#please enjoy it in its tragically incomplete form

[jessekestrel]

Breathing

WIP snippet of an one-shot I am working on documenting the tragic effects of scientific experimentation on Caroline for the GLaDOS project and her subsequent death. 

This is incomplete, and may be changed or revised at any time.

Major TWs for violence, death, human experimentation, and blood/gore. Rated Mature. 

Can also be read on A03: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41510211

Caroline let out a horrific scream that felt as if it was ripping and tearing its way out of her bone-dry throat. Her throbbing head slammed onto the growing puddle of her blood in the ground. It was everywhere: on her chest, dripping down her forehead, and in her mouth; the awfully metallic tang of the liquid clinging to her tongue. She croaked out a groan that sounded like the pathetic, dying strains of a cane toad. Not a word could be formed in her throat, for it was hollowed out and strained to its extremity. She knew she was dying. The Aperture torturers discussed test subject deaths as if they were mere flies swatted with a zapper. "Another one gone, huh?" they'd say. "Unfortunately, there isn't much of the body left for science." They chuckled. The images of a young man's gruesome death in the facility forced their way into her mind's eye. His guts splayed out over the floor. The indifference of the researchers when they discovered what remained of him. The unadulterated terror in his eyes as he realized what was happening to him... Caroline forced a hand to her mouth to keep herself from vomiting. She didn't have the energy to retch again. Not even at the abomination of her husband's betrayal. Cave, the wretched bastard. The same man who had been her closest friend and confidante for twenty years had decided to sell his wife out to 'revolutionary' human experimentation efforts for the Devil knows what. What kind of scum-eating, wife-abusing, Hell-dwelling reptile would do such a thing? She clenched her fists so hard she drew blood. Caroline did not care if it was the moon rocks making him insane. Nothing could justify this. Not even if he needed to torture her to stop Shanghai, New York, or London from being nuked to glass. He had given her Hell. Caroline could only hope as she lay writhing in her own blood that her husband was experiencing the real deal. She thought of it and smiled through gritted teeth. If there were a Higher Being, He would avenge Caroline. He would toss Cave into the deepest pits of Dante's Inferno and leave him to rot for eternity. It was only fitting after what that monster did to her, after all. Divine justice must do its job.

A Note on the Title 

The title is inspired by the Kate Bush song of the same time. It is a Kafkaesque, extraordinary, terrifying magnum opus of Kate's phenomenal career that I fail to ascribe the right words to. (Seriously, if you can handle it, go give it a listen.) It is written from the point of view of a spirit being anticipating its death through nuclear annihilation. In its last moments, the being contemplates the horror of its reality, utterly helpless to stop the existential threat. Mortality and the fear of what is called the abyss, the Void, or nothingness are themes integral to both Kate's Breathing and this story.

If you enjoyed this snippet, please let me what I can improve on!  

Syntax, vocabulary, punctuation, grammar, tension, etc. This is my first fanfic work in the Portal fandom, and I have been writing for a short time (5 years) Therefore, this may be of poor quality. I need to be informed on what should be changed.

[assaily]

I thought about saving this one, but i’ve been sharing it around for a while, so i may as well share it here, too.

Context: Allison and Diego borrow some empathy powers and use them to try and gain some insight on Five

Allison sipped her coffee for lack of anything better to do. She dallied for a time, unsure how to proceed, suddenly aware of the heavy weight that clung to them, and wondered if this was normal. It could have been exhaustion, considering the dark shadows beneath Five’s eyes. It felt deeper than just a bad night of sleep. This was what she’d been afraid of, what she was fully expecting to find and now found herself feeling diminished beneath.

“You hungry?” she asked when Five finished his coffee.

“No,” Five answered, the question hardly a blip on his radar.

“I could eat,” Diego said. Five usually said no to the offer of food unless it was put in front of him. He couldn’t resist once it was there, thankfully, so this little dance of two siblings pretending to cook for each other and secretly cooking for Five was not new. If Five himself noticed, he never said anything about it.

Allison got up from the table, snatching Five’s mug from beneath his fingers. He had been mindlessly tracing the rim and was genuinely startled from his thoughts when Allison took it from him. He said nothing, attention suddenly on her like a scalpel. She wasn’t sure if it was the power or her own imagination that made his scrutiny feel sharper than usual. She set a skillet to heat and refilled Five’s cup before taking it back to the table for him.

Suspicion burned at the hairs on her arms and she took a step back to meet Five’s piercing gaze. “What?” she asked.

“You’re being nice,” he muttered, an observation and a question rolled into one. He wanted to know why, he wanted to know what she wanted.

“Nothing,” she reassured without thinking. “I mean,” she corrected quickly when Diego gave her a sharp look. “I’m just feeling weird and you look tired. I miss my daughter,” she admitted, feeling suddenly vulnerable.

Five blinked, something swirling around them at her admittance, a little like irritation, a lot like muted affection. “I’m not your kid, Allison, you don’t need to dote on me.”

She smiled around the confusing mix dusting the room. “Refilling your coffee is hardly doting,” she replied in a daze.

He shrugged, eyes falling down from her, the sharp focus softening at last. He took a sip of the coffee and it tasted like acceptance. She turned back to the fridge, fighting a smile as she pulled the sausages from the top shelf and added them to the pan. Soon the kitchen was filled with the sounds of sizzling and the smell of food; the anxiety had eased into something quiet and tired and easy to ignore.

She whisked eggs in a bowl, added milk and cheese and cooked it in the same pan as the sausage drippings once they’d finished. She divvied the food up on three plates and set them on the table. The whole meal took her less than twenty minutes, hardly any trouble at all but it felt good to do something for them. It soured when a flood of dread and disgust spilled across the table the moment she put the plate in front of Five. Her movements stuttered, taken by surprise, hesitating to watch him spear a sausage with the fork and nibble on one end like he hadn’t felt anything.

She exchanged a look with Diego, who’d paused mid-bite to watch Five as well.

Irritation suddenly simmered between them, a striking indecisiveness between anger and the urge to flee, anxiety washing over them again. It happened so fast, her and Diego nearly drowned in it. She put her own plate down before she dropped it, and moved to sit. The scrape of the chair on the floor was like someone physically hitting her.

“Five,” she said, her voice swimming.

Diego put down his fork, food untouched, and reached across the table to put a hand on Five’s shoulder. The old man vanished in a pop of light and reappeared by the counter next to the coffee pot. He poured himself another cup, his body lax and his movements smooth in sharp contrast to swirl of indignant rage pounding at the walls.

“I don’t know what the hell is going on with you too, but I don’t want to be involved.” He took a long slurp from the coffee, turning to regard them over the rim of it. “Play your games with someone else.” And with that he disappeared in a pop of light, leaving behind the traces of bitter irritation.

-

“Maybe it was breakfast?”

“What was wrong with eggs and sausage?” Diego asked.

Allison had no idea. Five was a bit weird about food, but she supposed surviving a few decades in an apocalypse could mess with someone’s ability to have a healthy relationship with eating. He was so skinny, and seemed to get skinnier every day. It was a challenge getting him to eat.

“Maybe he doesn’t like them.”

“Does Five like anything?” Diego asked. “Besides coffee.”

“Fluffernutters,” Allison said. It was the only thing she’d ever seen him choose for himself, besides the time he pilfered all the canned peaches from the cupboards and Klaus found them stashed under his bed. “Fruit?”

For lunch Allison asked Mom to chop up a fruit salad. Five emerged from his room around eleven a.m. like clockwork, usually for coffee. He arrived in the kitchen through one his rips, immediately splashing the room with an emotion that tasted like gunmetal. Allison couldn’t describe it other than dark, sardonic, and irritable. It twisted with the bleeding rawness she had felt earlier. 

Five stopped in the doorway, dread spilling forth when he saw her and Diego waiting for him. And he knew they’d been waiting, she could feel him realize it, suspicion mixing with the dread. He scowled at them, a classically abrasive Five expression that she wouldn’t have blinked twice at yesterday.

It was surreal feeling the tumult underneath it.

Five went for the coffee. “Is there a reason you two are still here?”

“We live here,” Diego said.

“Don’t you have a job?” He said to Diego, voice and intonation both sharp and accusing.

“It’s my day off.”

“So you spend it sitting around the kitchen? What a productive use of your time.”

“Oh yeah?” Diego asked, temper flaring predictably. “What do you do around here all day? Huh?”

A bitterness, dark and sharp, encased the room like tar, bubbling with frustration and a delicately muted rage that felt utterly ancient. There was something there Allison wasn’t quite seeing, something deeper than whatever foul mood he was in.

“Why are you mad, Five?” Allison cut the tension like a knife, going against the grain.

“I’m not angry,” Five said, most definitely defending himself.

“You came down here and immediately started picking a fight,” she pointed out, watching his eyes dart from her to Diego and back again, caught out. 

He scoffed, glancing down at the coffee cup in his hand, and she felt him switch at the realization. “Oh,” he said, folding inward on himself. Anger still shimmered off him, but it felt like he was trying to pull it back in, drink it down with the bitter burn of coffee in his throat. “The math is being uncooperative,” he gestured above his head in the general direction of his room several floors above them.

“Well you don’t have to take it out on us, you ass,” Diego said, his voice forgiving despite his words.

Shame descended like a fog, settling like an ache against her breast bone. She gestured at the table, desperate to dissipate that cloud. “Mom made fruit.”

Five glanced at her from beneath his bangs but latched onto the change in subject. “Made, huh?”

“She didn’t ‘make’ the fruit, she cut it up though. Do you want some?”

There was a bubble of emotions that came up in the form of hesitation, it was old and complicated and Allison didn’t know how to sift through it fast enough to make any sense of it. Five pursed his lips, shrugged one shoulder and stepped over, holding his coffee in one hand casually. He considered the medley, genuinely perusing the selection, which was more than she could say for breakfast. He chose a pitted peach, cut in half, pulling it from the mix with slender fingers.

“That’s all?”

“Hmm?” he paused, dropping the peach-half back into the salad.

“You can take more,” she felt compelled to inform him.

“I know,” he said, which struck her for the lie it was. She had to swallow that quickly lest it show on her face.

“Get a bowl, take as much as you want.” He could take the whole damn thing, if it pleased him, and none of them would stop him or even admonish him.

The prickle of suspicion resurfaced, and he withdrew his hand away from the bowl, staring at her. His eyes flicked to Diego, mistrust wafting up like a foul smell. He leaned back, straightening to his full height and it was like a veil descended over him, and him alone. A muting of everything, like a layer of cloud, fog, or smoke that socked him in, pushing them out. He took a sip of his coffee, still watching them, before vanishing again in a pop of light.

Diego sighed, deflating next to her. “You can’t push directly, you keep spooking him.”

She groaned in frustration, pillowing her face on her arms on the table. “And here I thought this would be easier than trying to guess.”

She startled up when a returning pop announced Five’s re-arrival. He landed inches from the table wielding a knife from god knows where, which he used to spear several large pieces of fruit. He vanished again without pretense, leaving her stunned and blinking. 

From somewhere upstairs, peach flavored delight bloomed on her tongue.

[curator-on-ao3]

A Little Bit More

Ooh ah, just a little bit Ooh ah, a little bit more Ooh ah, just a little bit You know what I'm I'm looking for -- “Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit” by Gina G

Recently, the ladies of the @voyager-book-club shared recommendations for fics they felt deserve some extra lovin’ -- by authors outside of book club. But book club is a powerhouse of fic writing and here is a list of fics by book club authors that other book clubbers nominated as excellent pieces of storytelling that deserve “a little bit more” readership, love, attention -- you name it. Please consider reading and giving these fics some lovin’.

Evasive Action (M) by IceCream_Junkie: Katrina Cornwell/Gabriel Lorca; This is a great little fic that focuses on THAT scene in the first season of Disco. You know you liked it, you know you need more of it, you know you want those feels. So read this fic .;) (recommended by @killermanatee)

Quicksilver (G) by Helen8462: Harry Kim/Seven of Nine; K/7 in general deserves more attention than it gets, and this is my favorite K/7 fic. It’s heartbreaking in the way you’d expect from Course: Oblivion, but it one-ups the episode with the ending and gives us a beautiful relationship to root for—and grieve for—that we didn’t get in canon. (recommended by @cnrothtrek)

Across Oceans (M) by BlackVelvet42: Chakotay/Seven of Nine; On the show, the relationship between Seven and Chakotay came seemingly out of nowhere and because of that felt forced. However, in this story BlackVelvet lets it build slowly over time making it so much more believable. It's an enjoyable story even if, like me, you don't ship them. (recommended by @icecream-junkie)

War Torn (T) by Curator: Kathryn Janeway & Miles O’Brien, Kathryn Janeway/Mark Johnson; This fic is such a meaningful story about a mission in the Federation-Cardassian war that connects two pieces of canon (one from TNG and one from VOY) in a way that is brilliant and heartbreaking and ALL THE THINGS. Drop everything and read it, and give it some much-deserved love. Hands down, my favorite fanfic ever. (recommended by @cnrothtrek)

A Patient Man (G) by Helen8462: Kathryn Janeway/Mark Johnson; I love explorations of the beautiful, tragic love between Kathryn and Mark, and this one stands out for following Mark as he faces canceling their wedding and later makes the heart-wrenching decision to move on. Plus Ben Sisko makes a short appearance, which is wonderful. (recommended by @cnrothtrek)

uncharted (E) by killermanatee: Christopher Pike/Kathryn Janeway; It is the ONLY fic with this pairing and dang it I LOVE this pairing!! Also, Killermanatee writes Kathryn Janeway like no other. I love her version and I love how she explores her. To get to read her put my rare pair together was just awesome! (recommended by @ariella884) Also recommended by @allthewians, who says, “This is a lovely Janeway/Pike fic. It was the first time I'd read that paring, and I'm into it,” and by @icecream-junkie, who says, “Time travel shenanigans leading to sexy times. What’s not to like? ;-)”

160 Shades of JetC (Series) (G) by khurst: Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway; So to be honest it's been a really long time since I read this entire series, but I remember really enjoying all these small moments from each episode. I want this to get some more love, because maybe she will come back to it and finish ALL the episodes! (recommended by @ariella884)

The Prisons You Inhabit (T) by MiaCooper: Chakotay, B’Elanna Torres, Ayala, Kurt Bendera; Mia is arguably the most popular writer in the Voyager fandom, so I don’t understand how the fuck this fic has such low stats. It’s amazing! She deftly provides us with a look into Chakotay’s harsh experiences in the Maquis, his “angry warrior” moniker, and his thoughts/feelings when he agrees to be Janeway’s XO. It’s a much-needed insight into one of the show’s most short-changed characters. (recommended by @cnrothtrek)

Where There is Love There is Life - Fictober 2019 (G) by arcadia75: Carla Johnson/Mark Johnson, Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway, Kathryn Janeway & Mark Johnson, Carla Johnson & Kathryn Janeway; These drabbles were my true introduction to the form and they have stayed with me ever since. Each of these eighteen, 100-word explorations of Carla and Mark’s relationship is a gem. Read them all and you’ll feel richer. (recommended by @curator-on-ao3)

Air (G) by cnroth: Marla Gilmore & Joe Carey; Remember the first time you finished Equinox II and you thought, wow, it’s going to be interesting watching this new crew integrate into Voyager? Well, where the show failed you, cnroth has your back with this gorgeous exploration of Marla Gilmore’s strength and fears. Bonus: Joe Carey being awesome (because, hello, he’s Joe Carey). This fic has lived in my heart since the first time I read it, and I think it’s worth a place in yours. (recommended by @curator-on-ao3)

The Sun and the Other Stars (T) by ariella884: Kathryn Janeway/Mark Johnson; This fic offers everything you hoped their relationship was. It's sweet and romantic and knowing that their relationship was doomed makes it also bittersweet. I just adore this moment between them and fully accept it as headcanon. (recommended by @killermanatee) Also recommended by @arcadia75, who says, "I have such a soft spot for Mark and this is just a lovely story of a pre-series moment between Mark and Kathryn."

The Dying of the Light (T) by cnroth: Janeway/Chakotay; Okay. You guys. I will eternally tell everyone who will hold still long enough just what a beautifully heart-breaking piece of art this is. It's based on the TNG episode "The Inner Light" but about 500 times better. At least. This fis is beyond fantastic and it's a fandom crime that it doesn't have more comments and kudos. (recommended by @killermanatee)

Fatal Mistake (T) by muldy: Janeway/Chakotay, Tessa Omond/Chakotay; This is the only reading of Tessa I will ever accept because it's perfect. It's the Timeless fic I've always wanted and that this fandom deserves. How on earth this gem currently stands at 39 kudos and 11 comments is beyond me. It's such a wonderful reading of Tessa and it deserves so much more love. (recommended by @killermanatee)

to falter (M) by Miss_Mil: Janeway/Chakotay; This is a gut-wrenching, but wonderfully poetic addition to Full Circle focused on Chakotay. I love every single word in this fic. Everyone should read it and comment and leave kudos. Even if you haven't read Full Circle, because this fic is just so damn good. (recommended by @killermanatee)

Take This Waltz (M) by BlackVelvet42: Janeway/Chakotay; Part of the 2019 Cohen fest, I hope you know what to expect from this. ;) Because it is certainly dark and painful and a punch to the gut. But it is also incredibly beautiful at the same time. It's such an honest depiction of depression and loss and how it impacts the love you feel. Just a wonderful fic. (recommended by @killermanatee)

Severed Hearts (M) by Devovere: Chakotay & Torres, Chakotay/Torres, Janeway/Chakotay, Torres/Paris; THIS FIC! YOU GUYS! How can it possibly only have 46 kudos???? This is a brilliant piece showing what getting older does to these characters, how their lives have changed them and how they struggle to cope and it's so, so, so beautiful in all its pain. Read it!! (recommended by @killermanatee)

In plain view (E) by Icecream_junkie, Killermanatee: Sylvia Tilly & Number One, Christopher Pike/Christopher Pike, Christopher Pike/Sylvia Tilly/Christopher Pike; A very kinky and very good BDSM AU, that deserves so much more love (recommended by @allhewians)

formal wear (E) by Killermanatee: Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Christopher Pike; Hot dudes in dress uniforms being kinky, I love it (recommended by @allthewians)

For You (E) by Killermanatee: Philip Boyce/Christopher Pike; It's sex with feels, and I couldn't ask for more, everyone should take a read:) (recommended by @allthewians)

Within my reach (I could have touched!) (E) by IceCream_Junkie, Killermanatee: Christopher Pike/Sylvia Tilly; A great Pike/Tilly AU. It's funny and sexy and just amazing. One of my favourites (recommended by @allthewians)

A thing that can ignite (E) by IceCream_Junkie, Killermanatee: Christopher Pike/Sylvia Tilly; Another very sexy Pike/Tilly AU. I love the way the characters are written so much (recommended by @allthewians)

You Make It Easy (E) by TheShorty: Christopher Pike/Sylvia Tilly; Sexy and sweet Pike/Tilly fic (recommended by @allthewians)

Begging Angels for a Sin (E) by TheShorty: Christopher Pike/Sylvia Tilly; I really love the way both Pike and Tilly are written, and I like the sexyness (recommended by @allthewians)

Lighthouse (E) by Wians: Philip Boyce/Christopher Pike; This isn't just any Pike/Boyce fic. It's a DISCO-SPECIFIC Pike/Boyce fic. On top of that it's sweet and sexy and such a perfect add-on to season 2 of Discovery. It is labelled as incomplete, but I promise you won't be left hanging. (recommended by @killermanatee)

Every New Beginning Comes from Some Other Beginning’s End (G) by curator: everyone; This is an amazing sequence of portraits of what you didn't see in Endgame.  Very in-character and very striking. (recommended by @amoderngirl)

Yaala (E) by Prixin47: Janeway/OC; I used to run away from OC pairings, and this is the story that changed my mind about them for good.  Super sexy and fun, with a great Tom and Harry moment as a bonus. (recommended by @amoderngirl)

Red Queen Running (T) by Caladenia: Janeway/Chakotay, Janeway, Seven, B'Elanna; This is a cracking fun adventure that builds off of one of my favorite episodes, "Distant Origin."  Read this to see the Voyager ladies kick some ass! (recommended by @amoderngirl)

The road ahead (T-E) by Killermanatee & Wians: Christopher Pike/Sylvia Tilly; The first story is tagged "It gets worse before it gets better" and it does, but all these stories are so beautifully written that I happily accepted the heartache. If you don't want to read the whole series, at least read the third story "To not lose heart", because it is absolutely amazing. (recommended by @icecream-junkie)

When the West Wind Moves (M) by Devovere: Katrina Cornwell/Gabriel Lorca; I may be biased, because this story was gifted to me, but it hit me right in the feelz – repeatedly. I love how the relationship between Lorca and Cornwell is portrayed here and how much they care for each other. (recommended by @icecream-junkie)

Venom (T) by Helen8462: Kathryn Janeway, Chakotay; A delicious dark snack (recommended by BlackVelvet42)

A Long Journey’s Night (G) by Curator: Kathryn Janeway & Kathryn Janeway; Pick any fic from this writer and prepare yourself for a pleasant, refreshing surprise. (recommended by BlackVelvet42)

Shattering Glass (T) by Devovere: Janeway/Chakotay; This is a brilliant reinterpretation of the first scene in the Full Circle relaunch novel.  So heartbreaking and beautifully written. (recommended by @arcadia75)

[ilovedeadlypremonition]

Deadly Premonition director, Hidetaka “Swery” Suehiro, officially announced his upcoming “Debt Repayment Life Simulation RPG (with Cats)” The Good Life at his PAX West Panel this afternoon!

We already got a short teaser trailer a week or so ago after the”cat was let out of the bag” but now with Swery’s official announcement we have a brand new trailer, tons of concept art, the game’s crowdfund details, and thanks to the official press release a more detailed plot outline.

THE STORY

Based in an RPG-style town filled with fun activities and fascinating people, THE GOOD LIFE offers a thrilling, twisting murder mystery. At first glance, Rainy Woods looks like a normal country town in Northern England comprised of stone houses built in the Middle Ages, nestled in abundant nature and surrounded by forest. Looking deeper, however, Rainy Woods is home to a bizarre and deadly mystery. Throughout the day, the townsfolk work hard, look out for one another, love their families, and enjoy nightly drinks at the local pubs. Each character has a unique personality and lifestyle. Events change depending on the time of day, weather, and season. Even though some may argue that they live in a video game world, the townsfolk of Rainy Woods still worry, suffer, love, hate, and have fun as any real person would. Rainy Woods and its small English aesthetic exudes a unique sense of charm, fully realized when, in the dark of night, its villagers transform into cats.

Players star as Naomi, a photographer straddled with debt who moves from New York City to Rainy Woods. As an étrangère, players feel both alienated yet strangely comfortable as they must make friends, solve mysteries, and become emotionally invested in Naomi’s quest to make a life for herself in the happiest and most bizarre town in the world. To pay off her debt, she sends reports and photographs on villagers and their town as she uncovers its deadly secret.

THE GOOD LIFE is a mystery tale in the vain of Raymond Chandler or Conan Doyle. Players make a tragic discovery in the town’s river—the brutally murdered body of a young girl, her heart pierced by an ancient, medieval sword. Having first arrived in Rainy Woods to uncover the secrets of the happiest town in the world and payoff her debt, Naomi is thrusted into a bizarre mystery, setting her journalist heart ablaze as she sets her sights on revealing the truth behind the young girl’s murder.

THE GAME

Genre: Debt Repayment Life Simulation RPG Platforms: PC + TBD Console(s) Release Date: Q3 2019 Target Developer: White Owls

So we got a murder mystery/life sim, with cute cats, a cast of bizarre characters with their own 24 hours schedules, AND events that will change depending on the time of day, weather and season?

[More details, pictures and my thoughts under the cut!]

The Campaign

If you are as hyped as I am you can help make Swery’s new game a reality by contributing to The Good Life’s Fig campaign. The development team is hoping to raise at least $1.5M USD to bring a digital version game to both PC and consoles. Fans can lend support via traditional reward based backing or by investing in Fig game shares of the game. There’s a number or different tiers and rewards available for The Good Life ranging from simply receiving a digital copy of the game when it is released for $29 to actually becoming a character within the game as a reward for donating a whopping $35K! Though if any rich fans out there are considering the $35k tier please note that there’s a chance you might end up being brutally murdered in the game. (Yikes!)

Looking at all the tiers though I must say I’m a bit disappointed by the lack of any sort of physical rewards being offered. I mean a real signed message card from Swery is a lot more tempting than a digital one… But there seems to be some hope that this may change looking at the responses to some of the early “backstage” backers. It seems Swery and the campaign team are looking into the possibility of including some physical rewards in the future and are even asking for suggestions!

Personally I would love to see a physical copy of the game or an art/guide book myself! Heck a stuffed kitty Naomi or even a sheep would be pretty awesome additions too!

[Update!]  A physical award tier has been added and for $269+shipping you can get a package with some cool game swag! Now if you picked another tier don’t worry you can update your pledge and pick choose to add a number of DLC and physical items!

The Idea

Even though Swery’s announcement of a new game so soon after returning from retirement and opening his studio, White Owls, was kind of a surprise (or maybe it was just me?) it turns out Swery’s been developing the idea for The Good Life for quite awhile now.

According to the “SWERY’S Voice” video on The Good Life’s fig campaign page that describes the game’s inspiration, vision, and story the idea behind the game was sparked after Deadly Premonition’s producer (I assume Tomio Kanazawa) was suddenly transferred to London, England while Swery continued work on Deadly Premonition in Osaka, Japan. Swery was sad to be left behind but the long distance communication between the two ended up inspiring the idea of being sent to a rural English town and being unable to leave.

Swery’s initial idea continued to refine and expand in the back of his mind over the years even while developing, the now sadly incomplete, D4 – Dark Dreams Don’t Die.

Back in 2015 Swery took a brief retirement from game development to focus on recovering from reactive hypoglycemia and during this hiatus he finished the first draft of a murder mystery novel set in a British countryside town from the perspective of a cat.

I've been eager to hear more about his mystery book for while but now with the The Good Life's announcement I'm beginning to think Swery's novel may have inspired the whole investigating a murder mystery while as a cat angle of The Good Life game.

Now this connection between the game and novel it is pure speculation on my part at this point but given that both are revolve around a strange premise of cat investigating a murder in a rural England just seems way too coincidental.  Plus the novel's working title of " I Am Not a Cat " really makes me believe that the main character may have been a human at some point which is very similar to Naomi's situation in The Good Life as she only temporarily turns into a cat during the night while living Rainy Woods!

By the way the characters listed on the campaign page are kind of amazing…and here I thought the residents of Greenvale were a bit strange. I like how Swery seems to be continuing the tradition of a single black male among a caucasian population (who is also named the “totally normal cat” btw lol) and an insomniac who works with the dead. I wonder if the “person name Kaysen” that has occurred in Swery’s last three games (Spy Fiction, Deadly Premonition, and D4) will also continue in The Good Life?  It is also kind of amusing that the “Handsome Nurse” is known just as “Gay Cat” I’m guessing this means Naomi won’t be able to make any love connections with that bloke?

Game Mechanics

In The Good Life the story mission  focuses on three core points: paying off a huge debt, uncovering the town’s secret, and solving a murder of Elizabeth, the lone daughter of the village pastor.

Photography

Since Naomi is a professional photographer from New York it is no surprise that taking photos is a major gameplay mechanic featured in the game. The monetary rewards for Naomi’s daily reports will heavily factor around the quality and rarity of the photos players take during the day.

Capturing the perfect photo may prove to be a little difficult at first. You won’t actually know how any of your photos will turn out until they are developed them back at Naomi’s house and ranked as either a “success” or “failure” and only successful photos will be sent over to the client for rewards. As players progress through the game there will be opportunities to upgrade and even purchase special cameras that will help the players take better pictures.

Part- time Jobs

But taking photos and sending daily reports isn’t the only way Naomi can cut down her debt. The game also allows players to take a number of part time jobs around town including bartending at the local pub, delivering milk, shearing sheep and other rural tasks.

Some of these part time jobs will give the players opportunities to make a fortune but they can also be exhausting and some can even be dangerous so you have to choose your side jobs wisely!

Any money earned in these ventures can be put towards paying off the ever looming unpaid debt or spent on fun things for Naomi.

Customization

The Good Life is a RPG after all so it’s no surprise that as players progress through the game Naomi stats will improve and fun customizations for Naomi in both her human and cat forms can also be acquired. Naomi’s range of daily activity will expand based on her stamina and movement speed so the more points you earn or temporarily acquire via clothing will allow for more photo taking and fun activities during the day.

Life Maintenance and Stamina

…and speaking of stamina just like in Deadly Premonition and D4  it is important to keep Naomi well fed and rested during her stay in Rainy Woods. I’m pretty excited to see all the English dishes that will be available for consumption… There were a few dishes listed over on the campaign page including one of my favorites, Fish and Chips, which I have a feeling Naomi will end up eat a lot of during my own play through unless there happens to be a lot of smoked salmon…

But eating and sleeping isn’t the only thing players need to keep an eye on during Naomi’s stay they also must balance Naomi’s income so while she’s paying back her debt she will still have enough money left over to not only take care of her daily needs, but also have enough for the upkeep of her camera, the development of photos, and her daily shipments of reports back to New York.

The most surprising examples of one of her special expenses that’s listed over on the campaign page is the need to buy sanitary goods for Naomi once a month. It’s a normal expense in my own life but it’s something I’ve never seen mentioned let alone forced on a player to even consider while in control of a female protagonist before. It’s pretty amazing that sort of detail was even included!

I also thought that way alcohol consumption in the game is handled is really interesting as well. Giving Naomi alcohol will provide some high rewards in the short term as it will alleviate both her hunger and her thirst in one shot but if she continues to overindulge in drink throughout her stay she will develop a dependency for it. It’s pretty neat to see the real life consequence of addiction in a video game... I hope Rainy Woods also has a good 12-step program!

Special Events

The Good Life also features several seasonal events that offer special rewards. The game’s campaign didn’t go into a lot of details but in Spring there will be cherry blossom dance festival,  there’s a Tea Harvest in Summer, while during the Fall Naomi can harvest nuts and catch fat river fish, and in Winter  find minerals and maybe earn a present from Santa Claus(?)

Being a Cat

During the night while Naomi is in cat form players have the opportunity to investigate places you may not have access to while in human form and a chance to get closer to different villagers while they are in their cat forms by bringing them various trash…er I mean “kitty themed” presents…Some items you find while as a cat may even fetch a high price during the day and unlock some more special story events.

A few of the possible treasures a player can find are seen above...Hmm, I wonder if those “suspicious seeds” are anything like the ones you can find in Greenvale…

Graphics

As for graphics The Good Life’s campaign page describe them as being both “Nostalgic and Modern” using low polygon models with simple textures but also making use of CG-esque atmospheric lighting, fog, shadows, and glare elements well.

The game does look rather simple but it still has a very distinct and unique look. I’ve always prefered a great story over great graphics so I don’t mind the game’s simple design in the slightest :) I do think the sheep are really adorable in this art style though!

Atmosphere

If all of the features above hasn’t already peaked your interest maybe the Fig campaign description of The Good Life’s atmosphere will do the trick:

“THE GOOD LIFE has intriguing elements inspired by Twin Peaks. It will also feature the old-timey British traditions seen in classic shows such as Downtown Abbey and Poirot.  This is a Swery Game, so expect a healthy dosage of horror, mystery, humor and taboo topics that helped make Deadly Premonition such a cult hit.  Our humor will reflect some of the elements from Hot Fuzz and other classic British comedies.”

Man it was already a give-in that I would be excited for The Good Life since I’m such a big fan of Deadly Premonition (and Twin Peaks) but I can also expect some Hot Fuzz style humor too?!

Guys, Hot Fuzz is one of my all-time favorite films ever so this comparison has me even more excited to play the game!

Hmm… Rainy Woods is described as the “Happiest Town in the World” with the “happiest people on the planet” which is pretty similar to the situation of Sandford always winning “Village of the Year” in Hot Fuzz…I wonder does Rainy Woods have an equivalent of the Neighborhood Watch Alliance?

Hey Naomi, if the townsfolk start chanting about things being “all for the greater good” I would make run for it!

The Developers

The Good Life will be the  joint effort between three developers: Swery’s studio, White Owls, along with G-rounding and Camouflaj. Swery and his team will provide the creative and artistic direction for the game while G-rounding will manage the production and game creation and Camouflaj will provide both production support and supervision.

I really hope The Good Life’s Fig campaign is successful as it looks like a whole lot of fun. I’m eager to see how the game will come together and “enjoy my best life” in 2019

[sethnakht]

sw fics i love (vader + leia-centric)

because it’s helpful to organize one’s thoughts. a work in progress. 

long post is long.

old but memorable (written before 2013)

ebony and jade by brendon j. wahlberg, with illustrations by ian mcintosh (gen, vader + mara). lord vader & the emperor’s hand team up against a jedi and his psychedelic plants, and it’s glorious.

father’s heart by fernwithy (gen, vader + leia, series). vader befriends young princess leia. the fic that shaped me as a child. politics, corruption, betrayal, handmaiden culture, unspoken affinities, and fire.

the penitent by bellebayard, fernwithy, jediskysong (mostly gen, some anakin/padmé). begun in 1999 and now only available in its original form*, it seems - the jedi council forums, where so much fic was written back in the day - and only incompletely, this post-rotj anakin redemption story is the sprawling product of collaborative authorship (and a follow-up to “father’s heart”). ymmv on some of the plot devices and characters as a result, but it had an enjoyable take on skywalker family dynamics and a riveting, fully-realized trial for vader. *if you find a better copy of this, please message me!

the smart one by fernwithy (gen). written in 2002. excellent outsider pov on vader, who has taken especial interest in a particular piece of naboo art. a meditation on art and politics.

by the grace of lady vader by fernwithy, ami-padme and alderaan21 + the ascension of the queen by fernwithy, ami-padme (vader/dark!padmé, han/leia). written from 2000 until right after aotc on the jedi council forums (original posts + comments here & here). this story has remained with me as a set of unforgettable scenes and images - amidala in blood-red veils, praising schoolchildren for their talents and services to her empire, luke the obedient child, leia the freedom fighter, vader at once gratified and disturbed by what they’ve all become. 

dark labyrinth pt 1 | 2 | 3 by Shayne1 (luke, han, chewie, vader). luke’s in trouble. vader kills the best lead on his whereabouts, and has to team up with han to find him. terrific voices all around.

various one-shots (also here and here) by MjMink (gen, mostly luke + vader). these were incredibly influential back in the day, and still manage to surprise and delight.

tamarisk by Arco (vader gen). splendid little vader adventure with memorably gory imagery and one hell of a bizarre twist

about turn by Mina / Mina1 (gen, vader + leia, vader + luke, luke + palpatine, background han/leia). written in 2001. vader & leia work together to save luke from the emperor. creepy luke-emperor interaction plus some nice scenes on tatooine. see also: legacy (vader + leia), a lovely short where vader survives rotj and leia has to come to terms with him, and in plain sight (vader, luke, leia), a variation on the theme.

deep as you go by @garnettrees / Meredith Bronwen Mallory (vader/padmé). written in 2002. vader creates a clone of his wife. a terrifying glimpse into his psyche - and the ethics of cloning. “but she’s not the painting, she’s just the print – no texture.”

return of a jedi by JHMLYNDALE (gen, vader + leia, rotj-legends cast). written in 2005. luke, han, lando and mara jade all die in the attack on jabba’s barge. leia, vader, and their allies take on the emperor. if you can stomach the character deaths, this is one hell of a ride.

equally cursed and blessed by Mina / Mina1 (gen, vader + luke, rotj-legends cast). written between 2005 and 2008. epic luke + vader story with a vividly-portrayed full cast, particularly leia, lando, chewie, piett and palpatine.

the protege by jedinemo (gen, vader, luke, obi-wan, leia). written in 2007/8. vader discovers a familiar clone skulking around the imperial palace. vader’s personality issues are on full display.

missing in action by cwbasset (gen, vader + luke). written in 2008. my favorite take on the ‘luke and vader crash-land together’ trope. includes grade-a vader-artoo bickering. fantastic author, see also: shattered (wip, luke + legends & prequel cast, time travel AU)

omelas by Deja Vu (vader, luke, xixor). short story from 2009 that packs quite a punch. 

interregnum by PlaidButterfly (clone trooper + vader). written in 2011. short and chilling story showcasing just how desperate vader is to believe he’s still the hero.

canon-compliant

and there I shall find by ambiguously. lovely take on post-TFA General Organa in a whump/survival scenario, speaking - listening - to her father’s hated ghost for the first time. Anakin is insufferable, jealous, smug and sullen and somehow still unable to understand why his children were kept from him - and yet also knowingly deploying his worst traits to keep the daughter so like him alive. Leia has no reason to forgive but is listening, and not only to his engineering advice. Hopeful, with flashes of humor, and crawling with sorrows that would never end

the black buzzard by @jerseydevious (vader + luke). sweet, sweet body horror and father-son banter. see also gleaming in the wreckage

bursts of stardust by @redrikki (anakin/padmé, assorted cast). set of insightful shorts, including AUs, that lend shade and nuance to anakin, padmé, the jedi order, even palpatine.

the funeral pyre by anendda_rysden (gen, vader, piett). superb story showcasing vader’s struggle with his own body from an outsider pov. vivid, powerful writing. contains sci-fi/horror elements.

liberation by redone (gen, vader + luke). vader’s walk with luke from the throne room to the end. written in 2002, as lovely now as it was then.

PRojects IN Controlled Environments, version Sith by Beth Winter (vader, ocs). clever imperial outsider pov on vader, showcasing his engineering skill. ketha, the female protagonist, picks up on fascinating little details, my favorite being: “The handwriting was atrocious, a combination of two different styles - one with romance holo titles flourishes, one absolutely primitive - and cramped enough that she needed to zoom in.”

the sith who brought life day by ophelia_interrupted (vader, ocs). vader is often at his best when one has to guess at what’s going on behind the mask, a job all the harder for imperial underlings without access to the force. very nice outsider perspective made all the richer for how believable it remains while mixing the serious and humorous.

speak to me by @cyberdyke-industries (kylo ren, anakin/vader’s force ghost). read this now. this gets what makes kylo and vader monsters, what makes them pull at us - a way of being vader both understands and condemns. cinematic, mythical, chilling down to the level of syntax. the ending is less a cliff-hanger than an image to think through, a powerful allegory..

AUs

everything, including in the valley, by @darth--nickels (many wip, vader-centric, be aware that you need to be logged into AO3 to see them). gems, all of them, even if some may never be finished. my go-to for insights into vader’s psyche. vader is hilariously and horribly unstable–suicidal in one moment, megalomanic and full of bluster in the next, and yet deeply compelling through it all. 

> timetravel / parallel universe

of queens, knights and pawns (wip) by @chancecraz (vader + leia, han/leia on the horizon, full cast). tfa!leia ends up reliving her life as anh!leia, and comes to terms with both her past and future. this story is currently my life. come for leia yelling at vader, stay for the lovingly realized cast, their constant miscommunication, and deep-seated psychological trauma. see also scenes from the middle game, encounters in queens told from the perspectives of other characters, starting with a harrowing vader pov, and of dreams and other whims, a au re-write of chapter seven with old man luke!

queen’s gambit by @bedlamsbard (anakin/padmé, padmé/obi-wan, tcw!cast), sequel to wake the storm. this swept me away. ymmv on the pairing(s), but the opening scene alone deserves an essay, and there’s so much to love here: incredible world-building, a full and well-realized cast of characters, political intrigue, media critique, and finger-biting tension.

out of the dark valley by @irhinoceri (anakin/padmé, eventual luke/mara, leia, ahsoka, cast). riveting au where vader is able to return to his rots!self with his consciousness intact, and make slightly different choices. things still go downhill, and the author is unafraid to explore those dark and frightening places, especially with leia.

stand the hazard of the die (wip series) by KeelieThompson1 (anakin/padmé, vader + luke, TCW!cast). young luke is sent to the past, but his mind is marked by a sith lord’s magic and the trauma of what he’s seen. anakin and padmé have to deal. lovely exploration of a situation where anakin does not fall (yet), but vader is still a factor and palpatine still at loose. leia’s story here is at once highly tragic and highly amusing.

edges of the world (wip) by @glompcat (leia, vader, ahsoka, anakin/padmé). leia organa and leia skywalker switch places, de-stabilizing anakin and shocking vader. a brave and important story about the struggles of identity, growing up, what family means, and finding acceptance.

reflected legacy (wip) by DAsObiQuiet (han/leia, anakin/padmé). legends!leia and han are sent back in time to when anakin still dreams of his mother. terrific characterization. see also hindsight is not perfect + the dangers of foresight (wip series), where vader’s consciousness is sent back to his tpm!body, and his emotional stuntedness is both a boon and a problem.

old man luke (wip) by @scarletjedi (luke, obi-wan, anakin). tfa-era!luke - and possibly his sister - ends up in the middle of the clone war. enjoyable exploration of how age contributes to perspective.

> canon divergence before ROTJ

afterimage (wip) by @garnettrees (vader/padmé). vader pursues the promise of resurrection. for those who enjoy clever metaphor, games with myth, linguistic invention, and a shot of gothic horror. “The first word she says is, ‘Help’. ‘I am here,’ says the thing in the dark.”

betrayal of the finest sort (wip) by @cadesama​ (vader/padmé, vader/obi-wan, ahsoka). relentlessly bitter, spiteful dysfunction at its best. fantastic author, see also: if blood be the price (padmé/anakin, obi-wan, AOTC!AU) and lost things that are never found (adult!ahsoka/anakin, leia, rebel!AU).

echoes of mortis by @sunshinedaysforever (anakin/padmé, cast). powerful what-if with palpable, believable character growth. see also time to change the road you’re on (wip; anakin + ahsoka, timetravel).

flesh of my flesh by @igrockspock (vader + leia, gen) - when precocious eleven-year old Leia is taken from her home on Alderaan to live with her birth father in his lava castle, both understandably have to adjust. An absurd situation that the author mines for its humor and the humanity it can reveal while never forgetting what Vader is and what he ultimately wants.

how the other half lives (series in progress) by @reedroad​ (luke + leia + vader, OT + Rebels + comics cast). gorgeously written switched!au, with prince luke and jedi leia. and while much remains the same, the devil’s in the details. vader steals his scenes: angry and awful.

in loco pirates + palpatine ad portas (wip) by @izzythehutt​ (gen, vader, palpatine, luke, leia, aphra). vader, driven by his fear of weakness, and luke, who sees right through him. lovely father-son interaction offset by an utterly compelling and terrifying palpatine. leia’s in for the ride, too. also: hondo!

in which vader discovers he’s a father by @glompcat (gen, vader + luke + leia). vader kidnaps or discovers one or both of his children, in situations varying between the harrowing and humorous. 

the light you leave behind (wip) by @laventadorn (anakin/padmé, anakin/obi-wan, ahsoka, tcw!cast). great author in many fandoms. this particular story features vivid action and even lovelier domestic scenes - wonderful characterization especially of the female characters, from padmé and ahsoka to ventress.

masquerade (wip) by PlaidButterfly (gen, vader-centric). vader is forcibly taken out of the suit, only to find that the emperor has his hands on luke. memorable for the physical description of vader as a kind of grey-haired shaggy bear, his chilly interactions with leia, and his attempt to survive unnoticed in the lower levels of Coruscant by returning to what he knows best: fixing things.

on the day ... by @cacchieressa (vader + leia, series in progress). vader discovers his daughter and comes to an agreement with her parents

the tyranny of kinship (wip) by @amarielah​ (mostly suitless!vader + leia, cast). vader and anh!leia come to an understanding. leia shines in particular, bringing across that astuteness and political savvy she’s often said but not shown to have. see also precious illusions (wip; vader/vision!adult!ahsoka), an unsettlingly lovely take on vader’s contradictory impulses.

slipping by radioboca (gen, vader, leia, luke, bail, breha, han, etc.). leia gives in to her hatred for her biological father. leia is so, so young in this story, and painfully, palpably afraid. vader just thinks he’s doing the right thing.

violence in the library (wip) by @radioactivepeasant​ (gen, vader + luke). alien meets star wars. a heady mix of uncompromising gore and father-son shenanigans, with a great supporting cast and lots of humor.

> canon divergence after ROTJ, i.e. vader!lives 

wounds by @azalea-scroggs (han/leia, vader + leia). luke dies in the battle of endor - vader acted too late to save him. leia is left with her grief. mesmerizing take on vader and leia, their struggles to hold on to reason despite overwhelming emotion. a powerful statement on mourning. see also: black squadron (wip, vader + luke), a take on the ‘luke becomes an imperial pilot’ scenario where luke is faced not only with vader, but also his own morality.

love thy enemy (series in progress) by @threadsketchier (vader + luke, leia, cast). vader survives rotj, but luke may not. body!horror, angry!leia, lovely prose and quality angst.

the trial of darth vader by The Librarian (ocs, vader, luke, leia). brilliant examination of vader’s crimes and legacy from the perspective of his prison interviewer, the kind of man vader would not have hesitated to kill. while this might seem like the lead-up to a trial rather than the trial itself, the reader is invited to be a juror of sorts. vader is dispassionate and alert, reciting information with cold precision, warming only to artoo and luke in his prison cell as his suit wastes away, unsure if he can use the force again - some incredibly memorable scenes here.

the smell of burning by deaka (luke + vader). luke saved vader, but at what cost? short but searing conversation between luke and vader about selfishness, about the costs of getting what one wants, about forgiveness, about whether we change so much in a setting as telling as it is metaphorical.

unvadering (wip) by @cadesama (vader, ahsoka, luke, leia, cast). vader loses the suit and works for the alliance now, but what does that really change? a conundrum nicely played-out in a scenario where ahsoka hadn’t known what he became. features glass-smashing leia.

untitled by @jerseydevious (vader + luke). vader survives rotj and is subjected to probing questions from an alliance doctor. poor luke plays interference

untitled by @sith-shame-shack (vader + luke). vader survives rotj and surgery, slipping in and out of consciousness. panic over loss of the suit, consuming awareness of touch, exhaustion tempered by luke’s presence.

[orenashii]

Woahhhh I did it! New chapter. Fair warning: this story is gonna be a slow burn.

Thank you SO. SO MUCH. To everyone who has followed this story once more. I’m excited to take you down this fever dream of my own creation. :D

Enjoy!

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12498498/3/I-Exist

P.S. I renamed the chapters to better fit. The previous one I posted has been renamed to Interlude: A Prologue, since it wasn’t really a suitable ‘Chapter I’. I hope that’s not too confusing. My mind is nothing if not scattered. XD

I Exist

Chapter II

The Prince ate his meal slowly, in silence, the same as he had done for the past several weeks. His eyes were open but never seemed to look at anything in particular. They were unfocused, far away. Occasionally he would close them and wince as if reliving a painful memory. He'd sigh, reopen them, and continue his meal without incident.

He heard his mother and father speaking but did not care to listen closely. He could pick up on keywords here and there but usually, these conversations did not involve him. Or concern him. They tried to include him, of course, but their questions often warranted a simple answer at best. He would answer, then retreat back into his thoughts.

A word had been spoken. Then silence. He paid it no mind.

The same word. No response.

"Jack?" he heard his mother call. He looked up from his dish.

"Yes, mother?" The Emperor and Empress exchanged an uneasy glance.

"I see you are still unused to your given name," the Emperor said cautiously.

Jack felt the temperature in his cheeks increase. Though he had been home for quite some time, it still felt unnatural for him to hear his birth name. He had left his kingdom at the age of eight and left his name behind with it. Each tribe he'd traveled to, each in different lands, had all referred to him as something native to their respective language. That was what he was used to.

But being in the future for over fifty years, more than two-thirds of his life, had solidified the name 'Jack'. It was what his friends called him, his family away from family. It was what she had called him.

"Forgive me, I had merely not been paying my fullest attention."

"No, no," his mother spoke, "it was our fault. We are also unused to calling you the name you prefer."

Jack offered a small smile and nodded, his gaze quickly receding back to nothing.

The Emperor sighed, longing to see his child happy once again, as he appeared so many weeks ago. He would not be so fortunate. He stood to make his way out of the room, having some business to attend to. He bowed to his queen and bid her a pleasant morning.

"Son."

The Empress did not expect an acknowledgment from him, but he surprised her with a slight nod of his head. His mother looked on with curiosity. In his silence, he appeared to be living in an impenetrable fog, yet, he was still perceptive of everything around him.

Silence hung in the air, thick as the aforementioned fog he seemed to exist in. He barely made a sound as he calmly chewed his food. At least, she thought, his appetite was returning. She had been so worried, when he did not show up for meals, or when he had merely let his food grow cold in front of him.

"Jack," she started quietly. The name felt so foreign on her tongue. He blinked, slowly, and his eyes shifted to meet hers. "I have arranged a meeting for you for later this morning. It is with one of the most respected scribes of our kingdom."

She watched his eyebrow raise but in the slightest, other than that, no tangible reaction to read. He continued the slow chewing of his food.

"She is of great intelligence. She spent most of her youth accompanying her father, an innkeeper (and quite a successful one!) as he expanded his business throughout the globe, so she is very well traveled, just like you!" She laughed a little, knowing she was rambling. She raised her tea to her lips to take a gentle sip.

"She speaks many languages and is well versed with many cultures and customs on this earth; her mind is unparalleled. She has built quite the reputation as a gifted storyteller. And such a gentle soul. You would be quite fortunate to meet her."

His chewing stopped. He swallowed.

"Is she attractive?"

The Empress reeled at the question, immediately worried at where this conversation was turning. "What do you mean?"

"Do you not think it too soon to set me up to be wed?"

A deep, audible gasp escaped her lips. Her teacup rattled on the table in her haste to set it down. This had not occurred to her. She had invited a woman to their home specifically to meet him. Of course he would believe in an ulterior motive!

She placed her hands on the table and calmed herself, her features radiating with sadness. The bitterness in his tone had morphed his voice into something she did not quite recognize.

"My son, I promise you, this is not a meeting for a consort. Your stories are so very captivating. They are those of legend. I only wanted to ensure that they were recorded properly. And she is the best."

Her son's eyes bore into her own. A grimace, made up of animosity and mistrust, had settled in the lines of his face. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Very well. I apologize for questioning your intentions."

"It is quite alright, son."

The Empress let out a shaky exhale, hating the situation they were in. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take this, constantly walking on eggshells around her own son. Make no mistake that she missed her would-be daughter-in-law fiercely. She was such a beautiful woman. A little odd perhaps, for she was from a completely different time, but so kind and curious. And fiery. Her heart constricted in her chest at the memory.

Yet she longed for the day when they could all move on. The tragic nature of her disappearance pressed her family as a great weight, like the bulk of chains on one's chest. She yearned for freedom from all of this sadness. She knew her son was of a strong and sound mind. She'd heard from him atrocities he'd witnessed in his epic journey in a distant time. But she worried that even he could not bear this suffering for much longer.

"Perhaps," she began again. "At least, I hope, that speaking to this scribe will help ease your pain. It is always a good thing to have someone to talk to."

Jack opened his eyes again. He did not respond. He simply stood from the table, his meal unfinished, bowed quickly and walked to exit the room.

He paused at the door but did not turn to face her.

"Perhaps," he said before exiting.

"I don't want to find love. I want yours."

"And you'll have it. I made sure of it."

Jack sighed in mild irritation at the rapping at his door. He had just sat on his bed, leaning back into his pillows thinking of the strange dream he'd had. He felt itchy, a need to escape this palace and begin and new quest. However, now that he was back home, on the throne of his empire, travel would not be so liberal.

He was being summoned away from his den. He removed himself from his bed and exited his room, muttering a 'thank you' to the attendant at his door.

He walked to his destination, a room directly adjacent to the throne room, quietly and without haste. He slid the door open gently where his eyes found his mother. A young woman was seated next to her.

"Ah!" his mother said with nervous excitement. "You are just in time, my son. Please, sit."

He lowered himself to the floor without a word, across from his mother.

"I was just telling our guest here about your fantastical stories! Such tales! It would be good to document them, you see, so those precious memories don't fade away."

Jack could feel the forming of a sneer on his face. Her choice of words triggered an angry feeling in his gut. His mother, perceptive as ever, gasped and tried backtracking.

"I am so sorry, my son. My words have upset you."

Jack deflated and scolded himself for his feelings. It was not her fault.

"Please do not apologize. I am looking forward to meeting our guest."

The Empress smiled, if not a bit uneasily. She held out her hand to the woman seated next to her, a woman her son had barely acknowledged.

"This is Madan. Madan Kali. She has traveled far in the pursuit of knowledge. She has a real affinity for the art of the story."

Jack bowed his head and offered a quiet greeting. He took in her features as his mother continued her introduction. Stone black eyes followed him beneath thick eyelashes and even thicker, straight eyebrows. Her hair was long, dark, slightly waved.

Her mother had grown up in his empire. Her father was from India, which explained the ocherous red hue of her skin. Her oval lips widened in a smile, confident.

His mother had finished speaking. Jack quirked an eyebrow at their visitor, his interest had been piqued at her name. "Kali? As in," his thoughts trailed off, remembering a myth long past.

"It is shortened. For Mahakali. The Hindu goddess of time and death."

"Hn. Fitting."

The Empress gave her son a frigid look. "Son. I advise you to watch your tone around our guest."

Jack's eyes widened, surprised at his own behavior. He dipped his head a fraction before the woman. "I do apologize. I have not been feeling quite myself as of late."

Kali returned his bow. "Please, no apologies are necessary. I understand you have suffered a terrible tragedy. It is natural to feel the way you do."

And odd expression passed his features at her assessment. "And, the way I feel, how is that?"

"Incomplete," she said easily. "It is written in your eyes, it weighs heavily on your posture. Like a book that has been abandoned by its author."

A small smile found it's way to Jack's lips. "I am impressed. That you can be so perceptive in such a short time."

She returned her smile. "I am impressed as well. Most I encounter do not question, much less understand, the origins of my name."

The three sat in silence for a few moments before the Empress made her way to stand. "I will leave you to it, then. Son, please find me again whenever you are ready."

The quiet shushing of the door was the last sound heard before the room was plunged into silence. Jack scrutinized her while Kali sat calmly, an easy smile on her face.

"If I may," her voice interrupted the quiet. It was soft, he noticed, lacking the emotional edge his love's had held. A lilt, a voice for storytelling, indeed. "I would like to offer my condolences." Her lips turned downward in a frown.

"My family was in attendance at your wedding, but I was not. I regret that I never got to meet her."

Jack nodded slowly. "Thank you."

The conversation lulled. The silence lingered once more.

"Why?" Jack said. He hesitated, not really know where this conversation should go. "Why weren't you in attendance?"

Her smile appeared again. "My studies had brought me to the ruins of Mesoamerica. I was with a team, of archaeologists and scientists and linguists, trying to decipher the hieroglyphic texts of the Maya."

Jack's eyebrows lifted, impressed. "That sounds quite fascinating."

"It was."

The quiet was brief this time.

"But I am not here to tell my stories. I am here to listen to yours."

"Right." Jack nodded his head, still unsure of what to say.

"How did the two of you meet?"

Jack grimaced, his brief life with Ashi flashed before him with a near migraine inducing force. He quelled his emotions with a brief huff from his nostrils. His eyes opened, hardened, and stared at the scribe.

"That is not a story I am ready to tell."

Kali was taken aback. His tone had shifted. Whereas he'd been gentle, almost monotonous, his voice now carried a slight rasp, beneath its surface bubbled an unidentified emotion. It could be rage. It could be despair. It could be so much more.

"I apologize. That was rather presumptuous of me."

He did not respond. He simply nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"Think of me as a vessel," she said, hoping to assuage his mood. "You are the owner of these legends. I am merely documenting them. I do not want to pressure you into disclosing anything that you are not ready to tell."

A pause. His features seemed to ease. "I have another question. It is personal, so I hope not to offend you." Her voice was quiet, apprehensive.

"It may even sound silly but... what am I to call you?"

His eyebrows lifted.

"I know you are the prince of this land. Your mother told me you have been given many names in your travels. She remarked you've had some... difficulty. With the name you were born with."

He winced. She retreated. "I'm sorry! I believe I have overstepped my boundaries once more."

He interrupted her. "No, no, it's just," he sighed, "for many years I was referred to by only one name. A title, even. It is the name I am now most familiar with. But it is one most unusual to this time."

She placed her hands on the table, fingers folded together, and leaned forward. He had her full and complete attention.

"They called me... Jack."

Author’s Note

Like I said, slow burn.

I will say this at the end of every chapter: Thank. You. For all of the comments, reblogs, notes, just... everything. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I am new to this world, of fanfiction writing that is. But I am just so, so excited for you all to follow this journey with me. The next chapter is about 80, maybe 85% done, just needs some fine tuning. It may be posted as soon as the middle of this week! Some questions will be answered. But more will arise, of course. And a fan favorite character will be reintroduced shortly! Such intrigue!

Thank you for reading!