#This is why I joined the Sly Cooper community

[umbra-borealis]

I'm not saying self shipping or oc x canon is bad not at all, but I will call out the Thief community on its lack of gay stuff which I find funny and odd cause out of all things out there Thief feels incredibly fruity to me. Yall ever rescue your homies from a burning building? Yall show me that and expect me to be normal about that? You expect me to NOT assume Garrett is a lil fruity with Basso? Cmon.

Not even a little bit of the forbidden relationship trope with a watchman or something? Shit am I the only one who has lore to justify this man being trans? man you guys are lucky I can't draw humans for shit because of all the queer bullshit I would introduce to the tags.

[extraneousdominomask]

Family.

This was, technically, Elyna’s second ever Día de Muertos.

That first autumn had bled into winter in a blur. Things in the house had been hectic, and tense. Understandably tense. Justifiably tense. Even without the exceptional circumstances, the ghost of a murderer hanging over this lovely home, it was easy for traditions to slide a little. It had taken a lot of careful effort to “adopt” her.

Oops. She was doing it again. The thing her therapist had pointed out where she didn’t classify the things that happened to her as real, because she didn’t see herself as real, but everything she felt was more than real so it only made sense to drop that habit and accept herself.

It had taken a lot of effort to adopt her. Yes.

That was what had happened. About fourteen months ago, this family, this wry and well-liked pillar of the local community, had revealed that they actually had a second daughter. Older and taller and much more purple than the pre-existing daughter. And they included her in everything. Last night, she had shared a wonderful Hallowe’en with them.

And now it was November 1st. From one holiday right into another.

Sly wasn’t a particularly spiritual man, despite - because of? - all the actual, literal undead creatures he had battled in his youth. He loved a good excuse to celebrate, though. As well as the big, basically secular holidays, he was happy to join his wife in her own traditions. The Montoyas and the Foxes were spread across pretty much the entire Spanish-speaking world and beyond, and at this point Carmelita essentially just picked her favourites. Factoring in all the globe-trotting they had both done, separately and together, the household’s annual calendar was… interestingly blended.

So, an archetypal Hallowe’en was always followed by a traditional Día de Muertos. It wasn’t a total shift in tone - it was important to remember the deceased with love and good humour, something this household could produce in industrial quantities - but there was a certain reverence to proceedings that was noticeably absent on the preceding night of pumpkins and candy and horror films.

Carmelita took this fairly seriously. That was why Elyna was dreading it.

Sly had stepped out, taking B with him. An annual raid for clearance candy. A shared activity Elyna preferred them to keep for themselves. This was her best shot. She had no idea how she was going to get through this conversation, even removing the possibility of her father bursting in with a poorly-timed joke.

‘Her father’. She reflected on those words as she stalked towards the living room. Sly Cooper was the source of half her genetics. The necessary ingredient that made her a test-tube baby instead of an unfeasible clone. And despite a… tense first meeting, she hadn’t had much difficulty accepting the fact he was her father. It was exactly that. A fact. His overtures of friendliness, everything he did to make her feel welcome, came with a solid, scientific basis.

His wife, though… 

Elyna let herself into the living room. It already looked so different from the makeshift movie theatre it had been last night. This was a small town, with an almost suspiciously low crime rate. There wasn’t that much work even for the Chief of Police, and that leftover energy meant quick and efficient decorating and undecorating and redecorating. 

The only survivors were the skeletons, grinning and painted, specific to Día de Muertos but certainly not out of place last night. But the pumpkins and cobwebs and big orange candles were gone. The back wall had been cleared, making space for several beautiful ofrendas. 

Elyna’s eye lingered on one corner, distinct from what was otherwise a sea of severe foxes. A photograph was the focal point, per tradition. It depicted two raccoons. One had black hair and sharp, intelligent eyes - still noticeably green in the otherwise faded colour palette. She was giving the camera a quiet smirk. The other was only identifiable as a raccoon by the hint of his striped tail sneaking up through the bottom of the frame. His arm was lovingly around the woman’s shoulders, but his face was totally obscured. 

Every year, Carmelita asked if Sly seriously didn’t have a better photo of his father, and every year, Sly would make a fresh joke about the man’s lifelong animosity with cameras. Just another tradition. Another ritual, part of the smooth running of the holiday.

“Your grandparents.”

Carmelita was adjusting a small figurine of an acoustic guitar with pinpoint precision, getting it in exactly the right spot relative to a smiling ancestor. But she had heard Elyna come in, and knew where those hazel eyes were focused.

“Conner Cooper, and his wife Beatrice,” she continued. “B is named after both of her grandmothers, actually. It’s made easier by the fact Sly’s mother preferred to be called Trixie.”

Elyna took another look at the bulk of the ofrendas, remembering her sister’s full name. “But, um, Zoe’s not up here, right?”

Carmelita smiled to herself. “Not yet she isn’t. Or my father. Too stubborn. At this rate, they might both outlast you.”

It was a harmless joke. One Elyna had to stop herself from hearing as a threat.

Carmelita straightened up, turning thoughtful. “We’re overdue for a visit,” she said. “I thought we had introduced you, but apparently not.”

These sorts of forgetful exchanges were becoming rarer. Elyna fiddled with a stand of her black hair - she was growing it out, and still getting used to it, and didn’t need distractions right now. Didn’t need to think about how she never met her father’s wife’s parents. Her step-mother’s parents. Her step-grandparents.

This was her chance. Her best shot. She should just follow her training and seize the moment. Without fear.

“I have a question,” she mumbled. “About this, I mean.”

“Oh?” 

“I, uh,” said Elyna, “have no idea whether I should put up a picture of my mom.”

The living room went silent.

Silence was one of the reactions Elyna had been expecting, and it was honestly one of the better ones. But that didn’t make it comfortable. “It’s just,” she attempted, “it’s kinda unclear to me if it’s all your family, or just the ones you…”

“The belief,” said Carmelita, crisply, “is that by setting up an ofrenda you’re inviting that person’s spirit into your home.”

“Right.”

“So you do it for people you want in your home.”

“Right,” said Elyna again, quieter.

A few moments passed. And then Carmelita sighed. Her posture, which had become rigid, uncoiled a little. “There’s no one answer,” she said, more diplomatically. “The spirit of the holiday is remembering the togetherness of family. But we both know that’s how things should be, not how they always are. Not everyone is so lucky.”

“I’m sorry.” Elyna was back to fiddling with her hair. “I know it’s a stupid question.”

“Not at all. I’ve always held there’s no such thing as a stupid question.” She put on an expression of exaggerated tiredness. “Or at least I used to say that, before moving in with your father…”

Elyna chuckled at that, and Carmelita smiled. That was always Sly’s strategy for smoothing a bumpy discussion - knowing when to include a soft joke. Carmelita had gotten better at it herself over the years.

“Has this been worrying you for long?”

“It’s kind of been in my head on and off for the past month. Sorry for only bringing it up now. And sorry for…” Elyna sighed. “I shouldn’t even be asking you about this. I know how much Mo- …how much Neyla hurt you both. Obviously you don’t want a picture of her in your living room.”

“The question,” said Carmelita softly, “is do you?”

Said question hung in the air for a few moments, unanswered. Carmelita intently watched the teenage girl in front of her. She looked so much like Neyla. But standing there, her paws awkwardly clasped, her gaze nervously on the floor, she couldn’t be more different.

“Do you know the origins of this holiday?”

Elyna managed to tear her eyes off the carpet, watching Carmelita carefully.

“It’s pre-Columbian,” she explained. “The practice of honouring the dead is rooted in the ancient cultures of Mexico. It was an important part of life for the people who lived there long before the Europeans came.  The modern version we celebrate today is a mixture of those original practices with a Catholic influence. That’s why it’s held on this date, for instance - to sync up with the church calendar. I think it’s important to remember it’s a blend.”

Elyna’s ear flicked. “A ‘blend’? That’s a pretty nice way of putting it. I’m no historian, but Hernán Cortés didn’t just step off his boat and ask everyone to play nice, did he?”

“No,” said Carmelita quietly.

“It’s not a blend. A blend would be if the Europeans and the natives set out to make something nice together. This is some kind of Frankenstein monster made when one group was just minding their own business and someone else came up behind them and-”

It was Elyna’s turn to fall silent.

“Oh,” she said.

Her face scrunched up a little, and Carmelita sighed. ���That’s… not what I meant. Or at least not exactly.”

“You only kind of meant to call me a Frankenstein, got it,” muttered Elyna, who was, fantastical circumstances or not, still a teenage girl.

“I didn’t call you anything.” Carmelita’s voice was steady. Not sharp, but steely, leaving no room for argument. She hadn’t thought much about motherhood earlier in her life, but she had always been able to keep a firm grip on an unpleasant discussion, and that was one of the fundamental requirements. “Try not to assume the worst of what I’m saying.”

Elyna stayed quiet.

“But… yes. I suppose it might be an applicable metaphor. You’ve got two sides to you, too. You’re Neyla’s, and you’re Sly’s. You’re the result of some cruel revenge scheme, and you’re a person with your own desires. Who you are now is a product of both.”

“That’s… yeah.” Elyna rubbed her arm sheepishly. “That’s pretty much what’s been eating at me. Neyla was an objectively bad person. And like, I never even met her, so it’s not like I’m attached. Or at least I shouldn’t be attached…”

Not for the first time, Carmelita privately despaired at the uncertainty in the girl’s tone. That therapist had a lot to work through.

“…but the fact is, I wouldn’t exist without her. At all. And that’s… It’s just weird.” She paused. “Yeah.”

“And now all those confusing feelings have a physical problem. Whether or not to put up her picture.”

“Yeah…” 

“I’m not being flippant when I say I don’t know what to tell you,” said Carmelita. “Not everyone in my family tree was a saint. No-one can claim that. But as far as I know, we never had a Neyla.”

“As far as you know,” echoed Elyna. “That sounds like the answer, then. Monsters get written out of the family history.”

“They don’t get invited to parties, at least,” she replied. “Which, like I said, is the spirit. It’s keeping your family close, because you never want to forget their warmth.”

Elyna resisted the urge to scoff. Purely for Carmelita’s benefit - it wasn’t directed at her. ‘Remembering warmth’. There wasn’t any warmth to remember when it came to Neyla. To the brisk, clipped instructions Elyna had been left in lieu of a childhood.

She felt the decision click into place.

“Let’s not do it.”

Carmelita, to her credit, kept her reaction diplomatic. “You’ve decided?”

“Yeah. If the point is remembering the good times, well… A photograph of Neyla is just a waste of space.”

In other circumstances, Carmelita would have shown more enthusiasm for an insult that harsh, that confidently delivered. But she knew to tread relatively lightly, so she just offered Elyna a smile. “Well said. I’m glad I could help.”

“Yeah. Thanks a lot.” Elyna nervously returned it. “I was hoping you’d know what to do. And, I knew that you, y’know… I mean, I can ask Dad for advice on a lot of things, and it’s usually pretty good, but-”

“Happy Skeleton Day~!”

The door swung open, revealing a grinning Sly. They hadn’t heard him come through the front door, but he had no qualms about announcing his presence.

“How’s it going?” His eyes, the same hazel as Elyna’s, fell on the ofrendas. “Oh, wow. These look better and better every year, ‘Lita.”

“Oh, I didn’t do much differently…” said Carmelita, but her face betrayed how much she appreciated the comment.

He planted a kiss on her cheek, then planted himself beside her, husbandly. 

“Where’s B?”

“Oh, she ran straight to her room,” he said. “Pretty sure she’s stashing her candy in a secure location. Or locations. Who knows how many caches she might have…”

Carmelita sighed. “Is that raccoon behaviour, or fox behaviour…?”

“Oh, both. Absolutely both. It’s a marvel she eats anything at dinner.”

He turned his warm smile more towards Elyna.

“So, what are you two talking about?”

“Just, uh, holiday stuff,” said Elyna. “I had a weird question. Carmelita is a good person to ask.”

“She is! Honestly, I just follow her lead.” He glanced over to her. “Speaking of, there’s still a few things to figure out about the big dinner. Bentley and Penelope are easy to cook for, but I like to give Murray new options where I can. Any thoughts?”

Seizing this chance for a tactful retreat, Elyna began to drift towards the door. “I might, uh, go check on B.”

“Good idea,” said Carmelita. “Again, I’m glad I could answer your question. You can always talk to me, Elyna.” That earned a smile, once much less nervous.

“Thanks, Mom.”

There was a pause.

Sly was pretty sure that blushes weren’t supposed to show up through fur, and yet, the lilac of Elyna’s face seemed to briefly veer into a much more reddish purple. Her hazel eyes were wide and unblinking. “mrrghg,” she said.

“Come again?” said Sly, unruffled.

“I said ‘okay bye’,” said Elyna and she was gone an instant later.

The door clicked shut with surprising gentleness. Sly chuckled. “Well…”

He stopped, finally noticing his wife had a similar facial expression.

“‘Lita? Everything alright?”

She blinked, twice, and suddenly she was back. It was still hard to slow Carmelita Fox down. “Sorry. Just wasn’t expecting that.”

Sly’s smile was wry, but his voice was soft. “I was.”

Carmelita leaned against him, and they stood there for a moment, half-embracing in their living room. Logistical questions about dinner plans and decorations fell away, briefly, as they savoured the feeling in the air. What had just happened, and the unique atmosphere of the day, and, of course, each other.

The silence was broken by a soft murmur.

“She’s a good kid.”

“Really?” said Sly innocently. “She doesn’t get it from me!”

Carmelita scoffed. 

“Okay, maybe she does,” he admitted. “I have many wonderful qualities to pass on, as is evident in both our daughters…”

He cupped his wife’s cheek. Lost himself, for a moment, in those deep brown eyes.

“But you’re a better influence than I could ever be.”

Her reply was a kiss. 

The moment passed, slowly, but they didn’t hurry to get back to decorating. It was still early, and they had several hours before the annual dinner they held for Murray and Bentley and Penelope - familial relations just as important as the gallery of photographs in front of them. As the girls engaged in hushed discussion of cheap chocolate upstairs.

“Oh,” said Carmelita. “While she and I were talking, I realized that Elyna’s never met my parents. We should fix that.”

“We should,” said Sly. “Sometime in winter, maybe? Whenever suits your folks. Might take us a little while to get over there, but we could throw in a few detours on the way, really make use of the journey…”

She smiled. “And when did I say we’d be going to them? They’d be perfectly happy to come here. You’re just-”

“-taking every chance I see to go on a trip, yes,” he smirked back. “C’mon, ‘Lita, you can hardly be that surprised. Old habits, etcetera…”

���Are you really so eager to escape?”

She said it as a joke, but he didn’t bounce back with another quip. He stood there, in his living room. His daughters upstairs. His parents watching over him from behind the glass of their picture frame. His brothers and sister-in-law, still thriving, quietly, the same way he was, on their way in a few hours. And, above all else, the love of his life in his arms.

His smile was as warm as his voice.

“Nah. We’ve got something pretty good here.”

[rpgmgames]

March’s Featured Game: Abigail Fortune and the Dreams of Azure

DEVELOPER(S): Fusoloid ENGINE: RPG Maker MV GENRE: Adventure, RPG SUMMARY: Abigail Fortune's adventures continue in Paris! As she obtains information about a mysterious treasure called "Azure Dreams", the gentlewoman thief is joined by her old friend, Marguerite "Maria" Montblanc. Together the ladies must discover the true identity of the treasure, find out the truth behind the treasure's owner, and avoid falling permanently into the most wonderful dream...

Our Interview With The Dev Team Below The Cut!

Introduce yourself! I am Heidi K., also known as Fusoloid. I'm a Finnish university student, and I've been in the RPG Maker community since the early 2010's. I got much more active in following the community after I started developing my own games, however. I love art, studying cultures, and all in all, I'm here to be creative and have a good time!

What is your project about? What inspired you to create your game initially? *Fusoloid: The Abigail Fortune series is, essentially, about the eponymous gentlewoman thief and her many adventures. I was inspired to make a story about a thief after binge-watching the first Lupin III anime series in late 2014, and after playing the demo of an RPGM game called Pumpkin Panic! around the same time, I decided to make it a game series on RPG Maker.

How long did you work on your project? *Fusoloid: I've been working on the AF series as a whole since late 2014. Proper work on Dreams of Azure started in 2017, after the release of the first game in the series, The Scarlet Fairy. Of course, even before that, I had outlined the major plot points and many of the characters, and even made some character sketches, though most of my efforts were focused on The Scarlet Fairy until it was released.

Did any other games or media influence aspects of your project? *Fusoloid: Lupin III is the obvious biggest inspiration behind the series; major characters like Abigail, Marguerite and the Interpol duo of Cynthia and Neil were inspired by the major characters of Lupin III. Games like Persona 5, the Sly Cooper series and even the Uncharted series have inspired me in one way or another. Of course, I've been inspired by other pixel RPGs too, like The Witch's House, Dreaming Mary, Virgo VS the Zodiac and the LiEat series.

Have you come across any challenges during development? How have you overcome or worked around them? *Fusoloid: One thing I've had challenges with Dreams of Azure is the more complex battle system I want to implement. Sometimes effects or features I wanted to include in the battle system weren't possible to implement, either due to the restrictions of the engine/plugin, or the complexity of the coding needed for it. Currently I've changed things so that these effects work differently than what I initially intended, but in a similar fashion.

Did any aspects of your project change over time? How does your current project differ from your initial concept? *Fusoloid: The story has probably changed the most out of all other aspects! The initial story was set in France like the current one, but the characters and story progression were completely different. Some time during 2016, I realized that the story wouldn't work as an RPG-style game too well, so I rewrote it to what it is now. Of course, that original story idea isn't completely abandoned yet...

What was your team like at the beginning? How did people join the team? If you don’t have a team, do you wish you had one or do you prefer working alone? *Fusoloid: I've worked on the series mostly by myself, but I've had some help from a certain friend of mine. She did the playtesting for The Scarlet Fairy, and also proofread and illustrated The Scarlet Emperor spinoff novella for me. I don't have any regrets about working (mostly) alone on the series, but I sometimes think I should learn a bit more about how Javascript works... a bit.

What was the best part of developing the game? *Fusoloid: Writing the story and making the art! I love writing dialogue and just writing down ideas for interactions that could be either funny or entertaining to the player or myself. Making the various character portraits is something I enjoy most about making the game's art, and I love conveying the different characters' personalities with their expressions and reactions.

Do you find yourself playing other RPG Maker games to see what you can do with the engine, or do you prefer to do your own thing? *Fusoloid: I often play other RPGM games to become inspired or to find new ideas, often times for puzzles and aesthetic stuff. For example, I would play Pocket Mirror or Dreaming Mary to get ideas for the aesthetic of Dreams of Azure's main location, and then play games like Ib or The Witch's House for puzzle ideas. Of course, I don't want to directly rip off anything, and I like doing my own thing and putting in my own twists as well.

Which character in your game do you relate to the most and why? (Alternatively: Who is your favorite character and why?) *Fusoloid: While I do like all of my character in one way or another, my favorite overall character will probably always be Abigail. She's extremely fun to write, and it's interesting to write a character who disguises her true self under a multitude of different personas. However, at the same time, there's the same person at the core of every disguise, and I want to develop that core character with every new entry in the series. And also, I just love charming rogues with a heart of gold... ♥

Looking back now, is there anything that regret/wish you had done differently? *Fusoloid: There isn't anything I regret with The Dreams of Azure, but regarding my game development journey in general, I wish I had started with something small instead of jumping straight into a bigger project. The Scarlet Fairy feels really unpolished in retrospect, and had I known more about the engine beforehand, I think I could've probably created much more creative ways of progression, as well as more interesting puzzles.

Do you plan to explore the game’s universe and characters further in subsequent projects, or leave it as-is? *Fusoloid: Of course! The Abigail Fortune series will certainly continue after Dreams of Azure, and I already have a multitude of ideas on how the series will continue. AF3 will definitely come one day, but there will be a bunch more stuff coming out before that.

With your current project, what do you look most forward to upon/after release? *Fusoloid: The reaction from the fans! I love seeing how people talk about my stuff and what they liked and enjoyed about it. There's also just the incredibly satisfying feeling of being able to complete something and releasing it into the wild.

Is there something you’re afraid of concerning the development or the release of your game? *Fusoloid: The reaction from the fans, surprisingly. While I love seeing people enjoy my stuff, I'm also extremely terrified of releasing any big project due to my fear of being judged or unjustly critiqued. If it's something big and something I spent a lot of time on, having it be called bad or terrible would be the worst thing I could think of. I think this fear stems from years of bad experiences in my youth... I've done my best to work on this, of course, but I still notice myself getting very nervous.

Do you have any advice for upcoming devs? *Fusoloid: If you're thinking about getting into game developing, start from small projects. These projects don't have to be any longer than 5 minutes, as long as you finish them and learn new things about the engine you're using. Secondly, when you start your first bigger project, WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN. From puzzles to dialogue to how the story advances, write everything down on a document of some kind so you can easily go through the progression of the plot without suffering and having to come up with things on the fly as you're making the game. And thirdly, BACK UP YOUR PROJECT FILES! Save 'em on an external hard drive, send 'em to an online cloud, send 'em to a friend; anything goes as long as your hard work will be preserved in case of disaster!!

Question from last month's featured dev @doc-saturn: What's something you learned while making this game? Is there anything you're trying to learn how to do right now? *Fusoloid: Parallax mapping! I decided to try out parallax mapping for the first time for The Dreams of Azure, and it's a lot of fun! The maps look a lot better than in The Scarlet Fairy, and it's fun to think of set pieces and decorations for the maps. However, making changes into the maps after having completed them can be a bit of a hassle...

We mods would like to thank Fusoloid for agreeing to our interview! We believe that featuring the developer and their creative process is just as important as featuring the final product. Hopefully this Q&A segment has been an entertaining and insightful experience for everyone involved!

Remember to check out Abigail Fortune and the Dreams of Azureif you haven’t already! See you next month! 

- Mods Gold & Platinum

[journeysintowebcomics]

Worm Liveblog #94

UPDATE 94: Skitter Doesn’t Approve

Last time the Undersiders fought several of the white supremacists and managed to defeat them! Now it’s time to obtain their victory spoils: one of their foes shall join them, willingly or unwillingly. Skitter isn’t pleased. Let’s see how this goes.

“To use a cliché, you can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Tattletale said, a light smile on her face.

Victor had been the one to be chosen, he’s not really looking forward to any sort of cooperation. Guess this means Regent will have to force him. In a long-term plan, that may be good, but it also is very morally wrong.

As expected, Skitter is not okay with this. She disagrees entirely and is seething because nobody took the time to tell her they were going to force someone to be in their team. It undoubtedly is to have a chance against Coil, but Skitter has standards.

But I couldn’t shake the other possibility.  They could have left me in the dark because they knew I’d object. And now that I was filled in on this plan, I couldn’t object without making the group look weak.  Tattletale would know that.  She would know I wouldn’t screw us over, even with my objections, and this next part of the plan would go ahead whether or not I agreed or not.

That’s definitely what happened. Not only that, I’m sure they also are expecting Skitter to realize raising objections here in front of everyone is a bad idea. They knew she’d be unhappy and they count on her deciding their position of strength is more important than her anger.

It’s clever, but it also has the potential to turn ugly if done wrong. I just hope this won’t lead to a rift.

Appealing to his possibly inexistent good nature isn’t a good strategy, so instead they appeal to what he’d want: talents and powers. He’ll be in proximity to some skilled individuals, the cream of the crop chosen by Coil. It’s a good chance to gather skills! Will that entice Victor to agreeing to join them?

It won’t. In fact, he’s getting kind of cocky.

“The PRT trains its squads in resisting and reacting to master-category attacks.  I’ve picked up some things,” Victor’s chin raised a fraction.

I wouldn’t be surprised if what he has picked up from them is enough to resist Regent’s power. If that happens...well, I don’t know what other options there are. He seems difficult to coerce. Perhaps someone else in the white supremacist group can convince him?

Regent is actually looking forward to some resisting, because it could mean practicing against someone who is actually able to fight back. It’s starting to look like a stalemate in here, and nobody on any side is willing to relent. Actually...Skitter is willing, but she won’t, for the sake of not undermining the Undersiders.

If nobody is going to yield, then they’re going to force the issue by hurting the person Victor seems to care about, fellow teammate Othala. They even have matching outfits. Othala’s power is to give abilities to other people, but she can’t give them to herself. She can help others heal, she can’t heal herself. That’s what makes her a prime target, they don’t hesitate to start battering her up.

Well, if one shove of her head onto the ground counts as battering. It hurts, yeah, but it may not be the worst injury they have ever got. Victor is horrified nonetheless. He’s involved romantically with her, that’s why.

The story behind their relationship is that Victor was going to marry a general in Kaiser’s organization, but she died so instead he settled with her cousin. My guess is that they had to do that because you can’t just back off an advantageous marriage – for the family/organization, I guess – even if a person dies. This could have gone awry, but instead Othala and Victor genuinely like each other, so all is well what ends well.

“This is your plan?” Victor sneered.  “Hate to break it to you, but we’ve talked this shit out.  It’s called communication.  You won’t be revealing any big secrets to break us up.”

The only time someone resisted well enough Tattletale’s sly tongue is when Jack cut her face open. This bravado has already antagonized Regent and Tattletale. At this point I just wonder which one of them will get their vindication first, because I have no doubt Victor will be convinced somehow.

To his credit, he’s fighting back by arguing they love each other, and he sounds like he really does. Doesn’t seem like he’s saying all this stuff just to keep appearances or to defy Tattletale. I completely loathe what group he’s from, but he’s not misleading his girlfriend around, he’s got that on his favor. Othala agrees with everything he’s saying. It’s not a fairy-tale romance at all, but it’s their romance and that’s enough for them.

Tattletale stepped forward, “Or because your names and faces are known to the public, and instead of being part of your group by choice, you’re part of the group because nobody else will have you?”

I don’t think she’s wrong. A reputation is something difficult to leave behind. Skitter herself’s problems trying to assert herself as a heroine during the early arcs prove that. Victor and Othala are very unlikely to ever be redeemed. All they have is the group they’re in right now, and also each other.

Theeere it is, the moment where Tattletale’s insinuations and talking leads somewhere, just like I expected. Victor realizes everything Tattletale has been saying about Victor’s feelings isn’t to needle him. It’s to make Othala doubt him. That wipes his smirk off his face, which I’m taking as a sign there’s some progress here. Nice! I don’t think Othala really believed anything or is paying much attention to all that, but can Victor afford to have doubt sowed into his relationship? If not, then this could be the stick they needed.

“What other options do we have, if we want to pressure you?  You’re invincible for at least a little while longer, but even without that, if we beat and tortured you, I think we’d come out behind, just by virtue of how far we’d have to go before we got past whatever interrogation resistance techniques you’ve stolen.  Wouldn’t be much different if we beat and tortured Othala.  We’d piss you off, but I don’t think we’d break you. So at the very least, this is a more civilized route of attack.”

It’s pretty much the same logic they had when they were kicking Othala’s face into the pavement. She can heal others, but she can’t heal herself. Othala can help others, but can’t help herself.

Now that the jig’s up, they press on, intending to reel him in before he gets time to think or react. Tattletale tells him he’d fight them just to spite them, and that it’s not worth it. They also decide to give him some time to think about it while they go and loot the places these few people were at. I doubt the Undersiders are genuinely interested in anything left behind, this is just a tactic to give him some time to consider his position...and for Othala to sweat, too. She seems a bit desperate.

Silence lingered for a good minute.

“You can cheat,” Othala said.

“Not now, O.”

“We open up the relationship.  You do what you need to, just promise that if you don’t find what you’re looking for, you come back.”

Despite who she is, I feel kind of bad for her. Tattletale did manage to worm into her head enough, and Victor can see it. Skitter also tries to appeal to her, just to get shut down immediately. Suddenly I don’t feel kind of bad for Othala.

Victor tried to coach Othala so she wouldn’t give any signs Tattletale was getting under her skin, so Skitter intervenes by planting black widow spiders on his face. That’s dangerous! And she even says she’s not controlling their instincts! That part...I think she’s lying. Skitter wouldn’t be so cavalier about poisoning someone with black widow venom. I’m sure she’s lying, and Victor will believe it and not say or move at all.

These spiders also give her the chance to be passive-aggressive once Tattletale returns:

Tattletale turned to look my way, and I met her eyes.  I left the bugs in place.

“Could you please move the spiders?”  She asked.

“Of course.” I dismissed them, but I didn’t break eye contact.

She’s going to have plenty of words after this scene is over. Be afraid, Tattletale, ye have stumbled upon Skitter’s wrath.

Victor is undecided. That’s better because it’s not a ‘no’, that’s progress. Still not enough, though.

“Maybe you could provide me some incentive?”

He needs to win on some level if he’s going to make a concession, I thought.

Regent shrugged.  “I could keep you for seventy-two hours, if you don’t cooperate, or thirty-six if you do.”

Victor turned to look at Regent.  “That’ll do.”

Does that count as a victory? I’m not really sure it does, it’s not like Regent has conceded anything. It was simply a statement that’s, well, kind of fair?

That aside, it’ll be only for thirty-six hours? Hm...that’s awfully little time. I doubt Coil will be defeated during the next 36 hours. There are two possibilities, then. Either Regent will lie and keep him for longer than the promised 36 hours, or whatever Victor will do during this time will set the foundations for the Undersiders’ attack. Both scenarios are equally likely, although I’m pretty sure Skitter would object strongly to keeping Victor with them for longer than necessary. It should all be okay as long as she doesn’t take actions to let him go once the time is over. By now she wouldn’t dare to betray the team, but...her moral code is strong. She won’t turn a blind eye to this.

Leaving the area is a bit of a hassle. Everyone except Skitter and Imp leaves. The reason these two stayed behind is so Night can’t transform. Once the rest of the Undersiders are away, Skitter and Imp move, notifying their foes it’s okay to move once Skitter is so far away their enemies are at the edge of her range. Now that things are going more or less smoothly for the team, it’s confrontation time!

“I’m not going to ‘relax’.  You two deliberately left me in the dark, there.  Or it was an exceedingly stupid oversight to forget to mention it, and I know Tattletale isn’t stupid.”

“It was only sort of deliberate.  Regent didn’t have any part in that.”

I find it hard to believe it wasn’t completely deliberate. No way Tattletale didn’t know this would be Skitter’s reaction.

Skitter is okay with the controlling – sorta – because of the targets. Shadow Stalker...well, Skitter has bias there, of course. Shatterbird is a mass murderer and therefore there’s nobody in the world particularly concerned about her rights. Victor is different in that he’s not as bad as those two. Supposedly. Honestly, it’s hard to be as bad as Shatterbird unless you’re a mass murderer too, so he’s as bad as Shadow Stalker at most, and it’s not like Shadow Stalker is the worst person ever. She’s plenty bad but not worse than Shatterbird.

“See, that’s what throws me,” Tattletale said.  “I don’t see that big a difference between Victor and Shadow Stalker.”

It’s not like she’s wrong. Shadow Stalker and Victor are on the same level of awfulness, I just said that, just that instead of being relentless and unwilling to be anything near heroic, Victor is racist. Pretty bad, yup.

Skitter wants to give Victor the benefit of doubt, all because she doesn’t know him at all. Tattletale’s knowledge would have sufficed, yet she didn’t tell her anything. That’s her complaint here, that nobody took the time to tell her the plan. She’d have gotten all her objections out, she’d have been informed of Victor’s character...etc, etc. Communication! That’s what she wants!

“And, of course, now we’re locked into this thing, and I can’t help but wonder if I can trust you in the future.”

“That’s rich,” Regent said, “Coming from you.”

Pretty daring affirmation from Skitter. I doubt anyone is amused.

Indeed, her earlier betrayal leaves her with no room to argue anything about betraying or not trusting. For a moment I thought Regent was a tad rancorous about that, but he clarifies he doesn’t care. He’s just stating Skitter doesn’t have a moral high ground at all, and it’s not like he’s wrong. It’s somewhat hypocritical of her to be saying that stuff.

It’s established Skitter’s beef here is that she wasn’t informed of anything, and that now it’s her turn to show a bit of graciousness and forgive them. I have to side with Tattletale on this one, really.

“And how often can this happen before I can say we’re taking it too far?  Regent’s power is going to get us in trouble, one way or another.  If our enemies decide that the threat of being mind-controlled is too big, and band together against us, it might be creating more of a disadvantage than an advantage.”

I’m pretty sure all enemies worth their salt knew about that already. If they didn’t take any actions so far, then they’re not likely to do anything new. True, the frequency of this has increased to a grand total of...two. Two times. Nobody knows Shadow Stalker’s incident. Shatterbird’s incident is known by the heroes and the villains by now. I really doubt Victor or anyone else in his faction will let anybody hear he was controlled and coerced. Overall, that’ll be one incident everybody will know.

In terms of frequency, it’s still once in a blue moon, yeah?

“I’m saying we discuss it as a group before enslaving someone.”

I can almost guarantee the chance won’t present itself, and if it does, it’ll be agreed by the team beforehand, or at the very least there’ll be a good reason. Those discussions will be pointless. Skitter will most likely object, everyone else will want to do the mind control because it’s advantageous for them. I don’t think that’ll be different, ever. Then again, how often is Regent going to get the chance? Not very often, I’d say.

They’re aaaaaall about wanting others to be scared and paranoid of them, Skitter doesn’t want that because that can be bad. It could lead to all sort of reactions of the ‘a cornered animal will fight back’, because foes may feel cornered because of Regent’s powers. Skitter kind of has a point there, I think! That’d be troublesome! On the other hand, Tattletale is right, everyone is gearing up to attack them. Oh well.

Ah, here comes the crux of this plan! The reason why Victor has been coerced to be with them! I was wondering about that! Before I theorized it was because they needed his help to attack Coil, then decided that may not be correct because he’ll be with them for a short time. Perhaps I wasn’t wrong? Say it, Tattletale!

“Remember our attack on the PRT headquarters?  We walked away with data.  Data Coil and his best people couldn’t crack.”

I get it. So, she plans to make Victor absorb coding knowledge and then crack that code. Dragon’s code, may I add. Okay! That’s going to be really tough, because Dragon’s ciphers can’t be simple at all, can they? There’s a possibility Victor won’t be capable of this either, I think.

Skitter isn’t a fan of that idea. Of course she isn’t, hah! But yeah, in all seriousness, the worthiness of this depends on the content of that data.

“Hear me out. I told Coil that, and that got his attention.  I had something of an idea that Victor, Rune and Othala were looking to leave the Chosen, so I floated the idea to Coil that he could make them an offer.”

I doubt those three will join Coil. It’s inconvenient they join, too. Good thing Coil is likely to be defeated, eh?

There it is, something to make it worthwhile. Other than possibly cracking a very difficult code, Victor also could provide some insight into Coil.

“Like getting a read on Coil’s talents and skills, perhaps.  I can’t say for sure, but I’m thinking Victor could tell us what Coil’s day job used to be.  Enough of a starting point that I can dig up more details.  Know your enemy.  And with a guy that versatile, I can think of several ways he could be useful.”

Sure! Could be a good idea...if Victor can get close enough to Coil to get a read of that. That’s how I understood Victor’s power worked, he needs some proximity to his target. That aside, Coil surely is aware what Victor can do. He’ll take measures to avoid the leak of any information he doesn’t want others to know. Worth a try, though.

The last possible advantage is that Grue may pick a few powers and skills from Victor. Ah...possibly? You’d have to force Victor to cooperate, though. I doubt he’d willingly make Grue stronger.

That’s all. Skitter will trust Tattletale’s judgment. Guess that means everything is forgiven! Thank goodness. Also, she doesn’t trust Regent’s judgment. Yup, sounds about right.  Now that this is settled, they get going, Skitter getting startled when Imp approaches from behind. Imp’s power is a bundle of joy, eh?

“I stayed behind to keep an eye on Night.  Winking instead of blinking so I didn’t lose sight of her.  And you don’t even remember that I was doing it.  Fuck.  Ungrateful bastards.  I had to run the last block so I could be sure you didn’t fly off before I could ask.”

Huh. That’s such a simple way of making sure Night wouldn’t transform, yet I didn’t think of it at all. I wonder how many would have.

Anyway, Imp wants to ask for a favor, that’s why she stopped Skitter. I suppose this also means she doesn’t want the rest of the team to hear it. Also, since they suspect Coil may be listening to their phone conversations, she’s asking Skitter in person, although Skitter isn’t really very enthusiastic about having to do a favor. Not when she already has so much in her to-do pile. But hey, what’s one problem more?

The chapter ends here, but...hm. Although it’s taking a while to make an update, maybe I should read another chapter before posting this one? I think I will. Just to make this a juicier update!

Oh, it’s a bonus interlude. Kind of a bummer. Nooooot the best time for an interlude.

Whoever the character here is, is very stressed and frustrated. He’s hitting a punching bag rather hard, trying to release some of that frustration, and seemingly not being very successful at that. He’s even doing it in ways that’ll lead to injuries. That must be a lot of frustration!

“Jesus, bro. You look like you’re going to have a heart attack.”

He snapped his head around to see Aisha in the doorway.

Ooooooh well then! That sure tells pretty well who this person is. Hello, Grue! I see you’re not having a fun time right now! Shouldn’t this guy be resting instead of exerting himself?

It doesn’t take long for one of the many sources of his frustration to show up:

For a half second, he could see Bonesaw standing there instead, about the same height, dress, bloodstained apron glittering with tools and wide eyes darting about, taking in everything in her surroundings as if there was inspiration or tools to be found anywhere.

Looks like the incident with Bonesaw got him traumatized. No surprise there! It had been incredibly messed up! I thiiiink the term is PTSD? He may have a case of that. I hope it’s not going to cause him a lot of trouble...he already seems to be under a lot of stress.

Seems to me like Brian still worries a lot about Aisha joining the others. Brotherly worry, you see. Aisha should be safe as long as she doesn’t do anything on the caliber of trying to kill Slaughterhouse Nine members all by herself. Besides, Skitter’s costume is very resistant, so that’s a bit of protection. Not that Brian thinks it makes much difference.

Of course Aisha is worried when she sees Brian is pulverizing his own hands, and that anger turns into anger when Brian doesn’t care about the state of her hands. Also, he’s not resting. Even Aisha wants him to rest. Maybe he’d rest easier if he hadn’t been traumatized because...goodness, he definitely is remembering that awful moment.

I considered pasting the paragraph here but geez that’s some morbid stuff. Bonesaw is rather messed up.

Since talking with Brian and trying to convince him to not turn his hands into mincemeat isn’t working, Aisha decides to go make some remaining Merchants afraid. They’re no big deal, she thinks. Brian wants her to be careful, and of course she should be careful! Guns are pretty dangerous and I bet some of them will have guns. Good thing her power will be a big help.

Also Taylor is here. Forgot to note that, my bad.

Apparently this interlude is happening not too long after the last chapter? In that case, perhaps Taylor is here to do the favor Aisha was asking for? It must be something about calming Brian down and stopping him from self-destructing with his own actions and despair. She’s also here to ask him if he’ll take some of the skills Victor has acquired and turn himself into a more powerful person. I’m not sure if that’ll work...if I recall correctly, Victor would have to be in Grue’s darkness for Grue to be able to use powers. Worth a try, though!

There goes Aisha! To be with Regent and mess around. Brian doesn’t feel much better Regent’s going to be Aisha’s company, haha!

She said, “It’s fine.  He’s your buddy, and our powers actually work well together.  You and me, we can’t… what’s the word?”

“Synergize.”

“We can’t synergize.  I do my thing, you do yours, but we get in each other’s way.  You blind me, I wipe myself from your memory.  With Regent and me, I can set people up for him to mess with, give him a chance to use his power.  Or we mix it up a little, so I spook people, then he uses his power to make them feel like they’re being pushed around while I deal with others, to freak them out.  Or I go in first and then give him word on what’s going on.”

Ah, she’s right! Regent and Imp’s powers do mesh well together. I hadn’t realized it until now. Heh, it’s nice two parahumans’ powers can be used together effectively. Teamwork is always something I like when it’s about powers.

She’s trying so hard to be conciliatory, all to get Brian to calm down. She leaves, leaving Taylor and Brian alone.

Heh, they have a strategy room here, with maps of the city, pins, everything you’d think they’d have. It’s fun to think about. Looks like many enemy factions tried to get into Grue’s territory and stay there since he has a nice residential zone. Most of them had been dealt with, thanks to Aisha and Lisa.

He knew he should feel relieved.  Knew that he should appreciate that Aisha had tried to do something to help him even if she wasn’t the best at expressing concern or affection.

He only felt guilty.

Because they’re dealing with what should be his responsibility, perhaps?

He’d been wallowing, stumbling around their headquarters in a fugue, and Aisha had apparently been going all out, taking out their enemies and clearing their territory of threats.  It had been a big task for the two of them, and she was doing it on her own.

Why am I here? He wondered.  He wasn’t a leader anymore, he wasn’t doing his job with his territory, wasn’t protecting the people he was important to, wasn’t working towards anything…

I was right! Great! It has been just four or five days since the Slaughterhouse Nine left Brockton Bay, and since then Brian hasn’t really been able to do anything other than dwell in his despair. Honestly, it’d be surprising if he hadn’t. Bonesaw’s actions were absolutely horrible and it’s a miracle Brian is alive in the first place. I feel bad for him, feeling guilty about this...

Also, turns out he does want to deal with Coil. Partly because Taylor wouldn’t forgive any of them if they didn’t help, and partly because he does know Dinah deserves help. Nice! And he does want to help but...he’s not able to. Because of his current mental state. Brian really needs some time to rest, and a good handful of therapy sessions, poor guy.

He’s going to try to help Aisha so he doesn’t get stuck in a perpetual cycle of despair. Good for him for trying! But I doubt Aisha’s going to accept that. Everyone wants Brian to rest, not for him to help anyone. I suppose he hasn’t told anybody how he feels...

Oh, geez, the flashbacks continue. It’s still as heart wrenching as before.

“…I could give you a skull face like that helmet of yours, only real… and crank your power up to the max, always on, give you some biological imperative to encourage cannibalism, see how long it takes for them to eliminate you if they can’t see or hear you…”

I hope he’s not going to associate his villain identity with those words...the last thing he needs right now is to be unable to identify himself with something that’s so familiar to him.

Apparently I misinterpreted some stuff earlier and thought Taylor was here. No, she just arrived. Way to go, me. Anyway, she’s here to check on Brian as per Aisha’s request. She’s bringing groceries. Perhaps she intends to cook something for him? That’d be nice.

It’ll be a dinner! Come on, Brian, say something to her about how you feel. It’ll do you some good.

Taylor is trying to make some friendly talk, trying to make it look like everything is okay and normal. She even admits Aisha asked her to check on Brian. I’m pretty sure Brian already suspected that, but I think he’d be glad to have confirmation anyway.

He’s surprised to hear Aisha was the one who defeated Night. Sure must be shocking! After all, Night’s the one who almost killed them all, if I recall correctly. He’s worried she put herself in danger, Taylor says she didn’t, aaaaand I call bull. There’s nothing that isn’t dangerous when it’s about fighting other parahumans.

“We got Victor. Not sure if I like how Lisa sprung that on me, but we got him.  We were thinking you could try borrowing his power, see if you don’t get any permanent boosts.”

“Sure. Aisha mentioned that.  I don’t know if it’ll work.”

“No?”

Brian tried to organize his answer about why in his head.  What had Bonesaw said?  Something about passengers.

Oh, right. Not really sure yet what that’s like, but if there are parasites that give powers, then that supports my theory that Grue won’t be able to keep the powers and skills he gets from Victor for long. It’s not like Brian is acquiring more parasites that’ll build brain areas on him, it’s just a temporary enhancement.

Noticing Brian is distracted and thinking, Taylor asks what’s going on. He tells about his thoughts regarding these passengers, and he even says he doesn’t gain any powers because the parasites give the brain structures you need to truly use the powers. He should tell Lisa, so she doesn’t get her hopes up.

To practice, he’s trying to borrow Skitter’s power. It lacks a lot of finesse and Skitter easily takes control of the bugs, like it’s no big deal for her. Which it surely isn’t. She has a lot more practice. This prompts a short monologue about the role of tiny stuff in life. Getting philosophical in here, she is. She should have left aside the mention of skin mites all over us, that’s giving me the heebie-jeebies.

“I don’t know if that makes sense, but I usually try reaching out to these guys when things get bad.  In retrospect, it kind of centers me.”

By now it’s a coping mechanic of some sort, it seems.

It’s Brian’s turn to monologue, and he keeps his in his head because it’s all about Taylor’s physical appearance. Ah, getting detailed! This will make it easier to picture her, although I admit I have always pictured Taylor Hebert like the fanart I was sent eons ago. This seems to fit what I remember. Neat!

Okay, he definitely is attracted to her despite everything.

There’s what I hoped: Taylor reaffirms to Brian she’s going to support him and help him whenever he needs. Unlike the rest of the interlude, Brian actually feels better, it seems! Or at least he’s not reacting badly. That’s as good as it gets. I think it’s partly because, although Taylor right now is enveloped by Grue’s darkness and is blind and deaf, she’s calm.

Oh, come on, Brian, don’t ruin the moment by calling that ‘deceptive confidence’!

This all led to the pivotal point of this interlude: a hug. Really, Brian extends his arms, Taylor finds that out thanks to her insects, and she gives her approval. They hug, or at least Brian holds her against him. It’s actually kind of peaceful! I think I like it. Besides, if it helps Brian feel better, then great!

Alright, they’re staying close to each other, and not just physically. In his own words:

He’d been trying to do it alone.  He’d needed a rock, an anchor.  If he’d been asked months ago, weeks ago, even days ago, he wasn’t sure he would have believed that was true, or that it would be Taylor, of all people.

I don’t know, I’d have believed it easily. Taylor’s role as the protagonist and as the newest member of this team includes helping the existing members with their problems. It’s her duty as the main character, hah! But yeah, for real, Taylor and Brian almost always got along. I’d have believed Taylor would be the rock he needed so much.

The interlude ends with Taylor and Brian enjoying a rather intimate moment together. Brian even dares to kiss the top of Taylor’s head. It’s mellow, but a big step, as far as I’m concerned! It means Brian and Taylor’s relationship really wasn’t over with the whole betrayal thing. Still, this is just starting, there could be more stuff in the future.

That’s the end of the interlude. It was...different. Usually these interludes are sort of action-y and end with the character suffering in some manner, yeah? This one Brian seems to have ended better than when it started. It’s refreshing, honestly. But I’m not sure why I’m not really into it. It’s not like I dislike character development or fluffier moments! So then why didn’t it get my attention as much as I thought it would...?

To be honest, I don’t know.

Now that this interlude is over, I’ll stop for now. Thank you for reading and I’m sorry for the wait!

Next time: in two updates

[marjaystuff]

Elise Cooper Interviews Elizabeth Penney

Chapter and Curse by Elizabeth Penney brings to life a fabulous cozy mystery. This first of the series has a community readers will care about, detailed descriptions of the town, and an engaging mystery with blackmail, deceit, and murder.  Beyond that the author chose the historic town of Cambridge England set in a 400-year-old bookshop.  

After the death of her father Molly Kimball realizes her mother Nina needs a change of scenery. When a letter arrives from an aunt who lives in Cambridge requesting their help in running the family bookshop Nina and Molly decide to travel to Britain.  Since Molly is a librarian, she comes up with ideas on how to bring in revenue to the bookstore, “Thomas Marlow-Manuscripts and Folios.” She invites her Aunt Violet’s college classmate, famed poet Persephone Brightwell to hold a reading in the shop.  Unfortunately, at the end of the event another of Violet’s college roommates, Myrtle Marsh, is found dead, killed with her aunt’s knitting needle.

Molly and some new friends try to prove Aunt Violet’s innocence since she is considered a person of interest.  Besides Molly and Nina, there is Sir John, a former lawyer and spy, George, landlord, and handyman, Daisy, a coffeeshop owner, and Kiernan, a bicycle shop owner who Molly begins dating.  

This cozy mystery has a captivating setting, engaging characters, buried secrets, and a suspenseful mystery with many people of interest and twists and turns.

Elise Cooper:  How did you get the idea for the story?

Elizabeth Penney:  My mother is from England and went to nursing school there.  I lived there when I was little. Just like the main character’s mom, my mother married an American and left.  Because I have relatives who live there, I set it in Cambridge England in a bookstore of an old Tudor building of the 1600s.

EC:  Why a bookstore in Cambridge?

EP:  It has several bookstores and is a city that values them.  I made sure to have the store sell antique books because the city has a lot of literary history. In the story I wrote about the “OZ” books.  To be realistic I looked up what a first edition would be worth.

EC:  You added flavor to the story by explaining the “English language.”

EP: Words in England have different meanings than in the US.  Words such as crumpet which we call an English Muffin, fit which we refer to as attractive, skip is not a movement in England but means alley, and their 999 is our 911.  My main character Molly is American, and she comes across some of these terms.  It was how she was introduced to the English culture.

EC:  You also explain the English culture?

EP:  I spoke with online groups who live in England.  This is why I put in the book how the English drink coffee.  A lot of tea shops now sell coffee. 

EC:  How would you describe Molly?

EP:  Inquisitive, outgoing, and sociable.  She is also enthusiastic, smart, kind, and a people person who loves cats. Her profession is a librarian, which helps with her sleuth work.  Both use research skills.  

EC: How would you describe Kiernan?

EP:  He will eventually be Molly’s love interest.  He is from nobility but wants to be just a regular guy.  He is very independent, warm, friendly, and supportive.  

EC:  Most of the time victims are sympathetic but not this one?

EP:  She is manipulative, devious, sly, sneaky, and is blackmailing people.  

EC:  What role does the journal play?

EP:  I joined this Cambridge group to get a feel for the culture.  The journal allows me to have a past thread and to give readers a feel of what happened in the past.

EC: Next book?

EP:  It is titled Treacherous Tale and will be out next September.  In it Molly will visit Kiernan’s family in their manor.  Instead of a journal there will be a children’s book called Strawberry Girls, which I made up.  A mother wrote it for her daughters who are now young adults.  It is a fairy tale and gives clues to what happened in the story. The mystery involves a man falling off the roof of their cottage and dies.  

THANK YOU!!

[holtzmannish]

Lab teamwork with Holtzmann

holtzmann x reader where the reader has a sleeve of tattoos and in general just really badass and holtzmann thinks that she's hates her cause she doesn't talk as much around her and holtzmann confronts her one day and the reader tells her it's bc she thinks she's cute, and has anxiety and had no idea if she liked girls & holtzmann just kisses her?? sorry if this doesn't make sense 😬

This was super awesome and inspiring so props to whoever sent this in! Been thinking a lot about education and stuff lately so that’s the direction this went in. Hope it works :) (for the record, I have never caused a fire at school... :P) ((it may have happened one time))

You flick strands of hair behind your ears as you try to focus your attention on the professor, who stands at the front of the lab trying desperately to explain safety procedures and group-work to the less cooperative members of your class. She waves her hands in exasperation, stressing that “if we only have one fire in class today, it’ll be a goddamn miracle”.

This draws a slight chuckle out of the entire class, but your attention is elsewhere, on the woman sitting at a bench a row in front and to the right, with blonde hair, eclectic fashion sense. She keeps looking at you and you make an effort not to meet her gaze. She’s probably the most intelligent person in this class, which is really saying something about her, seeing as this is a fairly select group of the best and brightest science students at your university. 

You see her eye your bare arms, turning around in a sly attempt to appear as if she is stretching. You cannot quite read her eyes, and in this attempt to gauge her emotions, your eyes meet. You’re unsure of what she’s thinking, as she presses her lips together and raises her eyebrows slightly at you. You attempt to give her a friendly half-smile in return, but before you can really do anything, your lab partner elbows you impatiently, handing you some paper to write on as she dictates your lab report.

Too distracted to resist her bossiness, you comply and begin scrawling down her words, trying to pry your thoughts from the pretty and intriguing woman in your class. You wonder what she’s thinking when she looks at you. How was she looking at you? Might she like you? Or perhaps she just doesn’t really care. Just being friendly. Your lab partner drags you into conversation and soon you are chatting animatedly about the experiment, your weekends and other trivial matters in your life, you thoughts not quite leaving the girl as, from the corner of your eye you see her head turn as if she’s waiting for something. When it seems as if she too is absorbed in the exercise and ceases to grant any attention to you, you feel your heart sink a little for the rest of the class.

The next week there’s talk of some group work. A thesis, combining the research of two groups, four people, and your lab partner is already gesturing to the blonde girl and her partner to join the two of you. You’re familiar with the boy who partner’s the blonde woman, though introductions had never been made between you and the blonde woman. She walks over confidently, stretching out a hand to you in a way which seems oddly familiar for a ‘formal’ greeting.

“Call me Holtzmann,” she says with a grin, energy bubbling off of her. “Or you can just call me.”

You feel heat rise to your face but noone seems to notice, as instead you let the other two take charge of the assignment, only speaking to correct them on some incorrect information. Several time you catch Holtzmann eyeing you, yet you say nothing, do nothing, as her very gaze makes you feel as if you’re at the apex of a roller coaster, about to go over the edge. You’re not quite sure whether you like roller coasters but you definitely know that roller coasters and Bunsen burners have no business associating with one another. So you attempt to ignore her, only stealing quick glances at the slight furrow between her eyebrows as she thinks, the messy scrawl she uses in her brilliant calculations and the deftness of her fingers as she turns pages or gestures wildly with her hands as she explains new concepts to your teammates. (You fail miserably at ignoring her, instead basically dismissing the task at hand as you become increasingly smitten with Holtzmann.)

The two weeks allocated to finish the assignment go by, the four of you meeting up in the library, or for milkshakes, to finish work and discuss theories, all the while you manage to barely say two words to Holtzmann, though your eyes are familiar with every curve and angle of her face. One day she’s late to class and as the rest of the three of your group set about finalizing and editing your paper, you take charge for the first time, standing over the two of them as they edit out commas and polish grammar on the final copy, ready to hand in the next day to your professor. It has to be perfect, much of your grade is relying on it to be so, and as Holtzmann is not here right at this moment, your entire attention is focused upon getting it just right. Slight nods are the main communication you get from the pair as you polish it and the next thing you know, a hand is on your shoulder. Holtzmann stands next to you, reaching out to make contact with your bare shoulder as she scans the writing on a computer before your lab partner. You can feel the heat radiating off of her, smell the faint seductive smoky scent of her, combined with a light citrus that must be her shampoo and this consumes you. She opens her mouth to speak and your gaze has narrowed to only encompass her in the world around you. 

“It’s per -“ All of a sudden you are aware of this effect she is having on you and you step away, her hand dropping to her side mid-sentence.

“-fect. It’s perfect,” she says, her brow furrowing as she obviously notices your sudden withdrawal from her touch.

“Well you did most of the calculations and [Y/N] is an absolute whiz with the report, so I dare say we’ll be getting a brilliant mark on this!” your ab partner says with a grin, and a slight knowing glance between you and Holtzmann.

“Yeah it’s pretty darn good, if I do say so myself,” says your other friend, reaching out to give the whole group a light high-five. You dodge this, slinging your bag over your shoulder and taking the computer from the desk, calling behind you that you’ll bring in a hard copy to the professor tomorrow morning. Only one person has to be there to hand this in and you volunteer to do this tedious job just so you can leave and catch your breath.

“Hey, [Y/N]!” you hear as your exit the door and round the corner. You do not stop. You do not pass go, nor collect $200. You head straight home, trapped in the prison of your mind, obsessing over your interactions between yourself and Holtzmann, and why the hell you’ve been acting this way. How can one person, who you’re not even sure is interested in you, have this much of an effect over you?

Barely rested from obsessing ost of the night, like the adult you are, you turn up a minute before class ends, presentation neatly displayed in a clear folder and perfectly printed up. You hand it to the professor, flustered, who confirms she received your digital copy and thanks you, commenting that the brief glance she gave it looked highly promising. You smile faintly in response, and having collected everyone else’s work, she slips it into her briefcase and exits the room, saying a quick goodbye to you, and Holtzmann. Holtzmann? You hadn’t even noticed her when you walked in.

She stands leaning against of the benches, arms folded and lips pursed. The usual aura of energy which surrounds her is absent, as she purses her lips and looks at you expectantly. You give her a small awkward wave, suddenly keenly aware of how you’re dressed and how you didn’t brush your hair this morning. You see her eyes graze up and down your body and she runs a tongue over her lips, seemingly thoughtful.

“Holtzmann,” you say with a nod in way of greeting.

“[Y/N],” she responds, mimicking your nods before standing up straight and fixing you with her gaze. You feel that roller coaster tumble in your stomach at this and wait for her to say something else.

“What’s your deal?” she asks, walking over to you. “I’ve been getting this weird vibe off of you the entire time.”

She’s studying you as if you’re some curious experiment or specimen which she doesn’t understand, but maybe she wants to. “You’re smart, you have ideas. You’re not exactly shy from what I’ve seen. But it seems as if you hate me.”

At this you can feel the anxiety in her and what it takes for her to be able to say this to you. All of a sudden you feel completely guilty but she has advanced towards you with each word and is now so close you can hardly think.

“You’re cute,” you manage to get out, but you say this as if the words are poison on your tongue. You can see that she doesn’t receive this sentiment as it’s intended, in her body language and how she backs away slightly.

“I- I like you?” you say, furrowing your eyebrows and not meeting her eyes.

“Is that a question?” she says, a touch of humour breaking through the confusion in her voice.

“No, no. It’s a fact,” you say, trying to express yourself with at least a smidge of eloquence, and failing. “You make me nervous and I like you. Obviously this isn’t something I’m good at dealing with.”

“No kidding,” she says, reaching out a hand to linger lightly upon your forearm, tracing the intricate patterns of your tattoo. She does this instead of meeting your gaze, perhaps giving you a little space within your head to straighten (A/N: HA!) your thoughts out.

“I’m just a really anxious person and have a massive crush on you. There, I said it. And I’m really sorry if that makes you uncomfortable or anything, I don’t know if you’re into girls, or me or-”

All of a sudden she cuts off your rambling by standing toe-to-toe with you, hands placed lightly on your arms and planting the sweetest of kisses on your mouth. Legs turning to jelly, you reach one hand out to hold onto her, yet this turns into a deeper embrace, and the other to brace yourself against the bench behind you.

She deepens the kiss and you involuntarily let out a soft moan, which sends a smile to her lips. Your shoulders relax and all of a sudden your book bag crashes to the floor with a loud bang. She pulls away, leaving you feeling a little disappointed. She sees this look on your face, more able to read you now and smirks.

“You know, I do think that this goes against the lab safety procedures, in some way. It’s getting hot in here, we don’t want to start a fire,” she says with a wink, reaching down to pick up your bag and handing it to you. You accept it and return her smile, accompanied by a blush.

“Yeah I guess you’re right. How about we go someplace else?” you suggest.

“My apartment is a ten minute walk from here,” she says heading towards the door. You take her offered and follow her out of the room, unafraid of getting burnt by the flame that has sparked between the two of you. Perhaps you do like roller coasters...

[jimmypageonline]

~The “Strawberry Fields Festival” Original Lineup Poster~

Why Did New Brunswick Pull The Plug On An Epic Rock Concert In August 1970?

Long before the Rolling Stones graced the stage at Moncton’s Magnetic Hill Concert Site in 2005, a concert that would ultimately usher the Hub City into a new era of hosting some of the biggest names in music, the city had earned a reputation as being a concert hub. Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, the Moncton Coliseum played host to a who’s who of international pop stars, including Tina Turner, Cher, Rod Stewart, Iron Maiden, David Bowie, Huey Lewis & The News, and Shania Twain. Meanwhile during that same timeframe just up Highway 15 in Shediac, that seaside community was making waves, albeit somewhat smaller ones, on the concert scene itself, hosting a select group of pop and rock acts including the Beach Boys, Milli Vanilli and Bryan Adams. Arguably lesser known among many New Brunswickers, however, is the folklore around the Strawberry Fields Festival, which had been scheduled to take place in Barachois, just outside of Shediac, from Aug. 7 through 9, 1970. The lineup for the festival, which was slated to include Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, Leonard Cohen, Sly & The Family Stone, among others, reads like a classic rock dream come true. So just how close was Led Zeppelin to performing in southeast New Brunswick? Closer than you might think. Had it not been for a dose of festival phobia for residents and interference from the provincial government of the day, Strawberry Fields might have established the region as a major concert centre long before it would earn the title nonetheless. To uncover the origins of the Strawberry Fields Festival, and how southeast New Brunswick missed out on such a significant opportunity, one needs to look west to Toronto.

~The Toronto Peace Festival~

In September 1969, Toronto played host to the Toronto Rock & Roll Revival. Headlined by the Doors, the concert was a cultural phenomenon, earning its place in the history books thanks to a little help from John Lennon, who used the occasion to perform without the Beatles for the first time.

Together with his business partner Kenny Walker, John Brower was one of the brains behind the historic festival. Although Brower and Walker’s partnership dissolved shortly after, Brower, a Canadian concert promoter, had struck up a friendship with Lennon, who agreed to come on board for Brower’s Toronto Peace Festival, which was to be held in July 1970.

“Together with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, we announced the Toronto Peace Festival to great fanfare in December 1969 at the city’s Science Centre,” Brower tells us from his home in Los Angeles.

“We had just finished doing the Toronto leg of the War Is Over campaign, which turned out to be the largest exposure of associated billboards, handbills and posters of anywhere in the world.”

Shortly after the announcement of the peace festival, Lennon and Ono, together with Brower and a select group of others, travelled from Toronto to Ottawa via private train. Once in the nation’s capital, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau met with the Beatle and Ono in what was supposed to be a 15-minute meeting.

“They were originally scheduled to meet for 15 minutes and ended up talking for an hour,” Brower says, furthering the notion of Trudeau’s progressively liberal approach.

It wouldn’t take long for external powers to quash Brower’s best-laid plans, however.

“The Toronto Peace Festival became a target for the (American President Richard) Nixon administration, which was terrified of the notion that John Lennon was going to participate in a peace festival on the July 4th weekend. They were sure he was going to lambaste the U.S. government and the Vietnam War, among other things. Although I can’t say anything for certain, I feel relatively confident their hunches were right.”

It wasn’t just the Americans who were concerned about the Toronto Peace Festival, however.

Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government was also opposed to the festival, putting it in an awkward, direct conflict with the federal government under Trudeau, which indirectly supported the gathering.

The Toronto Peace Festival was scheduled for the weekend of July 4, 1970, and within weeks of its unceremonious demise in the first half of 1970, some good luck finally came Brower’s way. The promoter was introduced to William Webster, whose family had assumed ownership of The Globe and Mail in the early ‘50s.

“William indicated to me that he would be willing to underwrite a pop festival if I was looking to put one together. We knew from experience that we weren’t going to get anywhere trying to do a festival in Ontario … because of their concern over John Lennon’s political influence,” Brower says.

It was at this point that his attention turned toward New Brunswick.

~The Strawberry Fields Festival~

“We had some friends that had a beautiful farm in Shediac, so it was suggested that we go there to see if they would be interested in letting us put on the festival there.”

After determining the site, approximately eight acres of land, to be more than ideal to host a music festival, Brower obtained preliminary permits from the local authority, which allowed him to move forward with booking the acts.

“I ended up going on a shopping spree in New York City, booking Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon and War, Alice Cooper, Ten Years After, and the other artists that were scheduled to play the festival.”

By the time Brower left the city, he had spent upwards of $500,000 — equalling about $3.1 million today.

Festival preparations seemed to be proceeding smoothly. Advertisements and posters decorated newspapers and bulletin boards in Canada and south of the border. “Strawberry Fields” the ad declared, “an international carnival of sound and freedom visit free North America,” accompanied by an image of a strawberry with a dove nipping at its top. The ad touted three days of “love, sun and sound” on “virgin beaches surrounded by wild strawberry bushes.” A scrawled map on the bottom of the poster showed obscure directions from Chicago, New York City, Montreal, Boston and Toronto all heading to Moncton.

Contrary to the notion that the Strawberry Fields Festival took its name from the Beatles’ 1967 song “Strawberry Fields Forever,” Brower says the festival earned its moniker as organizers had heard that Shediac was deemed the strawberry capital of the province.

“I realize there is a certain synchronicity with the Beatles song, but that is not where the festival took its name.”

In an interview with the Telegraph-Journal approximately one month before the show was due to descend upon Barachois, promoters said they anticipated upwards of 60,000 attendees, thanks to an extensive advertising campaign undertaken in both Canada and the United States.

Jerrold Kushnick, a New York-based attorney for the festival, told the paper that co-operation with the provincial government had been “satisfying,” and noted the Barachois site had been chosen specifically because of the beach facilities and everything the area had to offer. He shared that approximately 100 washroom facilities would be brought to the festival site, and would be complemented by food and medical facilities.

It didn’t take long for things to begin falling apart for Brower and his team, however. As news of the festival spread like wildfire throughout Canada and the U.S., estimates on concert attendance ticked higher and higher, raising concern at both the municipal and provincial levels.

An informal opinion poll undertaken by local media showed residents were concerned that a “major invasion” of “young rock fans” could cause trouble for the community. Shediac business owners talked about closing up shop for the duration of the festival.

“Shediac depends on tourism as a great part of its livelihood,” an unnamed official with the local police force said at the time. “Stores are geared to service…a population of 15,000. They couldn’t possibly handle a crowd of 50,000. That’s big city stuff.”

Even Shediac’s “Lobster Queen” at the time, Violette Richard, chimed in on the matter, saying, “Personally, I think it is the worst thing that could happen here. Everyone is afraid of it.”

As fear and misunderstanding over the festival continued to spread, with many people associating big rock concerts with riots, drugs and vandalism and fearing the “Picture Province’s” reputation could be ruined, it didn’t take long for the provincial government under Premier Louis J. Robichaud to step in.

The government said that on June 15, the promoters of the show were given a “travelling show licence,” which would have been sufficient had they not been selling tickets.

After determining the show and its $15 ticket would instead fall under the Provincial Amusement Act and be subject to taxes, members of the provincial government met to discuss the festival’s future, ultimately determining the show would not go on in Barachois. This was just weeks before the concert was scheduled to take place.

Robichaud said the decision was based on the government’s concern that the promoters would be unable to meet the necessary standards for security, hygiene, food and water.

“It is the opinion of the government that the promoters cannot guarantee the protection of the public interest,” stated a press release from the premier’s office.

Moncton resident Denis Marquette was a 15-year-old teen living in Shediac in the summer of 1970. Although he and a group of friends had hoped to find temporary work with the festival, he recalls the sense of disappointment that the festival’s cancellation had upon area music fans.

“Woodstock had taken place in the U.S. the year before,” Marquette says. “A lot of people saw Strawberry Fields as our chance to join the history books, so to speak.”

While a palpable sense of relief permeated some parts of the community, not everyone was pleased with the government’s decision. In Moncton, up to 500 protesters took to the streets, marching to City Hall demanding the decision to cancel the festival be reversed. In Saint John, police questioned two teens after the burning of a New Brunswick flag was done to protest the government’s decision to axe the festival.

~The music moves back West~

With a half-million dollars tied up in entertainment and nowhere to put on a show, Brower and his team looked west to Ontario again. While the move might have seemed pointless on the surface, given the opposition that faced the Toronto Peace Festival, Brower says they had a bit of an ace up their sleeves.

“This is where the story takes on an interesting political twist,” Brower says. “There was an RCMP liaison with ties to the Prime Minister’s office that also had close ties to the hippy community in Toronto. He never tried to hide his position from anyone, and had been tasked with watching for American draft dodgers. Anyway, he was good a friend of ours and, when Strawberry Fields was axed in New Brunswick, had advised with us to meet with a specific attorney who would be able to counsel us on how to make the festival happen in Ontario.”

He says that, on the advice of their new attorney, he and his team were told to rent Mosport Park, located just east of Toronto, for the weekend in question and to bill the event as a motorcycle race with “added entertainment.”

“Of course, there was no description of what the ‘added entertainment’ would entail,” Brower says with a laugh.

With that, the Strawberry Cup Trophy Race was confirmed to take place on Aug. 7, 8, and 9, 1970. While specific details on the entertainment would entail remained intentionally vague in Canada, Brower says advertising in the U.S. showed the acts that had been slated to perform in New Brunswick would be appearing in concert.

“It took a few weeks for the connection to be made, but eventually, Ontario’s attorney general went to court, alleging the Strawberry Cup Trophy Race was a fraud, because in the U.S., we were promoting all of the acts that were going to appear. The Ontario government was determined to stop the festival in its tracks,” Brower says.

The case was eventually brought to Ontario Supreme Court, with the provincial government charging that Durham County, the jurisdiction where the Strawberry Cup Trophy Race was to be held, could not provide the necessary medical services for the 150,000-plus people they anticipated would attend the festival.

The Ontario government was dealt a serious setback when it was revealed that a Montreal-based company, one that was allegedly formed specifically for the purpose of signing the lease at Mosport Park, was putting on the Strawberry Cup Trophy Race.

“Our lawyers knew this was the case. They intentionally let the Ontario government waste weeks of time to get the matter to court, only to find out they would have to move the case to the Supreme Court of Canada,” Brower says.

And so, just two days before the festival was set to begin, amid allegations from the Ontario attorney general that the promoters were flagrantly manipulating the law, the case was heard before the Supreme Court of Canada.

“At this point, there were already 30,000 people gathered at Mosport Park in anticipation of the festival. The Ontario attorney general brought the same argument to the Supreme Court: there was no way the festival site was equipped to handle the necessary medical facilities required to accommodate the anticipated crowds.”

Brower says what happened next took even him by surprise.

“One of our lawyers hauled a letter out of his pocket from the Addiction Research Foundation, who confirmed they had a 150-bed field hospital, complete with necessary medical facilities, already established on an airfield adjacent to Mosport Park. The judge looked at the attorney general and said that if the availability of medical facilities was the basis of wanting to have the festival shut down, there was, in his opinion, no reason for the festival to be stopped.”

~‘You had to be there’~

The green light given to the festival caught virtually everyone off guard. The province of Ontario attempted to close the border, and enacted a requirement that all those attending the festival have $50 in cash on them. Although thousands were allegedly refused admission to Canada, some concert patrons successfully passed through customs by stating they were going camping at Algonquin Park.

Brower recalls that the owner of Mosport Park held food rights to the festival, but had not anticipated it was going to happen and had not purchased supplies necessary to feed the immense crowds.

“If you go on YouTube, there is footage of helicopters dropping packages of bread, bologna and cheese for the concert goers. That’s all people ate for three days,” Brower says, laughing. “There was no other way to get food in there; the roads leading into the park were absolutely jammed.”

While the show went on for the bulk of the performers who had originally signed on to perform when the festival was due to take place in New Brunswick, Brower notes a number of acts, including Led Zeppelin, Leonard Cohen and Buffy St. Marie did not end up performing at Mosport Park.

“The bulk of the artists that didn’t end up performing had been staying current with the legal developments around the festival. By the time we received the green light to go ahead with the festival, it was just too late to make the necessary arrangements to get to Toronto.”

Toronto resident Sean Gadon was one of those in attendance at Mosport Park for the Strawberry Cup Trophy Race for those three nights in August 1970. An ardent music fan that had already seen the likes of Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, Miles Davis and others perform in Canada’s biggest city, he simply knew there was no way he could pass up taking the festival in.

“I was 16 years old at the time. My friends and I heard about the festival on FM radio the night before it was to begin. If it hadn’t have been for that, I don’t know that we would have known about the festival at all as there really wasn’t much advertising being done in Ontario,” Gadon says, adding he and his friends hitchhiked to the festival with only the clothes on their backs.

Although the Ontario Provincial Police expectedly issued a number of citations for various infractions during the course of the festival, Gadon insists the Woodstock spirit of peace and love dominated the overall feeling of the Strawberry Cup Trophy Race.

“It may sound ironic or cliché, but it was a transcendent few days, a real coming of age kind of event. The spirit of peace and love, combined with the music instilled a real sense of community among all who attended. It was one of those ‘you had to be there’ kind of moments, and I am so glad that I was.”

- Ken Kelly

[partywillsblog]

Riverdale | FanFic / Chapter 1 : A Chill In The Air It was a beautiful sunny and windy afternoon in Riverdale , the looming guilt of Jason Blossoms murder still lurked in everybody's minds , but as they say in television ..Life goes on ..wasn't that a TV show at one time ? Betty Cooper is dropping by to check in with her best friend Archie Andrews who was outside washing his jalopy of a jeep . Archie : Hey there Betty , how goes it today ? Betty : Not much on my end just your typical girl next door wanting to help out the community by selling GirlScout cookies ! * He smiles that cute sly smile he does , that smile could melt the heart of any person * Archie : Oh Betty , you are no typical girl next door ..you are more than that ! * Hope fills her beautiful face * Betty : Really ? What exactly am I then if not your typical girl next door ! ** He awkwardly and shly clears his throat , just as Veronica Lodge appears ! ** Veronica : Afternoon Archikins , and you too Betty , what are you two up for today ? ** He smiles at her as he continues washing up his vehicle * Archie : My moms visiting tonite , care to join us for a night of Cheeseburgers on the grill ? ** Both Betty , Veronica knod  in unison ** ______ Few Hours Later ____ Fred Andrews , Archie's dad is cooking up his famous delicious xcheeseburgers while his son enjoys playing host to his friends and mother Mary who is visiting .  Archie :  Mom , this is a wonderful surprise you being here .. I really ..well thing is ..we all missed you ..Dad & I miss you a lot !  * Tears stream immediately down her face hearing such heartfelt words from her only son , they embrace *  Mary :  Thank you sweety , I have missed both my guys very much ..I am here to spend time with you since your birthday is next week I won't be here I am working , so what would you like us to do together ? ** Veronica pulls Betty aside ** Veronica :  Betty , why didn't you tell me Archie's birthday is next week ?!  ** Dinner goes off without a hitch as Archie ,Betty , Veronica see his divorced parents being civil and laughing over jokes they heard from both their jobs . 

[umbra-borealis]

Attention Thieves, Rogues and Crooks, ThiefNet is now LIVE!

There are a few Sly Cooper discord servers, but none of them seemed to focus on fan made content which is a shame because I do see a lot of artists, writers and more in this community. Sure we're on the smaller side, but why let that stop us?

What is ThiefNet?

It's a SFW and LGBTQ+ friendly discord server with dedicated spaces for:

Discussing the games, lore, gameplay tricks etc.

Sharing your fan art, fiction, original characters and more.

Advertizing your streams/youtube, art commissions and other projects.

Community events (which I'm most excited for and I hope you will be too, more about them below!)

A suggestion box for input and feedback from you! Yes, you there! I'd love to hear your ideas!

It will feature hand-drawn emotes made by yours truly though members will be allowed to submit their own! There will also be roles, both functional ones and 'for fun' ones that just give you a fun color and title!

What do you mean with 'Community Events?'

I recently asked around if anyone knew about a Sly Cooper zine already having been a thing, only to be asked what a zine even is. This made me feel like I had found my niche, a gap in the market! Other communities have zines (collections of fan-made content) OC battles (friendly competition featuring original characters), Big Bangs (artists and writers collab events) and so much more! I truly do think that the community has a lot of unseen talent and Sly Cooper is one of those 'hey I played that as a kid!' nostalgia things so I do believe making cool stuff together and lifting up each other's work will invite folks from all walks of life to reconnect with a dear childhood memory all over again, increasing interest in the series as a whole!

Since I have too many ideas to count I will list them/post about them within the server in it's own dedicated channel. A category known as 'Dimitri's Nightclub' will be our HUB for these events and art showcases, I could even create a sideblog here on Tumblr (and maybe other social media) specifically to host and boost the content of other fans, like you reading this right now! :D

How do I join?

Simply use the invite in this post and introduce yourself in the '#log-in' channel to be granted access to ThiefNet. The server will be a bit empty and bare bones at first so don't be alarmed, a lot of features are based on demand, so for starts I'd like to see just how much interest there is in this sort of thing! Also, sharing this post is greatly appreciated!