#and i jus wanted to worldbuild; mostly

[theresthesnitch]

20 questions for Fic Writers

Thanks for tagging me @puuvillaa!

How many works do you have on AO3?

106 total.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,313,884, but that includes a few cowritten things, and I couldn't begin to break down how many of those belong to jus tme.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Just HP!

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

A. Step & Repeat - Wolfstar, Celebrity Sirius fake dating AU, Rated M, 62k words

B. Three Strikes 'til you're out - Jily, Celebrity James fake dating AU, Rated E, 69k words

(I have not, until just now, put together that those two are so similar)

C. Bathed in the Moonlight - Wolfstar PWP, Rated E, 2.1k words

D. Ignite - Jily, 7th year Canon, Secret relationship smut fic, rated E, 192k words (WIP)

E. One More to Love - Wolfstarbucks, omegaverse w/ Pregnant Omega Remus, written with @krethes. 146k words, Rated E, WIP.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Omg 🫥. I do.... sometimes. I really, really love comments, and I need to be better about responding to them! It's a mixture of social anxiety and savoring them that leads me to not responding, and then I wonder if it's too late to respond, and then they stack up, and then I'm anxious over how many there are and I just.... never repsond. i try to repsond to at least some of the, but I'm very anxious about how many unresponded comments I have. (My inbox currently sits at 1136, and I've cleared it out before.)

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Dusk. However, i have 2 more in the works that (assuming I ever finish them) may be worse.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of my fics have a happy ending, so I'm not sure what the MOST happy ending was. Maybe Save the Groom? I can't imagine STG James being any happier than he is in that epilogue.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Occasionally. It's rarely hate but I do occasionally get dissatisfaction, like "i don't like the way you ended this" or "I read the side along you wrote and I'm no longer interested in the main story" which is weird to get.

9. Do you write smut. If so, what kind?

Lol, yes, and.... all kinds? Honestly, what does that mean. I've written MM, MF, and FF. Also Multi (though mostly MMM+). I've also written both vanilla and kink?

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

NOPE. Not something that really interests me, tbh.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of, but I wouldn't be surprised.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I've had a couple of people ask, but no one who has delivered on it. or at least no one who tagged me the way I asked them to if they did it.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Yes, a few! I'm actually very fond of cowriting. Quietlemonhush and I have been working on cowriting more, and I adore working with him.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

I've gotta go with my Wolfstar boys. 💖

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doublt you ever will?

I'm not ready to call anything that's posted now and a WIP abandoned (though I know I occasionally get comments calling things abandoned). I think it's probably unlikely that I ever write my Voldy Wins AU at this point because I've been sitting on it for 2 years at this point, but it was never posted.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Worldbuilding and tension building, I think.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Sticking to a plan. 🤣

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I've done it before, and I'm not a huge fan, tbh. I probably won't do it again unless I have a cowriter who is fluent. It's a pain if you don't know the language, and there's no way to really build the dialogue as you would in a language you know.

19. First Fandom you wrote for?

HP, but make it Hinny.

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

Oh, gosh. I think maybe The Way We Fall. Ask me next week and that will be different.

No pressure tags to @krethes, @charmsandtealeaves @annabtg @mppmaraudergirl @eyra @wanderingdonut

[breeze-of-sunlight]

Hey there Ju !

It's 🎅 anon again !

It's been quite a long time, but I wanted to give you an update as to how the gift is going.

First, I'll answer to the non-fic relates stuff ! Yeah I'm a French as a Foreign Language teacher (from France). I have taught a little in France and more in New Zealand, but I'm mostly interested in Asia for now, mainly China, so we'll see how it goes. Moving abroad is exhausting, but it's the second or third time by now I do that, and you definitely get used to it even if it's not easy :D

Now that I think about it, Under the Queen's Umbrella is probably that favourite drama, right next to Extraordinary Attorney Woo and Flower of Evil. The actress who plays the Queen really carries the show, and yet, the other actors are also very talented. She was a breath of fresh air amongst other Queen characters 💛

I have only heard of my Santee once, so we'll see how it goes I guess :D But I'm glad I was able to talk to you more, I'd love to stay in contact after my identity is revealed if you agree, I know nobody in the fandom and we get along great, what do you think ? :D

I needed quite a long time to get started on writing, and to think about how I wanted to organise the story. I wanted to ask you if you would agree with this system :

So basically, I told you the fic might be 4k to 5k, from what was I my head at the time. Then I started writing... it's already 3k and they haven't even met yet. There is a lot of worldbuilding and description that needed to be done on the OCs side, because her culture and customs are the basis of her journey.

So, in light of that, would you be okay to make it a three part mini-series, the first part of which would be your gift (which will be accompanied by at least two moodboards and notes, and probably a Spotify playlist), the two remaining parts would be posted hopefully not long after. It would allow me to make somewhat even parts (probably from 3.5k to 4.5k each). The good news is I also found a beta, to make sure the story is as good quality as can be :D

Rest assured, there will be a little bit of fantasy in the first part, even though it's mostly worldbuilding on the OCs side, Jongdae will still appear and trigger the whole plot.

I can tell you right now the title of the fic and the name of the chapters, even though it won't give you much insight into the plot.

Title : "Under The Moon, We Collide"

1. Collision

2. Connection

3. Balance

I would have made the whole thing in only one part if I had had more time, with ADHD it's not easy focusing and I'm constantly scared my hyperfixation on that story is going to disappear 🥹

Also, since you're German-speaking, I'm guessing you must be either from German Switzerland, Germany or Austria. I have a question regarding that : is it true that the letter J is most often pronounced Y ? Like, if your name is Julia (I don't know, I'm just making assumptions, it's the first name in J that came to my mind), would it be pronounced Yulia ? That would help me for the OC's name (which is not Julia don't worry 🤣).

Sorry again for the wait, I'll patiently await your answer, and I'm excited to hear your theories, if you have any :D

Sincerely,

🎅 Anon.

Hey Santa!

Long time no read! It's good to have you in my ask box again ^^

Teaching from New Zealand sounds so cool, damn! I'm crossing my fingers for you to get a job offer somewhere you'll like ^^ Ngl, leaving your entire social circle in another country would be so scary for me 0-0

Thanks again for the kdrama recs! I haven't had any time to watch them yet, sadly :C (yk, since it was spooky season and that called for a spooky season marathon, hehe)

Yeah, I'd love to stay in contact! :) Though I'll warn you right now: I'm not a good texter. Sometimes I get very overwhelmed by texting and end up not answering back for a while. This isn't any evil intent or a sign that I don't like you, it's just a me-problem ^^' But if that is okay with you, then as I said: I'd love to!!

Okay, about the gift:

The absolute scream I let out internally when you wrote that you already have 3k down! T^T Meanwhile I'm sitting here trying to wrestle the plot lineout for my present into actually conveying the emotions I want it to-

But that's beside point. Yes, I'm absolutely fine with you splitting the story into multiple parts! I know the feeling of burning out over a creative project a little too well. It sucks and I don't want you to risk catching that over having to finish all of the story in this set timeframe.

I also I can't believe how organized you are about this - a playlist, a beta?? That's so cool???

As for any theories: knowing how Chen can get, I'd guess there's a good bit of mischief going on here! Especially with the first chapter being called "Collision" I guess the inital contact between the OC and Chen won't go over too well :D

I'm also guessing that the background magic might be related to the moon or the night in a way? Or that the plot of the initial chapter plays out during the night? I'm not sure, hhhmmm  (ˉ▽ˉ；)

And yes, you guessed correctly! I'm from Germany :)

About our J's: it's complicated. While yes, most of them are pronounced softly, we also have a few instances of pronouncing them harsher. The word "just" is actually a good example for it. In English it's pronounced [ʤʌst] (so a "dsch" sound) while in German it's pronounced [jʊst] (with a softer sound / a "y" sound). Has the same meaning, just gets pronounced quite differently. And that is the way for most of our J's, as you've said.

Names are, however, where it gets tricky. Because for some reason, most names starting with a J have the [ʤ] sound. And I can't really explain why. So yes, Julia would be [ˈjuːli̯a] with the Y, but Julie (my actual name, haha) is more of a [ˈd͡ʒuːliː] with the Dsch. And I think most names starting with a J are falling into the Dsch area, actually...

Sorry if that got convoluted, but I hope this helped at least somehow?

Have a pleasant day/night!! ^^

[fvaleraye]

Political Correspondence

Oh hey would you look at that, I made another chapter Amazing what a few kind words will do... I see y’all ;w;

Anyway, this one is... a little different? It’s mainly worldbuilding, and a peek at the goings on of the political shit of the Council that runs the world, or, more specifically, their more... uncooperative members, and it’s not very long. I may do a follow up that’s just the council members who don’t get along messaging each other ASDLFKJN

I hope y’all enjoy reading ^^

The lands of Magna Terra have been dominated by the Ten Great Cities for generations. Though still a relatively young civilization, all things considered, it has manage to stand tall despite much strife. Or, at least, that's what they say. The Council, the leading body of the government, are believed to be a unified and benevolent group, unshakeable in their will to lead Magna Terra to greatness and prosperity. While this is not... entirely accurate, the continent has not descended into anarchy yet, so that must mean something. The Council are, on paper, made up of ten exceptional, hand-picked individuals from each of the ten cities. In reality, only six of them consistently show up to any meetings. One is typically busy with research, another has many spiritual responsibilities, while the other two quite honestly only have a seat on the council in name only. No-one complains, however. Forcing all attendants to appear in person would most likely do more harm than good. So. Written correspondence is the next best thing.

Technically speaking, Finley was the one and only Free Lands representative on the council, as he was the only one who had the patience for all the paperwork and political dealings, but all four Pirate Kings typically debated, or argued, on any decision that the Free Lands would make on council proceedings. Odysseus was usually busy raiding ships for "volunteers" in his bloodsports and shiny metals to decorate his opulent ships with, and clearly cared very little for anything else. Delphine mostly guided the various ocean dangers away from the ports, as she was expected to, as every siren emissary from the Deep Kingdoms did. And Finley's brother, Lockley, mostly just got into barfights and raided ships that Odysseus hadn't already picked clean, when he wasn't nursing hangovers.

So, with all these... colorful individuals, it fell to Finley to keep track of everything, and make sure that the Council didn't come down on their less than legal activities like a hammer. It was stressful, and he didn't want to be the one to do it, but someone had to. And no-one else was going to volunteer. So he spent most of his time sitting in his study, or in the captains quarters if he was on the sea, writing to the other Council members and keeping track of all the numbers in his fellows... escapades. This is why he had his own private grog stash kept stocked at all times.

"Fellow Members of the Council.

I appreciate your continued tolerance of my fellows activities, and we're all thankful for the shipment of various goods. Odysseus in particular was overjoyed at the crates of fine wine, and I doubt you'll be seeing much of him and his crew for a bit, as they've managed to drink themselves into a stupor these past few nights with the stuff. Delphine is doing well, and, as a result, so are the seas, so you should have no trouble getting your other shipments here and back. I must admit that I am continually thankful, though not surprised, at the generosity and tolerance you have shown us, despite how the citizens of the Free Lands continue to do what pirates, outlaws, and scoundrels do. Again. Thankful. Not surprised. After all, we're the ones with all the cannons, muskets, and flintlocks. And, to answer your last letter, no, they're still not up for trade. You have magic, don't you? You'll be fine. I'm sure. As long as we're all in good standing with each other, that is.

Signed Yours Truly, Finley Bracket, Third of The Name, Lord Pirate King of The Free Lands."

The Charred Lands, meanwhile, wanted very little to do with the land beyond the forests, and the pyromantic Council members, understandably, stopped attending any meetings after the Third War of Embers. They still weighed in on any decisions the Council made, but they were governed by their own Council, the Council of The Charred Ones, presided over by the Nine Charred Lords. Quite honestly, they were more united in their efforts than the actual Council, but they still had their squabbles. They hardly payed lip-service to any laws the Council made, and were simply self ruled. The Charred Lords had been around since the dawn of the Sparking, they did not need to listen to these petty mortals in their gilded tower.

The cold war between them and the Golden City went back ages, as the words of the Sacred Embers and the teachings of the Holy Church often conflicted, and the animosity between them was only strengthened after the war. The Church didn't take kindly to any "pagan" religions who did not worship their Lady of Light, and the people of the Charred Lands believed in only the Nine Unburnt Gods. Most Council members were thankful when the Lords stopped attending, honestly, as they spent most of their time bickering with the Archbishop than actually adding anything to the decisions. It was far more productive this way, even if they still didn't add much at all to Council decisions.

"Councilman of The Uncharred.

We have deigned to hear your requests for the holy metals, and the rare ores they are crafted from, that our holy guard uses in defense of the most holy Citadel of The Everlasting Embers, resting place of the gifts of the Unburnt Ones. We shall decline. These metals are for the use of true believers, and you have shown yourselves to be quite the opposite time and time again, as the wars prove. Remember, you have earned our tolerance, not our forgiveness. We have not deigned to give you any of our resources. We, however, deign to give our thanks for the fine jewels you have sent. We shall return them to you in a few suns time. The Unburnt Gods have no need of such finery, and neither do we. Bribery will get you nowhere in these discussions. As for your requests to remove the demons currently creeping through your lands, isn't that what your "Holy" Order is for? To kill or restrain these Blessedly Charred Beings is to betray the teachings of the Holy Ember, which your "Church" should take no issue with. Deal with it yourselves.

May The Blessings of Ember Touch Upon Your Woefully Uncharred Minds. The Council of The Nine Charred Lords, Children of The Unburnt Gods."

The Councilman Argentum, or Silver Councilman as most people call him, spent most of his waking hours researching the magic and history of Sparks, as well as contributing to the Historum in the Silver City. While he had very little interest in politics, his decisions and opinions were weighed very carefully by the rest of the Council, and his mind was held in high regard, even if his more logical approach to things rubbed the Church the wrong way at times. While he is a well regarded and respected member of the Council, more and more often he fails to attend Council meetings, as he becomes more and more absorbed in his work, hoping for a breakthrough before the end of his long life.

He keeps in very close contact with the High Magus of the Historum, though the two have been falling out with each other in recent times. Mostly due to a difference in scientific opinion. But still, he contributes to the Historum, and to the Magus's research, as well as his own. Still, the other Council members have recently begun to raise brows at his decision making in his old age. But he hasn't gone senile yet.

"Regarded Members of The Council.

While I am shocked and appalled at what has transpired in the eastern villages, I must protest the investigation of my Magus's. These men and women are respected historians and valued sorcerers, not barbarians who burn villages and steal children. And the accusations laid against the High Magus himself are absurd at best. I refuse your request to investigate any of my inner circle, as internal investigations have already taken place, and nothing has been found. I doubt the Church's Inquisitors would find anything that my investigators haven’t. You can tell the Archbishop that. As for your request to have the lower levels of the Historum searched, I must refuse that as well. The only things down there are dust and things too valuable to be within reach of the public. If you want to poke around at dusty old relics, go to the Old Lands and find some for yourselves, it will be close enough. And the fresh air should do you some good. I am old. Not senile. And I'm a better judge of character than any of you seem to assume.

Signed Stephan M. Moores, Councilman Argentum."

The Archbishop, the spiritual leader of the Holy Church, and representative of the Golden City within the Council, could very easily attend more Council meetings, as she lives directly within the Golden City's Holy Ring, but she values her spiritual teachings more than the political intrigue of the Council. Which, given how often the other members of the Council grate on her nerves, is understandable. She leads the processions of the Holy Church within the Golden City, and personally teaches aspiring priests and priestesses of the words of The Lady of Light, as well as dealing with the backlash of the more zealous actions of the Order. Many people who do not hold the church in the absolute highest regard often raise brows at the steps taken to "protect" the Cities from the "harmful" or "heretical" religions spread around Magna Terra.

Still, the Archbishop is not a cruel woman, and would rather convert a "heretical" individual than kill them. Though, as the other members of the Council know, she is more than willing to take a morally grey stance on things if she believes it would do more good than harm in the long run, and that she can be rather terrifying when angered. While not the oldest, or wisest, member of the Council, she is level-headed enough to be a key component in keeping the other Councilmen from ripping each others throats out. When she actually attends meetings, that is.

"Dearest Councilmen.

I have heard your fears and concerns regarding the pagan cults cropping up across the outskirts of Magna Terra. I, too, am worried for the spiritual future of our fellows, so far from Her light. I have already sent several cohorts of clergymen, and, while many found success, most were repelled. I have, with a heavy heart, authorized use of the Order's Paladins to quell these dissidents. I did not want it to come to this, but some just cannot see the light until they are brought to Her judgement. As for your reports of Abyssal Kin in Crystalbarrow, I have dispatched several Inquisitors. They will arrive before the Scaled Moon rises. If the Silent Titan's misbegotten children are hiding there, they will be found. I promise you that. And, as for evidence regarding the attacks on the eastern villages, I am sorry to report that no new evidence has been found. It seems that we have found all we're going to.

May Her Light Shine Upon Your Path. Yours Truly, Lilliana Beneficia, Archbishop of Her Holy Church."

The other members of the Council, while just as important to the wellbeing of Magna Terra, are not as noteworthy as those who cause the most issues with the formal proceedings. They are, while still colorful individuals, rather normal in comparison. Most are often exasperated by their fellows. Some are amused. They would all rather they just get along and get things done without a crisis having to happen first. While not quite as unified as they wish to appear, they are thankfully still far from ineffective in keeping the different territories from tearing each other to pieces.

[dem-khuya]

drama recommendations

just a yes/no thing. i’ll probably add to this as it goes on. im scared of ppl finding this post and getting angry (that used to happen a lot on twitter) but honestly this is jus my opinion and it’s based on A) treatment of and development of female leads + B) whether or not the writing is interesting. i am not really forgiving of a lot of cdrama tropes so do factor that in.

the bad kids 2020: yes wholeheartedly yes please watch it right now actually. the best drama i’ve seen by far advisor’s alliance 2017: yes 100% it’s three kingdoms centered but focused mostly in wei kingdom. portrays cao cao as problematic but incredibly progressive. the women in this show are written with so much respect and dignity. i think it also becomes liquid misery-ish (sowwy i’m still finishing this up <3) but if you’re familiar with three kingdoms it’s probably not a surprise. legend of fuyao 2018: recommended if you want to turn your brain off. the acting is actually pretty good, writing leaves a lot to be desired. kind of a reverse harem. very heterosexual. also kinda horny. mostly no killer and healer 2021: first half is good. but...stop at episode 19. writing feels strong at first but it weakens gradually to match its production value (very low budget). overall not really go ahead 2020: i want to, bc of the familial themes (which are very strong and so realistically well written) but literally its SO incesty and weird that i just can’t. i didn’t even watch it all the way through. song weilong could not save this one the longest day in chang’an 2019: watch for production value and development of the main female lead + worldbuilding + attention to history. lots of blood, gore, and misery, so i would recommend watching it detachedly, and with some lower expectations for the writing side.  nirvana in fire 2 2014: really good but it is liquid misery. yes. i think the storyline rivals and even to some extent surpasses the first one winter begonia 2019: if you liked farewell my concubine you’ll like this. it shares most of farewell my concubine’s flaws, specifically being liquid misery to the point that it feels comedic. cinematography is good, writing is questionable, don’t hold fast to any female leads cuz they’ll either be written off or written to turn into a bitch. the actors are incredible. can you imagine how unbearable this show would have been without qin zheng and huang xiaoming? anyway i guess it’s...fine but i liked the first half of killer healer more than most of winter begonia. find yourself 2020: i haven’t finished this but it’s kinda stupid and funny. very questionable premise though. doesn’t really handle its serious themes very seriously, and song weilong kinda carries the whole show on his shoulders. if you’re bored...sure

stuff i want to watch later is probably word of honor (just to say i’ve seen it), miss truth, miss S, and any show that has ju jingyi in a main role bc she’s beautiful ;_; 

[artnerd1123]

AFW  Potion/Plant Worldbuilding Dump

a whole bunch of random potion info, courtesy of a worldbuilding infodump from a convo with a friend :V

undercut cuz its a lil long lskdjfs

So potions mostly rely on plants, and what effects the plants have. Herbs, flowers, fruits; you name it, it’ll do something in a potion. Even if it’s just making it taste better.

In addition to regular plants, like we have in our world, there’s various magic plants too! Like the rabs n the white death plants I made awhile ago. Those ones tend to have more niche/“magical” effects than your standard herbs.

Stuff like medicinal potions are typically made with mostly herbs with a dash of whatever magic plant u need. Other potions that have “magic effects” are largely magic plant based!

And, ofc, I’m using the term ‘magic’ here loosely. The plants really don’t have any magic/dark magic of their own. It’s only the effects they have, and how they line up with spells/curses, that earns them a ‘regular/dark’ label!

Plant effects go by symbolism! Like, if a flower represents love or admiration in our world, it’ll have that sort of effect in a potion. Tis an easy way to keep track of what plants do which things, if u wanted to be fancy in writing. Also if they have actual medicinal value, that transfers over too

I’m thinkin I gotta have a basic “magic” and “dark magic” plant for people to mix in to their potions… That way u can make any of ur potions actually work instead of just having weird plant soup hfjjskkw

I’m thinkin they look kinda plain. Like. They’re not flowers we’d recognize, but they definitely jus look like ur standard flower. The “magic” ones could be warm colors, and the “dark”ones could be cool colors. Y’know, like red/orange/yellow/brown/white vs green/blue/purple/gray/black. Dark magic ones grow in the shade and regular magic ones in brighter areas. They could grow together if u had a place with both shade and light. Dark plants tend to look more like fungus or poisonous plants or vines, but regular ones tend to look more like bushes or garden flowers or wildflowers. Both can look intimidating, but follow the same general rule of dark = cool colors and regular = warm colors

And yes, yes this does apply to stems, too. Tho occasionally black/white can appear on both kinds!!! Depends what exactly the use is yo :0

The “basic” plant would look the same aside from color differences to ascribe them to dark/regular labels!!! 

And when I say anyone can make potions? I do mean anyone. Hence why I’ve got a demon potion maker. Angels can make em too. Heck, monsters can make potions if they know what they’re doin! And, since anyone can make em? Anyone can be effected by em.

Yes, that does mean demons can get ‘cursed’ via potions. It’s in quotes cuz it’s not a real curse (and can be reversed), but it’s the closest thing to a curse they can get. Also, ‘standard magic’ (ex: teleportation, defensive magic, etc) can be used on angels, so u can technically summon an angel via potions or whatnot.

It’s gonna be complicated as frick to summon an angel, but it’s doable hfjjdks

[sage-nebula]

Hi! I was hoping to ask you for any recommendations on fanfics, specifically pokemon ones?? I trust your judgement and have read your writing before (It's flipping amazing) and I was just wondering if you had any favorites??? Thanks for your time :)

First, thank you for the compliment about my writing! I really appreciate it! ♥

As far as fic recommendations go, I’m afraid I don’t have too many since, in all honesty, I don’t read very much fic anymore. To be even more honest, I don’t read as much as I should period anymore, even though I know I need to get back to reading within my genre to sharpen my skills for my original works. A lot of it comes down to time, and how I mismanage what little free time I have (i.e. I spend it playing video games, writing my own fiction, watching cartoons, et cetera), but nonetheless, I don’t read nearly as much as I should anymore. I need to get back to that.

With that said, I can at least recommend some old classics that I’ve loved, although only one of them is a Pokémon fic (and it’s a PokéAni fic, at that). Hopefully you’ll find them enjoyable!

Title: PhantomAuthor: PinkFalconFandom: PokéAniGenre: Romance/DramaStatus: In ProgressSummary: “Misty's Training to be a Master in a large, ancient Stadium, but it isn't easy. First the Battle Ghost gets its greedy hands on her Totodile, and now her old friend Rudi is trying to court her. But the Ghost doesn't like that . . .”Rec Notes: This is, as odd as it may sound, a Phantom of the Opera Pokémon AU. Rather than simply transport the characters into an opera house, however, PinkFalcon took the time to adapt the Phantom of the Opera plot to the Pokémon world, while at the same time creating a bunch of worldbuilding to go along with it. So instead of an opera house, it’s a training stadium; instead of a phantom, he’s a “battle ghost” (and a little something extra, on top of that). Pokémon are still a very, very real part of this story, which I find to be incredibly appealing, because AUs where the pokémon cease to exist really aren’t interesting to me. Pokémon are important---that needs to be kept in!On top of that, the characters aren’t simply copy-pastes of the characters from the original musical / movie. Although each character does have a counterpart to some extent (Misty is Christine, Rudi is Raoul, Ash is Erik, et cetera), they’re still very much IC. The only real snag when it comes to in character characterization is Gary, given that he’s one of the primary antagonists, but even that can be accepted if you squint, tilt your head, and remember that his motivations here are rooted in love and loyalty for his grandfather, whom he feels was severely wronged. Either way, Gary’s role is minimal, so that’s easy enough for me to brush by in favor of everything else (which is really, really good).The primary ship for this fic is Ash/Misty, however much the original play and summary might lead you to believe otherwise. With that said, Rudi is treated extremely fairly. This isn’t a case where he’s the asshole boyfriend that you want to die so that Ash and Misty can be together; rather, he’s treated like a real person, his actions and motivations are believable, and there are times when I even feel bad for him despite the fact that I have ship bias for Ash/Misty. (And while Erik/Christine is a ship with a metric ton of problems in the original musical, believe me, Ash is still very much Ash here; there’s none of that gross nonsense in this fic, trust me.) Also, although this is an Ash/Misty fic, rest assured that Pikachu is still a main character and plays a very important role. One of my biggest pet peeves is when PokéAni ship fics either delete the pokémon entirely, or at the very least render them irrelevant. Trust me, Pikachu is not irrelevant here, and his bond with Ash is very real and very important.Overall, this fic is very well-written and easy to get absorbed in, the characterization is excellent, and even if you’re familiar with the original musical, enough is changed to make it original and refreshing. (Again, it’s far and away not a copy/paste of the musical.) The only real catch here is that it’s unfinished, albeit near the end, and hasn’t been updated since 2013. However, that 2013 update came after something like five years of inactivity, so! PinkFalcon is still working on it. It just takes a long time. But each update is really, really worth it, I promise.Overall, this fic is a real winner. I highly recommend checking it out.

Title: The Girl From WhirlpoolAuthor: SilverShineFandom: NarutoGenre: RomanceStatus: In ProgressSummary: “When Naruto's father met his mother, his only impression was that a village out there must have been missing its idiot.”Rec Notes: You know how Kishimoto included backstory for how Minato and Kushina met and fell in love? It’s irrelevant. It’s honestly irrelevant in the face of this fic. This fic is better than the entire Naruto manga and franchise combined, and trust me, I’m not exaggerating.While the only genre listed for this fic is “romance,” this fic is much, much more than that. At 248,299 words, this fic stands not only as a slow burn Minato/Kushina fic, but it begins with how they met as children and grew as individuals throughout all of the events that led up to the start of the Naruto manga. As such, it not only shows them coming together as acquaintances, and then friends, and then eventual lovers; it also shows their other friendships, the wars they both lived through and participated in, and everything in-between. They also each date other people throughout the course of the fic, so trust me when I say that although this is a Minato/Kushina fic, again, it’s more than that. They’re not the only people in each other’s lives, even as their affections for one another solidly grow over time.This fic is, like the one before it, amazingly written and very, very easy to get absorbed into. The prose is excellent, as is the dialogue. Once again, the only snag is that it’s still in progress, and this time hasn’t been updated since 2011. I don’t know if this one ever will be updated again, but the plus side is that it at least doesn’t end on a cliffhanger. Either way, it’s excellent, and as far as I’m concerned this is the canon backstory for Minato and Kushina. The tripe Kishimoto can take a hike, tbh.

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The ReturnAuthor: Rose ZemlyaFandom: The Legend of ZeldaGenre: AdventureStatus: Complete!Summary: “Takes place after OoT with the assumption that Link lost all of his memories of the events in the game when Zelda sent him back in time.”Rec Notes: Okay, so that summary really doesn’t tell you a whole lot. (No offense, Rose, but it’s true!)Essentially, The Return is a sequel fic (of sorts) for Ocarina of Time, taking place in the child timeline. The idea here is that Link lost his memories after Zelda sent him back (as stated), and so he grew up as a mostly normal boy. There are a few catches, however: He was still banished from Kokiri Forest thanks to the Great Deku Tree dying again (from something) and Mido blaming him for it, and as such he grew up under the watchful eyes of the owner of the archery shop, a man named Bruiser. Everyone else who was involved in the Ocarina of Time plot (the Sages, namely) are fully aware of everything that happened over the course of OoT, though this is being kept secret from Link (as is the fact that he’s actually the Hero of Time, et cetera). And unbeknownst to Link (and everyone else), Ganondorf is seeking to make a comeback now, using Dark Link as his primary agent of choice . . .I can’t say too much more about the plot without spoiling all of it. I can say, however, that this fic (and its sequel) are probably my favorite fics of all time. Rose’s writing has informed so much of what I think about the Zelda-verse over the years (I mean, I discovered The Return when I was about thirteen!), and to this day the origin story she wrote for the Gerudo (which is in the sequel, Reconciliation) is what I hold as the canonical origin story for them, particularly with regards to the OoT Gerudo. It just makes so much sense, on top of being beautifully written. The Return features a multitude of original characters, and what is notable about this is that this is the first fic I ever read where OCs have been related to (or in relationships with) canon characters, and yet it works. In fact, it didn’t even hit me that that’s what I was reading until I was at the very end, and then I was like, “Oh. Okay,” and went along with it, because Rose’s characters are actual characters who feel like they belong, versus just being vessels for the writer or reader. All of her characters (canon characters included!) are extremely fleshed out and three-dimensional. The worldbuilding she includes (such as the aforementioned origin story for the Gerudo) is phenomenal. The plot is engaging and easy to get absorbed in, once again. And RR!Link is the best Link, hands down. Of course, I might be a bit biased because I relate with him an awful lot (his snark is my snark), but all the same, I adore him. (As well as Hunter, and Neesha, and . . .)There are a few caveats here. The writing in the beginning is rough. Rose started The Return back in 2001, and as such, particularly when you read her later work and then go back, you can see how her writing is evolved. It’s still not bad, but her earlier writing is not nearly as pretty as her later writing. I implore you to just sort of . . . forgive that, for the time being, because trust me: Her writing really, really improves over time. (Even over the course of The Return, given that she spent two years on it.) There are also place sin The Return where Rose admits that she included certain things she’s not proud of (such as damseling of certain characters) as a result of her feeling like she had to stick to the Zelda formula. She breaks more and more from that over time (especially in the sequel), so it’s just one of those things where you can say, “Okay, that’s not the greatest, but she has learned and it shows.” (It’s also something she’s avoiding in The Warden’s Return, which is her original work based on this series of fics she has written---and trust me, it’s quite original, it’s not a copy/paste!)Overall, you do need to read The Return before going on to the sequel, I feel, but it’s very, very, very worth it. And I don’t want to talk smack on The Return, because it is still quite good! But if there are parts where you feel like :/ about the writing quality or whatever, just know that Rose does really grow as a writer, it vastly improves, and the rougher parts in the beginning are worth sticking through to get to the really, really good stuff later on. I promise.

Title: The Legend of Zelda: ReconciliationAuthor: Rose ZemlyaFandom: The Legend of ZeldaGenre: AdventureStatus: In ProgressSummary: “Sequel to The Legend of Zelda: The Return. Based loosely on A Link to the Past.”Rec Notes: re: that summary: Rose pls.More specifically, this is the sequel to the above fic (obviously), and as the summary states, it’s loosely based on A Link to the Past, despite A Link to the Past not featuring the same Hero in the actual Zelda timeline (but do we care about that when this fic is this good? No, no we do not). Reconciliation takes place three years (iirc) after The Return, and opens with Link, Hunter, and Neesha returning from a “diplomacy mission” that they had been sent on for the past three months before the fic starts. During that time, Aghanim (who named himself regent to the throne of Hyrule) has been up to some awful nonsense, which kickstarts the plot when Link and Neesha return home only to discover that they’re no longer welcome in Hyrule Castletown . . .Again, this is a case where I can’t say too much without spoiling the plot. I can say that, if you’re familiar with A Link to the Past, there will be some things that are familiar to / expected by you (such as Aghanim being a villain, the three towers that Aghanim had constructed in OoT’s Hyrule, Link needing to retrieve the Master Sword from the Lost Woods, et cetera). However, Rose also veers off course from the game’s plot and, much like The Return before it, makes it an original story, and very much her own. All of the characters from The Return make a comeback, and there are a host of new characters (such as Hylian noble Eldrick) who add to the plot as well. The writing is absolutely fantastic (especially as it goes on), the narrative is absolutely compelling, and there are numerous places where your heart will be broken (but you’ll be glad for it---you’re going to suffer, but you’re going to be happy about it). Reconciliation really probably is my favorite overall fic. I adore pretty much everything about it and recommend it to everyone. The only real catch here is that update wait times are immense; Rose began Reconciliation in 2004, it’s still in progress, and the last update was in 2014. It also ended on a cliffhanger. However, the upside is that she is still working on it, it hasn’t been forgotten, and so there is hope! (There are also a lot of drabbles on her prompt blog. ♥) This fic is really, really, really worth it. So is The Return. So are all the drabbles and midquels and prequels. So is The Warden’s Return. Really, Rose’s writing in general is worth it. Go read it.

Title: Catch Me if I FallAuthor: flusteredkeithFandom: Voltron: Legendary DefenderGenre: RomanceStatus: Complete!Summary: “Ever since the five paladins began to really work together as a team, Allura swore to herself that as long as the universe was at stake, she’d always put their feelings above her own, no matter what the circumstances were. She thought it’d be simple—easy, even. What she didn’t expect, however, was for the complications to arise from within herself.Alternatively, Allura tries not to fall for Keith.(Spoiler alert: it doesn’t work.)”Rec Notes: This fic is what really opened me up to the idea of Keith/Allura as a ship, which made me start thinking about it more and more, which made me really come to love it. It takes place following the events of S2, which means that it covers not only the burgeoning feelings between Allura and Keith, but also how Keith comes to take on the mantle of Black Paladin / Leader of Voltron. Everyone is in character (the dialogue in this fic is on point), the slow burn is there and believable, the parallels are nice . . . really, everything about this one is great. It’s also a one-shot, so it’s a lot less of a commitment to make going into it. If you’re curious about Keith/Allura (or even if you’re not but want to give this a chance anyway), I really recommend it. It’s a good read.

Title: Once Upon a Time There Was an OceanAuthor: ABadPlanWellExecutedFandom: Doctor WhoGenre: AdventureStatus: Complete!Summary: “Rose had traveled through so many different parallels, ranging from the mundane to the bizarre, but now, looking out at the familiar London skyline, she wondered if she'd finally found home at last.”Rec Notes: Everything by this author is, dare I say it, absolutely fantastic, but I’m going to go ahead and rec this one as it’s the first one by the author I ever read, and to this day I still think about it (and, once again, find it really easy to get absorbed in it at any point). This fic takes place between the conclusion of the season two finale, and the end of season four, when Rose is (as the summary indicates) jumping from parallel to parallel with the Dimension Cannon. There are multiple fics with this premise by this author (as part of her Certain Dark Things series), but this one in particular stands out because Rose does make it to her original world in this one . . . only at the wrong time. She ends up bumping into the Ninth Doctor before he ever met her, as well as Captain Jack Harkness while the latter is working for Torchwood 3 (makes sense if you remember his timeline after he gains immortality). Though this author does ship Doctor/Rose, this isn’t a ship fic so much as it is, as the genre indicates, an adventure fic with these three all thrown together at differing points on their own timeline, each of them having only pieces of information about each other. There are times when the writing jumps around a bit where it shouldn’t (where the focus character shifts inexplicably, for instance), but overall the writing is good, the premise is excellent, and I really recommend this one. Though as I said, everything this author has done is great, and that’s the truth.Also, it’s Nine, Rose, and Jack; what more could you possibly ask for?

Title: And On the Third DayAuthor: MerryArwenFandom: Harry PotterGenre: RomanceStatus: Complete!Summary: “Eventually, they find a note tacked to the gargoyle who guards the passage to the Headmaster's office. It is in Granger's handwriting and signed by her at the bottom, and tells them that, the danger being over and the initial aftermath winding down, she feels that the three of them need some time alone to recuperate and will reappear exactly three days from that day, at four o'clock.”Rec Notes: I am very, very, very picky when it comes to HP fic, so you can trust me when I say that this one is fantastic. It follows the ending of DH with a slight canon divergence---namely, that instead of just having Ron/Hermione in love with each other, the fact of the matter is that Harry is involved in that relationship as well, i.e., it’s a Harry/Ron/Hermione OT3 fic. And, again, it’s excellent. The characterization is perfect, dialogue is spot on, and the prose flows really, really well. It’s a one-shot, so there isn’t a lot of commitment here, and to this day I sometimes come back to this fic because it is just that good. Really, if you’re open to the idea of a Golden Trio OT3, go read it. I’m sure this fic will convince you.