#Once read a story where a character was revealed to only be half human

[secrettreestuffidk]

folks are on about a/b/o having ass babies but like??? It’s obviously a cloaca

[esamastation]

Gamer girl gets transmigrated into a farm boy Chapter 5 [<<Prologue | <Chapter 4 || Chapter 6>>] Ao3 link

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The rest of the day goes by much the same way it did in the game. They make their way back to the farm, where Van helps Mr. Gylcross unload his purchases and carry some of them to the barn and the rest into the house. Janelle welcomes them with a warm meal and freshly made batch of apple juice, made from, "Apples I picked myself just this afternoon!" as she says. It's delicious.

"What did you buy in town?" Josel asks as they eat.

"Nothing much," Van answers, and ain't that the truth. "Mostly I just looked around, took in the sights."

Josel hums. "Yeah, you haven't been to the town a lot, have you?"

"I guess not," Van agrees, thinking back to the player character's messy background as a hand on the Gylcross farm, and how it might be revealed here - if it even was.

"How did you like it? Did you see anything interesting in town?" Janelle asks curiously.

"It was fine. It was all pretty interesting," Van admits and takes a bite of bread, wondering if she made it herself.

The System journal had updated while he'd been in town, and going by its writing, it was the most amazing thing ever to happen to Katie. Most of the journal entry was her detailing every event that happened, but there were some interesting titbits in between, which Van had noticed but not really thought about at the time.

… Oh my god, the town looks exactly like it did in the game! Only now I'm seeing it all in first person! It's so wild. There's so much more people here than there were in the game, too - probably since the limits of rendering capacity have been thrown out of the window. Real world isn't held back by RAM. Hah.

Also? Kids. There are children here - and not just one-age-fits-all like in some games, no, there's older teenagers and younger teenagers, and I also saw a toddler in the marketplace - and I think one woman had a baby in a sling? A baby! Definitely didn't have any of those in the base game - not a single kid to be had in all of Age of Tales, except in pre-rendered cutscenes. I wonder if it's just for humans, or will we get to see dwarf or elf babies - I've never seen a dwarf baby, ever, in anything I've ever seen or played. Probably not elf either, unless it was like a half-human-half-elf situation brought forth by an illicit cross-species love story.

I wonder if Van can have babies - like, conceive them? I mean, there's romance in Age of Tales, such as it is. There's sex scenes and stuff. Can those now have, like, consequences? Does this world have contraceptives? Is that something that I have to now think about?

Van with a baby would be pretty cute, though. I wonder if I can somehow get him to hold a baby…

And that's where Van had to stop reading in order to preserve the delicate equilibrium of his mental stability.

"There were a lot of people in town," he concludes with a cough to clear his throat, and takes another sip of the apple juice.

Janelle gives him a sympathetic look. "Yeah, it's a bit different from how it's around here, huh?" she says and pats him on the shoulder. "I'm glad you had fun."

"Yeah," Van agrees.

By now he's kind of starting to feel the limits of Katie's social meter, though. She'd never been a particularly extroverted person, and while it's different inside a videogame… this isn't a game, not really. It's been a whole day of interacting with people and trying to figure things out, and Van is feeling mentally kind of worn down.

Plus, he's got an existential crisis scheduled up, and it's starting to feel kind of urgent.

"You mind if I turn in for the day, sir?" Van asks once he's done eating, turning to Mr. Gylcross. "I'm kind of tired."

"Of course, my boy. Just get Bell settled in for the night and get the cart in the barn," Mr. Gylcross says.

Thankfully, Josel has apparently done all other farm-related duties off screen. All Van has left to do is get the cart inside and Bell brushed up, fed, and settled in a stall, all of which happens by automation. Josel, who's got a more permanent berth in a little hutch next to the farmhouse, bids Van good night, and with some relief Van heads up to the hayloft.

There he lays down in the hay, mentally preparing to Think About Things and Handle Them… only to find his mind full of static. He needs to deal with the Realisation and he needs to come up with a plan for tomorrow, because there's a lot coming his way tomorrow.

And yet, even though he lies there for a while, staring at the ceiling, not a single coherent plan comes to mind.

Finally, Van gets up again and goes back down to get a bucket of water. It's not quite as good as a real mirror, but in a pinch…

His reflection is very faint on the water's surface, but he can just about see himself and make out his features. The caramel ice-cream hair is really not looking its best. It's curly in the game, kind of fabulous in a way that doesn't fit Van's body type at all - here it sticks every which way, unkempt and not exactly flattering.

No permanent magical hairstyling in real life, huh.

Combing his fingers through his hair to push it away from his face, Van turns his head this way and that, taking in his features again. The jaw, the cheekbones, the forehead - he really looks like he was drawn by a comic book artist. Except made real. 

He's really - Katie is really in Van's body. This is Van, made flesh and blood. Well, he doesn't actually know if the body can bleed, but it probably does. It gets hungry and thirsty. And, judging by the feel of things right now, it also needs to relieve itself. Which is… another thing he hadn't been thinking about.

Sitting on his knees for a moment, Van weighs the oncoming mental health crisis against probably mortifying body function weirdness and chooses the latter, standing up. Time for a true fantasy adventure - figuring out how men piss.

Delightful.

Though as a man he should be able to go wherever - so long as he wasn't flashing someone, anyway - seeing as this is the first time and Katie only sort of knows what she's doing… yeah, some privacy is called for. There's a wooden outhouse behind the farmhouse, which Van slinks his way to like he's doing something wrong and illicit. The outhouse is pretty small and forces him to bend over, and it's overall very awkward. It stinks. The seat is tiny and looks kind of uncomfortable to actually sit on.

Katie has a feeling she's going to miss Earth's modern day plumbing before long.

Right now she has other concerns, though.

Van takes a deep breath - and then regrets it, because of the outhouse smell - before looking down. The trousers are easy enough to figure out, they're basically normal trousers except fastened with a string instead of zipper. The underwear, not so much. While Katie has seen it before and actually spent quite a bit of time trying to figure it out, seeing it on Van now…

It's a kind of cloth wrap thing, like the whole thing is one long stretch of fabric wrapped around the waist and down. The final effect is not unlike briefs, and it's actually kind of comfortable and it definitely keeps everything contained… but if Van takes it off, he will definitely not be able to put it back on again.

Hm, maybe he can, sort of… move it aside…?

Touching it is a bit weird. Katie does a little gibbering flailing thing in the back of his mind while Van tugs at the fabric, feeling all the stuff beneath shift - feeling all the stuff feel the movement. It's weird - having sensations in bits Katie never had before. 

Kind of cool though, too. In a sort of unreal way.

Van gets his fingers beneath to pull his penis out and then… there it is, sticking out past the cloth, with its two buddies still nestled in the wrapping.

It would probably be inappropriate to call it a tool. It kind of fits, though. It's very… proportional. 

And Katie is suddenly very aware of her long stint as a single woman, because damn. Like, she's never been that into the look or size of a guy's dick - a penis is a penis, they're all kind of the same in the end - but damn. Van has one hell of a dick. Like, Katie probably wouldn't want to have sex with Van, because ouch… but damn.

"Okay, don't play with it, just do your business," Van mutters, thinking back to Katie's stint in the kindergarten and wincing at the memory of potty training. As extremely unsexy thought as there ever was, he thinks with a grimace and then attempts to… manoeuvre himself into position. "Just point and aim."

It's weird, and very… fleshy. But at least the rest of the operation is roughly the same for a man as it is for a woman - bladder is a bladder, apparently. It's still weird - as is not needing to wipe afterwards. It doesn't feel like it's enough, to just shake it. Not that there's anything to wipe with in the outhouse.

"Weird, weird, this is so weird," Van mutters, shaking himself and then quickly tucking the weapon away.

There's nowhere to wash his hands afterwards.

"Great," he mutters and then slinks back to the barn where he sleeps at night. His mirror water turns into hand washing water, and he still feels a bit dirty afterwards. He's hyperaware of what's going down below the belt, all of a sudden. Also, maybe getting a bit hard? Is it really that damn easy to get riled up as a man? Van's not even thinking of anything sexy, and apparently it's going up on its own. What the hell?

Climbing up to the hayloft, Van lies down and tries to not think about his dick. He's got an existential crisis on his hands. Woman stuck in a man's body here. This is no time for any kind of self-inflicted fun times. He needs to experience the horrors of being not in a body of his own. Her own. Whatever. Body dysmorphia, here we go!

Yeah, no, apparently not. His mind keeps slipping downwards along with the blood pooling there, as though the damn thing has a gravity of its own. He can feel his penis straining his underwear - taking it out, putting his hand around it, it would feel… probably pretty good right now. And it's not like Katie doesn't want to - like she hasn't been curious what it was like, how it would work. Porn and smut painted a pretty vivid image, of course, but nothing beats hands on experience.

Mmm, hands on…

Van stares at the ceiling for a long moment, biting his lip. There's no one in this end of the barn but him. The Gylcrosses are in their house, Josel is off in his little hutch… there's no one here. No one but him.

… Right, okay. Fine.

With a grunt Van gets up to find a rag or something.

It would clear his head too, probably, if all the post nut clarity memes are to be believed. He would have his existential crisis with a clear mind afterwards.

-

Katie wakes up the next morning to the cock crowing somewhere outside and has a moment of flailing confusion at the feel of all the hay around her and sight of the wooden ceiling and beams above her head… before everything comes back.

Right. She's still here. She's transmigrated into Van and to the very start of Age of Tales. And it's now day two.

"Shit," Van murmurs, running a hand down his face. His chin feels bristly - apparently that's a yes on the needing to shave going forward, if he wants to keep Van's chiselled chin in view. Which is probably not all that important, considering that, well…

Tonight, the plot would finally kick off in earnest.

Breathing in and out for a moment, Van lets his arm drop to his side. He hadn't even thought of what he would do, beyond the usual. Even with all the dramatic consequences, the Rift opening was still part of the tutorial, and so all the enemies were pretty low level. The character was meant to run, of course - at this point there was not much they were supposed to be able to do against them.

Emphasis on the supposed. This is, however, Age of Tales.

The whole tutorial section is a bit… Well, overall, Katie gets it - the whole point of the tutorial section is to paint the illusion of peaceful normalcy and introduce the player to the base mechanics and the NPC shops before the plot can kick off and burn the whole idyllic place to the ground for shock value. The first time Katie went through it, it was pretty epic, overall.

But giving the players the chance to shop before the fight was kind of dumb.

Because, while the game didn't get that popular, it had some players, and just about everyone who did play it went about the tutorial the same way. They gambled for cash and kitted themselves out as best they could as soon as they could… and in so doing, turned the whole Rift thing into a bit of a joke by actually standing up against the invasion, something they plot-wise weren't supposed to be able to do. And most of them didn't even realise it, breaking the game completely by accident.

And when you went about it perfectly intentionally, well… the Rift stopped being a threat at all and became the perfect spawn kill camp.

That was what Van had been planning to do - until reality nerfed Katie's money-making tricks.

"System, open inventory," Van calls.

[Inventory] [Simple Knife, lvl. 1] [Shepherd's Slingshot, lvl. 1] [14 x Basic Stone Ammunition ] [3 x Spearhead] [1 x Apple] [Empty Jug] [Dirty Rag]

Yeah, not exactly winning starter gear, especially considering that he still doesn't have a single shred of proper armour. He hasn't been this poorly prepared for the Rift since the very first playthrough - and even then he at least had some armour and a sword! Reality is really kicking his ass this time.

He can't figure out if it's frustrating or exciting. Probably the first one.

"Guess I'm making some spears," Van muses and then sits up with a grunt. Finger-combing the hay out of his hair, Van eyes the dirty rag and then winces. He would need to get rid of it, and maybe he could wash up somewhere before getting started. Unfortunately, he doesn't think there's a washroom or anything around here…

[Farm Chores, Lvl. 1.] [It's a new day on Gylcross farm, and it's time to get to work!]

[Farm Chores 1, Lvl. 1.] [Let the chickens out.] [Let the goats out.] [Let the cows out.] [Let Bell out.] [Quest reward:  10 exp, 3 Apples.] [Farm Chores 2, Lvl. 1.] [Muck the pens and stalls.] [Quest reward:  10 exp, 5 Fresh Eggs.] [Farm Chores 3, Lvl. 1.] [Take a look at the garden and weed Ms. Janelle's vegetable beds.] [Quest reward:  10 exp, 4 x Mixed Herbs] [Farm Chores 4, Lvl. 1.] [Milk the goats and the cows.] [Quest reward:  2 exp, 1 Bottle of Milk.] [Accept?] [Yes.] [No.]

Van winces a little at the sudden bombardment of pop-ups. Looks like he has some work to do. How much it all will matter when this time tomorrow the farm will be in ruins aside… exp is exp. And if he could squeeze in another level up before the Rift, it definitely wouldn't hurt.

Standing up - and bending over to duck below the ceiling beams - Van shuffles to the ladder to start the day with a quick rinse in a bucket of cold water.

By the time he heads out of the barn, Janelle has breakfast ready and set in front of the farmhouse. "Good morning, Van!" she calls, waving. "Come have some eggs and pancakes!"

Josel is already there and already stuffing his face with eggs. "Good morning," Van greets them both and then asks, interestedly, "Pancakes?"

"Yeah - Daddy bought flour and sugar yesterday!" Janelle says excitedly. "We've got some honey too - come here and try it."

Van does, sitting down beside Josel, accepting his share with a, "Thank you, miss." It looks great, and it smells even better.

"It's Janelle," the farmer's daughter says firmly and sits down across from him.

The breakfast is great, as are the pancakes. Mr. Gylcross doesn't make an appearance, but no one comments on it, and so Van doesn't either - maybe the man sleeps in when it's not a market day, or something. After they're done eating, Josel helps Janelle clear out the table, while Van considers his quests.

"Are you going to let the animals out?" Janelle asks, wiping her hands in her apron. "I'll come with you - I'll collect the eggs while I'm at it."

"Sure," Van agrees and offers Josel an apologetic nod before following Janelle towards the chicken coops.

It's a perfectly pleasant day, with only a few fluffy clouds in the sky and just the barest hint of a breeze in the air. The sort of day when nothing bad is supposed to happen, of course. Perfectly normal day.

"Daddy says you visited the tailor yesterday," Janelle comments. "That you ordered some kind of armour."

Van blinks and looks at her. "Uh, I didn't realise he knew about that," he says. The man hadn't mentioned it. How did he find out, anyway? "I did, yeah."

"Why?"

Well, there's going to be a battle in Westbrook the day after tomorrow, and then the place is going to be set on fire, and Valthor's most annoying minion is going to make a grand appearance. Van is really hoping to curbstomp that guy's smug little face to the ground, and armour would make that much, much easier. "Well," he says, because clearly he can't say any of that. "I don't know. Just felt like it, I guess?"

Janelle looks at him carefully, and asks, "Have you… remembered something?" she asks. "About your past?"

Van hesitates, because in the game the player character never remembers time before the farm - but he does learn about it from others. "No, not really," he says finally. "I just… have a feeling I'm going to need something. Actually," he adds and takes a spearhead out of the satchel. "I also got a few of these."

Janelle accepts the dull spearhead, tilting her head with confusion. "Is that a weapon?"

"Head of a spear - I'm going to find some pole to stick it on," Van says and shrugs. "And then I'll have a spear."

Janelle shakes her head, looking a little upset. "But what do you need a spear for?" she asks.

Van shrugs again. "I don't know. It just feels like something I should have."

Janelle hums unhappily, turning the spearhead in her hand. "So, I was right," she murmurs and looks at him sadly. "You are a soldier."

In the game you learn the main character's background in flashbacks and  hints from the designated Mentor character at Ulgor's Camp, but it's a pretty cliché dealio overall. The player character has amnesia - of course - and was left at the Gylcross farm by a Mysterious Hooded Person - of course - while the Mysterious Hooded Person ran away all suspicious-like. Janelle Gylcross eventually found the player character hiding in the barn hayloft, all confused and out of it and bleeding from the head. Through some interrogation and arguing with her father, Janelle got him settled in as a new farm hand.

It's all shown to the player in this grainy sepia cut scene, a collage of moments as the player character learns how to swing a hoe and milk the cows and stuff. It's pretty wholesome. And the fact that it's shown to you only after the farm has been burned down and everyone there was killed, well… Katie has some issues with the arrangement of narrative there, but it was kind of a punch to the gut, the first time she played the game.

Also absolutely hilarious, watching this brick shithouse of a man do these cute farm chores, like carrying baby lambs around, delicately harvesting berries from the bushes and weeding garden beds.

"I'm not a soldier," Van says and accepts the spearhead back. "I just feel like it'll be better to be prepared than not."

"Right," Janelle says and hugs herself, looking uncomfortable. "Are you going to leave the farm? I know Daddy only contracted you until the harvest, but… I thought you liked it here."

"Well… it is nice," Van says. And it really is. He looks at the farmstead around them and hums thoughtfully. It's very peaceful and idyllic and wholesome. In the game it's often implied how much the player character wishes he could've stayed there, wishes none of the terrible things that followed wouldn't have happened, and the world could've stayed as it was.

More than another day of it and Katie would be climbing the walls, bored out of his mind.

"I guess we'll see," Van says and smiles at Janelle. "You never know what will happen."

-

[<<Prologue | <Chapter 4 || Chapter 6>>] Proofread by @nimadge, many thanks

-

I call this the Tool Inspection Chapter. And I hope it made at least one person laugh as much as it made me to write it.

[elysiaskz]

How I Got My Vision (Genshin Dr)

(Based off of other genshin character’s vision stories on their character profile, continued under the cut!)

୨┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈•୨✦୧•・┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈୧

Since time immemorial, the sands of time have flown differently on Inazuma’s shores. Human life is a fleeting thing, nothing more than a speck of sand to be carried away by the ceaseless ebb and flow of the vast ocean.

For those who detest the unpredictability of the mortal world, it is only natural to seek refuge in the stillness of eternity, and there is no better place to do so than the islands of eternity itself. And so, Elysia found her home in this immutable land, where the endless sea kept any threat to eternity far away.

It was that same day that Inazuma would discover the largest threat to eternity lying within those very waters.

The depths of the Inazuman ocean concealed the force behind the tides themselves - the leviathan god Ryujin, a deity so colossal that even the slightest flick of its tail could shoot tsunamis above the clouds. This once-dormant creature could devastate Inazuma with nothing more than a blink, and for reasons known only to Celestia, it has awoken.

As Ryujin slept, its inhales caused the tides to lurk away from the shores, only to creep back up the sands upon its exhale. This created the perpetual ebb and flow of the tides, with nothing more than sleeping breath. Thus, one can only imagine the horrors even a flinch from this colossus may create.

As Ryujin thrashed about in the waters of Watatsumi Island, Inazuma’s armies soon realized they could barely hope to subdue the dragon, much less smite it. Violent thunderstorms were ceaseless from the moment Ryujin awoke, and the waves it propelled towards the army seemed to dwarf even Watatsumi itself. Just as morale had sunk to its lowest, a glimmer of hope emerged from the vast darkness.

Elysia had fought harder than anyone for an eternal home. The fear of losing what was so precious to her was greater than any leviathan, god or otherwise.

And so, as calm as the Inazuman seas once were, and as calm as they would be again, Elysia stood before the dragon god, with nothing but her sword and unshakable determination to protect her home.

In a moment no longer than a lightning’s flash, Elysia had leapt just above the beast’s head, staring right into its eyes as she drove her sword between them. A single bolt of lightning struck her sword at that very moment, and in one strike that sounded as if she had split the very world in half, a mighty shock of lightning flowed from Ryujin’s head to its tail. As the crash of Ryujin’s body into the sea caused its final waves, Elysia descended onto a serene Watatsumi shoreline once again.

As she glanced upon where the tranquil waves met the sands, Elysia noticed something glimmering, lightly rocking against the shore. Its violet glow revealed itself as an electro vision, a glint of sunlight reflecting off of its golden bearings as she grasped it in her hand. This jewel would be her tribute for defeating the leviathan, the grandest gift the gods could offer.

Since time immemorial, the eyes of gods trained themselves upon those whose ambitions eclipse all else. Perhaps it was Elysia’s strong ambitions that caused even Ryujin to rouse from eternal sleep. And much like Ryujin, the Shogun’s eyes have opened, and are now watching someone very closely…

Extras :

• Ryujin is based off of the Japanese dragon god of the same name, known for controlling the tides.

• When the bolt of lightning struck Ryujin, it dispersed into the surrounding waters as well, electrocuting all the nearby fish, which had to be gathered out of the sea for weeks.

• After this event, Ryujin is often depicted with a sword in its head or between its eyes.

Thank you for reading!! 💜

[guplia]

Hello anon! First of all, thanks for the ask! (asks? idk I received three anon asks at almost the same time, it would be weird if they didn't all come from the same person lol)

fic recommendations? read mine /hj Sure! Just note that while I've enjoyed a lot of wips, I'm only gonna recommend completed fics rn.

Okay! Here's all I can remember rn:

"Clouds" by youngmoInactive (fanfiction.net):

Original summary:

"Even though he's a hero, he's still a human. CONTAINS CHARACTER DEATH. A nice look into Kai's perspective as he watches a close friend slowly lose a fight for his life."

Okay all I've gotta say on this one is that IT MADE ME CRY. OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Obviously I can't speak for everyone who read this fic but I think this will hurt Lloyd lovers. I have re-read it so many times to the point where I have half the fic memorised word-by-word. This is a must-read.

(if you're on the phone it's better to add "m." To the start of the URL)

"a day in the life of a fatherless child" by holographicknife (Archive of Our Own):

Original summary:

"lloyd has a panic attack *confetti* title suggested by my friend lol loosely based on a crack rp between friend and i   Warning for: mentions of suicidal thoughts and medication, explicit descriptions of a panic attack, including tight chest, difficulty breathing, nausea, and headaches. Proceed with caution."

This is a Kai And Lloyd fic, and I love Kai And Lloyd fics! Specifically ones where they address Lloyd's trauma from Morro and where Kai comforts him. So if anyone's into this sort of stuff I'd recommend it!

"A Courageous Escape" by Lilac_Lily234 (Archive of Our Own):

Original summary:

"In the midst of possession Morro hatred flows freely as he seeks to make Lloyd suffer for taking what he believes as his rightful title, but his cruelty know no bounds; Lloyd however refuses to give up but knows that time is running out, and in his desperation will find either salvation, or death.  - I don't own Ninjago, this is an au"

Ahem... once again, Lloyd goes through pain. A season 5 canon-divergent AU, from which my favourite part was... you guessed it! Lloyd having a panic attack and being comforted! But it's still a cool story besides too, season 5 being one of the best seasons imo.

While this fic is finished, the AU is not but I think this one has a good ending on its own.

"Out for revenge" by lloyd_slander (Archive of Our Own):

Original summary:

"Harumi’s plan to resurrect Lord Garmadon failed, during her time in Kryptarium prison she heard about Morro, the master of wind, and guy who had managed to make Lloyd’s life a living hell. Wanting revenge, she doesn’t stop from anything, not even from getting Morro back from the dead. Or The duo we always wanted, but never got. Lloyd is in for a hard time. Head the tags, guys!"

Okay. This one is rated Mature for drug usage and blood (there was nothing sexual though)

So it's a Morro traumatising Lloyd fic again, but this time he's with Harumi! So it's double trouble for Lloyd! (things go VERY BAD for him >:3)

Honestly I can't say much except read the fic, the summary's right there lol.

"Revealed" by Nation_Ustria (Archive of Our Own):

Original summary:

"Lloyd Garmadon is used to being hated. That's just how his life works—if someone knows that he's the son of the warlord who attacks Ninjago City on a weekly basis, they hate his guts. That's why he's made sure that his team—the only people he's ever been happy with—don't know who he is behind the mask, with the small price attached that he doesn't know their identities, either. It's not like they know each other's, anyways, so it's not a big deal. But then they find out. The fact that Lloyd's elemental power makes him an empath doesn't help, either. Basically the premise of the movie pre-reveal with show elements and personalities, and Lloyd's Green Power is him being able to sense and be influenced by the emotions of those around him."

Okay so here's a fic without Morro! (that's cause it's in the movie-verse) Another type of fanfic I like reading is where Lloyd in tlnm keeps his identity secret from the other ninja and it ends up getting revealed (like this one.).

I've seen this fic being recommended more than once and it's one of the fics with the most kudos in the entire fandom on AO3! So 2000 others agree with me on how awesome this fic is!!!

"What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger" by @crystaleclipse10 (CrystalEclipse on Archive of Our Own)

Original summary:

"Lloyd batted Red's hand away. “’m fine.” His head pounded, but at least it was quiet and dark. His hair tickled his nose. “What happened?” “We…didn’t get out in time,” Red whispered. “The missile exploded. We got everyone else out, though.” Lloyd relaxed and slumped forward as pure relief washed over him. They’d done it. They’d beaten Garmadon’s game. They’d freed the civilians and survived. Didn’t feel great, though. ~OR~ Lloyd and Kai get trapped under a building when it collapses, both injured. Angst and bonding ensue."

So it's another tlnm au fic! And this one has Kai And Lloyd bonding specific so I like it!!!

As I was reading this when it was still being updated I was very excited every time a new chapter would come out and my heart hurt for Lloyd each time! It IS worth the read! Just note that while tis fic is completed, the au is not.

"Officer Smith, Do You Copy?" by @hijabiwriter (same username on Archive of Our Own):

Original summary:

"Everyone has their reasons for becoming a police officer. Maybe they were forced. Maybe the profession stood out to them. Maybe they had some experience that prompted the idea of becoming a police officer. But that's only a few reasons. There are others, too. Like for instance, one of these officers is out for revenge."

This fic is entered around Nya, who's a police officer alongside Jay, Cole and Lloyd (for some reason Zane is not in this au/fic). Anyways her dark secrets are explored in every other chapter alongside the progressing story, and of course, an explanation is given to everything in the end.

On a personal note this is the fic where I left my first comment on my Ao3 account lol (the historic moment is on chapter 13!!!)

"Too Late to Say Goodbye" by @greenamethyst16 (same username on Archive of Our Own)

Original summary:

"Kai gets stabbed and Lloyd helps him... :D"

I think length-wise this is the shortest fic on the list but that doesn't make it bad!!! Basically Lloyd downplays his injuries and there are consequences... :D

"All the ways I say "I love you"" by @ninja-knox-ur-sox-off (Leonardo_Charles_BlueWood_21 on Archive of Our Own)

Original summary:

"Cole loves his team. They're his family and he does everything in his power to keep them safe and steady. He does his best to let them know he cares about them in every way but one.  Or  Seven times Cole couldn't quite say "I love you," and the one time he could."

Note: This story can only be read if you're logged in on AO3.

I like this fic because it encouraged me to remind my own irl friends how much they mean to me. In this story Cole believes that he's "the rock" of the team, and hence he doesn't show his emotions much. He's never told even one of them that he loves them and thinks that they deserve better than him. So stuff happens after that :D

Okay, I've read a lot more than this but this is all I'm gonna write about now cause I'm tired and I think this post has became too long. But if you wanna read more just check out the profiles of the writers! I haven't read everything myself but most of them have other good Ninjago fics to read!

If I've tagged you or mentioned your fic and you want it removed just let me know! I have no problem with removing it! :D

[dangerousduckcloud]

Flowerbeds make up for a nice eternal rest

Read it also on AO3

“I feel bad, now.” That most certainly was not what Dick was expecting, brows furrowed and blinking. “What for?” “I tried to stab you… Or well, wanted to.”

Chapter 10 < > Chapter 12

Masterlist

taglist: @kurai-hono-blog, @katrina0-0

If anyone else would like to be added to the taglist, let me know!

You were scared, to say the least. The higher you went, the colder you got, specially with your clothes half-soaked due to the rain, your fingers freezing from leaving them inside a cloud as if it were a lake for too long.

Superman —Clark, he said you could call him Clark— was carrying you in his arms, granting you the freedom to extend your arm as much as you wanted without the risk of falling (that didn’t stop the need to tightly grasp his cape with your other hand). Your teeth were clacking, your body trembling, and even though Clark had asked you if you wanted to go back to the warmth of the manor, you declined, not regretting your decision for a second once the sun started to set.

Angelic was the only word you could describe the sight in front of you. Ethereal too, maybe. You now understand why heaven was always pictured to be above the clouds.

With nothing to hinder your gaze, you could see in its entirety how the golden rays shone above you, lighting up the dark, thick clouds, doing its best to traverse through the thick fog to reach the city. The light engulfed the two of you, covering you in a golden blanket that warmed your body.

Never in your life could you imagine the world could look so beautiful, never thought how hideous humanity’s existence erased the preciousness’ of nature with disgusting smog, never ending buildings, and garish billboards.

Once Clark had decided your cold clothes were too much for your body, he flew back down to the manor. Out in the garden, three figures patiently waited for your return, an open umbrella left to dry, discarded next to a bench, the rain gone for the moment.

Right after your feet landed on the grass, Alfred draped the comfiest, warmest blanket over your shoulders, quietly thanking the ever-prepared butler.

“Pretty cool, huh?” Tim said in lieu of a greeting —A Tim who should still be sleeping.

“Yeah.” Was the only thing you could say, with a beaming smile, not still out of your stupor. You felt like those two characters on that old tv show you used to watch, too stunned to speak after riding an impressive roller coaster, with the difference that you’d been higher than any human being could without the need of a plane.

“Thank you for the favor, Uncle Clark.”

“My pleasure, Dick. It was nice to meet you, Jane, but I must go home now. And don’t worry, we’ll get you home soon.”

You smiled despite the pang in your chest, thanking him once again for the extraordinary experience. You were feeling less and less hopeful every time someone reminded you of your situation, sensing they were trying to convince themselves they could do it, rather than admit the truth.

“Where’s Jason?” You asked once inside, taking off your shoes as to not dirty up the polished floors with mud.

“He went back to his place.”

“Oh.” You tried to hide your disappointment with an extremely fake sneeze. “I better go take a shower before dinner, lest I catch a cold.”

Dropping the blanket on your bed, you left your damp clothes on the hamper, a hiss escaping you when the hot stream of water hit your skin, reddening your back, not getting under the running water again until the temperature was to your liking.

Why were you disappointed every time Jason left the manor? Yes, you were aware of the ‘small’ crush you had on his character, on the portrayal people had of him, but not on him per se. He wasn’t the sweet, romantic, hopelessly in love person people made him ought to be in their stories, the short time you’d spend around him revealing, in fact, he was somewhat of an asshole, someone who was stuck in an immature mentality who dealt with their issues angrily and violently.

And wasn’t that what’d happened to him?

Cutting off the water flow, you changed into, finally, your own sleep wear, the lavender detergent Alfred uses invading your nose. You were brushing your hair in front of the mirror, attempting to get rid of all the knots that would form no matter how many hair products you used, when a knock on your door was heard, raising your voice to invite whoever was on the other side of the door.

“Hey, Jane, can I come in?”

The student in you was battling so hard to not automatically imitate all your old English teachers with ‘it’s ‘may’ I’, but you weren’t sure if Dick was familiar with that experience, so you replied with a simple “Yeah, sure.”

He sat down at the end of the bed, a small, white box in his hands. “So, did you like flying?”

“Absolutely.” You replied with a big smile, looking at him through the mirror. You’d given up on untangling your hair, content with getting most of them, and were now putting it in a ponytail. “I simply… I don’t think there’s words to put it, I felt as if I’d become an angel, bested with a sight not many were privy to. Thank you so much for making it possible.”

“I still remember the first time Uncle Clark too me flying, I’d been Robin for a year already, I believe, but I’d only met him a handful of times, Bruce wasn’t with the League yet, so there wasn’t much reason for them to meet.” There was a fond smile on his face, remembering his childhood, a chuckle from something he remembered. “Bruce tried so hard to hide it, but he was horrified, putting his arms around me as soon as we got back, as if to try and stop me from going flying again. I swear if he knew Clark had let me stand on his palms and do pirouettes, he would have a heart attack.”

“What was it like? To be a child vigilante.”

“It was the best thing that could’ve happen to eleven-year-old me. There was nothing better than to be soaring in the sky, helping those who couldn’t defend themselves, feeling the cold wind all around me, the adrenaline pumping through my veins with every goon we fought.” With every word, his tone got more and more enthusiastic, gesticulating every sentence. “And… I’ve never said this to anyone, but the fame almost got to me for a second, with all my classmates babbling about me, about how awesome it was to be Batman’s partner, to work with him and the Justice League. I wanted to be recognized, you know? To tell them right there and then it was me who was going out weekend’s nights fighting the Rogues.”

“But you didn’t.”

“No. I wanted to, but I knew nothing good could come out of that; the city would take me away from my family, and Bruce would be heavily judged and sentenced. Everyone loves child vigilantes until they know who is under the mask. Praising one day, pointing with their fingers the next one.”

“Why do I feel another ‘but’ is coming?” You were facing him now, leaning against the dresser with your arms crossed.

“But…” He said, elongating the ‘u’, his melancholic energy turning into a guilty one, painful memories resurfacing. “As much as I loved it, and have so many great memories, with all my siblings… Well, I know understand why Bruce was so adamant about me going out in the beginning. Especially after Jason… I rarely spent time in the manor when he was Robin, only coming to pick him up to hang up maybe once or twice a month. I always wanted a little brother, and to have him taken away so suddenly like that… I didn’t want to get close to Tim, fearing the same would happen, but I think I hurt him more by being cold towards a kid that didn’t deserve it… Sometimes I wonder if my stubbornness and desire for revenge for my parents was the point of no return to the unfortunate events that led to all the sorrow we’ve suffered.”

“You can’t blame yourself for something you had no control over, Dick. The only one here at fault is the Joker.” You moved from the dresser, sitting down next to him on the bed. He winced at hearing that name, telling yourself you would never mention it again in the future in front the Wayne’s.

Dick nodded, sniffling and inattentively rotating the box in his hand. “Well, I—” He chuckled. “I didn’t come here to damper the night. This is for you.” He handed you the box, the seal already cut. “Alfred mentioned he wanted to buy you a phone but didn’t have time to do so with… And I assumed you wouldn’t want to go back to the mall —or the city— any time soon. I already saved all our numbers, so that you can keep in touch with Steph and Dami once they go back to school next week. I know being cooped in here all day must be so boring, so I hope it can help make the days go faster.

The phone was the most recent model, a couple of apps pre-installed, eight contacts saved on your phone, your eyes lingering on Jason’s name.

“I feel bad, now.”

That most certainly was not what Dick was expecting, brows furrowed and blinking.

“What for?”

“I tried to stab you… Or well, wanted to.”

He opened his mouth, whatever he wanted to say dying before the words could leave his lips. “Now, why would you do that?”

“I was scared!” You stood up, walking to your nightstand and pulling out the forgotten scalpel, handing it to Dick. “It was when I still thought you were a bunch of kidnappers… If it makes you feel any better, I don’t want to stab you anymore.”

“Gee, that’s a relief.” Dick’s shoulders shook with mirth. “Thanks for thrusting us and giving this back.”

“Yeah, now I know your family is crazy, but for a whole different reason.” Silence befell you, Dick nodding at the accurate description of his siblings. You felt different now that you didn’t have the scalpel anymore. You felt light, free, the heavy burden of distress lifting of your shoulders. By handing it, you were giving away your only way to defend yourself, and thus, you were finally letting go any doubts you could have about them. “Hey, Dick?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you… Can you really take me back home?”

“We’re working on it, Jane.”

You hummed, noticing he’d changed his always optimistic response to a very vague one.

———

Both you and Cass had spent most of the next morning goofing off with the phone’s camera filters, using the goofiest one’s you could find. That was until you had to hide from a furious Damian, searching for you to delete the photo you took of him with bunny ears and nose.

“That’s not fair!” You half whispered, half shouted from behind a couch. “I can’t climb that high!”

Cass smiled widely from over the rafters in the ceiling, hiding herself in the shadows when the hurrying steps were getting closer and closer. You tried to blend in yourself with the couch, calming your breathy giggles.

“Cain! Jane!” Damian hollered. “I will behead you if you do not delete that picture at this instant!”

Your muffled titter turned into full on cackling when Damian jumped from over the couch, doing his best to grab your phone, which you were holding on to for dear life. For being ten, the kid was strong.

“I surrender!” You screamed; your cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. “I surrender!”

“Delete that photo, now.” Damian glowered, and you did, pulling out your phone and tilting the screen slightly for him to see you open the gallery and deleting the picture. “Tt. This better not happen again.”

Only until he left did Cass jumped from the rafters.

“Traitor.” You crossed your arms, playfully sticking out your tongue to her, to which she simply hugged you.

———

Your life had turned an eternal summer vacation. You had no responsibilities to fulfill, no school, no job, no chores, you would simply wake up and exist, sometimes helping out Alfred in the garden.

Contrary to all beliefs, it wasn’t the blessing most thought it would be, neither Cass nor Tim could spend time with you anymore, a grisly trafficking case appearing in the city a couple nights ago. Since Cass was completely committed to the mission, she was down on the cave most of the time, starting her patrol earlier than usual.

During the mornings, Tim was forced to go to W.E as the CEO now that Bruce was ‘unavailable’ with a ‘family matter’, and working down on the cave as well when he was home.

As much as you thought you’d broken down Damian’s cold demeanor, he’d reverted to his usual spoiled brat attitude, doubling it up now that school started the next day, deciding that if he was forced to be miserable, he was going to make everyone miserable.

Dick was out of planet on an emergency with the Justice League, stepping into Bruce’s place. And you hadn’t seen much of Steph since the day of the attack, she’d only visited the manor once on a bat related incident, but also preoccupied with high school.

There were not many people who could make the clock move forward, and so, you were forced —really— to one and your last resort, the black, taunting text conversation the thing you’d been contemplating more than anything this past two days, the ‘online’ status rarely lighting up throughout the day (no, you were not stalking him, you were simply getting informed), the white and gray predetermined icon annoying (was that because he didn’t have a photo, or he simply didn’t have you saved on his phone?).

What could you say? ‘Hi’ was too bland, ‘Hey, this is Jane’ was too-business like for your liking. A selfie? Nah, too narcissistic.

But it gave you an idea, searching your gallery for one of the thousand photos you’d taken with Cass, the both of you with digital bat stickers all over your face. In a brave, but truly stupid moment of courage, you hit send, hastily locking your phone and tossing it onto your bed, the device getting lost in your mess of blankets and pillows.

Fuck, what had you done? Your heart was racing a thousand beats per minute, feeling it bump into your chest, chiding yourself for being so stupid, what if he didn’t reply? Would it be worse if he left you on read, or to find out you were such an irksome he wouldn’t even open your messages? But if he replied? What would he say? React with an emoji? How could you continue the conversation after that? What if the asked you to delete his number? Did you still have time to delete the text? But he would still have the notification and— ding.

The chime stopped your spiraling thoughts. Should you open it? Wait? Destroy your phone? Pretend you meant to send it to Cass? Come on now, whatever he sent can’t be that bad.

              | I have a cute sister.

The message read. Well, it certainly wasn’t the end of the world.

              | And your sister has a cute friend;)

You sent back, feeling bold at receiving a positive reply.

| I don’t think I’ve met her. I only know two of them and one is annoying… The other one is a blonde obsessed with the color purple.

Despite being called annoying, there was a smile on your face.

              | I’ve met the first one, she’s quite lovely and funny.

              | Really? Maybe I should take her out on a date.

              | Maybe you should.

There truly was something wrong with Gotham’s water if you were so boldly flirting with him, flirting with an effing crime lord, all those chemicals spilled onto it changing your very DNA.

[magnorious]

The Reveal that Changed Percy Jackson

*Spoiler Alert*

I’m talking about the Nico vs Cupid scene in book 8, House of Hades. I picked this scene, even though there were a great many in the original series that defined Percy Jackson as a story far more meaningful than just “cool tweenage demigods with magic and superpowers who fight evil”.

When this book came out, Nico vs Cupid was almost all anyone talked about. Why? Because Nico came out. Nico, an explicitly gay character in a book published by Disney, in a rather high profile series. Nico, the little angsty brat displaced from the timeline, comes out of nowhere with a world-shattering reveal.

House of Hades is already the darkest book in the series and, I think, the most polished and successful with this tone and how it feels so complete. While Percy and Annabeth are in Tartarus, the constant clever and horrific callbacks to quests from prior books quite literally come back to haunt them. The others trying to carry on without them, the ridiculously high personal stakes, the drama, the storytelling, it spares no expense in this book.

The Nico vs Cupid scene was something else, though, and all these years later… I’m not so sure it was done for the better.

—

Independent of the Big Reveal, this scene does a lot of things we’d never seen before in this series, namely this: Cupid is scary, and no one expected him to be.

Percy Jackson, though it does have its serious moments, is the series where the god of wine wears leopard print shirts and the god of the seas has a fishing chair for a throne. These characters quip and joke even when they’re trying to be intimidating and Percy’s personality, snarky and sassy and very rarely shooting straight, undercuts a lot of the attempts at looking competent and threatening (and we love him for it).

They’ve fought gods and monsters and demigods and characters have died really tragic deaths, but for the most part, these serious moments all come when we expect them to.

This scene comes out of nowhere and for anyone who hasn’t read the book in a while, here’s the context: Percy and Annabeth are in Tartarus and Nico is kind of the de-facto leader in their absence, knowing the most about Tartarus of the remaining crew. He and Jason are sent on a side quest to go retrieve the Staff of Diocletian from Cupid and Nico is not at all happy about this venture, but we don’t know why beyond that he’s Nico and he’s never happy.

Right out of the gate, Cupid is not at all who we expect him to be and this fight scene, absent of Percy, is suddenly very serious. Cupid doesn’t quip, he doesn’t show himself, and he fights dirty. The god of love, not the god of war or anything we expect to be violent and dangerous.

He’s whispering in characters’ heads, throwing them around like ragdolls, and taunting Nico ceaselessly all in Jason’s POV. Cupid gets some seriously badass lines, too.

“I’ve been to Tartarus and back,” Nico snarled. “You don’t scare me.” I scare you very, very much. Face me. Be honest.

Love is no game! It is no flowery softness! It is hard work—a quest that never ends. It demands everything from you—especially the truth. Only then does it yield rewards.

“Oh, I wouldn’t say Love always makes you happy.” [Cupid's] voice sounded smaller, much more human. “Sometimes it makes you incredibly sad. But at least you’ve faced it now. That’s the only way to conquer me.”

In all this, unfortunately in Jason POV, we’re primed only once by a previous god finally acknowledging that gays exist in this universe. This universe, based on Greek Mythology, famous for its not-straightness. Even then, audiences have spent 7 and a half books accepting that there won’t be any gays. No one is expecting this from Nico.

So when it comes, when Nico reveals he has a crush on Percy… the fandom lost our minds.

—

And I’m not so sure that’s a good thing, looking back. On the one hand, obligatory “we need representation,” but on the other, there was this one reviewer who knew what was up long before anyone else did.

She’d said something along the lines of raising damning concerns that Nico’s entire character arc was now defined by his homosexuality, that this scene frames all his anger, all his hate, all his rage and depression, about this one aspect of his character, and diminishes him because of it.

All these years later, I’m disappointed to say I agree with her.

This book series’ only major canonical gay (so far) is forced out of the closet with a proverbial gun to his head

Now, Nico likely never would have come out without that gun, but the way it happened, especially in front of Jason who he’s not friends with, showing Jason his memories because it’s not Nico’s POV and Jason has to see somehow because Nico sure won’t detail those scenes himself is... not good?

Jason handles it well, as well as he can given that this is Nico, and Cupid is an explicit villain so him forcing Nico out is in-character and not my problem. The narrative forcing Nico out is the problem—that this is a big reveal both to Jason and the audience is the problem.

The book isn’t new and with respect to when it was written and who wrote it, it’s not a terrible scene or terrible representation. But it’s not just forcing Nico out of the closet, either.

All of Nico’s character development is retroactively pinned on his sexuality

I get it. Nico’s… 14? 14 and from an era where being who he is was a death sentence, with zero education on the matter. Internalized homophobia is a thing (though Nico doesn’t actually seem to hate himself for being gay, he hates himself for crushing on Percy. Nor does he hate other gays or the concept).

Nico, though, is the one demigod who can summon any ghost he could dream up to teach him to hate himself a little less. He could have summoned the ghost of Freddie Mercury and what a dazzling mentorship that would have been.

The way the scene is framed makes it look like all of Nico’s rage comes from this one relationship, when it comes from so much more. He’s a son of Hades, a god no one trusts or likes and is synonymous with death, evil, and deceit. His sister, his last living relative, died on a quest as just a teenager. He has no friends at camp, powers that scare people, and is almost a century removed from everything and everyone he knew in his old life.

And he went and left camp *only* because of his crush on Percy? Not for any other reason?

When he does get his crush on Will, that only makes it worse. Nico did have friends, even if he didn’t believe it. He did have Percy and he’d earned the respect of his fellow campers after the Battle of Manhattan. He back-slid in HOH for this reveal, as if a romance is the only thing that could make him happy.

Cupid’s message is the narrative’s message: The only way to conquer love is to face it [in combat]

With a gun to his head, in front of a veritable stranger, instead of in, I don’t know, therapy with Apollo? There couldn’t have been any other way to fit this reveal in? He couldn’t have made his own group therapy session with other ghosts? Persephone or Demeter never sat this boy down for The Talk with a literal captive audience?

And that it’s a “reveal” at all, in incredibly dramatic fashion, a plot twist for shock value. The book couldn’t drop hints in Nico POV? Couldn’t casually state it anywhere at any time in the previous 3 books? Couldn’t treat it at all like this is normal and not a life-or-death situation?

I just feel bad for the kid. Nico can’t be the only demigod who has a guilty, unrequited crush. Cupid is forcing this out of him because that crush happens to be on another boy.

It’s in Jason’s POV

This world shattering, deeply personal reveal, and the character who’s having it isn’t even the narrator. Jason is a fine character and I know why it’s him out of everyone who could have gone with Nico, but this should have been solely Nico’s moment, not Jason’s commentary about Nico’s moment, being a non-consenting voyeur into Nico’s very personal memories about Percy.

Even if it’s not Jason’s POV to retain the surprise, it certainly starts to feel like Jason’s POV to retain the surprise. Jason can still be present, but even then—Cupid needed Nico to face Cupid, not Cupid and Jason.

—

It sucks because the scene as a whole, removed from the context, is incredible. The choreography, the pacing, the intensity of the battle, Cupid as a villain and Nico and Jason’s desperation to just stay alive.

Its impact on the series can’t be ignored. Blood of Olympus is no one’s favorite. It’s a terrible last book and not all that great as a book, period, but the ending?

Among other travesties, Nico confronts Percy, tells him he had a crush on him, and then *immediately* starts pining after Will. Percy doesn’t get the chance to talk to him, stunned at this reveal. They never have a heartfelt conversation about it, what this means for their friendship, how Percy never noticed or how this makes him feel, if he’s at all guilty for potentially leading Nico on and being a bad friend.

We get none of that. Nico just finds a pretty blond boy after, what, four years pining after Percy? One awful confrontation with Cupid and a few lines of dialogue traded with Jason and all his angst and moodiness is cured off-screen.

Can’t Nico go five minutes where he figures out who he is before he’s trading one crush for another? Can he not define himself independently of who he likes for just a couple chapters? He tells Jason after the Cupid fight that he’s over it, but… c’mon, he’s absolutely lying there, or he wouldn’t have been so hurt and upset and hesitant to reveal himself.

I love that he’s popular now, I love that he does have a healthy relationship (one that eclipsed the whole fandom for better or for worse), but the way he went about becoming popular still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Nico did walk so the rest of the series' extended universe could run. We did get Solangelo, we got Apollo being Apollo, we got a world based off Greek Mythology that stops straight-washing history. It's just a shame that he had to be forced out the way he did, and that his whole character is now defined by his relationship with Will.

[hypotheticalprose]

Writers’ Blocks: the problem with labels and fiction

I’ve really been enjoying my recent experiences with writing fanfiction, and I’ve written about some of the benefits I think it can offer writers, but one thing I think is potentially damaging is the cultural emphasis on tags, tropes, and labels.

Let me start by saying that I’m not talking about content warnings. Generally speaking, I think it’s polite to let your readers know if you plan on treading in murky water or using sensitive themes.

However, I have some problems with the way that labels are used in fanfiction, and I find it concerning how these habits are bleeding into other forms of fiction.

Narratives are typically comprised of elements such as plot, character, setting, conflict, etc. Because the human brain is a pattern-matching machine, it’s very good at building categories that it uses to sort elements of narrative. If you want an example, visit tvtropes and go to any random trope page. You’ll find that soap commercials, ancient Chinese theater, and professional wrestling all use the same ideas, sorted into these building blocks.

Of course, because writers draw inspiration from real life and other written works, many of these similarities are the result of the great narrative conversation that all stories are participants in. This is especially true in fanfiction, which caters to a niche crowd, often with an emphasis on romance, and an even greater emphasis on transforming existing works to better cater to that niche crowd. If you weren’t happy that two characters didn’t kiss in your favorite tv show, just find a story where they do! If you weren’t happy that two characters DID kiss, be sure to exclude that pairing!

There’s nothing wrong with that on its face, but it lends itself to a very reader-heavy balance in the writer-reader dynamic. What do I mean? I mean that when readers can fine-tune their search criteria to exclude anything they think they might dislike or include only things they know they will like, they are essentially prescribing exactly what they want from the stories they read.

Here’s the problem: great fiction is great because it gives the reader something they didn’t even know they wanted. It’s very hard to do that if you’re then forced to think in terms of building blocks and tropes. Surprising the reader is actively discouraged under this system, which rewards giving the reader exactly what they want and spelling it out ahead of time. There’s a few genres in particular that suffer, such as comedy and mystery, because they rely on deliberately withholding information as part of a punch line or a climactic reveal.

Worse, I think that sanding off rough edges for the purpose of better fitting existing tropes stifles innovation. Everything you love in fiction was once weird shit no one had ever seen before. And as fanfiction terminology bleeds into commercial literature, I’m increasingly worried that the market for weird shit is shrinking as writers are told that they need to be able to sum up their book in a half-dozen trendy tropes.

I believe that there is no reason why fanfiction cannot be great fiction. In fact, most great works of fiction are explicitly transformative and directly based off existing stories. But you’ll never write something great if you think in terms of building blocks someone else has already played with.

Only by freeing ourselves of extraneous labels can we expand our horizons.

[downwithpeople]

x-files roundup

young at heart: BAD. an episode that has a lot of good ideas but winds up being less than the sum of its parts. barnett should be a great creature feature antagonist, but he spends most of the episode literally hiding in shadows with his gross salamander arm kept out of view. he should have had his own delightful b-plot where he's going blind and killing people, but instead we get a lot of dull fbi procedural shit. it's just too boring to be worth watching.

E.B.E: GOOD. one of the strongest episodes of the season. it took us a little while to get there but besides the pilot, this is the first myth arc episode that felt like the writers really knew what they were doing. the atmosphere of paranoia is kicked up a notch and we get the most deep throat lines of any ep to date, though his answers raise just as many questions. scully's skepticism is nuanced, rational and grounded in a cautious pragmatism rather than a vapid contrarianism; once she finds the bug in her pen, she's more concerned about whether or not it's a good idea to kick the hornet's nest rather than questioning the existence of hornets. this is also the first lone gunmen appearance and they steal the scene right off the bat.

miracle man: BAD. an episode about faith that doesn't have anything interesting to say on the subject. samuel indisputably has real magic powers, but there's some half-hearted attempts to cast doubt on the idea. there's a corrupt southern sheriff and a corrupt southern preacher, but the real villain of the episode is a corrupt burn survivor with a walking aid in a reveal that is shockingly trite rather than shocking. mulder hallucinates his sister but as the series rolls on i expect i'm going to find all of the stuff surrounding samantha to be on the level of batman crying about his parents. the agents don't accomplish or learn anything and mulder just kind of throws his hands up at the end of the ep as if to say that's that. there's a great sequence during a sermon and we get some cool catholic scully dialogue.

shapes: BAD. this is the 90s so when native americans appear, we get the most magical ones. mulder is praised by a survivor of wounded knee for being an especially spiritual white man. this is an episode where he's also extremely unlikable, being all too eager to contravene tribal law to do autopsy on a wolfman. there's a bit of creature feature goodness but i just don't think werewolves are that cool; at least when werewolf the apocalypse was (is? i'm not gonna read the new books) extremely weird about native americans, it kind of went somewhere interesting. even without 2025 brain, this is another episode where the agents don't seem to really do anything and the whole mystery kind of self-destructs with little prompting. the good things about this episode: absolutely gorgeous shots of vancouver-as-montana, really great set design for the homes and businesses in the treygo reservation, great selection of first nations guest actors including my man michael horse. his sheriff character repeatedly shutting down mulder for trying to treat him like a tour guide is one of the few writing highlights of the ep.

darkness falls: GOOD. it's tense, it's scary, it's creepy. the horrible primeval fireflies are a toe dipped into more of a cosmic horror story, a force unleashed by accident through human greed that can't be comprehended. i mean, they do comprehend the little bastards, but it doesn't help them none. we get a strong supporting cast and some nasty scenes of people being entombed and eaten alive. we get another iteration of mulder and scully as the idealist/pragmatist, which is when they're always at their best. if i'm gonna deduct points for anything i think it's a real liberal ass episode. the logging companies are bad for destroying the environment, the ecoterrorists are bad for trying to save it and the only good and trustworthy people are the federal law enforcement in the middle of it.

tooms: GOOD. the guy so nice you see him twice! tooms kind of loses his impact for his second go around because the characters are just wise to his tricks; there's inherently less tension when the agents know what's up. what makes up for it is we get more time from tooms' POV and dough hitchinson does his damndest to make him so gross and scary that you can't fathom how anyone can be in the same room as him. we also get some great mulder/scully scenes, particularly the heartfelt conversation in the car. this is also an episode with big ramifications for the overarching plot despite being a MOTW ep. walter skinner makes his debut as the hard-headed assistant director. narratively, he's established as a threat, but he comes across as an eminently reasonable authority with genuine concern for the agents. we also get the cigarette smoking man talking, which i could frankly go without.

i really gotta pack

[mrbensonmum]

TV Shows - 3 Body Problem VI

First, we learn that Ye Wenjie is brought to Michael Evans on the Judgment Day, and at the beginning of the series, during Vera's funeral, we found out that Vera is their daughter. This is another aspect that is portrayed differently in the book. I wonder if this connection was chosen in the series to create a sort of bridge between the different factions. However, I don’t mean the factions within the series itself, but rather between the Chinese and Western actors.

Because, if we take a closer look, there are indeed some differences in nationality and gender, as well as certain events that are spread across multiple characters (I’m still very curious about how this will develop later in the series).

However, the crucial point in this episode is that, due to his ignorance, Michael Evans loses contact with the San-Ti (as they are also called). He reads them a story, but it is misunderstood by the other side. It’s also clear that Evans isn’t particularly good at explaining it. At the same time, it reveals that the San-Ti, as it seems—though it's not explored further—have a completely different understanding of truth and untruth, as well as communication in general. This is another area where more could have been explored about the San-Ti, to make things clearer for the audience. After all, communication has already existed for some time, and without an eight-year gap in between.

Will, meanwhile, has rented a small house where he also learns that he is the sole heir to Jack’s fortune. Unfortunately, at that moment, he’s too stoned to really grasp it. Honestly, I can understand him—if I had the chance, I’d probably do something similar and sign up for what’s coming in the next episodes.

Toward the end, Jin is almost murdered by Tatiana, but Clarence manages to prevent it. Tatiana is shot but manages to escape, and she will only reappear later. Ye Wenjie, however, is captured by the task force and still believes that this is all part of the San-Ti’s plan, and that when they arrive in 400 years, they will populate the Earth together.

I know I ask this question often, but it keeps popping up in my mind—how will it continue? In theory, I know how it goes on, but the question is more about what we’ll actually see visually, or what the series will show us. Especially when I think about Will and everything that gets set in motion through him—just that alone could easily fill half a season.

But the arrival of the San-Ti is a relatively complex topic (here’s a spoiler warning)! The first season leaves us with the knowledge that in four hundred years, the San-Ti will land on Earth, and humanity can do nothing about it—or won’t develop enough to counter it. This misconception persists until the very end, about 200 years in the future from here, where incredible arrogance among humans is suddenly, literally, shattered.

This is where the Swordholders and Wallfacers come into play, with the latter only being briefly mentioned in the last episode (more on that later).

This episode, I think, marks a sort of halfway point, and you can feel how things start to tighten up from here. Everything suddenly develops at a rapid pace, even though it’s still told calmly and thoughtfully. This is something the series shares with the book when you compare the first season with the first book. Because from the second book onwards, nothing is as it once was, and events start to spiral.

I just read an article about the Chinese audience’s response to this series, and the changes to the characters have not been well received. I can understand that to some extent. Even though these changes were made to make the series more appealing to a broader audience, I found it very interesting in the book that the main characters were mostly Chinese. It was just more diverse in many ways because it was something unfamiliar.

Even though I often complain that the series should tell us more about the San-Ti, I think, at the end of the day, it might not be such a bad thing. It maintains an interesting level of suspense, and that with a lot of finesse.

I’m particularly curious about what will happen with Tatiana since, in the book, she’s just a bodyguard for Ye Wenjie and dies rather quickly and unexpectedly. Especially because she manages to escape, and we later learn that she also gets a headset.

One more fun fact to finish: If Netflix sticks to its current plan, this could become the most expensive series in Netflix history. Each episode costs around 20 million dollars, and if the subsequent seasons also have eight episodes each, the total costs will reach 480 million dollars. Whether this includes marketing, I don’t know, but when you think about it, you can see that the series is highly produced. Even though the CGI in The Rings of Power (Amazon) is much more extensive, I still think that both series visually benefit from these high costs. And yes, I know, there are significant differences in storytelling, no question. But purely in terms of look and feel, there are some parallels.

[romilly-jay]

About That Beach Scene...

The scene I shared at the weekend is well out of sequence - perhaps obvious with the reveal at the end that the characters, not yet known to us, were perhaps known to each other.

Of course, it's a timey-wimey plot and the hope is that the novel/s will eventually be a really satisfying, not-quite-perfect time-loop, so everything is perpetually somehow out of sequence.

I've always loved a good time looping type story and was delighted, as I'm sure I've mentioned, to come across a philosophical defence of the time-based causal loop i.e. where the cause and the event happen out of chronological sequence because Time Travel. That's in an apparently (and, if so, deservedly) famous essay by US philosopher David Lewis - reference, below. Rather more inconveniently for novel writing, he also insists that Time Happens Once, ruling out most versions of the "we'll go back and change things" plotline. A time traveller can visit and can do things (but it will turn out that those things "happened the first time round" - aka the only time around, although we might not have been aware of them). Yes, he does explore the possibility of achieving a change to the timeline but insists that the effect [on original time] is: no effect. The change would instead strip off a new alternate future and the time traveller would no longer be able to return to their own starting point. In their own timeline, they would simply vanish, never to reappear.

So, why start with this time-jumping-at-the-beach scene?

Because it was the first thing I imagined when I came up with the seed idea for the story. I was walking home along our local beach in South Wales and I imagined I could see two kids, siblings, chasing each other up and down the wide expanse of the low-tide beach. Then I imagined that I lost sight and caught sight of them a couple of times - and filled in the gap with the idea that they were jumping forwards and backwards in time within the game, while running.

I was absolutely delighted to read that Diana Wynne Jones started her first Chrestomanci Novel, Charmed Life, from a similar visual of a single moment. Except that in her case, the rest of the plot cascaded immediately afterwards and she had her first rough draft in two weeks. I'm several years in and Not Nearly Finished.

The moment DWJ mentions is a really cool one **spoilers ahead** - it's where the MC, Cat (Eric Chant) arrives at his sister's room and realises that the girl in his sister's bed is NOT his sister, though she looks exactly like her. It's a hugely energising moment that drives the action of the second half of the book. Since I'm in spoiler terrain anyway, let me be non-vague and state that the replacement girl is materially nicer than the missing sister and yes, it's the sister's fault.

I love the idea that the human brain can conjure that kind of image and then quickly construct a story that explains it. So fun, so clever. Also, I am intrigued and encouraged that this energiser moment didn't start the plot but rather comes - I think - at the midpoint. So, in the first part of the story the writing is constantly chasing towards this moment, and later, the resolution unspools because of it.

Charmed Life was, by the way, my absolute favourite - can you tell? In my sister blog on poetry and poetic inquiry, I've definitely included an image of "my" original edition, which was NOT mine but which I borrowed numerous times from the local library. For completeness and nostalgia, here it is again now:

References

Lewis, D. (1976).  The paradoxes of time travel. The American Philosophical Quarterly, 13, 145-52.

Priest, C. (2011, March 27). Diana Wynne Jones obituary. Renowned children's fantasy and science-fiction author with a dedicated following. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/mar/27/diana-wynne-jones-obituary

Wynne Jones, D. (2009) Charmed life (essential modern classics ed). London: Harper Collins. (Originally published in 1977.)

PS I took the "clipping" of the Diana Wynne Jones obituary two or three years ago; at the time, the name Christopher Priest wasn't familiar to me. This time, coming back to the obit, I did recognise it. Partly this was because I've been reading some histories of 20th century SF in which his name appears and partly it's because CP died in early 2024 and someone tweeting about it caught my eye.

Obit to obit, dust to dust. RIP DWJ, CP.

PPS - Incidentally, if the writer indeed meant to say that CP went to Cheadle Hulme School, as opposed, say, "to school in Cheadle Hulme", then we share an alma mater. (Um, if it's /still?/ acceptable to apply that term below the level of the university? Let's say that it is.)

Okaaaay, did a quick check and - yes, listed below: I'm showing as an image because the note at the bottom leads me to suspect that this list will be overwritten in the future and while I understand why, actually, I'd like to be able to find this name in particular. Thank you.

[rhetoricandlogic]

REVIEW: Space Oddity by Catherynne M. Valente

Series: Space Opera #2

Published: September 2024, Simon & Schuster (Saga Press)

Genres: Science Fiction / Space Opera, Science Fiction / Alien Contact, Science Fiction / Humorous

Summary: The Metagalactic Grand Prix—part gladiatorial contest, part beauty pageant, part concert extravaganza, and part continuation of the wars of the past returns and the fate of the Earth is once again threatened. The civilizations opposed to humanity have been plotting and want to take down the upstarts. Can humanity rise again in this sequel to the beloved Hugo­ Award–nominated national bestselling Space Opera by New York Times bestselling author Catherynne M. Valente?

This review contains spoilers for the ending of Space Opera and minor spoilers for Space Oddity.

Truthfully speaking, I didn’t find myself with a burning need for a sequel when I finished reading Space Opera—yet Space Oddity remained one of my most anticipated books of 2024, if only because I had total faith in Catherynne M. Valente to deliver Good Vibes and/or Hilarious Insanity like no other author.

In this sequel that’s lowkey a meta commentary on the nature of sequels (“This time it will be different!”), we return to the Metagalactic Grand Prix, an intergalactic Eurovision-esque singing competition between countless species that determines everything from trade deals to resource allocations to potential wars to music chart-toppers.

Last year, humanity eked out a respectable tenth place in our first showing. This year, we’ve graduated from newbie, and soon become escort to a newly discovered species.

Where other novels may treat the Dreaded Exposition like a concert opener—quality may vary from offensively bad to mildly boring to surprisingly delightful, but nevertheless it’s the thing you have to sit through to get to the thing you actually paid money for—subtly weaving it through the text so as not to drag down the pace or distract from the plot, Valente’s exposition is the headlining star of the show—all the bloody intergalactic history and weird alien biology and that one ranting monologue about the Frankenstein monster that is the English language, sketched in run-on sentences that can span a whole paragraph, if not multiple pages.

While I was thoroughly amused by Valente’s bombastically stylistic writing (and her ability to build entire alien societies around a single pun), the absolute heart of this book for me is the Absolute Zeroes.

Good News: While lead singer Decibel Jones is the frontman of the band and the book, Space Oddity is actually, stealthily, a story about Fridged Woman–turned-paradox Mira Wonderful Star, and any time spent with Mira Wonderful Star is, well, Wonderful. It’s especially touching when Valente contrasts Dess’s washed-up ennui about placing tenth in the Grand Prix with Mira’s punk-hope enthusiasm about touring and exploring the galaxy.

Bad news: I probably took at least half a star off when I learned that Oort St. Ultraviolet, man-of-every-instrument and my favourite Absolute Zero, is relegated to a background character. (We’ve had a Decibel and Oort book. We’ve had a Decibel and Mira book. Am I wishing for a third book that’s all Mira and Oort? Yes.)

Space Oddity is an glitter-filled, imaginative romp that matches the frenetic energy of its predecessor. Valente’s maximalist writing style makes even the dullest topic (e.g. a never-ending intergalactic meeting that could’ve been an email) a sensory and humorous delight. But while Space Opera skillfully married the Absolute Zeroes’ sordid histories and personal hang-ups with grand intergalactic stakes, the finale of Oddity didn’t quite pack the same emotional punch—though, I’ll admit, I audibly gasped and shook my fist at the sky (affectionate) when I read that reveal about the Empty.

[preyed-llama]

I’m thinking of Ending Things (Movie), Faithful to a Fault.

Spoilers following for the book ‘I’m thinking of ending things’ and the movie adaptation.

I’m thinking of Ending Things is a good adaptation but as a self contained movie it is adequate but missing. As someone who has not read the book I will discuss my issues with the movie as a self contained story. As someone who is going to get the book and read it I will discuss the differences in more depth some other times. Probably. Below the cut are the three prevalent issues I found in the movie.

The story follows a young woman (typically called Lucy) and her boyfriend Jake. Throughout the story you learn that Lucy is a fictional woman created to comfort a lonely old man Jake- one at which he feels guilty over utilising consider she is a real person he saw once. This leads to the story.

First- not an issue but some background information which will provide insight later on for why I consider these issues rather than simple adaptation errors. The movie strays far from the book given it’s form as a visual medium, this appears in several parts but notably Kaufman includes alternating shots of the old man Jake and the fantasy world- an element not included at all in the book as it’s all told from the woman’s perspective in first person with it only being revealed in the end as a twist. Kaufman utilises the visual medium to include a ballet dance number to Oklahoma as well as a song that does not appear in the book. Including whole new scenes is not the the only major difference he made, additionally in the scenes with the parents he takes larger steps to make the twist more obvious, characters changing ages rather than just changing dresses and bandages. This leads heavier into the themes of death, age, decay that do appear in the book but nowhere near the level portrayed in the movie.

As one reviewer put it ‘the only literature you really need to know before watching the movie is the original novel’- which, is painfully accurate. The movie has three parts that really stick out considering the framing. In a scene where the two characters buy milkshakes a woman tells her ‘sorry about the smell, we’re varnishing in the back’, which she then says ‘I lied we aren’t varnishing’. If the second line didn’t occur it would be easy enough to overlook- but with the emphasis on it the fact that the movie never mentions the varnishing or even states the man is inhaling the fumes in the real world it feels drastic, considering the movie shows us the real world throughout, including a flash to him being a peeking Tom when he tries to kiss Lucy. In the book the line directly links back to him cleaning with the varnish without proper ventilation. Considering Kaufman chose to change so much of it in the two hour movie but include that line makes it so much more of a glaring oversight.

Another issue with the movie is the Caller, in the book it is first mentioned in page 6, in the movie it is mentioned about half way through, focused on twice and abandoned without consideration or follow through. This element is another oversight- to include the caller as a hint of the fantasy without engaging with it in any meaningful way leaves it unfulfilling.

Finally- in the book the minor changes in Jakes parents are easy to overlook. Far easier than changing ages or moving from their deathbed to being cheerful young parents, as such when Lucy sees a picture on the wall of a child (that Jake claims to be himself) and her internal monologue states that the child in the picture is her it feels like a big moment in the book, and her finding it unusual is a human reaction that makes perfect sense. It feels right. In the movie however the changes are all incredibly large; whole scene and character shifts- ages, characters developing dementia and being so young and spry, this is never mentioned. Lucy does not mention it in her internal dialogue- she pauses at changes to puzzle over it but it’s moved passed so quickly. So why then does she pause over her picture? Why is her picture there? Lucy is a figment, he feels guilt over fantasising about her without knowing her past or future- without even knowing her name- and yet in that scene he gives her a past in the form of a picture and she acknowledges that.

Someone out there may have a wonderful answer that encapsulates it all but as a movie watcher I had to keep looking up references and finding the answer being 'in the book' felt like a gut punch. To include references to the book is one thing, to include lines from the book that reference things not in the movie is frustrating.

[microraptorreactor]

Bathed in Blood and Shame time! This one is. A lot. I had to wait for V2's ark to finish because I uh. Kinda forgot that my thoughts on this work 100% contain spoilers for chapter 20. Now that it's out I can retrospective this allllll I want!

Context for this: it went through so many diffrent versions that were all compleatly diffrent from eachother. The very begining (V2 sulking in Lust) and middle section (V2 traveling across Lust and building the arm up until the encounter with V1) were the only consistant sectons. The scrapped versions were:

V4V work were their romance gets very weird and kind of bloody. These robots are not normal. Scrapped because I am bad at writing romance.

V2 gets adopted. I've mentioned this one a couple times before, would have given Gabriel a speaking role for once. Scrapped because I felt like the concept was a little too 'out-there'.

Alternate universe where V2 gets isakied into a crossover where it must work together with other fictional robots from other properties to return to its home universe. This is not a joke. Would have also featured Murderbot, 13 Black Winter (Robots of Gotham, PotaTOS (portal), The Lotus (Warframe), Brau (Pluto), Trouble Dog (Embers of War), and about half a dozen other robots.

Because I didn't know what I wanted it to be I feel like Bathed in Blood is kind of a hot mess.

Okay so this line unintentionally aged really well with the rest of the story. I'm going to pretend that V2 not mentioning its name was an intentional detail and not because I hadn't decided what it would be yet.

Classic V1, stealing people's arms. Also classic V2, for being just a little too trusting of other machines playing nice.

Fun fact: Kernel mode came about specifically because of this scene! When I started this one-shot, the multichapter Ultrakill work I had planned took place during canon and was about a chatacter who would become Baeri/Sleet (at the time it acted more like 732 then the deranged little pilot we know and love). An important part of that was that the machines couldn't fully remember what made them turn against humans, except that it took the form of a message over the feed. Kernel mode was my way to explain that! Here's the original explanation of Kernel time from that work:

Pretty close to what's given in Handle With Care, but some of the words are different and Baeri/Sleet is the one in Kernel, not V2. It's also pretty weird to read Baeri being helpless and processing that feeling without threatening people. Like wow, I can't believe I wrote this character to be emotionally stable at one point.

I forgot I formatted Earthmover text like this. The New Requiem red herring was mostly unintentional, but really funny. Apologies to Requiem for framing it for mass murder, I guess XD

These two paragraphs spawned a 50,000+ word novella. They were really just an excuse for the angst at the end, but man did they define this series. Of course, there's a couple details that don't line up anymore, but I'll probably just throw in a sentence or two mentioning Koda once Handle With Care is over. Maybe rewrite that last paragraph.

So sometimes I bounce ideas for this work off my brother (he's sometimes in the comments of Handle With Care, or you've read OmoShot and know him from a different fandom entirely) and he suggested that Kaine should have taught both V units the coin trick. A solid idea tbh.

Shrike's Weirdass Murder Shit weapons cooler, plus Kaine giving Koda the shotgun, was also my brother's idea. Kaine is his favorite character, lol.

This work is just the normal V2 characterization slowly sloughing off to reveal a sad wet cat. This is the first failbot moment that helped decide V2's characterization. One of the few paragraphs that didn't get fully rewritten whenever I changed directions for this oneshot.

I miscounted the Knuckleblaster's fingers here. It only has three fingers, not four. I just think that's funny.

My apologies for dragging out the awful terrible scene that everyone is dreading, but there's quite a bit to analyze here! First off, both V2 and V1 were originally built on New Requiem! V2 was always about a decade younger then V1, though. Now neither are from Requiem. In fact, they weren't even made ion the same continent anymore (V1 is American, V2 is from somewhere in Europe)

Wils threatening V2 with maintenance was something I tried to keep in Handle With Care that just fell flat. Along with the implied concept that no one else on New Requiem liked V2, and it only stuck around because the Earthmover liked it. I can handwave that one since its a hallucination and all that, though.

Oh boy is she threatening V2! I used to dislike this dialogue because I thought that V2 sounded too child-like. Then I realized that its story would hit so much harder if it was actually a child. So yeah yet another sentence where I realized I accidently did something smart, lol.

Hey little buddy, I think hell might've been lying to you about the whole V1 loving you unconditionally thing. Just maybe.

Birdcatt's live author reactions to their own works looks fun I'm gonna steal that. Live author reaction ahead.

[bat-besties]

Who is Lili? (1)

Rose Wilson’s mother’s backstory is primary revealed in Deathstroke #15 by Marv Wolfman. I’m going to do a close reading of the first half of the comic, with the addition of some panels from Deathstroke #48, also by Marv Wolfman, recapping the events. I’ll follow up with her actions in the current comic timeline in my next post. 

Inherently, Marv Wolfman has crafted a story which relies on Lotus Blossom/Miss Saigon tropes around Asian women, and sexualises a survivor of political and military sexual violence. However, I think that even within the comics canon, it is possible to read the character of Lili differently by engaging directly with the text and putting aside authorial intent. To do this, I am treating Slade as the unreliable narrator he is. I am contrasting his narration with Lili’s on-panel art, dialogue, and actions, as well as a light touch of Cambodian history, to imagine a more rounded and human character. It’s creative criticism, rather than strict analysis. 

Right from the cover, Lili is literally described as “exotic”, and sexualised with a torn dress and unrealistic proportions. She’s also helpless, clinging to a white man in fear and unable to help herself. As if to add salt to the wound, there’s a large, purple flower in the background, illustrating the tropical setting and connoting beauty and fertility. It’s not a lotus blossom - but it’s close enough. 

But the answer to who Lili actually is gets more complex as the comic progresses. 

CW: discussion of sexual assault and sexual imprisonment, discussion of the Khmer Rouge atrocities, discussion of sexist and racist tropes around Asian women

The drawings of Lili continue to be sexualised and orientalist, with her next appearance set in an imagining of an exoticised Cambodian brothel, a world away from the brutal realities of women’s experiences under the Khmer Rouge. 

She introduces herself as “Sweet-Lili”. I’m not sure where this came from - it could be a ‘working’ name of some sort during her imprisonment, or a direct translation of part of her name, or a nickname. Whichever way, “Sweet” evokes the Lotus Blossom tropes of demureness and innocence set against sexual knowledge and experience. It also evokes her being consumable, even edible, for white men. 

She is fluent in English, showing a high level of education and also that her word choices are very deliberate. 

The next thing she says is “these are my girls” - this is where we immediately get introduced to the character’s priorities which will unfold over the next decade. In #48 it is revealed these women were once her servants, and have now been subjected to the same fate as her. Still, she never uses the word servants for them, throughout they are “my girls”. She equalises herself with them, emphasises their youth and innocence when Slade uses the derogatory “whores”. Most of all, despite being captives of the Khmer Rouge, they are hers. While she used to be their employer, in this dire situation where her nobility makes her a target rather than a social superior, she continues to lead them with a sense of responsibility. Now that a rescue party has arrived for only her, she isn’t going to leave her women behind. She steps down the stairs in front of them, opening her arms and making herself the centre of attention - she is relatively confident that Slade and his men are here to rescue them, but as these are women who have lost everything in a brutal civil war, I do think putting herself first is a precaution. 

When she greets Slade, it is by putting her hand on his chest in a flirtatious manner, something which the other women mirror with his soldiers.

This is to show her sexualised nature, and suggest gratitude towards Slade which will develop into romance. However, as someone who has survived the (implied) killing of her family through her captivity in a brothel, this could be read as a deliberate action she takes to both flatter Slade, and encourage her women (who are not meant to be saved at this point!) to use the attractions of the American soldiers to help rescue them.

She interacts with Slade as a fellow leader, and he asks if she is the princess.

 Slade calling Lili a princess is not his fault at first, it has been common historically for English translators to simplify the complex Cambodian royal titles into Prince/Princess even for very distant relations to the king, like Lili. (Without knowing her grandmother and mother’s titles I can’t work out what her exact title would be, or if she is entitled to one at all. Please tell me if you can work it out!)

She corrects him very politely, affirming she is royal and his target (“my father’s father was third brother to the king”), but not actually a princess. Despite this, both Slade’s narration at the very beginning of the flashback and throughout his recollections of her in #48, he uses the term “princess”. Once was a mistake, but his continual use, and later adaption of the term into an endearment for Rose, seems to replace the realities of Khmer Rouge’s political purges of the royal family with Slade’s Orientalist fantasy. 

However she corrects Slade with the brilliant line “But I am princess only to my girls” [sic], which elides her position from one of blood to one of responsibility. He has been sent to save her because she’s a royal, but she is extending her own protection over these common women. While missing out “a” could be a translation error, given how good Lili’s English has been so far I doubt it. Instead, I think she is transforming princess from a noun into a more active term; she is a princess “to” them, and being a princess to women is an active choice and responsibility. 

She quickly follows this with “You will save me now, yes?” which is just such a bold line in which she takes control of her own rescue. 

And surely - without even thinking about it, the Americans save her fellow captives as well. She’s achieved her goal without Slade even realising what she was doing.

He does observe her leadership as they escape, “Sweet-Lili kept them in line”, and the women are able to cook “incredible meals” from the surrounding nature, showing how efficient and well-organised the women are, in large part due to Lili. Slade says he doesn’t think he “ever had better”. 

And then we have the key key line, something which would be so easy to miss. “Could say the same for the nights”. 

The American heroes, the oh so noble saviours, are sleeping with the women they were sent to rescue from sexual slavery. Not only that, but it’s viewed as idyllic and part of their reward. I think that Slade does deep-down know this was wrong, as when he recaps the story in #48 after Lili’s death he claims they “trekked through the night and slept during the day”. This doesn’t align with this quote, or the fact that the women cook during the day, and all of the panels of the party walking and fighting in #15 are in daylight. This could be a continuity error, but I want to be consistent and not assume authorial intent.  

The women are so far from being safe from male sexual violence. Without guns, they can’t run into the jungle alone, so they have to stay with the “rescue” party and do what they want. What is an exoticised memory for Slade is any woman’s nightmare - including for Lili. 

The party comes across the Khmer Rouge enslaving and murdering villagers, and sadly Lili is unsurprised by these conditions, telling Slade the exact diet of such prisoners. As Lili hasn’t experienced these conditions herself, I think this shows how she’s tried to stay updated on the suffering of her people, despite the brutal repression of information and killings of journalists. She feels deeply for every person suffering during the civil war. While she’s empathetic but unfortunately has to be practical - she doesn’t ask Slade to try to save these villagers. 

However, when an American soldier cries out at the murder, their cover is blown and all the Americans other than Slade and the women other than Lili are murdered. Slade fights the most brutally of anyone, killing all the Khmer Rouge and trying to protect the women before succumbing to his wounds. 

After years living alongside these women and protecting each and every one through their imprisonment, Lili watches them all be killed in front of her, by the very group which tortured and terrorised them. It’s horrific. These are the only people she has left from her old life, and they’re gone. 

She protects Slade, who comes down with a fever, including from the Khmer Rouge - we are never shown her fights, because Slade was not conscious for that. This is a much-needed reminder that Lili is only shown from his perspective. 

Over time, the two talk and share personal information, growing closer. I do think that she was honest with Slade about herself, more so than she could be with other people after the experience was over. She doesn’t have anything left to lose, is an ambush away from being killed, and Slade is a mercenary who cannot be shocked by anything she tells him. They’re going through a huge trauma together, and it forges a bond. He describes their relationship as “formal”, a strangely nice adjective from Slade which shows his respect for her (as much as Slade respects any women), and the fact that he did not make any advances before Lili did.

So Lili definitely still has some walls up.

One thing that never comes up is that Lili has her grandmother’s necklace on her the whole time. In Deathstroke #46 Rose runs to get it after Lili is murdered in the US, wanting her mother to be buried with it as it’s the only thing she has left of her family, so it’s clearly very important to her and was taken with her from Cambodia personally.

Now, it’s entirely possible that Slade does know about it but it isn’t important enough to include in the story. But it never appears on panel, nor does he ever mention her grandmother. I think it’s likely she kept it hidden, even as she dressed and undressed in front of him. It isn’t monetarily valuable, so she can’t have been scared of Slade stealing it. 

If it is an amulet, her grandmother would have personally had a Buddhist priest bless it for Lili, and this 1970 article shows how important this traditional item became during the war. It’s the most sentimental item she has - and she never shares that part of herself.

The two share a moonlight kiss, after an in-depth discussion “about the war, about her, even about me [Slade]”. She is shown to be the one leaning in, and I do think that she genuinely wanted to kiss Slade and share that moment with him. Interestingly, this kiss is only revealed in #48, when Slade feels more sentimental as she has just been killed. It does not factor into his initial recollection, showing how his focus is on sexual, not romantic, memories of Lili, distorting his view of her. We will never know what she said “about her[self]” to this American mercenary who saves her women and sleeps with them, kills for money and for protection, and could be the last person she ever knows. 

This is where we get to the most complex part of the recollection - the two sleeping together. 

Unsurprisingly, I’m going to reject Slade’s reading of this as a natural development of their closeness which was romantic and spontaneous. However, I do think that Lili does consent, and would not have maintained a future sexual relationship and friendship with him if she had not. 

One reading, building on what I’ve said above, is that Lili has been through these terrible traumas, is at risk of death or recapture, and has found a surprisingly sympathetic companion in Slade. As an unmarried Cambodian royal woman in the 70s, she would have been expected to be a virgin, and likely did not have much sexual experience before being subjected to repeated rape as a captive. The most positive reading of her relationship with Slade would be a reclamation of her own body and sexuality in a pursuit of fleeting joy in the most dire circumstances. 

Alternatively, and in my view more likely, you can read Lili as engaging in self-protection. She is unlikely to be able to get to Thailand as a lone woman, even with Slade’s gun. Slade has already almost died, he could easily decide the reward isn’t worth the risk and abandon her, or sell her back to the Khmer Rouge. She can’t know what he’ll do, and therefore she maximises her chances of being rescued by having this sexual relationship, the same way she survived in the brothel. Either she initiates proactively, or he does, and she is in no position to safely reject him. 

I don’t think this is antithetical to her conversations with Slade and continued relationship with him post-war. People are complicated, and ultimately Slade does save her, and would have saved her women, as well as being the only person who has shared her specific war trauma and heard her feelings at the time. 

[It’s really important to note here that, textually, none of these arguments hold true. In the text of the comic, Lili’s body becomes a reward for the white American rescuing her, and why she would desire him is not a question that occurs to Marv Wolfman.]

“It took us another two weeks to make it into Thailand. Wish it’d took two years” is up there with the most heinous things that Slade has ever said. 

It also shows that she didn’t keep a relationship with him the moment she got to Thailand and safety. Whether she was escaping him to freedom, or wanted to leave the unhealthy coping mechanism of him in the jungle, she did leave in the immediate aftermath of her rescue. Slade lets her, something which must have been a concern in the back of her mind after her previous imprisonment. 

I’m going to go into Lili’s life post-Cambodia in my next post, covering themes including tropes around Asian women as sex workers, her success and wealth, and her loving relationship with Rose. 

Here are some sources on representation and trope history I drew on to write this:

Before that, here's a post about her life between Cambodia and America and the Dragon Lady trope

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/03/26/asian-women-hollywood-portrayals/ 

http://unveilingthesilverscreen.digital.brynmawr.edu/tropes/lotus-blossom/

https://www.hercampus.com/school/american/the-dragon-lady-the-lotus-blossom-and-the-robot-archetypes-of-asian-women-in-western-media/ 

https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/09/archives/amulets-are-a-vital-part-of-a-cambodian-soldiers-equipment.html

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/women-speak-out-over-khmer-rouge-sexual-violence/j5wwh30x1 

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2019/11/feature-survivors-of-sexual-violence-in-cambodia-speak-out  

[greensaplinggrace]

do you have any darklina fic recs?

I certainly have a few! But first I want to clarify that I don’t really read fic when I’m writing it, and since I have so many fics in the works right now, I haven’t really been reading a lot of fanfiction. So this list probably won’t be as extensive as it could be.

Here are some other great fic recommendation posts, however:

DARKLINA FIC RECS by @vicioux

DARKLINA FIC RECS // part ii by @vicioux

Darklina Ruling the World Together Fic Recs by @clubofthestarlesssaint

Tumblr Ficlets

Aleksander’s First Memory by @kestrafagnor

Fivan Talk About Darklina by @jomiddlemarch

a little light in the great, big dark by @valkyrhys

Alina tells Mal she’s with Aleksander by @lorsanbitch

Darklina week day 5: intimacy & touch by @starlesscne

AO3 Fanfiction

if it ain’t me by larry_hystereks (Incomplete - 10/13 Chapters)

alina’s in her second year at Yale when she meets aleksander at one of his frat parties.

a hookup with the potential for more, only if alina wasn’t still struggling to piece herself together from last year’s breakup.

or: alina, zoya, their trust issues, and the men that fall for them

---

I’m only at about chapter 6 of this fic currently, but so far it’s one of my all time favorite Modern AUs. The characterization for Alina and Aleksander is incredibly well done, and the entire fic itself is so feminist and queer in such a refreshing way. Aleksander and Alina are bisexual as fuck, both with their own separate complex lives, and much of Alina’s own traumas and relationships are explored outside of Aleksander.

There’s some Zoyalina, with Nikolina friendship and endgame Zoyalai. There’s some mystery and some tension, but nothing too extreme, and a lot of the fic is merely an exploration in growth and overcoming one’s history and learning how to move on in healthy ways. I love it.

She Wears a Collar (With My Name) by Ceris_Malfoy (Complete)

She is immortal, and whatever lingering hints of humanity she may have once had have long been bleached from her heart.

I will grant you one wish, boy, if it is in my power to do so. What does a Shadow Smith most want?

"You," he answers.

Written for Darklina Week 2021 - Day 2: Role Reversal

---

This piece is just exquisite. This author’s writing style is one that I particularly enjoy. Their stuff is always so uniquely composed and crafted, and this one especially is a work of art. The way Darklina as a relationship is portrayed in particular is fascinating to me because it’s a role reversal but it’s still so complex. Aleksander’s character is nailed.

the bright sun was extinguish’d by athousandwinds (Complete)

Somewhere, deep in the dark forests of Ravka, a boy grows up on stories of Sankta Alina of the Wastes, the Sun-Scorched Saint.

---

This fic is just straight up magnificent. It’s so engaging and I love love love the way a role reversed Aleksander who joins the army is portrayed. He reminds me so much of Demon in the Woods Aleksander, as if he’s exactly what a grown version of that young boy would be. When I say I adore his characterization in this I’m not lying.

If I wanted any completed fic I’ve read to have a second chapter, it would be this one.

Winter in the Little Palace by redisxwing (Complete)

Written for Yuletide 2020.

Baghra and Alina's wildly different perspectives on the Darkling, and how things could have gone if nobody listened to Baghra.

Warning: Baghra is written as a harsh and arguably abusive parent, and this is darkfic about that relationship, with a side of shipping. Everything is terrible (except the parts that are pretty much okay).

Canon divergence pretty much as soon as Alina gets lessons in summoning.

This fic is likely not compatible with King of Scars (or any subsequent work).

---

As is said in the summary, this one makes Baghra a bit more extreme. If you’re a fan of Baghra, this fic probably isn’t for you. But since I’m not a fan of Baghra, I had no problems with it.

My biggest praise for this fic is in regards to the character interactions and the POVs. There’s a brilliant grasp of unique perspective and how to convey it, and that talent is carried over into the way character interactions are brought to life in the text. Also, there’s a scene where Alina gets kind of protective of the Darkling, which is one of my biggest weaknesses when it comes to Darklina.

Good Ideas by FelixRivers (Complete)

Alina Starkov had a very good idea. Aleksander Morozova would definitely agree. (or: Alina wants to go camping and Aleksander won't complain)

---

This fic is just straight up adorable and hilarious. They’re such a cute couple and Alina’s POV is great. It’s just pure fluff and humor 💕

I’m not a bad girl, but I do bad things with you by SanktaJenya - @sankta-arya (Complete)

Winter had been hard on Old Baghra and Ana Kuya was worried about her, so she decided that Alina should make the trip to her cottage on the other side of the woods to bring her some food and kvas. On her way there, Alina meets a stranger...

Darklina Red Riding Hood/Company of Wolves AU

Darklina Week, Day 4, Fairytales

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This fic has a splendid grasp of tension and atmosphere. It’s very enchanting and dark and intriguing, and it nails those aspects with absolute precision. I love the style and the way the fairytale is incorporated into the narrative. It’s truly a masterpiece.

The Wretched by @aceofnowhere (Complete)

“We are strangers, but I want to help.” He growls at her, mocking and mistrustful. “I understand,” she said. “You think I am one of them. I certainly look like one of them. But I want to help you. Will you let me?” Prompt: fairytale. Alina saves a dragon.

---

Okay so I’ve mentioned this one before as one of my Top 5 fics of all time and I still stand by that. I can’t even describe why I love this fic so much except that the pacing is amazing and the prose is stunning and the story is beautiful. Aleksander is a dragon and Alina is a witch, and their relationship is just so...interesting and fascinating and lovely. I would literally kill for this fic. There’s such a softness to it as well. Such a tenderness. Idk, I just really love it.

Show Me Who You Are (I Want To Know) by Ceris_Malfoy (Incomplete - 12/?)

Alina takes her future in her own hands and makes her own decisions.

---

This is a great “what if Alina had stuck around after the reveal” rewrite. It doesn’t have Mal bashing and in fact still writes them as close friends, which is something I’m fond of in Darklina fics. Aleksander is allowed to be soft and Alina is allowed to be powerful, and I really enjoyed the take on their dynamics as a power couple wherein Alina is given a lot of control.

There’s something to be said for the way Aleksander is written in the scenes where he must be honest and earnest with Alina. I really enjoy the way they both come to equal ground, and I’m even more fond of the way Alina is allowed to grow darker without losing her light. She also engages a lot with quite a few other characters, developing tons of friendships and alliances on her own that help strengthen her as an individual character.

on this bridge between starshine and clay by @rhea-imagined (Complete)

"His breath narrows for a moment, his fist clenched tight before he forces himself to loosen it. She is his only opportunity for salvation, but vulnerability is not a cape he wears easily. “In those days, there was less prejudice against Shadow Summoners. But everyone fears the dark, in one way or another.” He does not look at her as he waits for the penny to drop, half-hoping it stays suspended in the air."

In which Alexander comes clean to Alina and tells her about his true identity in hopes that this will help convince her to take down the Fold.

A rewrite of the fountain scene in episode four, with a good!Darkling that is trying to make amends.

---

This is my all-time favorite good!Aleksander AU. He’s kept in character despite the major changes made to his motivations, and Alina is given a lot more agency in her own story. It’s the first fic in what might become a series, but it can stand alone beautifully.

I love how Aleksander and Alina’s relationship is allowed to grow tense without breaking, and how it’s a clear sign of change but not abandonment. I love how both characters are able to think for themselves and become self-aware and are given the chance to think critically. I love the character interaction so much because it’s honest and fresh and engaging. Everything from the smallest action to the most off-hand thought is in character and meaningful and incorporated with an amazing style of writing. It’s a very refreshing piece, and the writing only makes it that much better.

Bunnies of a Feather Stitch Together by Ill_Ratte (Complete)

"Just as Alina called to the light, gathering and twisting it into a ball in her hands, the door swung open.

Kirigan blacked out the door frame. His appearance enough would have surprised Alina, but there was something clutched in his arm, something dark and floppy. It almost looked like the stuffed toys that had been passed around to the younger Orphans." - Alina and The Darkling bond over a love of soft things

---

Soft stuffed animal shenanigans. Bits of trans!Aleksander, which I’m very fond of, as well as just a lot of fluff with a bit of something bittersweet and sad in a good way.

Half Lie by Ill_Ratte (Complete)

"Baghra always talked of the demon that had stolen her daughter." Or, Alina learns the hard way that the Darkling isn't the only one who deals in half-truths

---

This one is trans!Aleksander, and it handles it in a very interesting way. It’s quite sad, and deals a lot with Baghra & Aleksander’s relationship through Alina’s POV. I want to give a warning for transphobia, because it does center around that a lot as the premise, but it really is worth the read if that isn’t a trigger for you. This is one of my favorite trans!Aleksander fics, and the way it handles emotion and grief and pain is quite extraordinary.

The CEO and Helioseismologist by mrthology (Complete)

Aleksander Morozova doesn't get sick. He's the CEO of one of the most successful companies in the world, one that he had built from the ground up with blood, sweat, and tears. He exercised daily (usually), maintained a healthy diet, and kept himself fit.

He wasn’t sick.

Too bad no one believed him. And too bad Genya decided to call Ivan to take him home before also calling Alina to take care of him.

Maybe, just maybe, being sick wasn't so bad. Especially not when he has such a wonderful girlfriend.

---

Both of the fics in this series are great, but I love this one in particular because I’m an absolute sucker for hurt/comfort. Anyone who’s been on my blog for a while knows that it’s my all time favorite trope to read, and this fic fits the hurt/comfort trope to a T in the best of ways. It’s very tender and in character, and Aleksander and Alina are so soft with each other. It’s adorable and really makes you feel for Aleksander, and the caretaking is done perfectly.

All the different layers of dark (thousand little suns) by Anuna (Complete)

One month after the Winter Fete, Aleksander returns to the Little Palace, and Alina has been missing him.

Or

Episode five canon divergence in which Alina had never left Os Alta.

---

This one is soft emotional hurt/comfort smut. They’re both so open and vulnerable with each other, and it’s so beautiful to read. I love the writing style and the emotion in this one. It makes my heart ache in the best way.

An Honourable Man by liviy695 (Complete)

A reimagining of the scene after the winter fete. Alina catches a glimpse of a caring Darkling after he returns from integrating the Conductor. Plus, no Baghra interference.

---

This one is what it says on the tin, in that Baghra doesn’t interfere and they’re allowed to talk after the Darkling interrogates the Conductor. But more than that, it’s a great imagining of how a scene where Aleksander reveals Marie’s death would have gone. There’s a sort of quiet to it that I appreciate, with grief and solemnity weighed against care and vulnerability.

I see the real you (even if you don’t, I do) by Anonymous (Incomplete - 8/?)

A series of questionable decisions lead Alina to meet the Black General a bit earlier. Butterfly effect ensues.

---

I’ve only read half so far (I hadn’t realized it had updated!! 👀👀) but I’m already in love with this fic. Alina’s dialogue and perspective is perfect, her relationship with Mal and the other cartographers is great, and I really enjoy how much personality she has. Aleksander is so smitten, but more than that, his characterization is soft but not weak. It feels almost as if he’s swept up by Alina, instead of the other way around, and I quite like that.

Of parenting by Anuna (Complete)

Alina finds out how her husband handled yet another parenting situation.

---

This is pure adorable Darklina parenting fluff and I live for it. Yet it doesn’t lack depth and in fact explored Alina and Aleksander’s relationship with parenting quite well.

i have a longing by LRCee - @ladylyannastark (Complete)

“So, Alina Starkov, risk-taker, how did you end up being editing’s newest wunderkind?”

Alina Starkov is rising in the publishing world. Singlehandedly responsible for editing (see: rewriting) the hottest book of the year, she lands a coveted spot at Morovoz Publishers. It's the position she's always wanted, at the biggest publishing house in the country. Life is perfect. That crush on her boss though, that's gotta go.

---

OKAY! I LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH!! Let me tell you, as someone who is not too fond of Boss/Employee dynamics, I was very wary going into this fic. But boy did it deliver in a way that was perfect for me.

The relationship that develops between Aleksander and Alina is complex but healthy, and it never feels as if there’s too much of a power imbalance or anything that would make Alina feel forced or unhappy. The tension lies purely in how she fears others will perceive her, and not in how unhealthy her relationship with Aleksander is. For somebody who’s often attracted to unhealthy ships, I have to say that my favorite fics are usually ones that don’t have that type of dynamic between the characters. This fic delivers on that.

Also, Aleksander’s POV surrounding his struggle with his Russian heritage and his feelings for Alina is amazing, and has some of the best writing and characterization I’ve seen.

You receive: an evil demon; I receive: human souls by @aceofnowhere (Complete)

The next morning while she tried to tell herself it was a dream, that of course there wasn’t a fucking demon in her house, she found a note taped to her fridge.

“You might eat this shit,” it had written, “but I would like some fucking souls please.”

Darkling Week Prompt 7: free choice. Alina has a demon in her house.

This is absolute crack, and I have no idea what the fuck is wrong with me.

---

May I just say that this is the most fun I’ve ever had when reading a fic. It’s interesting with a bit of mystery, and Aleksander as a little shit of a demon is hilarious. Alina in this fic is great too. It’s such a unique take on her POV, especially when you reread it after knowing the ending. 10000/10, this fic is brilliant in every way and I love it.

I had been lost to you, Sunlight by BrytteMystere (Complete)

A Girl became a Woman, became a Sankta, became a Goddess.

Or: An Immortal Alina calls upon merzost to reunite with the Prince of Shadows she lost long ago. She may have lost herself in the process.

But then again, maybe time and endless wars did that instead.

---

You really just have to read this one to get it. It is utterly haunting and fascinating in the best of ways. The writing style is strange and novel and fits so well with the story being told. The composition of the fic as a whole is genius.

I Look Inside Myself (And See My Heart Is Black) by Ceris_Malfoy (Complete)

"When is a monster not a monster? Why, when you love it, of course."

Written for Darklina Week 2021 - Day 6: Favorite Quote • King & Queen • Monster

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Once more, this author comes through with an absolutely breathtaking writing style and story. The imagery is elegant yet brutal, simultaneously horrifying and glorious. There’s a certain way these stories are written, like fairytales, where the beautiful becomes the macabre and becomes ever more stunning because of it. It’s very dark but in a good way - an almost bewitching way.

Afterlife by @aceofnowhere (Complete)

“You are asking me to leave?”

“Not asking, shadow,” she said. “Telling. Time to get unlost, loser.”

Day 3 Darklina Week prompt: Modern AU (I mean, barely)

Alina expels ghosts from purgatory.

---

@aceofnowhere once again bringing the best of the paranormal to the Grishaverse. Literally everything you write is amazing idk why I’m even pointing out individual fics when I could just rec your whole page. But anyways!! This is fun and interesting and Alina is a badass. Aleksander is, of course, compelling and dark and kind of a little shit, and it’s all incorporated seamlessly into an existential paranormal narrative.

Once Upon a Shooting Star by Ceris_Malfoy (Complete)

"But most of all, she was drawn to a vast darkness that reached out above all of them, a void so hungry for companionship that she knew she could fulfill."

---

Let. Alina. Be. Feral!! Anyways, I clearly have a type when it comes to storytelling, and it’s whatever the fuck this person has got going on. Feral!Star!Alina is literally the light of my life. Her interactions with not only other people but the world in general are so well done, but my favorite parts about this fic are the numerous ways her relationship with Aleksander is described and depicted.

I love the dark and light imagery, especially with how it’s portrayed as them filling in the gaps of each other’s lives and supporting each other instead of trying to block each other out. There’s such clear passion and joy and love and devotion between them. The central focus of this fic is on her and Aleksander’s relationship, the interplay between them and their powers and the way her light fills his loneliness, the passing of adoration and trust and reliance between them. It’s very beautiful and I love it.

A Blaze of Light by Keira_63 (Complete)

They discover the Sun Summoner in the burnt-out remains of the Shu laboratory in which she has spent the last seven years of her life.

Or, the Darkling finds himself with a Sun Summoner whose greatest wish is to burn Shu Han to the ground. He is happy to oblige her.

---

👀👀 Badass Alina and Badass Aleksander. The ultimate power couple, and Alina burning a path through Shu Han before they both burn a path through the world together. The darkness and rage in this one are handled very well, and the way that rage turns to coldness and then resolve is done so well. This fic is very cathartic and also very furious, and reading it is certainly a trip down emotion lane.

One more for the Road by Rist (Complete)

He returns to the war room shaken, and finds an Alina that cannot leave without at least having tried.

---

This one hurts so much but its soooo gooood!!! Very smutty but also very tender and very bittersweet. Sad and soft all at once. I just... love the way Alina and Aleksander are written so much, and Alina’s complicated feelings for him are explored in such detail and depth. This one is truly worth the read.

[kyogre-blue]

Hi. Sorry for the following rant, but you're the only person I know who seems to be having a hate-love relationship with genshin. Please feel free to ignore this though if you want.

So I was doing Zhongli's first story quest, about Havria, and it's revealed that when she died there was backlash due to her godly powers. Now I don't remember for certain if this is canon or fanon, but I also thought that the reason Osial was imprisoned and not killed was due to the backlash. So how did Zhongli's "death" not get questioned then? Like Rex Lapis' death should have leveled at least half of Teyvat. And maybe sure, common citizens wouldn't have this information, but at least the Adepti should have known. Was it explained somewhere and I just missed it?

Like Liyue arc was so full of plot holes it's not even funny anymore. (And this is coming from someone who is willing to overlook a few plot holes). Is it so hard for Mihoyo to hire some competent writers, or at least keep track of all that's being said. Like I get that writing is hard, but if you strip it to the bare bones genshin is a simple story, and I think if they had kept that in mind they could have done so much better.

Again sorry for the long rant. i guess I just needed to vent a little bit.

Ah, you poor soul....

You made the classic mistake. When reading Genshin, you felt the hollowness of the storyline and the lack of any logic or explanation behind its events, so you instinctively tried to connect what was happening to other parts of the story. Your self-made explanation made sense, it felt good, so you assumed it was actually canon. But it's not.

There is no reason ever given for why Morax sealed his enemies instead of killing them. This is simply never discussed or mentioned. Same way there is no explanation for why the Traveler wants to see Morax's corpse so bad, or why we think a Guizhong Ballista will help us look for the cocogoat. We just do it because the plot needs us to do it.

In regard to gods exploding when they die, it seems to be something they can choose to control. The energy Andrius unleashed when he died (because, yeah, he's a ghost in present day) was actually beneficial to Mondstadt, since it change the previously frozen climate to something warmer. There's also no mention of Deshret or Rukkhadevata causing any big explosions with their deaths.

Take your personal pick of whether Havria was just taken too much by surprise to control it, was too weak and pathetic to control it, or if she decided to fuck up those bitches who shanked her on purpose.

In regard to why the adepti never question the whole "Rex Lapis was MURDERED" thing, it's because his supposed murder is just a plot device to have a cool sequence of events where the Traveler is a fugitive for some reason. After the end of Act 1, the entire concept of his death being caused by someone intentionally is largely dropped. EDIT: On replay, there's some mention from Keqing that the Qixing would nominally be the best suspects (though no explanation how they could have possibly achieved it), but that the adepti simply do not believe humans could have done it. On the other hand, they also never mention the adepti looking for any non-human culprit, so... do they think he just dropped dead from old age? This is never explained. At the end, the Qixing just tell the human populace that Morax failed a heavenly trialed and uh ascended or something.

At the most generous, you can say that "murder" was just Ningguang's kneejerk reaction and she sweeps it under the rug as quickly as possible once she realizes how stupid it is, and the adepti never took it that seriously. They're just mad in a generic way that Rex Lapis is dead, whatever the cause might be.

Honestly, Genshin's plot being stupid is like... it's bad. But it's made infinitely worse for me by that fact that the characters are worse. The characterization and (lack of) character arcs are just... I can't do this. Why does this """story""" even exist? It's so pointless.

....I mean, I know why it exists. GOTTA SELL THOSE ANIME WAIFUS