#if i was truly brave i'd change the meaning of the story to be purely about friendship and include sean's characters as the voices

[ashtonisvibing]

who would've thought, while watching mark's final video of slay the princess, that the phrase "shifting mound mark" would have invoked such a deep autistic reaction in me

and anyways if you give me some time and a white board i could connect each of mark's characters with a princess

[loupy-mongoose]

Another writing that got long, so putting a Read More~

I wish I could've continued this interaction as a comic, but I ran out of energy. Life got busy, my mood fluctuated. So this one's written. X3

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Lavender woke in her bed with a gasp. She sat up, gulping air as the dream vision invaded her waking mind.

It wasn't real... It was just a vision... It wouldn't have hurt you, Lav. It wouldn't have hurt you...

As she calmed down, her attention shifted to something else.

She reached out with her mind.

...Nico?...

Nothing.

Lav's face scrunched up in anger. Dang it...

She flopped back onto her pillow, her arms sprawled out beside her. Here eyes were shut tight. Rrrrrrgh... Sorry, Nico, I didn't mean to wake up!

Something tickled her attention in her mind, but she didn't dwell on it.

Curse the flimsiness of our connection!

This time, she couldn't ignore it.

.a...v..nder?...

Lav froze, listening intently and focusing with all her might.

...Nico?

...u.. s....ll ..ear m....?

Lav smiled and mentally shouted as strongly as she could, careful to not connect with her family's mindscapes. I hear you, Nico! I hear you! Can you hear me?!

Lav? Lav!? I heard you!

Yes! Lav clenched her fists in her spike of joy. YES! Finally! We can talk without the worry of it collapsing at the slightest breath!

I'm... Kinda surprised you still want to talk... I'm sorry about the visions. I got carried away...

No, no, it's fine! It just startled me!

...It seemed like a strong reaction for just a startle...

I'm fine, honest! Lav tried to ignore that he was right. Anyway, that’s not the end of the story, right? You said you didn’t feel guilty then… But you clearly regret what happened.

...I do... His voice was subdued. Yes. I now regret what happened. But... Back then, I was truly the monster they wanted me to be. I was their good little weapon, until I decided they didn't see me as an equal.

After I d... d-destroyed the lab... I roamed Kanto. I challenged people and Pokemon alike... I attacked them... I...

His mental voice broke.

I killed them...

Both Lav and Nico fell silent. Lav could tell she was getting more adept at this connection thing, as she faintly felt that they were still linked.

What changed?

You said Fuji taught you gentleness and kindness, but you still... She shivered, hoping that he couldn't sense her apprehension. What made you change your mind from "monster" to regretful?

...Jovie.

Lav couldn't help smiling at the pure warmth in his mental voice. Your mate?

He spoke with a wistful tone. If Fuji planted the seeds, Jovie watered and nurtured them.

I, uh....

I stumbled into her home town. A little hidden place called Shadegrove. I... I attacked... And she defended.

Looking back... she was amazing.

So brave, and strong. Determined to save the town and people she loved.

And she succeeded.

I couldn't overpower her, so I left. Exhausted. Embarrassed.

And Furious.

First my parent, then this...

Lav felt a jolt.

I figured Mews wanted nothing to do with the Monster they had created.

Woah woah woah, wait! Your parent? Did you know your parent?

...

I saw them leave. Before I left my incubation tube.

Incubation tube? Lav took a mental note of the strange phrase.

I'm sure of it... It's my earliest memory.

A Mew's tail vanishing into the distance... Either my parent, or a Mew who knew me...

It abandoned me.

And after Jovie attacked me, I thought... I thought it was me. Mews hated me.

But I was wrong.

She followed me.

And I would be dead now if she hadn't

She found me after a challenge I'd made went wrong, and healed me up. And she did the unthinkable.

She was kind to me.

She worked to get to know me.

She cared about me.

And I found myself returning those feelings.

She made me laugh.

She made me care.

She made me happy.

And eventually... we fell in love.

That's... pretty much all the important stuff...

Lav sat quiet, contemplating the rest of the story she'd heard. Is that how you got that scar?

...Yeah...

You ever hear about Zapdos?

She felt her heart skip a beat, remembering stories her dad had read to her of the powerful electric-type legendary bird. ...Wow...

Yup.

They both went quiet.

Nico...

Lav's mental voice was soft.

Thank you. Seriously. For being brave enough to share that with me.

Wou... Would you be okay with me telling it to my dad?

Nico was silent. Lav could almost feel the buzz of his mind as he contemplated. Finally, he spoke up.

If you think it'll help. I... I worry it won't, but... You know him better than I do.

Do what you think is best, Lav.

Lav tried to form the question; Why are you afraid of him? But a yawn broke her concentration. She looked at the time.

Shoot. I should go back to sleep, or I'll be hurting tomorrow. Catch ya later?

If you want to!

Yeah! She smiled. Good night, Nico!

Good night, Lav.

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[politeanarchy]

A very quick take on a different ending. Still kind of tragic, still a cliffhanger, still sets them up to be separated. But less upsettingly out of character, at least according to my own understanding and ideas.

...

"Tell me you said no!"

"Listen, Crowley! It wasn't a job offer, it was a threat. The terms they offered—demanded—were intolerable. But I haven't said no, yet. I needed to talk to you first. Because if I don't accept the job, they're going to give it to Michael."

"Michael's a wanker!"

"Michael is implacable, and ruthless. You remember what happened to Lucifer, at the end of the War."

"Yeah, I mean, we've all heard the stories."

"I had a front-row seat. I'm not going to forget that in a hurry."

"Oh."

"So you see, I may have to consider taking on the job. Because it's about Earth. Michael doesn't care about Earth, doesn't understand about the dolphins and the ducks and the gorillas. And the humans. I can make a difference."

"And the intolerable terms you mentioned?"

"Oh dear. Well, I'm afraid they want you to come with me."

"What's so bad about th—"

"To be reinstated as an angel."

The outburst that followed was noisy and incoherent.

"Your howls of outrage are extremely gratifying. I had the most awful time trying to keep a straight face, when Metatron told me. But you see the dilemma."

Crowley made a series of noises, which gradually grew less offended and more considering.

"Ehhhh, 'spose I could maybe try it? Would be a change, that's for sure."

"What! Crowley, NO!" Aziraphale in his turn was reduced to spluttering. "I don't want angel-you! I want YOU-you!"

"I'd still be me, though. Wouldn't I?"

"I don't know. And I don't want to risk it. Whatever they did to Gabriel turned him into a completely different person! Don't get me wrong, you were a very impressive angel. I was so in awe of the way you started the engine, and brought that nebula into existence. But…that's not the demon I fell in love with."

"In…wait, you lo—"

"Yes! Of course I do. Though I've never told you properly. I was going to, at the dance, and then it all went pear-shaped."

"Aziraphale." Crowley said the angel's name so gently, and everything went soft-focus, just for an instant.

They both reached out, and pulled each other close, and kissed, frantically. It didn't last long enough.

Because suddenly Crowley was pushing Aziraphale away, showing all the signs of having had a sudden idea.

"Angel!" he roared. "I do believe I have been insulted."

"Well, yes," started Aziraphale, but Crowley hastily shushed him.

"The very idea of you going back to Heaven purely for the sake of having vast amounts of power and influence is extremely upsetting! And to think that I would ever agree to join you in your schemes."

It took a fair amount of eyebrow-waggling and frantic winks, but Aziraphale was finally catching on.

"I should have known that you could never truly be redeemed. Foul fiend."

Crowley grinned. "It will be just like old times."

Abruptly, Aziraphale dropped the act again and sagged in on himself. "I'm going to have to go, aren't I. Oh, Crowley! I don't want to leave…the bookshop."

Crowley kissed him again, gently. "Be brave, angel. Nothing lasts forever."

"Keep it safe for me. I know you will."

"I will. Metatron is coming back now, I'd better storm out. Convincingly."

"Good luck, Crowley. Mind how you go."

[hanna-kin]

If you dislike Sara this post is not for you

I'm just going to say it, Sara is one of my favourite characters and I feel some people are way too hard on her as a character.

Almost everyday I come across posts about her on different social medias and some are pretty ruthless.

I've heard people call her horrible, irredeemable and disgusting and probably everything in between. While everyone is entitle to their own opinion my heart does break when I hear those words.

I have so much sympathy for Sara and I think she's an amazing character. Lisa and the other writers did an incredible job creating her and Frida's portrayal just adds another layer.

I'm not on the autism spectrum myself so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but it does feel like they have done a good job with the representation because it feels like her character and story doesn't revolve around her being autistic. At the same time it's an important part of her character and explains how she reacts in certain situations. For instance when she bluntly tells Felice’s parents about the situation with Roussaux and then realises she messed up and you can almost sense her feeling disappointed in herself for it especially since she really want to be Felices friend.

Another example that comes to mind is her first interactions with Felice where Felice is not that nice to her and Simon gets protective of her. Back then it does seem like she doesn't care at all about Sara's approval but then we get to know her more and learn that she actually longs for friendships.

I'd like to have a friend, she says to Felice and she's so vulnerable saying it but yet so brave.

She's trying so damn hard to fit in in order to find friends and not be lonely or even worse get bullied again. I can't even imagine how traumatic it must have been for her at her old school. Of course she's going to do anything she can to change that.

And she's so nice to Felice in the beginning even when Felice is treating her poorly. Her directness really helps Felice I think. At the same time Felice is very understanding with her once she gets to know Sara better. I love their friendship so much. It's truly a highlight of the show.

It feels like they both give eachother confidence.

But as much as Sara enjoys her new friends and finally feeling like she belongs somewhere it's also clear that she's still lost and she's losing herself in other ways. She's trying so hard to be liked and fit in that she's changing herself and I think that's very common when you are young. I'm sure her arch in season 2 will be her finding true self.

The comments she makes to Linda are mean and terrible but I also feel sympathetic towards her. Even in that situation. She clearly feels left out. Simon and Linda are teasing her about her clothes and how she acts. I'd be upset too if my family did that. I'd feel like my family made fun of me and didn't like me. Even if it's not true I get why she gets upset about it.

She doesn't have to change for Felice to like her but she hasn't come to that realisation yet. At the same time her family makes fun of her for changing. And when she was her old self she was bullied.

I also think we need to acknowledge how manipulative August is. He's vile pure and simple and he's using her so much. He shows interest in her but essentially he wants something else. And she wants to be liked and approved so of course she's going to be receptive to him.

And she's still honest about what August did and she tells Felice. She's trying to so the right thing.

Only towards the end does the take Felice words to heart. She doesn't always have to say everything.

And yes what she does to Simon with not telling him about August is wrong. Especially since it feels like she's doing it because she wants August to help her move to Hillerska. It's messed up but she's only 17 years old and I'm sure she'll regret it in season 2. I would also love to see more of her relationship with Micke. He's clearly traumatised her and she wants nothing to do with him.

While i understand why Simon went to see him and don't see it as a betrayal I get why she does. And that also plays in to why she's acting the way she does.

With everything she's been through both before and during the series I can't help but feel anything but sympathy for her. She's such an amazing character struggling to find herself, wanting to fit in, have friends and belong. And as she tries to get one it seems like she's losing another.

By trying to gain friends, she's losing a part of herself. By trying to find her new self she's also losing part of her old self. By trying to fit in she's losing part of her relationship with Simon and she even end up betraying him.

It breaks my heart when she says No one likes me when I'm myself

It probably feels like that because at that point she's gained friends at Hillerska but her mother and brother doesn't seem to like her anymore. And when they liked her no one else did and she was bullied relentlessly until she was forced to leave because she was scared to even go to school.

It feels like it's rarely talked about even if it explains so much of her character and her wish to belong somewhere at all cost.

She's so complex and so well written and I'll stand by that I think she gets too much hate.