#jillian / tasks.

[bluedelliquanti]

Before I go on vacation, I present my list of my top books for 2024.

COMICS:

Roaming by Jillian Tamaki & Mariko Tamaki

Bunt! by Ngozi Ukazu & Mad Rupert

Ukazu and Rupert are a powerhouse team, and as an art school adjunct, this already funny GN is even funnier (albeit in a way that necessitates a skull emoji in the educator groupchat)

Tiffany’s Griffon by Magnolia Porter Siddell & Maddi Gonzalez

Phobos and Deimos by J Dalton

Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui

It's a tough task to reach a satisfying conclusion to a series that was as strong as Dungeon, but I think Kui accomplished it!

Fool Night by Kasumi Yasuda

King in Limbo by Ai Tanaka

Over the last year I've been drawn towards comic series that work with a retro, fixed-width inking style, and King especially informed some recent experiments of mine.

PROSE:

Twins by Bari Wood & Jack Geasland

When I learned Wood was responsible for the book that became Dead Ringers, I knew I had to try it. This is the one that wins my "Oh, shit! Wow!! Okay!!!" award for the year (distinctions previously awarded to Cyteen and Manhunt).

The Bezzle by Cory Doctorow

DS9: A Stitch in Time by Andrew J. Robinson

Those of you who read my journal comic from last August might recall that I met Robinson at a Trek convention! I'd learned from reading these books that Stitch was considered a white whale among collectors, and now I absolutely understand why. If you're a DS9 fan and you want to try any book from the original run of novels, try this one. By which I mean, try the far easier-to-find audiobook version.

Translation State by Ann Leckie

A Woman of the Iron People by Eleanor Arnason

Fellow SBCF participant Erin Roseberry had shared this title as an inspiration for their comic, The Maker of Grave-Goods, and I was especially interested in trying a book by a Twin Cities author. What a serendipitous find!

Arboreality by Rebecca Campbell

For the third year in a row, a book nominated for the Le Guin Prize makes the list.

Always Coming Home by Ursula K. Le Guin

This is another book I always told myself I'd try someday, and was it ever worth it! I spent some time talking about my experience with this story (and its accompanying materials that fill out the world) in my talk with Evan Dahm on his show.

See you in the new year! I've packed some thick books for a long flight, so I'm starting my 2025 reading pile right away!

Reruns of my previous two lists, 2023, and 2022, below the cut.

2023

COMICS:

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou by Hitoshi Ashinano

Out of Style by Devi Putri Megwati

Skip and Loafer by Misaki Takamatsu

The Harrowing of Hell by Evan Dahm

The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

Esteban by Matthieu Bonhomme

I covered my ShortBox reccs back in October, but since then I also picked up Pearl Hunting by Hana Chatani when it came to itch.io and adored it.

PROSE: 

So yes, maybe I'm cheating by including Moby Dick since I'm not all the way finished, but Whale Weekly really did end up being a great tool for getting me to crack open my gorgeous Evan Dahm-illustrated copy I've had for a while.

My favorite book of the year is Roadside Picnic by Arkady & Boris Strugatsky. I genuinely did read it the first week of January, but after having it recommended to me for years, I'm thrilled it didn't disappoint. Maybe I am someone who likes Russian novels after all???

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Such Nice People by Sandra Scoppettone

Cyteen by C.J. Cherryh (I jokingly placed these three in the "READ 👏 FEMALE 👏 AUTHORS 👏" category because they don't have anything in common other than describing some of the most upsetting/bizarre scenarios I've read this year. Cyteen especially! Wowee!!!)

Brother Alive by Zain Khalid

Glory by Vladimir Nabokov

A Different Trek by David K. Seitz, which I mentioned as my vacation book for the Star Trek convention, but it's given me some great suggestions for more books, both fiction and otherwise. Also, I read... 11 more DS9 books this year. 

2022

COMICS:

Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa

Vattu by Evan Dahm

The Well by Choo and Jake Wyatt

Wash Day Diaries by Robyn Smith and Jamila Rowser

Some ShortBox Comics Fair entries that are graphic novella length and are really good include Food School by Jade Armstrong and The God of Arepo by Reimena Yee et al.

PROSE:

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

The Murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson

How to Blow Up a Pipeline by Andreas Malm

Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin

Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman

Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

The Past is Red by Catherynne M. Valente

edit: oh my god I can't believe I forgot Perfume by Patrick Süskind

Honorable mentions from the pile of DS9 novelizations include Revenant by Alex White (for successfully pulling off a Sara Paretsky-style mystery in space) and Dominion War: Call to Arms by Diane Carey (for absolutely unhinged adjective choices).

[possibilistfanfiction]

Surgeons AU - when they first meet 🫶🏼

[just a tiny bit of bea's pov, maybe i'll do ava's too tomorrow]

//

it would be both stupid and irresponsible to not know at least the basics about the interns you’ll be in charge of before they get there, so you know: ava silva, md, phd is quite impressive on paper. 

however: ‘silva, you’re with me,’ you say after you’ve introduced yourself to the small group and given the other four their assignments. as you take off down the hallway. dr. silva — beautiful, although that’s not a very professional thought as their boss — is wide-eyed and enthusiastic, far too talkative for you to really engage with at 4:30 am.

‘anyway, you don’t have to call me dr. silva. that sounds so serious. ava is fine, he/she/they pronouns, i don’t really care, it’s all fun to me.’

you nod, making note, but, ‘i’m going to call you dr. silva.’

he just laughs. ‘for now.’

you fight the urge to roll your eyes. ‘you worked with dr. salvius, for your doctorate?’ you ask while you wait for the elevator, for no reason other than that it’s the most normal thing to say and sometimes the way you were raised — polite smalltalk is better than silence —still overpowers.

dr. silva nods. ‘yeah. biotech stuff, neural interfacing, all that jazz.’

‘i read your research that came out this summer in the new england journal of medicine. it was quite fascinating.’ you refrain from saying amazing or incredible or groundbreaking or bordering on miraculous because dr. silva is grinning already. 

‘pretty cool, yeah? i want to go into neuro, mostly because i would hate for all that research to just get stuck in the lab.’ 

‘well, dr. superion is the best in the world.’

‘oh yeah, i know. she and jillian have a thing; it’s actually why i wanted to match here so badly.’

you ignore she and jillian have a thing for your own sanity, pushing the button on the elevator for the fourth floor, cardio. ‘it’s a great teaching program,’ you say, because it really is, all things considered. ‘if you need anything, these first few days especially, don’t hesitate to ask. i’d rather you reach out than do it wrong.’

her grin softens into a smile, singularly for you. ‘you’re much nicer than your vibe let on at first, you know that?’

you’ve spent your whole life trying to be kind, amidst a lot of cruelty. you know you’re contained, exacting, aloof, but you liked medicine in the first place because those things — your focus and your quiet — never stop you from being able to care for people well; dr. superion, especially, has taught you that those things can make you listen better, comfort more, explain procedures more clearly to your patients and your interns both — those things can be good.

dr. silva isn’t thrown off by your silence, which is both annoying but also something you appreciate. it’s going well; he’s talking about his research and the outdoor cat who lives by her capital hill apartment, but then she’s looking at the tablet — giving you your patient’s latest vitals like you asked, getting her back on track and focused at the task at hand — and runs right into lilith, rounding the corner.

lilith’s coffee goes everywhere, all over her the floor, and dr. silva’s tablet. 

‘god fucking damn it,’ lilith says, and dr. silva just looks on a little startled but also like they’re trying not to laugh — a horrible idea, if lilith’s pinched expression is anything to go by.

you apologize to lilith, which prompts, thank god, dr. silva to also apologize. lilith hurries off, cursing — not too quietly — at her ruined scrubs, and dr. silva turns to you, a little sheepish.

‘she’s hot,’ he says, then clamps his mouth shut. ‘my bad; it’s so early.’

you roll your eyes. ‘wipe off that tablet off. we’ve got rounds.’

[sisterdivinium]

Genetic engineering, DNA modification, tested it on herself... Why would Jillian go through all this trouble? Adoption would be easier, surrogacy wouldn't be an issue for a woman with so much money, so why this devotion to medical science, to gene manipulation?

This doesn't seem very logical unless we take one step further in examining her characterisation as a sort of Virgin Mary character implied by her clothing and framing during season one: a man is never mentioned in connection to Michael's conception, either as donor or father... Possibly because Michael has no father. Jillian has made him up from scratch or, at least, using only her own genetic material.

This would surely equate to an awesome "medical marvel" and it would accomplish two additional things: first, it would account for just how sick Michael needs to be so that an extremely rare substance that doesn't even belong to this world can be his sole hope in surviving (the result of a miscalculation, an unforeseen mutated gene, some error in Jillian's design, the absence of something); and second, reproduction without the aid of man ("sinless", sexless) not only ties Jillian's character more closely to the theme of the holy mother, it also more strongly makes a Jesus figure out of Michael.

This is significant because it makes him into a designated saviour: Michael, too, "dies", crossing to "the other side" and later returning with the mission of saving humanity, which is the role he is sure he will play during all of season two. This story has been told before, the structure is the same and we all know it. He mirrors Christ in his being born of a woman untouched by man, in going beyond life and back, in being tasked by a higher power to act for others in his sacrifice. It is a destiny clearly written out for him, a classic narrative, a hero's journey neatly set up for Michael to accomplish and all he has to do is follow the script.

And yet, doing everything right, by the book, Michael ultimately fails.

If, according to all of the doubts awakened by the developments in Warrior Nun (is Adriel's realm not Heaven? Is he not an angel? Is Reya God? Is Jesus just as alien as Adriel? Etcetera), the Catholic church's teachings are all twisted, incomplete, when not simply ignorant of all that is true in spiritual, metaphysical matters, then this saviour narrative that constitutes the foundation of the institution itself is doomed — as well as whatever guidance it could supply.

I was discussing with @halobearerhavoc earlier about (among many other intriguing things) how myth informs the show and how it might predict Reya's fall, but also how that event would necessarily depart from how it plays out in the original myth. That is due to the fact that our protagonist here is Ava, a woman, and that this tiny little fact of sex alone forces a shift in how things are presented, in which values are prioritised, in how conflict is treated, escalated or resolved — this applies here as well.

Michael was the textbook redeemer, he was made for this, brought up by Reya with this explicit purpose and with the acquired conviction that he was the key to it all.

Ava, on the other hand, is a product of coincidence, of accident, of the unfathomable. She is already a rupture in tradition — dead and brought back, unknowingly, unwillingly the "usurper" of the halo, inserting herself in the line of bearers at random when she doesn't even seem to have any belief... Ava exists outside of tradition. To Michael's determined "Destiny", she is the one imbued with free will (it isn't out of guilt or duty that she returns to the Cat's Cradle, but through Mary's sympathy, through her own understanding and action). Ava is the unplanned factor, contrasted with Michael who was so planned that his life might have begun inside a Petri dish.

It isn't determinism that will save us, a mantle of glory woven by someone else wanting to place it upon our shoulders regardless of our own wishes; it isn't a decrepit institution or some despotic deity that will define us or what we do; it isn't the heavy, malodorous layers of ancient mould gathered over the endless tomes of Established Tradition or the carefully made calculations of arrogant scientists who think they can predict and explain and control everything.

Salvation cannot be through what Michael represents: an imposed duty, a stagnant, hackneyed story.

A story, we would do well to remember, which was already used to subjugate others, whatever its initial intentions might have been; Jillian certainly didn't predict what would be of her son and surely the primitive Christians didn't see into the future to understand what their devotion and their modes of its transmission would cause, yet it came to happen. The extermination of the Cathars, the persecution of pagans, the burning of "witches", the suppression of indigenous beliefs, activities and lives, to name but a few of the atrocities committed in the name of this one story...

So it cannot be Michael, embodying this narrative so well, that will bring about a fortunate ending to humanity's troubles.

Instead, salvation comes through Ava. She herself might be inhabited by a number of parallels with Christ, but she also carries freedom, an outsider's view which makes the inside so see-through, love, an ability to move outside of what had been previously set for her by someone else (one might even argue that these are the traits that made Christ before the story surrounding him came about)...

The walls built around her needn't contain her — and, phasing as she does, they do not.

Moreover, what would have been the real ending to Reya's plan, had it been followed exactly as it should have? The divinium bomb did hit Ava in the end, but wouldn't it have been worse had she not been interrupted in running up to Michael while he immobilised Adriel during the televised freak circus?

Ava's unpredictability, her impulse, her innate need to act with free will rather than constricted by what others dictate — Ava is the foil to fate itself, the foil to a structure, to a hierarchy that has been festering and rotting from the beginning of time, it should seem.

The hero of this story could only ever be her.

[queeniecook]

February 27 - Part 1

It's a very early morning in Brindleton Bay as Denise Ambrose helps her daughter, Jillian, prepare for her baby shower. Since Slade made an unexpected entrance into the world early, they didn't get a chance to throw a baby shower until now.

"You're worrying for nothing, Jilly Bean." Denise tells her daughter, working on a quick breakfast for her and the kids. It feels like old times almost - waking up to Jillian and Andrew fighting about something. Only now it was accompanied by Slade crying to be changed. Grandpa Garrett quickly jumped into action. 

"But there is a chance of snow. What if they all get stranded here or can't make it?" Jillian asks her Mom. 

"We'll make do if they get stuck here, it will be fine. Now tell me what's really bothering you?" Denise asks before plating the omelets. Last night she had made a wonderful winter cake for the party and is planning to make fried chicken sliders to pair with it. 

"I invited Vera and well this used to be her house...and her and Dakota..ya know...." Jillian trails off. She doesn't really blame Vera for not saying anything, since she probably didn't know until the invitations were sent out. But Jillian's still a little miffed at Dakota over the whole thing, even though Joey pretty much made them make up. 

"Shagged?" Denise supplies. 

"MOM!!" Jillian exclaims before bursting into a fit of giggles. She never thought she'd hear her Mom say that word. 

"It's the truth, dear." Denise tells her before calling for Andrew to come eat. "It'll be fine. Vera is married to that sexy vampire and you and Dakota are together."

Breakfast passes by quickly and Denise ushers her kids out of the kitchen so she can make more food. They get tasked with finishing setting up.

After they place the last balloon, Andrew sits down with his sister.

"Are you going to be okay today? You're going to be the only guy at this party." Jillian asks him. Garrett has been sent to go hang out with August Lewis across town to help him with the twins, since Aubree is coming to the party and their nanny is sick. 

Andrew smirks "Dude, I'm going to be in a room full of beautiful women. I'm great!"

next-->

[quietblueriver]

For your prompts, Avatrice, "do you ever regret it?"

Canon compliant and angstier than originally intended but with what I hope is a hopeful-ish ending. Thanks so much for the prompt. <3 Haven't been able to write them in a while for some reason and hoping this gets me back to it.

-

Beatrice sloshes the amber liquid gently, working to cover the artisanal sphere of ice taking up most of the room in the glass. It’s a moderately successful endeavor, but to get it all the way over the top, she’d need to put more force behind her movement, which she won’t do. 

She may be a sad, semi-drunk ex-nun, but she still has her manners. She's consuming outrageously expensive whisky from an outrageously expensive piece of crystal on an outrageously expensive sofa. She knows better than to put any of them at risk. 

She takes another sip instead, giving up on her game for the moment and leaning her head against the leather cushion behind her, turning to face Jillian, who has finished with her own drink and is making her way to join Beatrice. 

The ball of ice in her glass clinks against the wall of her tumbler as she settles on the other side of the couch, folding bare feet underneath herself. Her hair is down, not messy but no longer in its perfect updo, and Beatrice can see her shoes placed neatly against the wall near the small bar where she’d put together their drinks. 

Dipping her head toward Beatrice’s hand, she asks, “Alright?”

Beatrice hums and nods. It tastes terrible, like smoky mud, and it coats her tongue and leaves a film in her mouth, burning at the back of her throat with every sip. She imagines it’s about as far from a lemon drop as one can get, which means it’s exactly what she wants right now—liquor that feels less like an indulgence and more like a punishment. 

And if she has another glass or two, it may provide a separate kind of punishment tomorrow morning, although it’s not like she has anywhere to be, particularly. 

She’s staying at Jillian’s invitation, unwilling to go back to Cat’s Cradle at the moment and uncertain, since she formalized her renunciation, what her place there would be if she were to return. 

Mother Superion had been clear that she had one, if she wanted it, but she’d also said, voice filled with a kind of understanding that nearly broke Beatrice in half, “Take your time.”

So she is. It has been eleven days since Ava went through the portal, and Beatrice has spent most of those days with Jillian, making herself useful where possible, keeping up with her training, and disappearing every once in a while to sit quietly in a dark room and/or cry under the warm water of the shower until she can’t breathe. Jillian never asks where she has gone, and she returns the favor, continuing whatever task or project they are working on without comment when Jillian returns from an absence with red eyes and a raspy voice. 

They’ve discovered in their time together that it’s easier for the both of them to eat with the other, and better for the both of them to avoid drinking alone, so their evenings have processed generally like this: an easy dinner in Jillian’s kitchen followed by drinks in her favorite study. They talk or they don’t, and as one or the other finishes a second or third drink, they reach tacit agreement to say goodnight, leaving glasses on the small table by the door for Jillian’s staff to handle so that they can repeat the process the next night. 

Tonight is no exception. They’d had white wine with dinner, a bottle between the two of them at the bar in Jillian’s kitchen. They’d picked over a spread of bread and cheese and fruit with little interest but enough sense and determination to make it through more than half before packing the rest away. Now they’re sipping alcohol from Jillian’s impressive collection, settled into what have become their standard seats. 

Nearing the bottom of her glass, Beatrice feels curious, masochistic enough to poke at her own bruises, so she speaks. “My father has a penchant for Japanese whisky. Or he did. I have no idea if it’s still true.” She takes another sip. “He taught my cousin all about it. Lined bottles up in his study. He took him to Japan for his sixteenth birthday for a distillery tour. I think he would have done the same with me, if I hadn’t been…” There are a hundred of her father’s disappointments she could use to finish that sentence. She shrugs. “Me.”

Jillian’s watching her, head tilted against the cushion to match Beatrice’s, glass resting on the arm of the couch. 

“It was Ava who first got me drunk.” Her heart pounds as she thinks about that night, the press of Ava’s body against hers, her breath on Beatrice’s neck uneven with laughter. “Lemon drop shots.” And it’s almost easy to smile, to feel the phantom drip of liquor down her chin, see Ava’s head thrown back in delight. 

“Sweet,��� Jillian says. 

“Hmm.” She takes another sip of whisky, coats the memory in the bitter present. “She wouldn’t let me start with wine.”

A snort. “I believe that.”

They finish their glasses in silence, Jillian standing and offering a hand, taking Beatrice’s tumbler back to the bar for a refill. Her eyes wander the room, catch as they always do on pictures of young Michael, framed drawings, shelves of colorful board books and thin paperbacks. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Goodnight Moon. A whole line of titles in The Magic Treehouse. 

Following her gaze, Jillian says, “He loved those.” Beatrice takes her newly-filled glass back and Jillian arranges herself in her corner again, pulling a pillow into her lap, her shoulders a little less rigid than they were half an hour ago. “Read them over and over. He was so eager for adventure.” She meets Beatrice’s eyes and smiles, small and half-over before it can settle, which is how Beatrice knows it’s real. “They were similar that way, I think. Are,” she corrects quickly, but Beatrice doesn’t flinch at the past tense tonight. 

Jillian keeps the present for Beatrice, a kindness she can no longer provide to herself—they had both seen the remnants of Michael’s body on that floor—and Beatrice is grateful, but she also understands the slip. Understands it more and more with each hour. 

“Ava had a map. I have it now.” Tucked in her closet, something they’d brought from Switzerland. A fold-out map meant for primary school students that they’d found mixed into a bucket of postcards at the thrift shop Ava loved. “She put stickers everywhere she wanted to go. Different shapes and colors based on where each place was on her list. The whole thing was covered.” 

Jillian’s lips pull up at one corner, and they ease back into quiet, Beatrice caught in memories of big brown eyes watching the countryside on a train ride, a red swimsuit, gasps and clapping hands at the farmer’s market. Ava, alive and so eager to stay that way. 

She lets her eyes focus on the creased spines of Pirates Past Noon and Dingoes at Dinnertime, High Tide in Hawaii, thinks of gold stars and blue triangles on a brightly colored map. 

She weighs the question, lands on yes, with a qualifier. “Please feel free to tell me to fuck off.” 

Jillian turns her body fully toward Beatrice, resting her glass on a bent knee and raising an eyebrow. 

“Alright. I will.” 

Beatrice puts her glass on the table, pulls socked feet onto the sofa and wraps her arms around her knees. “Do you ever regret it? Letting them go, I mean.”

Jillian finishes her whisky in one long pull, sits the glass next to Beatrice’s. 

“Every day.” 

Later, after they leave their empty tumblers on the table by the door, Jillian goes to the shelf and pulls Dinosaurs before Dark, rests her palm on the cover for a moment before tucking it under her arm. 

In her own room, Beatrice fumbles through her closet to find the box she hasn’t been able to open yet. She still doesn’t, not really, takes a deep breath and lets her eyes slide over the contents without processing them until she sees what she wants. 

She spreads the map across her bed, straightening corners, and looks at the key Ava made in the bottom left, the hierarchy of colors and shapes. By the time she goes to bed an hour later, she has a list, a few possible first stops. She dreams of Ava and of places she’s never been. 

[birgittesilverbae]

being so brave

bealil + gifts

bea & lil instead of bealil but suck it up

//

The reek of fire and brimstone is faint but still noticeable when the door creaks open behind Beatrice. She tips her head back over the back of the couch, her sunglasses sliding up her forehead at the motion, and catches Lilith's eye. "You don't have to teleport into another room, you know," she comments, pulling her glasses back into place.

"It would be rude to do otherwise," she says, kicking off her shoes by the door, "and I know the smell can be a trigger for you. And I'd rather be safe than risk seeing something else I'll never be able to erase from my memory."

"Oh, the horrors of witnessing a private display of affection."  

"The horrors of seeing Ava's breasts." Lilith flicks Beatrice's forehead gently as she heads towards the kitchen. She shifts something between her hands as she moves past, keeping it out of Beatrice's line of sight, but Beatrice is too tired to press her on it. If Lilith wants a secret, she can have it.

"She said she'd tell you where she bought her bra if you asked nicely." 

"I don't want to know where she got her bra. I don't want to know about anything involving her undergarments." Lilith's flat tone echoes down the hall towards her. "Who organised your kitchen? Why aren't the mugs above the kettle?"

Beatrice doesn't dignify the questions with a response, though she'd been just as disgruntled with the choice initially. There's the quiet open and close of cupboard doors as Lilith attempts to hunt down the mugs. Finally, Beatrice rolls to her feet and pads down the hall to take pity on her. She slides open the drawer directly below the kettle, where the mugs lie within easy access of Ava even on the days when her mobility is most limited. 

Lilith stares in bewilderment for a long moment, then her eyes flick up to take a measure of the cupboard height. She nods in easy understanding. "Am I to assume your tea supply is also in a drawer, then?"

Beatrice tugs open the next drawer wordlessly, sweeps a hand towards the rows of neatly labelled cans of looseleaf. "Do you need help finding the spoons as well?"

"I'm sure I can manage," Lilith replies dryly, rolling her eyes. "Stop hovering."

Beatrice retreats to the living room, resumes her sentinel position tucked into the corner of the couch. Time blurs around her in that way she hasn't yet managed to get a handle on. It's a perception thing, Jillian's neurologist has claimed, caused by the damage to her cerebellum. It's a nightmare, Beatrice has decided. She's spent her life in careful planning and observation, only for her brain to fail her at this most basic task of keeping time. 

It's minutes before Lilith joins her; she can tell that much, at least, but the exact length of time evades her. In one hand she's carrying Ava's current favourite mug, the one with a drawing of a koala resting in a mug of tea as though it's a hot tub. In the other–

Beatrice's breath catches in her throat as she takes the lumpy mug from Lilith, as her thumb rubs across the ridges of clay that stand out where three words have been clumsily carved into its side. "Why?" she asks finally, as Lilith settles on the couch beside her and kicks her feet up on the coffee table.

"Mary started packing up her apartment today."

"She what?"

Lilith gives her a side-long look, her lips pursed. "Did she really not tell you?"

Beatrice shakes her head. 

"She's decided to stop using me as her Uber to get to the new headquarters, so she's moving into the village. Just down the road from here, I believe."

"Oh." The pad of Beatrice's thumb catches on the chip in the lip of the mug. "And this?"

"She shattered the 'paint water' mug before I could prevent her from doing so, but I managed to rescue that one." Lilith shrugs like it's not a big deal in the slightest, but there's an edge of anticipation to her posture, as though she's waiting with bated breath for Beatrice's reaction.

"Thank you," she murmurs. "I appreciate it." Her fingertip slides into the slight depression on the base of the mug. A perfect fit, whorls and all. "How's Mary?"

"Complaining that I dropped her off in Munich or hunting down the nearest bar. It could go either way."

"Lilith."

"I made sure she had her shoes and wallet this time."

The dim lighting seems to burn her retinas, even through her tinted lenses. She flexes her fingers, extends them. "When does she need to be packed by?" she asks, following a long pause. 

"I dropped Camila and Ava off before I got here, Beatrice. There's no need to push your limits by going to help."

Beatrice sighs. "Take me there," she says anyways, cradling the not paint water mug to her chest and holding her free hand out to Lilith.

She's not sure the squeeze-burn-tear of teleportation has ever felt worse than it does now, as she finds herself dropping onto one end of Mary's couch, Lilith arriving cool and composed and directly atop the cushion. Of course, she'd practised the shift hundreds of times while she'd been looking after the place, but Beatrice's headache is ramping up towards a fever pitch from the jolt she'd taken from the impact after arriving a solid four inches above the couch.

Between them, Ava barely twitches in surprise. It's a good thing, too, because Princess is settled in her lap and purring so loudly it's audible even through the ringing in Beatrice's ears. (Beatrice is almost certain Lilith hisses something that sounds startlingly similar to 'traitor'.) "Hey, Bea," she whispers, "I did say I'd catch you later. How're you doing?"

"Feline fine." Ava cocks a sceptical eyebrow. "Not any worse than I usually feel, anyways," she amends.

"Well, I'm glad you were up to joining us. In something other than photo form, anyways," she adds, gaze flicking to the mantelpiece over the fireplace.

Lilith takes a loud slurp of tea, drawing Ava's attention towards her instead. "What happened to boxing up the kitchen?"

Ava gestures helplessly at the cat. "What other choice did I have?"

Lilith rolls her eyes before taking another obnoxiously loud sip. "Princess," she say then, tacking on a pspsps for good measure. The cat stirs, rises to stand on Ava's thigh for a long moment before making up her mind and shifting over to Lilith. Lilith's shoulders loosen, and she holds up her fingers to let Princess sniff at them. 

"There goes your problem. Go give Camila a hand."

"Aye, aye, captain." With a mocking salute, Ava bounces to her feet. She swoops in to give Beatrice a soft, fleeting kiss, then heads for the kitchen.

Lilith scratches Princess behind the ears. "She's going to have questions about this later," she says. Where the movement of her fingers is idle, the comment is anything but, heavy with an air of calculation.

"I've already told her most of it."

Lilith tilts her head in the direction of Beatrice's mug. "Not enough to fully explain the shards she had to clean up earlier."

"It's not my–"

"No one else is going to tell her, Beatrice, and she needs to know. Whether or not it's your place, it is your duty."

[itcameuponamidnightqueer]

in defense of my own happiness [12/18]

pairing: ava/beatrice summary: You let yourself be led from the car into Jillian’s villa, from the front door to a conference room with the remaining Sisters, where you sit down in a chair and try to stop yourself from counting everyone in the room. There are fewer people here than there should be, for many reasons. // or: beatrice (and later, ava) in the aftermath of season two

previously

//

Ava’s third door comes easier than the first two. She still doesn’t step through it right away.

She had puzzled for a moment over where to focus her energy—there are too many things she doesn’t know about the Earth as it exists at the moment. Certainly any building that she might have walked in is long-gone; maybe even the concept of Spain doesn’t exist anymore. She doesn’t know how to pinpoint a planet she’s no longer familiar with, let alone any singular location upon it.

But she remembers how it felt to be alive—more than almost anything else from her short stint as the Warrior Nun, Ava remembers that; the enveloping, overwhelming muchness of being alive. She closes her eyes and thinks of the beach, the scorch of sand beneath her feet during the day or the soothing chill it offered at night. She takes a deep breath and remembers the tangy smell of saltwater, breathes again and contrasts it with the refreshing crisp of their lake in Switzerland. It was everyone’s lake first, but it was their lake then, and it will be their lake every time they visit it after. Ava takes a moment just to imagine that—a summer day with Beatrice floating in the water and Ava running on top of the surface around her, flicking her cheeks with droplets every so often just to remind Beatrice, who certainly hasn’t forgotten, that she’s still there.

She lets that linger before she returns to the task at hand.

read more @ ao3

[gacmediadaily]

The new Great American Family Christmas movie “A Little Women’s Christmas” is a contemporary retelling of Louisa May Alcott's 1868 classic, Little Women, originally set in New England during the Civil War. The novel is a coming-of-age story of the four main characters, the March sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy, who grew up together and learned from their mistakes and achievements.

This all-new modernized holiday story, “A Little Women’s Christmas,” was filmed in Tennessee and follows author Jo March (Jillian Murray) as she returns home to celebrate Christmas with her adult sisters Meg (Jen Lilley), Beth (Laura Osnes), and Amy (Julia Grace Reilly). The film also stars Trevor Donovan, Jesse Hutch and his real-life daughter, Charlize, Kyle Kupecky, and legendary singer, Gladys Knight.

I am delighted to share with you all today my interview with Dione Sheehan, the creator and co-writer of “A Little Women’s Christmas.”

-----------------------

INTERVIEW

Dione Sheehan

“A Little Women’s Christmas”

creator and co-writer

-----------------------

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: Welcome, Dione, to It’s a Wonderful Movie, where we discuss family-friendly & faith-based movies on TV. It is so nice to chat with you today as I am most excited for your upcoming Christmas movie on Great American Family! Please briefly share with us the storyline behind “A Little Women’s Christmas.”

Dione Sheehan: “A Little Women’s Christmas” reimagines Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic story by taking the four March sisters and dropping them into a modern Christmas rom-com. Now grown up and scattered across the country, Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy return to their Tennessee hometown to celebrate the holiday season, bringing with them secrets and surprises.

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: What initially inspired you to write this story?

Dione Sheehan: I began writing the script for “A Little Women’s Christmas” during my sophomore year of college at Stanford University. I was enrolled in a screenwriting class and all students were tasked with writing an entire script in one month – a very exciting but, at the time, daunting assignment. I immediately decided that I would write a holiday romcom because that was the type of content I consumed the most… and who doesn’t love a feel-good Christmas story?!

As I began planning out my script, I thought it would be fun to play with the idea of sisters coming home for the holidays as they each navigate their own romances. I sat down to watch the 1994 Little Women movie as inspiration (because, in my mind, it’s a Christmas movie) and, about halfway through, the lightbulb went off… What if my story wasn’t just about random sisters? What if it was about the actual March sisters? The concept gave me goosebumps. Like so many other women, I grew up alongside Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy, and these characters have felt like my very own sisters for as long as I can remember. The opportunity to once again dive back into the world of the March sisters and imagine new storylines for my beloved friends was everything I’d ever dreamed of. So I reconceptualized my story as “A Little Women’s Christmas.”

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: This is the most frequently asked question I have received from my followers about “A Little Women’s Christmas.”…

Of course, Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, is genuinely a beloved classic for readers, generation after generation. The novel is filled with many delightful stories of the March sisters; however, there are a few things I believe many readers would change if they could, but the main one is dear Beth.

Since you were essentially able, Dione, to recreate anything you like with these characters in your modernized story, does Beth suffer the same ill-fate as the novel, or will we see a brighter side of Beth, portrayed by Laura Osnes, in “A Little Women’s Christmas”?

Dione Sheehan: I love that fans care so much about our dear Beth, and I am delighted to assure everyone that the most kind-hearted March sister is alive and well in “A Little Women’s Christmas.” To be honest, I never once considered excluding Beth from my story or having her succumb to sickness and/or death. I wanted “A Little Women’s Christmas” to be inspirational and uplifting and, in some ways, idealized; it was never my intention to retell the original story but rather to re-imagine it in a lighthearted Christmas type of way.

I hope fans love the new journey I’ve created for Beth March. I promise she is happy, healthy, and perhaps even on the brink of finding love…

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: What was your reaction when you first learned Great American Family wanted to turn your story into a movie?

Dione Sheehan: I was overjoyed! The process of getting a script picked up is arduous and long. I wrote eight drafts of the script and pitched it to numerous producers over the course of five years before finally landing a deal with TrueBrand Entertainment and Great American Family.

I’m so excited to finally get to share my story with the world and I have no doubt in my mind that GAF is the perfect home for “A Little Women’s Christmas.”

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: What was it like visiting the set during filming and meeting the cast? (And, I must say, what an incredible all-star cast… you must still be pinching yourself to see if it is true!)

Dione Sheehan: It was surreal! I still remember the moment I saw Jillian Murray, Jen Lilley, Laura Osnes, and Julia Reilly walking down the hallway in costume for the first time… It was like my kindred spirits had arrived!

Also, fun fact, Jen Lilley was actually on my original vision board for the story back in college. I thought she would be the perfect “Meg” and she most certainly is!

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: Which of the March Sisters do you feel you are most like?

Jo (played by Jillian Murray) - smart, independent, passionate, creative

Meg (played by Jen Lilley) - well-mannered, mature, motherly

Beth (played by Laura Osnes) - sweet, soft-spoken, musically gifted

Amy (played by Julia Grace ) – self-centered, spontaneous, artistic

Dione Sheehan: I love this question even though it’s so hard to answer! I’d say I am a mix of both Jo and Beth.

Like Jo, I am relentless in the pursuit of my dreams. I often know what I want and go after my goals with fierce passion and purpose because I believe we’re each here on earth for a unique reason. But like Beth, I can sometimes be introverted and quiet. I enjoy alone time and need moments of serenity to recenter myself. I also like cheering for others and don’t necessarily want to be the center of attention. Unfortunately though, I am not musically talented!

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: Since you now have your own Christmas movie… I must ask, do you have any favorite Christmas Movies that you enjoy watching traditionally every year?

Dione Sheehan: Yes! I love all of these, even though the last few might not technically be considered Christmas movies…

Little Women (1994 version) Home Alone The 12 Dogs of Christmas Love’s Christmas Journey The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Eight Below

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: As viewers gather around the TV to watch your movie, what do you hope they will take away from watching “A Little Women’s Christmas” on Great American Family this Christmas Season?

Dione Sheehan: I hope that, first and foremost, people are reminded of why they love the original Little Women story. The brilliance of Louisa May Alcott transcends time and her ability to craft four dynamic female characters who simultaneously spotlight strengths and weaknesses in each other is truly remarkable.

I hope also that people realize kindred spirits live on. Our beloved imaginary characters are never lost or forgotten; they reside deep in our hearts and can be accessed at any moment.

Finally, I hope people experience true joy when they watch “A Little Women’s Christmas.” This story comes straight from my heart and is a precious gem in a broken world.

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: What other creative projects will you be working on next?

Dione Sheehan: I’m thrilled to announce that I am currently writing and producing a brand new reality show called Flipping Farms. This series follows a father-daughter duo as they buy farms in an effort to renovate and flip the entire property. It’s been the adventure of a lifetime! This show will be releasing on major streaming platforms in early 2025, so stay tuned!

In addition to my film projects, I also have two novels in the works. One is a young adult romance and the other is a very special Christmas novella which I will be announcing soon.

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: How can people get in touch with you and support you?

Dione Sheehan: Anyone can get in touch with me via my Instagram account @dione.sheehan. I love connecting with fans and fellow writers, so please do reach out!

The best way to support any writer is to watch their work! I am so grateful to everyone who plans on watching “A Little Women’s Christmas” and I hope people will tune into “Flipping Farms” in early 2025.

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?

Dione Sheehan: I want to invite everyone to approach “A Little Women’s Christmas” with an open mind. As I’ve already mentioned, this is not meant to be a literal retelling of the original story; rather, I specifically chose to re-imagine the story in a modern Christmas way. So I hope fans love this movie for what it is (independent of the novel) and create space for fresh storylines which reacquaint us with the beloved March sisters in a whole new way.

**********

A warm thank you to Dione for reaching out to do this interview with me for my It's a Wonderful Movie followers. Hearing and sharing her insights into the writing and filmmaking process was a joy. I appreciate Dione for taking the time to share with us behind-the-scenes details of “A Little Women’s Christmas” and the immense enjoyment she took in the creation process of this film.

Briefly, I must share... the two March sisters that Dione chose that she is most alike are precisely the two I would choose for myself. Like Jo, I love being creative, and like Beth, music has always been my passion! 

Many of us who read this book as young women or saw the movies, saw parts of ourselves in these sisters. I would love to hear from you ladies who visit here, too! Which March sister or sisters are you most like? Likely, it goes without saying that I am always excited to share Great American Family's Christmas TV movies, romantic comedies, and various projects; however, “A Little Women’s Christmas” is one of the most anticipated Christmas movies for viewers this season on the network, so I was especially delighted to give everyone this extra look into this upcoming premiere. “A Little Women’s Christmas” stars Trevor Donovan, Jillian Murray, Jen Lilley, Laura Osnes, Julia Reilly, Jesse Hutch, a special appearance by Gladys Knight, and more!

Watch the Premiere of

“A Little Women’s Christmas”

Saturday, November 23, 2024

on Great American Family

I hope many of you who visit here will enjoy this new Christmas movie premiere!

God's Blessings to you all,

Net

[a-hell-of-a-time-archive]

💛💕-for Jillian, you choose whichever one you think would be more fun! ^^

-@copaceticjillybean

Send me a heart for my muse’s reactions to yours giving them a kiss...: No Longer Accepting!

💛 ...to cheer them up

The more he stared at the documents in front of him, the more he could feel a migraine coming on. He had been tasked to create a divorce settlement that worked for both parties, but would also give Stella the upper hand. It was imperative that Andrealphus salvage as much of this shitshow as he possibly could, lest Stella risk her own family casting her out. He felt responsible to look after her through all of this, and to try and restore some sense of honour to both herself and their family at large.

It was a lot of pressure, and it was starting to make him sick.

The sensation of lips grazing his cheek pulled him from his thoughts. Turning to his right, Andrealphus gave Jillian a small, appreciative smile. Just the distraction and comfort he needed at this moment.

"...I think it's time for a break."

[oddcryptidwrites]

Knight of Dawn: Chapter 1 [Not Your Typical Fairytale]

Content below the cut!

Cheerful elevator music filled the space, although it didn't drown out the pounding of Piers' heart. The glowing red numbers on the screen ticked down, as their anxiety ticked up. The cotton of their gloves was already sticking to their hands, and they prayed the sweat wouldn't turn the white fabric yellow. Looking at themself in the mirrored doors, Piers raked their hair back one last time and let out a sigh. The elevator slowed to a stop, and the doors slid open with a painful whine. The entry hall was empty, save for Grady who stood by the heavy double doors leading to the Great Hall. She ushered them over with an urgent gesture, the worry on her face making her look a little older than she was.

“Hi.” Piers hurried over and hugged her briefly, before stepping back to smooth out their jacket. Grady relaxed a little, cracking a smile. “Good luck, Princess.”

Laughing weakly, Piers shoved Grady slightly, “Won’t be one for much longer, Commander.”

The tease earned them a playful smack on the shoulder, before Grady grew serious again. “You’re going to do great, Piers. Heads up, feet firm on the ground. Don’t let them convince you that you aren’t capable. You know exactly what to do.”

Pushing their shoulders back, Piers titled their head slightly upwards, feeling the ground firm beneath their feet. No tripping on the carpet this time. No missing a step onto the stage.

“I will be right here for you. Always.” Grady pulled one of the elaborate wooden doors open, and an awful creak reverberated through the cavernous hall. Piers’ shoes clicked on the tile as they stepped into the Great Hall, echoing lightly, before being damped by the soft red carpet. The small audience up front turned to watch them, hateful glares boring into their soul. Piers kept their eyes forwards. The murmurs and whispers filled their ears, but Piers refused to listen. They didn’t matter right now.

If Adele could do this, so could they.

Guards, dressed in the same dark gray and green as Grady, stood along the aisle, between the audience and Piers. They snapped to attention as Piers passed, bringing their right first to their chest, holding ceremonial rifles still in their left. Grady stood behind them, guarding the doors and watching their back, like always. Unlike the others, she carried a pistol, hidden but loaded and ready to fire. Unlike the others, she was there to protect them, not for display.

Someone in the audience scoffed as Piers approached the front of the room, daring to speak louder than the others.

“Bastard.”

Councilor Mason. Piers glanced towards the council, spotting her sitting there with her arms crossed over chest, trying to seem bored out of her mind.

Their foot caught on the carpet. 

Piers stumbled a little, but straightened themself and refocused on the task at hand. Finally, after a deep breath, they met the stare of the Chief Councilor, Shanna Miles, more bitter than the rest. Hundreds of eyes followed them as they stepped up the few stairs onto the stage, back stiff and posture perfect.

Unlike Adele’s coronation, the gilded throne had been put away. It was only them and Councilor Miles, for everyone to see. A royal coronation without a throne, it was a show that Adele’s era of royal opulence and questionable policy had come to an end.

Piers came to stand beside Councilor Miles, before turning stiffly to face the audience head on. In her bare hands, she held the original copy of the modern Constitution, a thick, leather bound book.. She began to recite her lines, voice amplified by the tiny microphone clipped to the collar of her shirt. 

“Princess Jillian Piers Hall, youngest child of Queen Adele Paris Hall, shall be the next Monarch of the State of Georgia, representative to the former Union, as per the birthright clause established in the September Constitution of 2097.”

Piers and Councilor Miles turned inward to face one another, and she continued to speak, this time directly to them.

“I ask you on behalf of all your citizens of the Seven Zones and Rising Settlements, will you enact your birthright and take the crown and all responsibilities which come with her?” Her voice was level and calm, but anger simmered just below the surface. And, that angry twitch in her left eye was back.

Piers hesitated to respond for just a moment. They could deny it, could give it all up. But, Piers had plans. Big ones. Good ones, to fix their mother’s mistakes. They had people relying on them, expecting them to fix everything that was broken.

“I will enact my birthright as the child of Queen Adele Paris Hall, and take the crown and her responsibility.” Piers responded. Fingers twitching anxiously, Piers carefully pulled off their white gloves, slipping them into their pocket. They rested both hands on the book, left on top of right.

“Then, Princess Hall, do you swear to serve the people within the Seven Zones and Rising settlements, to the best of your ability?”

“I do.”

“Do you swear to preserve the security and integrity of the Seven Zones and Rising Settlements, at all costs?”

“I do.”

For several minutes, this call and response went on. Councilor Miles and Piers had put up with each other for a record amount of time to memorize each line. It had been hell on earth but it had to be perfect. Finally, finally, the time came.

“Please kneel on the stage and face the people whom you will serve.”

Following script, Piers turned to face the small crowd, primarily Council members and high Palace staff. Marcie, from the front row, gave them a comforting nod as they kneeled carefully on the stage. 

Bare hands in their lap and their head slightly bowed, they closed their eyes and tried to breathe. Miles’ voice, even though she stood right next to them, wasn’t loud enough to be heard over the pounding of their heart. The modest crown weighed nothing, as she placed it upon their head. Then, Piers lifted their head, opening their eyes. They recited something from memory, something they couldn’t properly understand at the moment. Miles placed a hand on their shoulder, speaking once more, before allowing them to rise to their feet. 

Looking out over the audience, Piers held their breath. There was no clapping, no cheering, just silent stares from both friends and foes alike. They stood in Adele’s shadow, be what that may be for everyone in the audience. People had assumptions about them and Piers knew there was nothing else they could say or do at that moment to change those assumptions.

And with nothing to say, they stepped off the stage, leaving Councilor Miles behind. It was only then the audience reacted, some beginning to taunt, to sneer, to rise to their feet while others tried to defend them. The Royal Guard lining the aisle held in their seats, as Piers tried not to listen. Grady let them slip out of the Grand Hall, before shutting the doors and the voices out behind them with a resounding thud. The sudden silence was deafening.

“We need to go.” With a hand on their shoulder, she pushed them towards the elevator, then punched the button for their shared floor. As the doors slid closed, she bumped her wrist against the scanner, and the elevator began to ascend. Sighing, Piers slid down the wall, pulling the small crown off their head. The silver one had gone missing years ago. They polished Miles’ fingerprints off the dingy metal, before looking to Grady, who looked like she’d seen a ghost.

“Piers, you just walked off the stage! People were expecting you to at least say something! You can’t say people don’t like you when you don’t give them a reason to like you!” She squatted in front of them, brushing the hair out of their eyes.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t think of anything.”

Grady scoffed, “Couldn’t think of anything, my ass! You can run your mouth for hours about military strategy or old-age movies or the political state of fucking Ohio but you couldn’t think of anything to say.”

Piers brought their knees to their chest, trying to hide, “I just…it’s different when it comes to this stuff. I’m not good with people and I didn’t take my meds because Dr. Panya forgot to order them, by the way.” 

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened, revealing their hallway. Sighing, Grady pulled Piers to their feet. “I’ll shut up about it, alright?”

“Please. I thought I was going to die there from a goddamn heart attack. I don’t know how mom ever did it. Plus Miles? She was up my ass before this and she’ll be up my ass afterwards. Plus I gotta fix whatever she broke between Mom’s abdication and today.” They stepped out of the elevator together, and Grady bumped their shoulder.

“Speaking of, you should go visit Adele. She’d appreciate it. You don’t know how much longer she’s going to be around.” Grady held her hand out, “Gloves?”

Piers pulled their white gloves out of their pocket, handing them to Grady, “Knowing her, she’s going to outlive me, even with her spiral. I’m surprised Dr. Panya still hasn’t figured out what’s going on with her.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. She is the most stubborn person ever. In the whole world.” Folding the gloves, Grady stopped them at their door, “Mask. Lean forward.”

Piers leaned forward, letting her catch her fingertips under the stiff gray material of the half-mask. It made an awful peeling noise as she pried it from their sweaty face, where it stuck to the scars. The string messed up their hair, and they flipped their head over, shaking it out. Grady tried to smooth it back, but they swatted her hand away.

“It matches me. A hot mess.”  Pushing open their door, they spotted the respirator and winter gloves sitting by the window, carefully placed to remind them- “Shit, I promised Lennox I’d visit him today.”

Grady rubbed her temple, taking a deep breath, “You’ve got two hours. Marcie is going to be up here in an hour or so and I’m not sure how much longer I can keep her in the dark about you sneaking out now.”

“You’re the best.” Piers grinned, giving her a hug, “I’ll be back safe before you know it, I promise.”

“You better.”

NYTF WIP PAGE

Tag List (reply or dm to be added or removed; I pulled from the old tag list): @author-a-holmes @soul-write @flowerprose @ceph-the-ghost-writer @theglitchywriterboi @when-wax-wings-melt @thechaoticflowergarden @lyralit @penspiration-writing @samatedeansbroccoli @charlesjosephwrites @italiangothicwriteblr @thetruearchmagos @pineapple-lover-boy @unilightwrites @sanguine-arena @bardic-tales @joshuaorrizonte @blind-the-winds @circa-specturgia @hymnonlips @aloeverawrites

[random-movie-ideas]

DC Cinematic Universe Pitch (TL;DR version)

So, in case you didn't have the time or interest to read through the hundred+ reblogged layout of the DC cinematic universe I was proposing over the last while, here's a relatively truncated version of that:

(Edit: Apparently it undoes my tabbing when not in edited mode, so I'm going to try bolding)

PHASE ONE

Title*

Elements they introduce*

Wonder Woman

Princess Diana

Queen Hippolyta

Donna Troy

Nubia

The Amazons

Themyscira

Steve Trevor

Barbara Ann Minerva (pre-Cheetah)

Etta Candy

Baroness Paula von Gunther

Doctor Poison

Martian Manhunter

J’onn J’onzz

John Stewart (pre-Green Lantern)

Katma Tui

The Green Lantern Corps

The Guardians

Scar

The Manhunters

The Flash

Barry Allen

Wally West (as Kid Flash)

Iris West

Joe West

Ralph Dibny (pre-Elongated Man)

Sue Dibny

The Rogues

Captain Cold

Captain Boomerang

Heat Wave

Weather Wizard

The Trickster

Pied Piper

Green Lantern

Hal Jordan

Thaal Sinestro (still a Green Lantern)

Abin Sur

Kilowog

Arisia Rrab

Salaak

Ch’p

Carol Ferris (pre-Star Sapphire)

Thomas Kalmaku

Red Lantern Corps

Atrocitus

Dex-Starr

Aqualad

Jackson Hyde

Garth of Shayeris

The concept of Atlantis

Atlan, the Dead King

Black Manta

Cal Durham

Dr. Stephen Shin

Black Jack

Eel

Scavenger

Charybdis and Scylla

Green Arrow

Oliver Queen

League of Shadows (Mentioned)

Black Canary

Roy Harper

Deathstroke

Deadshot

Task Force X

Amanda Waller

Count Vertigo

Vlatava

Justice League

Batman

Aquaman

Superman

Martha and Jonathan Kent

Lois Lane

General Zod

Faora-Ul

Ursa and Non

Jax-Ur

The Kryptonians

The Phantom Zone

Alfred Pennyworth

Queen Clea of Atlantis (briefly)

Teen Titans

Dick Grayson (as Nightwing)

Starfire

Cyborg

Raven

Beast Boy

The HIVE Academy

The HIVE Queen

Doctor Light

The HIVE Five

Bumblebee

PHASE TWO

Wonder Girl

Cassie Sandsmark

Vanessa Kapatelis (pre-Silver Swan)

Circe

Medusa

Superman

Supergirl

Zor-El

The City of Kandor

Brainiac

Darkseid (Mentioned)

Perry White

Jimmy Olsen

The Daily Planet

Batman and Batgirl

Barbara Gordon

Jim Gordon

The Mad Hatter

The Joker (in memory)

Catwoman (in memory)

Harley Quinn (in memory)

Two-Face (in memory)

Jason Todd’s death (in memory)

The Penguin (in memory)

The Riddler (in memory)

Killer Croc

Harvey Bullock and Renee Montoya

Nightwing

Tim Drake

Poison Ivy

Clayface

Roman Sionis (pre-Black Mask)

Aquaman

Queen Mera

Orm Marius

Tula Marius

Queen Atlanna

Nuidis Vulko

The Kingdom of Xebel

King Nereus

The Siren

The Trench

Green Arrow 2

Mia Dearden

Brick

Cupid

China White

Wonder Woman 2

Artemis of Bana-Mighdall

Queen Antiope

Bana-Mighdall

The White Magician

Green Lantern 2

Guy Gardner

Ganthet and Sayd

Carol Ferris as Star Sapphire

The Star Sapphire Corps

The Zamarons

Jillian Pearlman

Hector Hammond

Doctor Polaris

Sonar

The Tattooed Man

Hawkman and Hawkgirl

Carter Hall

Shiera Saunders

Prince Khufu

Princess Chay-Ara

Hath-Set

Kent Nelson (as Doctor Fate)

Inza Cramer

Nabu

Supergirl

Linda Danvers

The Silver Banshee

The Flash 2

Linda Park

Elongated Man

Solovar

Gorilla Grodd

Gorilla City

Marvel Family

Billy Batson

Mary Bromfield

Freddy Freeman

Dr. Sivana

Black Adam

The Wizard Shazam

Martian Manhunter 2

Saint Walker

Blue Lantern Corps

Larfleeze

The Orange Lantern

Aqualad 2

Dolphin

King Shark

Justice League 2

Vandal Savage

The Blue Beetle Scarab

Daniel Garrett

Ted Kord

Teen Titans 2

Terra

A new lineup of Task Force X

PHASE THREE

The Atom

Ray Palmer

Jean Loring

Booster Gold

Goldstar

Chronos the Time-Thief

Per Degaton

Firestorm

Ronnie Raymond

Martin Stein

Killer Frost

Jason Rusch (pre-Firestorm)

Superman 2

Lex Luthor

Emil Hamilton

Metallo

Bizarro

Kryptonite and its properties

Batman and Batgirl 2

The Iceberg Lounge

Catwoman, Joker, Harley, Two-Face, Penguin, and Riddler in person

Hugo Strange

Wonder Girl 2

Giganta

Doctor Psycho

Aquaman 2

Corum Rath

Kadaver

Lorena Marquez

The sinking of San Diego

Nightwing 2

Mr. Freeze

Nora Fries

Stephanie Brown

Arthur Brown

Wonder Woman 3

Barbara Ann Minerva as the Cheetah

The Duke of Deception

Marvel Family 2

Darla Dudley

Eugene Choi

Pedro Pena

Victor and Rosa Vasquez

Mister Mind

The Anti-Life Equation

Teen Titans 3

Jericho

Rose Wilson

The Wildebeest Society

Various new Titans

Green Lantern 3

The Sinestro Corps

Amon Sur

Lyssa Drak

Karu-Sil

Despotellis

Arkillo

Anti-Monitor

Parallax mentioned

Other Lanterns like Boudikka and Tomar-Re

Supergirl 2

Earth Three

Ultraman

Owlman

Superwoman

Power Girl

The Crime Syndicate

Alexander Luthor and family

Mr. Mxyzptlk

Martian Manhunter 3

Mongul

Warworld

Mongal and Mongul Jr.

Lobo

Big Barda

The Flash 3

Bart Allen

Meloni Thawne

Reverse Flash

Don and Dawn Allen

Time travel using the Speed Force

Green Arrow 3

Shado

Merlyn

Bronze Tiger

League of Shadows

Connor Hawke mentioned

Death of Oliver Queen

Justice League 3

Darkseid

Apokolips

Desaad

Granny Goodness

Mr. Miracle

New Gods

ANIMATED UNIVERSE

Superman

Earth Two

Golden Age Superman

Golden Age Lois Lane

The Ultra Humanite

Delores Winters

Plastic Man (Cameo)

Wonder Woman

Golden Age Wonder Woman

Eviless

Hypnota

Maxima

Jay Garrick

Jay Garrick

Johnny Quick

Jesse Quick

Mirror Master

Rainbow Raider

The Thinker

Aquaman

Golden Age Aquaman

Lori Lemaris

Topo

King Neptune

The Fisherman

The Malignant Amoeba

Batman

Golden Age Batman

Golden Age Robin

Golden Age Joker

Golden Age Penguin

Golden Age Catwoman

Golden Age Riddler

Bat-Mite

Alan Scott

Alan Scott

Rose Canton

Jennifer-Lynn Hayden (Pre-Jade)

Doiby Dickles

Ma Hunkel

Solomon Grundy

Justice Society of America

Mr. Terrific (Terry Sloane version)

Johnny Thunder

Hawk and Dove

Metamorpho

The Justice Society

The Legion of Doom

STANDALONE TRILOGY

Clark Kent

Earth Prime

Teenage Clark Kent

Jonathan and Martha Kent

Lana Lang

Pete Ross

Leslie Willis (pre-Livewire)

Chloe Sullivan

Whitney Fordman

The Toyman

Clark Kent 2

Teenage Lois Lane

Krypto the Super-Dog

The Parasite

Clark Kent 3

The Multiverse

Leslie Willis as Livewire

Atomic Skull briefly

CRISIS

Crisis on Infinite Earths (Part 1-3)

True nature of the Anti-Monitor

The imps Qwsp and Quirk

Destruction of Earth Two, Three, and Prime

Death of Barry Allen

Hal Jordan as Parallax

Apparent death of Mr. Miracle and Darkseid

Teenage Clark Kent only survivor of Earth Prime

PHASE FOUR

Superman 3

Doomsday

The death of Superman

Lois pregnant with Jon Kent

John Henry Irons (pre-Steel)

Batman & Batgirl 3

Hush

Arkham hostage situation

Barbara Gordon paralyzed

Jonathan Crane’s allegiance to the League of Shadows revealed

Batman, Catwoman, Joker, Harley, Penguin, Riddler, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and Killer Croc taken by the League

Wonder Girl 3

Vanessa Kapatelis as Silver Swan

Hawkworld

Kendra Saunders

Fel Andar

The Thanagarians

Katar Hol

Shayera Thal

Nightwing 3

Jason Todd resurrected as Red Hood

Roman Sionis as Black Mask

Firefly

Kyle Rayner

Genocide of the Green Lantern Corps by Parallax

Kyle Rayner

Jennifer-Lynn Hayden as Jade

Alexandra DeWitt

Alexander Nero

The Indigo Tribe

Miss Martian

M’gann M’orzz

Ma’alefa’ak

Despero

Kid Flash

Wally West as the Flash

Hunter Zolomon as Zoom

Golden Glider leading a new team of Rogues

Golden Glider

The Top

Starfire

The original Teen Titans disbanded

The Planet Tamaran

Blackfire

The Citadel

The Planet Rann

Adam Strange

Alanna

Buddy Baker

Aquaman 3

Offscreen death of Aquababy, separation of Aquaman and Mera

Thanatos

Doom Patrol

Niles Caulder

Robotman

Elasti-Woman

Mento

Negative Man

The Brotherhood of Evil

The Brain

Monsieur Mallah

Madame Rouge

General Immortus

General Zahl

Swamp Thing

Swamp Thing

Abigail Arcane

Anton Arcane

John Constantine

Steel

John Henry Irons as Steel

Natasha Irons

Conner Kent AKA Kon-El created

Hank Henshaw becomes Cyborg Superman

Impulse

XS

Owen Mercer, son of Captain Boomerang

Max Mercury

Cobalt Blue

Inertia

Teen Titans 4

The Big Bang

Static

Gear

Aquamaria

Hotstreak

Major Disaster

Rolando Texador

Holocaust

The Blood Syndicate

Zatanna

Zatanna Zatara

Jason Blood and Etrigan

Brother Blood

Cult of Trigon

Blue and Gold

Booster Gold and Blue Beetle’s friendship

T.O. Morrow

The Red Tornado

Maxwell Lord

Watchtower

Firestorm 2

Multiplex

Lorraine Reilly

Jason Rusch becomes Firestorm

Ronnie Raymond dies of cancer

Supergirl 3

Legion of Super-Heroes

Brainiac 5

Cosmic Boy

Saturn Girl

Lightning Lad

Mon-El

Brainiac 13

Kara remains in the future

The Atom 2

Murder of Sue Dibny

Murder of Doctor Light

Kimiyo Hoshi becomes Light

Jean Loring exposed as murderer

Blue Beetle murdered by Maxwell Lord

The Question

Vic Sage

Helena Bertinelli

Victor Zsasz

The Court of Owls

Death of Vic Sage

Justice League 4

Checkmate revealed

Anthony Ivo

Amazo

Jaime Reyes becomes the new Blue Beetle

Secret Society of Super-Villains revealed

Justice League Dark

Zatanna, Constantine, Raven, Swamp Thing, Etrigan, and Jared Stevens form Justice League Dark

Trigon unleashed

Son of Batman

Damian Wayne

Jonathan Crane as the Scarecrow revealed

War of the Gods, Part One

Circe, Cheetah, Giganta, Silver Swan, Doctor Poison, Queen Clea, Zara, and Blue Snowman form Villainy Inc.

Doctor Psycho turned into a pig

Death of Queen Hippolyta

Doors of Death opened

PHASE FIVE

War of the Gods, Part Two

The Firstborn

Murder of Circe, Doctor Poison, Queen Clea, Zara, and Blue Snowman

Ares

Zeus

Hercules

Gods of Olympus

Artemis of Bana-Mighdall returns from the dead

Aquaman, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, and Captain Marvel called on to protect the gods

Death of the Olympian pantheon

Champions of Olympus found a new pantheon

Blue and Gold 2

Booster and Jaime attempt to save Ted through time travel

Rip Hunter

Black Beetle

The Reach

The Bat Family, Part One

League of Shadows prison

Bane

Cassandra Cain

Batman, Catwoman, and eight villains work together to escape

Superboy

Expedition to Krypton

Alexander Luthor Jr.

The Eradicators

Death of Emil Hamilton

Teenage Clark Kent from Earth-Prime becomes Superboy-Prime

Birds of Prey

Black Canary, Huntress, and Renee Montoya as the Question form Birds of Prey

Barbara Gordon as Oracle

Dinah Drake, the original Black Canary

Katana

Sin

Lady Shiva

Sarah Lance as White Canary

The Speed Force

Barry Allen brought from the past

Barry, Wally, Bart, and allies join forces

Godspeed

Professor Alchemy

Death of Eobard Thawne, Hunter Zolomon, and Inertia

Savitar

Death of Max Mercury

Batwoman

Kate Kane as Batwoman

Bette Kane as Flamebird

Duke Thomas

Man-Bat

She-Bat

Zatanna 2

Klarion the Witch-Boy

Lucifer

Swamp Thing 2

Tefe Holland

The Floronic Man

Blackest Night

Jessica Cruz

Simon Baz

Black Hand

Birth of the Black Lantern Corps

Nekron mentioned

Adam Strange

Starro

War between Rann and Thanagar

The Bat Family, Part Two

Ra’s al-Ghul

Talia al-Ghul

Bat Family fully reunited

Deaths of the Joker and Ra’s al-Ghul

Steel 2

Natasha Irons as Steel

Manchester Black

Black Lightning

Jefferson Pierce

Anissa and Jennifer Pierce

Tobias Whale

Joey Toledo

Syonide

Death of Earl Clifford

The Atom 3

Princess Laethwyn

The Morlaidhans

Adam Cray

The Bug-Eyed Bandit

The Micro Squad

Firestorm 3

Ronnie Raymond resurrected as Deathstorm

Connor Hawke

Connor Hawke

Death of Merlyn

The Rogues

Owen Mercer takes his father’s place

Abra Kadabra trades the team’s souls

The demon Neron

Blackest Night, Part Two

Zombie apocalypse caused by the Black Lantern Corps

Resurrection of dead heroes and villains such as Superman, Barry Allen, Hal Jordan, Oliver Queen, the Question, Ted Kord, Jean Loring, Sue Dibny, the Joker, various members of the Suicide Squad, and more

Death of Amanda Waller at the hands of her fallen Suicide Squad members

Creation of the White Lantern ring

All intact zombies restored to life

ANIMATED UNIVERSE, PHASE TWO

Alan Scott 2

Icicle

Icicle Jr.

Jakeem Thunder

Cyclone

Universe still existing despite Crisis

Jennifer missing from this universe

Stargirl

Courtney Whitmore

Pat Dugan

Starman

All-American Kid

Nathaniel Adam’s transformation into Captain Atom

General Wade Eiling

Solomon Grundy’s past revealed

Al Pratt

Al Pratt as Golden Age Atom

Atom Smasher

Michael Holt’s Mr. Terrific

Fire and Ice

Ultra-Humanite’s return

Cyclotron

Hourman

Rick Tyler

Rex Tyler

Matthew Tyler

Hawk becoming Extant in the future

The Spectre

Spectre

Boston Brand’s murder

Doctor Mid-Nite

Beth Chapel (pre-Doctor Mid-Nite)

Eclipso

The Hook

Jay Garrick 2

Shade

The Phantom Stranger

The realization something is wrong with their universe

Justice Society of America 2

The Sandman

The revelation that their universe is preserved through the dreams of Jennifer-Lynn Hayden, residing in Earth-One

CRISIS

Final Crisis (Part 1-3)

Superboy-Prime, Alexander Luthor Jr., and Jennifer-Lynn Hayden the keys to restoring the Multiverse

Krona

Imperiex

Resurrection of Darkseid

Restoration of Earth Two, Earth Three, and Earth Prime

Edit: Let's see how that does.

[possibilistfanfiction]

post top surgery bea was so !!!. so many feelings, just like when you first wrote about it a few months back. would love to read more if you’re ever feeling inspired. maybe ava observing her feel even more at home in her body?

[idk how many ppl love this headcanon but it's rly lovely? to me at least lol. so a little gentle mama s & bea pov for u]

//

you've gotten better at caring for your children in different ways as the years have gone on — fostering passions, listening carefully, allowing them to expand into who they were meant to be, within and beyond the order. you've fought a holy war with so many of them — some you have lost forever; some have come back, in one way or another. love, god's love, the highest form of grace, is full of grief and sorrow, and you know that better than most.

but — 'you're sure you've got it?'

you fight back the urge to sigh because ava's eyes are big and earnest and you're reminded of when they were nineteen, and terrified, and so so brave. 'yes, ava. we'll be fine in the brief amount of time you're gone.'

ava nods, more to reassure herself than you;.she's just going to get groceries — a task you had bullied her into, mostly to get her out of the house for a brief moment — and beatrice has mostly slept on and off this past week. it's a joyful time, so deeply, but you know also that seeing beatrice in pain, even for the best reason, is hard for ava. perhaps, you admit, hard for all of you.

but beatrice smiles when ava kisses her forehead, pausing the season of some reality tv show she and lilith appear to be quite invested in that, reluctantly, you have watched enough of at this point to follow along with something slightly more than disinterest. she smiles still when you sit down next to her on their big couch in their sundrenched living room, and you feel peace settle in your soul the way you really only do when you see your children happy.

'okay,' ava says from the door leading to the garage, 'text me if anything happens.'

beatrice rolls her eyes, the soft smile still on her face. 'just make sure to get the proper chocolate.'

'that was one time.'

beatrice laughs. 'bye, ava.'

'love you.'

'i love you too,' beatrice says, then turns to you when ava closes the door softly.

'you are feeling okay, right? i've known you for too long for you to lie to me.'

beatrice touches your wrist gently, in some kind of thanks. 'i'm feeling good. sore, but they took my drains out yesterday so i finally got to shower.'

'well i came at the perfect time, then.'

beatrice huffs a laugh. she shifts a little, sitting up more, and there are freckles all along her shoulders, muscles toned and visible without a shirt on, a blanket over her legs. 'i — uh, i have to let my skin breathe for a few minutes, is it —' her brow furrows — 'is it okay?'

you have known her for so long, seen and still do see so much of yourself in her, and so you understand. 'of course it's okay, beatrice.'

she nods, just once, and then reaches to undo the tight surgical binder. you had read all about top surgery diligently after she had told you — with a nervousness in her voice that had made you ache — that she had a date scheduled for her procedure, even asked one of jillian's surgeon friends to explain the details. you know the expect the bandages over her regrafted nipples, the stretch of the new scars across her chest. there's old scars along her abdomen, but these are different: these are imbued with joy, and care, and a becoming that is so quietly holy you feel blessed to witness it. the deep breath she takes in, the way her shoulders relax and she smiles when she looks down at her chest — it is all you have ever wanted for any of your children.

she looks over at you, a little shaky, a little unsure, and so you offer her what you know she needs, after so many years. 'these were the results you were hoping for, yes?'

she swallows, but it's still impossible for her smile to fully slip. 'beyond what i had hoped for, honestly. it's hard — it was hard to imagine, just how much better i would feel.'

'i'm quite happy for you.'

her smile grows — less shy, more certain — but then her brow furrows in a way you recognize by now that means she's been sitting on something for a while. 'are you — are you ever disappointed?' she pauses, then clarifies quietly, 'in me?'

when beatrice was recruited to the order years and years ago, you recognized quickly that she would be more than fit to run it in your stead. she always had been: brilliant, organized, kinder than you could ever hope for. generous. forgiving. devout. she hasn't changed at all, only grown brighter in her faithfulness.

'i am so proud of you, beatrice. profoundly.'

beatrice sniffles, and you turn toward her fully.

'you have been a beacon for god's love the entire time you have known you, through a great deal of pain. i'm proud of you for finally starting to give that love to yourself.'

as you expected, she does start to cry; it's not uncommon even though she still tries to pretend it's a rare occurrence.

'i'm deeply sorry if i have ever made you to feel that way, especially after you renounced your vows.' you worked with her to bring ava back; you won a war; you walked her down the aisle. 'i am in awe of who you have become, beyond what i ever could have hoped for you.' you look pointedly to her chest, flat and tender and, in the ways you have learned matter most, beautiful.

she wipes tears and then huffs a laugh. 'you haven't,' she says, 'made me feel like that. not since i was brand new at the order and couldn't properly shoot a pistol, at least.'

you laugh fondly, remembering how horrible a shot she had first been, too tightly wound to breathe through the kick properly.

'i've just been in my head, a little. it happens when i'm high.'

you raise a brow, just for fun, and she seems to realize what she's said, blanching.

'not that i've ever been high, ever, other than, you know, pain medicine after surgery or injuries. not once, not one single time.'

'it's still a sin to lie. you know that, right?'

beatrice eventually laughs, happily. 'ava's not particularly subtle, is he?'

'neither is the smell of weed.'

she laughs even harder.

'i wasn't always a nun.'

she calms, quiets. 'thank you, for being a really wonderful mother.'

it fills your chest unlike anything else — ava and their halo; mary and lilith finding their way back home; your new girls getting to train in peace — and you squeeze her hand. 'thank you for being a really wonderful daughter.'

she nods, another layer of peace settling against her skin. when it comes time, a few minutes later, for her to have to put her surgical binder back on, you help with gentle hands.

[hyrtwynwrites]

Dramatis Personae - Book 1: Gridanian Prelude

Next

Yenifer Falle

Age: 21 Pronouns: she/her Our protagonist; Yenifer has lived her whole life in the small hamlet of Quarrymill, one of a small community of refugees far from home. When desperation meets hope, she takes the gamble to join Gridania's renowned Lancers' Guild... and unwittingly becomes a part of a cosmic war for the survival of the star. Impulsive, brave, and good-hearted, Yenifer is trying to find a way forward not just for herself, but for her people as well.

Ala Mhigans of Quarrymill

Aebba Falle

Age: 36 (†) Pronouns: she/her Mother to Yenifer, Aebba raised her daughter through the collapse of Ala Mhigo and their dangerous escape to the Twelveswood. Alongside the other refugees, she worked to build a good a life as possible in this new land - and alongside other refugees, she died during the Calamity.

Meffrid Noward

Age: 38 Pronouns: he/him A former member of the Ala Mhigan Resistance, Meffrid has traded his sword for a laborer's tools. The leader of the Ala Mhigans in Quarrymill, he works tirelessly to keep his people alive malms from his homeland.

Scions of the Seventh Dawn

Papalymo Totolymo

Age: 42 Pronouns: he/him One of the foremost members of the Scions, Papalymo has been the liaison between the organization and Gridania for summers. Erude, quick-witted, and perhaps a little mad, the thaumaturge has seen the city-state through many crises... but fears that the next is near on the horizon.

Yda Hext

Age: 31 Pronouns: she/her A hot-blooded pugilist and member of the Scions, Yda hails from conquered Ala Mhigo and now works to protect her new home in Eorzea. Alongside her friend Papalymo, she has defended the people of the Twelveswood from danger. Beneath her mask, however, lies an unspoken secret.

Gridanians

Mother Miounne

Age: 36 Pronouns: she/her The owner of the Carline Canopy, Mother Miounne has run the tavern and inn for summers, despite the devastation wrought by Bahamut.

Beatin Mainrocquet

Age: 30 Pronouns: he/him Timbermaster of the Carpenters' Guild, Beatin is a perfectionist by nature. Constantly coated in the debris of his labors, nothing but the finest of work is allowed to be sold.

Thya Epocan

Age: 18 Pronouns: they/them One of Gridania's many forgotten faces, Thya does their best despite being on the city-state's lowest rung.

Residents of the Twelveswood

Bremondt

Age: 48 Pronouns: he/him An enigmatic figure in the Twelveswood, Bremondt has been running cargo, passengers - and contraband - up and down the Black Shroud for summers. Despite his many days in the forest, he is a surprisingly unsuperstitious man.

Kuplo Kopp

Age: Not telling, kupo! Pronouns: he/him... if he finds it amusing, kupo! One of the Twelveswood's many myths, Kuplo Kopp is perhaps one of the more talkative Moogles - and a friend of sorts to Yda and Papalymo.

Sergeant Galfrid Mossback

Age: 34 Pronouns: he/him A member of Gridania's army, the Twin Adders, Galfrid is tasked as being one of the organization's many liaisons with the Wood Wailers - and, in a pinch, the leader of a manhunt.

Lancers, Guild or Otherwise

Ywain Deepwell

Age: 36 Pronouns: he/him Guildmaster of the Lancers' Guild, Ywain has worked stoically for summers to turn trainees into fighters. As a new crisis darkens Gridania's sky, so to does a nemesis emerge out of the shadows to challenge both him, the guild, and his prize student: Yenifer.

Foulques of the Mist

Age: 34 Pronouns: he/him An enigmatic figure and rogue lancer, Foulques bears an axe to grind against the Lancers' Guild; one that he is perfectly willing to bury into a skull or six if it gets the point across. Obsessed with bravery, in Yenifer he has found a rival - and potential ally - in his mission.

Jillian Little

Age: 20 Pronouns: she/her The receptionist of the Lancers' Guild, Jillian is herself a lancer, though has taken on the hard work of handling the considerable paperwork that shuttles in and out of the Wailing Barracks on a daily basis.

Wood Wailers & Gods'bowmen

Bowlord Lewin Hunte

Age: 54 Pronouns: he/him One of Gridania's elder warriors, Lewin has led the Gods'bow against the Ixal, bandits, and worse for many summers. The Calamity casts a shadow over his heart, and the emergence of a new crisis will only redouble his fear that the city may not withstand another storm.

Sergeant Albert Miller

Age: 38 Pronouns: he/him A member of Gridania's police, the Wood Wailers, Albert is one of the more honest members of the organization - and, due to chance circumstances, becomes a strange friend of Yenifer in her time of need.

Wailer Mordin Sawyer

Age: 18 Pronouns: he/him A young member of the Wood Wailers, Mordin Sawyer was destined for an unexceptional career... but a growing emergency changes his course perilously.

Gods'bow Okhi Lanbatal

Age: 19 Pronouns: she/her One of the elite Gods'bow, Okhi was willing to blend into a sea of faces and uniforms... but war changes many fates.

Padjal and their Keepers

Seedseer Kan-E-Senna

Age: 28 Pronouns: she/her The spiritual leader of Gridania, Kan-E-Senna is the city-state's figurehead and commander of the Twin Adders. As one of the almost mythical Padjal, she is frozen in age - and by fear. Beneath that glass, however, lies a different woman, one who is trapped by the duality of her responsibility and the weight it bears.

E-Sumi-Yan

Age: Around 230 Pronouns: he/him A fellow Padjal, E-Sumi-Yan is the guildmaster of Gridania's illustrious Conjurers' Guild. Despite his incredible age, E-Sumi-Yan remains humble, and marries his wisdom with a wry sense of humor.

Keeper Roger Goodfellow

Age: 26 Pronouns: he/him One of Kan-E-Senna's elite bodyguards, Roger cuts an unusual figure alongside his more traditional companion. Beneath his stern public façade, however, lies a secret that ties his life to the Seedseer's forever.

Keeper Bernon Ouraux

Age: 28 Pronouns: he/him Kan-E-Senna's other hand, Bernon is a child of Gridania and is so proudly. Stern, restrained, and a little arrogant, he would still suffer any indignance on behalf of the woman he has sworn his life to.

[lafflanes]

starting tasks on elouise, jillian, petunia and alabaxter all at once and planning to eventually start tasks on orinthia, sprinkle medley, interrobang and blue raspberry lemonade all at once bc im insane

[daisychainsandbowties]

So, I'm task avoiding at work, and had a thought about (and you guessed it) the wn star wars au (and I know your focus is more on the Fallen Order side for Luminous beings, but sw Rebels stuff happens at kinda the same time)

In show, Jillian spends season 1 trying to create a portal (or a gateway) to "the other side" so she can be with Michael forever in a place where time has no meaning, and in the Clone Wars/Rebels, we see The World Between Worlds/Mortis, which exists outside of time and space and can only be accessed through specific gateways...

And then this brings up the Father, the Daughter, and the Son, and the Son happens to also be known as the Fanged God, who is worshipped by the nightsisters...

it's such a fantasy/sci-fi thing to have 'doors between worlds'.

mortis i think is based off of narnia, but there are soooo many examples of alternate universes or places where time/space don't operate the same way (how experience would be possible in a non-temporal, non-spacial 'place? <- a concept which itself is dependent on concepts of space and time. a place is a location oriented spatially in relation to others. to say 'a place' is 'somewhere' is to also imply that it is somewhere at a given time) though, to be fair, we're really talking about pathways between discrete locations in space and time, and there's no pressing reason to argue that, taking junctions in time as an 'if x then y' sort of situation, there might not be, in some manner of existence which is, naturally, unavailable to us, a place where the when's to aborted 'if's' do actually exist.

yes i am always repeating this but listen it's so true, from a craft perspective, that the finished version of any piece of art is haunted by a series of absences. lines dropped, the back-key shredding a sentence, rephrasing and swapping this paragraph to here or there. it's an intoxicating concept - the idea that what might have been exists palpably in what is. and probably why we as humans are so obsessed with ideas of a place where time cannot touch us.

we have this trope in his dark materials, in star trek (discovery, specifically), tel'aran'rhiod in the wheel of time (god also The Ways) i guess there's even the yggdrasil pathways in god of war, & obv in wn we have something similar. but like !!! when you think about it, writing an au plays into this idea as well. i dislocate the characters, i put them together again the same but different. sometimes i rip apart the world i decide to put them into so that they'll fit. but like... this idea of doorways connecting all possibilities, & the fact that i have already written a sort of 'maybe' future for the star wars au. it's all juicy in a very meta way.

i am broadly following Fallen Order's (and, soon, Jedi: Survivor's) narrative so i think, in all likelihood, i won't?? bring mortis into it??

mostly because absolutely no one wants to see me talk about the consequences of so much as putting a single toe a single molecule of 'now' into 'if'.

oh and thinking of the nightsisters and how they assign godly visages to the dichotomy of light/dark 'sides' of the force - a power which is, if we quote Obi, "an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together."

the appeal of something that connects everything, and probably the necessary elusiveness of that thing. or perhaps the refusal to admit that the only thing linking anything in sequence, or lending sense whatsoever, to a lack of linearity is time itself. and time, of course, is not particularly kind.

[aggressivelyaverage21]

Holy War: Chapter 9

Mother Superion shifts her hands against the steering wheel as she drives, her fingers starting to tingle so she cranes her neck, hopeful to stretch her shoulders and wake the nerves. As she does, her eyes fall on Camila momentarily.

Camila was still out in the passenger’s seat breathing softly. Her curly hair plastered to her forehead, smeared with blood and dust. She looked peaceful despite the clear evidence of a harsh night covering her skin and clothing. It reminded her of the time she’d spend with the young sister after the Vatican when she’d find Camila asleep at a research desk after a long day of training. She’d given up on rousing Camila to send her to bed after so many times, and just kept a blanket handy to drape over the girl’s shoulders. She wished she’d had that blanket with her now, a more concrete comfort she could offer her as she slept.

With renewed concern, stealing her highway-numbed mind from the task of driving, Mother Superion glances back in the rearview to check on Beatrice via her other warriors in the back monitoring her, conducting treatment as best they could. She needed a hospital. Quickly, but none of these here would be good, none able to provide the level of care Jillian could at Arq-Tech. Beatrice needed that level of care and they were still hours away, their only option was to let Lilith rest enough to get Beatrice and Camila back at the very least.

Mother Superion couldn’t see her girls behind her where they were still leaning against the back of her chair. It was the quiet, the lack of Ava’s rambling and terrible jokes and Lilith’s lack of annoyed rebuttal that clued her into their current state of consciousness. The two had become close in a way that surprised pretty much everyone after their tumultuous past. And here they were cuddled up, holding each other unconscious in the back of this van.

A bump in the road jostled the group in the back, the two sister warriors scrambling to hold Beatrice’s board to make sure she didn’t slide anywhere. Kiva whimpered, readjusting his head where it lay on Beatrice’s leg. Lilith startled awake with a spar inhale through her nose, stiffening below the weight of someone resting on her chest. Lilith felt herself relax as she gathered her bearings, looking down to check on Ava, who was undisturbed in her arms. She always did sleep like she was dead.

“How long have I been out?” Her voice raspy as shifts against the back of the driver’s seat sitting up a little further to get more comfortable.

“Thirty minutes or so. How are you feeling?” They needed to get Beatrice to Arq-Tech but Suzanne didn’t want to push her too quickly. The updates she’d been getting from Camila throughout the night and the very short debrief she’d received when she’d finally gotten to them worrying her quite a bit for Lilith and Ava, special abilities or no.

“Is Beatrice stable enough to transport?” She looks to the nameless sister warriors checking over Beatrice, they both nod, trying to offer small smiles despite their otherwise severe expressions. “Mother, is Jillian ready for her?”

“She is.” She nods, knowing Lilith couldn’t see her anyway. She’d spoken to Jillian at length. Passing the phone back to her Warriors in the back for a more technical update. When she got the phone back she was ensured that they would be standing by to administer the care Beatrice needed. Reassured her friend that they were going to do everything they could for the young woman they both cared deeply about.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Lilith shifts sitting up as she cradles the sleeping woman to her chest, careful not to disturb her. She would give her sister as much peace as she could for the time being. “Beatrice needs - why didn’t you wake me?”

“You needed rest. Lilith you were in no condition to teleport yourself let alone you and your sister.” Mother Superion twists in the driver's seat to look in the back of the van as best she could. She’d known Lilith the longest out of all the remaining members of the OCS. They had been close once. As much as she had allowed herself to get to anyone after the Halo had rejected her.

When she first became the Mother Superion she didn’t allow herself to see the women in the order as her daughters. They were hardly her sister’s anymore either. She felt outside of that. She felt like she had to or the shame would kill her. She’d been hard and harsh pushing Lilith to her limits, all of them really, but it had been to protect them. To make them ready. At least that’s what she told herself as she watched as she became colder and colder toward the women she’d once called sisters. She hated it. Hated herself for it. But it felt like all she could do was just watch it happen. Like she was out of control.

Before that, there had been Shannon - who was so young when she’d first joined the order, so much like Beatrice. They had been close and Suzanne had taken her under her wing. Scooped her into her team after she’d finished training. Then she watched as everything changed after that mission. How Shannon grew into the Warrior Nun and was excellent at it, truly excellent. Those in between them weren’t slouches by any means but when Shannon had been accepted by the halo, it stirred pride in her she didn’t know she was capable of still feeling.

Even as she watched Shannon train to accept the halo in case she ever received it, from the second her name had made the list. She watched her build her own team. Her own little family. She’d watched as she got close to the pariah of the convent, the one who didn’t wind up taking vows. She knew there was something there. Had warned Shannon about it in a way that went across… the drop she saw across her face… it left her mouth bitter with regret.

She watched as Shannon took Lilith and her legacy into her team without prompting from anyone above her. Lilith was young too. Young and eager to climb the ladder. Desperate. She was desperate, not eager. Maybe both. But Shannon had taken her in all the same. Giving Lilith a place in a team with her and Mary, helped her be more than just a girl trying to live up to an impossible family legacy. And in that Suzanne had let Lilith grow on her, the scared lonely girl behind the capable woman warrior. That was the same girl she had in the back of this van.

“I’m ready now.” She shifted again, laying Ava down as she made herself ready to move and grab the board. “You should have woken me sooner. I’ll go now. Take her first. Then Camila.”

Ava stirs after the van hits another pothole jerking upright, only prevented from kicking Beatrice’s side by Lilith’s hand quickly reaching out to catch their momentum. “Lilith? Wha- What’s going on?”

“Trying to get your girlfriend back to Arq-Tech.” She mutters as Ava slides back against Mother Superion’s seat shaking the last bits of confusion from her head. Literally. If Lilith wasn’t so preoccupied with the fact that Beatrice has yet to get to medical attention she’d make a joke about it.

She rubbed rough at her eyes trying to blink the sleep from them with a yawn. “Are you good to do that?”

“Ava, I will not fail her. Not again.” The two hold eye contact for several seconds in a wordless conversation. Ava’s eyes darting over Liliths features, watching as the part-demon clenched her jaw, an expression she’d seen several times since her return. Lilith was determined to make up for what she’d done, what she’d allowed herself to become. “I wouldn’t put her in danger.”

“I know. Go. Ki, sits .” The Dutchie pulls his chin from Beatrice’s leg and his paws back from the board sitting slowly. The second he was free from the board Lilith turned her head to look over her shoulder and give Ava a curt nod before she was gone.

Kiva whined looking around the back of the van for his mom, getting to his feet he stumbles as the car turns. Ava catches his body against her soothing a hand through his fur, “Shhh, Ki. Lilith has her.” Ava’s foot nervously tapping against the wall of the van as she pulls him further into her. “Buddy, we gotta get you cleaned up. You’re filthy.” Nevertheless, she tucks her nose into his fur, fisting her hand on his good shoulder.

Ava can’t help but chuckle when he lets out a small offended arou , followed by a huff as he puts his paw on Ava’s shoulder. “Yeah, yeah fine. I guess I am too.”

The air hums with static as pulling her attention, “Talking to dogs now?”

“Dogs and demons apparently.” Yeah, moments ago when Mother Superion had been reminiscing about the bickering… She took it back. How two of her most skilled warriors continued to reduce themselves to squabbling children at any given opportunity baffled her. “Bea?”

“They’re taking her straight to surgery.” Ava tucks her face back into Kiva’s fur letting out a shaky breath, her tears getting caught in that dusty fur. “Mother, I’m ok to take Camila back as well. Would you pull over?”

The van finds the shoulder of the road swiftly but smoothly as Mother Superion pulls to the side. Lilith. She heads to the back opening the rear doors allowing Lilith to jump down from it. Stretching as she walks to the passenger side. She pulls the door open roughly in a hurry but in stark contrast to her actions seconds ago leans over Camila, gently shaking her shoulder with one hand while the other unclips the seatbelt with care. “Camila, Camila, wake up.”

“Huh?” the smaller sister rolls her head against the headrest to look over at Lilith still confused. As she tries to sit up, Lilith finds herself stopping her from doing so as soon as she sees the wince twitch across Camila’s face. “Lil?”

“Hey.” Lilith brushes those curls back from her forehead doing her best to give Camila a welcoming smile. “Hey, I’m going to take you back to Arq-Tech now. Is it ok if I pick you up?”

Her head lolls more into Lilith’s hand as she nods into the part-demon’s palm. “Yeah.”

“Alright.” Lilith sides her arms between the seat and Camila lifting gently. The young nun wraps her arm around the back of Lilith’s neck, as she lets her head drop loosely into Lilith’s shoulder. She lets out a quiet whimper as Lilith shifts her to get a better grip stepping away from the van. “I’m sorry. I know it hurts. Ready, Camila?”

When she feels the nod against her shoulder Lilith takes a deep breath before she disappears leaving Kiva with Ava in the back of the van with mother Superion looking at them from the rear doors. “Ava-” She was cut off by Lilith appearing next to her. Jumping a little at the rapid materialization of her warrior at her side. She didn’t know if she would ever get used to that.

“Ava-” Lilith repeated, needling one leg in the back of the van holding her arms open for Kiva. “Let me take him back.” Both women watch as the Warrior Nun hugs him just a little tighter. Lilith crawled into the van reaching out to wrap gentle fingers around Ava’s forearm. Kiva lifts his head off Ava’s shoulder turning his attention to Lilith pausing to lick at the back of her hand. “Hey sweet boy. Come with me.”

That got Ava lifting her face from Kiva’s shoulder, her arms relaxing around him. “Sweet boy?”

“Shut up.” Ava grinned at that, especially at the blush tinting the skin still visible at the tips of Lilith’s ears. It took every ounce of self restraint Lilith had not to comment on the tears Ava was wiping from her cheeks and how she was wiping with her sleeve at the snot she was trying to sniffle back into her nose. “I’ve got him.” She circles her hands back to herself motioning again for him to come with her. For Ava to let him.

“OK.” Kiva licks Ava’s face as she lets go of him. “Ki, go with Lilith.” He licks at her face again but makes no move toward his friend. “Go. I’m ok.” He huffed again, spraying her with some of the wetness from his nose. 

“Gross, Ki. Come on.” Ava wipes at her face again pushing with her other hand to get him to step toward Lilith. “Go. Please.” Much to Ava’s relief he does follow her instructions and lets Lilth pick him up. Ava slides to the back of the van watching Kiva and Lilith disappear as her feet hit the ground.

“You are a bad liar.” Mother Superion sits next to her in the back of the van. She reaches out to drop a hand to Ava’s thigh giving it a squeeze. “Not even Brother Kiva believed you.” She offered a warm smile as she ducked her head into Ava’s line of sight.

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