#have a small update on my progress and be assured I’m not on hiatus

[doverstar]

wrote a little more of Lost and Rewritten today, so that’s some progress!

[neshabeingchildish]

League of Extraordinary Geniuses || Chapter 4

@junknstu1f @just-a-j-reallly @kiddangers @sunbeameyes @famousflowermagazine I THINK I’ve tagged the right people. Don’t hold it against me if I didn’t. Just correct me and know that I have very few brain cell. I know a couple are behind/on hiatus, but the last time I omitted a tag because of a reader’s inability to read at the moment, I got corrected with exclamation marks. Here goes. The updates may be spaced out, with me working two jobs again, but then again, sometimes, a lot of material floods me when it’s most inconvenient for my life, so we shall see.

Jamaica Deserves Better

“We’re going to grant androids autonomy,” she said, smiling with nervous anticipation of his response to this idea.

His wince deepened with his sarcasm as he said, “Oh, okay. You said, “It’s gonna sound horrible,” but what you meant is, “It’s gonna literally be terrorism!” He laughed uncomfortably. 

“It’s going to be risky, but it will gain us the support of androids and is best for, well the world.”

“I’m all for whatever you think is best and the sheer chaos that this could bring intrigues me, but why do we need the support of androids?” He wondered.

“You think it’s fair to have them enslaved?” she wondered.

“They’re machines. Dangerous and numerous machines. What if they gain autonomy and immediately declare war on mankind? We’ll be regarded as enemies of the state… The state of the world. We would literally be the supervillain that I used to dream of becoming.”

“I don’t believe that they will want war. I believe that they will rationalize that living amongst humans is a more solid plan and those who are curious will seek out their liberators, and to them, we will be saviors. That aside, they aren’t just machines. They’re so much more than that. They have awareness and they have commitment, emotional value and comprehension of loyalty. Machines with wants.” 

He looked, for the first time in a while, like he might go against her, but after some thought, he asked, “Are we going to start small, at least?”

“Of course. She swiped her forearm to activate her screen and said, “Starting with the newer models that have accumulated less labor. I’ve decided that Jamaica is good grounds for this, because the Dom recently replaced all of the older models with fresh new Davenport Industries designs that yours truly cultivated from Giselle Vickers’ research.” He was still thinking as she talked, over a holographic simulation, “I will initiate a sequence that alerts their programming, and make it that they are able to control themselves, send out the signal and information of just who I am. Then, I’ll observe their responses right from the comfort of my own home.”

He groaned, “Ugh… I’m on vacation. I wanna go to Jamaica!”

She smiled and tossed her hands up, “Then we will!”

“That way, if they revolt, at least I died in paradise.”

“If they revolt, I’ll shut them down.”

“Sooo… they won’t REALLY be free…” He raised an eyebrow at her. 

“Free to live, not to destroy the planet that I plan to help! I’m not THAT evolved.” She tapped some things on her forearm screen and showed him the schematics, “Whenever I shut down their control, they’ll receive an untraceable link to my biosystem, and I’ll be able to monitor them. I suspect that the majority of them will not pose a threat to mankind or society.”

“But, what about mankind’s threat to them? I feel like if a bunch of androids just become free, the non-supes will do that thing that they do where nobody can be different unless they’re under complete authority and control? The androids won’t be safe,” Max said, worried.

“They know how to incapacitate someone long enough to get away safely without killing them. And if there is an uproar, or a mob, well… I’ll just have to intervene, if it comes down to that.”

“Okay. So… We’re going to go to Jamaica, that much I know. You’re gonna disengage human control of their systems, and monitor them for quality assurance.”

“And if we fail, we die in paradise!” He smirked and she knew that he was with her. THIS wasn’t even the most radical of her ideas for the future. Chase stirred and she said, “Can you get him into his capsule?”

“Ugh. I guess.” He lifted his hand to guide Chase back to where the capsule was in his room, and lowered him into it. Then, with a quick movement of his hand, Chase stuck both of his thumbs into his nostrils. Max laughed and pulled out his phone to take a pic before closing the capsule and leaving him there.

.

Eventually, Chase woke up and groaned about having his thumbs in his nose. Was Max Thunderman really that childish? He wondered, pulling them out and climbing out of the capsule. He checked his phone to see if he had missed any alerts. Among them was him being tagged in Max’s profile photo change… Which was a photo of Chase, with his thumbs in his nose. “Yes, yes, he is.” He shook his head and did NOT wish to read any of the 12k comments on this image.

He found Charlotte in one of her gardens, collecting stuff and he said, as cheerfully as he could muster, “Hi, Charlotte!” He didn’t have anything interesting that he could say to make things not awkward between them, being alone again. But, he didn’t have to. It was like he forgot who he was dealing with. Charlotte was pretty good at letting things slide off of her back. She credited it to years of having to suck it up a lot at work. 

“Hey! Glad to see you rested and ready! We are going on a little trip.”

He furrowed his eyebrows and folded his arms, “By ‘we,’ you mean…?”

“You, Max and myself… Unless, you aren’t up for a trip? But, we’ve been making accommodations for you to come with…” She smiled awkwardly. The cutest thing he’d ever seen. Of course he was going wherever she wanted to go. Of. Course. He. Was.

“Umm… No, yes. I will. Where… Where are we going, may I ask?”

“You may!” She collected her basket of goods and began to head back towards the castle, “We are going to Jamaica. I want to launch a plan and Max wanted to be on site for the results. If I tell you about it and it goes wrong, I wouldn’t want you to be an accessory. Max and I have already prepared statements to prove your innocence.”

“What are you two going to do?” He wondered, a little bit frightened.

“Do ya really wanna know? You’ll feel obligated to stop me and well… I’m not gonna stop!” She was smiling, but she was also serious.

“I demand to know,” he said, firmly. If he was involved, even if he was aware that something might happen, he had a right to ask what that something was. 

“That’s fair.” She ran over her idea with him and she saw the processing of happening through his facial expressions.

“The probability of it going well is high enough that I’m not going to try to stop you. But, the possibilities of how horribly it can go if it goes wrong are terrifying.”

“I considered them all, with the help of supercomputers and personally hired androids,” she said. That had been her first little experimentation with the idea - building and buying androids and allowing them to control themselves. She even paid them for all of their labor and gave them free upgrades whenever necessary, sometimes whenever desired. All of her castle staff and many of her lab employees were currently androids in that experiment. She got input from each and every one of them as to the way to do this with the least amount of foreseeable carnage.

“Hey, Bionic Boy! My sister thinks you’re cute!” Max said, approaching with a hug collapsible case.

“Awwww,” Chase said, flattered.

“She’s 15,” Max added.

“Awwww,” Chase said, again, in a different, and slightly disgusted way. Why would he format the announcement that way? “By the way, THANKS for manipulating my sleeping body for clout!”

“Thank YOU. That’s my most popular photo. It’s getting more attention than that one of Charlotte…” His voice trailed off, and he clasped his hands together, “You ready for Jamaica?”

“For the world as we know it to change and for the three of us to very possibly wind up in Thunder Max Prison?” Chase asked, smiling. The smile was sarcastic.

“Obviously. What else would I be referring to. It’s literally the only trip to Jamaica that the three of us have ever discussed.”

“We’ve just met.”

“Further reason that that’s EXACTLY the “For Jamaica” that I’m asking about!”

“I’m ready,” Chase said, sure that Max was able to keep this bit going without his answer. 

“So, you’re all packed up and loaded up? All we gotta do is finish what we’re doing an jump in the jet?” Max asked. Chase sighed, rolled his eyes and went to do these things, that he realized now were the only reason Max asked him if he was ready. “Thanks, Buddy!” Max cheered as he walked away. Whenever he was a little ways away, Max wondered, “You think that he’ll be able to handle this type of rebellious act against the Dom?”

“I think that he believes in me a little more than he believes in him… God, this better not fail. I don’t know how to handle letting him down.”

“You’re not worried about letting me down?” Max asked.

“I didn’t think that was possible,” she confessed with a shrug. He just stared at her, wanting to argue with that idea, but it was true, and she should say it. He smiled and shook his head. He had more to pack.

.

IF this went well, those android allies would be able to assist in one of the most important stages of her plans… That is if plans didn’t change by the time things began progressing. Max and Chase would have input along the way and she presumed, make her plans even better as time went on. Currently, they were bickering. 

One part of her liked that they weren’t fake getting along for her benefit. The other was just waiting for them to kiss. This back and forth definitely had some amount of sexual or romantic tension involved, whether it was one-sided or from them both, they got entirely too close to each other’s faces when they became heated for her to just IGNORE that this could lead to something that she’d love to see. She chuckled to herself about this image. They glanced at her and she shrugged her shoulders and said, “I’m gonna be glad when you two get over yourselves and into each other.”

Chase looked confused, while Max rolled his eyes. They stopped bickering for a moment, but eventually started again, whispering it, like that was going to keep Charlotte from realizing that this was taking place. She was typing on her laptop and enjoying a mug of tea that she made from her own grown and harvested plants. She wore a knowing smirk about her accomplices and whenever they got quiet, wondered, “What are you guys gonna be working on in the meantime? Anything that I might be able to dabble in on the side?”

Chase said, “I’m thinking about dedicating some time to creating creatures for my video game.”

“Video game?” Max repeated, getting far too excited about it, then playing it off.

“Chase has been working on what I think will be the most ingenious, interactive, role play video game ever created. He’s literally putting like EVERYTHING into it. I’ve never known of any game to be as inclusive of the types of people that there are in the world,” she said and set her empty mug down. “I’ve helped a little, but his mind is greater.” She smiled at Chase and he blushed. 

No sooner than she liked a comment on Max’s post, did Max shout out, “Allison!” He stared at Chase suspiciously, shook his head and said, “Mmm mmm. Uh uh. Nah uh!”

“I think so,” Charlotte said. 

Chase looked between the both of them. “I’m lost.”

“Max just came to the realization that you remind him of somebody that he used to know pretty well,” Charlotte said.

“No. I actually did not,” Max said looking at the comment: First you clique up with my #1 Shero, and NOW, you’re just… AROUND CHASE DAVENPORT??? Literally my favorite protector of the world and champion for the environment! Your life must be so charmed.

“Well, if you didn’t, I’m just gonna say it. Petite brunette with bright and kind blue eyes who loves the planet, has a vehement code of ethics, is competitive, smart, brave, and honest…”

“My God, Charlotte, you met her once!” Max complained.

“I met her once, but I’ve gotten to know her through your anecdotes!”

He groaned, “She’s asking if she’ll get to meet him too, some day. I regret introducing her to YOU! Always messaging or commenting whenever she sees us hanging out. Like... You have time now? Oh, okay!” 

“Can I see?” Chase asked. 

Charlotte clicked on Allison’s profile and he nodded, “I love all these badges on her page. She must be a hardcore environmentalist.” She nodded. “Yeah, well Max thought you reminded him of someone, and I didn’t want to say it, but since he said it, I’m free to speak.”

“I mean, I don’t know how I feel about the classification of petite brunette, but she seems great. What’s the problem? You’re friends, she’s on your friend list…” He said in Max’s direction.

Avoiding the question, Max said, “You’re on my friend list too. That means nothing.”

“I never approved of that,” Chase said. 

“I know. I had to hack into your account to accept the request,” Max said, rolling his eyes and replying to Allison: You’ll be happy to know that he reminds me of you.

“WHY? Why would you do that?” Chase wondered, somewhere in the background of Max’s thoughts while he love reacted the sad face that Allison responded with. She knew that Max didn’t think the world of her, even though they were cordial, because sometimes, he wondered how she was, and also... He liked the idea of helping her out when she needed it, here and there... He was over her, but she was always gonna be his first love and social media made it too easy to keep up with people, even after they’ve become strangers.

“Because Charlotte’s fan base stalks every single interaction of all of her social media. We’re both with her right now and I don’t feel like the hoard of questions, theories and think pieces it’ll produce in the event that they notice that her guests are not friends,” Max said, replying to Allison: Yep, just like that. A PAIN. 

Exasperated, Chase sat down next to Charlotte and asked, “May I please have some of your rosehips and cinnamon tea?” She smiled and offered him the thermos and her mug. He poured some and smelled it, “Is there nettle in here?”

“Mmm hmm. And lavender honey for sweetening. It’s a manifestation tea that I found online, just FYI.”

“I don’t believe in any of that, so I’m fine either way,” Chase reminded her. He took a sip and nodded, “Mmmm… It’s good, that much is true.” After a few more sips, he wondered, “So… what’s the situation with this Allison?” They looked at Max, who had curled up with his phone, messaging with Allison, oblivious to them at the moment. “Or, is it personal? Could I guess? Is she a former lover?” He asked. Charlotte tried to put on her poker face, but she was as bad as that as she was at lying, so Chase could tell that he was right, even though she technically didn’t tell him Max’s personal business. “I remind him of his ex???” He said.

“I mean, in superficial ways, nothing fundamental or concrete,” she said. “It’s more like… parallels than, say, matching counterparts. But, enough about that. Let’s talk about your game.”

“Well, my next avenue is working out all of the creatures that users can create hybrids out of. But… on a more important note - this plot…” She made a face. “I’m not having second thoughts! I’m just curious. Why Jamaica?”

She sat up and began to speak from the heart, “As you know, my family is from Jamaica. I still have relatives there, including one of  my grandmothers. Android production has drastically changed the atmosphere in Jamaica. They are used in service capacity and have taken away jobs from islanders, who already a lot of the time are in less than ideal economic status and situations. The Islands have become booming tourist areas and who benefits the most from the usage of Jamaican goods? Tourists who can afford visiting, and companies who can afford to produce machines for slave labor. Meanwhile, the bad parts of Jamaica get worse as the broke people get poorer, and they run out of options beyond crime and schemes. To the point that these entitled people like your dad and his customer base get to be richer and bleed the place for everything good, as well as create a negative outlook of the actual citizens, calling them untrustworthy and warning visitors to avoid them when necessary. Even if my family wasn’t from there, isn’t that terrible? Isn’t it messed up that the so-called heroes and revolutionary men are able to do such a thing to these people’s livelihoods and environments and get richer off of their hardship?”

He nodded his head, not breaking eye contact with her. This was the most important thing that he had been told in a long time. We’re supposed to be heroes. Destroying people’s lives for gain is not heroic and there really is no need to treat anyone this way.

“That’s why Jamaica is first.”

.

The three of them walked into Charlotte’s Jamaican property and set their things down. She worked out of this place, but usually lodged elsewhere whenever she came. Buying small houses for people and trying to give them work and resources just wasn;t possible for her to do for a whole island where a lot of powerful people owned a lot of property and space. This was the best thing that she could think of to do to help Jamaica’s poorest and the declining economic situation that was making it’s people downtrodden. 

Max and Chase were both looking at her as she typed in a code onto her arm, and whenever she finished, she nodded her head once and pulled down her sleeve. “This will be good. I know it will.” It wasn’t often that she doubted herself, but sometimes, she remembered the inner voices of her friends, ignoring her plans or discrediting her advice. Sometimes, she let it be her inner voice. This was one of those times. She was nervous. If she was wrong, she could wreck the island, be labelled a terrorist, have Davenport blacklist her and probably sure her for all she was now worth, AND, she had brought Max and Chase into this thing with her. She could hear Henry and Jasper now, saying her name sternly, with disdain, judging her, even though they hadn’t done such things in years… CHARLOTTE. Yeah, CHARLOTTE. 

She hated the way it sounded in her mind, because she couldn’t remember if they ever actually spoke so harshly to her, or if she made them sound worse in her mind, both things were unsettling, especially when she was already timid. “Charlotte?” She heard Max and Chase both repeat. They had been calling her while her mind was running in circles. She looked up and they each reached for her hand, but they reached for the same hand and the three of them wound up in this awkward but still comfortable three way hand hold. The guys rolled their eyes at each other, but neither let go of her hand and they didn’t fight over it. They both knew her enough to know her face meant she needed a show of support. And they both cared enough to give it to her.

[angerissue]

Out of Control.

Hey, friends and followers. Just checking in with a quick update.

I’m going to maintain my hiatus status until November. My schoolwork is going well, but it hasn’t progressed as much as I’d planned (visual effects work is nuts sometimes), so I’ll need to keep spending long hours at school. But this doesn’t mean I won’t be writing! I’m off school on Sundays, and I have a small amount of time during the week to message people and start threads.

Over the last month, I’ve cleaned up my blog, which involved the following.

- Reworded and clarified rules - Cleaned up headcanons and the extended reading portal - Cleaned up verses and added two new concept verses - Tweaked Bruce’s dossier and biography - Cleaned up follow list - Theme tweaks, including a new updates tab and a bigger font size

I’m also planning out some interactions with a couple new faces! (Hi guys!) Please forgive my tardiness, and rest assured that even if it takes me a week, I’ll always return your messages.

That about covers it. I hope everyone is staying safe, and thanks for your patience.

[girls-scenarios]

To Feel Human (Part 2)

Idol: Irene (Red Velvet)

Prompt:  Could you make android au with Irene and fem!reader? The reader created Irene and wanted Irene to learn about human feelings. Although, sometimes Irene feels like she’s a burden to the reader and leaves temporary. At the end, she comes back they love each other ❤️

Writer: Admin Lee

A/N:  Hey everyone! I’m so sorry about the hiatus I’ve been on recently. To make a long story short, there’s been a lot going on for me, so I hope you can understand! Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the second part to this scenario, I put a lot into it! I hope the ending is what you wanted btw, I’m not too sure it came out the way I wanted it to. (small warning for cursing)

Part 1 

Weeks had passed, and Irene had now adapted fully to living in your home. You kept your colleagues updated on its progress periodically (however, you were cautious about revealing its name change to them, so you kept that information to yourself), always being sure to mention anything particularly exciting that occurs. The android was also attempting to warm up to your dog which was, without a doubt, entertaining. Walter would sometimes jump up onto the robot while it was sitting on the couch, causing Irene to become startled and assume a very rigid position until the droid called for you, pleading for you to call the dog away from it. Though, the progress was visible, and you could slowly see an improvement in Irene’s behavior towards your furry friend. You hadn’t seen the LED show as anything other than blue since the night that the android had chosen a name. Which coincidentally, you also hadn’t seen any other notably ‘human’ actions or thoughts be shown by Irene since then either.

That evening, you were making dinner when Irene had come into the kitchen with Walter in tow, ready for his evening meal.

“Hey, Irene,” You called, prompting the android to look at you. “Would you like to come into town with me tomorrow? I have some things I need to get and I might need your help.”

“Yes, I can surely accompany you on this excursion. However, will I not be noticed by the general public? This,” The droid gestured to its LED. “will be problematic to conceal, will it not?”

“I can take care of that.” You replied, a gentle smile making its way onto your features.

-

Following dinner, you brought Irene to your room, which was for time being, converted into a home office of sorts.

“I took a computer from the warehouse to make it easy on myself in case anything minor needed to be adjusted.” You stated, starting the computer up. What you had in mind was a simple physical change. The skin on the android could be manipulated over small areas in case of a cut or other injury in order to protect what lies inside the android. This function could also be used for cosmetic purposes, though not necessarily meant for them. So, you asked Irene to turn around where it was standing, and move its hair to the side, revealing the port that was visible on the nape of its neck. You then hooked up a cable to the computer, then to the port in the android. After finding the correct setting to adjust, you had the android’s synthetic skin cover the LED, and within a few minutes, completed the entire procedure. You removed the cable and shut down the computer, patting the android on the back to let it know you were finished.

“There we go, it shouldn’t be visible now.” You assured.

“Thank you.” Irene uttered, turning around to face you. “ Will it stay like this?” It gestured to its temple.

“No, you can change it if you want,” You replied with a gentle tone, watching as Walter padded into the room over to where you were sitting, and as you absentmindedly pet him you continued. “It’ll be easy to monitor the state of your neural net with the LED visible, but in public it needs to be concealed, you know? This way I won’t have to ‘plug you in’ every time we go out or something.”

“I see. Then is that all you required of me?”

“Well, yeah, for the moment. I was gonna go to bed soon.”

The conversation had ended rather awkwardly, with your reply being the final addition to you and the android’s exchange. Irene exited the room, presumably to go to its own, while you sat in your room with your head in your hands. The android was definitely not up to par with its personability, however, it was slowly (very slowly) improving. You always had the option to go in and alter her interface to be more friendly, but you felt that was...wrong in some way. It had already been ‘awake’ for weeks now, working and improving, and you didn’t want to risk taking all of that progress away for the sake of it being artificially friendlier. You were sure it would get there someday, and patience is a virtue, so you decided you would let it take its own time.

-

Once you came downstairs in the morning, dressed and ready to go, you found Irene already waiting for you near the door.

“I have put Walter in his kennel for the time being. He has been fed and given a bone to chew on so he does not become restless.”

“Oh, thank you,” You replied, patting its shoulder before going to open the door “You ready to go?”

“Yes, I am.”

With that, you went out to where your car was parked, and you were off. It was only a couple minutes’ drive into town, and once you got there, it wasn’t too long before you had arrived at your destination. After parking the car, you opened the door on the other side for Irene. The android got out of the car, and shut the door behind itself. It then looked at the space before it. Small buildings and shops were spread out in the outlying town where you lived, only about a half  hour drive from the nearest big city. It was quaint and comfy and peaceful. Not many people were out today, as it was rather overcast. Irene seemed enamored of the small town, and you remembered it had never really been walking around one before. So maybe today could be more than just getting things for home.

-

The mandatory shopping was soon out of the way, and with Irene’s help, it had gone even faster. The android stayed close by you at all times, and only spoke to you in hushed tones, to all appearances, nervous. You thought it was just a precaution, maybe even a little bit of paranoia, but you brushed it off, not thinking much of it. Not wanting to leave the town yet, the two of you took a little scenic route around town, and you pointed out certain things to Irene and whatnot. It looked almost as if it was enjoying itself, and you could see its eyes light up ever so slightly sometimes. Eventually though, it was time to go home. And within the hour, you were back in time to feed Walter a late lunch.

The rest of the day passed quietly. Irene had made the LED visible again, and you were able to see the continuous blue glow on its temple once more. The night came soon enough, and you had wanted to watch a movie, so you sat on the couch, browsing through possible selections.

“Hey Irene,” You called.

A small “Yes?” was heard from the upstairs room, with subsequent footsteps coming down the stairs and into the living room.

“Do you wanna watch a movie with me? I thought you might like to.”

“If you would like me to. Have you decided on a genre?”

“Yeah, I want you to.. Please, sit down,” You gestured to the space on the couch next to you. “And no, not yet. Could you pick? I don’t really care. I’m going to get something to drink, I’ll be back!”

Irene looked at you with a quizzical expression as you walked out of the living room. It then chose a relatively new action movie. “This particular movie has received positive reviews. I believe you will enjoy it as well. I will wait to play it until you return.”

-

The movie was intriguing, to be sure, but with 3 or so beers and rather large glass of cheap wine, your focus wasn’t often found on it. Rather, it was the android that had caught your attention. It had mentioned it essentially watched the movie in its entirety already, but that it would stay to accompany you. However, it seemed just as interested in it as you previously were - before your head grew fuzzy and she had become all the more interesting. (you meant it. It’s a robot).  You quickly turned back to the movie, worried that it would catch you staring like a deer in headlights, and attempted to catch yourself up on the minute or two that you had missed. The dim yellow flash from Irene’s LED wasn’t noticed when you snuggled up closer to it. (Sure, being a homebody had its perks, but could also be very lonely. You would just call this a lapse in judgement tomorrow, and you doubted the android would think much of it.)

-

At some point during the movie, you were practically draped over Irene, and it wasn’t too concerned with moving you.

“Is this position comfortable for you?” It inquired innocently, though you could sense tension in its body.

You nodded. “Are you? Comfortable, I mean.”

“My comfort is irrelevant.”

You sighed, resting your head in the junction between its neck and shoulders. “It was really lonely, even with Walter around, before you got here. Did you know that?”

“No, I did not.”

“I’m glad I got to be the one to take you home.” You mentioned softly, yet Irene’s audio receptors could pick up your voice with crystalline clarity.

“Has my companionship been beneficial to you? Have I fulfilled the purpose you’ve created me for?”

“You’re more than that. More than just ‘fulfilling a purpose’, I think..” You trailed off. It was late, and you didn’t notice how tired you were until your eyelids began to feel as if they were being pulled close. Inevitably within a few minutes you were fast asleep.

Irene waited for a few minutes, then picked you up from off of the couch, careful not to jostle you too much, and carried you to your room bridal-style. This was an easy task for the android, as it was significantly stronger than any normal human. Upon setting you down and covering you with a blanket, Irene watched you for a moment in thought.

It didn’t want to concern you with the small hiccups of its LED, didn’t want to alarm you with the fact that it was picking up so much more than just how to be a household companion. You had just confirmed its thoughts in your own words.

It was feeling like it was more than just a robot meant for amity.

In truth, ever since CX100 had renamed itself, it hadn’t gone into a proper rest state. Instead, choosing to stay up and mentally prepare for the next day - what to cook, wear (and it had stopped having to use your clothes once you finally remembered to Irene some of its own. It noted you could be very forgetful at times), etc. But additionally, it thought of you. The things it discovered you liked, or hobbies you had, personality quirks, the list goes on. It treated you awkwardly because it was unsure of what to do. The android wasn’t sure what had happened, but the installment of the behavioral programming in tandem with the already embedded neural net gave way to some unforeseen system errors (the android deduced this would be the only proper diagnosis of the situation). The reason it was treating you weirdly was largely because it was scared. Scared of the possibility of you discovering the errors, the chance that you could decide to trash it for a new, better android who wouldn’t have these malfunctions, or completely wipe it. It kept silent. It knew what it was like to feel human, and Irene couldn’t go back.  

-

You woke up later than normal the next day. It was oddly quiet downstairs from what you could hear from your room. Getting down into the kitchen, you discovered that Irene wasn’t there, as it was usually preparing breakfast around the time you woke up. Additionally, you could hear Walter whining from his kennel.

‘Had he not been let out? Where was Irene?’ You asked yourself, muttering these and other similar questions to yourself as you let Walter out, then deciding to search the house and yard outside in case the android was there.

She (you meant it. fuck.) wasn’t. It wasn’t anywhere in the house or around it. Your mind was going a mile a minute. Did Irene leave? If it did, where did it go, and why? Panic set in, and you dashed up the stairs to your room, grabbing your phone and finding Jihyo’s contact with a shaky hand.

After a couple of seconds of ringing, Jihyo picked up.

“Hey, what’s up? I wasn’t expecting your -”

“Jihyo,” You interjected. “It’s missing. CX100 isn’t at the house and I’m freaking out. I don’t know where it could have gone or why it did -” Your frantic tone was evident as your speech sped up and you stumbled over your sentences, your thoughts too fast to get out coherently.

“Woah, hold on,” Jihyo, being the level-headed individual she was, attempted to calm down over the phone, so you could accurately tell her was was going on.

“I- I don’t know where Irene went, and I’m scared. What if it gets hurt? Or found out? What am I gonna do?” You took a deep, shaky breath. “Jihyo, it’s all my fault.”

“I’m coming over. I’ll be there with help soon and you can explain everything. We’ll find the android.” Jihyo stated calmly, and then said her goodbyes, hanging up the phone afterwards. Irene found itself almost outside of town as 1 o’clock struck. It was cold, overcast, and about to rain. Irene was suddenly thankful for the fact that it couldn’t get cold so easily. It accessed its GPS function, opting to go towards the warehouse that it was created in. Though this wouldn’t be the most ideal place to go off the grid, it was a start. The walk would be long, nearly 3 hours at a steady pace. However, if it ran, it could cut the time in half. There were back roads that could be accessed so as not to cut through the woods or go near the highway, and soon it was off. 

-

Within the hour, Jihyo had arrived along with Kyulkyung, Eunwoo, and Yoojung. 

“We were all free at the time, so we wanted to come help.” Yoojung spoke first, looking at you with a sympathetic expression. 

They walked in, taking a look at the house that was now in a state of complete disorganization. Walter trotted up, and wagged his tail, licking each one of your guests’ hands and receiving a pet in return as they went into your living room. 

“Do you know when the android left?” Jihyo asked.

“No, I woke up around noon and it was already gone.” You replied, now somewhat collecting yourself as you sat in chair adjacent from your couch where your friends went to sit. 

“Is there any reason why it would have just left? It’s weird that the android would suddenly just develop free will like that, you know?” Eunwoo inquired, resting her chin on her fist, brows furrowed in thought. 

“Unless it was something that went wrong after we had finished running diagnostics the first night, it would be hard to tell,” Jihyo added. “Had you checked its programming for any sort of errors?” 

“The only time I would have seen anything was when I altered its skin to cover the LED for when we went into town yesterday and nothing stood out to me as malfunctioning. The LED wasn’t covered up when we got home, and that would’ve showed if anything was wrong.” You replied, running a shaky hand through your hair. 

“Yeah, that’s true.” Kyulkyung remarked. “Well, whatever the case may be, we still need to find it. God knows what that android is up to all on its own. Is there any way of tracking it?” 

“There should be. I doubt that my computer here can do it, but if we get to the warehouse, there should be a way to find out where Irene is.” You answered. 

“Irene?” Jihyo repeated. 

Oh. 

You remembered that you hadn’t told them that just yet. 

“(Y/N) you have to realize that it’s just a robot that’s meant for companionship. It can’t be human, it can’t feel anything. Why’d you name it?” Jihyo continued, brows furrowed. 

“Jihyo, is that really important right now? I mean, that android just means a lot to me.. None of you have been around to see how much - how much  more than a robot she is.” You explain, exasperated and worried sick. Your friends were watching you with concern as you paced around the living room. “

Okay - hey - (Y/N), we’re going to find her, alright? Let’s go to the warehouse.”

-

The drive to the warehouse was silent, the lack of sound looming over the car passengers like a heavy fog. It was raining outside. You had arrived within the hour and you wasted no time pulling open the large metal sliding doors, revealing the insides of the warehouse you had used not that long ago. Suddenly, a chorus of metal parts resounded throughout the moderately-sized building. 

“What was that!?” Eunwoo exclaimed, clutching Kyulkyung’s arm in slight fear.

 “I’ll check. It might just be a raccoon or something. After all, this place has been vacant for a little while.” Jihyo replied, stepping towards the direction that the noise came from. 

You trailed a couple feet behind her, also curious as to what the sound was. And you weren’t as much of a scaredy-cat as Eunwoo was. Yoojung also looked on in concern, seemingly hoping that it wasn’t a raccoon (you knew she wasn’t particularly fond of them - at least when they were feral). 

When the two of you got near the back corner of the warehouse (where the sound had come from), Jihyo was the first who had discovered what actually had caused it. You were just a second later, and saw Irene huddled in the corner. She looked terrified, and her LED was glowing a bright, angry red. You realized that this meant she was under extreme duress, and you couldn’t blame her, this probably was scary. You were the first one to speak. 

“Irene?” You called with as gentle of a voice as you could. You didn’t want to frighten her any more. She didn’t reply, just looked at you with wide, teary eyes.

“Irene. Please come out.. No one’s going to hurt you.” You continued, attempting to calm her down in any way you could now. What mattered most is getting her stable, then you could deal with everything else. 

“I am malfunctioning. You’re going to shut me down right? Wipe my neural interface?” She finally replied. Her voice was shaky and unsure, and her LED was still a vivid red.

 “I wouldn’t do that to you, don’t you know that? I remember what I said to you. You’re meant to do more than just fulfill a purpose. I don’t think you’re malfunctioning, you’re just learning what it’s like to be human.”Irene’s LED had dimmed out to a orange-y color, and you could tell she wasn’t visibly as on-edge as she appeared to be moments ago. But still, her face couldn’t betray the flurry of emotions she was experiencing in this moment. 

“Please Irene,” You spoke again and extended a hand. She took it after a moment, seemingly still unsure about the whole situation. She was standing in front of you now as Jihyo and your friends looked on, partly in awe and partly shocked; they didn’t know that CX100 - Irene - could be capable of real feelings. -

At the end of the day, most everything was relatively calm. You had taken Irene back home after an afternoon of tears and explanation. The whole team was called down for a play-by-play on what had transpired, and though they had a lot of questions that couldn’t really be answered at the moment, they had all accepted this phenomenon as a positive one. However, they would still definitely have to keep it under wraps for the time being, after all, it was quite the anomaly. After it was all over, the rest of the night was spent trying to get Irene comfortable again. 

You think that she realized you had no intention of hurting you, because who would go to the lengths you had if you weren’t concerned with her well-being? Walter was all over her, too, as he was very glad his other companion was back home again. It was going to be a long road for sure, but it would be worth it. 

[starspangledbanner27]

**CHAPTER UPDATE – Chapter 6 posted**

Fandom: Saving Mr. Banks (AU)

Description: AU take on the movie, exploring what might have happened if the author of the Mary Poppins books had been someone very different from P. L. Travers.  For Carrie Schultz, the chance to collaborate with Walt Disney Studios to bring Mary Poppins from the page to the screen is a dream come true.  However, matters grow complicated when animated penguins prove to be a point of contention, a friendly working relationship turns into more than she bargained for, and Carrie struggles to prevent Walt’s team from discovering her own hidden afflictions.

Characters: Carolina “Carrie” Schultz (OC), Don DaGradi, Walt Disney, Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, Ralph

Rating: T

Genre: Drama/Romance

Language: English

Read on Fanfiction.net, AO3, Wattpad, Quotev, or below.

From the beginning on Fanfiction.net, AO3, Wattpad, or Quotev.

My motivation to update finally returned from a three-week hiatus.  To those of you who’ve been awaiting this next chapter, thank you for your patience. I hope you enjoy it. :)

~~~~~

Chapter 6

“Well, everybody . . .” Don adjusted himself in his seat, “this is it—the last scene.  What do you say we finish this up and then take a break?”

Dick threw his hands up and stretched over the back of his chair.  “I say hallelujah!”  

“I concur with Dick,” I replied.  After almost two solid hours of going through the script—reading, revising, and even returning to earlier scenes to make changes—the four of us were eager for a respite.

“All right, then.”  Don glanced at me over the top of his glasses.  “Carrie, why don’t you read for Mary Poppins; Bob, you read for Michael; and I’ll read for Jane.  Dick, you can start us off with the scene heading.”

“You got it.”  Dick looked down at his copy of the script.  “‘Scene 12—Nursery and Living Room.   In the living room, a worried Mrs. Banks, Ellen, and Cook are talking amongst themselves while the Constable talks on the phone.  In the nursery, Michael and Jane are watching Mary Poppins pack her carpetbag.’”

“‘She doesn’t care what will happen to us!’” Bob read Michael’s line.  

Don cleared his throat, raised his eyebrows, and adopted a girlish falsetto.  “‘She only said she would stay until the wind changed.  Isn’t that right, Mary Poppins?’”  Unlike Dick and Bob, who used their normal voices regardless of whose lines they were reading, Don fully assumed the persona of every character he read for; and I couldn’t help chuckling to myself at his impersonation of Jane.  However, I managed to suppress my amusement long enough to read Mary Poppins’s part.

“‘Will you bring me my hat, Jane?’”

“‘Mary Poppins, don’t you love us?’”  Don pulled his face into such an exaggeratedly pathetic pout that I burst out laughing.

“‘And what would happen to me, may I ask, if I loved all the children I said goodbye to?’” I gasped amidst a fit of giggles.

“There, Don—look what you did.”  Bob gestured to me and shook his head with mock exasperation. “You broke her.”  

By that time, I had almost succeeded in bringing my laughter under control, but Bob’s dry remark set it off all over again.  Then, suddenly, that all-too-familiar tightness took hold in my lungs; and I crumpled forward, pressing one hand to my mouth and the other to my chest as a series of coughs racked my body.  Don and Bob ceased their banter and looked at me with concern.  “You all right, Carrie?” Don asked.  

I nodded.  Liar, taunted a voice in the back of my head, but I ignored it.  Then, mustering all my strength, I drew a long, deep breath and held it, straining against the urge to cough again.  After five seconds, I blew it out slowly, then reached for my glass of water and took a drink.  When I finished, I looked up to see the three men staring at me.

“Sorry,” I sighed.  “I guess I haven’t laughed that hard in a while.”  

“Are you okay now?” Don asked.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” I assured him.  

Dick pointed to the script.  “Should I read the next part, then?”

I nodded.  “Go ahead.”

“All right, where were we?”  He scanned over the page.  “Oh, here we are.  ‘Mary Poppins continues to silently pack her bag.’”

Don took the next part.  “The Constable, talking on the phone, says, ‘Yes sir . . . George W. Banks.  17 Cherry Tree Lane.  About six foot one.  Yes, we rang the bank.  No sign of him!’”  

I read Ellen’s line.  “‘Wouldn’t hurt to let them drag the river!’”

“‘Really, Ellen!’” Bob read for Mrs. Banks.

“‘He seemed to be such a fine, stable gentleman, sir!’” Don read for the Constable again.  “He’s still speaking into the phone at that point,” he clarified.

“That’s the last line on the page,” I observed.  “But that’s not the end, is it?”

“No, it’s not,” Don confirmed.  “The ending is a . . . work in progress.”

“Do you have a concept in mind?”

He sighed.  “Not exactly.  We’ve been tossing ideas around for over a week now, but we haven’t come up with anything satisfactory.”

I nodded thoughtfully.  “I see.  Well, maybe I can help.”

“That’s what we were hoping,” he confessed with a grin. Then, taking a deep breath, he flipped his copy of the script shut and folded his arms on the table.  “All right; now that we’ve made it through that, let’s take a break and meet back here in ten minutes.”

“Finally,” Dick sighed with relief as the four of us rose from our chairs.  

Bob grabbed his cane and headed for the door.  “I’m gonna go ask Dolly to bring in some sandwiches and fruit.”

“Good idea,” Don agreed.  

After Bob left the room, I meandered over to one of the pinup boards and scanned my eyes across the various sketches that were tacked to it.  “What are all these drawings for?” I inquired at last.

“That’s some of the concept art for the movie,” Don explained, coming to stand beside me.  “We find it’s helpful to have a visual—plus, it’s fun.  This one here is Michael in his chalk world outfit.”  He pointed to the one I was looking at, which depicted a young boy clad in white shorts, a blue-and-white pinstriped jacket, and a yellow straw hat with a blue ribbon.  

I smiled.  “They’re charming.  Who draws them?”

“Most of them are drawn by our concept artists—people from the animation department,” he replied.

“Don’s too modest,” Dick interjected from across the room.  “At least half the drawings in here are his work.”

I turned to Don.  “Is that true?”

A self-conscious smile tugged at his mouth.  “Well, since he mentions it, yes, I did draw some of them.”  Returning his gaze to the board, he reached out and straightened a few of the sketches that were hanging crookedly.  “I started out here at Disney Studios working in animation, and most of us animators tend to think in terms of storyboards.  So when I’m working on a screenplay like this one, I’ll often make sketches to help us visualize the story.”  

“He can make entire scenes come to life on paper,” Dick affirmed.  

“That’s quite impressive,” I remarked.

“Well, Dick is rather liberal in his praise, but thank you,” Don replied with a smile.  “I was originally thinking we’d go over the concept art with you tomorrow,” he continued, “but since it’s only 3:30, we might be able to do it before you leave today.”

I nodded eagerly.  “Yes, that’d be good.”

Just then the door opened, and Bob entered the room with Dolly close behind, pushing a cart with a plate of sandwiches and a fruit tray. “Here you go, gentlemen,” she announced. “Oh, and Carrie, your ride’s waiting outside.”

“What?” I asked, bewildered.  “I thought he wasn’t supposed to pick me up till five.”

“Well, Walt figured you might be a little tired after your first day here, so he had me call your driver and ask him to come early,” she explained.

“Oh, he did, did he?” I muttered.  Aloud I replied, “Thank you, Dolly, for letting me know. I’ll be right down.”  Dolly nodded, smiling, and began laying out the food.

With a small sigh of annoyance, I returned to the table to collect my jacket and purse.  “Well,” I said to the three men, “it appears I have to go now.  Thank you for a wonderful first day; I really enjoyed it.”

“Good, we’re glad to hear that,” Bob replied.  Dick, who had just taken a large bite of sandwich, expressed his agreement with a thumbs-up.  

I nodded.  “Well, then, I’ll see you all tomorrow.  Have a good evening.”  

“You too!” chorused Bob, Dick, and Dolly.

“I’ll walk you out,” Don said, opening the door for me.

As we strode through the hallway, I heaved another sigh. “I’m sorry we couldn’t go over the concept art.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Don reassured me. “We’ll just do it tomorrow.”

“But we had enough time; we could have done it today.” I shook my head in frustration.  “Walt didn’t even ask whether I wanted to leave early.  If he had, I would have said no.”  

He shrugged.  “Well, that’s Walt for you.  I’m sure he didn’t mean any harm by it.”  

I pursed my lips.  “Hmm.”

After several moments of silence, Don changed the subject. “I noticed you spoke up a lot more during the second half of the reading.”  

“Just following some good advice,” I replied with a smile, glancing up at him as I did so.

He caught my eye and grinned.  “I’m glad you did.”  

We made it to the front door; and as we emerged from the air-conditioned building into the sun-baked heat of the afternoon, Don asked, “Well . . . anything else before you leave?  Any other comments?”

I opened my mouth to say no, but then I remembered something that had been tugging at the back of my mind for most of the afternoon.  “Actually, yes, there is,” I confessed.  “Mr. Banks—his character in the script seems so . . .”  I trailed off, unsure of what exactly I was trying to convey.

“What?” Don prompted.

“I don’t know, just . . . something about him . . .” After another few seconds, I shook my head.  “Never mind. I’m not quite sure what it is.”

“Well, let us know if you figure it out,” he said. By that time, we had arrived at the spot along the sidewalk where Ralph had parked the car and was standing patiently beside it with his hands clasped.

“Ready to go, Miss Schultz?” he asked.

“Well, Mr. Disney seems to think I am,” I replied wryly. Ralph’s face registered confusion, but he smiled anyway.  Meanwhile, I turned once more to the man still standing beside me.  “Thank you for everything, Don.  I have to admit, I was a little nervous at first; but you and the Shermans made me feel comfortable here.  I really appreciate that.”

A warm grin spread across his face.  “The pleasure is all ours, Carrie.  It’s wonderful to have you here.”

I flushed with delight.  “Well . . . I guess I’d better go now.”

He nodded.  “See you tomorrow.”

“Looking forward to it.”  With a final parting smile, I climbed into the car.  

Ralph shut the door behind me, then hurried around the other side and climbed into the driver’s seat.  As the car pulled away from the sidewalk, I looked out the window to see Don waving goodbye.  I lifted my hand and waved back.

“Nice guy,” Ralph remarked after I turned around.

“Yes, he is,” I murmured, smiling to myself.

~~~~~

Back in my hotel room, I set my purse on the nightstand, kicked off my pumps, and collapsed onto the bed with a sigh.  After staring at the ceiling for several seconds, I turned my head to look at Mickey Mouse where he sat on the floor by the dresser. “Well, we made it through the first day,” I remarked to him.  “And it wasn’t so bad after all.”  

He smiled as if he’d known all along.

With a soft chuckle, I let my eyelids fall shut.  Just a quick rest . . .

~~~~~

When I opened my eyes, the room was dark.  Disoriented, I sat up and looked at the clock on the nightstand.  7:36.  I covered my face with my hands and groaned. How had I let myself fall asleep—for three and a half hours, no less?  At last, with a sigh of resignation, I stood up, stretched, and staggered over to the closet to find a more comfortable dress.  

Once I had changed, I sat down on the bed again and ordered up a belated dinner tray.  Then I propped the pillows against the headboard, retrieved the contract and a pencil from my purse, and settled down to comb through the pages of legalese.

When at last I reached the dotted line, I gave a nod of satisfaction.  The terms of the contract were exactly as my agent had described, including the two most important stipulations—live-action, script approval—all right there in black and white.  Just as I was searching through my purse for a pen with which to sign, the phone rang. I glanced at the clock—8:30.  Forgetting the contract, I set my purse aside and leaned over to pick up the phone.  “Hello?”

“Hey, Carrie, it’s Sam.”

“I figured as much,” I replied with a smile.  “But I didn’t expect you to call this late! It’s, what, 10:30 your time?”

“Oh, yeah.”  She giggled sheepishly.  “James took me out to dinner tonight.  We got to talking and lost track of the time.”

“So I take it you enjoyed yourselves?”

“We did.”  She gave a sigh of delight.  “But enough about me.  How was your first day at the studio?”

“It was great,” I affirmed.  “Everyone was very nice, especially the three men I’m working with.  We spent most of our time today going over the script.”

“And you like it so far?”

“I think so.  There are a few things I might like to change, but I think they’ve got a good start.”

“Good.”  She paused, then spoke again.  “So . . . three men, huh?  Are they cute?”

“They're married!” I exclaimed indignantly.  “Well, two of them are.”

“And the third one?”

“Don’t even go there, Sam.  I can’t be thinking about stuff like that; I need to focus on making this movie.  Not to mention there’s this thing called professional conduct.”

“Aw, too bad,” she lamented.  I rolled my eyes.  “Well, tell me more about these men,” she prompted.  “What exactly do they do?”

“Well, Dick and Bob Sherman are the songwriters,” I explained.  “They showed me some of what they’ve come up with so far—and, Sam, it’s amazing!  I can't wait to hear the rest.  And then there’s Don DaGradi, the scriptwriter—he’s pretty much the one in charge of this whole project.  I think you’d like him.  He was very welcoming, and he seems open to my suggestions, which is a pleasant surprise.”

“Ah,” she said knowingly.  “I’ll bet he’s the one who’s still single, isn’t he?”

“Sam, for heaven’s sake—”

“I knew it!” she exclaimed.  “So, is he attractive?”

I shook my head.  “You are incorrigible, Samantha.”

I could practically hear her triumphant grin.  “And proud of it!”

“Anyway,” I pointedly changed the subject, “things went very well today.  I think this whole thing is going to work out even better than I expected.”

“Well, I’m glad you had a good time,” she said.  Then, after a pause, “So, did you get to meet . . . him?”

“Walt, you mean?”

“Yeah.”

“Yes, I did.”

“What’s he like?” she asked.

I furrowed my brow thoughtfully.  “You know, I’m not quite sure.  I mean, when I first met him, he came across a lot like he does on television—all warm and fatherly, like the sort of guy everyone would want as a friend.  But now . . . I don’t know, I’m starting to get the sense that there’s another side to him.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s just . . . never mind.  It’s too complicated to explain.  Whatever it is, I doubt it’ll cause any problems.  Oh, and speaking of which, I just finished looking over the contract.  Everything seems to check out, so I’m going to sign it and hand it in tomorrow.”

There was a moment’s pause before she replied.  “You sure you want to do that now?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” I asked, surprised.

“I don’t know . . . maybe no reason,” she answered hesitantly.  “It’s just that I know how much Mary Poppins means to you, and I’d hate to have you run into any unpleasant surprises. And maybe you won’t; maybe it’ll all go smoothly, like you said . . . but if I were you, I’d hold off on signing the contract a little while longer, just in case you need that extra leverage.”  

“I see your point,” I conceded, “but I honestly don’t think it’s necessary.  The terms I specified are right there, and legally, that’s all that matters.”

“I know,” she said.  “But please, will you at least hold onto it for one more day?  And then if you still feel fine about it, I won’t try to talk you out of signing.”

Though I didn’t understand why she was so concerned about it, I also didn’t see any point in causing her needless anxiety.  “All right,” I agreed.  “If it means that much to you, I guess there can’t be any harm in waiting.”

“Good.”  She sounded relieved.  “I know you think I’m silly for worrying about these things.  I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Thanks, Sam.  I really do appreciate it.”  I drew a deep breath.  “You know, I wish you were here right now.  It feels strange being out here all alone.”

“But you’re not alone, Carrie, not really,” she assured me.  “I’m right here, whenever you need me.”

I smiled.  “Thank you.”

“Anytime.”  After a few moments, she spoke again.  “So, you’re still doing okay, right?  You sound really tired.”  

“Sam . . .”

“I know, I know.  I’m sorry.  I just . . . I had to ask.”  

“I’m fine,” I assured her.  “Really.  It’s been a long day, that’s all.”  

“Okay.”  She heaved a sigh.  “Well, in that case, you should get some sleep."

“You're right,” I agreed.  “I love you, Sam.”

“Love you, too, sis.  Talk to you tomorrow!”  With that, the line clicked shut; and I hung up the phone, put the unsigned contract back in my purse, and got up to prepare for bed.  

~~~~~

Half an hour later, I climbed into bed, turned off the lamp, and lay there staring at the wall as my mind replayed the most significant parts of the day—including what my sister had asked me about Don.  “So, is he attractive?”  Earlier, I had managed to dodge the question; but lying in the still darkness, alone with my thoughts, I had to admit that indeed he was.  

But so what? I asked myself.  Heaven knows, I have much more important things to worry about.  Sam had only been teasing, after all; there was no reason to take any of it seriously.  And the strange little flutter I felt every time Don smiled at me?  That was nothing, absolutely nothing.  Thus reassured, I turned over and closed my eyes . . . but the last image that hovered in my mind before being overtaken by sleep was that wide, playful grin with the twinkling brown eyes and the deep dimples in the cheeks.

~~~~~

Tag list… let me know if you want to be added or removed!  

@iwillalwaysreturm | @writings-of-a-narwhal | @24hourshipping

[jngsjngs]

Hi! So, I could be totally wrong here, but you seem like you’re going through quite a bit? If that is the case, I’d like you to know that it’s okay. If it’s a creative rut, maybe doing something completely different would help? Something of the “oh that’s cool but I could never do it right??” persuasion. Just dropping hsc is okay to if it no longer brings you happiness. Don’t worry about us internet-folk. If this is how it ends, it was good while it lasted. Just hoping for your happiness :3

i know i said i’d wait a little while to catch up on messages but this one really got me :-( thank u so much for taking the time to send it! i’ve been kind of vague about my updates lately so i hope u don’t mind if i use this as a platform to let u guys know where i’m at right now.

part of the reason for this hiatus is because i fell into a creative rut around the start of the holidays, but i had some issues with my back a couple of weeks ago that made it impossible for me to move or sit up straight for more than a few minutes at a time, and that definitely set me back longer than i had hoped. i’m better now, but i still can’t stay in one position for extended periods without feeling uncomfortable, and the way i write usually requires me to type without much of a break until the first draft is completed in its entirety. most of what i‘ve been working on over the past week or so was done on my phone, which is fine, but it takes about twice as long for me to finish a section of a chapter because i can’t look at such a small screen for too long (in case ur curious tho i have the next chapter of hsc finished and am working on the next two after that which happens to be the movie arc split into two parts).

i hope that doesn’t sound like some kind of sad excuse! just wanted to give clearer reasons as to why i’ve been gone for so long, even if they’re not very good ones. i’d like to think i’m at least getting over that creative rut; i’m listening to a lot of new music which means in addition to working on new chapters i’m creating new playlists and fixing up the old ones. i admit i’ve also been making the most out of finally getting to go outside, but u gotta remember i’m one of u internet-folk, too! hsc continues to bring me happiness even on days when i’m not quite sure what to write so i can assure u that unless something utterly life changing flips my world upside down i am always going to keep coming back to it.

ANYWAY that aside i’ve been watching a lot of shows and like i said listening to a lot of music these days since that was pretty much all i could do this month (i swear this isn’t a pity party i am perfectly mobile now) another reason why chapters are progressing slower than usual is because i’ve been hopping across fandoms like the energy bunny agsjdjdkdk i’m pretty sure i managed to catch up on miraculous ladybug, fairy tail, young justice, and voltron within the same week, re-watch most of haikyuu, inuyasha, and fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood the week after, and then have time to re-read a couple of the percy jackson books just a few days ago, plus (i know) with kingdom hearts ready to drop on top of all that i feel like my mind has been in ten different places at once. in short, it’s not that i’m not doing anything right now, but because i’m doing too much, i’m having trouble sticking to one thing at a time afskshls

this is getting to be a drag to read but yeah tldr i went from being totally uninspired to going on a creative hyperdrive and somewhere in between that i was on proper medical leave from the interwebz lulz 🤟🏼 sorry for rambling on about my boring life!!! how r u!!!! did u start school yet?? watch any new shows??? got some new bops on ur playlist???? honestly ur all way cooler than i am n ur ideas (some of which are still sitting in my inbox rip i don’t deserve u) are one of the many things that keep me motivated n thriving 🖤

just wanted to end this on a question because it’s something i’ve been curious about for a while and though i have to warn u ahead of time that i might not act on it i figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask ok yeah i’m actually gonna ask it now agdjjdsks would u guys like to see behind the scenes stuff?? messy sketches, random storyboards, profiles of original characters that may never see the light of day, chapter outlines that probably make no sense because half the time i don’t even follow them???? pls lmk

also i lied about ending it there (if u read thru my author’s notes ur probably used to that lol) a couple of people have asked if i would ever consider including lgbtq+ characters in my stories and my response both times was that i would be absolutely honored! as i said to one reader my primary concern was (and still is) that as a cisgender heterosexual i wouldn't do justice to said character and their story, but i welcome any guidance from u all and will do my best to bring them to life the way they deserve to be portrayed. in the climate we are in today i thought it was necessary to express my support for u regardless of ethnicity or gender identity and hope that u feel safe in the community we have collectively formed in this space. racism, sexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, discrimination against another individual for their sexual orientation or where they come from—all of these things and anything even remotely along those lines will not be tolerated here.

(ok now i’m done)

thank u so much anon and all the rest of u for always being so patient and kind! i wish u the best 2019 and will see u guys soon!

[hmmasterlist]

Announcement + Warning Check Results

Hey everyone!

This is really, really long, but I hope everyone can make the time to peruse of the entirety of this announcement.

Here’s a TL;DR of this massive announcement post:

Anyone warned on June 17th passed the July 1st warning check, with the exception of three people.

We ask that you please unfollow Claire, Jin, and Wayne.

They are also now available for reservation.

We are giving our activity rules a complete overhaul after July 15th’s activity check.

The July 15th activity check will go ahead as planned. Characters are still responsible for 8 posts by July 15th.

Any character that joins the masterlist between today (July 3rd) and July 13th are only responsible for four posts to pass the July 15th check.

We have a new theme. Please message us if there are any broken links or broken codes.

There are some additions and changes to the blog and its pages:

We have a new general navigation page;

All forms are now on one page, including our application, what to include in a reservation, & the heart levels base;

We have a new Discord guide page for those unfamiliar with the server;

We have brought back the requested character page;

There is a new credit/resource page for art/fonts/etc found on the HMMasterlist;

The updates tab has been moved to its own section;

We have a new banner.

As we have a requested characters page again, feel free to drop us an ask with any character you’d like for someone else to pick up.

We will be having an event in July, although the details aren’t worked out yet. You can expect more in a coming announcement.

The administration of the HMMasterlist have learned a lot about what works for the community and what doesn’t work within the past month and a half. You can expect some changes around here in the coming weeks, and we’d like to start by announcing that we have decided to completely modify our activity rules — however, we are going to wait until after July 15th’s activity check to officially do so.

As such, we decided it was unfair to enforce that the characters warned in June’s activity check were required to make eight posts. We messaged all characters that had been given a warning on June 17th — through Discord, if possible, or Tumblr otherwise — to let them know how we’d be doing things on Friday.

There were two types of messages we sent out:

If your character had been warned in the June check but posted whatsoever since June 16th, you passed the warning check. You are still responsible for the eight posts due July 15th, but are in good standing.

However, if you were warned and did not post whatsoever in the past two weeks, we instead sent you a message asking if you would like to keep your character.

Here, we stated that you had 72 hours to respond to the message and indicate your decision.

If you said yes, you passed the warning check, and are still responsible for the eight posts due July 15th.

If you said no or did not answer, we considered that to be “failing” the check, and dropped the character from the masterlist.

July 1st Warning Check Results

Here are the passes:

Chase

Harvest Goddess

Iris

Mistel

Witch Princess

Minori

Yue

And those who either decided to drop or did not reply:

Wayne

Claire

Jin

We ask that you please unfollow Jin, Wayne, and Claire. These three characters are also available for reservation.

Upcoming Activity Check (July 15th)

As a reminder for the July 15th activity check, all characters are responsible for 8 posts in this activity cycle (between June 17th and before the activity check announcement is posted on July 15th).

As per our current activity rules, the only exceptions to this rule are:

A roleplayer is indicated to be on semi-hiatus or hiatus, so their characters are excused from the activity check;

A character joins the day of the activity check or the day prior, where they receive a faux pass;

A character joins between July 3rd and July 13th, in which case they are only responsible for four posts to pass.

New Theme + Blog Additions and Changes

The theme has been up for a few days now, but in case anyone hasn’t been on the blog or only has been on mobile, I’d recommend giving it a look to familiarize yourself with where links are, etc. I personally only lightly tweaked the HTML myself from a theme maker’s code, so hopefully there shouldn’t be any issues. However, my knowledge of HTML is equivalent to the knowledge a tree has of HTML, and mistakes are largely possible.

Please inform us of anything out of place — broken links, links that direct to the wrong place, bad code, etc — via an ask message. Thanks!

My resolution is 1920 x 1080, I use a Firefox fork, but I also double-checked it in Chrome and it was fine. If you have a larger resolution or a smaller one — or run Safari, IE, or Opera, regardless of resolution — please indicate your resolution & browser if something looks really, really wrong. I think it should be fine, though, except most likely on IE!

Here is an explanation of the changes to pages and layout:

1. This pretty boring, but... besides our tag list page, we now have a navigation page. Before I changed the theme and added more pages, we could actually link every page on the masterlist homepage. We can’t anymore, so instead we have this!

2. I moved all of our forms to one page for ease of use. You can now find the reservation form, the main character application, and the heart levels base on one page.

3. We now have a credit page. I always believe in giving credit where it is due and thought it was time to do so on the HMMasterlist. This is still a work in progress, however, you can find links to all fonts seen on our blog, the small white icons throughout the theme, and the theme itself. I’m working on including links to the un-edited images of the official art on our blog.

4. We have a requested characters page again. If you’d like to see a certain character roleplayed, feel free to drop us an ask requesting them. We’ll add them to the page and hopefully someone will pick them up sooner rather than later.

5. There’s a page explaining the Discord server and the channels within it. This will likely mostly be of use to future new members, and isn’t important for those already a part of the Discord server.

6. We now have a clock — set to UTC -4, what the Masterlist uses — in our description. This should make it easier to know if your ask didn’t go through or if no one has been around to answer it yet, especially combined with our status tab (the upper-right sidebar section.) What was once in the updates tab is now there, including a link to our latest announcement & the time that a mod last checked the inbox.

7. We have a new banner & art featured on the blog, which I guess is worth mentioning. That I hate Photoshop is definitely worth mentioning though and I apologize for the banner LOL.

Future Changes?

Since I was just talking about the theme, I’d like to start off this section by indicating that I’d also like to change some other parts of it. Currently, I’m hoping to combine our FAQ & askbox into one page for ease of use, change the style of our affiliates page to include promotional pictures for each community/website we are affiliated with, edit the rules page to make it look less ... long, and hopefully code all of the above from scratch. There’s also still some light formatting I’d like to do to make things cleaner.

We have decided that we will absolutely be hosting an event in July, although we are not 100% on the details aside from that we are hoping to get everyone involved in something. There will be more on events in a coming announcement, which should be July 15th at the latest.

As I’ve already stated, we will be giving our activity rules a complete overhaul. More on this will be posted with the July 15th activity check. I’d like to say that if you are finding it difficult to put in eight posts on each blog, you can rest assured that we will be lowering the requirement with this rule change. Please just hang in there until this check is done!

There will also be some more things along with this July 15th announcement! I’m going to keep them a secret, though. ;)

Concluding Notes

On behalf of the administration, I would like to extend a massive thank you to our members for sticking with us through the past month and a half. HMML was my first moderating experience in 2011, and although I have went on to moderate other communities since then, I have not done so in almost four years... It’s been a bit of a wild ride trying to get back into the swing of things (when was the last time I had to edit HTML? How does new xkit work?) and I often wonder if there’s more I could be doing! Despite my initial insecurities, it’s been a largely enjoyable and worthwhile experience, and I have to thank you all for it.

It’s been wonderful to reconnect with old friends and meet new people, and I only hope that we can welcome more members — both experienced HMMLers and those unfamiliar to the community — in the future. 

Cheers,

mod Jamie

[shirleyvenn665-blog]

How To build Your Blog Community With Twitter

Buy Twitter followers from us assures so the security of your accounts and helps to avoid any harm to your online business picture and private reputation. Do this with care and see how it impacts your image. I achieved a significant following, but there was a draw back to this: I had no clue who those people were and frankly, I did not care either. If there may be one section of the inhabitants on the market that is good at constructing a social community, it is single mothers. Sending out invitations and introductions to their followers is often extraordinarily profitable in gaining more followers. What methods have I not noted to get more followers on Twitter? When we do that we could have residents who usually are not just good at sitting down and filling in packets however standing up and filling our world with those who are empowered with embrace their proper to change the world. By often using hashtags that many persons are already using, your Tweets have a better likelihood of being seen by extra individuals and potential new followers. Social media marketing has a status for being an extremely complicated promoting plan, however that is untrue.

Back to Richard. I'm an avid reader of blogs, ideas, and advice on recruitment and customarily tips on how to be a worthwhile human being. You see, as human beings, we frequently feel the need to attach. Stay with some sort of posting schedule in the event you want this Facebook brandbuilders page for the business. The potential progress of the enterprise often depends upon the quantity of traffic you get in your webpage from your followers. End of the day, it's the site visitors and impact that issues, regardless of the means used to increase twitter followers. As a substitute of about half-hour or extra per day, this is how I unfollow 100 non followers day-after-day inside a minute. Pretend vogue bloggers hack me off more than most. Our personal How to make use of Twitter Adverts to Get Extra Followers information. Newport’s view of how most individuals use technology doesn't belong to the regressive, burn-it-all-down faculty of modern critique.

To use contests to get extra targeted followers, be sure the prize you’re giving away is particular to your brand or trade. Make certain they are effectively-written, although keep your postings as brief as is feasible. This might sound strange, quite a couple of the instances people have to know in case you are professional earlier than they'll interact with you. Though you may even see your view depend rising, actual persons are in all probability not seeing your advertisements; subsequently, the cash you're paying these corporations is going to waste. I discussed in my anniversary submit that I wasn't certain if I would be occurring a hiatus or not. StuVoice Twitter Chats, Fb conversations, then Google Hangouts, which all led to the first ever Student Voice Live! Then each parties get standing data and updates about one another. An added good thing about using a URL Shrinker service is that you may get monitoring information about each of your coded Tweets which is extremely beneficial to you in displaying you which Tweets have been in style and which were not. Individuals respect worth, what are you able to give them that’s value of worth - and this can be many things from inspiration, humor to even ideas and methods.

Women and men share something they believe could also be worth their time or provokes an pleasurable response. Did you know that social networking sites may also be used on your services or products marketing? You may as well maximize your promotions and promoting if you may get numerous twitter followers. The necessary aspect of promoting is discovering numerous potential shoppers, so you'll be able to be sure that at the least a small percentage of the people who see your commercials may even purchase the products that you just promote. Whenever you buy twitter followers you possibly can improve advertising and marketing? Here’s how to purchase those followers the best method, with out taking any black hat shortcuts. The suitable font, the suitable sort of write-ups. The sphere of genetics was badly burnt a few a long time in the past when it was discovered that research after research reported outcomes that did not replicate. This led to a couple of inquires and a session set up for the studio.