of it, but it’s not the end all to be all. Trust me on this. It will happen if it’s meant to happen.” Danny explained, hoping that he had put it all in the plainest and simplest terms he could for his friend.
I am proud of this because it was majorly borrowing from life and I can see the difference from earlier writing. 
8. Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.
“Sergio laughed shortly. “I’ve already done enough of that, and look at where it’s gotten you. Yeah, legally I hold claim over you. I could make the club buy out your contract and sit at home all day, having litter after litter.”
Iker’s blood froze at that and he turned to look at Sergio to see if he really meant it, but Sergio’s face gave nothing away.
“Or I could sign your rights to the club and let them sell you wherever or to whomever. Take you out of Spain, or sell you to Getafe or Malaga. All of these things I could do. The club actually did bring it up at that meeting you didn’t show up for.”
Iker blinked, his hands going numb as Sergio’s wickedly honed words hit home.
“I’m not telling you this to hurt you. Or make you feel indebted. I’m telling this to you because you’re this close to losing your spot and that’s the last thing I want for you. But there’s only so much I can do for you.”
He sighed and looked at Iker dead in the eyes.
“I miss him too, Iker. I miss Antonio every fucking day. And I miss you.”
Iker swallowed hard as Sergio abruptly turned and left, slamming the front door and freeing him from the command so suddenly that Iker fell onto the couch and curled up in it.
He had no energy to do anything else. Not when he was all too aware he’d fucked up and fucked up big and needed to fix it.
Borrowed from life again and it was more of a dialogue that needed to be had when you finally realize how much you fucked up and how much you need to stop coasting and make it right. 
9. Which fic has been the hardest to write?
ALL OF THEM! Kidding. I want to say the one I’m working on right now. I was lucky enough I got a ton of help fleshing it out. I can see the end of the 1st chapter and I am having a hell of a time writing Goodsir’s chunk. He’s turned out more emo and romantic than I was expecting. 
10. Which fic has been the easiest to write?
The QuiObi prompts for the prompt week. Took me like two hours to knock them off and post. 
11. Is writing your passion or just a fun hobby?
Its a passion and a hobby. It helped me through a lot of rough patches and keeps me sane. 
12. Is there an episode above all others that inspires you just a little bit more?
Mostly music or a change in life. I tend to write when everything is in flux with me.
13. What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?
Just write. Worry about editing later. Once you have something on the paper, fixing it up becomes easier. 
14. What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across?
Edit as you write. You don’t get anything done.
15. If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?
Oooh. I think it’s a toss up between my Qui-Gon/Jango fic in a pastoral setting where they have put their pasts behind and are farmers on Concord Dawn. Or the Werewolf fic I wrote during my RPF phase.
16. If you only could write one pairing for the rest of your life, which pairing would it be?
Bloody hard. I would have to say Fitzier (Commander Fitzjames/Captain Crozier)
17. Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?
Depends. Sometimes I go straight from beginning to end and sometimes I end up writing the middle and not figuring it out until later.
18. Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines?
Outlines. I have notebooks I jot down point form notes about the characters and the plot.
18. Stephen King once said that his muse is a man who lives in the basement. Do you have a muse?
Mine is a librarian or an alchemist trying to figure out answers and how things fit in.
19. Describe your perfect writing conditions.
A good playlist. Alone, in my room.
20. How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?
I revise it along the way when I sit down to write. Then before I post, I give it a once over to make sure it flows and makes sense. 
21. Choose a passage from one of your earlier fics and edit it into your current writing style. (Person sending the ask is free to make suggestions).
All my old fics are honestly gone so I’m skipping this one. 
22. If you were to revise one of your older fics from start to finish, which would it be and why?
Honestly? The Duo and Heero one I wrote about them being in an abusive relationship where they split up, then got back together again. I was again writing from life, and I have seen couples who did overcome it, but looking back, I think I should have written it that they separated and went their own ways. 
Keep in mind I was very young when I wrote this, and I was in an abusive relationship myself and didn’t realise it at the time. He hit me once, apologised and never did it again. But he did end up manipulating me, gaslighting me, and emotionally abusing me until I finally had enough and left. 
23. Have you ever deleted one of your published fics?
Yes. Loads of them due to me not wanting to finish them. Or the hosting sites going under. 
24. What do you look for in a beta?
Someone who is honest, someone who knows the way I write, and has suggestions to fix those said things. But someone who is themselves is the best. Because they know what they want. Same here. 
25. Do you beta yourself? If so, what kind of beta are you?
I do, simply due to lack of steady betas. Flow and story telling, but I also look for syntax and formatting as well as grammar. I will miss typos, so I run spell-check too. I mostly use a mental rubric. Teacher training.
26. How do you feel about collaborations?
I haven’t had a successful one due to the second person always deciding that they can’t follow through or up and disappearing. So I don’t do them.
27. Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.
Oh my God! I read so much and so many different people that I can’t pinpoint three. I usually end up reading a fic or two, so I can’t say why I read the author.
28. If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?
I haven’t done that. I do admit to having inspired by fics. I wouldn’t ever presume to do that. It just feels like a snub.
29. Do you accept prompts?
Not really. I can’t tailor write stuff consistently. 
30. Do you take liberties with canon or are you very strict about your fic being canon compliant?
Oh always! I end up liking the characters that somehow never make it until the end. And in the Terror, unless you want to write angst all the time, you HAVE to ignore canon. And I mean BOTH the book and the show, since the book is nasty. The show is amazing, but oh my god is it depressing.
31. How do you feel about smut?
Yes damned please!
32. How do you feel about crack?
Depends on how well it’s done. Sometimes it is needed. Sometimes it’s like “Why?”
33. What are your thoughts on non-con and dub-con?
A bit tricky. I don’t mind non-con, but it has to be handled well. Dub-con, especially in A/B/O happens within context and it is usually dealt with. So I can tolerate that more than the first. Outright abuse, no.
34. Would you ever kill off a canon character?
Yes. Not often thought. But yes. I usually try and keep as many alive as I can though.
35. Which is your favorite site to post fic?
AO3, its a wild place and I love it for that reason.
36. Talk about your current wips.
It’s an AU where two professors that live in the same building and work in different faculties get thrown together and start to get to know each other. Due to circumstance, one gets injured and the other kind of volunteers to help take care of him, where they fall in love. The others in the vicinity do also. There’s Canadian shenanigans and baking. 
37. Talk about a review that made your day.
That they really liked how I wrote Frank Randall and would like to see more with his son, an OC I created for the story.
38. Do you ever get rude reviews and how do you deal with them?
I either delete, or give a generic reply and leave it. I’ve got stuff to do.
40. Write an alternative ending to [insert fic title] (or just the summary of one).
Nope. It just doesn’t work for me.
*somewhere I fucked up on the number but here you are*
Whoever wants to do this.
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mia-cooper · 5 years
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2019 fanfiction in review
I usually put more effort into pimping my favourite fics of the year, boosting a few new writers in my fandoms, etc. This year, however, I have not, for reasons both within and beyond my control. Which is pretty much my excuse for not Doing Better with writing for the past month or so, but hey. At least there’s this.
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1. Best fic(s) you read all year, and why?
How can I even begin to list all the beautiful, shocking, feel-good, feel-terrible-but-in-a-good-way, envy-inducing, page-turning, soul-destroying, fluffy, hilarious, infuriating and horny fics I’ve read this year? I can’t. So I will instead list three that come immediately to mind.
@curator-on-ao3 – The Dismissed Protocol (rated T, VOY, TNG, Janeway & Crusher)
This fic made me angry. So angry that I left a ranty and incoherent comment, slammed down the lid on my laptop and stormed around the house for a bit. Why was I so pissed, you ask? Because this fic hit a good few of my personal triggers around bodily autonomy and the right to make informed choices, and because although the fic ends triumphantly, it’s somewhat of a pyrrhic victory and it left a really bad taste in my mouth. Which, considering this is fiction, is the mark of some really good writing. When it comes to tackling difficult topics with a fresh and thought-provoking perspective, and without opting for the easy answers, Curator never disappoints. This story is just one of many examples of that in her work.
@love-in-the-time-of-kolinahr​ – it will take place without witnesses (rated E, DSC, Pike/Number One)
Okay so let me start by saying it was the author’s fucking EXCELLENT pun of a pseudonym that made me read this in the first place. Then it was the poem they quoted (Discovery by Wislawa Szymborska, which is like a portentous rocket in the guts). Then it was Una’s scales-off-the-eyes, we-are-true-equals, don’t-bullshit-me-lover candidness in the way she sees, talks to, knows Chris Pike. I adore Pike in his laconic-space-cowboy-with-a-heart Disco incarnation, I like him a lot as the CoolDad in AOS, but this fic? This fic gives me smart, forthright, deeply tender Number One, and Pike as the fractured and very human hero I hope like hell we’ll see more of because they are definitely making a Pike series RIGHT? It is written. Anyway… this fic is beautiful and harsh and deft and real and sexy and poetic and at its core it’s about love, and who doesn’t love love?
@captacorn​ – Stars in a Ruined Sky (rated M, VOY, Paris/Torres)
It took me a while to read this one because CaptAcorn was posting it at the same time I was writing my epic, and I had no brain space to maintain a hold on someone else’s dark and compelling plot. But when I picked this one up, I couldn’t put it down. It is AMAZING. A Timeless AU, set in a universe where Voyager crashed and most of the crew survived, this goes where no other 100k+ epic I’ve read before has dared to tread, and it does so without flinching. The details are what make this unforgettable – there’s no magic reset button, so when something bad happens to the crew, there are actual lasting consequences – but it’s the humanity of the characters (if I can use that word to describe a crew that includes aliens) that makes it unputdownable (fuck off, my nana said that’s a word). This is not an AU I want to think happened, but CaptAcorn makes it one that rings true. And I’ll definitely read this again when I have the emotional fortitude for it.
Wow, there’s no Janeway/Chakotay in my top three. What? So here’s a bonus:
Northernexposure’s trilogy – Soft Light, Aftershocks and Resolution (rated E, VOY, Janeway/Chakotay) – three for the price of one! I mean, when northernexposure posts a new fic I race to read it no matter what, but smut! Beautifully written, true to character, sexy sexy smut from one of my all time favourite authors! How could I turn that down?
2. Best fic(s) you published all year, and why?
Mmmyeah to be honest I kinda feel as though my writing peaked in 2017, but here we go.
Desperate Measures (rated E, VOY, Janeway/Chakotay and other pairings) – because there’s angst and smut and the plot is twisty as fuck and I feel like there’s a pretty satisfying payoff. And it’s really long and relies on the reader engaging with my OCs which people seem to have done, which makes me think that if I ever do want to go write another original novel, maybe I won’t want to burn it as soon as I’m done.
This Is The Moment (rated M, DSC, Pike/Tyler) – because these two have exhausting chemistry and I couldn’t not write this but it was hard to make it come out of my brain the way I wanted it. But I’m really happy with it.
And I have a soft spot for First Officer’s Log (rated T, VOY, Chakotay & Tuvok, implied Janeway/Paris), because I just really love Threshold, okay? And while the episode is wack on so many levels there are really dark and heavy themes to explore there which I feel have gone very unexplored and I hope my fic struck that same balance between moral philosophy and holywhatthefuckery.
3. Favourite opening line(s) in a fic you published in 2019:
From Bad Maquis (rated M, VOY, Janeway/Chakotay):
The only thing more restrictive – and bosomy – than this outfit, Kathryn mused as she stared at her reflection, was her holodeck governess costume.


Still, at least she didn’t have to leave her quarters wearing this getup, and thank goodness for small mercies. Because she was on the verge of backing down from this challenge as it was, and Kathryn Janeway did not chicken out. Ever.
I mean, it sets the scene, doesn’t it? Who doesn’t love Janeway in leather.
4. Favourite closing line(s):
This is maybe cheating a little bit because this fic isn’t finished, but this first chapter can stand alone and I won’t be continuing it for some time (first, I have to finish the two prequels, haha). Anyway, these are the closing lines from Inertia (rated T so far, VOY, Janeway/Paris and others):
When the daze clears and Tom looks up to discover that his hovercar is parked in front of an address he’s never visited but has nonetheless memorised, maybe he should feel a little bit surprised.


He doesn’t. No matter how far he tries to go or how long he stays away from her, turning up at Kathryn Janeway’s door is inevitable.
Why do I like it? Well, I have an everlasting appreciation for Janeway/Paris, for one thing. For another, if you read the rest of the story and understand what Tom has just learned, you’ll want to know what happens next. I hope. I sure want to know.
5. The fic that was best received, and your favourite comment(s) on it:
That would be Desperate Measures again. It’s my longest fic by far and I was absolutely bowled over by the response to it, but one of my favourite comments on it is this one:
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It actually looks like Janeway is saying gimme and it cracks me up.
Honestly though… the depth and kindness of comments on that fic in particular, the time and thought and effort that people have put into their reviews … it made up for every moment I wanted to chuck it in and never look at that fic again, or any other.
6. The fic you wish had gotten more love:
Honestly, I was surprised there was so little response to my @voyagermirrormarch​ fic trilogy, Heaven in the Shape of Hell. I really thought they’d be crowd pleasers, but it shows what I know, lol. I haven’t even finished the third one because the lack of interest made me wonder if they were just really shite, but I’m not so butthurt about it anymore and I will come back to it someday.
7. How many fandoms you wrote for in 2019, and which inspired you most:
Does Star Trek in all its incarnations count as one fandom? If so, I wrote for two (Trek and Marvel). If all the different versions of Trek count separately, I wrote for seven (MCU, AOS (that’s Trek Alternate Original Series, not Agents of SHIELD), Disco, Mirror, Enterprise, DS9 and Voyager).
Anyway, I guess I’ll never stop being inspired by Voyager, so even if Disco season 3 and the Picard show do nothing for me, I’ll always have that.
8. Your favourite pairing(s) to write for:
I mean, Janeway x Chakotay, for sure. But I’m deeply, deeply invested in Janeway x Paris at the moment.
9. What you’re writing now/next:
I’m struggling through the second part of what was supposed to be my contribution to @25daysofvoyager​. I’m actually going to post the first part once I’m done with this quiz in the hope it’ll kick my ass into gear. I’m also on semi-hiatus from Kinetic Friction, but I’ll be going back to it as soon as I’m done with my 25 Days fic. At some point after Kinetic there’ll be the sequel, and then the rest of Inertia. I’m also contemplating something for Threshold Day, possibly throwing something into @voytalentchallenge​ (don’t count on that one), and I have an idea for a pre-Enterprise D, pre-Voyager meeting between Picard and Janeway (with smut, obvs), plus all the other fics I’m definitely going to write …
And of course there’s my meat raffle. Time to pimp that one again. Donate to AO3 and if I draw your name out of the hat of randomness I’ll write you a fic to your specifications (roughly).
10. Writing goals for 2020 (word count? new fandoms/pairings? anything?):
Look, I’d just really like to actually write to some of the prompts I’ve had sitting in my ridiculously complex filing system without getting sidetracked by the newest shiny thing to catch my eye. In terms of fandoms, I hope I’ll write more for Discovery, I’m looking forward to Picard, and I would like to branch out from Trek a bit. More MCU, definitely, and maybe others if I get inspired. The main thing I want out of writing fanfiction at the moment is for it to continue making me happy, though, so I just hope I keep having fun with it.
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egg2k16 · 4 years
Text
40 Fanfic Q’s Answered
the server wants answers, and they want them now!!! from this post
1. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.
Smut and pining all the way. Also, falling in love via laughing
2. Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?
Eh...I don’t think so, I’m always 100% self-indulgent, so what u see is what I want
3. Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole?
Anything that has to do w mega sadness, I just Don’t. I can’t write anything sad, and if I do, there’s certainly gonna be A Lot of comfort afterwards
4. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?
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I have 91 wips, motherfuckers!!! My latest wip is a daddy month fic!
5. Share one of your strengths.
I think, since I’ve been trying to be sparser in my words, I’ve been able to better emphasize what isn’t being said
6. Share one of your weaknesses.
No action scenes from me are ever good, lmao
7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.
It was late at night, when he started to cry.
He didn't want to cry, but he did.
It's been years since he's last let himself feel, or was it since he was last allowed to feel?
He choked on his sobs, uncomfortable with his tears. He's forgotten how to properly cry. His entire body is shaking, and the connections between flesh and wire hurts.
He stops crying. He starts crying again.
This continues for another few minutes, until he feels as if he can't possibly have any more tears.
He wipes his face, pulls the covers up to his chin, and falls asleep.
(from Twilight on the Sea) I really like this bcus I don’t think I’ve ever really typed out crying in this way, n I tried to make it feel like it was a lot
8. Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.
Cass was quiet for a moment. “... you know what? Maybe I’ll just go up there and surprise you.”
“If you do, then you already ruined the surprise, haven’t you?”
“Eh, I dunno about that. Seeing my beautiful face is a shock for many people.”
“Oh, I’m sure of it.”
“Hey, Koda? I don’t know about you, but it’s really late here.”
“Really?” Koda asks, then remembers that time zones exist. “Oh crap, what time is it over there?”
“It’s midnight. What about you?”
“It’s eight o’clock. Only four hours difference?”
“Oh hey, that’s not so bad.”
“It reduces our time,” Koda said, a bit whining.
“Not if I have anything to say about it.”
“What are you going to do? Move here? Send for me?”
“You’ll see.”
(from Together) This was a gift for one my best friends on here, @suncatchr​ , and it’s about his ocs!!! I love this a lot bcus while it’s a soulmate au, it’s not ur average soulmate au, and I tried making it as original as possible! And this blurb, I just wanted them to effuse so much love w/o having to say love...cries
9. Which fic has been the hardest to write?
If this is by posted fics, then I remember writing Look What You’ve Done to Me was very very difficult, bcus, since it’s also a gift, for @daniel-bryan​ , I wanted to write it Good, n since my buddy usually wrote from the love interest’s pov, I felt a weird pressure to write Daniel Bryan’s pov as good as I could
10. Which fic has been the easiest to write?
2 of my fics in Spanish!!! My oc centric one, Rayos y Centellas, and my shyan one, oye cariño, solo pienso en ti ! Turns out writing in ur native tongue makes everything easier
11. Is writing your passion or just a fun hobby?
It’s a very passionate hobby!!! I just!!! try to pour all of my love into everything I write!!!
12. Is there an episode above all others that inspires you just a little bit more?
I’m not sure!!! I just watch movies n quietly scream to my gay lonesome bcus No One Ever Watches Movies ;-;
13. What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?
To just keep writing n not stop for details or forgotten lore, bcus it’s important to write down what’s firing u up Right Now. Of course, it’s very difficult following that ;;-;;
14. What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across?
“No adverbs!” “No ‘said’!” “It has to make grammatical sense!” sometimes things Need those
15. If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?
Was gonna say my rewrite of the end of The Rover, but actually, my SPN fic Ube . Shit was peak inspired
16. If you only could write one pairing for the rest of your life, which pairing would it be?
Eridirk (Eridan Ampora/Dirk Strider from Homestuck) all the way. The one otp that’s stayed thru thick n thin <3
17. Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?
A little mix of both, and tbh it depends on the fic, but I tend to write chronologically
18. Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines?
I’ve started bullet pointing my ideas out before writing my fics, and so far, it’s been helping me be more streamlined n get my things written out faster n clearer!
19. Stephen King once said that his muse is a man who lives in the basement. Do you have a muse?
Is the need for representation in all the niche movies I keep watching a muse?
20. Describe your perfect writing conditions.
In my dark room, w music blasting from my laptop, the TV w a soft hum, I have the perfect playlist to get the mood right, curled up in my blankies, n my plushie Sweet Pea by my side
21. How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?
Zero, we rely on autocorrect & editing while typing and die like men
22. Choose a passage from one of your earlier fics and edit it into your current writing style. (Person sending the ask is free to make suggestions).
YOU DON’T SEEM SCARED.
Del Rio shrugs. “Working as a cop, it makes you numb to some things. It’s good, it lets you react to things as you should, and not how you’d want to.”
YOU SOUND SAD ABOUT THAT.
He makes a noncommittal noise. “It is what it is.” He eats another spoonful of his ice cream, then gets a thought.
“Can you show up?”
HOW SO?
“Can you,” he tries, waving his spoon around, “Manifest?”
I DON’T KNOW. I’LL TRY.
“I’m sure you’ll do just fine,” Del Rio assures, and he can feel the air around him smile. The...world, he thinks, around him shifts just slightly, and there seems to be a chink in the armor for a moment before it goes away, as if someone had wiped the glass clear. He realizes that this is her, trying to show up in a physical form, step out of the phone.
He doesn’t know where to look, but then his confusion wanes when a butterfly shows up, fluttering towards him. It lands near his phone, skitters a bit, flaps its wings.
“Lucy?” he asks, transfixed on the butterfly. Its orange wings are bright under the sunlight.
I THOUGHT I’D TRY SMALL, FOR MY FIRST TRIAL.
“Well, you certainly nailed it.” He smiled warmly at the butterfly, and he had the crazy notion that it smiled back at him.
(adapted from The Policeman , the first fic I posted!)
23. If you were to revise one of your older fics from start to finish, which would it be and why?
Yeah, probably The Policeman lmao, I remember it today n I cringe a little at the very obvious refs to other fandoms I made. Despite that, it continues being one of my best hits!
24. Have you ever deleted one of your published fics?
Never
25. What do you look for in a beta?
I’m just thankful to have gotten a beta in general in life at all
26. Do you beta yourself? If so, what kind of beta are you?
I beta’ed once, and since English is my 2nd language, I pointed out syntax confusion, typos, n continuity errors
27. How do you feel about collaborations?
Can be done, it’s just that I am frightened. Tried doing that, it fell thru, n the new thing that came up, I still have to hold up my end of the bargain ;;-;;
28. Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.
cries omg ok so!!! Chancy_Lurking ( @lurkerviolin​ ) is one of my faves, n we’ve become friends, n their Felix+ Sense8 series is the reason for it all, and u know it’s good if it managed to make a friendship that’s last its good while, and also they’re so nice, and we vibe so well!!! thegoatz ( @daniel-bryan​ ) is also now one of my bestest friends ever, and I wuv him so much, he is such a good kid, n he’s so enthusiastic about writing, and I hope that spark never goes out!!! And adamwhatareyouevendoing ( @skatingthinandice​ ) bcus she’s doing a rewrite of The Last Kingdom where it’s all gay where it should be and vnjkdfsnvkd God, what a wonderful friend!!!
29. If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?
I actually technically am working on a sequel to @rettaroo​ ‘s A New Kind of Touch ! Another promise I have to hold up eventually ;;;-;;;
30. Do you accept prompts?
Sure!
31. Do you take liberties with canon or are you very strict about your fic being canon compliant?
I try to follow canon as much as I possibly can!
32. How do you feel about smut?
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
33. How do you feel about crack?
Eh, it’s alright. I don’t normally look for it, so I don’t really have a solid opinion on it
34. What are your thoughts on non-con and dub-con?
I don’t want to read it, but I have so far encountered it twice very amicably: once here in a ficlet, and another in a longer fic on AO3, and they were both very good
35. Would you ever kill off a canon character?
Probably not, I don’t like sad things!
36. Which is your favorite site to post fic?
AO3! I’m RedLlamas on it!
37. Talk about your current wips.
Lmao which one. The one I’m currently working on is an impregnation kink turned “oh no I actually do wanna have a family” feelings fic!
38. Talk about a review that made your day.
Gonna be real w u, the best comments I’ve gotten have mainly been from my friends, who either write a paragraph or two going into detail of the fic, or just send a one sentence comment that’s just “screams!” I’ve gotten very few paragraphs from other people, n they’re always so!!!
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My friends are the realest :’)
39. Do you ever get rude reviews and how do you deal with them?
The perks of being a rarepair writer is that the only people who read my fics are the ones actively looking for content!!! And they can’t complain about my work because No One Else Is Writing For It!!!!!!
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40. Write an alternative ending to [insert fic title] (or just the summary of one).
All my fics are masterpieces, so I’ll do a summary change! For don’t you just know (exactly what they’re thinking?)
Dakota finds himself in unexpected heartbreak, and the universe decides to bring him in the direction of a night club with a dancer with stars on his skin.
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mysterylover123 · 5 years
Text
My Top 10 Favorite (and Top 5 least favorite) Izuocha moments
  mysterylover123
OK, to explain that title and why I didn’t have a “least favorite” for any other ship: While I have moments for other ships that I don’t like, none of those ships are canon. I have no interest in making people feel bad about shipping things. I do feel it’s ok to critique writing choices you don’t agree with in the actual show, and there are a few big Izuocha moments I don’t like, so I needed to cover them. I do like this ship, for the record - but the canon handling was odd to me, so I thought I’d do a favorite and least for this list instead of just a favorites.
#10. Battle Trial Arc Teamwork 
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From: Episodes 7-8
What Happens: Deku and Uraraka are teamed up to fight Iida and Bakugo. Uraraka is very reassurring to Deku about their teamwork and at the climax of the arc, they work together to defeat their opponents in awesome fashion. Uraraka also goes up to Deku post arc with concern
Why I Like It: I do like me some battle couples. I love seeing Deku talk to Uraraka about his feelings (albeit for Bakugo) and Uraraka calling them a team and working hard because Deku inspires her to try harder. Deku showcases his scheming brilliant brain here too.
#9. Voting for Deku 
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From; Episode 9 “Just Do your best Iida”
What Happens: The voting happens. Bakugo pitches a fit that two people voted for Deku, and Uraraka whistles while thinking “I’ll just keep my vote to myself”
Why I Like It: Uraraka voted for Deku, like Shoto did for Momo, and keeps it a secret. I’m hoping we get a similar scene to the Todomomo one where Ochako reveals this, though I’m not sure how that would play out.
#8. Someone you like  
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From: Season 3 Episode 15
What Happens: Uraraka, embarrassed about her classmates grilling her on her love life, floats to the ceiling - and sees Deku out the window practicing ultimate moves. She seems very smitten.
Why I Like It; This is a more pure Izuocha moment as she responds to him romantically, reaction to how cool he is and how much she admires him. I’m not wild about Mina telling Uraraka she likes Deku, but I do like he actually acting like she does.
#7. Cavalry Battle Teamup 
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From: The Sports Festival Arc 2.04-2.05
What Happens: Ochako teams up with Deku in the Cavalry battle, hoping to as she later puts it “rely on him to get by”. She gets jealous of how much attention he pays Mei. Deku thinks about her support of him and all she’s done for him as he fights hard to win.
Why I Like It; This is actually more of a Deku on Ochako moment, since she later complicates her own role in this with her admission about Iida. But Deku says that he wanted her for his team, and thinks how cool she is, and is inspired by her support of him to fight Todoroki. It shows how much he values her support.
#6. Joint Training Arc Teamwork 
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From: Chapters 209-216
What Happens: Deku and Uraraka watch each others’ backs in combat. Uraraka saves him from his powers gone mad, hugging him to calm him down. Afterwards she blushes about it, and he possibly blushes too though it’s not clear.
Why I Like It: Again, love some teamwork pairings. I wanted a little more from this arc (Uraraka talking Deku down instead of Shinso) but we still got her hugging him and blushing about it while thinking about her new “who saves the heroes” motivation. Deku is also grateful to her for saving him. Uraraka works well with him, worries about him, but now she doesn’t let it distract her.
#5. First Meeting and Rescue 
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From: Chapters 2-4
What Happens: Uraraka saves Deku from tripping over his feet. Deku is attracted to her; she gets trapped in the fight and Deku saves her. This gets him into UA. She also offers him her points to Present Mic.
Why I Like It; It’s such a sweet first impression. He thinks she’s cute (she finds him plain, which annoys me - someone call Deku pretty before the series if over.) He saves her, she saves him, she offers him her points, he thinks about how she helped him before and tries to go talk to her. I like how he compares it to saving Kacchan from the sludge monster too - saving Uraraka is put in the same category as saving his lifelong acquaintance, despite having just met her.
#4. Deku means you can do it 
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From: Episode 6 Rage you Damn Nerd
What Happens: Uraraka greets Izuku as “Deku” based on Bakugo’s name. Izuku corrects her but she suggests Deku could mean “you can do it.” Izuku immediately changes his attitude on the name. Later that ep he takes her name as his “you can do it” motto, which she finds touching.
Why I Like It; The Deku name is one of my favorite Izuocha bits. I love how she gives his nickname a new meaning and he likes it, takes it for himself, and finds strength from this support. (Of course, this is one of many moments on this list that some how also connects with Bakugo. There’s a lot of subtle parallelism  between Ochako and Kacchan, probably since these three were the first three characters designed for the series).
#3. Giving her a plan  
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From: Season 2 Episode 8 Battle on challengers
What Happens: Deku notices how upset Uraraka is before her match and offers her a scheme to use against Bakugo. She declines and heads out to her match; post fight, he comes in to comfort her and is touched again by her support.
Why I Like It; Deku noticed she was upset! He offered to help her, wanting to support her like she’s supported him! He roots for her and admires her techniques, corrects Bakugo about her hard work, and tries to be there for her when she loses. She’s so sad about her loss, and I wish she’d cried on his shoulder instead of shutting him out - one day, she will, I hope.
#2. The real Uraraka 
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From; Shiketsu High Lurking 3.16
What Happens: Deku, while fighting Camieraka, recognizes that she isn’t Ochako. He runs down all of Uraraka’s features and why Camieraka can’t really be her.
Why I Like It; Deku shows here that he actually knows Uraraka pretty well, understands her, knows what she would never do and guesses that Camie was impersonating her. I like when people show they know their dates - once again, he knows her by now to the same degree that he knows his lifelong acquaintance Bakugo (in S1’s BTA he also knows Bakugo’s techniques in the same manner). I like that kind of familiariity.
Extras
Movie
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Filler
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#1. Deku, that has to be my codename
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From: Season 2 Episode 13 Time to pick some names
What Happens: Midoriya picks Deku as his hero name, explaining that Uraraka made him see it in a different way, and smiling about it. We see Kacchan and Ochako both reacting.
Why I Like It; This simple scene is my favorite Izuocha moment, because I love how much the Deku name means to Midoriya. It’s kind of a motif among friendships in the show, this “picking your hero name” thing, and while Bakugo did come up with the name, Ochako gave it its new meaning. I like seeing them happy.
Top 5 Least Favorite
#5.  Putting those feelings away 
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From: Provisional License Exam Arc
What Happens: Ochako decides to put her feelings for Deku away instead of acting on them in a little monologue.
Why I Didn’t Like It; While I’m glad we get to focus more on Ochako being a badass, as a shipper I found her decision frustrating. It just makes no sense that she can’t just tell Deku she likes him, date him and be happy. All that buildup doesn’t seem to be leading towards anything but delaying the inevitable. I find it really annoying when series up off the inevitable get together till the end just because it’s expected.
#4. Running away at the mall 
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From: Season 2 Episode 25 “Encounter”
What Happens: Ochako, left alone with Deku, runs away yelling about bug spray. He gets attacked by Tomura while she freaks out about her feelings.
Why I Didn’t Like It; Well for one, we miss a chance for them to hang out one-on-one. Two, Uraraka indirectly calls Deku a “pest”, hurting his feelings. Three, we juxtapose her feelings with Tomura nearly killing Deku. Forth, she finds the idea of liking him so scary and off-putting, and this becomes her story for the next two arcs, which I find annoying since it just repeats the same thing over and over again.
#3. Because you like him? 
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From: Final Exam Arc
What Happens: During their fight with 13, Uraraka is thinking “what would Deku do?” Aoyama asks Uraraka if she likes Deku. This freaks her out and nearly gets her killed.
Why I Didn’t Like it: I don’t get why Aoyama did this. Why? What was he thinking, why ask this during their test, why does this lead to Uraraka beating 13, why was this the way we made Izuocha canon? I don’t get why Uraraka’s crush on Deku has to be something other people tell her she has, can’t she just figure it out for herself? Aoyama what is your deal? I legitimately don’t get what Horikoshi was going for her.
#2. Hey jealousy  
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From: Various
What Happens: Uraraka freaks out when Deku gets near Mei, Melissa, and Camie, burning with Jealousy. Most recently she punched herself in the face for doing so.
Why I Didn’t Like It; I didn’t mind the first time with Mei, because it was Deku complimenting Mei, or Melissa in the film. But the other times, Deku is getting felt up and creeped out by invasive girls who scare or harm him, and Uraraka reacts by getting jealous of him, instead of trying to defend him. Try flipping their genders and see how disturbing it comes across. Like a “Nice Guy” getting mad that his crush is daring to get felt up by other men. Even if she says it makes her uncomfortable.
#1. Himiko Toga’s monologue 
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From: Training Camp Arc
What Happens: Toga recognizes that Uraraka likes Deku and creepily tells her that she has “her smell”, that they’re both obsessed with copying and replacing their boys. She later says “a great deal of faith is placed in you”.
Why I Didn’t Like It; Toga is Uraraka’s evil foil. If liking Deku this way is Uraraka’s flaw, that places a really negative spin on Izuocha. It makes it seem like liking Deku is only going to lead Uraraka down a wrong path and make her fall. Why? Why does her main romance have to be something that apparently scares and hurts her? It’s Deku for crying out loud! He’s a sweetheart, he likes her, they get along. This implies that Uraraka’s feelings for Deku are similar to Toga’s for Stain - she wants to kill and replace the person she admires. Also, the “trust in you” line sounds like blatant Traitor-Uraraka baiting, like that line in her bio about there being no “hidden side to her”. I love Toga, I love Ochako, I want them to be great foils, but I don’t want that to be in a way that makes Ochako’s romance look creepy.
So that’s my thoughts - read my meta for the whole story. I ship it but I want the story to start handling it differently.
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mobius-prime · 4 years
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211. Sonic the Hedgehog #143
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The Original Freedom Fighters (Part 2)
Writer: Romy Chacon Pencils: Art Mawhinney Colors: J&A Ray
So it's time to find out just how the original Freedom Fighters were betrayed and lost. The guard at the Lake of Rings catches a ring and then lets Sonic and Hope watch the place for a bit while he delivers it to the castle, and Hope urges Sonic to continue his story, which he agrees to on the condition that afterward she'll let him go off to do his thing. One day when Sally was still young, Stripe was speaking with her and being kind when Peckers, who has the worst name by the way, burst in with some news.
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That's right, they found out about the Zone of Silence years before the current Freedom Fighters did. They went into the palace on a mission to rescue the king, or at least to gather more information for a future rescue, but suddenly found themselves trapped within a room, with Scales leering at them from the outside and Robotnik stepping up beside him. Scales had apparently betrayed his teammates because he wanted power and also because it was "totally within his nature" as a snake, but true to form, Robotnik had some treachery of his own to enact, throwing a horrified Scales in with his fellows. Robotnik revealed to them that they were standing in his first room-sized roboticizer, before pulling the lever.
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Oof. Uncle Chuck, still roboticized, saw the whole thing and had it recorded in his memory banks for posterity, but those in Knothole never found out what happened until years later when he regained his memory. All they knew was that their heroes had disappeared, and held funerals for them all befitting their status as heroes. The young Sonic was stunned and demoralized, as Stripe in particular had always been kind and encouraging to him, but ultimately the actions of the original Freedom Fighters were what inspired Sonic, Sally, and the others to form their own group and carry on the fight.
Now remember how I said this ties into something I've brought up before? I've talked many times about how the war against Robotnik has essentially been carried on the backs of literal child soldiers, but we've never really discussed why this came to be. Well, here it is. This is why. Remember that Robotnik's takeover came right on the heels of the Great War, with barely a few years at most separating the two wars. From Robotnik's perspective, he couldn't have picked a better time to stage a coup - the kingdom was weakened, and a lot of its best fighters had likely died or had to retire permanently due to injures from the previous war. Not to mention that a lot of people who could have helped in the current war were likely captured and roboticized in the initial fight before they had time to react - Robotnik would have known who posed the greatest threat to his rule and made sure the swatbots targeted them, and in addition, it's implied in the previous issue that Stripe was one of the only veterans who had the sense to run away rather than stand and fight. The original Freedom Fighters were basically all Knothole had left. And when they were lost, Knothole was vulnerable. Hope was in short supply. Hardly anyone had the ability or the mental fortitude to even try to carry on the fight.
And then this little band of orphaned kids rallied around the precocious princess, and took inspiration from those who had fought before them. These kids, most of whom were barely older than eight (and I'm not guessing at that number, it's literally confirmed later on in the comic that Sonic started striking back against Robotnik at the age of eight), banded together with the overconfidence of young children and put themselves in harm's way to save the planet. They grew up so surrounded by war that participating in it was second nature to them, and though each of them were hit with their own unique traumas from the things they'd seen and experienced, they kept up the fight, into their teens and into now. And like I've pointed out before, even now that many of the kingdom's adults are freed and willing to continue the fight for them, they refuse to give it up. Sure, Sally may be preoccupied with being active ruler right now, and maybe Rotor has retired from field duty to work on inventions back home, but everyone is still wholly invested in the fight despite their still-young ages. And that's both inspiring, and utterly tragic - especially considering that most of them aren't even self-aware enough to understand how awful throwing children into a war is. They just don't know anything different.
But anyway, as Sonic's story winds down, Hope thanks him and then rushes off, remembering her homework assignment for history and leaving an exasperated Sonic to guard the pool alone after all. The next day, she has her report all finished, and recites it in front of her class to much praise.
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That is a great way to tie everything together, if you ask me. I'm sure it makes Mrs. Stripe and everyone else who personally knew the original Freedom Fighters happy to see the youth of today, even the youth of another species entirely, remember the sacrifice of those heroes.
Mobius 25 Years Later: Father's Day
Writer/Pencils: Ken Penders Colors: Jason Jensen
Are you ready, kids?! This is actually the best installment of this arc, period! It's relevant to the current conflict, it contains important character development, and a satisfying conclusion is reached by the end! I know, I know, I'm shocked as well. But my praise for this chapter is genuine, and you'll see why.
Lara-Su comes downstairs in the morning, wondering where her father is. It's hard to tell if this takes place shortly after her discussion with Knuckles last issue, or if this is the next day entirely or something, but either way, Julie-Su reminds her daughter of what day it is, which - well, I hardly have to tell you, it's right there in the title. It seems that on Father's Day every year, Knuckles visits the grave of Locke in the forest - it's been hinted at here and there that he's dead by the time of this arc, but this is our first clear confirmation of the fact. Knuckles drifts into memories, first of a conversation he'd had with Archimedes many years ago. They'd traveled to the crater in Downunda where Angel Island first lifted off after having spent several weeks together, and prepared to part ways, as Archimedes was planning to move here to Downunda permanently. Knuckles was somewhat baffled by his decision, having deep roots on Angel Island and being unable to relate to wanting to move somewhere else, but Archimedes pointed out that as Athair followed his own path, so must he, and so had Knuckles for that matter.
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I think it makes complete sense for a slightly older Knuckles to have decided to end the Guardian tradition, given how much pain it has caused him over the years and how shady the whole operation could be. Archimedes said his goodbyes to Knuckles after telling him how proud he was of him, and Knuckles used his guiding star gem to head back home. Once there, he was shocked to find Lara-Le crying and distraught, and all she could manage to say was that something was wrong with Locke. Wynmacher called a cab and took them both up to the hospital in Echidnaopolis, where the doctors revealed to him that his father was getting weaker by the day and they couldn't figure out what was wrong. After some exploratory surgery, they determined that he'd developed pancreatic cancer and didn't have long left for the world, so a stunned Knuckles and Lara-Le were allowed to enter the room to speak to him once he'd woken up. From here, I'll let the next couple of pages do the talking for me.
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I think this is literally the best thing Penders could have possibly written on this subject. I've pointed out how awful Locke has been many times, and one of my biggest criticisms of him was less about the character himself and more about how Penders handled writing him. Locke was based on Penders' own father, with whom he'd had a difficult relationship, and this colored his writing of Locke a bit for the worse. Locke was in many ways abusive, selfish, and distant from his son, and put Knuckles through hell for his own purposes. He was too shortsighted to see how this was affecting his son, and only when reality began to harshly and repeatedly bitchslap him in the face did he even begin to realize how badly he'd messed up. This has always been clear from the outside, but it's also obvious that Penders, naturally, wasn't keen on writing a character based on his own father as a bad guy, and the end result was Locke being portrayed in a bizarrely sympathetic light as he manipulated, spied on, and betrayed the trust of his son without any self-awareness at all. This scene is exactly what we needed in the light of all that - a scene where at the end of everything, Locke truly realized just what he'd done to the two people he loved most in the world, fully owned up and admitted to all his mistakes, and asked for forgiveness. He makes no excuses for his actions, instead laying it all bare and trusting them to judge him fairly on his own deathbed. I've said before that Locke would have been far more fascinating as a well-intentioned but too-extreme antagonist of the story, and ultimately this is exactly the kind of redemption scene I would have imagined for him at the end of said story. I may make fun of and even get angry with Penders from time to time, but I truly think that this is one of the prime examples of where his writing shines. He has great ideas, just often bad execution of said ideas. This is one time where he did it right.
Knuckles finishes reminiscing and comes back to himself in the present, standing in front of his father's grave, and begins to realize that in a way, he's been repeating the same mistakes that his father did with his own daughter. While Locke never gave him the choice not to become a Guardian, he's done the inverse with Lara-Su, never giving her the option of Guardianship at all. He decides that he's going to give her the choice after all, and thanks his father at the grave while Locke's ghost and Aurora watch proudly from the afterlife. And you know what? This is also a great scene! Because I 100% believe that Knuckles, after going through everything that he has, would want to end the tradition of Guardians and never put the island's fate on the shoulders of one person again. Let's face it, he's downright traumatized by some of the things he's seen and been through, and once he had a child of his own he'd want to protect them from going through any of the same things he did. And I fully believe that with that mindset, he could end up stumbling into the same "my way, no highway option" mindset that his own father had, just in reverse. He never realized just how his own hangups were affecting his daughter until he came here to meditate after all her pestering. And what makes this scene so great, ultimately, is that he learns from it. He doesn't continue down the manipulative, restrictive path that his father did, but rather opens up to the thought of listening to what his own daughter wants, and allowing her to make her own choices in life. This issue ends with a tribute to Penders' own father Kenneth, who lived from 1934 to 1982, and I find it a fitting end indeed. After all, for all my criticism, I can hardly condemn a person for wanting to pay loving tribute to their own parent. Good job, Penders - this issue's story was genuinely enjoyable, and I appreciate the work you put into it.
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deliriousabsol · 5 years
Text
More Things Than You Ever Cared To Know About My Writing
This was originally posted by ‘vorchagirl’, reblogged by someone I follow. And I thought it would be fun to just outright answer these in a questionnaire type way, rather than as asks. So here we go =)
Feel free to do this yourselves if you like it. Just please remember to add the original poster.
Fanfiction Questions
Fandom Questions
1. What was the first fandom you got involved in?
Properly? Probably Pokemon. I’ve been writing fanfiction for it for years.
2. What is your latest fandom?
Funnily enough, Sonic, despite being a fan since I was like seven years old. I’ve just never seriously got into it since then until now.
3. What is the best fandom you’ve ever been involved in?
The Pokemon fandom. I’ve made some awesome friends in it.
4. Do you regret getting involved in any fandoms?
You hear things, but I’ve not really come across any toxicity besides the reaction to the Sonic Movie.
5. Which fandoms have your written fanfiction for?
A good few, but the only ones you’ll find are Pokemon, Sonic and Zootopia.
6. List your OTP from each fandom you’ve been involved in.
Zootopia - Judy/Nick
Sonic - Shadow/Rouge, Silver/Blaze
Pokemon - I don’t usually ship in Pokemon, but Jessie/James because reasons
7. List your NoTPs from each fandom you’ve been in.
Sonic/Amy. Sorry. Some art is cute, but it’s not my jam.
Shadow/Maria. I don’t ship animals with humans.
I also don’t ship yaoi/yuri pairings.
I do not poop on any ship. If it’s one I’m not fond of, I just scroll on and leave it be. Shipping can be pretty toxic sometimes, and I just don’t get it at all.
8. How did you get involved in your latest fandom?
I was writing Mask Behind the Monster and my husband’s aunt suggested I join a specific Sonic forum to post it in. So I joined the Amino and posted it, all nervous. The reception blew me away, and I met some awesome people, so I stuck around.
9. What are the best things about your current fandom?
The friends I’ve made.
10.  Is there a fandom you read fic from but don’t write in?
Probably. Can’t think of any off the top of my head.
Ship Questions for your Current Fandom
11. Who is your current OTP?
Shadow/Rouge. Also Infinite/Amy. This is because of my current writing projects.
12. Who is your current OT3?
None.
13. Any NoTPs?
We’ve been over this *looks up*
14. Go on, who are your BroTPs?
Sonic/Tails =3
15. Is there an obscure ship which you love?
Infinite/Amy. I didn’t initially.  But if it’s done right, and there are reasons for them to be together in that setting, then it works. 
16. Are their any popular ships in your fandom which you dislike?
Sonic/Shadow, Infinite/Gadget
I’m also not a fan of most Pokemon anime ships.
17. Who was your first OTP and are they still your favourite?
Knuckles/Amy. I still have a soft spot for it.
18. What ship have you written the most about?
Amy/Espio. I went through a phase... Read a couple of ‘fics and thought ‘Why not? Sounds like fun.’ XD
19. Is there a ship which you wished you could get behind, but you just don’t feel them?
Not really. As much as I like shipping, because I’m a fluff-junkie, I have to just like it.
20. Any ships which you surprised yourself by liking?
Again. Inf/Amy. This one took me by surprise.
Author Questions
21. What was the first fanfic you ever wrote?
Erm... if I remember right, Some cringy self-insert Pokemon ‘fic when I was like 14/15.
22. Is there anything you regret writing?
Everything I regret writing has been deleted.
23. Name a fic you’ve written that you’re especially fond of & explain why you like it.
The End and Mask Behind the Monster. I can’t choose one over the other. They were both written with a lot of meaning and emotion behind them, and I have a soft spot for both.
24. What fic do you desperately need to rewrite or edit?
I keep thinking about re-writing The End, but I worry it will lose its fire if I do...
25. What’s your most popular fanfic?
I think... THINK... it’s Mask Behind the Monster.
26. How do you come up with your fanfic titles?
To Title is hard. System:Reboot was a suggestion off a friend who I have lost touch with. Its working title is ‘Hacked’. A lot of my stories have preliminary working titles until I come up with something. The End was named after a song. Confectionary Conundrum was originally called ‘Sugar Snow’ which is the name of the sweet shop in that story. The Mainframe Saga’s Scrivener file is still called ‘Datastream’. Its separate books have been renamed as I’ve been ‘planning’ them out (as much as I plan).
27. What do you hate more: Coming up with titles or writing summaries?
Probably summaries, because FFNet leaves very little space to do so.
28. If someone were to draw a piece of fanart for your story, which story would it be and what would the picture be of?
I have actually had fanart, so this is hard to say. A lot of people like drawing my cyberpunk Infinite redesign which has surprised me.
29. Do you have a beta reader? Why/Why not?
My husband proof-reads my stuff, and then I question him on it. I don’t have a beta. I’ve thought about it, but I stick to a strict time-frame when it comes to uploads where I strictly give myself very little leniency. So if it wasn’t beta’d in time, I’d get a little frustrated and I do not like to pester people. I also worry I’ll be told to edit and cut a LOT, and I don’t like to butcher my ‘fics. I do that enough while I’m writing 8D
30. What inspires you to write?
My faith. That is a BIG one. You will find references and metaphors to my faith throughout my stories. Particularly in The End and The Mask Behind the Monster. Music is another huge inspiration drive. I’ve come up with entire scenes and even plots or sub-plots listening to music. I was just on a walk listening to some cyberpunk tracks when I got the spark for The Mainframe Saga.
31. What’s the nicest thing someone has ever said about your writing?
Oh boy. Where do I start? I think I was especially moved when someone told me they read The Mask Behind the Monster to their sisters.
32. Do you listen to music when you write or does music inspire you? If so, which band or genre of music does it for you?
Yes. A lot. I listen to a variety of stuff from Christian rock and EDM to cyberpunk instrumental tracks. Main bands are Thousand Foot Krutch, Family Force Five, Cruxshadows, Holon, Misanthropix, Scandroid and Celldweller.
33. Do you write oneshots, multi-chapter fics or huuuuuge epics?
It really varies. I lean towards epics. Even Glitched ended up being longer than planned, if memory serves, although it’s not epic length. The Mainframe Saga is made up of chaptered ‘fics, ficlets and one-shots.
34. What’s the word count on your longest fic?
I couldn’t tell you, because Scrivener crashes when I try to get the word count for System:Reboot XD
35. Do you write drabbles? If so, what do you normally write them about?
I don’t, but I have thought about it.
36. What’s your favourite genre to write?
Sci-Fi. Hands down.
37. First person or third person - what do you write in and why?
I prefer third person, particularly restricted third person, because it is easier to write about different characters. That way the reader knows what’s going on when the main cast do not. I was very surprised I enjoyed writing first person so much in Mask Behind the Monster, though. But I did leap into third person a couple of times to give a wider perspective.
38. Do you use established canon characters or do you create OCs?
I love creating OCs. But I will use canon characters in the Sonic fandom.
39. What is you greatest strength as a writer?
From what I’ve been told, character development.
40. What do you struggle the most with in your writing?
Violence. And tragic back stories. I have legit questioned my sanity when coming up with scenes that include this.
Also... when I write fluff... I kind of grind to a halt and struggle through it. Often interspersed with gazing from the window and thinking well further ahead than where I’m currently at. This often results in forgetting dialogue I think up during my garden gazing.
Fanfiction Questions
41. List and link to 5 fanfics you are currently reading:
I won’t post links because it is much too fiddly. But Guiding Light by Ambyssin, Heart Song by Suetonicsonic, Fall From Power by Lordius Dannius.
Hands of Creation by Namohysip, and The Curious and the Shiny by Nebula Dreams. Both of which I seriously need to pick up again.
I believe you can find all of them on FFNet.
42. List and link to 5 fanfiction authors who are amazing:
Same applies as above. Ambyssin, Suetonicsonic, Namohysip, Chibi Pika and Nebula Dreams.
43. Is there anyone in your fandom who really inspires you?
Ambyssin has provided some amazing constructive criticism on System:Reboot which has resulted in me making a terrifying antagonist out of Gadget the Wolf. I strongly hope no other antagonists will develop what I have nicknamed ‘Socket Syndrome’. His drive and commitment to his writing has been pretty inspirational, too.
But in all fairness, I think most, if not all, of my writing friends have been inspirational and very supportive. I offer digital high-fives to each and every one of you.
44. What ship do you feel needs more attention?
I can’t think of any. People should write what they like. And I believe if you want to read it, and it doesn’t exist, then you should write it yourself if you can.
45. What is your all time favourite fanfic?
Guiding Light by Ambyssin. It’s not often I fall in love with a fanfic.
Fall From Power by Lordius Dannius is another.
46. If someone was to read one of your fanfics, which fic would you recommend to them and why?
The End or The Mask Behind the Monster, because they’re pretty special to me.
47. Archive Of Our Own, Fanfiction.net or Tumblr - where do you prefer to post and why?
FFNet. I’ve been posting there for years. I’m iffy on AO3. I’ve considered posting to Tumblr, but my solution to that is to post links and artwork instead.
48. Do you leave reviews when you read fanfiction? Why/Why not?
If I feel I have something to say, I’ll post a review. I like to make sure I do so, though, and I have been known to make notes on my computer and post reviews in bulk to works posted on Serebii.
49. Do you care if people comment/reblog your writing? Why/why not?
I love comments, and I will try to respond to each one. Reblogs are totally welcome!
50. How did you get into reading and/or writing fanfiction?
I’ve been writing for many, many years. Since before I was ten years old. Pokemon likely got me into fanfiction. I can’t remember writing it for anything else prior to that cringy ‘fic I mentioned earlier (which we will never, ever talk about. Ever.)
51. Rant or Gush about one thing you love or hate in the world of fanfiction! Go!
I love the creativity behind it, especially OCs. Pokemon OCs are my favourites, particularly in PMD or Pokecentric settings. Both Sonic and Pokemon offer a lot of inspiration to create OCs as the worlds are both pretty vast. AUs and canon settings both offer massive scope for creativity. It’s seeing peoples’ headcanons and takes on the franchises that I really enjoy. Yes, I do like shipping, but a story does NOT need it to be a good story. It’s the way people tell it that matters more to me.
I know this says ‘one thing’. But I just want to make it clear, the one part of fanfiction I don’t like, is M-rated stuff. And I will not read it. It... bugs me when a ‘fic I’ve been enjoying suddenly changes its rating XD
(I do not own any of the fandoms or characters mentioned in this post) <- Nervous Nelly moment?
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