#calli written letters

[louquettes]

I'M GOING INSANE YOUR DOKJA ART IS SOOO ARARAHRHFHDHFDSFHSDLHSDFFS YOU KNOW??? YEAH. YEAH

just a lil treat 4 u<3

[beansprean]

no bats were harmed in the making of this art (it was consensual dkjhsk)

[sticker + prints!]

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(ID in alt and under cut)

ID: Full body of Guillermo, topless and wearing green chinos tucked into brown boots, a stake in each hand, high-kicking a large bat out of the air. Guillermo's hair is overgrown, he has a cuff and fang pierced in his ear, double bar piercings in both nipples so it looks like a cross, an actual silver cross around his neck, multiple gnarled scars on his hands, stomach, chest, and face, and tattoos covering his body. The tattoos include, on his right arm: a saguaro cactus, a stylized Nahua gila monster, an evil eye, a bote joghe, and 'familia' written in cursive. On his left arm: an ankh filled with celtic knots, a circular maze, a sacred heart, some chain, and 'nandor' written in farsi. Both hands have an arrow on the back, a cross lain over his fingers like knuckle dusters, and 'de la cruz' written across each knuckle letter by letter. Also visible is a line of red crosses around his throat, crossed arrows and a star of david over his chest, a thunderbird on his stomach, a calli house on his right side, and a celtic knot on his left side. /end ID

[scintillyyy]

actually it is interesting how dixon has tim discover his feelings for steph over the course of and in contrast to what was ultimately his failing relationship with ari & like. listen i'm not here ti cast judgment on either tim or steph here, but it was very much written by dixon as like. steph knowingly was very pushy about wanting to be in a relationship with tim even knowing he was actively in a relationship and fundamentally did not care about tim's girlfriend as a human being because steph saw tim being in a relationship already as basically minor inconvience because she wanted tim & tim clearly seemed to want her so he should just be with her instead. and like tim's hands clearly aren't entirely clean here either, because he did kind of ultimately just going with the flow and letting things happen. (but!! i am on the side of both of them are messy teens in their first relationships & neither deserves lifelong castigation for 14-15 year old messiness, let's be clear). but the circumstances around this messiness even being able to happen is because ariana is fundamentally unable to truly know what's going on as she's never privy to the secret. she had no way of knowing what tim is doing or who he's meeting--sure she gets jealous when she sees tim notice steph, but she never knows that there's another girl in tim's life exists & can't know. meanwhile the whole time steph is flirting with tim she is well aware that ariana, or "tim's girlfriend" exists. tim & steph exist because at the time of his relationship with ari, tim was allowed to actively and consistently interact with another girl while actively in a relationship with another one & steph was well aware and a participant in that.

and that's kind of by design--dixon, i do think dixon fairly early on decided that he was more interested in tim&steph over tim&ari, but i do think it's important to note that when dixon created ari he's on the record of conceiving of her as a lois lane type romance interest for tim, she was clearly originally intended to have long term sticking power for him. but then--*readers* didn't vibe with her. there's letters in old issues basically asking--"hey, is steph going to come back, hey is steph going to date tim, hey love steph when are they getting together". so while dixon got fully on board with tim & steph i think it's safe to say he was also. probably very cognizant of readers deciding they like a different love interest better.

so there's an interesting pivot in dixon once tim & steph are firmly on the "getting together" train and it's that tim is not allowed to exist of breathe near other female characters without being chaperoned by steph or it involving steph somehow in deference to steph's jealousy issues. with steph's entrance into tim's life, tim is moved away from the mixed more sex friend group (that existed with callie & ariana) of gotham heights high to 1) homeschooling in keystone 2) all male boarding school brentwood. the only female friendship he gains is star, and that's used in a story for steph to misunderstand and start stalking star and her brother in an attempt to find tim & catch him in the act. tim is no longer allowed to team up with girls his age or a little older without stephanie there. he's not even allowed to be concerned about random adult woman dana (his stepmom) without steph breathing down his neck despite the fact that once they start dating tim is doggedly pretty loyal to steph as far as girls were, far more than he ever was with ariana. & like. in universe this is an interesting character beat for steph considering the start of their relationship being that steph pushed tim while he was in a relationship & is paranoid of all other women, that they'll act like she did. but from an out of universe perspective you can tell dixon was absolutely shutting down any other relationship possibility for tim other than steph. he knew the pain of creating a love interest that got subsumed in interest by another and was under no circumstances going to let anyone else in that that could become a threat to his girl. hence, every time he teams up with a girl after steph has to be there, monitoring & chaperoning. which is very interesting. considering their beginnings and steph's own willingness to hang out with a guy known to be taken without his girlfriend there & her eventual disallowment of tim to do anything with girls who aren't her.

[nazukisser]

➺✧ ┅ CHAPTER 04 | Dating

SYNOPSIS | “Duke, will you marry me?” You never thought you’d be saying these words until now, when you’ve realized you’ve been reincarnated as the first side character to be killed in a series of tragedies in a novel series called “Trails of Misfortune & Misery”. As a lady forced into an arranged marriage with the greedy son of Duke Drakos who aims to use your power as a sorceress to gain the Emperor’s favor and is eventually is killed as a sacrifice for his schemes, it seems the only one who can truly assist you is the Duke of Suou, Tsukasa Suou.

CHAPTER WARNINGS | attempted murder

PAIRING | Suou Tsukasa x fem!reader

LINKS | series masterlist | taglist form | prev chapter

You didn’t know when it started, but you could feel the sensation of being alive- the feeling of breathing, the sound of breaths, your head against the pillow, the blankets against your body. You were stiff, and it was bright- perfect reason to get up. Yet, it was difficult to- moving was hard, and going back to sleep sounded absolutely perfect. Yes, you’d stay in, even if you couldn’t sleep. There was nothing to do anyways, and Callie would keep you alive (bringing you food). 

“My lady, you have a guest,” Callie walked in, abrupt as usual. A groan escaped your lips before you could decide to pretend to still be asleep. It would’ve been nice if you could. Before being asked, she added, “It’s Duke Suou.” 

You bolted up. The Duke of Suou was here? Unprompted? You hadn’t set the day to today, right? No, you hadn’t. You’d set it to the end of this week; it was Monday today, and if you remembered correctly, the day had been set to Thursday. What could possibly bring the Duke of Suou, probably one of the busiest men in the entire world, here to your home on such a day, without an apparent reason? He was coming in completely unannounced, and to be frank, it was a bit rude. 

“He sent a letter,” Callie said, as if she read your mind. That was both a little scary and useful at the same time. But when did he send it? That was the question.

“At 5 in the morning,” she looked you right in the eyes. She wasn’t lying or joking. What kind of guy was up at 5 in the morning? Did he even sleep at all?

Well, technically, he didn’t break etiquette- since it was an unspoken rule that a letter be delivered hours before arrival- but it made the point of the etiquette completely useless if you didn’t read it before his arrival. You sighed. This guy was surprisingly dumb in all the cutest ways. 

He was already there, what could you do? You just had to meet him right? But he was waiting, and it was totally rude to keep a guest waiting for long. Before you knew it, you found yourself stepping into the one of the waiting rooms, the one where Tsukasa was waiting. You greeted him with a bow, as all the noble ladies do, and he made the effort to kiss your hand. Ah, yes, like how fiances should be. The two of you were fiances now, as per the contract that had yet to be written… 

He had a bit of a blush on his face, some hesitation. What was wrong? Was it hot? 

You asked what brought him to your estate this morning, and he simply answered, “I wished to see my wonderful fiancee,” A bouquet of flowers fell into your hand, red camellias. He came here… just to see you? Was he not busy? There was nothing urgent for you to handle? He simply wished to see you? 

You looked at his eyes. Somehow, they sparkled- somewhat starstruck. The currently romanceless Duke, in love with you? Perhaps he was simply stuck in the act. He didn’t need to try this hard; all you needed was to borrow his name. 

He looked at you for a moment a little too long, long enough for you to wonder what he was staring at you for. Was there something on your face? He swallowed.

“Uhm, I was thinking… if it isn’t too much, would you like to visit the shops in the Capital today?” Your eyes widened a little. He went through all this effort? To take you out on a date? 

Well, first off, were you free? Technically, you’d set it as a rest day, but it wasn’t work. You could rest tomorrow, and knowing him, he would allow you to rest whenever you needed… and surprisingly, as much as you wanted to sleep, you were surprisingly energetic. Perhaps, was there leftover adrenaline from last night, or were you unaware of your own excitement for today’s proposed plan? 

Whatever the case, Callie urged you to go. She looked at you with such intense eyes, which seemed to say “It’s better if you go.” Wow, Callie. Was she that desperate to go to the stores? Did she have something to buy? You sighed.

Sure, you’d go along with him. You were about to tell him to start going, until you realized- you were still in your nightgown. Ah, no wonder he was blushing. Though, the dress just looked like a dress, something you could wear outside into society in the 21st century, nobody ever wore just one layer here, sadly. You sighed, as you asked Callie to come with you to get dressed. 

Oh, he’d been waiting for a while, right? Had he had breakfast yet? You asked, and he nodded his head “no”- and to be waiting there without anything to eat or to do, it was a good time for him to have something, wasn’t it? He was known for having a bit of a sweet tooth, and it would be a perfect time to ask him what his favorite sweet was; after all, he’d asked you yesterday, and it would be unbalanced if you didn’t know his, right? 

So, you asked, and he displayed a bit of hesitation- was it too out of the blue? Perhaps he just wasn’t expecting it- or maybe he doesn’t eat sweets in the morning? The rumors could always be wrong; but considering how he’d sent a letter at 5am, this could possibly be revenge- if he didn’t like it. Though if he did, revenge failed but information required- and mission accomplished (found something to keep him busy while you got ready). 

Parfaits- strawberry parfaits. It was oddly fitting- maybe it was that it was red, just like his hair, sweet like him, or maybe it was the vibes in general. It was hard to tell, but that didn’t really matter. What did matter was that you had now obtained that information- and of course, since you asked, the parfaits would be prepared as well. One thing about being a noble was that you could ask for anything and it’d be made. It was nice, having a chef work in the mansion. 

Tsukasa had a smile on his face as you left; it was surprisingly sweet, and it lingered in your mind for a while. Perhaps he was just cute; he may be the youngest Duke in the Empire, but at the end of the day, he was just Tsukasa Suou. 

Callie came with you upstairs, where you got ready. Especially because the Duke was here,  not just Callie worked on your appearance but multiple other maids as well. It was ridiculous how long it took to look decent enough to not get stares… especially when you were with the Duke. The higher your rank in society, which was pretty high at the moment, especially since the incident with Erebus and your involvement with Tsukasa, the more you were expected to dress up. Those trillionaires wearing sweatpants like normal people better be grateful they have the option to. 

The maids were awfully busy, one doing your hair while another was fixing up your dress, the other preparing the bath and another sorting through all sorts of fragrances and herbs and such. There was no use arguing with them. It gave you time to ponder about things, and they would “uphold their honors as maids of this house”. It was a sense of pride about their work, it seemed. It might be cruel to deny them of that. 

By the time you were done, you didn’t even want to look at the time. In what seemed like just a few minutes, Callie had changed herself into clothes for going outside, so quickly and efficiently. Working for a noble’s house was awful, but there were a couple of benefits in some areas- that being one of them. 

You arrived outside with Callie, meeting Tsukasa outside. The butler reported that he “ate the parfait to the last drop”- it seemed he was satisfied. Well, that was good. He offered his hand to help you into the carriage, and it would be a waste not to take it, especially since the step was quite high for the heels you were wearing. When will the era of comfortable fashion arrive?

You waited for Callie to arrive, but before you knew it, she was gone. You asked Tsukasa, and he promptly answered “Ah, I’ve prepared a separate carriage for everyone else who will be joining us.” Ah, so that was where she went. You could see her so clearly, bragging about having ridden the Duke’s carriage, one of the most luxurious in the Empire. No wonder she wanted to go so badly. 

How many people were there? Was there really that many accompanying you, or did he want to be alone with you? If so, was there something with the contract he wanted to discuss? 

You asked, starting with the amount of people he was bringing along. There were knights riding alongside the carriages, but he said that he was planning to use the other carriage as storage… was he planning on buying something big, so much so that one carriage was not enough? Perhaps he did have some things to buy for himself… after all, running a dukedom required the purchase of many items, though it was quite the mystery of what exactly he’d need. 

Once again, you asked why he visited today. There were no eyes to pry, no rumors to circulate. Over the horses, the carriage driver wouldn’t be able to hear you unless you yelled. He gave the same answer: he simply wanted to see you. Was he free? Was he not a busy man? No, he was very busy, he said. Then who was doing his work? His assistant? You asked if he was really here about the contract, and he shook his head “no”. There really was no reason for him to be here, then- to be spending money to bring you to places. The Duke of Suou was strangely irrational. 

The carriage ride there wasn’t far, at least, since your home was near the city. By near, it was like an hour, but it wasn’t like it was much longer than an hour drive back home- although it was a little bit more bumpy. Nonetheless, this was the technology of the day, and there was nothing better available. The lack of modern technology really highlighted how good it was when you had it. 

It wasn’t long before you’d arrived, Callie right behind the two of you. He got off first, and you took his hand as you stepped down from the carriage. It felt good to be walking again, after such a long time sitting on the bumpy road. 

You found yourself looking for Callie, who was always with you. She was strangely useful, always knowing what you needed, sometimes even before you knew. She exited the carriage later than you, surprisingly, laughing and talking with the knights and other people the Duke had brought with him. Nobility was like being lifted and getting all sorts of nice things, but really, what was the use if it was so lonely up there? 

It was a little less lonely when he asked for your hand again, and you put your hand on his arm as most noble ladies do. He was satisfied, a smile on his face had formed. Perhaps it was cute. Before long, Callie joined right behind you, along with the knights as they kept a little bit of distance. It seemed she was having a good time. Perhaps they had a lot of good stories to tell. Seemed like it too; Callie always enjoyed a good story.

You’d gone to the square, where boutiques and shops of the latest and upcoming fashion trends were, highly rated restaurants filled the air with the aroma of sought-after dishes, and the work of artisans on display for those passing by to see.  

“I have a place I would like to show you… do you mind going with me?” he asked. Callie smiled; it seemed she would know what was going on. The knights whispered with her. Ah, it seemed they knew what was going on. Callie better spill the beans about this later. 

You agree to going with him; after all, he was the one who wanted to take you there. It wasn’t like you had any plans. He knew the way, and Callie and the knights followed the two of you (somewhat closely). The shops were pretty, and once in a while you took a moment to see the window displays. They’re like something that could get you famous, if you posted a picture on social media.

Before long, you arrived at a place called “Lili Boutique”. Lili Boutique… as in, the famous dressmaker Lilianne de Rass? Her reputation was widely known, and if you were lucky enough, you’d have to wait months to even have an appointment with her.

You looked at him as if saying “Are you serious?”. He had a smug smile on his face, proud of himself that he was able to reserve this on such a short notice- literally, hours. That wasn’t really any notice, though. It was easy to imagine- if you were Lilianne, you’d be flipping out on such a short notice. Additionally, Lilianne’s brother in law, Kaysian de Rass, is a Marquess- only second in power to a Duke- literally, only a Duke could pull this off. 

“Ah, yes, reservation for Duke Suou, correct? Come right in. Lady Lilianne is in her work area. She’ll be with you in the display area shortly,” one of the employees greeted you, dressed in a design you’d never seen before. You asked about it, and she’d replied, “Yeah! The lady lets us wear new designs to test them. There are a lot of them, and we get to keep them. She’ll keep making new versions until she’s satisfied.” Ah, that was nice of her. By the looks of it, the girl really enjoyed working there. A bright smile shone on her face; it wasn’t hard to tell that this was where she found her happiness. 

Before long, you and Tsukasa had reached the waiting room, with dresses and suits on mannequins, displayed with jewelry from the partner store down the street and hats from the store Lilianne’s best friend was also selling in the same space. Really, no one went to Lilianne’s Boutique just to buy a dress- they went for a whole look. 

Lilianne didn’t follow the trends- she created them. Thanks to her house’s connections, she was able to start the trend of “more comfortable fashion”. By more comfortable, she meant that the corsets didn’t hurt as much, and flats rather than heels were becoming more preferred. The dresses were lighter, and sometimes, she made the “joke” of a suggestion of wearing pants under the dress- just in case something undesirable happened. Though, maybe, that wasn’t a joke on her part. 

Measurements in one hand, her bun almost falling apart, even wearing pants strangely similar to sweatpants and a shirt strikingly similar to a sweatshirt, Lilianne ran into the room. There was no other lady in high society who could be excused for looking like such a mess. She’s gained a reputation for being a hard worker, busy as always, and if she wasn’t busy with work, then something unimaginable would’ve happened. 

“Oh gosh, Tsukasa, you’re really too much,” she laughed. Tsukasa’s mother often went here to buy dresses, perhaps they were close. “I heard you got a girlf- fiancee like, last night? What are you, seriously.” she grumbled. 

“You’re still quite ahead of me, Mrs. de Rass,” Tsukasa laughed, and Lilianne laughed along with him.

“Well, Carsein and I definitely didn’t get engaged overnight… unlike you two,” she chuckled. “Anyways, what are you looking for?” 

You couldn’t answer that- after all, you were the one who was taken to this place- but Tsukasa did. 

“I’d like to have a few dresses made for her.”

“Anything you want specifically?”

He looked at you. Uh, whatever was trendy? Though, this really wasn’t the place for that, especially because this place was known to create the trends, not follow them.

“The best I have? Well, you have to give me something, girl. I don’t just whip up ideas like magic,” she sighed. She spoke so “modern”... rumors say she was found on a lake maybe she was reincarnated there. That wasn’t part of the novel… 

Well, perhaps it would be good to look at the practical side of it. You’d be wearing it with Tsukasa, who had always worn black, purple, or red. Those were his family colors, the ones on the Suou flag. He was praised from a young age for possessing those same colors, purple in his eyes and red in his hair. They believed he was born to be the true representative of the Duchy of Suou. 

If you were to match, perhaps red would be the choice. No matter what he wore, it’d match with him. Plus, you’d met in a field of Red Camellias. It would be good publicity if you had requested something to do with those… perhaps it was a little bit special. It wouldn’t be too much if you requested something meaningful from the Empire’s greatest dressmaker, would it? 

“Oh my gosh, y’all are literally so romantic,” Lilianne smiled. “Anything else?”

You turned to Tsukasa. At this point, that was all you had. He probably knew more about dresses than you; though, maybe the original owner of your body was more acquainted, but the Empire was far too complicated with matters like these. 

“I trust that you’ll be able to create a dress from that?” he asked Lilianne. Wouldn’t that translate to “Just work with it”? Lilianne sighed and gave up asking. 

“Alright, let’s get your measurements,” Lilianne got up to get the things she needed. Despite the amount she talked, she was incredibly quiet and focused on her work. Perhaps that was what passion did to someone. By the time she’d written everything down, you’d had enough time to look at the dresses available. Shopping was incredibly slow paced, but at least you weren’t rushed. You could take your time, and nobody would ever put blame on you. After all, the place was fully reserved. 

There were a few dresses that caught your eye by that time, and Tsukasa was fully prepared to pay for it. But you could pay for it yourself. You were of noble origin, and that did mean you had a thing called: money. You asked for Callie, and for a moment it seemed like she wasn't there. However, when she appeared, she was wearing an entirely new dress. It was gorgeous, actually. 

You asked if she had brought money for you, from your own allowance, and she said, “Yes, I knew you’d want me to bring it.” So, you made haste in telling Lilianne that you’d pay for your dresses, until Tsukasa started insisting to pay for it. As you were negotiating with the Duke, Callie butted in, “Can you pay for my dress, and he pays for yours?” 

You were done. You were done. You were done arguing. You were not going to deal with this any more. It was like talking to a wall, and then another wall showed up. Hands up, you agreed. Fine. Tsukasa objected with, “I’ll pay for yours as well-” until he was interrupted with Callie’s signature glare. 

He shut up pretty fast. That was the only way to describe it. Callie knew how to talk with eyes; she was pretty good at it. Maybe she could teach you, though she’d likely respond with “There are better things for you to learn, my lady.” 

You walked out with a sigh, and it had been hours that you were in Lilianne’s Boutique. After that argument, it was quite awkward, between you, Callie, and Tsukasa, but as soon as you left, he seemed like he remembered something. 

“My lady, would you like to visit Diamond Lotus Bakery? I heard they have wonderful sweets here,” he offered his arm for you to hold, which you took. It felt nice, actually. Diamond Lotus Bakery was quite a popular bakery, and many couples and families often went there to visit. There was a large variety of sweets not only from the Empire but sweets also from neighboring and far away nations. It was truly a one-of-a-kind place. You’d heard a lot about the person behind it all, Mio, who had moved to the Empire at a young age and pursued both baking and music, and every item sold and every piece played had been made by them. Yet, despite the popularity of this mysterious figure, no one had ever seen their face. Every note from Mio was signed off with a doodle of a cat, and all the people who worked there had simply begun saying their boss was a cat.

It was definitely a nice place to go to, and so you accepted, especially because you hadn’t eaten in hours, and after that “argument” with Callie and Tsukasa, putting something in that stomach of yours would help. 

You and Tsukasa sat down at your own table, while Callie got her own. You were given a menu, which listed all kinds of sweets and snacks. They all looked so good, and it was easy to tell that Tsukasa had decided on what he wanted quickly; it seemed that he was a frequent customer. 

Before even you and Tsukasa had managed to order something, you found yourself looking in Callie’s direction, ordering for herself. Huh, you didn’t know she was fond of hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and marshmallows. It was surprising how little she let other people know about her. 

Before long, someone came to take your orders, and by the time that was done, Callie had taken out a book and started reading. You wondered what it was, and Tsukasa had read it aloud before you’d figured it out. That idiot- what if Callie had heard him and realized you were trying to figure out what she was reading? 

It wasn’t until the sun started to set that the thought about going home occurred to you. Being outside in the dark was dangerous, actually- bandits roamed the roads around that time, trying to get unsuspecting and tired travelers. It was hard to see, which made them harder to identify too. So, as much as it was fun being out now, it was better to head home before it got dark- and so, you, Tsukasa, and Callie headed out. 

Luckily, by the time you’d gotten back home, flopped onto your bed, you hadn’t been attacked and arrived home safely. Tsukasa’s “I’ll miss you” expression, which effectively doubled as a “please please please..?” expression, was strangely memorable. It’d taken almost all of your energy to change into pajamas, and before you knew it, you’d hit dreamland. 

You felt the bed move, something got on it. It was cold, and the moon shone in your eyes; it was hard to stay asleep, yet it was still hard to see. You just knew that something was wrong, and before you knew what was going on, your hand was over your throat, and your hand had been stabbed by a knife. 

Before you knew who it was, the person bounced off, managing to hit the plants by your balcony doors before leaving, yet as they left, their hood loosened and a necklace shown, and there was only one person who had that necklace- Mairi, the original protagonist of the story, and your “longtime friend”- who was supposed to be at the Academy.

WORD COUNT | 3994 words

NOTES FROM QIAN | hi this series is extremely self indulgent. if you would like to join the taglist, please send an ask, thank you! [ tags in the reblogs ]

[frankenshane]

in which i have immediate grey's feelings about 5x03

maybe cristina didn't do it intentionally and was just accidentally doing something shitty that i can't endorse her doing (when, like, big fan of my girl cristina yang being a weird, mean bitch that is a whirl of personal pain), which is spending the day in the middle of derek wanting meredith to have izzie and karev move out of her house that he's recently moved into only to have izzie be like "hey i might getting kicked out so think about moving in with me to this nice apartment" in a way that could have only been more clear if she had written her a letter that said "check yes or no" or like sent her a formal request to go halfsies on a deposit. so she then goes out and puts in a deposit for that apartment so that she and callie can continue living together. frankly izzie should have thrown a basket of bar nuts at her and had a fucking fit because what the hell dude.

[gallawitchxx]

fic writer interview ✍🏼✨🗣

many moons ago, i was tagged by some beloveds (of which i remember @squidyyy23 & @shameless-notashamed but i know there were more!) to do this fic writer interview. since it's been going around again, i've been tagged by @energievie @very-sleepy-head & @thisdivorce, so without further ado, HERE IT IS:

- - - - -

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 26 -- 24 fics & 2 art series!

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 145,909

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos? M8TE | where you end & i begin | an exception to the rule | a seven letter word for love | tell me what you want, baby

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? i do! i try to at least! they mean the world to me & i love how interactive fic writing can be!

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending? oh gosh.... maybe no matter what tomorrow brings, which i wrote for kinktober 2021? the ending is fairly sweet, but it's 7x11 canon compliant, so we all know they say goodbye the next day ���

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending? definitely an exception to the rule. it's the only wedding i've ever written lol.

7. Do you write crossovers? If so, what’s the craziest one you’ve written? not yet! & no plans, but never say never?

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic? not really, which i'm grateful for!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? hell yeah. existential, feral, it's all hot to me!

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen? not that i know of!

11. Have you ever had a fic translated? also not that i know of!

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before? nope. i'm definitely not opposed, but i do enjoy working by my little lonesome. i would like to do more fic/art collabs though in the future!

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship? feels a bit obvious, no? 😉

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will? i don't have any current wips! but i do have a couple ideas knocking around... southside shrouds & another calli prompt that's weaseled its way in! we'll see!

15. What are your writing strengths? i think my metaphors & use of descriptive language is unique! i also love weaving canon lines into au's in ways that are hopefully satisfying!

16. What are your writing weaknesses? oooh this one's interesting & to be honest, i'm pretty up my own ass at the moment, so nothing? lmaoooo. i'd like to improve on world-building. i can really rely on folks's understanding of the characters in canon to fill in the blanks when i slack on adding details.

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in your fics? i don't mind when other's do it, but i don't think i will? unless the scenario called for it. but i would never want to get it wrong, so i'd have to consult with native speakers!

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for? this one! though technically i've been writing a shakespeare au in screenplay form for years.

19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to? i really love the boys of red, white & royal blue. but so far i haven't felt called to write. just shove fics in my face.

20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written? probably M8TE. but lord, what a sophie's choice moment 😉

- - - - -

i'm not going to tag anyone because i was already in everyone's inboxes this morning, but if you wanna play, do it & tag me, ok? xx

[ghosthoodie]

Hmmm can you maybe tell us a little about this au? Like how everyone reacts n stuff

HI ANON! i wanted to wait a little bit to reply to this because this post was for april fool’s and i wanted to keep the sort of surprise a secret LOL. but i’ll entertain you cuz i love making my characters suffer.

i don’t PLAN FOR THIS TO HAPPEN in my storyline for them. i want them to be alive :). but if you want to indulge yourself in some depression here you go

TW: major character death, suicide ideation.

Sicily is rightfully devastated. after Kaity is confirmed dead, she immediately calls off the whole campaign. she tries to keep her cool, but as they prepare to leave, Pearl woefully tells her they can’t keep the body because it’s at risk of bringing the coral disease to the surface. this sends Sicily over the edge. she curses out Pearl and Marina, telling them that if she were here this would’ve never fucking happened, and that they should be fucking ashamed for their negligence. how Kaity was fucking everything to her. when she runs out of words, she screams until her lungs and eyes run dry, leaving her a husk curled up on the ground. Pearl, after recovering from the pure sting of the yelling, plucks Kait’s ring off of her necklace and gives it to Sicily. she grips it tightly, wordlessly.

when she returns, she starts painting again. she paints kait. she studies every photograph she has of her and wishes she took more. she learns every angle and every curve of her body. all she sees on her canvas is kait, modeling for her as if nothing were ever wrong. when she’s not painting, she’s sleeping. she yearns for her presence through any means possible. any.

Caroline is traumatized. she knew the effects were something to be concerned about, but she didn’t know it would go this far as to kill her. she mentally kills herself that she didn’t notice any effects sooner. she moves out of the apartment she shared with Kaity and moves in with Sicily, of course bringing all of Kait’s stuff with her. she moved partly because she couldn’t stand the ghost of someone’s prescence in their home, and also to keep an eye on Sicily. she can’t look at the number 8 anymore. Kirakira doesn’t know how to react, but after some thinking starts planning a memorial. he stays stone faced until the day comes, when he can’t control his emotions. he’d never cried like that in his life before, ever. after about a month he opens the memorial to the public, and lets a bunch of news companies know. eventually it even gets to the Anarchy Splatcast. her makeshift grave is stacked high with flowers, octopi merchandise and octoling models from magazines, and letters written from the public. he reads and views everything given to Kaity, and eventually stores and files it all away. he’d always been a fan of organizing things, especially with Kaity. he looks at it as them spending time together. Trikaya and Mitsuo are left distraught. they didn’t know Kaity that well, but instead notice the difference in Sicily’s behavior. she was no longer someone who they thought indestructible. she was hollow. left without a source of stability, and brought down by the heavy mood of the death of someone they didn’t know, they struggled to socialize with anyone from the NSS. eventually, callie and marie take the responsibility of taking care of them from Sicily. they still write her letters and make her trinkets, to which she sometimes writes back. Sicily would never want to worry anyone by saying this, but they’re the only forces keeping her alive.

Pearl and Marina mourn her as if they had lost a child. they feel guilt and grief, with each of them experiencing it totally differently.

Pearl becomes very protective of Marina. she almost sees a similarity in their past and current behaviors, and fears the same thing may happen to Marina, too. she takes her to every doctor and uses any and every method of science and pseudoscience to make sure Marina’s body is clean of coral. she also invites Sicily and Caroline to these outings, of which they went to the doctors’ appointments but not to any of the experimental things.

Marina becomes pretty depressed. she loses her sweetness and sassiness, and all of her emotions become filled with a sad twinge. she puts up with Pearl’s obsession so long as she gets cleaned too, she says. she keeps her ink color as Kait’s in memorial.

[superjumpintomyheart]

Team milkers solidarity 🤝

Also with the funny Splatfest coming out soon mayhaps North California (first) Valentine’s Day hcs? As a lil treat

funny splatfest haha also thank you chaz for singlehandedly being the source of all north california content i know whenever i post something abt them there is at least one person who will like it and that one person is you <3

North California first Valentines day headcanons!!

Nori has no clue what valentines day is until she meets Callie (like every other holiday to exist)

She doesn't understand the concept of the holiday, why would you celebrate your love on one day? what about the other 364 days?? do you not celebrate your love every single day???

Callie explains that it's like Christmas, you can give someone a gift any other time of the year but during christmas it's special, so V day is like a special day for everyone to celebrate love- and not just romantically but platonic and familial love too!

Nori's like "I do not understand but I will celebrate because it makes Callie happy"

They decide to go for the Classic(tm) dinner date where they get dressed up all fancy and go to an expensive restaurant- Callie's always wanted to do this so she's living the dream and Nori is just happy to be there

Callie wears a mauve jumpsuit that has sheer sleeves and a slight shimmer to the fabric, Nori wears a sleek black long sleeve dress that hugs her figure just right and has a slit down the side for her legs to move freely

(they will be the hot topic of all the tabloids tomorrow morning and they know it, inkadia loves norcal)

they end up having a really nice time! and the two of them are dorks so they laugh throughout the night and get tipsy on expensive wine while they enjoy each other's company

when they get back home, callie walks in to their apartment and sees a boquet of flowers with a card on the table, and rose petals scattered around

Callie is like ???? "I thought you didn't get the idea of celebrating Valentine's day?"

and Nori blushes a little and says "It is like christmas- I love you every day but now is special."

The card is really sappy talking about how much she loves her and its written in beautiful octarian letters which makes Callie even more soft bc she loves when Nori uses her native language, its like a sign of trust or comfortability and she understands octarian just fine so it isn't like its a barrier between them or anything, its just a really sweet sentiment

When she's done reading the card, Callie notices the rose petals aren't just in the walkway and dining room, but they go back to their bedroom as well and she follows them curiously to find Nori had set up candles around their room and a present on the bed

The present is a dainty rose gold necklace with the letter "N" as a charm <3

Callie looks at it and back at Nori and she's like "This is beautiful- how did you know I wanted something like this?" and of course a little birdie (squid) ((marie)) told her that Callie's always dreamed of having cute matching jewelry or wearing her partner's initials

"Help me put it on?" Nori absolutely obliges and clasps the chain around Callie's neck and gives her a kiss right where the charm falls at the base of her neck/collarbone

The both smile at each other and Nori cups Callie's face in her hand as she says, "Perfect... like you."

The rest of their night is up to you for ✨interpretation✨

[englishstrawbie]

Three Words, Eight Letters (1/1)

Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy

Characters: Arizona Robbins, Callie Torres

Summary: It is Callie and Arizona's first Christmas after the plane crash, and they are determined to make it as normal as possible for Sofia. As the day unfolds, and with The Colonel and Barbara Robbins spending Christmas in Seattle, the Robbins-Torres family find a way of reconnecting thanks to the magic of the holidays.

Note: This fic was original written in 2012 as part of the callie_arizona Livejournal Secret Santa gift exchange, so if it sounds familiar, you may have read it before. It is one of the fics I am most proud of and it sits on LJ where it gets no love so, even thought it's ten years later, I thought I'd cross-post it to AO3 as part of my fic archive. (Also how has it been ten years since I wrote this?!)

The prompt I was given was: The Robbins family comes to their first post-plane crash Christmas. Tense or delightful, or both, whatever you want.

* * * * * * * * * * 

It was an unusually quiet Christmas eve at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital and Callie found herself hanging up her lab coat in her locker at six o’clock. As so often these days, she did it with some trepidation.

Slipping into her coat and grabbing her bag, Callie made her way out of the hospital. She shivered in the winter air and pulled her scarf tighter around her neck to stave off the cold. Despite the drop in temperature, she began her walk home, a recent habit that she had developed. It had started as a way to put off getting home for a little while longer, but now she simply enjoyed the chance to clear her head before facing whatever the evening threw at her.

On good days, Callie would arrive home to find her wife on the floor, surrounded by books and toys, with Sofia running around her playfully. She would hear them from outside the apartment and know that the evening ahead of her would be a good one. On bad days, Arizona would shut herself away in her bedroom and refuse to talk to anyone, leaving Callie to explain to their daughter once again why Mama wasn’t eating dinner with them.

The holiday season had not brought with it the joy that it usually did. They had tried to embrace Christmas: the apartment was decorated and they had chosen Sofia’s gifts together, making plans for Christmas Day, just like last year. Except it wasn’t like last year at all and they both knew it. The last six months had been filled with so much hurt and anger and sadness, that even the decorations and presents and the excited smile of their daughter could not push it all aside.

Read more @ AO3

[29pageshomestuckeveryday]

Homestuck, page 5,101

==>

You often like to draw your TROLLSONA too, CALLIE OHPEEE. Yes, you suppose that's a stretch, fitting your name into the 6/6 letter format like that. That's ok, though. The limebloods reportedly had some unusual names. And they sure weren't very popular. You like to believe you'd have fit right in.

You've written endlessly about her, and nearly filled a hard drive with related artwork. You have wished for nothing more in your life than to be her. Alas, you are resigned to living out the rest of your days as a little green skull monster. It really sucks!

To the left is a drawing of nothing in particular. Nothing you understand, at least. This is a symbol which has haunted your visions for as long as you can remember.

[louquettes]

your art looks like how i wished jello tasted. thats all. (this is a compliment)

making edible nommable art is what i like 2 do, thanks<3

[arrowflier]

2022 fic writer's interview

Thanks to @thisdivorce, @energievie, @vintagelacerosette for the tags!

1. How many works do you have on AO3

59--but quite a few are compilations, which would basically double it.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

460,173

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Meet the Neighbors (I'm coming back to it soonish I swear)

Eighty-Seven Percent (Anatomy of a Heart)

Marriage, Mickey, and Milk of the Gods

Being His Baby Don't Make Me a Bitch

In Case of Emergency

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

Sometimes. I go through phases of trying to be better about it, but my brain is also weird and I start to feel conceited if I keep saying thank you😅 I always massively appreciate them though, it makes me so happy!

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

I don't think any, except for maybe a couple of galladrabbles like this one

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

They have to end to have a happy ending lol, but basically anything that's done.

7. Do you write crossovers?

I'm never sure what can be classed as a crossover, but I've done 911 (In Case of Emergency), Jurassic Park (Tooth and Claw), sort of X-Men, sort of Star Wars (with ideas for a full fic that may or may not come to be), and probably some I'm forgetting.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Just once I think, and it was just someone who really doesn't like Vee's nickname being spelled with more than one letter.🤣

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

Yes, and I'm way too proud of it lol. It's mostly way too wordy and flowery language abounds because that's also the only way I can read it😂 I've got a collection of ficlets here from when I first started to write NSFW by request, and other assorted works.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but that would be really cool!

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Calli (@ianandmickeygallavich1) and I have been playing around with one (very slowly on my part) that you can find under the tag #arrow&calli write

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

I phase in and out of quite a few but right now Gallavich

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I refuse to say I won't finish anything I've started posting lol, but there are a couple things in an old doc that will probably never see the light of day.

15. What are your writing strengths?

I usually say description, but I've been struggling with it lately. Funnily enough, I think dialogue has been working best for me even though I've traditionally been uncomfortable with it.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

Overcomplicating things: the plot, the sentence structure, everything. If I can overdo something I will.

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I've done it once and I think it worked out ok, but I avoid it in general because I don't want to screw it up.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Shameless! Pretty much the only, too.

19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

Good Omens and Our Flag Means Death, both of which I've previously planned things for but never followed through on. I'd be open to a pretty wide range of others but haven't had specific inspiration.

20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

I'm gonna not limit myself on this, because I haven't felt like I like any of it lately but I was looking through my own stuff for these questions and honestly had forgotten so many I'm kinda proud of? So...

My first fic, because it got me here: F*ck the Stars

My latest fic, because I enjoyed writing for the first time in a while: Countdown to Christmas

My zine fic and my spicy collab fics, just because it was so cool to be part of the group: One hundred hours (without you here) and Show me (to) your garden

And my experiment with a short magic AU from a different of POV, because it was fun if a bit haphazard: Methods of Magic

-

I know this has gone around a bit already, but I'll tag @celestialmickey @abundanceofnots @iansfreckles @sweetbee78 @whatthebodygraspsnot @wehangout @sickness-health-all-that-shit just in case🥰

[highwayphantoms]

HAPPIEST of Fridays to you jay!! How about a codex prompt for either of your Hawkes: something written by one of the advisors about your OC?

why yes, I did go digging for prompts tonight. :3 for @dadrunkwriting, a codex fill for Cal Hawke!

-

Taken from reports on Commander Cullen’s desk, a letter that has clearly been crumpled up and smoothed back out:

Commander, Your suspicions may be correct. Contrary to Varric’s claims, the Champion of Kirkwall is not a man. Multiple individuals who lived in Kirkwall and knew Hawke assure me that Hawke did not claim to be a man, though I must note that they do not refer to the Champion as female. Chantry records do list a “Callie” among the dead at Ostagar, along with about a dozen other mages and templars from Kinloch Hold. As it has been ten years since the Blight, I’m afraid I cannot confirm whether these records are wholly accurate. I cannot say for certain whether Hawke was ever in the Circle at Kinloch, but I cannot rule it out, either. It is possible that Varric doesn’t know, though I doubt he would tell us if he does. If you wish to know one way or the other, I would suggest speaking to Hawke directly. You’ll likely find them among the healers. Ask for Lyssa. -L.

[puppyduckster]

Writing Master List

One Shots(Harry Potter)

Mea Culpa- A one shot exploring Sirius’s grief and guilt while he was stuck in Azkaban.

Companions and Chess Matches: A lonely Regulus befriends Kreacher, while Sirius is off at Hogwarts.

Of Disgraceful Sons and Burnt Tapestries: Walburga’s tried for years to rein her oldest son in, but it seems as if all her efforts were ultimately in vain.

Shattered Hearts: Ron finally allows himself to grieve his older brother’s death and Hermione is there to comfort him.

You’ve Got a Friend in Me: Ron visits Hermione in the Hospital Wing while she’s Petrified.

Sweaters and Letters: When Harry mentions not getting anything for Christmas, Ron decides to take matters into his own hands.

One July Morning: James and Lily welcome the arrival of Harry.

Amor vincit omnia: Andromeda Black reflects on her old life as she prepares to run away with Ted Tonks and begin the next chapter of her journey.

The Fragile Links of Blood: An early post war reunion between Andromeda and Narcissa only results in pain for both women.

These Magical Moments: The story of Lily Evans and James Potter from their First Year to that fateful Halloween night.

Ubi amor, ibi dolor: The summer before Cho Chang's sixth year is filled with many moments of grief over Cedric Diggory. Written for the HP Cry Me a River Fest 2023

To Make A Change: After his argument with Harry at Grimmauld Place, Remus realizes it's finally time to set his life right.

One Shots(Other Fandoms)

Al’s Suicide: A Divergent one shot. Al reflects on his life before he jumps from the chasm.

A Blossoming Friendship(Of Sorts): A brief study into the evolution of the relationship between Josie Pye and Anne Shirley Cuthbert during the seasons of Anne with an E.

An Introspective on Love: Willow Rosenberg reflects on her love and grief for Tara Maclay while she is on her way to England. Post Season 6 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

A Little Encouragement Goes a Long Way: There are times when Calpurnia Tate can't help but feel rather exhausted by all of her mother's expectations for her future. Luckily she has a younger brother who's ready to be there for her. Post The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate.

Multi Chapter Fics

Over and Over: A MITM fic. Malcolm Wilkerson has just suffered through one of the most humiliating days of his life. What with being antagonized by his classmates, and completely humiliated by his mother, all Malcolm wants to do is forget the day ever happened. There’s just one problem. The next day is the same all over again.  SLOW UPDATES BUT NOT ABANDONED

The Ties That Bind: A short collection of Calpurnia Tate one shots with each chapter focusing on Callie and one of her brothers. In Progress

A Little Game of Envy: A Swan Princess story. In which Derek tries to deny why he’s so annoyed by Odette’s friendship with the guards and Odette decides to test out a theory given to her by Bromley. Takes place during the opening song- This is My Idea. Complete

[randomstupidchaos]

12, 13, 21

12. What is one character from any kind of media (not your own) that you wish you had created? Why?

Cally from the rebooted Battlestar Galactica. She deserved so much better. The writers started out so well with her, then their lack of planning did her dirty. I'd give her a happy ending.

13. Do you have face-claims or cast your characters before writing?

Not for all of my stories. I have been kinda looking for faceclaims for the last few I've written but it's definitely more of a new thing. Do I know what any of the people's names are? Not really, haha. The only one I know for sure is Meg:

Tuba Büyüküstün and yes I had to copy-paste her name. I'm terrible with accented letters and I'm not about to pretend otherwise.

21. What is the weirdest/tiniest detail you have researched for your setting?

Oh man, this is actually hard to choose. There are so many little details for the setting that I've spent far too long researching. The cost of wedding venues in the Catskills. The harvest time for pears. What time of year Andromeda is visible in the sky. THE DISTANCE TO THE NEAREST GROCERY STORE, as you're well aware. OH. Starburst cut gemstones. I'm counting this as a setting thing 'cause it's a timeframe detail, and I found out I needed to change it 'cause starburst cuts are way more modern than the 1870s.

[weaversoffate]

sorn's letters to yesphyra

First letter - sent as Sorn and Calli left Maturana

to be decided -> either its joever or we are so back

Dear Yesphyra, 

We won! Can you believe it? I can hardly believe it myself, even with the prize money in my hands. It’s a nice sum… I think. I feel a bit weird about it. Does this count as the first money I’ve earned on my own? Of course, it’s a bit disingenuous to believe it so when Callith was the main reason we succeed, but still, it’s nice to allow myself to think of it as deserved. Even if it’s just ‘kind of’ or ‘if you squint’, as you would say. 

But sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself again. Yes, we won, but the last two battles were particularly tough. As you know, I’m no battle mage. Even now, the idea that I was capable of using my magic to willingly damage something - someone! Many someones! - is a bit baffling. It almost feels like it happened to another person, that I just got to watch as my body moved of its own accord. But I was the one commanding it. That is the weird part. Do I like that I did so? I don’t know. It certainly feels foreign. Sure, it is nice to actually do something - yes, just like you said through the sending stone - and I do see the point and the upsides of being more decisive, yes, yes, but I can’t help but hesitate. It feels like walking down the stairs in the dark not knowing if the next steps are truly there. Does that even make sense? I don’t know. It’s just… Sometimes I feel this bolt of anxiety that nudges me into a state of unreality - surely I’m not doing any of this? Surely I’m still home where I know my place, reading my books and finishing my puzzles? Surely I was not this stupid?

But then the anxiety ebbs away and I’m back… here. I’m not going to say it feels right because you know that nothing ever does, but it feels a bearable amount of wrong. I still want to jump out of my skin, but sometimes I forget that when there is so much to be seen. This was the right choice.

My magic did act up, twice. No one got hurt, thankfully, though I did make a fool of myself. I don’t even like thinking about it so I won’t, but you can picture any of the many embarrassing things I’ve done to myself throughout the years. This one is up there in my most ridiculous moments list. But no harm was done. I’m content enough with that. 

Callith and I will continue to travel together. This will sound a bit ridiculous, but she is looking for the artifact too! And honestly, I’m better off not alone. I’m not sure what I would have done without her around to actually think things through. There is just so much to consider, in every step of the way. It’s overwhelming. I know you are probably frowning up a storm - yes, I should be working harder on making these decisions on my own. Baby steps, maybe? This will be a long journey. We will be leaving Maturana soon. I will (hopefully) have time.

I hope you are well and enjoying your time free of having to watch me do nothing in particular. Thank you for your assistance in the tournament. I know I can be… quite helpless. I’m working to remedy that. Truly, I am. 

I hope we see each other soon.

Best regards,

S.     

Second letter - written as the party was leaving Mato Alto, still not sent

Dear Yesphyra,

I hope you are well and things are as uneventful as ever at the manor. I know you must be bored out of your mind trying to cover for my absence. Has Arqwe or the twins turned up for a visit? I wouldn’t think so, but if they did I hope our planned excuses were enough to keep you out of trouble. Either way, know that you have my gratitude now and forever for doing all of this for me. I hope to one day repay you in kind. 

A lot has happened since my last letter. I’m not traveling with Callith only anymore, to begin with. Two more have joined our group: Halazia, a half dragonborn (maybe?) pirate and Ashana, a warlock. Please do not worry too much - I don’t know them well, but I’m confident that they don’t mean to harm me in any way and their assistance has been invaluable so far. I’m quite sure we both overestimated my abilities when I set out on this journey, if I’m being honest. It’s clear to me now that I wouldn’t have gotten very far without help. In fact, I dread to think of losing this small party and much of my attention - and effort - is going into securing my place within it. I believe they are my best chance of finding the artifact. 

And speaking of it, we arrived a few days ago in Mato Alto, a small town in the middle of a frankly strange forest, where we were able to glean a few clues about its whereabouts - rather, about where we hope we might be able to learn more about its location. Have you heard much about Três Pontas? I know it’s across the sea, but you’ve been to so many places, so I figure it’s worth a shot. I’d appreciate any information you might have.

As for Mato Alto itself… things were… well, weird there. I won’t pretend to understand what exactly was going on - it’s enough to say that monster attacks are becoming more common near the town, and that we managed to get involved in a fight with a few of them (please don’t ask me what events led to this situation. You probably wouldn’t approve of any of it). Don’t worry, though - we are all fine. 

We are preparing to leave the town now. The plan is to go through the forest and make our way to Ponte Negra, where hopefully Halazia will be able to get us on a ship to Três Pontas. It’s strange to think I might actually board an actual ship soon. I’m trying not to think too much about it - I can’t quite decide if the idea excites or terrifies me. 

There is much more I’d like to tell you, but this letter is already long enough and I don’t even know if I will be able to actually send it before leaving. Either way, I hope we get to see each other sooner rather than later.

Regards,

S.

Third letter  - written either on the journey to Gramacho or right after arriving there. 

Yesphyra, 

I’m afraid I might have made a mistake. We are not going to Ponte Negra anymore - or at least not right away, and that is, I admit, mostly my fault. I’m in the company of someone who knows who I am and who my family is - have you heard of a woman by the name of Jullya in Varre-Sai? Probably a noble of elf descent. I can’t quite place her, but her presence makes me uneasy and quite worried about you. One word from her to the wrong person in Varre-Sai and our cover is blown. I’m honestly quite unsure of how to proceed.

But I’m getting ahead of myself and rambling again. Sorry. Let me backtrack a bit: the trip through the magical forest around Mato Alto was short but eventful. Suffice to say, we had to fight our way to what (eventually) turned out to be an equally magical tavern. I’d rather not speak of how we secured our stay there through a letter, but it was a trial of sorts, and one that was unpleasant and might have thrown me a bit off kilter. I’m sure I can still blame it, at least partially, for how unsettled I still feel.

But I did get a magical lyre out of it. I might finally put all that time spent reading about music theory to good use. 

The following day, we ended up mingling with another group of adventurers also staying at the tavern. That’s where this Jullya comes in. She recognized me immediately, apparently. She’s also very much into Ashana, which would be interesting and even amusing under other circumstances. It certainly isn’t now. You see, her party was called to Gramacho to try and solve an ogre problem the city is having. Well, I say her party but I mean our party now, because we are also going to Gramacho to help them solve their ogre problem. 

Our deal with them is simple: we help them and after all is solved in Gramacho they take us to Ponte Negra without the need to go through the much maligned magical forest again. It is a bit of a detour, sure, but I admit I was not eager to face the rest of the forest after spending only one day inside of it. So that isn’t the problem - the problem is Jullya, the fact that many of her companions are spellcasters and that I’m afraid we don’t have this much time to waste. Not anymore.

We will certainly be out of our depth in Gramacho - I’m trying to get myself acquainted with the history of the place, but there is only so much I can learn before we are thrust into its politics at what seems to be a very delicate moment. Whatever help we can provide - if any - will probably not solve the city’s problems in a timely manner. And with another sorcerer, two wizards and a cleric around, I’m not sure how much longer I will be able to hide the source of my powers from the group. They might even know it already. I don’t know. Sometimes I think they do, sometimes I’m sure they don’t. The uncertainty is maddening. 

And then there is Jullya. She seems nice enough but I can’t trust her. Have you heard anything from Mother lately? Yesphyra, I’m afraid this was a mistake. All of it. I’m not sure how Mother will react if she finds out you were covering for me this whole time. Be careful. I will not blame you if you chose to leave. 

The worst thing is, this is mostly my fault. Calli, Halazia and Ashana seemed inclined to spend more time with Jullya and her companions so I made the deal with them. I convinced them that “hiring” us was a good idea. You are familiar with my people-pleasing ways, of course, and I did mention I wanted to secure my place in the party. I just couldn’t help myself. So I don’t have anyone but myself to blame for whatever happens next.

I wish, more than anything, that we could talk again but wasting a sending stone charge for this feels wrong. I put myself in this situation. I need to get out of it on my own.

Be safe, S.