#estelraca's fic

[estelraca]

Belatedly participating in the Frogwares Beach Day celebration, bringing... character introspection and angst, I think I misread the memo about what a beach day is supposed to be =p But really I just have wanted to use the mermaid metaphor for ages and needed the right fic to put it in, so here it is.

Spoilers for both Chapter One and The Awakened, though rather vague?

[estelraca]

I have two stories in this, one featuring the Kyoryugers, and one featuring the Ryusoulgers! It's been a ton of fun to work on, and I hope people will support it so that a good cause gets a nice donation.

Cover Reveal and A Big Announcement!!

Long time no see everyone, hello and thank you for all the longstanding support and patience! We're back to reveal some amazing news: first of all, the reveal of our zine's cover made by the amazing @yo-yo-yoshiko ! Isn't it wonderful, seeing all our lovely dino ranger heroes getting to interact together?

Equally exciting, especially for you guys is that we're finally done with creating all the amazing work we want to share with you and putting it together. Sales will be opening very VERY soon, in fact -

Friday, 11/15/2024 at 2:00pm (EST) -

our store will drop so you can finally bring this home! Please please spread the news, keep an eye out for things here and from our various contributors, and let's finally get to dance together with the dinosaurs! Gaburincho!~

[dogearedfriends]

very spoiler free sneak peek of my illustration for @estelraca 's wonderful fic The Celebrations We Share which you want to read. so bad. trust me on this. it's really been an honour to work together with such an amazing writer!! what a blast!!

@thylabang

[eclecticopposition]

31 23 41, 5 & 23 for wire guy

aah, thank you for the ask! :}

fic writer asks

unsure if you meant 23 for wire guy or if it was one of the [insert fic] questions (probably 22 or 24!), so we're going to answer both of those! (if it was another number, you can always send in another ask)

anyways, putting this under a cut to spare your dash. wire guy talk and palisade stuff below.

(also, you should read wire guy.)

31. What’s your ideal fic length to write?

actually finishable is nice. so like, 12000 words? there are a few points that just feel nice to our brain. we can write a good 2200 and 2700, a pretty good 5k, and a really good 8k. a solid fic to us is right around the length of an average wire guy chapter. or it's one of our runaway projects, like oceanus. we do love getting tied up in a good longfic.

this doesn't answer your question. how about "the more words we can put in it without making it worse the better"?

23. What’s a trope, AU, or concept you’ve never written, but would like to?

we'd like to write a nonlinear weird fic or something with poetry. something experimental that might be incredibly unapproachable, at least to us.

41. Link a fic that made you think, “Wow, I want to write like that.”

well, our first favorite fic author was @estelraca, so we think we've gotta shout them out here. they turned apollo justice into a werewolf and we had a great time. more recently, we admired the ambience and construction and emotional nuance of the center cannot hold. it's a hunter x hunter fic that we really enjoyed. we also highly recommend Pound The Table! marvel universe lawyer fic written by an actual lawyer. it rules. we don't even go here, and it's so good and explains itself so well that we honestly don't need to.

and for wire guy;

5. What do you wish someone would ask you about [Wire Guy]? Answer it now!

The question is "what is wire guy actually about?"

The answer is "being a wire guy".

And then the actual question is "what does that mean?"

"what does that mean?" is also the actual answer to the first question. this is what wire guy is about.

(and then we've got two thousand words of elaboration, on both this and how it's juxtaposed with two other guys, which is what we would love to be asked about. or, arguably, we have like 120k words of elaboration, 74k of which are currently posted.)

(the other thing wire guy is about is the fact that phrygian had so many depression flags through all of palisade, but because brnine was brnine and cori and figure were having much louder breakdowns, the Copers on the team slipped through the cracks. so we wrote a novel.)

(it's also about pirates. and weird metal heists. we've been told that this fic has more metal heists than may be strictly necessary.)

22. Who is your favorite character in [Wire Guy] and why?

that's such a good question. the obvious answer is phrygian, which is why it's all in their POV! we think that some of the liberties we took with their character were pretty personal to us. working through trauma on their own, struggling with alienation and coersive pressure, being trapped and used, and just the general way they engage with reality was pretty bound up in where our mind was at. we think that given how many people have said they saw something of themselves in our phrygian depiction, too, we might have hit on something resonant. (haha.)

phrygian is such a tragic character, and we think about them a lot. not even just because we're attached to them! (admittedly we are attached to them and we get an emotional spike every time they're mentioned). not getting into heavy palisade spoilers for friendship reasons, but the degree of alienation that they experience and the fact that *the players* are weirded out by things that we personally parse as attempts to self express or connect just gets to us. it's one of those things where we want to crawl around in their brain and just talk about everything we find in there. there's so much depth! most of it is very sad even though it doesn't have to be! and canon does not explore it nearly as much as we want it to, because that's completely infeasible for a podcast or even a work of fiction! we wouldn't even want them to. what we want is like, drops of the pure extract of phrygian characterization juice at frequent and irregular intervals.

also, they're extremely cool and competent. we love the powergaming and watching them win. cool gun go brrrr.

(the second secret answer is lantana lao. this is because lan is a third option to the dreadful bind presented to phrygian in the form of lang silversite, someone who supports them and the branched enthusiastically but in a specifically military capacity, and wants them to go all in on using themself for war; and kel pire, someone who encourages their presence in a behind the scenes capacity, but undermines their boundaries and is much less open to the idea of them having any sort of public presence. what she is able to represent doesn't actually happen in wire guy, but it does happen both in an extras fic that we're also writing, and in our heart. and in wire guy, she's actually their friend! she actually wants to learn about the branched! we want them to have friends. we want them to get to talk to someone who actually talks to them and is a meaningful point of connection in a world that is so unwilling to give it. is that so much to ask?)

24. Are there any easter eggs in [Wire Guy], and if so, what are they?

there are a few! some are in future chapters. but most of them are little partizan nods, which we have a lot of fun with. the ring that lets leap listen in on nidean intelligence comes to mind.

does repeated symbolism count as an easter egg? if so, keep an eye out for things phrygian refers to as useful; keep an eye on wearing shoes; keep an eye on when phrasing is repeated back with small changes; keep an eye on that classic reference to blood in the back of their throat. and keep a close eye on the lights. phrygian does, sometimes.

[pilferingapples]

5, 12, 22 for Jehan!!

Thank you! (from this character ask game): 5. What’s the first song that comes to mind when you think about them? Well the FIRST one is Damion Suomi's Holy Ghost, but I've mentioned that one before; so, swinging to a different mood, Simon and Garfunkel's America (yeah, it's the wrong country, but the actual country is so very much not the Point).

whoof these got Long

12. What’s a headcanon you have for this character?

ohboy so many -- I think his love life looks like either a Total Mess or Nonexistent to most people, because he's all about The Ideal. He'll spend months writing dramatic poetry about the Infatuation of the Season, sending letters, occasionally even meeting up very briefly under dramatic circumstances, but like..anything as Daily and Routine as a relationship? Who would want that over the thrill of pure emotion and the ideal? Yes also he's agonizingly shy but that just makes this kind of Ideal Romance even more ideal , see? (sometimes he and Grantaire hang out and Vague about how This Is Fine, romance-wise, and Prouvaire mostly means it and Grantaire mostly doesn't but either way they are getting very baked together.)

22. If you’re a fic reader, what’s something you like in fics when it comes to ths character? Something you don’t like?

I like it when he's kind of vision-haunted? not necessarily anything grand or specific, he can be just a little more aware of the narrative, a little more aware of a Greater Viewpoint in life , to a degree that just makes him seem just that same little bit too thoughtful or too melancholy for his age. Not that he can't also be silly and giddy but when there's that constant contrasting thread of Too Much Going On Somehow? Perfect. @estelraca (Les Mis Stories here!) and Kvikindi both do this very well!

Something I don't like: Hmm...I don't like it when he is the Relationship Advice Giver and he's like.... pragmatic and sensible, with Very Insightful Guidance XD Don't get me wrong, I'm sure he LOVES to hear about Romance and Love and has all kinds of advice but it's all Romantic romantic advice, it's not going to work on anyone who wouldn't love to be given a weird taxidermy or a poem about how they're going to die and become bones.

Shoujo Cosette handled this GREAT, where it wound up with Prouvaire and Grantaire helping Marius write that disaster ramble he leaves in Cosette's garden XD And of course it works! I bet Cosette would LOVE a poem where she died in a fun way and became bones! XD

[frogs-in3-hills]

alright who’s out here trying to read/reread As With Gladness by estelraca with me

it's a an ace attorney christmas fic about apollo's relationship with the holidays and his friendship with clay throughout his life. it's 25k words and beautifully written, filled with lots of yummy headcanon and characterization for both apollo and clay. it tackles grief in all its forms, found family, belonging, and some very complicated holiday feelings. i think it deserves to go into every aa fan's winter re-read list (i know i can't be the only one who has this because this fandom goes crazy with holiday fic), especially those of you who love dual destinies and filling in the gaps of the aj trilogy's canon.

[ms-all-sunday]

hold on chat the author of those merryshipping fics isnt anon anymore i love you ao3 user estelraca

[flaim-ita]

Got tagged by @chancellorxofxtrash in the self rec challenge! Let’s see.

Journey Through the Decade

Kamen Rider Decade (ensemble), 115k+, series

Covers the story of Tsukasa’s family from his parents and Eijiro to his photo studio cule to his children. Political intrigue! Aftermath of canon! Angst and hurt comfort with a happy ending! Multiple original arcs set in the 2010s! Please take a look because it is my baby. It is my magnum opus of fanfic. It’s my true idea of Decade canon with some HCs to fill in the gaps. Hope you enjoy!

Negai

Kamen Rider Geats (Mitsumi-centric), 4.1k, chapter fic

Mitsume-centric story of her falling in love, having Ace, losing everything, and being forced to WATCH time pass her by. Mitsume fascinates me as a character bc she wanted to live her own life but was trapped in this hell of suffering and theft, watching her beloved child go through horrors just for the chance to TALK to her. So I really delved into those emotions. Very proud of the result.

Clash of Violets & Phantom Clashes

Kamen Rider Geats x Kamen Rider OCs (Azuma Michinaga & Kaitou Sumire (credit @backupmiyuko), 11k+, chapter fic duology)

These count as one entry bc they are supposed to match. Clash of Violets is written like a TTFC special - in my head this fic is called “Kamen Rider Buffa x Kamen Rider Violet: Clash of Violets”. Tying in my shared HC that Michinaga is a timelost TsuDai child, he and his unknown sister Sumire find themselves kidnapped by a strange cult out for the blood of Decade’s children who had abandoned their monster lovers. Phantom Clashes is a more fanfiction sequel where Michinaga deals with the aftermath of losing Tooru and confesses his mental health issues to Neon and Keiwa. Some of my proudest works!

This Love Was Always Doomed

Sailor Moon canon mix (Venus/Kunzite, Inner Senshi ot5), 1.7k+, oneshot)

The story or Venus from childhood to death. Minako is one of my favorite characters I rarely talk about she’s silly and ditzy but so, so clever, and so strong, and so… lonely. This is one of my favorite character studies I’ve ever done.

Tagging @backupmiyuko @sailor-cresselia @estelraca and anyone that wants to!

[pleuvoire]

i've been meaning to ask for a while.. what are some of your favorite kamen rider fics? i've been looking for good recomendations and i trust your taste

unfortunately i don't have as many recs as you might expect because i'm highly picky and i don't read kamen rider fic all that much 😔 i kinda lost the habit because i feel like a lot of people in the tag have a different vision than i do. but let me dig a few up that i remember

first though to get this out of the way. i do in fact recommend my own fics. hi. here's all my kamen rider fics if you haven't checked them out already. at the risk of sounding conceited, i think they are really good. do let me know if you enjoy them as i love feedback

other general author recs! ihasa is prose/description goals to me, and i love their kuuga stuff in particular. bladebrave, parad, and realxeyez are all my friends who have written some great stuff and i will always hype up their excellent character takes. now for more specific fics. bolded are my favorites

impressions by estelraca - an interesting crossover take on how tsukasa lost his memories. ft lots of godai and ichijou which makes me happy because i love them :) a bit confusing in places but i liked it a lot

hanging tree by rainbowfootsteps - this is by my friend rain and was inspired by a wip snippet i posted which makes me very happy. a gloomy look at how a previous round of the rider battle might have ended

what do you call a male femme fatale? by chancellorxofxtrash - written for me for the toku holiday exchange and i was delighted to receive it. kirihiko/shoutarou fake dating

the other kind of yummy by laylah (explicit) - the most "yeah, that is exactly how it would go down" take on ankheiji having sex i've ever seen. foundational text to me

my madly-blooming feelings by shoceted - literally just now discovered this one going into the gouchase tag to retrieve another fic to add to this post (see below) AUGH IT'S SO GOOD. gouchase hanahaki disease. GOD THIS AUTHOR GETS IT. THEY GET IT

sick by oneatatime - makoala sickfic, pre-canon. pretty short but made me think "wow, this author really gets these characters" and more than that made me feel like i had a much deeper and better picture of their relationship, which is quite the feat

NOW HERE'S THE THING... a lot of the best kamen rider fics i've read are in chinese. i don't speak chinese past the beginner level but i've found deepl does the trick well enough to understand it. if you are also interested in reading chinese fics through deepl or another machine translator, here are a few more...

羚羊有一百条命 (antelopes have 100 lives) by ephedrine - satosano psychological horror and probably my favorite ryuki fic

run wolf run by liliamt - yuutaku high school au but takumi... is a werewolf o_O short but sweet

20th century boy by acetylcholine - overview of a year with ren and shinji. the prose in this is so, so gorgeous even with machine translate. some other equally beautiful works of theirs i like include special needs (yuutaku lesbians au), insomnia (heartbreaking faiz angst), it (kenhaji shape of water au), and like father like daughter (bittersweet kenhaji angst, and was a big part of the inspiration for my fic in the gaps of sunlight)

生活碎片 by fireworkinstar - post-canon gouchase that ends in them eloping. it's adorable

ok it's late and i'm getting sleepy. huh that is more recs than i expected to have. if i remember or discover any more i will add to this post, making this has inspired me to go digging for more fics and also actually read more of the many many chinese rider fics on ao3. goodnight

[incognitajones]

A few recs

I’ve read some great gen fic lately that I wanted to boost, since it doesn’t always get as much attention as ship fic!

a few more ideas by rib14

Nemik gets lucky after Aldhani, and Vel decides his best hope for recovery is a Coruscant hospital. His cover? Her secret boyfriend, of course.

Or, a series of conversations about what comes next.

I loved the concept of Mon and Nemik meeting, and his impressions of the planet & people at the heart of Empire are fascinating. 

For We Are One by @estelraca

When Baze and Chirrut watch Luke Skywalker make an incredible shot, they both know how he did it. The question just becomes what they're going to do about it... and who they're going to train alongside him.

An intriguing exploration of how the Guardians of the Whills see the Force and how they train Luke (plus Force-sensitive Jyn, which I always enjoy).

lost in the fight by @luciechat

An exploration of Jyn's backstory, from the moment Saw leaves her behind until she ends up in Wobani.

Amazing, heart-breaking character study.

The Trail of Compassion by @shadaras

Reva heals and works towards understanding what she wants her future to be.

Exactly the post-Kenobi story I wanted.

[benjaycaptain]

im just curious so feel free to ignore, but what's some of your favorite fics from any fandom?

uhhhhh, so lots of my favorite fic are no longer found online [or at least their original sites are no longer around; i haven't actually looked around to see if they've been posted elsewhere] and i don't feel comfortable sharing them in the off chance they are Really deleted buuut here's a few that jumped out of my head at the question tho is in no way a complete list lmao

Granted by druxykexy gotham tv series jim/os [mind control noncon with unrequited feelings]

The Things Dreams Birth by estelraca rogue one centers around k-2so and cassian from the time cassian first reprograms k-2 to post movie [rogue one lives] with cassian/bodhi near the end

Celestial Mechanics by Bright_Thorn, misskatieleigh rogue one this one is cassian/k-2so/bodhi getting together and working out being an ot3

These Inconvenient Fireworks by amberography star trek aos kirk/bones jim discovers a kink bones has

A Love Song Stuck in My Throat by Cinaed book of life ot3 getting together post movie

Everything's Coming Up Flowers by thismagichour critical role campaign two fjord/caleb with background fjord/jester [special mention to this being the fic that made me realize i fucking love hanahaki disease lmao]

The first eight don't count by storm_petrel the losers cougar/jensen jensen has a special talent [he can transform into a cat, unbeknown to the others]

Too Much, Too Little by Samtree the witcher geralt/jaskier ace!geralt pushes himself in hopes of getting what he desires; it hardly works [mainly for geralt because Ouch; jaskier is probably hit or miss lmao]

Right of Conquest by khaleesisophie hp sshp dubcon both are fucked up and into it in each other [this has apparently gained a sequel since i last read it but i can't speak on that lol not that it matters cause i'm pretty sure the fact that i'm even putting this on the list will get me cancelled even more than i probably already am but what can i say i loved fucked up fic even tho this one is very tame compared to my usual reads]

[estelraca]

This was written for the t'hy'la reverse big bang (@thylabang), for the absolutely beautiful artwork that @dogearedfriends drew. Featuring very Me tropes such as injury during an away mission, mind melds, family discussions, and hope for the future.

[machinegunnerdave]

uhhh 4 28 and 32!!

tysm for the ask!

4. What's a word that makes you go absolutely feral?

I'd have to go with "joy". Such a fun word- it feels like happiness, but a little deeper. If a character or action or location is described as "joyful", it paints this very cozy image in my head.

28. Who is the most delightful character you’ve ever written? Why?

I didn't write very much of them, but I had a blast with ORe in Refecktion Lads. It was really fun trying to figure out how they write and see the world they live in. I kinda regret not introducing them into the story sooner, as I would've been able to develop them more.

Also, I find a lot of delight in writing Brivin in angst scenarios specifically because of how much he's not supposed to be there. Like, he's a goofy guy, but what if he was a sad and angry goofy guy? One of these days I'll write something fluffier about him, I swear.

32. What is a line from a poem/novel/fanfic etc that you return to from time and time again? How did you find it? What does it mean to you?

It's gotta be this line from "The Perfect Man" by estelraca:

"If someone can't see hope anymore, if someone can't see a way to reach through the dark and find another person's hand, it's not the fault of the lost person, it's the fault of the people who can't be bothered to install some damn lights."

Like holy shit, I dunno if I can describe the effect that this line had on me when I first read it. The message about creating a system to help others wrapped up in a really clever metaphor is just so... It's very lovely. A lot of the fic is about what it means to be a perfect man (if you couldn't tell by the title), and it's got some other nice messages in there too. It's a lot of deep stuff for a Gumworth first kiss fic, but this fic does the topics it presents justice, and this line really shows that off.

[pilferingapples]

HELLO I GOT YOU

TBH I could just point you at my bookmarks, because I do not bookmark Shouty Jerk Enjolras fics, but here are some specific fics! Canon Era: Fraternité , by @robertawickham/bobbiewickham : "The Amis de l'ABC, at the beginning and the end." READ IT READ IT they're all so good in thiiis aaaah, but especially read it for Enjolras, who brings them together here

Birds Of A Feather, by Sunfreckle : just some friendly hanging out at Feuilly's fan shop:D

On The Path to Elysium by @thevagueambition : "Grantaire arrives in Paris to study art but life takes several turns as he struggles with his inner demons, immerses himself in Paris' queer scene and makes friends with political radicals." I can't say it better than that! an E/R fic where Grantaire's kind of a disaster and Enjolras is Enjolras ,and they are both Very In Their Twenties.

Light Your Candle With Wildfire, by @fixaidea; after surviving the barricades , the Amis finish their student days and go their separate ways, except for a few. Enjolras/Feuilly , canon era

How Bossuet Found His Luck , by bobbiewickham/ @robertawickham : Mostly J/B/M , but Enjolras does play a critical, if accidental, role as a helpful friend. I almost never see Enjolras as the Helpful Friend with someone else's love life, so it gets to go here even if he's just a one scene wonder XD

A Night's Sanctuary, by @estelraca : Enjolras and Feuilly commit crimes and talk politics, which are after all closely related.

A Charming Young Man , by kvikindi: just some light silliness about Enjolras and animals

Aspirations, by Fearnoevil : Joly and Enjolras have a conversation and hold on to hope on the barricade. This would stand out just for being Joly and Enjolras , they don't get much time to hang out , but it's such a GOOD Joly and Enjolras, and really captures the way their whole friendship works in one conversation. Warmth Against the Cold : Just a nice party with friends! Genuinely, just some Amis Friendship Fluff, but very nice.

Not Even Miracles, by @everyonewasabird : Some people survive the barricade. Lots of characters, including a heartbreakingly well written Enjolras. Warning: On Hiatus, but I'd rec this for the first chapter alone.

In Which Is To Be Learned The Name of Enjolras's Fake Fiancée- Enjolras and Cosette, by @fremedon : Not the usual Fake Dating fic, an Actual Fake Dating Fic! Cosette makes friends, Enjolras expands his Horizons , Marius Pontmercys for all he's worth. An absolute delight. Ongoing! To Pronounce The Word Love, @midautumnnightdream : Enjolras and his friends, in scenes over the years

AUs , Modern and Otherwise The ABC Club : a Babysitter's Club AU based on the books XD very light and fun!

A Mantle That Fits, by @estelraca : a fantasy AU with emphasis on the fantastic. Has all the Amis but Enjolras is the main focus. It's so good and so gorgeous!!!

The Future's Owned By You and Me, by Quillsand : Enjolras /Feuilly/ Labor Rights FTW. Feuilly's the main character but Enjolras does get a lot of focus and is an excellent partner in labor organizing :D

Until The Stars Burn Out, Quillsand: SPACE AU SPACE AU SPACE AU *ahem* I like Space AUs and this one has a very good Enjolras :D

I could keep going but this is a lot and I don't want to overload you! If you like them, I will go ahead and rec all the other les mis fic by any of these authors , too--they've all got a great handle on the characters. And drop them a comment, they are also lovely people to chat with! :D

fics where enjolras is not an asshole shouting and angry at everyone all the time please (for real I cant read another fic like this)

[bishopmyrielfundraiser]

Offer #16

@estelraca on Tumblr, AO3, and ff.net

Offering 2 fics, 1000+ words each (I have a tendency to get wordy) Fandoms: Les Miserables, Ace Attorney, Star Wars (Rogue One, Original trilogy, Sequel trilogy), tokusatsu (Kamen Rider, Super Sentai, Ultraman, Garo).  If you’ve seen me geek about something else, feel free to ask and I might be willing to write it. Starting bid: $5

Mod Note. Bid in replies (NOT REBLOGS) from Dec 25th to Jan 25th. The top TWO bidders will win.

[pilferingapples]

Could you do a fanfic rec for exR? Platonic Enjolras and Grantaire also works. I recently read in one of your posts that you like their canon dynamics and I've been looking for fics with that.

oh don't I wish I could! I'm pretty much stuck in a trap of my own making on this one; most people who write any kind of E/R fic understandably want them to have a more reciprocal relationship than in canon, and most people who prefer to keep them in canonish Weird Emotional Awkwardness just...don't write them interacting. So there ends up being a line or two of mutual social weirdness and that's about it. (please observe and mind the AO3 Warnings on all the things I'm about to rec!!)

So here's where I rec my current favorite E/R fic , On The Path to Elysium! It's a good solid longform fic, mostly from Grantaire's POV (and he is a very unreliable narrator) Estelraca's To Follow is a heartbreaking post-barricades fic; it's..not exacty about E/R , but they are at the center of it; I don't want to say too much more , but be aware this is a heartwringer of a fic and plan accordingly The Don't Ask Grantaire blog is a fantastic and mostly lighthearted thing, with Grantaire acting as a (horribly unqualified) advice and answers column. Deals , inevitably, with his Enjolras Emotions at points. Highly Recommended for an almost entirely canon-compliant but still nearly angst-free experience! (that author, @aporeticelenchus also has a lot of Les Mis stuff on AO3--sadly, not all of it, which is largely in ficlets in their blog archive-- and it's all wonderful!)

and..well, just about anything in my To Watch Faith Soar tag is going to be something I Like , but alas, there's very little fic there...

Anyone else have any recs for canon-era/canon energy E/R stuff?