#I will forever love Tamora Pierce and all her works | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

extant-exhaustion · 1 month ago

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Can I ask, what are your top 7 favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series/etc) and your top 7 favorite ships (can be canon or non canon) from any media? Why do you love them all? Sorry if you've answered this questions before......

Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to ask! I'm sorry for the delay in my reply. I'm so excited to be here to answer though. I didn't rank these in order, but here they are (and oh my gosh was it tough to choose! I especially agonized trying to narrow down the last spot in my ships list, and honestly, it could have gone so many ways...):

My Top 7 Favorite Media

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: If we’re basing purely off of what I think is the best media maybe ever written, FMAB is close to the top. It is the full package of stunning worldbuilding, characterization, emotional depth, intricate yet clear plot lines, and incredibly important themes. I could write an essay on each of those points. It’s the sort of show (and manga) that is a masterclass in how to tell a story beautifully.

Yu Yu Hakusho: Yusuke and Team Urameshi mean so much to me. YYH is a classic ’90s anime in some ways, but it has so much heart. Yusuke’s character growth is amazing. And the humor in the English dub never fails to make me laugh. Yet this show also deeply affects me and has such beautiful messages about love and friendship. What a dichotomy.

Assassination Classroom: This show is criminally underrated. Or, rather, not enough people have seen it. It is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen. It’s so sweet. It’s so fucking funny. And it’s so heartwarming. I love these kids so much. I adore Korosensei. Every episode teaches us something—like a real learning opportunity!—and I genuinely cannot say enough good things about it. It makes me smile forever.

Kuroko's Basketball: I am a huge fan of sports anime and this one has so many elements I’m obsessed with. (Plus, Kagami Taiga is in my top ten favorite characters of all time.) There’s Kagami and Kuroko—a red/blue duo who are in love. There are emotionally high-stakes sports games. There are compelling “enemies.” There’s an incredible soundtrack. But most of all, there are basketball superpowers—things no ordinary basketball player could ever do (100% accuracy!?) that just make it so much fun.

Haikyuu!!: My other favorite sports anime is on the other side of the spectrum for realism. It has no superpowers, just hard work and friendship and lots and lots of great characters. I love this show so much because it constantly makes me root for Karasuno, but then I’ll still cry when the other team loses because the characters have all been shown to just be high school kids with dreams who love the sport and are having fun. It’s really sweet.

Demon Slayer: As a total package, Demon Slayer is incredible. It has stunningly beautiful animation; a wonderful protagonist in Tanjirou (and deuteragonist in Nezuko); a lovely sibling story that drives the narrative; a compelling and mysterious central conflict with the series’ big-bad Muzan; an absolutely kickass soundtrack; lovable side characters; high stakes; questions of morality and duty and tradition; and honestly, more that I’m struggling to even name. It’s just an incredibly good anime (and manga).

Tortall books by Tamora Pierce (includes 3 quartets, a trilogy, a duology, and a few standalones; my absolute favorites are the Protector of the Small quartet): Tamora Pierce shaped who I am as a person. I grew up reading her fantasy series and still reread them often. Essentially, they’re books about heroines who conquer various odds, save the day, etc. And because there are so many books that take place in the same universe over many years, you get to see various characters in different lights through different characters’ eyes. My favorite series is about Keladry of Mindelan, the first girl to pursue her knighthood since the king made it legal for girls to do so. Kel is an absolute badass, and she never turns away from injustice, and I genuinely want to be the type of person she is.

My Top 7 Favorite Ships

Kagami/Kuroko (Kuroko’s Basketball): These two will forever and always be one of my top ships. I genuinely don’t know how people can hear some of the things they say to each other and come to a not-in-love conclusion. They complete each other in the way only a true light/shadow metaphor can, but they’re also best friends who laugh together and support each other and have an insanely strong bond. By five episodes in, Kagami is already so protective over Kuroko that he's ready to throw down with street basketball punks over his not-boyfriend. And by the end of the series the trust they have in one another is so beyond a basketball anime that it’s almost ridiculous.

Yusuke/Kuwabara (Yu Yu Hakusho): The number of times these two were willing to die for each other (or gave up their life energy to save the other from death; or found hitherto untapped power as a result of having seen the other hurt) makes me want to scream. Kuwabara crashed Yusuke’s wake to scream at his corpse that he couldn’t die (“You’re supposed to be here…for me!”). Kuwabara shared his life energy to save an injured Yusuke after their very first mission. Yusuke fought multiple insanely powerful demons spurred on at least twice specifically by the fact that they’d wounded Kuwabara. Kuwabara faked his own death thinking it would help Yusuke in battle (which it did, but it also devastated him). Yusuke chased a car down on a bicycle when Kuwabara was kidnapped. Kuwabara cut through the fabric of reality for Yusuke. You get my point. I fucking love them.

Yusuke/Keiko (Yu Yu Hakusho): Yet, I also love Yusuke’s canonical love interest with him. Keiko is his reason for fighting, the light at the end of the tunnel. In one of the very first episodes, while he’s still trying to earn his resurrection, he says that he sees no point in coming back to life if Keiko won’t be there when he does. She’s the only person who stuck by him until he met Team Urameshi. She’s always believed in him, but she doesn’t take crap from him either. They have such a strong relationship that he even once saves the world by essentially trusting in his love for her. (When asked by terrorists to press one of three colored buttons to save the planet, he chose the blue one because blue is Keiko's favorite color.)

Zuko/Mai (Avatar: The Last Airbender): I will probably never shut the fuck go about how important Mai is to Zuko’s journey or how cool she is as a character and how ridiculously underrated she is. She’s so much more than people give her credit for and she understands Zuko on a deeper level than so many other characters. She counters his angst (as only Iroh can do) and she tries to cheer him up (and she inspires some of his only true smiles in the series!). And most importantly, she stands by him even when he abandons her. For me, “I love Zuko more than I fear you” will always be the standard by which other Avatar couples will be measured.

Tamaki/Haruhi (Ouran High School Host Club): I love these two so much. They’re both so queer. Haruhi is my gender-nonconforming fave and the most wonderful character who’s ever responded *shrug emoji* to the question of their gender or sexuality. She’s sassy and hilarious and the reason I say “these damn rich people” with relative frequency. And the fact that she fell for Tamaki, the flamboyant dumb-dumb with a heart of absolute pure gold…ugh. I adore it. He is too good for this world. And they bring out the best in each other. I love them so much.

Ed/Winry (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood): The balance that Edward and Winry strike together is beautiful. They’re both insanely strong people emotionally, and they’re both wildly intelligent and talented. But their compassion and care is what truly helps them shine. They’ve seen each other at their lowest and supported each other through those times, and they know the weakest and most vulnerable parts of each other. The strength of their bond covers distance and time, and Winry is the home that Edward can always return to. She holds him (and, by extension, Al) together and offers the unwavering support he so desperately needs throughout his journey.

Simon/Baz (Carry On series by Rainbow Rowell): This series hit me like a punch to the gut when I first read it. I love chosen ones who don't really match their prophesies and star-crossed lovers who find workarounds because they care more about each other than whatever is standing in their way. And these two are wonderful together. They're so messy and hopeless and sad sometimes, but they have each other and it's really lovely. Simon Snow is a disaster who loses just about everything except his friends and has to claw his way back from the brink throughout the series; and Baz Pitch never thought he deserved much happiness anyway but finds out that he does, but he's going to have to fight for it.

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wondereads · 2 months ago

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September 2024 Monthly Wrap-Up

Reviews under the cut

Foster by Claire Keegan (★★★★☆)

This is an incredibly short read, but I highly recommend it if you're someone who enjoys family dynamics and a simple but evocative story. While I personally enjoy longer works, I still loved the writing of this novella. So much was said with very few words, and I was thoroughly attached to the characters by the end. It's an open ending, but it has more than enough room for hope in my opinion.

Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb (★★★☆☆)

A bit unfortunate that this should be my first Hobb book, as it seems to be considered her weakest series, and I can see why. This book has an incredibly interesting beginning and end and an absolute drag of a middle. I found the politics surrounding Gernia's expansion (and its mirroring of frontier America) and the conflicting magic systems, both suppressed by the primary religion, so intriguing, but most of this book is dedicated to the main character's time at a military academy. It was highly detailed—perhaps more than it should have been. While this book had its strong points, if you're looking for an engaging military fantasy series, I recommend Protector of the Small by Tamora Pierce or The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang instead.

Neon Gods by Katee Robert (★★☆☆☆)

I'm being a bit lenient with my rating because I can see the appeal of this to some people, but this book had way too much nothing for my taste. After hitting the 40% mark, most of this story is just the main characters being willfully ignorant to the other person's feelings and insisting they can't stay together because it would be selfish. I won't lie, I skimmed the latter half of this book. I was also quite distracted by worldbuilding questions (the names in particular throw me off), which never really get answered. Perhaps not the best choice of book for a hard fantasy nut like me.

The Flower of the Family by Elizabeth Prentiss (★★☆☆☆)

There is a reason this book has fallen out of favor everywhere but Christian homeschooling circles. This is one of the earliest "girls' books" in the US, so of course there are standards for femininity that don't align with today, but the way Lucy, the main character, is treated is just abhorrent. She is a free babysitting service for her family of ten children, so much so that she is so ill that going to stay with her extended family, away from the hoard of kids that can't do a thing without her, is the only way to improve her health. I doubt anyone will be raring to read this, so I have no guilt in saying that the book ends with one of her brothers and her mother dying, thus leaving her to care for her siblings until they are all grown up, after which she is married to a nameless man with all of one sentence dedicated to it. This poor girl.

Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche (no rating)

This is definitely outside my usual sphere, but it was assigned for my thesis (don't ask why, it'll take forever to explain). It was...a trip. That's really all I can say about it.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs (★★★★☆)

This is a bit of a tough read; Harriet Jacobs' fictional representative, Linda, does not suffer what many would deem the worst of American slavery, but she does not hesitate to explain how severely dehumanized she was. Reading this in conjunction with other children's book of the time (Flower of the Family, Little Women), truly reveals how differently Black and white girls experienced childhood, something that still echoes today, even if it's less extreme. While it's not the most dramatic or easy read, I absolutely recommend this book, especially if you're looking to expand your reading on Black experiences throughout American history.

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon (★★★★☆)

I read the author's preferred text of this novel, but it still has the hallmarks of being written when Shannon was much younger. While the writing has likely improved, the premise is quite similar to a lot of 2010s YA dystopias. Despite being a dystopia, this book is a fantasy novel, taking place slightly in the future but after history was altered around the turn of the 20th century. I quite liked the main character, and I find the worldbuilding and magic system intriguing, though the romance was lackluster in my opinion. I really want to find out what is happening between the Rephaim and the Emim (it is certainly not just what Paige was told), so I'll definitely be continuing this series in the future.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (★★★☆☆.5)

This was a vaguely interesting book. I think it had the potential to be better, but it's so quick-paced that it misses out on a lot of opportunities for worldbuilding, such as actually explaining how the political system of the vampire world works. Throughout a lot of this book, it honestly felt like Mead did not want to be writing about vampires. The mythology is so different that it feels more akin to fairies or perhaps an entirely new being. The relationship between Rose and Lissa is great, though I cannot believe they aren't each other's love interests with the way they act together, and the romance itself was decent. Yes, there is a crazy age gap, but as a Tamora Pierce stan I don't think I can judge. Overall, this was just a standard YA paranormal novel.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (★★★★☆)

This was my first time reading Little Women, and I did enjoy myself for the most part. I loved the complexity of the March sisters, both as individual characters and their relationships with one another, even though Jo is much stronger than me and I never would have forgiven Amy. This book is restrained by the time it was written in, but I think Alcott did a pretty decent job giving each of the sisters a happy ending (yes, even Beth, her ending is portrayed as peaceful and a welcome release) while still maintaining their personalities, even if they're a bit more subdued than when they were younger. There is debate over whether Jo underwent a character assassination, but I think Alcott did her best to give her a happy ending when a generally approved ending was antithetical to her character.

Currently Reading

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

October TBR

Babel by R. F. Kuang (rr, thesis)

The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang (rr, thesis)

The Dragon Republic by R. F. Kuang (thesis)

The Burning God by R. F. Kuang (thesis)

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (rr, thesis, book club)

Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko (book club)

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (book club)

Shadow Rider by Christine Feehan (book club)

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (class)

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (class)

Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush by Virginia Hamilton (class)

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Anonymous (class)

The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin

#books #monthly wrap up #foster #shaman’s crossing #neon gods #friedrich nietzsche #incidents in the life of a slave girl #the bone season #vampire academy #little women

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ayahachitwister · 1 year ago

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5 and 13 for the ask game?

5. what inspires you to write?

To be honest? Just a pure, deep seated passion and a desire to make people happy through my writing.

When I was a kid, my sister and I would play with beanie babies. We made a whole world and story out of it… and we talked about writing it. Before I knew it, it was my dream to be the youngest published writer.

…Needless to say, that didn’t happen. And probably a good thing, ‘cause… my first few stories were rough. DX’

I started really writing with fanfiction when I was in high school. Started with Sonic, then switched mostly to the Tales series. And I knew back then that my writing needed work. My scenes were tiny little blips with just a bunch of dialogue. But I wanted to be better.

So with every story I published, I practiced. I challenged myself to get better and improve on the things I lacked. Nothing really motivated me to do so except that fire inside of me that wanted to share my stories with the world.

I still want that, more than anything. I want to write stories people will fall in love with, that’ll stick with them long after reading it… I want to make a positive impact with my stories.

I guess in a way, TWEWY also inspires me, ‘cause I dream of writing a story as wonderful and impactful as those games are.

But either way, as long as my stories make people happy, then that’s all that matters to me in the end~ 💕

13. who are your favorite writers?

…and darn, this is the question I was kinda dreading. 😅😅

As someone who also writes original stories, there’s a significant number of writers who think you have to read to be a good writer. And I don’t doubt that it helps… but I struggle to sit down and make time for reading a lot of the time. I’d just rather be writing.

Growing up, my favorite author was Tamora Pierce. But I haven’t really read a book like that in forever… and last one I read of hers, I just couldn’t get into the same way.

All that said, I do very much value the stories you can find in other mediums, from games to anime to movies. I’ve spent countless hours analyzing them with my friends, and that’s been my way to study what plot points work or don’t work and why.

Though, that also makes it hard to define my favorite writers… But if we were to look at manga, then I have three, along with reasons why~

Hiromu Arakawa: I absolutely love the world building of Fullmetal Alchemist. And I love how she built the plot into the whole country. It’s truly a wonderful, mysterious plot the characters have to figure out together, and Hiromu Arakawa does a beautiful job of building up to it while following a few different groups of characters.

Jun Mochizuki: While I haven’t been able to keep up with The Case Study of Vanitas due to the… uncomfortable bloodsucking scenes (sorry I’m ace, so those scenes just don’t work for me), Jun Mochizuki still has a place on this list due to the amazing writing of Pandora Hearts alone. The twists and turns the plot goes through are so captivating, and I strive to have a reveal as eye-opening as the whole Jack thing. If you haven’t read Pandora Hearts, read it. And if that manga’s anything to go by, then prepare for some huge revelations to come in The Case Study of Vanitas.

AidaIro: I only recently found Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun, but it’s also an amazing work with lots of mystery. On top of that, I lovvveee the way they write the characters and comedic beats—they’re all so quirky and perfect, yet they’re allowed to get serious when the story calls for it. They somehow manage to bring together every little thing I love in writing in a way I can only hope to accomplish one day 💕

And… if you look at those examples, they all encompass one of the major things I said on the themes stuff before—mysterious, complex plots that change the status quo time and again. Combine that with amazing characters and a little lighthearted humor alongside the serious adventure, and you’ve just spelled out the perfect writing style for me 💕

#aya’s answers #This ended up being longer than I thought it’d be #Whoops #But thanks for the ask! :D

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tookishcombeferre · 1 month ago

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I’ve read through all 3 linked up posts and this is what I’ve got. Y’all have no idea what you have just unleashed.

This tucks into one of my personal pet peeves about the fantasy genre in general.

KIDS NEED ADULT SUPERVISION AND GUIDANCE AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKING ON ADULT RESPONSIBILITIES WITHOUT NURTURING AND CARING ADULTS IN THEIR LIVES. Period.

I don’t care if writers think that’s boring, or if they think it pulls attention from the MC, or whatever, loving adults need to be present to facilitate the arcs of characters who are minors.

I think this is just absent from the fantasy genre in general. However, it’s not in all fantasy media. Pippin is constantly accompanied by an adult because, per Shire reconning, he his underage by 3-4 years. In Squire, Book 3 of the Protector of the Small Quartet by Tamora Pierce, the MC’s Knight Master is amazing and stays with her the whole time from 14-18 to process her traumas. He is not randomly written out of the story for no apparent reason, Disney!

So, like, as much as I love this idea because I think it makes sense thematically. I wanted it to happen because Sofia needed a guardian to help her process all of the crap the “Protectors” sure as shoot were not doing.

The Protectors, especially Chyrsta, were not written as safe adults. I’m sorry if the writers thought they were because they were NOT. While not actively asking Sofia to keep her duties secret, they didn’t require her or encourage her to tell her family about the missions. As someone with a kid, that does not sit right with me. Yucky! I also just don’t love their “culture?” They feel very hard and kind of “suppress your emotions for the good of the task” like to me.

I actually think Cedric and Chrysta make nice foils for each other as mentors and it would have been cool to see them playing off each other.

What I mean by that is:

Chrysta is very tough and hard. She’s incredibly driven. She is widely known as the best. She rarely expresses any positive praise. She straight up doesn’t teach and then expects Sofia to understand things.

Meanwhile, you’ve got Mr. Sorcerer’s Secret over here, who can teach strapped to a chair just by talking. Despite not thinking of himself this way, he’s incredibly patient. He hasn’t been the best at anything in forever, if ever. And, he’s incredibly doting. Cedric is so soft where Chrysta is so hard.

There would be a lot of interesting conflict between those two.

However, as the series stands, my personal HC for what he was doing was a lot of sorcery side lessons for Sofia at the castle. I also have a HC that Hugo almost flunked out of sorcery at RPA, and Cedric got involved in helping him out. (Delicate things do not seem like that kid’s strongest suit. Also, I HC that Cordelia works for Hugo’s dad. And, he’s not asking her for help because she’s kind of terrifying. Plus everyone there is a gossip monger. Cedric would totally get that. Plus, you know he would be good at keeping confidence.) I like to think that yes, Cedric was there for Sofia at the graduation, but he also ended up with half of her class in his office at one point or another asking for help so he’s cheering all of them on.

However, as for the help he offered, it may have started with sorcery. But, the help he’s offering isn’t just tutoring. It’s life advice. It’s all sorts of things because y’all know Sofia is totally talking him up to all of her friends.

And they all suddenly realize, it’s kind of true. She’s totally right. Cedric really does have an answer for just about everything. Sorcery question? He has a book for that. Life Advice? He has probably lived it.

He becomes their fountain of wisdom and their cheerleader. Which, I like to think is foreshadowed by James immediately springing on the forgiveness train in Day of the Sorcerers.

That theater episode in, I can’t remember if it was season 2 or 3, had me in tears of joy and actual emotions in ways I can’t describe. (I work semi-professionally in theater as a teaching artist. That episode was so well done.) But, during that episode, James and Cedric also built a relationship. It’s not as deep or as father-child like as the one Cedric and Sofia share. No. The two of them were agents of absolute chaos, and they had fun. Cedric gets to be a person to James. They share joy. They destroy things with monkeys. Everything’s great.

However, Cedric also makes connections with a bunch of the other RPA students in that episode. Come on, he literally makes Cleio fly. You mean to tell me, after all the crap Greylock and everyone else put him through in school, that he’s not picking up on all the crap Hildegard put Cleio through during that episode and giving her some advice on the sly? Because, like, I have a *really* hard time believing that.

So, to me, it’s totally feasible that he was plugging into classes and helping tutor there because that’s what he loved doing. He loved teaching. I almost wonder, although I think I know, why he didn’t just become a teacher? He clearly loved it more than working in a castle. He’s great with children. I think Cedric’s reasoning starts with a “Good” and end with something that rhymes with “bin.” (Which is where I’d dearly love to chuck that character sometimes, but I digress.)

The “Too Cute to Spook” thing does bother me. Spouse Unit 1 and I were joking that Cedric waited up for Calista and Sofia. Calista comes barreling in and totally goes off the “rehearsed” script that Sofia prompted her on to soften the blow. Calista tells Cedric everything in a rush. Then, she charges equally happily upstairs.

This leaves Cedric and Sofia just kind of staring at each other. Sofia is like … I am so sorry. That’s not how I planned to tell you about that. Also, sorry that happened. Like I tried to make it not happen, and it still happened?

And he’s just like … Well, I’m glad she had you, dear heart. You can go upstairs. I’m going to wait for Cordelia. But, thank you again, poppet. That was … quite the eventful evening.

The two of them just kind of nod to each other before Cedric goes to wait up for his sister and Sofia turns in.

There’s a seed, I think, planted in both Cordelia and Cedric after that as to whether or not Hexley is a good idea for Calista or if Cedric is going to apprentice her privately. It’s a thought they shared in passing probably days earlier that I think grows quickly into a reality. Hexley, as the two of them really reconstruct it without all the weird school and family pride bound up in it, was horrible for and to both of them. It turned Cordelia into a vain and vindictive monster, and it turned Cedric into a shell of himself capable of unspeakable evil.

The two of them look at each other and then up the stairs and are like: NOPE!

StF Season 4 Headcanon - Cedric's Role, Part 1

WARNING, LONG POST AHEAD.

So, this is my first in a series of posts I'll be making that talks about the episodes in season 4 that Cedric would have perfectly fit right into, but was strangely absent.

As we know, season 4 was all about the Mystic Isles arc and Sofia's new 'destiny' as a Protector.

And also that Cedric was only in four episodes of the 4th season (including the finale)... which especially stung because the very first episode of the last season ('Day of the Sorcerers') was CEDRIC'S BIGGEST EPISODE, where he at last truly chose friendship and loyalty to Sofia- and the entire royal family- over his misguided evil dreams and turned over a new leaf altogether.

'Day of the Sorcerers' was also significant in that it was the first time the Mystic Isles were brought up (while Sofia and Cedric were at the Conjurer's Conference for all the sorcerers across the EverRealm). They came across a lady making an enchanted painting of the Mystic Isles:

Sofia: What are you painting?

Lady: This, my dear girl, is the land where all magic comes from- the Mystic Isles!

Sofia: I've read about the Mystic Isles in stories, but I didn't know they were real!

Lady: Oh, very real! It's a land filled with the most mystical, magical creatures.

Sofia: Amazing!

Cedric: If only the Mystic Isles weren't so hard to get to, perhaps we'd go there one day.

Ok, what Cedric said there was HUGE to me (to say nothing of the fact that Cedric actually being the one to bring up the idea of them going somewhere together is MAJOR proof of his character development and how much he's grown to see them as friends). Because the first episode of a new season in most shows- especially the last season- is often very significant, setting up for the rest of it, including how the series will end in the big finale. This is why I was VERY disappointed and shocked that Cedric wasn't in much of the rest of season 4 after 'Day of the Sorcerers' was his ultimate milestone episode. I know the show's first mention of the Mystic Isles here was obviously foreshadowing for Sofia's new arc in season 4, but Cedric's words to Sofia there- and the fact that this episode was so significant for Cedric's overall character development and the development of their friendship- almost seemed like foreshadowing that Cedric would accompany Sofia to the Mystic Isles later!

But this wasn't the case. Cedric never once went to the Mystic Isles with Sofia, nor did he even know about her whole gig as a Protector. And that was a H U G E missed opportunity. Because after Cedric turned over a new leaf, his role in the series changed! No longer was he the villain/antagonist determined to take over the kingdom. It would have been a perfect opportunity to expand on Cedric's purpose/role as Royal Sorcerer in the series, and further show his officially established friendship with Sofia, by actually giving the character a new purpose/role... accompanying Sofia on her quests to the Mystic Isles, having him involved in Sofia's Protector training!

A fantastic idea would have been him somehow ending up going with Sofia and Amber- who was canonically the only one who ever knew about Sofia's role as a Protector and her association with the Mystic Isles, until Sofia told everyone else in the finale- in the first Mystic Isles episode, the big three-part special (I know that episode was HUGE for Amber's own character development, so maybe there wouldn't have been room for Cedric... but he, Sofia, and Amber worked together to save the day in the s2 two-part episode 'The Curse of Princess Ivy', which was also a huge one for Amber's character development). He could have helped to both protect them and to save the day!

And by the end of that first Mystic Isles episode when Sofia decided to train to become a Protector herself, Cedric could have agreed to also keep Sofia's secret as long as he accompanied her on all (or at least some) future Protector missions as her magical bodyguard, thus establishing his role in the rest of the 4th season. In fact, I can see him insisting on accompanying her from then on after witnessing for himself how dangerous it is, especially for a girl her age (regardless of how strong and capable he knows she is)!

And then in the end of the 'Forever Royal' finale, Cedric- after receiving his title of Cedric the Great and Sofia officially receiving her title as Protector of the EverRealm- could have been officially established as Sofia's magical bodyguard.

Cedric is a sorcerer, a Royal Sorcerer, so his magic and knowledge of magic would have come in handy in helping Sofia on her missions (including keeping her safe). And like I said, it's not fair that Sofia had to be burdened with the literal weight of the world on her shoulders in the end (on top of her duties as princess, going to a new school, and being the Storykeeper). At least there are SEVERAL Protectors of the Mystic Isles, but Sofia is the only Protector of the EverRealm! And I know Cedric isn't a Protector himself, but he could help a lot!

In fact, I seriously wonder if maybe that's what Craig Gerber and everyone originally intended (it would make sense, given what Cedric said to her in that scene in 'Day of the Sorcerers') for Cedric, but maybe it just didn't work out somehow...?

See part 1.5 for more.

@moonypears-blog @clownwry @omgselinabeckendorf @ohmaerieme @sweetmariihs2 @mx-makintosh @tookishcombeferre

#sofia the first #cedric the sorcerer #cedric the great #cedric the sensational #character analysis #headcanon #pip does life

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hollyvorpahl · 2 years ago

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6, 23 and 29 please!

Also, I apparently can't DM you if we're not mutuals? But I'm happy to keep talking like this if that's what you're comfortable with. :D

6. What kind of readers would be fans of this wip?

I could see fans of Legends and Lattes liking The Dot Duology and Of Glass Pens and Enchanted Treats. They're very low stakes stories that focus on the day to day of a young woman and the community she meets.

A Vow from the Winter Lord would maybe attract fans of Sjm and Elise Kova. However, it's still on the less epic scale. Important stakes but not full scale war style. So maybe those who liked specifically the romantic side to the story but didn't care much for the brewing war.

23. How would you describe your writing style?

Um... a concentrated dose of my sense of humor? I don't see myself as inherently clever and I'm really not. So if you're reading something of mine that has a clever line or something funny, it took forever to come up with. The line also passed The Husband Test. If I have a line that I think is funny, I'll ask my husband if I can read him something. I read the scene in full with little context (he knows my stories so he understands what's going on) and if he laughs then it was actually funny and I keep it.

For example, in A Vow from the Winter Lord, there's this lovely moment between Marian’s father and her love interest Lord Athello. Athello asks why Gregor calls Marian "Spark"? He explains that when Marian was little, he was very standoffish with her because he didn't quite understand the whole father thing yet. His wife left Marian with him in the forge one afternoon and she watched him work and would squeal with delight anytime sparks would erupt from the piece he was working on. This started their bond as father and daughter and he began to understand. He's called her Spark since. Athello calls Marian his "Little Duck". So Gregor asks the same of Athello. The answer, it feels like I'm explaining the joke so I'm sorry it isn't funny here, is that when Marian and Athello met she had been cursed by a Hag to be a duck for mouthing off to her. So Athello just sorta looks over at him and says, "She was a duck when we met."

Or lines like "Once you have animated your skeleton (that is the one you have arranged on the table, not your own)..." in A Princess Guide to Love and Necromancy.

I see my narration as being a friend to the reader. A nicer, less foreboding version of Lemony Snicket. It gets to be clever and fun because I agonized over it for weeks.

29. Books or series or movies influenced your writing style the most?

How far back you want me to go? All the way? Okie dokie! Disney movies, particularly Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hunchback and Hercules. Disney's Gargoyles and the Aladdin TV series too. Not Disney but still great is Anastasia. David Bowie in Labyrinth left a huge mark on my choices of love interest for my characters. The first few Barbie movies, Nutcracker, Rapunzel, Swan Lake and Princess and the Pauper. They really drove my love for feminine yet active protagonists. Most of which don't rely on combat training. Lord of the Rings, of course. Tamora Pierce was a big one. Ella Enchanted and Fairest were others. The Chronicles of Narnia, even though now I see how preachy they are. Neil Gaiman, particularly Coraline, Sandman and Stardust (book and movie, I actually like the movie more). The Merlin tv series and Tin Man had something to do with my writing too. Same with Once Upon a Time. Terry Practchet even though I haven't read a lot of his work. Lemony Snicket and unfortunately Harry Potter. Also... don't judge me but The Tinkerbell movies. I love the hell out of them and I'd be lying if I said they weren't an influence in A Vow from the Winter Lord. There are more but I'm drawing a blank now... I actually have shown my husband a lot of these things and he points out the things he recognizes as influences in my work.

I went into my settings and turned that thing off so you should be able to DM me now. I didn't realize it was on to begin with. I'm sorry.

#wip game #thanks for the ask!#ask holly vorpahl #i should be writing

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eidetictelekinetic · 3 years ago

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Thinking about that post I reblogged, about how bringing characters back from the dead doesn’t have to cheapen anything and just - there really is so much to explore. There’s so many potential emotions, both good and bad - dealing with the fallout of people having moved on, or not having moved on depending on how the resurrection plays out. If someone had fixated on bringing back a loved one from the dead, what happens to that intense focus once the person is back? How do both the returnee and those left behind deal with the fact that most people do move forward, because they have to? Do you rebuild ties? Do you even want to? What if one side wants to and one doesn’t?

But at the same time, there’s also potential joy in getting someone back, in having that second chance. A lot of potential pressure in a second chance, but still overall a positive thing. What if the returned person brought themselves back, and feels stronger for having fought their own way back to life? How does that affect the dynamics?

(What if they brought themselves back and feel betrayed/hurt that they had to, even if they’re also proud of themselves, especially if they’re not the only undone death, but the only one who did it alone?)

What happens when happiness on one side meets upset and/or anger on the other?

Also, how did the resurrection happen? This can be used to flesh out parts of a universe! If spells were used, what cost might magic like that exact? If the returned person escaped from the afterlife or was somehow not entirely dead, how did that happen? Where were they, what were the circumstances that let them get out? Are there gods or other beings to bargain with? What was it like, where they were, and how does that experience add to the effects of dying and coming back? Were they anywhere at all? What if they don’t remember?

What physical consequences are there? I loved in the Circle of Magic books by Tamora Pierce, by following her soul psychically at the moment of death, Briar was able to save his mentor Rosethorn, but she forever has certain physical consequences. She had to relearn to speak because her brain lost oxygen, she has a slight slur that will never fade, and her body is permanently weaker than it was before. What bodily costs might a returned person have to pay to be back, and what accommodations might they have to make in their lives if, say, they lose one of their senses, or the ability to speak, or some of their strength or mobility?

What about just healing in general if these costs aren’t necessarily all permanent but lead to a lasting recovery period? Who will be willing to help the returnee through that?

What if they’re no longer precisely the species they were (likely human, but not necessarily), what would that mean?

And the reverse, again - what if something about dying and coming back gives some kind of new power, or changes/increases abilities the returnee already had? What kind of mixed emotions would that bring? Yes, there’s a new advantage, but at what cost? Learning to work with said new skills is an effort in and of itself, especially while adjusting to being alive again in general, and does it really feel worth the trauma to have a new ability?

If someone had to go get them from some afterlife a la Orpheus, was there some kind of trade? Are there physical consequences, positive, negative, or both, for the person who went questing to an afterlife or limbo?

There’s just so many options!

#character death #character resurrection #not sure what else to tag this as

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nocapesdahling · 3 years ago

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‘get to know me’ game.

Thank you so much for tagging me @clints-lucky-arrow 💜 I just finished work for the day, and this looks fun!

Nickname: Not really. My one friend calls me Er, and Mack has dubbed me Baerika on her blog so we’ll say that counts 😂

Zodiac: Cancer (I have no idea on any of the others! I’ll have to take a look)

Height: 5′8

Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw. 🦅

Last thing I Googled: How to find your zodiac birth chart

Followers: I have not looked recently, but more than 350 I believe

Song Stuck in my Head: “Head on Fire” by: Griff and Sigrid

How Much I Sleep: Not enough lately. Ideally, 7 to 8 but it’s been more like 6 recently.

Lucky Number: 7 and 16

Dream Job: If I could do anything, then I really would love a job where the job was to travel the world, eat food, and visit the sights and write about it. And get paid for it. That would be nice. I’d like writing to be part of a future job or art.

Wearing: Joggers, sweatshirt, and fuzzy socks

Favorite Song: Oh goodness, that’s tough. It changes all the time and I love so many different artists and musicians, but if I could only listen to one artist forever then it would probably be Nat King Cole.

Favorite Instrument: Piano

Aesthetic: Hmm, I haven’t really thought too much about this one. But your book reading, tea loving, mom friend who has a tendency to wear black I guess? If that counts?

Favorite Author: This is like asking me to choose my favorite book. Tough 😭 A few authors I’ve enjoyed are Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Madeline Miller, and Tamora Pierce. My favorite author growing up was Cornelia Funke. I would be here all day naming authors 😂

Favorite Animal Noise: A cat’s “pfft” noise

Something Random: I’ve enjoyed going to a few comic-cons.

No pressure tags: @thesunflowersutra @inigomontoya @everythingbeginsineternity-blog @trelaney and anyone else who would like to do this! <3

#thanks for tagging me Mack! 🤗#tag games #mack the pirate queen

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thejakeformerlyknownasprince · 5 years ago

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I want to write an original story with a similar basic premise to Animorphs (kids use alien technology to fight a secret guerrilla war against other invading alien species and are subsequently severely traumatized), but I'm not sure how clearly distinct from Animorphs I need to make it to be legally okay. The plot's pretty different asides from that and none of the characters are really similar, but I'm not sure if it's still too close. Any advice?

Yes! All advice comes with the whopping caveat that I’ve never published a novel myself, but I can make recommendations.

Step 1: Write the dang thing!

I feel like we writers worry too much, too often, and especially too early about copyright issues. I’ve had friends fret over the possibility of mentioning Disney in novels that they haven’t so much as outlined; my usual response is to hand them a copy of Percy Jackson with the 30,000 mentions of Diet Coke flagged, or to highlight the words “PlayStation” and “Sellotape” in the Harry Potter series. Heck, Animorphs itself takes potshots at Nickelodeon and Planet Hollywood. Worrying about copyright early on in the writing process is useless to the extent that it’s almost impossible to predict what copyright issues the final product will or won’t have. I successfully published a poem trashing Dole fruit company in an anthology, only to have the whole anthology pulled because its inside cover accidentally (incorrectly) implied that it was published through our university’s press.

Trust me, I get why this problem draws the mind — it assumes a reality where my novel is finished, an agent accepts it, a publisher puts it out, and it sells enough copies for senpai to notice me. But if you’re not talking to a publisher about this issue over your sixth or seventh draft of your polished manuscript, you’re borrowing tsuris. Maybe by the time you’re done writing your novel, the resemblance to Animorphs will be less than passing. Maybe you’ll run into a completely different set of copyright issues. Point being: cross that bridge when you come to it. Even better, let your publisher cross it for you. That’s part of why they’re there.

Step 2: Draw out what makes your story unique, and avoid what makes K.A. Applegate’s story unique.

If you’re writing about mind-controlling aliens, that’s fine! Those date back to at least Robert A. Heinlein, and arguably as early as humanity itself has had a concept of possession by spirits. If you’re writing about shapeshifting kids, also fine! Those definitely date back to the dawn of human culture, and can be found in the religions of every continent. If you’re writing about trauma, fine. I think you’re okay to borrow almost all of the broad strokes of Animorphs.

Things that wouldn’t be okay to borrow:

Specific descriptions of specific aliens. If you have any vulcan-like beings in this universe, don’t make them four-eyed four-legged scorpion-tailed blue people. Same goes for all the unique species and creatures.

The exact words KAA uses to write the scenes. Hopefully you learned this already in middle school, but you have to do a hell of a lot more than rewording a quote to avoid plagiarism. Don’t even paraphrase any passage from an Animorphs book, ever. Write your own stuff.

Exact plots. If you’re having your child shapeshifters chased by a sentient tornado that senses their shapeshifting energy while they all drive around continuously shapeshifting to play keep-away with said tornado, then that’s copying KAA’s homework even if you never use the words “yeerk” or “veleek.”

Exact characters. This one’s nebulous, but try to avoid having your first narrator be a thirteen-year-old boy who enjoys basketball but was cut from the team, whose older brother is mind-controlled by an alien, whose friends all describe him as middle-aged before his time, and whose girlfriend is an animal-loving assistant vet. You can write a Jake-like character if you change anything from his sport of choice to his ethnicity — and then ask yourself how that difference would change his outlook or upbringing.

Macguffins. This is similar to the specific aliens: however your protagonists gain the ability to shapeshift, don’t make it a blue box.

Step 3: TELL NO ONE.

If I had to guess, at least one author has already done exactly what you’re describing — written heavily modified Animorphs fan fiction and published it as an original work. If I had to make a specific guess, it’d be either that Veronica Roth’s Divergent series started as a work of Rachel/Tobias fan fiction, or that Stephenie Meyer’s The Host started as a fan sequel to the whole series. However, I can’t go beyond guessing, because both authors are (WISELY) keeping their traps shut about the issue. Yes, Roth has mentioned that Tobias “Four” Eaton is named after Tobias Fangor, but hasn’t gone beyond that. Meyer has pulled the ultimate Mary-Shelly-worthy power move by responding to questions about her inspiration with “it came to me in a dream ¯\_(ツ)_/¯” which, honestly, life goals right there.

Speaking of Stephenie Meyer, let’s talk about E.L. James as an example of what not to do. Sure, she didn’t have a ton of choice about people knowing 50 Shades of Grey was Twilight fan fiction — she initially published it on FFN under that heading — but it’s also this unavoidable fact about that novel that has contaminated many people’s perceptions of it. Meyer has chosen to be classy as fuck about the whole thing through making no acknowledgement whatsoever of James, but she’d be well within her right to sue. And James’s own work is forever going to be “that Twilight fan fic that made it big,” never considered purely for its own merits. Jump from E.L. James to Cassandra Clare, and things get uglier: Clare’s been open about the fact that the Mortal Instruments originated as Harry/Draco fan fiction, and as such there’s widespread awareness in fandom spaces that Clare was that cyberbully on FFN back in the day, and is probably guilty of plagiarism.

How to avoid that nonsense? Take it to your grave. I know that one of the bestselling YA novels of 2015 was an utterly-revamped Supernatural fic idea; I only know that through the author being a friend of a friend, because the author has (WISELY) made zero public statements that that’s the case. I know that Tamora Pierce, D.J. MacHale, Stephenie Meyer, and Noelle Stevenson have all quietly acknowledged having FFN or AO3 accounts, and I also know that none of their fan fiction usernames are widely known for good reason. I know that Applegate herself has made statements that, shall we say, do not definitively rule out the possibility that Animorphs might have in its earliest incarnations borne passing resemblance to Lord of the Rings fan fiction. But none of these authors have said as much on the record, which is the right way to go.

Anyway, happy writing!

#animorphs #fan fiction #fandom #writing #fic #animorphs fic #copyright #writing advice #please note: the blogger is not a copyright lawyer #and as such this is mostly just speculation #talk to your publisher and don't take legal advice from me #anonymous #asks

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goodgrammaritan · 4 years ago

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Gratitude Journal

I'm grateful for Tamora Pierce. She's one of my favorite authors, and out of all my favorite authors, she's been a favorite the longest, since I was maybe 13.

I started with her Emelan series, Circle of Magic. Four outcast children come together at s magical temple city, and not only do they learn they have unusual, hidden magic, for the first time they have a stable environment, loving, caring adults who are actually invested in their health and well-being, and true friends as close as siblings.

I reread all 30+ of her books every two years or so, and she's relevant every time. This year I was particularly struck by her book dealing with an outbreak of a new disease ("Briar's Book"). It's set in a time without modern technology, but so many parts hit home. (Somewhere I wrote a post on it.)

Right now I'm at the (chronological) beginning of her Tortall series, about a medieval-ish era rookie cop. They're free with their batons, but don't carry swords as that's a "killing weapon." I never really gave much thought to violence of the police work while reading this series pre-2020, but it gives me pause now. There are also corrupt officers who only do their work for bribes, and the narrator encounters two superiors who sexually harass her. (Because this is fantasy, one of them ends up dead due to other illegal activity, and when the narrator reports the other, she's taken at her word and appropriate consequences ensue.)

Tamora Pierce is rich and rewarding every time. I'm so glad she exists and is still writing, despite health issues* in the last couple of years.

Also, she and her husband regularly rescue cats. In the book I'm currently reading, the "about the author" says she and her husband live in Syracuse with their eight indoor cats, porch cat, basement cat, two birds, and "various freeloading wildlife."

And that's another thing, her books always have significant animals. Some talk (magical creature or there's a mage who can communicate with animals), some don't, but all are unforgettable. (My favorite, hands-down, is Peachblossom, the ornery, particular horse assigned to knight-in-training Keladry of Mindelan.) I recently read that the pigeons in her Beka Cooper series are all based on actual pigeons she knows.

I got to meet her at a convention once, and I started crying, because I'd been reading her so long and her books have meant so much to me over the years.

Plus, this year she inspired me to write again. I have a couple of very short Emelan fan fics here and here.

I love Tamora Pierce forever and always.

(art by minuiko)

*Her health issues have slowed down her writing, which has made her finances unpredictable. She recently restarted her Patreon to give her a bit more financial stability.

#gratitude journal #Tamora Pierce #emelan #tortall #keladry of mindelan #rebakah cooper #fan fiction #books

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appleciders · 3 years ago

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ooh for the fanfic asks: 🧑, 📒, and 🎤?

ah thank you!! also sick new url dude <3

🧑- favorite character to write?

ooh i think i have a diff one in each fandom! in d20 (bc i know where we overlap lmao) it's def kristen, she's a joy always—the combo of chaotic energy and big heart and trauma she doesn't know what to do with just makes me love her voice so much. adaine is also fun, just because she's funny!

📒- any fics planned?

yes!! let's see for wips that i've actively started we've got, in no particular order

the wilds: a pre-island toni fic that mostly looks at toni's relationships with the blackburns. i have a lot of scenes hazily in my head right now, but i'm having a hard time working it onto paper. only at about 1k

the wilds: my linh-lives fic that i've been thinking about since i first watched the show. barely started, but i hope i get a wave of inspiration because i want to write it so bad. only at like 200 words lol

schitt's creek: this one is a bit out of left field fandom-wise for me lmao. it's a stevie budd character study where i make up a lot of backstory and have fun with it! at about 8k

station 19: yes i have an extensive professional soccer au for this shondaland show. yes it's at 8k. am i ashamed? maybe but it's FUN. it's a real hodgepodge of things and scenes and styles right now (trying to mimic uswnt youtube videos in writing? harder than i expected) but the characters convert over surprisingly well and i'm having a good time

station 19: i love to fill in a plothole, so this one's a fic where they actually stick to the hard of hearing maya storyline that they introduce at the end of season 1 and then drop forever. currently at about 8k!

circle of magic: a pacific rim au! if you don't know what com is, it's a book series by tamora pierce that my childhood love for has lingered into adulthood. daja, sandry, tris, and briar are all drift compatible, but it takes a while for them to realize it. at about 7k!

something about getting to 7-8k apparently makes me start to stall out, huh?

🎤- fave line in a fic you wrote?

oh dude, this is a hard one! just to save me trawling back through all my stuff, i like this fragment of imagery from my most recent fic:

"Streaks of sun run across the water like egg yolk dripping on dark granite."

fanfic writer ask game

#thank you for the ask!!!#these were fun #to all my new followers who didn't know i was into any of this shit...😘#ask game #if anyone has advice for how to get me past this 8k slump i seem to be in i welcome it lol

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afaithy · 5 years ago

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86 for the prompt list with Takari. :)

I Finally MADE IT. The world was conspiring against me as I tried to write this. What a day. Hope this suits your likes though!

Am I scaring you?

Scary with you is better than scary without you

-Tamora Pierce-

Takeru was no stranger to the concept of love. He had read an endless number of stories where love was the engine of the plot, giving the protagonist a motive and strength to keep going. Of course, love was not always a positive catalyst and sometimes it gave rise to the desire for revenge, hatred and envy. In other words, it didn’t only move the heroes, but also de anti-heroes.

For a long time, love was just a word to him; something that simply existed. There was family love, which despite its ups and downs, had always been present in his life; there was friendship that, in one way or another, was still an embodiment of love and, then, there was romantic love.

Ah! the elusive and ever feared romantic love; the enemy of reasoning and logic.

In his few years of life,Takeru had yet to have an encounter with the Achilles heel of human existence. People did crazy things for love and because of love; but being a young man, in the spring of life, he had yet to experience the sting of romantic love and all the luggage that came in toll. Being honest, he wasn’t actively interested in chasing after it. Growing up in the shadows of an unsuccessful love was enough to make him have little faith on the prospect of such a sentiment.

He didn’t need love or at least, that’s what he thought. Everything he had ever said about the unnecessariness of "love" crumbled down the day because of her.

Mahogany hair, pale skin, chocolate eyes and a smile that could melt the hardest heart in the world. Those words could barely describe Yagami Hikari, and for sure, they weren’t enough to make her any justice. He had always claimed them to be friends. Well, that’s what they were until one day, he stopped seeing her as just a friend.

“ That’s love.”

“What?” Takeru said, dropping his pencil in surprise.

Hikari rested her chin on her hand and shrugged. She had just returned from buying some drinks for him and herself. Her chocolate eyes were glowing and she seemed quite amused.

“ Love. It’s obvious that Tsukasa- kun is in love with Akari-chan.”

Takeru released the air he had been unconsciously holding back. Hikari was talking about the characters in the story he was writing. Writing little stories had become his hobby lately, and Hikari, as a good friend, was his number one fan, his editor - in a way - and his creative consultant.

“Is it? I wasn’t writing them to be a couple though…”

“Weren’t you?” Hikari replied, tilting her head a little and passing him a bottle “But...it sounds like Tsukasa likes her…”

“As if...you’re just being a romantic looking for romance.” Takeru chuckled. He picked his bottle and took a sip of its content.

“But…” Hikari continued, picking one of the loose pages “ Tsukasa stared at Akari in silence. When was it that she had become such a power of nature? Her eyes were glowing, full of life and intensity like he had never seen before in other girls. Something about her was breathtaking and it made his chest tighten whenever they crossed paths and she smiled at him with that lovely smile of hers and her beautiful mahogany hair…Oh, you have a mistake here. Wasn’t Akari’s hair platinum blonde?”

Takeru choked with his drink. He had unconsciously written his own personal dilema into his work with out noticing.

“Either way...it is clear that Tsukasa-kun has feelings for Akari-chan, just by judging what he feels in this paragraph.”

“What? No, I mean...why? They’re good friends, like very, very good friends….so naturally they get along and he sees her with great esteem and respect. It doesn’t mean he likes her, well, he does like but not that way...I mean, thinking she’s pretty doesn’t mean he likes her, right? Or feeling his chest tighten and those awful butterflies in his stomach, or…”

What was he doing? Takeru felt like smacking himself there and now. Hikari, on the other hand, seemed a little confused by his outburst first, but soon after she let out a soft giggle. The look in her face was a mix of amusement, curiosity and mischief.

“Takeru-kun...haven’t you fallen in love before?” Hikari said, looking at him sympathetically.

“Me? No...of course not, why would I? I have girl friends like Sora-san and Mimi -san...like you. That’s more than enough...why would I...?”

Hikari snorted and stared at him amused.

“Well, you could have fooled me. What you wrote for Tsukasa was really well done.”

“You talk like you know what being in love is like.”

Hikari smiled mysteriously at his comment.

“And what makes you think I don’t, Takeru-kun?” she said, leaning closer to him and blinking naughtily.

Takeru’s eyes widened in shock. That was something he had not expected. Hikari and him were best friends and they pretty much told everything to each other all the time. How come she had never ever spoken about this?

“You...do?”

Hikari replied with a nod and a childish grin. He instantly felt his throat go dry.

“Who? You never told me.”

“Uhm, sometimes there are things I can’t tell you, Takeru-kun.” she said, smiling again “His name is a secret, especially for you.”

“That’s not fair…” he said with a pout. A knot had formed in his gut and he was feeling inexplicably annoyed “Fine. Don’t tell me…”

“Someone is moody.” Hikari chuckled “What’s so bad about love?”

“Nothing...it’s just annoying.”

“Why? Love is something precious…”

“It isn’t...it makes you act strange and sometimes it just messes up everything.”

“Just because it doesn’t turn out well all the time, doesn’t make it a bad thing.” she said “love is really a wonderful thing, you know? Just how everything seems to lighten up when you see that person come into the room, or how all worries just disappear when you talk to them. You just feel warm and protected...don’t you think that’s wonderful?”

Takeru sighed. Well, he could relate to that. Even the worst of his days seemed to improve when Hikari appeared and gave him that sweet smile she always had.

What? Why am I even thinking this?

“Forgot that you love romantic stories.” Takeru said.

“It’s not about romance. It’s just something you know. The moment you look at each other eyes and everything just seems to be okay even if some crazy monster is chasing after you.”

That was an interesting metaphor, Takeru thought.

“Love isn’t a fairytale, Takeru-kun. It’s not a princess falling in love with a prince charming. Sometimes it is just a friend loving another friend.”

Takeru frowned. A friend falling for a friend. How close that was to his current situation, but if Hikari ever found out, their friendship would change forever and he couldn’t nor wanted that to happen.

“Want me to tell how he is?”

“Oh, I thought you said it was a secret.”

“I said his name is a secret…” Hikari replied with a giggle. She took a deep breath and her eyes glittered as she began to describe this “mysterious boy” to him “he’s wonderful. Pretty smart and knows his words. He could probably charm his sassy self out of anything. He’s also popular, sometimes a little too popular for my comfort, but somehow he always finds a way to remind me that no matter what, I’m always a priority. ”

So he was someone who interacted constantly with her, he thought. Takeru began to list the boys that spoke to Hikari and there weren’t two many except for himself and the other digidestined. Maybe it was someone he hadn’t met yet, but Hikari spent most of her free time with him, so that wasn’t possible.

“...He's cute. Always has been and he knows me well. Sometimes I wonder if he doesn't know me better than I do. Maybe that’s why he’s so overprotective of me...he’s been since we were little.”

Well, naturally, Takeru thought. Who, who had known Hikari at some point in his life, would not feel an inexplicable need to protect her? It was then that Takeru began to realize what she’d just said. The person she liked was her friend; he was good with words; he had a sassy and charming attitude; he knew her like no one else did and was extremely overprotective of her. Based on that description, there were only two possible options among her close acquaintances. The first one being Taichi, whot obviously was out of the options, and the second one was ...

Takeru suddenly paled. She couldn’t be…

“Am I scaring you now, Takeru-kun?”

Takeru said nothing, trying to put his thoughts in order. His mind was blank, he couldn’t come up with any smartass comments or even speak at all. In the middle of his confusion and stupor, he heard Hikari snort. The girl pushed her chair back and moved gracefully to his side.

Before he could try to say something, Hikari leaned in, planted a playfull kiss on his cheek and smiled again.

“Think about it…” she said winking at him. She, then, turned around and walked away as if nothing had ever happened.

Takeru looked at her back as she disappeared through the library’s door, still in shock and for the first time in his life he was out of words.

I love dropping this ugly chibis here lol

#Takari #my drabbles #takeru takaishi #tk takaishi #digimon #digimon adventures #fanfiction #hikari yagami #kari kamiya #takehika #My ugly chibis

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ladyknight-keladry · 4 years ago

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Interview Tag

Rules: Answer the questions and tag 20 blogs you are contractually obligated to know better!

I was tagged by @runbymachinesandclones ,thanks for tagging me! Work eats my life so it’s been a while, but here we go

Nickname: Not many? My name is only two syllables so like there wasn’t much of a reason. My parents call me Boo as parents are wont to do I suppose.

Pronouns: She/her

Star Sign: Pisces

Height: 5′ 3

Time Currently: 8:12 PM

When is your Birthday: March 18th

Favorite Bands/Groups: Bastille, Marianas Trench, X Ambassadors, Shinedown, All Time Low, Starset, The Amazing Devil

Favorite Solo Artists: Marina (and the Diamonds until recently), Florence and The Machine, Halsey, Finneas, Hozier, Lorde, Dermont Kennedy

Song stuck in your head: Clumsy by All Time Low

Last Movie Watched: The Old Guard- I showed it to my roommates a few months ago

Last Show you Binged: I’m watching She-Ra with my roommates right now which is lovely and adorable

When you created your blog: March of 2012 which is nuts

Last thing you googled: Eskies. We saw one being walked and they were my first dog and... I want one so bad. But I am far from being in a place where I can get my own dog sadly.

Other blogs: Once upon a time I had a recipe blog ish, but it wasn’t much and I gave up rather quickly

Why you chose your url: I was perfectsymmetry18 years ago and wanted a change, and Kel from Tamora Pierce’s Protector of The Small is who I wanted to be when I grow up (and still do let’s be real)

Do you get asks: Nope, I am more of a reblog kinda girl anyhow. It’s all a little scary even if it has no reason to be so

How many people are you following: Too many to get work done? But 289

How many followers do you have: 204

Average hours of sleep: 8 ish. Not enough for me, that is for certain

Lucky number: 18

Instrument: Acoustic guitar, though mine is at my parent’s house and it’s been a while

What I’m currently wearing: It’s so the weekend, so my 10 year old field hockey sweatshirt and Roots sweatpants

Dream Job: uhhhhh, something to do with connecting people to food and their culture. I love food and culture desperately and could read and learn about it forever, as well as making and introducing people to it.

Dream Trip: I would love to go to the Isle of Skye in Scotland, and while I’m in the area-ish Ireland and Wales. So much beautiful green space to be in surrounded by endless nature

Favorite Food: Hmm, I love avocado Maki, Soba Noodle Soup, Pho, many others? So many soups

Favorite Song: What a horrible question, how can I choose 😄 Glory and Fake it by Bastille are special songs to me

Top three fictional universes you’d like to live in: Perhaps Emelan from Circle of Magic because having magic that is based in tangible things like they do is so cool- I’d love to have plant magic or weather magic, but weaving or smith magic is so cool. Just for having a daemon His Dark Materials would be good, if not the craziness of the world. And uh, Pern? Cause I want a dragon or a fire lizard? So many good worlds, and so many bad to live in...

Tagging (only if you want to ☺️): @girlwithsword @standing-in-the-rain29 @diamondorloj @queen-tuesday, @fireflyslove , anyone who wants to?

#about me #tag game #please anyone can join in #or ignore

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basscannonjack · 4 years ago

Note

1-100 SPEED RUN

Ama. How could you do this to me

1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk?

Lactose intolerant, only eat cereal dry

2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day?

yes, but not for too long

3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books?

i just try to remember lmao

4: how do you take your coffee/tea?

don’t like coffee, drink tea plain or with some sugar

5: are you self-conscious of your smile?

not as much as I used to be!

6: do you keep plants?

I have one (1) cactus that I haven’t killed in the 9 years I’ve had it

7: do you name your plants?

sometimes!

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings?

music or writing

9: do you like singing/humming to yourself?

ALWAYS

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach?

I generally fall asleep on my stomach and wake up on my back

11: what's an inner joke you have with your friends?

I HAVE YOU NOW

12: what's your favorite planet?

Neptune, probably!

13: what's something that made you smile today?

my SON asking me ALL THE QUESTIONS

14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like?

oh god, probably a bit of a mess

15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is!

the ISS was launched on the day of my birth, so it’s been in space *literally* my entire life

16: what's your favorite pasta dish?

just plain ol’ chicken alfredo

17: what color do you really want to dye your hair?

keeping it silver baybeee

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up.

oh man, there are so many, but i’ll go with the time that Roman got coke to fizz through my nose by making me laugh too hard

19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it?

no journal, only very similar looking notebooks to doodle and write in

20: what's your favorite eye color?

hazel!

21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that's been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces.

my Bag of Holding! snapped the clasp on it a few years back though

22: are you a morning person?

not at all!

23: what's your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations?

SLEEP

24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets?

Ashe, of course

25: what's the weirdest place you've ever broken into?

I had to break into my own safe at my old job, does that count?

26: what are the shoes you've had for forever and wear with every single outfit?

I’d say my boots, but I just got a new set, so the older ones

27: what's your favorite bubblegum flavor?

Spearmint or wintergreen

28: sunrise or sunset?

Sunrise

29: what's something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing?

I just love seeing my friends blush

30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared?

yes, I won’t go into detail

31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks.

SOCKS SOCKS SOCKS I used to collect weird socks, now I just have a bunch of fun dress socks lmao

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends.

driving everyone home at 4 am and seeing other people on the road and going “you should be in bed!” at them

33: what's your fave pastry?

lemon meringue pie

34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it?

Teddy a winnie the pooh bear that I still have!

35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often?

I adore new pens

36: which band's sound would fit your mood right now?

uhhhh I’ve been listening to a lot of Rise Against and ABBA lmao

37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean?

messy

38: tell us about your pet peeves!

nearly anything my brother does

39: what color do you wear the most?

black or blue

40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what's it's story? does it have any meaning to you?

my claddagh ring from my grandmother, i don’t have much else from her

41: what's the last book you remember really, really loving?

not the last book but there was one about a girl having a single dragon finger that I remember reading so many times that I unfortunately don’t know the name of, or the Tamora Pierce Lioness series

42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it!

Don’t like coffee!

43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with?

James <3

44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything?

I do not :’)

45: do you trust your instincts a lot?

not as much as I probably should

46: tell us the worst pun you can think of.

I’ve been changing my username to a different halloween themed pun for all of October, I’m all burnt out

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe?

Balut, it icks me out

48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today?

heights, and yes :’)

49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought?

I got a record player fairly recently, I have some P!atD ones, Foo Fighters, and Imagine Dragons

50: what's an odd thing you collect?

rocks

51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them?

Bitch by Meredith Brooks for my eldest sister

52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far?

the ones we’ve made in our server

53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them?

all of the above except Pulp Fiction, I’m not really a movie person but I *am* a musical person

54: who's the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face?

my dad

55: what's the most dramatic thing you've ever done to prove a point?

Cotton Eyed Joe in six inch heels

56: what are some things you find endearing in people?

honesty and passion in an interest

57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics?

I just vibe and belt, y’know

58: who's the wine mom and who's the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why?

can they both be me

59: what's your favorite myth?

the soup with a rock in it!

60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves?

Where the Sidewalk Ends was always a good one

61: what's the stupidest gift you've ever given? the stupidest one you've ever received?

a coffee cup drinking horn for my dad, and some painted rocks from my brother

62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind?

it would be apple juice if I did

63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be?

not at all

64: what color is the sky where you are right now?

greyish, the sun is just about to rise

65: is there anyone you haven't seen in a long time who you'd love to hang out with?

My eldest sister

66: what would your ideal flower crown look like?

ROSES

67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel?

give them to me, I love them

68: what's winter like where you live?

COLD

69: what are your favorite board games?

Monopoly and LIFE

70: have you ever used a ouija board?

no thanks

71: what's your favorite kind of tea?

raspberry or orange for fruit and mint

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you'll forget it?

no, but I do write things down anyways

73: what are some of your worst habits?

I lose things all the time

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns.

STARDUST SOULMATE

75: tell us about your pets!

I have a Min Pin named Lily

76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren't?

Sleeping

77: pink or yellow lemonade?

pink

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub?

*insert ick emoji*

79: what's one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you?

decorated my band locker to celebrate my birthday

80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why?

beige, but I hung up a bunch of posters!

81: describe one of your friend's eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of.

when the sun hits very rich dirt where a tree used to be

82: are/were you good in school?

best in class in math with a 101.8 but I also rarely did homework so uh

83: what's some of your favorite album art?

Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die

84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones?

Dragon on the shoulder blade, roses on the left arm, Exalt on the right

85: do you read comics? what are your faves?

webcomics! Barbarous, currently

86: do you like concept albums? which ones?

:? not sure what that means

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives?

TREASURE PLANET

88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy?

nope!

89: are you close to your parents?

my dad!

90: talk about your one of your favorite cities.

don’t really have a favorite, in all honesty

91: where do you plan on traveling this year?

I was supposed to go see Ashe for their birthday but maybe next year!

92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch?

CHEESE CHEESE CHEESE

93: what's the hairstyle you wear the most?

uhhh it’s usually short enough to do nothing lmao

94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday?

I have a friend’s bday tomorrow!

95: what are your plans for this weekend?

WORK

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot?

bit of both

97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house?

INTP, Scorpio, Ravenclaw

98: when's the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it?

last year? maybe the one before? I did! but my heart didn’t

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them.

How Far We’ve Come, Matchbox Twenty

The Call, Backstreet Boys

I2I, from the Goofy Movie Soundtrack (lmao)

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why?

the future! I’ve had my time in the past, no changing it now

#ama i love and care about you so much darlin'#but this pains me #my dear sunchild

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thereinafter · 4 years ago

Text

Chocolate Box 2021 exchange letter below.

Hi, dear chocolatier! Thanks so much for creating for me. For fic, I’m good with whatever rating you want to write and any tense/person/structure. I’m also requesting art for everything besides OW. I’ve copied my signup below with a DNW list for each fandom, and those are followed by my general art and fic likes lists.

——-

Dragon Age: (fic, art) Aveline Vallen/Cassandra Pentaghast (Dragon Age) Aveline Vallen/Female Hawke (Dragon Age) Cassandra Pentaghast/Female Inquisitor (Dragon Age) Cassandra Pentaghast/Leliana (Dragon Age) Cassandra Pentaghast & Myrna (Dragon Age) Dagna/Sera (Dragon Age) Isabela/Leliana (Dragon Age) Josephine Montilyet/Leliana (Dragon Age) Leliana/Morrigan (Dragon Age)

For all the / ships I requested, I would be very happy with anything inspired by the likes lists below. Cassandra/Leliana, Josephine/Leliana, Leliana/Morrigan: I’m forever interested in all their history we don’t see as well as how they might interact when the Inquisitor or Warden isn’t around. Cassandra/Inquisitor, Aveline/Hawke: I’m good with any variant of female player character and will always love flirting and tension/confusion happily resolved, or facing things together, or just cute/romantic moments. Aveline/Cassandra, Dagna/Sera, Leliana/Isabela: show me how they might meet for the first or second or third time and spark something?

For Cassandra & Myrna (of the Mourn Watch): “Down Among the Dead Men” was my favorite Tevinter Nights story and I’m fascinated with Nevarra and the Grand Necropolis as described there. Have these two met before in the past? Do they have to work together on something for the Inquisition or post-DAI? Since I read TN I’ve wanted a fic where they interact (and preferably get along eventually).

I would also love art of any of these pairings! See general art likes list below.

DNW: setting AUs (except for art), background male player characters, pregnancy, non-canon major character death, unhappy endings, daddy/mommy kink, noncon

——

Crossover: (fic, art) Cassandra Pentaghast (Dragon Age)/Kassandra (Assassin’s Creed Odyssey)

I still feel like this should happen. Magic or basically magical AC tech or in recurring dreams or however you want to handwave transportation between universes, I would just like to see them in the same place and maybe breaking some things together. (alternatively: I did art of them arm-wrestling one time and if someone wants to write me that fic I would love it.)

Also more art! Fighting back to back? Kassandra flirting with Cassandra? Wearing clothes from each other’s world? A Greek-vase-style pastiche?

See general fic and art likes below if you want more ideas.

DNW: AUs other than the canon settings, pregnancy, non-canon major character death, unhappy endings, daddy/mommy kink, noncon

——

Emelan - Tamora Pierce: (fic, art) Dedicate Lark/Dedicate Rosethorn

I love the four kids, but I love Lark and Rosethorn the most. (Note: I’ve only read up to Shatterglass as of now, but I don’t mind references to later books if you want to set something later.)

A few fic ideas, feel free to mix up or use anything else from my general likes list: - An adventure by themselves without their students? Or an attempted romantic outing that turns into one? - Writing to each other when one is away? (Rosethorn travels a lot; has Lark ever gone somewhere and left her to manage Discipline?) - Observing traditions and the turn of the year at Winding Circle, from their POVs? - Ways they might use their magic together or experimenting with that?

I would also love any art you want to do of them: see the general art likes below.

DNW: setting AUs (except for art), pregnancy, non-canon major character death, unhappy endings, daddy/mommy kink, noncon

——

The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon: (fic, art) Sabran Berethnet/Eadaz du Zāla uq-Nāra (The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon)

Reusing some of my Yuletide fic prompts, feel free to mix these or use things from my likes list: - A missing scene from when their relationship was secret, before Ead left the first time? - Sabran’s experience of one of the times Ead was hurt and recovered? - I’m always here for long-distance pining and letter-writing. - Post-canon reunions, whether it’s Ead visiting Inys, or Sabran finding ways to meet her elsewhere, or Sabran carrying out her plan to abdicate. I would love exploration of the other courts and lands in the book, especially Yscalin rebuilding from the draconic takeover, and the Priory. - I’m still curious about whether it’s possible for Sabran to learn either type of magic and whether she would explore that, and whether there might be other trees.

I would love art as well! Any canon scene illustrated (the rose under Sabran’s pillow? the bath? the candle dance scene?), or just any art of them you want to do. General art likes below.

DNW: setting AUs (except for art), non-canon pregnancy, non-canon major character death, daddy/mommy kink, noncon

——

Original Work: (fic) Female Adventurer in Need of a Challenge/Lady Stuck in Tower of Ridiculous Traps (Original Work) Female Inventor of Ridiculous Traps/Female Master Thief (Original Work) Female Avant-Garde Artist/Scandalous Demimonde Actress (Original Work) Female Palace Cook/Female Royal Taster (Original Work) Female Paladin/Incarnation of Her Goddess (Original Work) Female Knight on Noble Quest/Witch Who's Far Too Distracting (Original Work) Brave but Stubborn Female Knight/Famous Female Bard Who Has a Crush on Her (Original Work) Dethroned and Dishonored Queen/Lone Loyal Female Knight (Original Work) Female Knight Who Loves Baths/Female Sorceress Who Loves Baths (Original Work) Female Knight Who Loves Baths/Female Water or Hotspring Spirit Who Loves Knights (Original Work) Wandering Lady Knight/Her Pining Female Friend She Writes Letters To (Original Work)

I nominated:

Female Adventurer in Need of a Challenge/Lady Stuck in Tower of Ridiculous Traps: I was imagining the kinds of elaborate traps you find in D&D manuals, but other types also work! I just like the idea of bonding through solving bizarre dangerous puzzles from opposite sides of a barrier.

Female Inventor of Ridiculous Traps/Female Master Thief: Professional rivals to lovers? Longtime couple who collaborate? (Bonus idea: prequel to the first prompt?)

Female Palace Cook/Female Royal Taster: I like the idea of one falling for or trying to seduce the other through food creations, under the noses of the royalty. Maybe the taster is also a bodyguard, or just another servant with a risky job?

Female Avant-Garde Artist/Scandalous Demimonde Actress: I’d be here for this whether you want to set it in a real historical period or a fantasy/SF world. Too many feelings and sublimating them through art? Modeling turning into more? A secret relationship, or a volatile on and off thing? I could also see this as a found documents or research notes type of story (or something like 5 times = 5 works in an exhibition?)

Female Paladin/Incarnation of Her Goddess: A dramatic h/c situation, or a reward for faithful service? Or maybe they have a comfortable old-married type of relationship? I could be into any of these.

Female Knight on Noble Quest/Witch Who's Far Too Distracting: Kind of the opposite of the above. They just keep running into each other and catch feelings? Or the witch wants to interfere and ends up helping? Or the quest is actually a bad idea and the witch saves her life?

I didn’t nominate but would delightedly read any take on these (all the lady knights edition): Brave but Stubborn Female Knight/Famous Female Bard Who Has a Crush on Her Dethroned and Dishonored Queen/Lone Loyal Female Knight Female Knight Who Loves Baths/Female Sorceress Who Loves Baths Female Knight Who Loves Baths/Female Water or Hotspring Spirit Who Loves Knights Wandering Lady Knight/Her Pining Female Friend She Writes Letters To

See the long list of general likes below if you want more ideas.

DNW: unhappy endings, death of requested characters, underage sex (<18), daddy/mommy kink, incest, noncon, a/b/o

——

General fanart likes:

I draw it myself, and I don’t really have style preferences for fanart; I’m interested in however you interpret my request in your own style!

- If one of my fic prompts or my likes below suggests something (non-explicit) you want to draw (whether one scene or sequential), I’d love to see that. I always like to see characters doing things they’re good at or looking formidable or happy. And for shippy art, I am always here for handholding, hand kisses, regular kisses, cuddling, and/or other romantic moments in contexts that make sense for the characters.

- Dressing the characters up or down is also fun. Fancy clothing or armor, things they might wear that we don’t see in canon, or illustrating what they do wear in canon if it’s a book. Partial undressing and dishevelment. Different historical AU looks (as an exception to my setting AUs DNW).

- I’d also be into a piece that’s more of a character study expressing something about them through formal visual elements and symbolism (as opposed to a narrative scene).

- If emulating other art styles is fun for you, I’d totally enjoy any kind of famous artist/historical style pastiche. Or, my love of in-universe documents and worldbuilding definitely extends to art, so something like an in-world manuscript page or notes/doodles/sketches by a character or an in-world portrait of them would make me quite happy.

——

General fic likes

If something’s not on this list, that doesn’t necessarily mean I don’t like it, but I enjoy these things pretty reliably. Take from it and mix these up as you wish.

for both gen and shipfic: Relationships among women, complex and powerful female characters, adult characters with some level of life experience Casefic if the characters do cases or missions: anything like another episode or chapter from the canon Lighthearted slice of life/ day-in-the-life stories when the canon focus is more on big dramatic events Epistolary or found-documents stories, and other unconventional story structures Time loop stories, Rashomon-style stories, and other sets of variations on a theme (including “five times” fic) Canon divergence AUs Worldbuilding/exploring places and times we don’t see much in canon; in-universe mythologies, stories, songs, plays, etc.; holidays, personal or cultural traditions, celebrations People or events from characters’ past resurfacing to complicate things Magical or scientific accidents or anomalies making weird things happen Heists, rescues/jailbreaks, investigating mysteries big or small Court plotting, dealing with complex etiquette/social rules, intrigue, spying, disguises and fake identities Road or sea or space trips, wilderness survival situations, exploring ruins/haunted places/caves/dungeons/etc. Sparring, duels, tournaments, competitions whether serious or not Making things for each other, whether it’s art or music or crafting or food or magic or whatever, and giving gifts Competence porn/demonstrating how good they are at what they do (but perhaps being awkward or lost in other contexts) Learning or teaching others new skills, or trying to Temporarily caring for animals or babies/children when they’re not used to it

for shipfic (pre-relationship, get-together, and established-relationship stories are all interesting to me if I like the ship) Everything above plus: Longtime friends, partners in arms or work or crime, old friends or former lovers meeting again, old enemies who have to admit they like each other, rivals who respect each other … to lovers Long-term established relationships where they know each other better than anyone Cute/playful moments, escalating flirtations whether awkward or skillful, good-natured teasing, surprising each other, discovering new things about each other, trying to impress each other, distracting each other consciously or not Giddy crushes, pining that’s eventually happily resolved, angst with happy endings Having a lot of feelings and not knowing what to do with them, repression, extended UST, slow burn, emotional romantic revelations Hurt/comfort, fighting beside each other, disproportionate reactions to the other being hurt or possibly hurt, facing external threats together, rescuing each other, tending each other Loyalty and devotion, us against the world, bodyguarding, protectiveness, love conflicting with other loyalties, noble self-denial and sacrifice, courtly love Being inspired by the other to create, or achieving things for the other’s sake or in their service, whether secretly or openly Forced-intimacy-by-circumstance tropes like only-one-bed, huddling for warmth, fake dating, marriage of convenience, handcuffed together, dreamsharing/psychic bonds Ascetic/hedonist or repressed/libertine or inexperienced/more experienced dynamics “The grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one,” or prickly/stoic/intimidating/jaded characters softening for a particular person, or allowing themselves to have fun with them Secret relationships as a source of angst and/or for the excitement of sneaking around (though I prefer infidelity not be the reason, unless it’s a forced/political marriage situation) Dancing, whether it’s formal dancing with sexual tension or meaningful romantic dancing or getting uninhibited on a dance floor Meaningful handholding Language of flowers/fans/other symbolic communication and private codes Bathing/dressing/doing hair/other physical caretaking, watching each other sleep, holding each other for comfort, having a hard time not touching Reading/storytelling/singing to each other Reunions after separation, or stealing moments away from everything to be together

for sex scenes: cuddling, kissing, laughing, tasting, eroticized hands and voices, clothed/semi-clothed sex, complicated undressing, talking whether emotional or joking or dirty, asking for things, curiosity/discovery, playfulness/inventiveness, eagerness/desperation, being overwhelmed by feelings, having to keep silent or hold still, interruptions and delayed gratification and intentional drawing things out, body worship, sex against walls, informal mild kink (e.g., tying up, holding down, blindfolding, taking direction, honor bondage, scratching/marking, tearing clothes, mutual roughness), sexy letter writing, one fantasizing about the other, decadence and sensory/sensual details, voyeurism/exhibitionism if it’s IC, writing/painting on skin, sex pollen, magical/ritual/magic-enhanced sex

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