#just thought the message was needed considering the. current events

[mspaint-flower]

stay safe

[doumadono]

ANNOUNCEMENT

This is a turning point for me. I've been silent for too long, but I can't stay quiet anymore.

I'm going through writer's burnout, and it has hit me hard. I've been writing on Tumblr and Ao3 for nearly eight years now (with about 1.5 years on my private blog, doumadono). Over that time, I've written more than 400 stories across various fandoms, created the Sinful Sunday event and a series that many people like, helped many with numerous emergency requests — so many that one masterlist wasn't enough to cover them all.

But all of this has brought me to a place where writing no longer feels like a joy, but rather a duty. In my effort to make everyone happy, I lost myself and took on too much, accepting even the most twisted and difficult requests. It made me anxious and unwell whenever I thought about writing. This is why I haven't been posting much these past few weeks. I missed the breaking point and let myself reach a place where I was seriously considering quitting writing altogether and closing both my Tumblr and Ao3 accounts.

There's something else I need to address. I feel completely detached from Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer. I no longer feel comfortable writing for those fandoms. From now on, I'll be focusing mostly on My Hero Academia. Even though the manga recently ended, both the manga and the anime hold a special place in my heart. I’ve fallen in love with the story and its amazing characters. This is what feels right to me at this moment. That doesn't mean I'll never write for Demon Slayer or other fandoms again, but not now, not at this time. Maybe in the future — who knows?

Some of you might know that I've been dealing with a flood of hateful anonymous messages. Even though I’ve grown stronger and no longer consider them relevant, it still hurts to read such nasty words. This is another factor why I need to take a break.

So, what's going to change?

Sinful Sunday will no longer cover requests, and the event won't be as regular as it used to be. From now on, I'll post some sinful pieces specifically written for this event whenever I feel it's right. I'll write only for the characters I feel attached too.

Emergency requests will be limited to two slots and will no longer have a 48-hour window to be fulfilled. Once both slots are taken, emergency requests will be closed until I manage to clear the current asks in my inbox.

As of today, my ask box has been completely cleared. I won't be replying to any past asks, regardless of their origin or topic.

Commissions will remain open, as nearly all the requests have been fulfilled.

Regarding the following projects:

The Kvitravn series will be completed this year, but I can't provide a specific date just yet as I'm still working hard to bring everything together.

There's also a new series on the horizon featuring Dabi in the lead role, with a psychiatrist!Reader as the other main character.

As for Kinktober, I made a hard decision it will not be held as an event on my blog this year at all.

As of now, I want to focus on my own little My Hero Academia based AU that I created with my best friend @crystalwolfblog , and this is something that brings me a lot of comfort nowadays, and it's what I want to focus on. I’ll likely create another blog to post everything related to this AU, to keep things organized (the blog will be linked to my pinned post). This little AU was and is my safe haven for the past year and half, and since it contains all of my favourite characters, I want to focus on it fully.

The time for purification has come. I need to rediscover my purpose and find joy in writing again. To those who understand and have stuck with me since the ThePaperPanda days — you’re amazing and adorable, and I can never express how much I appreciate you, guys 💞

I want to share one last thought. This isn’t a statement, but rather a plea to readers: please respect writers, no matter the content they choose to explore. Writing is not as easy as it may seem; it requires a significant amount of time and effort, often taking up our personal time to craft a story. Don't send anon hate. Spread love instead! The least you can do to show your appreciation is to leave a comment, even if it’s just a word or two. For you, it’s a small gesture that takes less than a minute, but for the writer on the other side, it may be a much-needed sign that their work is meaningful. So if you enjoy an author’s work, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. It truly makes us writers feel like we’re on cloud nine.

Love you all, Marcianna

[actualvinniedakota]

Long ramble about Squid Game Season 3

Took a little nap after binging the shitshow that was Squid Game 3 and I have a lot of thoughts, both positive and negative. Hopefully I can collect them all within this post because oof I have a lot of feelings that are so volatile at the moment, I'll probably end up not agreeing with parts of this post a couple weeks later, but I'm going to do my best to jot my thoughts down. Also apologies for any grammar mistakes, I'm very dyslexic and I just can't catch all of them.

I guess I should start with probably one of my more controversial opinions and say I didn't HATE this ending, and I fully expected a bittersweet ending to this show considering the show's messaging and themes. I think improvements could've been made, but I'm not as unhappy about the ending as others are. I honestly think some fans were really delusional for thinking that there was ever a chance that we would get something even remotely close to the "Gi-hun survives, stops the games, and go sees his daughter" ending. (Something I love in my fanfiction, btw, but it just wouldn't have been appropriate here.) This show has some positive messaging in the second half of the show (community/coming together and rising up against your oppressors/etc) but at the end of the day, this show was a cautionary tale on the system within late-stage capitalism and how said system will continue to oppress and re-adapt whenever an opposing force attempts to overthrow it and disrupt the status quo. I definitely think this downer of an ending was poorly timed, considering current events, but it also made a point about the importance of keeping to your morals, staying good even in the face of hopelessness, and how that can influence the little things in life. I truly don't think In-ho would've done the things he did post-games -- like raise the baby for 6 months before leaving her and her inheritance with Jun-ho (I can't comment on the foster care system in Korea, but I don't think I would've been happy if In-ho put the baby into the system rather than hand her off to someone he trusts to take care of her) and personally going to Ga-yeong to give her the closure she deserved -- if it wasn't for the actions of Seong Gi-hun, the man that reached deep into his cold chest and pulled out his still beating, albeit barely, heart. Gi-hun was truly an influential and amazing protagonist that stayed consistent until the very end, even when it meant sacrificing himself for that fuckass baby. I can't deny that it was very in character for him.

I can't say the same with many other characters, unfortunately, with the biggest crime against humanity being the character assassination of Kang Dae-ho. (if you could even call it that. It felt more like they murdered it in cold blood and left its corpse in a ditch to rot) Within a few minutes, he dropped from my 3rd favorite character to not even in the top 10 anymore. What a terrible way to squander this character's potential when he would've been an amazing commentary on PTSD, how the military preys on young men and appeals to their need for masculine validation just to have them either die for a capitalist's cause or leave them severely mentally and/or physically traumatized and thrown back into a world that doesn't have the resources nor the care to help them. But instead, he was reduced to a manipulative, albeit terrified, kid for the sole reason to lift the protagonist up and deny any possible moral ambiguity, because God forbid Gi-hun hits his absolute rock bottom, fell into his darkness for just a minute after losing EVERYTHING, including his hope in humanity, and enacted unjust revenge on an innocent person just to offload that guilt onto someone. Someone who sought him out to befriend after seeing how he went out of his way to help people in RLGL. The same kid who chose him in Mingle instead of Jung-bae. There was so much they could've done with Dae-ho and they chose the worst possible path with him by making him just like every other desperate, nameless player in the show. I'm also definitely grieving this character as an autistic person who saw himself in Dae-ho. (like, come on, the way he nervously stimmed and social chameleon'd in order to fit in. Like, me too Dae-ho </3)

I have such mixed feelings about In-ho. I'm not surprised or upset about his fate but I can't help but think that it was... lacking. What made In-ho such an interesting character to me was his relationships with his brother and the one person he felt like only he could understand, could relate to. Another thing I loved about him was his trauma and how it transformed him into the person we see in the show, and I feel like this season didn't give either of these aspects of his character any consideration and didn't bother to delve much into them. I was truly expecting an episode to be dedicated to him and his conversation with Gi-hun, their clash of philosophies that was built up for an entire season to finally reach some sort of finality, for them to finally understand each other on a fully vulnerable level that they never would've been with anybody else. When Lee Jung-jae was asked to say one word to describe season 3, he responded with "forgiveness," and now that I've sat through the season, I'm not sure what he meant by that at all, because there was truly never any forgiveness in this season. I'm sad that Gi-hun was never given the grounds to even begin to forgive In-ho on. He didn't even know his name. He didn't know that they shared the same trauma, and perhaps he could've changed the Frontman's fate if he just knew. This is probably just the Inhun shipper in me speaking at this point, but I felt like their confrontation wasn't what I was expecting, and I can't help but feel a little disappointed in it.

And that's not to say I hated that scene entirely. It was extremely interesting! But I just wished they further expanded on it. The way In-ho was trying to desperately hammer in the fact that Gi-hun and the baby were going to die, the players were going to turn on him, and he NEEDED to do something about it, and so he gave him the tool to do so the same way Il-nam did to him. It felt like panic. It didn't feel fair to him, because it didn't feel fair when his fellow players did the same to him too. He was trying to instill the same fear he had in that moment onto Gi-hun by parroting what Il-nam told him. At least, that's my interpretation of the scene. He thought he and Gi-hun were so much alike that he could recreate that emotions, those actions, for the sake of Gi-hun's survival. He cared so deeply for Gi-hun in a fucked up kind of way and I love that so much. I just wish that their interaction didn't end THERE. I wish they talked more first. I wish In-ho tried more to get Gi-hun to understand, and maybe if he did, and Gi-hun saw the Frontman in a new light, that he was a man just as broken as he is and not just an emotionless being in a mask, we could've had a better, satisfying ending. I don't know, just my thoughts on that scene.

And, God, don't even get me started on the Hwang brothers. What a complete waste of potential. It's so frustrating that I can barely put it into words. They had something amazing building up for the first two seasons, and Jun-ho was, once again, a useless character that spent the entire season finding something he never quite reached, almost like the writers forgot he existed and was like "Oh, right, he's supposed to be the brother of the antagonist. Let's have him just find him repeat what he said in season 1 and call it a day." His character never had a conclusion. It wasn't even HIM that figured out that Park was the rat, the LITERAL POLICE DETECTIVE. He did fucking nothing other than being the reason the Coast Guard was called to the island, causing the chain of events that led to the island's explosion. That's it. He was a plot device. He had no true reunion with his brother, no real conversation. He never learned or got the chance to learn why his brother turned out the way he did, the same brother that possibly became a teen dad and raised him since birth. (not confirmed bc, yk, we didn't get ANY flashbacks with them UGH) I can't imagine having a story just sitting on my lap about a character watching helplessly as their loved one slowly rotted away into a husk of what he once was and never truly understanding why, and then disregarding it completely. It's just... man, they had something amazing there and did NOTHING with it.

I'm definitely not the first person to point out the misogyny that seemed to be unintentionally scattered across the show, but I wanted to throw in my 2 cents and express my disappointment in how many of the female characters were treated in this show, as many were treated as plot devices for male characters and killed in some of the most brutal ways. It's extremely ironic to want to write a show and intend to address misogyny and sexual violence towards women, but do nothing else than just the surface level virtue signaling method of... mentioning them. Like, yeah, Nam-gyu called women bitches and intentionally targeted Se-mi because she was a woman, and a few guards assaulted a woman they were harvesting, but nothing of interest was said outside of those events. It felt like shock value for the sake of shock value rather than a real world issue they wanted to address.

Hyun-ju's death was a tragedy, honestly. I loved the girl group so much. I love that they represented raising other women up and standing with your fellow sisters no matter their age, status, or sex assigned at birth because they were all women at the end of the day in a world aimed to pull all of them down. Watching the downfall of that group, starting with the murder of the trans woman, was heartbreaking to me, and so early on in the season too.

I hope this doesn't come off as me complaining about characters I like dying in a show about death games. I accepted Ali's (My favorite SG character before S2) death quickly when I originally watched the first season all the way back in 2021, I fully expected Dae-ho and Hyun-ju to die, and I braced for the possibility Gi-hun would die too. (Although I have less issues with his death compared to other characters I like) I just feel like there's a right way to kill off characters, and most of these deaths just rubbed me the wrong way in ways I tried to explain above. I know many people also have a lot of thoughts on Min-su and Myung-gi, how they were written and killed off, but I just unfortunately don't have much to say about them other than it felt odd that Min-su made it all the way to the final game and I thought Myung-gi was an okay secondary antagonist.

Am I yapping for too long? Should I stop here? Probably, let me know what you think about this season lol

[classicanalyzer]

The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire - Introduction Analysis

"...People so often misunderstand the purpose of historians. They think that we are just here to recount past events. To provide details without analysis. Facts without insight. Data without argument. This is wrong. The role of a historian—my role as a historian—is to try to tell you not just how but why these things happened. To try to make you understand the importance of these past events and what they mean for us today and tomorrow. This study is not just a work of history but of necessity. The galaxy needs to understand exactly what the Galactic Empire was and how it brought us to our latest brush with disaster. I can think of no more important undertaking than this one and no more required moment." (Kin, Beaumont, "Introduction", The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, 35 ABY, page xvii).

The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire is one of the best Star Wars novels I've read. The novel is an in-universe annotated history book written by Beaumont Kin ("Secrets only the Sith knew"), a historian with an interest in the lore of the Jedi and Sith, who reflects on the terrifying origins, reign, and legacy of the Galactic Empire. We also get a brief glimpse of what the post-TROS galaxy looks like but that isn’t the main point.

It is a part of several in-universe reference books being published post-TROS, which is a nice touch.

This study was published on the Holonet a few months post-TROS as Kin is excavating the Sith Temple on Exegol.

Introduction

History is a cycle, we wish to avoid it but it always finds a way to start the wheel again. The cycle certainly reflects the history of Star Wars.

Kin sadly laments that despite the Empire's evils being known and seemingly easy to understand, it seems easy to teach future generations and prevent the cycle from repeating itself, he considers himself a fool for being naive. As history has shown us and Kin, it has a tendency to repeat itself in various forms.

"It seemed to be an easy message to explain something that was now safely behind us. My colleagues and I congratulated ourselves on the ways we'd been able to take the realities of the Empire and convert them into lessons in schools and universities, which would then further ripple across the galaxy. We were so sure that we had created the perfect way of preventing future conflicts and a return to Imperialism. We were fools. I was a fool. As much as we might have wished that the remnants of the Empire could have been left to rot beneath the sands of Jakku, it seems that we could not be free of it so easily." (Kin, Beaumont, "Introduction", The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, 35 ABY, page ix).

One element that is simply merch in real life but in-universe is the source of shock to Kin: Palpatine busts being sold at the Black Spire Outpost, among other Imperial objects. How could the galaxy reach the point that a being who murdered trillions of beings has busts being sold?

Despite the Resistance's and the galaxy's victory at Exegol, Kin can't help but wonder if the celebrations on Endor and Ajan Kloss are very similar. Both generations have celebrated the defeat of the Emperor, won their wars, and are driven to create a better galaxy, in the case of the last generation, including the current one who followed to preserve the hard-won peace, they were not successful.

However, this failure to maintain peace has very understandable origins. The leaders and soldiers of the Rebel Alliance wanted to look towards the sunrise of the New Republic after a brutal and horrifying war against the Galactic Empire. They focused on their desire to move forward with hope and optimism, and for this to never happen again, they were not careful in taking the necessary steps to prevent Imperialism from rising. A failure to understand how the Empire operated, ruled over, and why its personnel committed so many horrific war crimes over and over. It would be a nice thought to think that with the Emperor dead, so would his Empire die with him. And in a way it did, but gave birth to a new form of Empire as the First Order. While the First Order likes to fashion itself differently from the Empire with a new name and outfits, its origins intrinsically tie back to the Empire, which the New Republic and the new generation failed to see. They cannot risk another situation like this happening again.

Stories like The Mandalorian and its spin-offs, Bloodlines, Before the Awakening, Resistance, and the Poe Dameron comic show us how the New Republic fails to recognize the threat of the Imperial Remnants and the First Order, even when they're violating New Republic treaties. Complacency and appeasement became the new policy for the New Republic. They think the threat of the Empire is long behind them, and whoever is left is just simply ill-equipped warlords. They fail to understand why Neo-Imperialism grew as it did and why people want the return of a regime that killed so many sentient beings. It was left to those in the New Republic who saw the emerging threat, the Resistance, and those affected by these Remnants and the FO to act.

While discussing the Jedi and the Sith, Kin acknowledges how, despite his attempts to understand it, he still doesn't know everything about the Force, along with the galaxy not being clear on what the Forse is and if it exists. He then talks about how Palpatine managed to seize control of the entire galaxy as a Sith Lord, Kin made it clear Palpatine's desire for power and control was all him and not by anything else. Palpatine was a man. It is the most terrifying aspect of this Sith Lord. Much more terrifying is how Palpatine wasn't the Empire, he may be the linchpin of the Empire but there were plenty of people who believed in his Empire and maintained it.

There are four parts to the Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire:

Part 1: Rise and Consolidation - Palpatine's rise to power and how the Empire consolidated itself.

Part 2: Expansion and Oppression - The methods of the Empire's dominance across the entire galaxy, the Imperial hierarchy, and the many horrific things (such as prejudice and genocide) the Empire did with that domination.

Part 3: The Galactic Civil War - The war and why the Empire collapsed.

Part 4: Fall and Continuation - The last year of the GCW and, with it, the fall of the Empire. But alas, the Empire continues to survive in its remnants and the rise of its most infamous of these remnants, the First Order. There are also the NR's successes and failures.

Kin went for the BBY/ABY (Before/After the Battle of Yavin) calendar system because the Empire's modus operandi significantly shifted after the destruction of the first Death Star with clear distinctions between pre- and post-Battle of Yavin. He also acknowledges how there are some debates over which dating system is the best among them being set after the Empire formed and the "before" and "after" periods at Endor rather than Yavin. In this, he also points out how the Empire was never at peace, and that the GCW greatly showcased and increased its brutality towards its own people.

While this work isn't the first one to study and analyze the Empire, it is perhaps the most relevant to discuss right now. There are beliefs and understandings of the Empire that are built on flawed information and shaky foundations. Some of what they understand is possibly wrong. Therefore, they must reexamine the Empire again and understand and therefore deconstruct the Empire beyond Palpatine.

"Furthermore, the very reasons for its eventual fall and collapse do not appear to have been adequately researched and analyzed at all. We know why the Rebel Alliance believed they won the war. Do we know why the Empire lost it? Because the Galactic Empire was so misunderstood, it is necessary to begin the process again. That is the point of this study. To deconstruct the entirety of the Galactic Empire beyond just notions of Palpatine himself. To see how it actually worked, the ideas and ideology that drove it, the ways it waged war, and the motivations behind its most awful crimes." (Kin, Beaumont, "Introduction", The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, 35 ABY, pages xv-xvi).

Of course, researching the Empire is not easy. The history of the Empire is spread out across the entire galaxy. With the fall of the NR, there is now access to classified material such as interrogations of Imperial officers. It would've been impossible for Kin to find and compile this while excavating on Exegol. We see the galaxy coming together as researchers and other academics from across the galaxy pitch in to provide sources and information for Kin to scour through. Kin thanks all of them for realizing the importance of this analysis and is sure to acknowledge their work throughout his study. There is also lost information. After all, the Empire loves to burn and destroy the various records of their crimes and how they operate. Other sources are just lost during the fighting. With the excavation of Exegol and access to FO ships, new sources of information have allowed Kin to cross-reference and provide new understandings of the Empire.

He does acknowledge and welcomes the risk of his work becoming outdated and replaced with new studies containing new, undiscovered, and decrypted information. New studies can further elaborate on their understandings and help prevent the rise of Imperialism once again if they can at least find one new area they missed or have the chance to further understand. He points historians aren't just about telling the how but the why things in history occur. The galaxy needs examinations of the Galactic Empire and the history of its reign which allows them to better understand how they narrowly avoided the First Order's brief reign and Final Order's apocalyptic plot.

There is a nice nod to the Battle that Changed the Galaxy and Skywalker: A Family at War reference books as Kin notes how other historians like him are also noticing the need to reexamine history after Exegol, with the latter getting its author namedropped with a Star Wars-like name (the author was Kristin Baver, but in the Star Wars universe, her name is Kitrin Braves). Kin thanks Kitrin for sharing her information on the Skywalker family for him to talk about in Rise and Fall and notes it's been a long time coming for people to know the history of the Skywalkers in Kitrin's book.

The Empire's war crimes and cruelty are beyond horrifying and applied to anyone they come across, their cruelty is not equally felt. The Core Worlds often did not suffer as much as those outside of the Core. While some humans, such as the Alderaanians, have indeed lost everything to the Empire, the Empire's inherent prejudice is frequently focused on non-humans (a term admittedly imperfect and problematic in its own ways but much better one in-universe than the term "alien" which the Empire uses to showcase their racism towards non-humans). The Empire has made no attempt to hide its discontent and hatred for non-humans. Kin acknowledges he is a human, and he has never felt the experience of the Empire's prejudice just for being a non-human. He has tried his best to highlight those species and voices who have been silenced and suffered under the Empire's prejudice and genocides. He understands and apologizes for the criticisms that might come with any shortcomings that he and his studies may provide. Recognizing and analyzing both the sources and himself within this study are necessary parts of this analysis.

As the introduction concludes, we must ponder how despite the victories throughout the saga, we take a look at the horrifying and monstrous regime that is the Empire and its legacy. Our reality is filled with people who continue to follow Fascism and other far right-wing beliefs despite its clear evils, a look into the Galactic Empire is insight to why.

"The survivors of the Battle of Crait have become fond of saying, in moments of sorrow and loss, that ‘no one's ever really gone.’ It seems to bring them solace and I respect that. But I do not feel it. I have immersed myself in the existing records and writings and sources that relate to the Galactic Empire. And all I feel is the absence of lives that it brought. The multitudes who suffered and died. The further into this dark history I have gone the more horrified and haunted I have become. That is why this study now exists and why it is so important that you read it. Others in the Resistance will now lead and shape the galaxy. I cannot do that. I can only try and explain where we have come from. Why we have ended up here. But I need you to come with me. I cannot do this alone." (Kin, Beaumont, "Introduction", The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, 35 ABY, page xix).

[putschki1969]

Hello Sarah,

First of all, thank you for the insight on the matter. I know you are super busy and not in the perfect mood (trust me I'm not doing any better) considering what happened, so I leave it up to you if you want to post this or not as it may be abit too dark of a message.

I know these past couple of days have been disheartening and disappointing, especially when you feel powerless to do something right now other than support the girls.

Part of me was thinking, "Why we the fans don't do something about it?", like signing a petition with a respectful message towards Yuki to reconsider, and for the future FJ/YKL events (since this year has already been decided) to include Keiko (and Hikaru, Wakana if possible) again.

However, I'm also thinking that this may add fuel to the fire and maybe it's something that the girls and Keiko foremost would not want us to do, considering how subtle and professional she was in her statement.

I'm not gonna lie that with all this s...show, makes me worry about Keiko's wellbeing.

Seeing 20 years worth of work thrown out of the window from someone who you have utmost respect and getting the silent treatment from people you have long friendships it's a tough pill to swallow.

Considering what we have seen with other Japanese celebrities over the years, it's a thought that gives me shudders.

Now, we never know what is going on behind the scenes, and I pray that the connections are still there.

Apologies if my message got a bit dark there, but some tend to forget that we're dealing with human beings.

Hopefully, we will have some good news in the near future to turn things around. We really need a breather after all this. For every low, there's a high as they say! 🙏

Hi there!

Thank you for being so considerate. I am in fact having a very hard time right now. Questions are piling up in my inbox and every post inspires a new wave of replies. It's a uphill battle for sure. But don't worry, it's mostly my fault for feeling too overwhelmed and not knowing when to stop🙃. I want to try my best to clarify the situation as best as possible and to answer any open question. I also feel the need to explain myself if things didn't come across properly. Oh well, in short, I am happy to reply to your ask even if it's a tricky topic.

Hmm, yeah, I don't think petitions directed at creators or artists are ever a good idea. I'm actually strictly against them. Even if we hate the current developments, we have ultimately no choice but to respect those decisions or move on to another fandom that brings us more joy. Of course we can be critical and question all the things that are happening but we should always do it in a contained space, in our own little fandom corner, far away from any of the involved parties. With a delicate matter such as this, it would probably cause more harm than good to publicly express our dissatisfaction and make demands. Everything in this feud boils down to keeping your head low, avoiding confrontation, being quiet and not disclosing any valuable information.

And yes, as you say, based on Keiko's comment, she would definitely not want us to do anything drastic that would draw attention to us. and could potentially make Yuki look bad. She has taken this decision in stride so as her fans, we should probably be able to do so as well. It's gonna take a little while longer but that's basically what I'm working towards. Just have to get rid of some of my bitterness.

Keiko is strong, I think we don't have to worry about her. She has stayed true to her word in her last Yodel message and gone back to her regular routine as if nothing happened. Like always, she has been wishing us a good morning with a funny emoji, she has given us glimpses into her work day and made sure to emphasise how much fun she's been having (probably to give us some peace of mind). Yesterday, she apparently had a super fun photo shoot. Many of the photos will be useless because of her cracking up and laughing like crazy [She didn't specify but I think this might have been for a new calendar? I wouldn't know what other things she would do a photo shoot for. Maybe the Undokai festival will have a pamphlet or something? I don't know.] Today was filled with lots of meetings [Once again, no idea what for but I'm kinda hopeful it was Kalafina related since Hikaru's tweet about starting "another task" for the day - implying that she had been doing something else before - came around the same time as Keiko's message on Yodel, saying that she was done with interviews for the day] . She got home pretty late but apparently she had a blast and time went by super quickly. She treated herself to some chocolate and sent an adorable picture. I cannot possibly gatekeep this precious photo so here you go!

For my part, I am confident that none of their connections are severed. It's a rough patch for sure and what is being conveyed to he public seems very harsh. But there's so much more going on behind the scenes. I wish there wouldn't be so many missing puzzle pieces but that's just something we have to live with. Do you remember when everyone believed that the connection with Wakana was lost? None of that was true. And I never believed it to be true. I always had faith and I shall continue to have faith.

Yes, let's stay positive!! Hikaru herself just recently said that life balances itself out, good things will follow for sure.

[allwormdiet]

Arc 1: Gestation, Concluding Thoughts

Two days in the life of Taylor Hebert, with a bonus one night in the life of Danny Hebert. Let's break it down.

Right now, initial feelings are really positive. I like this arc, I get why people are in on this in such a hardcore fashion, like it's making sense to me as I'm reading it. The characterization is really strong, the A to B plot is cool, and the first fight scene was a fucking banger to open up with.

And like, shit, I get why Taylor is throwing herself into cape life, right? Civilian life is already such fucking misery for her, utterly alone and the only person who's theoretically in her corner is sympathetic but just as helpless as she is. Yeah sure, mortal peril, but if she had nothing to do I feel like the bullying would've killed her eventually. Death versus Lung is at least marginally more noble than death by Emma. And isn't that fucking bleak.

Looking ahead a little bit towards Arc 2 and I'm immensely curious how long it'll take Taylor to do cape stuff again. I feel like I'd need a solid month to process the whole "near death experience" thing and then spend time sweating over whether I even put the mask on ever again. Meanwhile I wouldn't be surprised if Taylor went back out in like a week, because she's a hardcore maniac.

It's also very interesting looking at this and considering the exact sequence of events that went through these chapters. If the bullies didn't wreck Taylor's notebook, or if Taylor took a different message away from its destruction, there might be one or more dead Undersiders right now, and to a lesser extent Armsmaster wouldn't both get credit for a major capture and also owe this rookie hero a favor. Both of those things are going to matter a lot, and it's, I dunno, some people would call that contrived but real life is so full of weird coincidence and happenstance I can buy this no problem.

...Honestly now I get why so many AUs that diverge before this point still include the Lung fight and the Undersiders and Armsmaster meetings, like yeah at that point it's contrivance but I'm not going to sweat an author too hard because they don't want to figure out how fucking dramatic the butterfly effect (hah, butterfly) would be on the rest of the story. Like yeah it's contrived, but that's a lot of work they'd have to do otherwise.

That aside, I'm gonna get back on topic and meditate on my current gripes. 1.3 was a legitimate low point in this arc with the description of the Docks and its residents and their circumstances, and the total clusterfuck of the Azn Bad Boys, which. By the by this is the last time I'm going to say the full name of that gang, ABB is shorter and is less embarrassing for everybody involved. Wall-to-wall racism, classism, and an utter lack of sympathy for the lesser-thans. Like we're talking about crack whores in the year of our lord 2011, or, they were written about in 2011 and I'm hollering about it on the internet in 2024. When this kind of thing comes back up (when, not if, I'm not that optimistic) I just hope I can work around it, like eating everything but the bruise on an apple.

To close this out, I'm thinking about the people in Taylor's life. Emma, a former friend turned bully, and her cronies Madison and Sophia. Pretty shallow characterization at this point, just that they're cruel to the point of hospitalizing their victim. Danny Hebert is supportive, but has all the strength of a sponge when it comes to holding up against the pressures that weigh on Taylor, and he knows it but he's not doing anything differently. The Undersiders, criminals who mistake Taylor for a criminal, but identify her correctly as a comrade and potential friend, who realize she was fighting for them and went to fight for her. Armsmaster, who offers her very genuine and very sought-after praise as an authority figure, and then leans on that authority to get what he wants out of a freshly traumatized and exhausted teenager.

Is it any wonder that Taylor takes the path that she does? Would anyone have it in them to be surprised if they could see all of this from a bird's eye view?

I wonder if Armsmaster ever thinks back about this night, lying awake in bed. If he ever wonders what he could or should have done differently, or if he couldn't have done anything to divert course.

I was talking to my girlfriend about something related to this the other night, actually. If it's worse in a tragedy for there to have been a chance to avert it all, or if it's worse for the end to be inevitable. Looking at Taylor, looking at Brockton Bay, looking at Earth Bet? I dunno. If someone had acted early, with knowledge and intention sufficient to actually provide aid, maybe it would've been enough, but hell. Maybe not. I don’t know which possibility is more damning.

...I get melancholy when it's late, but I don't think it'd be right to delete all that; it's how I'm feeling about the novel, and that's what this blog is for, so even if it's a bit dramatic it'd be self-defeating to pretend I didn't say it.

Arc 2... probably starts tomorrow, assuming nothing comes up. Glad to say I'm looking forward to it.

[sympathytea]

i totally didn't forget to give my thoughts + theories about the latest episode hahahahahaha

*COUGH* spoilers for Minecraft but I join the ENEMY of PVP Civilization

Gonna be so real with y'all. I thought the first part (where the whole gang has blindness) was a dream sequence for a good minute, mainly due to how the blindness effect was previously characterized outside of battles, but I guess we're retconning the 'blindness knocks out the characters' part of it and/or Evbo and The Diamond Swords are. Immune to that.

MinuteTech. Love you king, always looking out for our (extremely suicidal) lad. He's definitely the most visibly concerned person in that entire group.

Wemmbu is still acting suspicious but alas. I cannot get a good read on him, guess we're waiting until the finale to REALLY see what he's been plotting.

Or it turns out he was a red herring, which could happen. I wouldn't mind that, funny enough.

Evbo is curiously, more outwardly going the 'I'm irredeemable and I need to be sacrificed' angle and still seems to have a weakness complex. Hopefully he gets that therapy soon (he won't. but we can dream, right)

ClownPierce! God where do I start.

So my prediction about him being the PVP God masquerading as a mortal was incorrect, unfortunately. He and Tabi are some of the oldest players that currently exist, depending on how long ago that genocide by the Sword Civilization was (timelines are so fucking wack in this series to the point IM a little lost on how some have survived for as long as they have)

The fact that him and Evbo are teaming? Highly doubt that will actually go through as planned, I'm betting either Tabi and Evbo betray Clown, or Zam is betraying all three of them first. I highly doubt Zam is willing to completely drop his plan for Clown's.

Very curious on what his plan is, since it revolves around journal machines that he placed everywhere, offscreen I suppose.

Speaking of Tabi...

Man. Girl I'm so sorry that shit happened to you. Her plan is significantly understandable, and riddled with conflict. Shes great, I need to make a post entirely centered around her at some point because the worms.

Zam had. One appearance this episode and seemingly?? Completely fine being around the rest of those tridents. Squiddo is understandable, she just spawned in and definitely doesn't know that he isn't supposed to be allowed in Trident Civilization. But everyone else?? Get that man. Immediately. Bruh.

Love the LifeSteal cameos in general, always a treat to see.

Although if I were to nitpick here...90% sure that is an alternate MinuteTech skin, but I could be wrong? That's the only major issue I have with this episode, its overall pretty alright.

I will say, I don't think 'Genocide against the Bad Civilization™ is A-OKAY!" is gonna be the message of the entire series. Especially considering recent events, that would be EXCEPTIONALLY poor taste on the CC's part. A terrible message for kids, might I add. Which Evbo is primarily pandering to. So no, I don't think that is where the whole series is going.

There are. a lot of loose plot threads that I am not entirely sure are gonna be cleaned up all tidy. Also I have definitely missed a bunch of small stuff relating to this, and the brainfog isn't helping me LMAO

Will 100% appreciate reblogs that want to add more onto this summary, but until then...

See you at the Grand Finale!

[theineffablesociety]

I'd like to plan a Good Omens meetup for Saturday October 19th, 2024. Poll below!

Edit: If you're looking for the Discord link, please message me!

We're currently looking at a hotel in Langhorne, PA that has a good bit of space. Just need to see about availability and cost.

For our immunocompromised and vulnerable fellow fans who plan to attend, we're going to include a masking policy in our event spaces and hallway/foyer outside those rooms. We'll have extras available.

All ages welcome; under 18 must attend with a guardian.

-

Start original message:

The Ineffable Society Meetup is a thought that's brewed in my brain since June 2023 when a bunch of local GO fans chanced to meet for the first time at the King of Prussia PA screening of series 2 episode 1 and 2.

It is time to stop brewing and let others contribute.

Here's my initial thoughts:

I'm willing to organize but not alone. We'll need to work together.

I live near Philadelphia, PA so this is the area I'm willing to do what needs doing primarily in Eastern PA, Central NJ, surrounding areas therein.

I'd want everyone attending to be 18 or older, please. I encourage those 17 and under to organize something together!

Taking suggestions for type of venues to host, think like a family reunion or larger.

I'm not interested in handling money, so would seek at least 2 people to oversee financials if that comes into play. (Finances might be needed to cover renting a space, any printed materials, little swag gifts.)

As mentioned, Saturday October 19th. Because it's close to the Earth's Birthday. :3

Afternoon through evening could be good. Maybe a 3 hour window on the small end; most of the day on the larger end. Will depend on location and on how many helpers step up.

Good Omens related fun: encouraging cosplay, script book readings, discussions, games, swaps. Maybe screening an episode together (there's copyright law to contend with here though). Depending on how much time we have together and space. Simplest plan would be an informal Good Omens afternoon mixer type.

If fewer than 12 people are interested:

We could just meetup at a restaurant that has a function room! (Not super ideal for allergies, as there's probably nowhere that's good for everyone. But does it in a pinch. And would probably not be a big up-front cost. Often there's a small room fee and then the assumption everyone will eat.)

If more than 12 up to 40 people are interested:

We might consider renting some conference rooms at a small hotel. (That does make it easier for people to find accommodations: already there! At a hotel! Downside is this will require chipping in.)

Any more than 40 people and uhhh... We'll figure it out.

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW FROM YOU

There will be more questions to follow, but most important one is below.

Please answer YES if you are:

A Good Omens fan

18 or older

In the Eastern PA to Central NJ area

Or are otherwise willing, able, and interested to go there

For transparency. A little about me:

I'm North (SeedsOfWinter). They/he.

Over the past two and a half decades, I've organized or been a member of organizations that planned meetups, game nights, reunions, and nerd events for friends and strangers alike.

I've been a Good Omens fan since June 2019. I run @rareomens. I am a mod for @ineffableeraszine and @bildadzine. I was a mod for the Our Side Zines, Pin Me Up 2, and many more. I was a founding admin for the LGBTQIA+ Fans of Good Omens groups.

I've been part of convention presentations for Good Omens at The Ineffable Con (virtual) and DragonCon (in-person, Atlanta GA). I love to organize fan photoshoots and meetups.

I know that any attempt at gathering people requires a team to make it happen; and that there's pitfalls and perils to all of it, especially when you're dealing with a bunch of possible strangers meeting for the first time! But the end result (you all getting a chance to connect together as fans) is feeling pretty worth it.

[hayatheauthor]

A Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting a Compelling Storyline

I'll warn you, this is a long one. I kind of took 'comprehensive guide' a little too seriously.

You have a fantastic concept burning at the edges of your imagination, a collection of characters whispering their stories to you, and a world just waiting to be explored. But how do you weave all these elements into a story that grips readers and refuses to let go? The answer lies in effective plot planning.

A well-crafted plot isn't just a sequence of events; it's a carefully orchestrated symphony that takes readers on an unforgettable ride. Whether you're an experienced writer or someone trying to start their first book, here are my personal steps to crafting a compelling storyline with good plot planning. 

Step 1: Idea Generation and Conceptualization

Every great story begins with a spark of inspiration. It's that moment when an idea ignites in your mind and beckons you to explore its potential. The journey from a fleeting thought to a fully-fledged concept is an exhilarating one, and it all starts with idea generation and conceptualization.

Techniques for Idea Generation

Mind Mapping

Grab a piece of paper or use a digital tool to create a mind map. Write your central idea in the middle and branch out with related concepts, characters, themes, and settings. Mind mapping can help you visualize the connections and possibilities within your idea.

Bullet journalling

Bullet journalling is my personal favourite way to generate ideas for your WIP. Get a piece of paper or open a Word/Docs document and create three different sections: world, characters, and plot. Now add facts to each of those sections that you've come up with so far. 

You can even go a step ahead and create more detailed sections, for example, you could do this for your different characters or different places in your world. Usually, one bullet point leads to the next and once you have an idea of everything you've already established you'll naturally start adding more to it. 

Blurting

Talk to someone about your WIP, or pretend that you're talking to someone and write down everything that comes to mind. You can even use AI tools like ChatGPT and ask it to hold a conversation with you about your WIP. Tell it to ask you questions along the way, this will get the wheels turning and even help fill plot holes. 

Prompts and Challenges

Explore writing prompts or challenges to spark your creativity. Websites, books, or even random word generators can provide the nudge you need to generate fresh ideas. 

Refining Your Concept

Once you have a collection of ideas, it's time to refine and shape them into a cohesive concept.

Identify Themes

What themes or messages do you want to convey through your story? Is it a tale of redemption, the power of friendship, or the consequences of ambition? Pinpointing your core themes will guide your storytelling and also give you a clear image of the end goal. 

Find Your Angle

Consider what makes your idea unique. How can you approach a familiar concept from a fresh perspective? For example, if you're doing a classic murder mystery, what makes your book different from others? Take some time to look up titles similar to your WIP and find any repetitive themes/patterns. 

Maybe most murder mysteries end with the partner being the killer, or maybe the fantasy books written in the same mythology as your WIP's all involve a war. Knowing what is currently a popular trend in the market can give you a clear idea of where you can be different from comparable titles. This is especially important for genres like horror and romance. 

Develop a Premise

Your premise is the foundation of your story. It's the "what if?" question that drives your narrative. For instance, "What if an ordinary high school student discovers they have the ability to control time?" You need to have a solid premise before you even think about writing your story. 

Step 2: Character Development and Motivation

Characters are the beating heart of your story, and crafting them with depth and authenticity is key to creating a narrative that truly captivates. Your characters often leave more of a lasting impact on your readers than the plot itself. 

Think of it this way: a good plot will get you readers, but memorable characters will get you fans.  Some of the largest communities in the book space all run on the readers' fondness for certain characters rather than the story itself. Yes, your story and the way you tell it is very important, but nobody wants to listen to the story of a boring person. 

Bringing Characters to Life

Personal Histories

Delve into your characters' pasts. What experiences shaped them into who they are today? A traumatic childhood or a life-changing event can influence their motivations and behaviours. Maybe your antagonist has a soft spot for single parents because their mother was the only person who cared for them. Maybe the love interest seems like a sunshine character because they feel the need to always seem put-together and perfect.  

Physical Traits

This might sound obvious enough, after all a character's appearance is the first thing people think of when visualising, however, many authors fail to have a clear image of their character's physical traits which can lead to inconsistent or boring descriptions. Sure, your protagonist can have bushy hair and brown eyes, but what else? 

Think about their body type, height, fashion sense, the way they carry themselves, walk, and sound. Do they have a random mole at the back of their neck? Do they always smell like a certain perfume because their dead father gifted it to them? It's important for you to have a clear image of who you're writing.

Strengths and Flaws

Just like real people, characters have strengths and weaknesses. These traits affect their decisions and interactions. A courageous hero might also struggle with recklessness, adding complexity to their personality. It's easy to create 2D characters by using tropes or shallow descriptions 'an all-powerful villain' 'the chosen one who trained their whole life and is perfect', but 3D characters are what will actually catch your readers' attention. 

There's a reason why people often love the grey characters, the anti-heroes or anti-villains. Those who have complex personalities that make them seem human. This makes us empathise with the characters, and as a writer, it also helps you think of your characters as real people with flaws and problems. 

Motivations: The Why Behind the What

Goals and Desires

What do your characters want? Their goals drive the plot forward. A detective's desire to solve a mystery or a scientist's quest for a groundbreaking discovery sets the narrative in motion. Why is your protagonist doing what they are doing? 

You could simply give yourself a generic answer like 'they want to save the people' or 'they're a good person' but this can lead to confusion in the long run. If as the writer you yourself can't understand your character's goals it will get very hard to showcase them to your readers. Try to pick apart each character and genuinely consider why they are the way they are. 

Inner Conflicts

Characters often grapple with inner turmoil – the clash between their desires, values, and fears. This inner conflict adds layers of intrigue and reliability. Maybe your protagonist realises the antagonist's qualms with the government are actually valid and suffers from moral conflicts as they contemplate whether or not they are the 'good guy'. Inner conflict adds dimension to your characters which in turn makes it easier for your readers to empathise with them. 

Step 3: Outlining the Key Plot Points

Now that you have a clear idea of what you want to write and who you want to write it with, it's time to consider the how. You have a story, but how do you want to tell it? Break down the key plot points that shape your narrative, creating a roadmap that guides your characters through their trials and triumphs.

The Building Blocks of Plot

The Inciting Incident

The spark that ignites your story. It's the moment when your protagonist's world is disrupted, setting them on a path of change. For example, in "The Hunger Games," Katniss Everdeen's sister being chosen for the Games is the inciting incident that propels her into the arena. 

This can be a little harder to recognise in genres outside of SFF and horror. For a thriller novel, this moment could be the moment your protagonist uncovers a sketchy detail in their relative's death. In romance, it could be the moment your protagonist is introduced to the love interest.  

Turning Points

These are pivotal moments that shift the course of your narrative. They introduce new challenges, reveal secrets, or force characters to make crucial decisions. Think of them as the gears that keep your story machine turning. It's important to have some sort of turning point in your story to keep things interesting. 

Maybe the character your protagonist was suspecting throughout the first half of the book ends up having a solid alibi, or a seemingly innocent character suddenly seems sketchy. 

The Climax

The peak of tension and conflict. It's the moment your characters face their biggest challenge and must make their ultimate choice. In "The Lord of the Rings," the climactic battle at Mount Doom decides the fate of Middle-earth. In a murder mystery, this can be the moment the real killer is unveiled, or in a rom-com, it could be when the love interest moves to a new city to follow the protagonist. 

Falling Action and Resolution

As your story winds down, the falling action ties up loose ends and provides closure. Readers witness the aftermath of the climax, and the characters' arcs find resolution. This is the bit where you make sure you aren't leaving any plot holes behind. Remember that random character your protagonist suspected at the start of the book? What's their alibi, why did they suddenly get out of the picture? 

Structuring Plot Points

Introduction of Stakes

Introduce what your characters stand to gain or lose early on. This creates a sense of urgency that propels them forward. What if your protagonist fails to complete their missions? What if the detective never unveils the killer's identity? What if your protagonist doesn't win over the love interest? Show your readers the worst possible outcome early on so they know why they should be rooting for your protagonist. 

This doesn't necessarily have to be something big or scary. In Harry Potter, many of us wanted Harry to stay at Hogwarts because his life with the Dursleys was cruel and he deserved happiness. That was a small yet significant stake that made the readers empathetic and silently root for Harry. 

Foreshadowing and Setup

Plant seeds of future events throughout your story. Foreshadowing builds anticipation and adds depth, making later plot developments more satisfying. I have written a lot of blogs that either cover or briefly mention foreshadowing so I'm going to keep this point a little short. 

Foreshadowing helps your readers slowly piece everything together and have that 'I knew it!' or 'how did I not see this coming?' moment. It might also encourage them to turn back and reread your work to focus on the little hints you left throughout the book. Foreshadowing is especially important in murder mysteries. 

Step 4: Subplots and Secondary Storylines

Subplots and secondary storylines are the secret ingredients that transform a good story into an unforgettable masterpiece. They add layers of intrigue, provide character development opportunities, and keep readers eagerly turning pages. If you're confused about what is a subplot and how to create one you can visit my previous blog that focuses on this topic. 

The Role of Subplots

Enriching Character Arcs

Subplots allow secondary characters to shine. They can showcase different facets of your characters' personalities, revealing their strengths, weaknesses, growth, and relationships.

Theme Reinforcement

Subplots can explore and reinforce your story's themes from various angles. For instance, a romantic subplot can underscore the theme of love and sacrifice, in turn making your protagonist’s heroic death at the end of the novel seem more impactful. We all know Pepper’s reaction to Tony’s death in End Game made the moment more emotional. 

While creating subplots and considering which one might be relevant to your book you should think of how this subplot would impact your end goal and whether it would help emotionally connect with your readers. 

Parallel Journeys

Subplots can create parallel journeys that mirror or contrast with the main plot. This dynamic adds depth and resonance to your storytelling. Maybe the antagonist’s assistant has a similar backstory to your protagonist but while the protagonist was rescued by the government they were taken in by the antagonist. As the two geniuses face each other your protagonist can’t help but consider whether they would still be fighting for the ‘good’ side had their roles been switched.  

Balancing The Main Plot and Subplots

Interconnectedness

Subplots shouldn't feel disconnected from the main plot. Instead, they should interact and influence each other, creating a harmonious narrative flow. Your subplot could help bring a satisfactory end to a certain arc of your story, or it could sow the roots for the important climactic moment of your book. 

Pacing and Tension

Strategically introduce subplots to maintain pacing and tension. They can provide moments of relief or heightened drama, enhancing the overall reading experience.

Character Integration

Ensure that characters involved in subplots maintain relevance to the main plot. Their actions and decisions should contribute to the overarching story, even as they pursue their own paths. You should also think about whether or not your character is overshadowing the protagonist. In Harry Potter there were several characters such as Ginny, Luna and Neville with subplots and backstories of their own, however, they never overshadowed Harry’s tale. 

Step 5: Crafting Scenes and Sequences

Welcome to the realm where the magic truly comes to life – crafting scenes that resonate, captivate, and propel your story forward. Scenes are the building blocks of your narrative, each one a window into your characters' world and emotions. They help infuse your story with tension, emotion, and unforgettable moments. 

Again, this is a topic I’ve covered separately in another blog so I won’t go into too much detail here. 

Scene Structure and Elements

Objective and Conflict

Every scene should have a purpose – a clear objective that drives the characters. Introduce conflict that challenges their goals and motivations, creating tension that keeps readers engaged.

Emotion and Stakes

Characters' emotions are the heartbeats of scenes. Amplify emotions by highlighting what's at stake for the characters. Whether it's a heated argument or a tender moment, emotions draw readers in.

Sequences: Crafting a Flow

Cause and Effect

Scenes connect through cause and effect. Each scene's outcome sets the stage for the next, creating a seamless flow that propels the narrative. A character's choice in one scene can reverberate and shape subsequent events.

Rising Action

Craft sequences with escalating tension. The stakes should intensify, drawing characters deeper into challenges and dilemmas. This creates a sense of anticipation that keeps readers eagerly turning pages.

Step 6: Mapping the Journey: Creating a Visual Plot Outline

Visualising your plot, characters, and world can be very hard sometimes. Let's be honest, words can only do so much and if you don't have a clear idea of what you want to show your readers you can end up going down a path of 'telling' them everything. This can take away from the point of your story and end up boring your readers. If you find it hard to visualise where you're going with your book, here are some tips that can help. 

Visual Tools for Plot Planning

Timelines and Flowcharts

Create a timeline that outlines the sequence of major events, from inciting incidents to resolution. Flowcharts visually depict the interconnectedness of plot points, making it easy to track the evolution of your story. You can also cut out or add bits depending on how far along you are. This will also help you keep track of what scene/development should be introduced when and why. 

Index Cards or Post-Its

Write down key scenes, plot developments, and character arcs on individual index cards or sticky notes. Arrange and rearrange them on a board or wall to visualize the narrative's flow. You can also do this if you're confused about the climax of your novel by adding different ideas to the post-its and putting them alongside the rest of the book's plot to see what things would look like from a reader's perspective. 

Infusing Creativity

Playlists

Curate a playlist that captures the mood and emotions of your story. Music has the power to transport you to the heart of your narrative, helping you channel the right atmosphere while plotting. You can listen to this playlist every time you sit down to write WIP. With time, this will also help you overcome writer’s block since you can put on this playlist every time you struggle to get into the right writing mindset. 

Moodboards/Pinterest Boards

Create a visual feast by collecting images, aesthetics, and visuals that embody your story's essence. Platforms like Pinterest allow you to craft moodboards that serve as visual touchstones. I would recommend creating a separate pinboard for every character so you can get a clear idea of their vibe and appearance. You can even refer to these every time you're writing about or from the perspective of a new character. 

Step 7: Flexibility and Adaptability

As you embark on your writing journey, remember that stories have a life of their own. Embracing flexibility and adaptability is your compass through uncharted territories.

Allow characters to surprise you, let plots pivot, and themes emerge. Balancing structure with spontaneity ensures a dynamic narrative that resonates deeply. Listen to your characters, explore ethical complexities, and evolve alongside your story.

By staying open to the unexpected, you infuse your writing with authenticity and richness. Your plot outline is a guide, but your characters and themes have the power to shape the course. Embrace the unpredictable, and watch your story flourish beyond your imagination.

I hope this blog on A Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting a Compelling Storyline will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.  

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and publishing tips for authors every Monday and Thursday! And don’t forget to head over to my TikTok and Instagram profiles @hayatheauthor to learn more about my WIP and writing journey! 

[a-personiftranslator]

ok i just spent my entire day watching All of the solarballs episodes so here are my immediate thoughts

astronomically accurate planetspirit whump my FUCKING HEART i don’t even know what to say. i spend the least amount of time on average on planetspirit stuff because except for earth they don’t actually fall under my definition of personifs but ive spent far more time proportionally crying over them than any other kind of -spirit

i find it really interesting that the core message of the series so far seems to be the nature of redemption and responsibility (europa, ganymede, titan, earth, jupiter, saturn, x, probably more i’m forgetting) considering that unlike personifs celestial bodies in actuality still have no agency, but it makes sense because like. everybody’s gravity affects everybody else’s, and so there’s no way to look at anyone individually and decide anything without considering the destabilization it’ll cause. despite everything there’s no choice but to tolerate everybody

i love the… fragility of life-bearing planets. it’s fine for everybody else to take a few asteroid hits and go on extended trips out of orbit but earth can’t be left alone because his axis’ll freak out, he freezes up even before he leaves the goldilocks zone, he NEEDS luna to take his hits for him, etc. and i wonder if this ever frustrates him. the main issue with x taking jupiter’s place was the risk to him. ik this was already explored somewhat during the moon revolution but still

ganymede vs planet x sounds so incredibly random without hours of context lmfao it’s like that one wttt poll asking whether god or alaska would be more likely to fall for an mlm

i’m noticing common memetics among planet fandoms (i am aware currently of solarballs, the earth-chan thing, planethumans, and the milky way/jupitearth fandom) the way country fandoms tend to fixate on certain events (ww2 and specifically poland’s experience, depicted accurately or not). jupiter is always characterized as a calm, protective figure, and earth is always somewhat egotistical, has a complicated relationship with mars, and is unconditionally devoted to their life forms, which is not really considered a strength. everybody else’s depiction is more variable, i’ve never seen the sun be portrayed as so unstable

i think the unpredictability of my interests is one of the reasons i don’t get as much engagement as i’d like lmfao

[homunculovers]

About Unicorns and Venture Bros

Anyways, not me coming up with excruciating parallels between The Unicorn in Captivity and The Last Unicorn, a movie about the beauty and terror of the human condition as lived by an immortal being.

It came out in 1980 too, Rust could've been in college already by then. Tinfoil hats on: what if he scoffed at it as usual, but its message engraved itself into his mind and came back perverted to haunt him as he was getting everything he wanted in that OSI makeshift joycan?

I think a lot about this monologue and how it reflects Rusty's poetry so well:

Molly: No... can it truly be...? Oh! Where have you been? Where have you BEEN? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? Amalthea: I'm here now. Molly: *chuckles* And where were you twenty years ago, ten years ago, when I was new? When I was one of those innocent young maidens you always come to? How dare you...! How dare you come to me now! When I am THIS! Schmendrick: Can you really see her? Do you really know what she is? Molly: If you had been waiting to see a unicorn as long as I have... Schmendrick: She's the last unicorn in the world. Molly: It would be the last unicorn in the world that came to Molly Grue. It's alright. I forgive you.

It is incredible to me to think that Rusty is the last surviving clone, making him a winner at every other clone's expense. It elicits thoughts about suppressed survivor's guilt, but also a delusion of grandeur stemming from the fact he did survive, and he did get to experience life contrarily to all the other Rustys, who only won the Darwin Award. His cloned sons had more in common with the versions of him that died, than with his current self that survived. No wonder he starts connecting with them when the clone safety net is cut: they're finally true similars, survivors. Sharing the human condition of the constant risk of death.

It is only after the event that he welcomes them into his world: Dean into the world of his passions, prog rock and carefree experimentation; Hank into the world of societal expectations and constant disappointment from the people in your life you care so much about. Could be his subtle jealousy of Hank at play, for being born sturdier, with better genes than his, and being explicitly loved by Brock; could be his unspoken empathy for Dean, smaller, leaner, feminine yet already losing his hair, just like him. It's like he knows Hank will go on just fine (and he has Brock), and that Dean needs a little more support, like the one he never really got from Team Venture.

The Eyes Wide Shut reference is easier to understand considering Rusty's character in text, but subtext? I live for it. And there's a lot to unpack.

Like the "tiger" person, ironically threatening to enact violent rape with a strapped on atrocity taken straight outta Se7en in a setting that was, in reality, actually doing just that. Not him feeling guilt about his real sexual orientation and pleasure as a bottom, having to choose the standard feminine beauty, in his fantasy reduced to a whore at his service, to comply to what he believes the Adult Society, represented this time by something else than the familiar guise of his father, expects from him... I could go on forever.

I see the show from the lens of Rusty being heavily closeted, feminine and a proud bottom, trapped by The Wall of internalised homophobia. Because let's be honest Horace the "Gentleman" kinda completely failed as supportive ally.

[bricreative]

Thoughts on Life is Strange: Double Exposure so far (SPOILERS) because I think about this stupid series way too much

I have a lot of thoughts and feelings. Some of it’s good, but I’m mostly just sad and disappointed about the whole thing. I’ll try to keep it just about the game, but I also want to talk about the build up, how the marketing (so far) has mislead fans about certain choices and characters, how fans have been teetering on harassment to the devs, and what I’m hoping for in the chapters 3-5.

I'm sure there are others out there who can articulate these points better than I can and I'll probably repeat said points, but if you want to see a rare ramble from me, here are my thoughts, either in full paragraphs or bullet points ->

EDIT: Leaks are already coming out so half the shit I say in this probably doesn’t even matter 🙃

Early access has been out for more than a week now and I was only able to finish parts of it until I had to go on vacation. Parts of the story were spoiled for me before I got around to finishing the second chapter. So any “ twist” or revelation that did occur wasn’t as exciting as it could’ve been. And that’s mostly on me because I never really feel the need to block words/tags to avoid spoilers, unless I actually cared about said story.

And well, as much as I try to give Deck Nine some grace, the outlook for this game wasn't looking great to begin with…

Like the fucking break up with Max and Chloe?? While it wasn't a total shocker, the marketing has been leading towards that, it still left me heartbroken that this is how it's playing out. I was trying to be hopeful (delusional) that maybe they were going to do the long distance route. I thought that just made the most sense. I thought that’s why they were only releasing the first two chapters.

(I also know it was to get people to buy the ultimate edition, I know, I know)

I can see a route where taking some time apart could make sense given the overwhelming guilt, pain, trauma they obviously faced. But the way Chloe is currently written just feels so ooc? I don’t think she would’ve thrown so much shit Max’s way, especially about her rewind powers. I would think given it's been 10 years after the events of Arcadia Bay, she would trust Max completely. It’s also crazy considering Deck 9 made a whole ass prequel game revolving around Chloe?? And made a cute DLC with Max and Chloe as kids. It’s just baffling me how they’re treating her character.

I wonder what the reason was for not including Chloe more into the story. Did Square not want her in it at all? Did they even attempt to try and bring Ashley Burch back? I figured, they probably couldn’t get her to reprise the role full time, so maybe they opted her for a part time role, or a meaningful cameo. Are they hiding Chloe because they only have Rhianna and they’re afraid of disappointment/ backlash? 

And now we have lines from the original game redubbed by her, so it’s looking more and more like that’s the case. It’ll be Rhianna...

And look, I don’t hate her or her performance in Before the Storm, I’m just not crazy about it. She has some powerful scenes in it for sure, but I do think it is the weakest game of the series. At the end of the day, Ashley will always be Chloe, and she has the best chemistry/dynamic with Hannah Telle.

It doesn’t help that we barely know what happened in between the events of LIS and DE. It’s crazy to me that the writers didn’t even bother to put simple dates on text messages, some journal entries, etc. They have in the previous games, why not now? Are they hiding something or was it just an oversight or lack of care? And don’t get me started on the artwork in this journal....

It’s not bad but it's SO not Max’s style. It’s so cartoony? She’s writing less and less. What would’ve been cool to see is a portfolio of all of her previous work so far. She would’ve had SO much from traveling the country? Such a missed opportunity. AND an actual photo mode, hello?? What we have right now is kinda lackluster

I don't like that this series is becoming a glorified dating sim.The romances that did work in the past were built off of genuine connection and chemistry? They just jump right into this one?? 

While I actually do like Amanda, I can see them working in a BAY route only

Max would not go for a guy like Vinh in any timeline. Holy fuck, he’s so gross

It's just so obvious they had to shoehorn his romance route last minute

At this point, i'm agreeing with the argument that Max is a lesbian rather than a bisexual (even though I love the pattern that all lis protags are bi)

Or better yet, we don't have to go the romance route at all

I know all fandoms are annoying but the way certain fans have been acting towards the official accounts/ developers has been frustrating to witness?? I'm not saying you can't be critical, especially when it's on your own personal posts/accounts, but it's getting to the point where y'all are harassing them for every little fucking thing. I don't know, I just don’t have the energy to pester or harass accounts this fucking much. Don’t yall have better things to do? There are bigger things going on in the world

Focus all of that energy into creating art, writing, etc.

Remember that these characters are made up, it is a game

There’s a difference between thoughtfully criticizing and just plain bashing people

While I do think it’s frustrating, I can kinda understand why Square/D9 decided to be cagey about Chloe’s appearance. They’re walking a thin tightrope right now

There have been issues revolving around leaks even before the official announcement of the game came out AND there are leaks going around as we speak

They went the Last of Us II marketing route and essentially tricked people, yes. It sucks, it’s frustrating, I get wanting to build hype, any press is good press I guess

Maybe Chloe will have a bigger role in the later chapters? I’m more than prepared to eat my words but I’d rather maintain a little bit of hope here

I also think it's important to point out the things that I do like, at least to keep me sane:

The performances, especially from the first chapter, are pretty strong! Particularly from Safi, Max, Amanda, and Moses. Like that performance capture technology doesn't get talked about enough! The level of detail, the expressions, it’s incredible! You don't even see that in AAA games sometimes!

I do love that D9 brings in talent from outside the gaming industry, really makes the performances feel well rounded. True Colors did this very well, especially with Erika Mori

The doppelgänger power that’s being hinted at is SO cool imo. Every time I think that there aren’t any other worthwhile powers they can bring into this world, they surprise me. I’m interested to see where they’ll take it

Maybe they’ll do something fucky with Bay/Bae route. It’s hinted that timelines are overlapping. Maybe something crazy will happen.

What if we encounter multiple Max's (again) maybe another Chloe, were already jumping between timelines

Maybe they’ll bring Rachel back, maybe the doppelgänger ruined Max and Chloe’s relationship. We don’t know!

And look, I love this series. That much is obvious. The brain rot has always been there. I can joke and jest that this new story makes me sad and depressed, (even my playlist that I made is hitting different knowing that they broke up Max and Chloe,) but at the end of the day it's a GAME

I feel like I need to reiterate this for people but the game is still not fully out yet! I, at least, want to reserve some judgment before I fully decide how I feel about the game. Maybe they’ll surprise us, maybe Chloe will show up in the later chapters, maybe there will be a positive twist.

If it doesn’t turn out that way then that’s fine too! There are other games and comics and books to fall back on. There is so much more to this series than just Max and Chloe. I wish more people would realize that and give the other games a real chance

[gikabizine]

QNA time!

The forms are closed, and there's been a total of 82 responses! Woo! Thank you so much everyone <3 (Also, psst, mods applications open tomorrow, for those interested hehe)

Though of course, you also left a lot of questions which we shall answer below!

All of these answers are being written by @somethinginworl

Why do you want to make the zine in the first place? Since the Kirby gijinka fandom is rather small and some people are either too shy to share their designs or haven’t considered even making it, I thought making a nice cozy event would be the perfect opportunity to bring the fandom together and even inspire new people to make them!

I know I said "first come first served here but like. Why can't we just. Draw whichever gijinkas we want. Just curious

Firstly, we do want to push people into making new gijinkas, or artworks of characters people usually don’t consider! Secondly, if that were the case then the zine would just be 50% Magolor. With all due respect I don’t find it exciting and I’d rather have more variety.

Will there be limited slots? Or as more people join more characters added for gijinkas.

If you’re talking about slots of the zine itself, we’ve decided 35 participants is good. If you’re talking about character slots, we do have characters planned to put in a list so people can pick, but if someone wants to pick a character that is outside of the list provided we’ll allow it to as long as it’s from Kirby.

Is this whole thing basically like a newspaper?

It’s more akin to, well, a magazine. Each page consists of one artwork/photo/illustration.

Will only certain people get certain characters?

No.

Is there a problem if you’re under 16? Does this make you unable to participate? || I was just curious since I am 16 years of age, would I need to be older to participate?

The team believes working with folks over 16 will make the event run smoothly and be more active :) So yes, you need to be 17 and over to participate.

I wonder if the anime counts in this, but if not that's fine too || Does Gijinkas of like places count? Like i have a Fountain of Dreams Gijinka and I’m like really obsessed with her, but not sure if she would count or not

We’ll count anything that is within Kirby canon, including anime and places.

After the survey time, will you send us a message?

The survey doesn’t collect emails or usernames, so no.

Would quilting or plushy making count and would that fall under arts and crafts?

Yes!

has the timeline of the zine been figured out yet? are there limited spaces?

It has! Take a look

Mod Applications

9 Nov - 16 Nov

Mod App results send

by 20 Nov

Contributor Applications

1 Feb - 15 Feb

Contributor App results send 23 Feb - 28

Contributor Confirmation Deadline

4 March

Check-in 1 15 May

Check-in 3 15 August

Final submissions 1 June

Layout & Format Revisions June 2024

Zine ready for download July 2025

and yes, it is 35 applicants.

When do we know if we're picked or not ? So I don't bring on confusion like last time

Not sure what you mean by last time, but we’ll email you if you got in or not.

Will the event need a portfolio?

Yes, we stated it in the carrd FAQ

en que idiomas se presentara? hablo español y no entendi muchas preguntas

Inglés, tenemos dos mods que hablan español (Mod Capn y Mod Michi) pero lo haremos en inglés, si tienes alguna duda nos puedes preguntar de todas formas.

Would cosplay be an acceptable medium for the zine? If so, that may affect some of my choices haha but my current answers are for 2D art ATM!

Yes! You will need to send cosplays you have designed, and since it’ll be rainbow themed you have to have some photography experience, but we’ll be far less strict on the case of cosplays. Please look at the schedule to see if you can make a cosplay in the amount of time given.

Will everyone have one character to draw or can you draw two characters together?

The character you will be assigned is supposed to be the main character within your illustration, but feel free to include any other character as long as it doesn’t take the focus away from the main.

-

And that's all folks! If you've got anymore questions, feel free to shoot us an ask! Have a nice day!

[anghraine]

Yesterday was my parents' anniversary, which is also our anniversary as a family because my father adopted tiny me as part of Events, so it's generally a day with a lot going on etc etc. I did call to wish them a happy anniversary and congratulate my dad on his 30-mumblemumbleth year of Daughter Acquisition (:P), though I don't really have the respiratory strength to talk over the phone too long.

But the rest of the day was cool, too. I had a good time with J and Kh telling me about their trip, and J and I talked about many Star Trek concepts before I watched him play Fallen Order (which always gets the creative side of my thoughts ticking in a Lucyverse direction), and we went out to dinner.

But between everything, I realized when I woke up just before midnight that I hadn't gotten any writing done, so I scrambled over to my computer and amused myself with a bit of the Captain Uhura + Dr. Kirk brotp fic of self-indulgence:

When Captain Uhura was (theoretically) off-duty, she tried not to pester her crew members from the Alpha shift, also theoretically off-duty. But now and then, catching up on reading reports, writing and dictating her own, deciding how seriously to take the latest messages from Starfleet, considering the best operational approaches for their current exploratory and scientific goals—sometimes she did need to check some detail or other with Mr. Spock, as chief science officer. He didn’t seem to mind this; if anything, she suspected that he found his singular usefulness gratifying in some obscure Vulcan way. It was in the second month that she started encountering Dr. Kirk in her perambulations through the science labs in search of Mr. Spock. Kirk, of course, also had an office in the bowels of the labs and oversaw the four dedicated in some form to various social sciences, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise. And she had gotten along well with him from their first encounter mutually ogling the Enterprise, so it also wasn't strange that they promptly fell into conversation when their paths crossed.

“I just came by to ask Mr. Spock about some details for my reports to Starfleet,” she said, with a long-suffering look. 

Kirk’s mouth twitched. “I don’t envy you that part of your responsibilities, ma’am. But we’re going the same way, then.”

Uhura raised her brows as he shortened his steps to match hers.

“I had thought you were on the Alpha shift as well. Aren’t you off duty?”

“Yes,” he said. “Spock and I have an ongoing chess tournament. I’m defending the honor of Earth, you know. A very important hobby.”

“Oh, absolutely critical!” she said. “Well, I’ll try not to keep him too long, but it’s nothing you can’t hear. You’re welcome to join us while you wait.”

“Thank you,” he said, and fell more smoothly into step beside her. “I do prefer to get my information right from the source.”

Reasonable enough.

“Chess against Mr. Spock, though?” Uhura added. “That must be quite the challenge.”

“Not really,” he said carelessly as they passed through the third life sciences lab, veering around an alarmingly lifelike model of a particularly large and lethal creature they’d discovered a few systems back. It had struck her as rather like a cross between a particularly malevolent tiger and a grizzly bear, but with much larger, more venomous fangs than either. Her nylons had not survived their escape as Spock delayed to get final tricorder readings.

Uhura glanced back at Kirk, who looked slightly guilty.

“Ah—I didn’t put that quite right, captain,” he told her. “Of course, Spock is incredibly brilliant, and flawlessly systematic. No doubt he’d trash me at traditional chess.”

“How many tournaments has he won?” she asked.

“Oh, none,” said Kirk, smiling again. The smile was too good-natured for arrogance, but to Uhura’s private amusement, certainly assured. “He’s good at three-dimensional, don’t get me wrong. He wins about a game in four, and he’d know in a moment if I took pity on him and ever let him win. I’m not sure our friendship would recover, honestly.”

Uhura laughed. “Good for him.”

[waytooinvested]

Forgotten, Not Forgiven - Chapter 25

This and previous chapters are also on AO3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘Ten minutes Ms Luthor.’

Lena acknowledged the warning with a nod, and skimmed through her note cards one more time before heading to wait by the stage door, Jess following at her heels.

It was the final event on their tour schedule before they flew back to National City tomorrow morning, and it was a big one. Representatives from just about every newspaper and media station in the state and beyond would be there, ready to spread the word about the emissions converter far beyond the realms of tech and business executives to (hopefully) inspire the hearts and minds of the public on a global scale.

It was understandable therefore that when her phone rang with six and a half minutes to go until she was due to step out onto that stage, she didn’t pay it much attention.

Lena got dozens of phone calls most days, and while the majority of them were important matters demanding the attention of L-Corp’s CEO, very few were anything that couldn’t wait a couple of hours, especially during a major press event. Still, just to be safe she had given her phone to Jess and asked her to answer and triage anything that came through, and give her any urgent messages. There were only two numbers that she had told Jess to hand over to her directly, and the owners of both knew her itinerary for the week and would never dream of calling her right now unless there was a serious emergency, so it was safe enough to ignore-

‘Ms Luthor, I’m sorry but it’s one of your priority numbers. What would you like me to do?’

Lena’s attention snapped to Jess, and she held out her hand for the phone.

Alex.

Oh well, she had probably just got her times mixed up, and thought that the press event was just ending, rather than just starting. She glanced at the time – still six minutes to go before she was due on stage, she could make this quick.

‘Alex, this isn’t really a good time, can I call you back in a couple of hours?’

‘Lena…’

Alex’s voice sounded strange. Choked up and shaky, and nothing like her usual self. Adrenaline surged through Lena’s system and she clutched her phone, her mind instantly leaping to worst case scenarios.

‘What is it?’

‘It’s Kara.’

Lena closed her eyes.

Of course it was Kara.

‘She got picked up by our ambulance diversion alert about half an hour ago, and now she’s in the med bay. She’s stable, but…’

Alex broke off with another small, strangled sound, and Lena’s stomach twisted.

‘What happened to her?’

‘I don’t know. She was unconscious when they brought her in, and she hasn’t woken up yet. Apparently someone found her in an alley looking pretty badly beaten up and called 911, but no one saw what actually happened. Lena... can you come?’

Lena glanced over at the stage door and the assembled stakeholders, journalists and investors she knew were waiting beyond it, then turned her back on them all.

‘I’m still out of town, but I can be there within a couple of hours. Less if you can arrange clearance for my helicopter to land directly on the DEO helipad.’

‘Consider it done. I’ll have someone waiting to meet you there.’

‘See you soon.’

Lena terminated the call.

She allowed herself precisely four seconds to feel the wave of emotions the news had brought on:

Shock.

Terror.

Grief.

Fury.

Then on the fifth second she put them aside, and turned her focus entirely on what she needed to do next.

‘Jess, we’re going to have to cancel. I have to leave.’

Her assistant gaped at her, shaking her head in disbelief.

‘Cancel? Ms Luthor, we can’t. You’re due on stage in four minutes. Everyone’s here, everyone’s waiting. If we cancel now the whole launch will be impacted – there’s been so much build up, and we won’t be able to reschedule, not with the same reach we have now.’

Lena wanted to scream that she didn’t care, because the woman she loved was currently unconscious and if things took a turn for the worst and she wasn’t there, she would never forgive herself. But she knew that Jess was right. Cancelling now would put a black mark on L-Corp’s reputation that would be hard to overcome, and would doubtless irreparably damage several important client relationships. She couldn’t cancel.

But she couldn’t stay either.

‘Okay… okay, you’re right. So... what if you did the speech?’

‘Me?? But I’m not a scientist, I’m just your assistant, I can’t do it!’ Jess protested.

‘I know. I’m sorry to put this on you, and I wouldn’t if there was any other option, but there isn’t time to get anyone else here and brief them. You’ve been practising this speech with me for days, you know it as well as I do by this point, and you’d have the notes. There are some expected questions and answers on the back, but if anyone asks something you don’t know the answer to just explain you’re here filling in due to an unavoidable emergency and don’t know all the details, but that we will gather any questions and answer them in a press release within the week. And of course you’ll have Raj and Amanda to do the actual product demonstration so you won’t be alone up there.’

‘But what would I tell everyone when they ask why you’re not here?’

‘Tell them I have a burst appendix and had to go to hospital.’

Jess’s eyes widened in alarm, looking her up and down as if wondering whether she should be dialing 911.

‘DO you have a burst appendix?’

‘No. But I promise you this is as much of an emergency as if I did, and it’s easier to explain.’

Jess swallowed hard, looking pale beneath her layer of foundation.

‘Ms Luthor I want to help you but I’m really not sure I can do this…’

Lena put her hands on her assistant’s shoulders and looked into her eyes, trying to steady the desperate tremble in her hands to convey rock-solid confidence in her proposed plan.

‘Okay. Jess, I know I’m asking a lot of you and this is not in your job description. If you really don’t feel you can do the speech then that’s fine, I’ll just cancel and take the hit on the launch. But if you can do this for me, you will get a twenty thousand dollar bonus before the week is up, a ten percent ongoing pay rise, and my undying gratitude.’

It was a lavish promise, but likely only a fraction of the amount it could cost L-Corp if she cancelled the whole event, and right now money was the last thing Lena cared about.

Jess bit her lip, then Lena felt her shoulders straighten under her hands, resolve stiffening her spine.

‘… So I guess I’m making a speech.’

She let out a breath.

‘Thank you Jess. Seriously, thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Okay, I have to go.’

‘Good luck Ms Luthor.’

‘People who have done me favours this huge call me Lena.’

Jess smiled faintly at her and nodded.

‘Good luck… Lena.’

‘Good luck to you too Jess.’

And then she ran.

The journey in the helicopter was agonising, but at least she knew that with every wumph of the rotor she was getting closer to National City and the DEO. For once she didn’t even think about the possibility of crashing. All she thought about was Kara, and what the hell had happened to her to leave her beaten and unconscious in an alley.

Whoever had done this she hoped it had been worth it for them, because Lena was going to track them down, and if Kara didn’t come out of this one hundred percent recovered she was going to kill them. Slowly.

She was about 30 minutes out when she got a text from Alex:

Alex: She’s awake

Relief swept through her, and Lena read the short text five or six more times to convince herself that it was really real and she wasn’t just seeing what she hoped to see. She wanted to grill Alex for more details of exactly how Kara was and what had happened to her, but she clenched her hands into fists to quell the urge to type out her string of questions.

If Kara had only just woken up she would need some time before they started interrogating her, and Alex would want to focus on her sister right now.

Lena would get her turn.

Still, she kept her fists clenched tightly for the remainder of the journey against the temptation, so that by the time she arrived she had tiny, crescent shaped gouges across each palm.

As soon as they touched down she was out and running again, the agent who had been sent to meet her barely keeping up as she dashed past him to the elevator. Now she was so close she found every second of delay unbearable.

The interminable time it seemed to take for the elevator door to close.

The slow descent through the layers of the DEO building that made her want to dash out and take the stairs instead, even though she knew logically that standing still in an elevator would get her to the med bay faster than her own legs could.

But she wasn’t moving, and that left too much space for her to imagine what would be waiting for her when she finally arrived.

Kara, beaten and bruised and barely conscious.

Kara vomiting blood onto her sheets from internal injuries that her body would never normally have been capable of sustaining.

Kara relapsing from a brain bleed and seizing, or slipping into a coma.

Kara broken and in pain and…

At long last the doors opened and Lena burst into the med bay at a run, to find-

Kara, sitting propped up against several pillows, one leg in plaster, a bandaged wrist, and a large white dressing pad on her forehead. Her face was scraped and a little swollen, but she seemed fully alert, and the worst of Lena’s worst case scenarios unravelled and evaporated as she moved swiftly to her bed side.

‘Kara! Oh thank god. Kara.’

It was all she could manage as she drank Kara in, reassuring herself once and for all that she was alive, and alert, and showing no immediately obvious adverse affects from being knocked out.

‘Lena, hey! You came to see me! You didn’t have to do that, aren’t you meant to be giving a big speech right now?’

‘Never mind my speech. Are you alright? Kara, what happened? Did someone do this to you? Who do I need to kill.’

Kara chuckled, clearly not taking the question as seriously as Lena had meant it.

‘No, no I’m fine honestly. Nobody did anything to me, I just-’

She glanced up at Lena and bit her lip, then winced when her teeth met the split, swollen skin there.

‘Ouch! I keep forgetting about that.’

‘Kara, you just what?’

‘I just… fell.’

‘You fell.’

‘Yep!’

‘Down the stairs?’

‘Not exactly…’

Kara wriggled awkwardly against her pillows, as if she thought she might be able to hide from Lena’s stern gaze if she burrowed down deep enough.

‘You’re not allowed to be mad at me when I’m hurt, okay? Alex already gave me the lecture.’

Lena absolutely did not agree to that. She folded her arms and used her very best do-not-mess-with-me tone.

‘Kara Danvers, what did you do? Did you try abseiling by yourself? You promised you would wait until we’d done the safety research!’

‘I wasn’t abseiling!’

‘Really?’

‘Really really.’

But Kara didn’t quite meet her gaze, and Lena’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

‘So what were you doing?’

‘I just… well, I happened to see this video of a guy doing parkour on Youtube, and I thought it looked really fun. I just wanted to try it, it was going really well and I was so sure I could make the jump between those two buildings. It wasn’t even that big of a gap!’

‘You- are you seriously telling me that you got hurt because you literally jumped off a roof. For fun. Without any kind of harness. I’m not missing a subtlety here.’

‘Um… maybe a little bit?’

Lena sat down on the hard plastic chair at the bedside, her legs suddenly unable to support her own weight any longer, and took hold of Kara’s uninjured hand. How was it that she had made Kara promise not to abseil on her own, only for her to do something even more dangerous by essentially doing the same thing but without the rope?

‘Kara. Please. For the sake of my blood pressure, please promise me, no more extreme sports that don’t involve a proper safety harness and a qualified instructor.’

Kara grimaced.

‘Parkour’s not really extreme extreme.’

‘KARA.’

‘Okaaaay. It’s not like I’ll be up to jumping off any buildings for while anyway – it’s going to be weeks before the plaster comes off. I’m going to lose my mind.’

Lena relaxed a little at the promise, and allowed her expression to soften from stern to sympathetic, though she still couldn’t quite take in the fact that the beating she had been so sure had happened all the way here was actually entirely self inflicted.

‘Good. It’s going to take at least that long for me to recover from the shock of you almost dying because you “saw a guy do it on Youtube”. You almost gave me a heart attack.’

‘I’m sorry…’

The apology sounded so genuinely woebegone that Lena didn’t have the heart to stay angry with Kara, despite the fact that she richly deserved it (she jumped off a roof. For fun). She sighed, and stroked a consoling thumb across the back of her hand.

‘You won’t lose your mind. You might be stuck in one place for a while, but I’m sure we can find other ways to keep you entertained while you’re recovering. I’ll help you.’

Kara brightened instantly.

‘Does that mean you’ll do karaoke with me?’

‘What? No!’

‘Pleease? We can do a duet. It would make me feel better.’

She was giving Lena a full on puppy dog eyes look now, complete with as much of a pout as she could manage with a swollen lip and gravel-grazed cheek, and even though adrenaline was still coursing through her system and she absolutely shouldn’t be this easily won over after the shock Kara had given her, Lena couldn’t help laughing.

‘I know exactly what you’re doing, and yet somehow it still works. I will think about it.’

Kara grinned.

‘Yay! Oh this is going to be so much fun.’

‘I didn’t say yes!’

‘Yes you did.’

And, well, she wasn’t wrong. It looked like Lena was going to be taking part in karaoke night.

She could practically feel the entire Luthor line turning in their graves.

‘Okay, okay, you have exacted all the promises from me that you’re getting for right now. What do you feel like doing next? I think I still have a pack of cards in my purse if you want to play a game, or I could probably find a laptop we can borrow to watch netflix. Or do you need to sleep? Are you hungry?’

‘A game sounds nice. And if you’re offering I could go for some jello. That’s what people always eat in hospital shows, and being here is making me crave it even if this isn’t a proper hospital.’

‘Alright, I’ll be right back.’

Lena touched her lips briefly to the uncovered part of Kara’s forehead in a quick kiss that she hoped might just about pass for platonic, then slipped out the room to find Alex waiting for her in the hallway.

Her friend looked pale and haggard, as if she had been awake for two days straight, even though it had only been a few hours at most since Kara had been hurt. She looked almost worse than Kara did, and about how Lena herself felt.

‘She told you what happened?’ Alex asked.

‘Yes. I can’t believe she did that.’

‘It’s a bad sign, isn’t it?’

Lena glanced back at the closed med bay door and beckoned Alex away down the corridor. Kara might have lost access to her super hearing, but she still had sharp ears, and there was no point taking chances. Even once they were well out of range of any possibility of being overheard, she kept her voice low.

‘It’s not good. Without powers it’s sheer luck that a fall like that didn’t kill her, and even that wasn’t enough to overcome the fear barrier and let her fly. If she can’t break through it even to save her own life, I’m not sure she will for anything.’

All the time they had been working together to get Kara’s Supergirl memories back Lena had never seen Alex break down, but now tears spilled down her cheeks and she let out a shaky sob.

‘Fuck.’

Physical affection between them was mostly limited to the odd shoulder squeeze interspersed with minor acts of violence, but at the sight of her tears Lena pulled Alex into a tight hug without a second thought.

‘Hey, it’s okay! Kara’s going to be fine, and we’ll work this out. Lex may be a devious shit, but you and I can beat him, I know we can. We just need to find a way to give Kara more help to face her fears than we have been so far. We can do this Alex.’

Alex hugged her back, hard, and allowed herself a few hearty sobs against Lena’s blazer before straightening up and wiping her eyes.

‘You’re right, we are a kick ass team. I’m really glad you’re here Lena, I don’t know how I’d get through this without you. Whatever happens, you belong here now, you know? You always will. Even after all this is over.’

Lena felt a warm glow at Alex’s words, and hoped that she was right. She wanted to belong with them. But she wiped her own eyes quickly, and tried to stay practical – it was what they both needed right now.

‘So I’ve been thinking about what’s going to happen when Kara’s ready to leave the med bay. With a sprained wrist and a broken leg, she’s not going to be able to manage by herself for a while.’

‘Oh, yeah, well I figured I’d go and stay at her place for a bit. We’ll drive each other nuts, but it’ll be fine. We lived together as teenagers without killing each other.’

‘Yes, that’s one option. Or… Kara could come and stay with me.’

‘Wait, seriously? Don’t you think that might be too much for you given… you know…’

Alex made a vague gesture that Lena knew was somehow meant to encompass her unspoken feelings for Kara, Project Atlantis, their complicated history, and the more recent hiccup over William and his investigation.

‘...everything?’

‘I can handle it. Besides, it makes the most sense. Kara’s apartment has all those stairs, she’d be practically trapped in her own home once she made it up there, and yours only has one bed, plus there’s Kelly to think of. I have a private elevator to the penthouse and a spare bedroom, and anyway, my job allows much more flexibility to work from home than yours does, so I can be there with her 24/7 until she’s well enough to start doing some things for herself.’

‘I… yeah. Yeah, if Kara’s on board that does sound like a good solution. Thanks Lena.’

‘Of course. Now, next problem: do you have any idea where I could get hold of some jello around here?’

[aliferous-ly]

Fire

You don't actually care about these people. You're in it for the rage.

Fero had a temper. It was something they knew and wrestled with. Mostly it showcased when she'd been grounded for too long, stuck in some same-area away from their personal, hidden nest. They needed to explore, to run to the highest mountain peaks and overlook the world. To vanish into the wilderness where nobody could find them.

They didn't like their temper, particularly. It got in the way of things. They already struggled with making friends, because of her flighty need to disappear for months at a time. Or because she was just a terrible friend, he wasn't quite sure. Besides, nobody needed him to white knight for them. That was annoying, and people could take care of themselves.

So, whenever he got mad, he'd bury himself in the snow and hope to burn it out. Sometimes it worked.

Sometimes, he ran out of snow.

You don't know them. They'd been talking to Quill for what, a week? Two? Shit, they had colleagues they'd known for longer. And they didn't much care if said colleagues stranded themselves on a solo world with a warden. Or maybe he'd get all up in arms anyway, because he was a foolish little bird who stuck his nose where it didn't belong.

And she was angry. She was furious. For a person to be locked tight and unable to fly free was a crime. For a caretaker to latch the cage shut and offer companionship only to snatch it away at the first hint of flame was cowardly. Gods, Fero couldn't put to words how mad they were.

But it made them a frayed nerve. They didn't like this Fero. They were frustrated, mean, and unfriendly, but what did it matter, because it isn't like you actually care about them, right?

How could she? What sort of idiot grasped at the first scraps of companionship shown to her? She ground her teeth and stared at the stars, unsuccessfully trying to ignore the click-clacking of skeletons and incessant moaning of zombies. The monsters circled her nest, built safely in the trees, and she rolled her eyes.

He'd always been hot-headed. Move first, think later. For some reason the messages reminded him of fear, that same fear of being chained up and locked out. He knew he had to tread carefully lest the connection snap in two. And the others were all so kind (except for that stars character, they were downright strange), and emotions were connected to each newly-seen name.

They hadn't met them before. Except… Pix was a delightful yellow burst. Kiwi was sea green of newly discovered joy. The others were all connected because of the strangeness.

What sort of idiot grasped at the first scraps of companionship shown to her? But Kiwi did the same thing. Fero liked Kiwi, though inexplicably, as he'd never met her. How could Fero be cruel to themselves over an act so admired in another?

I'm really fucked up, Fero thought, not for the first time. He ran his thumb over his cracked comm, considering the volatile message he'd sent several minutes prior. She tried not to regret, because regret was wasted time that could be spent on much cooler things, but perhaps she'd acted a bit… hastily.

I do care about them.

The fear was swiftly returning. She might have ruined the whole thing. Not just for her, but for everyone, and just because of her own stupid anger.

Tread carefully, little bird. You wouldn't want your wings clipped.

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

bit of a view into fero's head for the current... events happening in @for-quill-with-love . Having such drastic memory loss over someone (or multiple someones) they clearly have emotions for is screwing with their head . he remembers kiwi the most, mostly because they'd helped him first.

anyway check out the blog because it's so fun interacting and creating a character from it!! much drama. much love. peace