#maybe this is my cozy fantasy origin story

[amphiptere]

what are everyone’s ranking order for the narnia books. as a kid mine was 5-7-3-4-6-1-2, or something like that, with each number denoting the chronological order. now I have come to my senses about the seventh and I’m midway through a grown-up reread but I think it’ll be something like 5-3-6-1-4-2-7.

[tryslora]

Disability in fiction

This was a tough post to write. 

I saw a post about disability rep, and I kept thinking about it, and wanted to share my own takes on the topic. 

I thought about it for days, trying to figure out how to word it. Then after drafting it, I stuck it in a file for a couple of weeks, trying to decide if I could even post it. This is not a topic that can be boiled down to a simple yes/no kind of answer.

Let’s start with two examples.

1 - I have a short story I started writing (it wants to grow up to be longer, so it’s waiting for time) where my original concept was to write about an older woman who is short and has major chronic pain, and I wanted to dig into fantasy reasons why this pain exists, but at the same time, have her be able to kick ass despite being exhausted and dealing with excruciatingly painful issues.

2 - I once drafted a portal fantasy storyline wherein a young man was transported into a fantasy world, and when he was given a horse to ride, he approached it very warily. He was encouraged to mount, did so, and sat there and exclaimed in shock, “My brain isn’t exploding with snot!” because his allergies hadn’t come with him into the body he had in the fantasy world.

Both stories were designed to be fun, a bit light, maybe even cozy.

So.

In one case, the disabled character remains disabled and kicks ass anyway. And in the other case, the character is magically “healed” and no longer has debilitating allergies that had wrecked his way of life.

This is the difficult part to express: I think both storylines are valid.

Bear with me while I dig into this.

First and foremost: I completely agree that we need more representation in all forms of fiction, especially when it comes to disabled people being able to live their lives. Characters with missing limbs, or non-neurotypical brains, or anxiety & depression, or hearing issues, or sight problems, or chronic pain, or… or… you get the idea. We need all of it, and we need it to not need to be magically healed in order for a story to be considered happy and cozy. Disabled people can be happy, too.

I’m all in for this, and I wouldn’t write the stories I do if I weren’t.

However, there are also moments where I am so exhausted by my body and by everything I deal with inside of it where I do wish for that magical ability to forget that my pain exists. Or for the ability to actually process information in a straight line, or make decisions without writing a hundred lists and accomplishing nothing from them. Or to be able to lie down in a field of grass without regretting it for days while I drip snot and fight sinus-pain-induced migraines.

Sometimes I want to imagine that my life is different.

And that is one of the joys of writing. I can choose to write a story where people like me or the people I know are the heroes/heroines exactly as they are, different abilities and all. Or I can choose to write a story where the problems magically resolve.

Both can be cozy, sweet, and adorable. I can give the character with chronic pain the ability to kick ass, take names, and have a sweet reunion with her ex-girlfriend. I can show all the ways that my disabilities may define how I handle my life differently than someone else, but do not define what I can and cannot do.

But I can also daydream about a life where it’s different, the same way I can daydream about having wings, or being able to teleport. For me, imagining a day with no pain is the same as a day where I can walk through walls. It is absolutely a fantasy, and about as likely to happen.

Here’s the thing: It’s okay to be angry to see what looks like disability being erased. It’s okay to wonder why the author did that, why they magically healed someone instead of letting them be who they were. But at the same time, maybe ask why, and what point of view it’s coming from. Or look a little deeper into the story and how the resolution occurs, and the effect it does have on the character (I suspect that were I to suddenly have a day of no pain, I’d be intensely reckless, given what an idiot I am while IN pain, y’know? And WOW would I regret that later…).

And for authors, think about what you’re writing. WHY is this particular event (keeping disability, erasing it, whichever or both) happening, because the reader will take note of it. They may see things that weren’t intended, but are there as unintentional biases.

Make conscious decisions for why things happen.

Someday I want to get back to both of those examples from the start of this post; I still like both concepts. But I’ll be writing them for very different reasons, and both will be healing my soul in different ways. Different kinds of daydreams. And again, I think that’s valid, too.

[writing-frenzy]

Isekai with the Kurosaki fam; now with some UraIchi spice

So, my brain has been dumping even more ideas for a fandom I can't write for, so I guess I'll dump all the ideas on the ground and sees what happens; also, partly inspired because of DevinePhoenix's Glass Body, Steal Wings and slightly be Cannon Ichigo in AU series by Williamcipher, especially the third of the series, because ye.

Anyways, so for me, I can never imagine Ichigo would part from his sisters and Goat-face easily, even in a normal au, because it's Ichigo's family, his friends, his lost, his life experiences that makes him who he is as a person; if he died and then transferred, a part of me wonders if he would ever try and get back home somehow. So my brain went-

Brain: hey, how about we have a thing that makes the entire family get into an accident :D

Brain: And, like, maybe a day before or when Ichigo was younger, he ended up saving a godly being's most beloved person, so the god is like; hey, I owe you, I'll reincarnate your family into my world; thing is, the world the god has is maybe connected in a way to an anime/webnovel/comic one of the girls or Ichigo's friends were reading, and Ichigo knows it because he was convinced to watch/read it as bonding.

It's a world of magic and fantasy, where words and names have power and things go bump in the night ever so easily. Ichigo and his Family find themselves in a cozy little hideaway, all confused but happy and relieved to be alive and with each other. Isshin in this au will be an awkward, not the best father but he loves and he tries, and he just wants the best for all of his children. (He is the unsarcastic B+ parent, because with all the shit in this au coming, Ichigo deserves this).

Isshin in their original world is descended from a sword wielding samurai family, and he's had the forms and everything beaten into him since he was young, and the reason why he never taught Ichigo was because he didn't know how to be a gentle teacher and he never wanted to hurt his boy. (it's why he's always given his children freedom and choice of what they want.) And coming into this new world, this new place, everyone can feel a change in their bodies, can feel power in their veins even if they don't know what to do with it. See, Ichigo's mom had a little something funky with her blood but didn't know it and Isshin is actually a human with spiritual powers but with their original world it never came out, and with the God giving them a boost/perks, everyone is learning how to control themselves first and foremost.

It's after a bit of convincing and Isshin making Ichigo promise to tell him if he's going too hard that he starts teaching him the family style, along with others in scrolls with phantom teachers to guide them along. It is rough, it is harsh, but it's Ichigo so he pushes on through and becomes better for it. (The two do agree to see if they can find better teachers for the girls though, as Karin wouldn't suit this style even if she would be good with a sword, and Yuzu seems like she would be better with magic then a blade.)

The family of four spends like three years here, learning all they can, devouring every book and all they can remember of the OG!Story of this place before they all have exhausted all the sources and knowledge of the cottage, can no longer progress in their skills as they have been, and had enough cabin fever to drive any sane person down the river. But they're not stupid, so first things first, Isshin scouting at first, then with his son, before him and Ichigo take turns exploring and scouting the area because they don't like leaving the twins alone. But as they're getting a lay of the land and comparing maps and such to reality, even getting a feel for their new magic gadgets and all, they come across monsters and such here and there Once Isshin is sure that Ichigo can handle himself, its only then they spilt so one can stay with the girls while the other explores for a few days, even if Ichigo is only allowed to do it for two days to his father's week.

After that, packing everything they need into magic bags and hammer space, the family takes one last look to their home of all these years, bows in thanks before they are off. It's not long till they join a trade caravan, Isshin trading his skills as a doctor to do so. They travel around for a bit, before in the end, they settle down in a bustling, safe city that never fell in the story, even if the story's protagonist and gang lives here with all their wacky and troubling hijinxs.

So, now that backstory and such is out of the way, let's get to some of the fun stuff. :3

Ichigo does not realize just how strong he actually is; see, in this world of magic and stuff, swords are... technically considered obsolete; of sure, in the story there is a Magic Swordman who is part of the Protagonist's party, but even there they mostly use the sword as fancy focus then to actually fight with it. But with the way Ichigo was trained, as well as both his and his father's lack of common sense for this world, for them it is as easy to cut down a monster as it is to cut down spells themselves. Neither Ichigo or Isshin understand how insane that is, because once a spell is out, you usually have to dodge it or hope it hits someone else if you can't counterspell it.

The Kurosaki's also avoid the Protag and his crew; lets not get involved in your drama, please and thank you (lol, just had the thought of how protective Isshin and Ichigo would get if the story was with a Harem Protag; both would be protective as heck over the twins because with either reverse or regular harem, girls usually get the shit end of the stick). Ichigo is just fine how he is, even if he keeps getting into fights because of random assholes, his charm flowing out and getting his own loyal friends without his knowing. Karin is way too interested in magical sports to care not to mention her age while Yuzu is getting fascinated by potions, alchemy, and cooking to care.

One day, after Ichigo has been feeding some tidbits to some strays, he finds what seems to be a tea and candy shop, with books to read. it doesn't have much business, being out of the way like it is, but there is the occasional regular coming out. Ichigo shrugs, he has time and so he enters this Urahara Shoten.

Somehow, someway, he ends up making friends with Geta-boshi, who as frustrating as he is, recommends good books and a listening ear. Things lead to one things, stuff happens, and Ichigo finds out this guy also has sword.

Sparring partner acquired, though it takes some convincing, a bit of bribing, but Ichigo is able to get the other to agree; he gets his ass beat easily, but Urahara is a harsh, but good teacher, and so Ichigo just thrives in the challenge.

As for Urahara, this guy is so fucking terrifying, just like in canon, how he is assassin sharp and quick with his blade even as he can spellcast at the same time, just watching Ichigo cut through his spells to meet his blade.

Kisuke: this is the most fun I've had in ages :D I wonder what else he can do if I don't tell him what's impossible.

These two end up getting involved in some harsh canon event disasters, Ichigo fighting with Kisuke, knowing the other man won't let him down. Kisuke, having someone he can trust lead the way, knowing, having faith the other can survive alongside him...

Just, these two bonding, getting closer, Ichigo introducing his sisters and Goat-Face who is giving that weird stare.

(On Isshin's part, he recognizes what's going on, and for all that he is not going to be a hypocrite, is not going to kick this Urahara guy as hard as he can and hide Ichigo away, he suddenly... completely understands Misaki's family's cold and hard stares as he had gotten, watching how the elder blond stares at his 20 year old son like he is sun, like he can't believe there is any light in his life again after being shadowed so long. He's pretty sure that is the same stare he had given Misaki as well, just as how Ichigo looks softer, warmer, happier the minute that Urahara guy stays by his side, just how his mother would melt around him despite her expression never changing.

So, Isshin won't say anything, especially since he can tell neither has a clue... but he will be doing the protective, embarrassing Father as much as he wants.)

So yeah, this is the idea :3 I also have another idea with a Mob Protagonist!Ichigo, where he comes to be a character never even mentioned in a story, and ends up charming local shop owner Urahara Kisuke, who is secretly the terrible, scary Puppet Master Benihime without knowing it. maybe I'll note it out when I feel like it, though if people want, they can ask questions about it.

[essenceofarda]

question: I've had some original stories in mind that I'm planning on either making into a webcomic/webtoon, or writing them as prose in novel format. They wouldn't exactly all be aged at YA, probably more like New Adult... my only concern is that most of the ones I would write in novel/prose format wouldn't be too explicit or too, too spicy. Romance, for sure, maybe a touch of spice, but nothing like Acotar lol.

My question is: Am I ruining my chances at publishing these one day or finding an audience if they're New Adult but NOT explicitly spicy? A lot of them fit into the Queer romance fantasy and/or Cozy Fantasy categories...

I'm just wondering if it's necessary to add explicit sex scenes to new adult books in order to appeal to that audience, or if there's an audience for low to no spice queer romance fantasy books 😅🤔

[msviolacea]

Okay, I've been sitting on these thoughts for a couple of weeks, and I've been reading one of my favorite genre writing books today in preparation for a potential project, and they flashed to the surface again. And I just can't resist anymore, sorry.

I saw a post a bit ago that seemed to angrily indicate that telling writers that they need a plot summary/logline/advertising text that goes beyond a list of tropes was somehow ... ableist? discriminatory against marginalized writers? some kind of elitist bullshit? I don't know, but I could hear the whizzing air of a point sailing over someone's head as I read it and it irritated me.

So, okay, let's go over why I think that's a load of crap.

You have a book or a fic or a story of some sort. When I ask you what it's about, you tell me "bisexuals in space, enemies to lovers!" If we're talking about a fanfic, okay, that's probably enough information to tell me if I want to read it - because I know the fandom, and therefore I have a pretty good idea of what else the story is going to entail. But if you're trying to sell me on your original story? I'm sure there are some people who would still jump on it, but I am really not one of them, and I venture to guess many, many other people are the same way.

Why? Here's a sampling of what your trope phrases do and do not tell me.

Okay, there are bisexual characters. And the fact that you reference enemies to lovers makes me think that we're talking about a romance. But that's not guaranteed! Is the story about the bisexuals falling in love? Is it a space adventure in which people incidentally fall in love? Does it not involve love or sex at all, just a bisexual character in a totally different story who happens to have sex with an enemy in a side plot?

Seriously, how does bisexuality or enemies or lovers factor into your plot?

If you're basing your advertising of your story on sexuality, what kind of society are you writing about? Is this a fun fantasy space setting where there's no discrimination based on who you want (or don't want) to have sex with? Or is this story going to include discrimination that parallels real-world problems? Those are two vastly different moods I have to be in to read a thing.

Overall, even if this is a romance, what's the sub-genre you're going with? Space opera? If it is, is it a ridiculous Jupiter Ascending world or a more gritty Expanse-style world? Is it hard sci-fi leaning? Is it actually a murder mystery set on a space station? Is it an action thriller set on a giant starship? Is it a cozy character study? Something totally different?

What do your characters want? A story in which your MC wants to become monarch of their homeworld is very different than one in which your MC is a smuggler trying to get out of legal trouble, and both are very different from an MC who is devoted to revenge against the person who killed their family.

What tone is your story? Again, if you're using tropes to advertise, my guess is it's somewhat lighthearted. But that's not guaranteed at all.

These are just the things I could think of in like 5 minutes. And maybe you don't care about any of these things, and you're happy to have an audience just of people who can read any kind of story any time as long as there are bisexuals in space. That's great! You found your audience! Have fun!

... but I'm betting that audience is very small, relatively speaking. And that you wouldn't be complaining about it if you didn't want a wider audience.

And implying that a reader or readers asking for something more than a list of tropes is somehow discriminatory against you, whatever marginalization you happen to have? That's insulting nonsense. Writing a story summary - be it for an Amazon page, the back of a book, the summary box on AO3, your website, whatever - is a skill that can be learned by anyone who can write a story long enough to require one. It's a different skill than writing the story, don't get me wrong, but it's a skill you can learn regardless.

By all means, put the tropes there too! Have them at the top or bottom of your summary! Put them on your website! I know romance authors who have search functions on their websites where you can filter by tropes! Those are great, but those authors also know that an individual story summary is also necessary! I can filter and say "I want to read hurt/comfort" but then I need to know what the fuck the story is about. Fanfic can be just about hurt/comfort and get its audience - BECAUSE people know the base fandom. Original fiction, not so much.

Anyway. That stuck under my skin, and now it's out. Hooray.

[ninja-muse]

As you can maybe tell by the three reviews I posted in July, it was a good reading month! Overall, at least. I still had a couple “this was fine” and one DNF, but there were a lot of hits and I read more books than I have the last few months.

So, highlights: The Hollow Places was fantastic, as was Bookshops and Bonedust but for very different reasons. If you’re worried that Baldree won’t be able to repeat the magic of Legends and Lattes, stop now. It was pure cozy delight. March’s End didn’t get a review simply because I already had three coming, but it was also very good. It examines family dynamics and the realities of a portal fantasy world in a very complex, adult way. The characters are believable if not necessarily likeable, the world-building is great, the writing is strong… all the things.

But between March’s End, The Hexologists, and The Hollow Places, I needed a lot of lighter books to balance, as you can probably tell by the rest of my list. I enjoyed pretty much everything! I’m just sorry I didn’t like the Sanderson more but I guess that’s a sign he isn’t an author for me since I didn’t like the last book of his I read either. I’m also a bit sorry I couldn’t get into The Atlas Six because so many people love it, but I dropped it in a Little Free Library and it got snapped up almost instantly so hopefully it’s found a better home.

So that was my unhaul of the month! I … did not do well with my book haul, or perhaps I did too well with it. The Odyssey and Thud were both damaged books that came in at work and I couldn’t say no. Thud has some wear to the cover; the Odyssey has some uncut and weirdly bound pages I’ll need to slice open. (Have I read and do I own other editions of both? Absolutely.) Love in the Time of Serial Killers was an unexpected rebound—I originally got it as a reading copy and passed it on to a coworker, who sent it back when she’d finished.

And then, well. There’s a new bookshop opening in my metro area. They’ve taken over from a used bookstore and have to sell off its stock before they can properly move in their own. I had to go help out, right? I couldn’t find anything in their SFF section I wanted but still left with three books: Gaudy Night, Evelina, and a collection of Molière. I went with friends, the same day we saw Barbie. ’Twas a very good day, all around.

And last but not least, I have started on one of those long, dense reads that will last ages. I’ve had Music from the Earliest Notations to the Sixteenth Century on my shelf for years and made it a goal to finally start it this year, since it’s totally up my alley but also huge and academic. There was a point in July where I didn’t want epic stories, light stories, or narrative non-fiction, so I figured that was as good a time to start it as any. I’ll probably read a section or two a month, whenever a similar mood hits.

And now without further ado, in order of enjoyment…

The Hollow Places - T. Kingfisher

Kara moves into her uncle’s museum of weird after her divorce, only to discover another universe behind a wall.

9/10

🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (gay), disabled secondary character

warning: body horror

Bookshops and Bonedust - Travis Baldree

Viv is recuperating from an injury in a sleepy town, where she finds a struggling bookshop, new friends, and a mystery. Out in November.

9/10

🏳️‍🌈 main character (sapphic), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (sapphic)

March’s End - Daniel Polansky

The Harrows have been tasked for generations with protecting a fantastical other world, but now the family is fracturing and that could endanger everything.

8/10

major 🏳️‍🌈 character (lesbian), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (sapphic), African-American secondary character

warning: toxic family dynamics, commentary on colonialism

Imogen, Obviously - Becky Albertalli

Imogen puts the A in Ally and that’s fine. Then she visits her best friend in college and meets a girl….

8/10

🏳️‍🌈 main character (bisexual), main character with anxiety, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (nonbinary, pan, lesbian, bisexual), Jewish secondary character, Brazilian-American secondary characters, secondary character with ADHD, Japanese secondary character, Black secondary character, 🏳️‍🌈 author, #ownvoices

warning: biphobia, discourse

The Hexologists - Josiah Bancroft

The Wilbys get more than they bargained for when they’re hired to find a lost royal heir and stop the king from baking himself into a cake. Out in September.

7.5/10

possibly biracial main character

The Bookbinder - Pip Williams

When World War I pushes Peggy out of her routine, she’s forced to choose: a life binding the books of the Oxford Press or a life studying them?

8/10

major autistic secondary character, disabled secondary character

warning: war, injuries

The Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel - KJ Charles

Rufus is the new Earl of Oxney, saddled with a crumbling estate and a bitter family. Desperate for a good secretary, he hires Luke—who has a hidden agenda which doesn’t involve tupping the boss. And yet. Out in September.

7/10

🏳️‍🌈 main characters (demisexual-gay, gay), main character with dyslexia, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (gay), minor Black British character

warning: toxic family dynamics, abuse

Weird Rules to Follow - Kim Spencer

Mia starts to notice that she and her best friend are living very different lives, with very different expectations from the adults around them.

7/10

Ts’msyen protagonist, Mexican-Canadian secondary characters, Ts’msyen secondary characters, Gitxsan secondary character, Ts’msyen author, #ownvoices, 🇨🇦

warning: racism, alcohol abuse

A Man and His Cat, Vol. 3 - Umi Sakurai with Taylor Engel (translator)

Kanda begins to deal with his emotional baggage, with the help of his cat and a fellow teacher.

7/10

Japanese cast, Japanese author, #ownvoices

Bookshop Cinderella - Laura Lee Guhrke

Evie is quite content as a spinster with a bookshop. Duke Maximilian has wagered he can make her the diamond of the season. This is a strictly platonic alliance, of course.

6/10

The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England - Brandon Sanderson

An amnesiac man wakes up in a country that may or may not be Anglo-Saxon England with an exploded guidebook. Good thing he has ~*~Mystical~*~ ~*~Powers~*~™.

6.5/10

Persian secondary character, Chinese-American secondary character

Picture Books

The Skull - Jon Klassen

Otilla finds a large house in the woods inhabited by a talking skull, so she helps him in return for shelter.

🇨🇦

DNF

The Atlas Six - Olivie Blake

Six ambitious magicians compete for a coveted place at the Library of Alexandria.

🏳️‍🌈 main characters (multisexual); Black-British, Cuban, Japanese, and Persian main characters; Filipino-American author

Currently reading:

Kill Show - Daniel Sweren-Becker

A teen goes missing after running back to her school bus for a bag. Forget podcasts: time for the reality show! Out in October.

warning: missing child, murder

The Wager - David Grann

A secret mission in the Age of Sail. A shipwreck and a mutiny. The perils of the sea—and your fellow man.

Music from the Earliest Notations to the Sixteenth Century - Richard Taruskin A history of early written European music, in its social and political contexts.

Stats

Monthly total: 11+1 Yearly total: 75/140 Queer books: 4 Authors of colour: 2 Books by women: 7 Authors outside the binary: 0 Canadian authors: 1 Off the TBR shelves: 1 Books hauled: 6 ARCs acquired: 4 ARCs unhauled: 6 DNFs: 1

January February March April May June

[rl-cole]

writeblr intro 🌹

i'm rose!! ~ it's been a slow and scary process to remember as an adult what i already knew as a child: that all roads will lead me back to writing. nothing else has ever lit me up the same, and trying to ignore that only ever made me miserable. most of my blog will be writing resources and reflections, thoroughly tagged.

i just wanna write and talk about writing. i wanna make stuff. i want to know myself well enough to build a practice that lasts a lifetime. i want to learn everything all over again.

and i wanna talk to other writers!! i want more people to write with and write alongside. i want to find a small community of creators who know that itch.

about my stuff:

i mostly write original children's fiction spanning from middle grade to YA;

i wholeheartedly believe in the power of fanfic as a place to grow creatively and experiment freely;

i love cozy fantasy, coming-of-age, and character-driven stories;

right now, i write for an audience of my past self and my future children;

i make art once in a blue, usually just to immerse in my own stories;

i probably will not share my drafts, but i probably will share my art and my thoughts as i rediscover the process of creating long-form fiction, and maybe a poem here and there;

my poetry may delve into adult topics;

everything i make is gay

i sometimes host animal crossing write-ins, and i also have a youtube channel where i talk about process that you can find in my linktree. :)

current project:

MAGDOLL genre: YA, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance An orphaned witch goes in search of magical aid after accidentally turning her baby sister into a cloth doll.

[mariequitecontrary]

When will we get the extended version of MultiversePals.com?

Oh wow thanks so much for reaching out to ask! 🥰

I’ll use this chance to give a short answer and a long answer.

Short Answer: Probably next year.

Long Answer: MultiversePenPals.com/ExtendedEdition (whoof what a long title lol) is currently in my personal writing schedule to keep my fic priorities in check~ how fast I get through the schedule completely depends on life obviously. The biggest variable being if the words are wording and the creativity is creating. I’m currently also teaching myself to draw! Which is eating into my writing time smh.

So like yeah! Here is what you can expect to see from me in the foreseeable future:

Marie’s Fic Schedule*

Two Monthly Prompt One Shots

I’ve got two short (about 1k words) one shots I’m determined to do! August’s (I’m late I know) is a fantasy AU Slipstream/Windblade while October’s is a ghostly Starscream/Soundwave (maybe…)

Femmes are Fatal Ch 3

The last chapter in my rewrite of the first few scenes of the 2007 TF Movie, focusing on Mikaela. This is halfway written and is already so long T.T I’m struggling on where to stop it since this rewrite is not meant to be the whole movie…

Revenge of the Warrior Goddess Ch 3

The last chapter in my rewrite of the first few scenes of Revenge of the Fallen, also focusing on Mikaela.

(Both of the above fics may be picked back up to have the full movies rewritten AFTER the current set of fic goals is completed)

A Spark’s Rhythm

The first few chapters need to be rewritten to be more compelling/flow better now that I’ve improved my writing skills a bit.

Ch 18 is halfway written and I’ve got a personal deadline for this chapter that may be bumping it up the list if I don’t get the words wording…

After ch 18, I’d like to get myself back on the roll of writing regularly for this fic in addition to any other fic projects.

MultiversePenPals.com/ExtendedEdition

Once the above goals are completed, then we’re back on the MultiversePenPals! My plan is to reread it, take notes with some fresh eyes, compare it to my old notes…then getting started on it :)

The Extended Edition will be in chapters, but I won’t be posting any of it until it is COMPLETELY written. I don’t want to have it out there as a wip when the original is already completed and everyone knows half of the story already 😅

2025 Big Bang

At the same time as the MultiversePenPals Extended Edition, I will be getting a head start on the 2025 Big Bang! It’s gonna be another big one so I want to work ahead. Currently deciding between an epic One Thousand and One Nights origin story with Thundercracker/Predaking or a cozy Sunny/Sides Stardew Valley AU…

Secret Solenoid Fic

Technically this fic is not last in the schedule. It will be gotten done on time to be given to my…uh…target lol. But I don’t know what the prompt is yet and how much I intend to write for it so I don’t know where it needs to be on the schedule right now :3

*Schedule is subject to be put aside whenever random plot bunnies possess me and whatever else distracts this ADHD filled brain of mine.

[beefromanoff]

Going Under Ch. 28

summary: the team joins Bucky and Gianna in New York for Thanksgiving as a family <3

characters: Bucky Barnes x OC

soundtrack: Real Love Baby - Father John Misty

warnings: fluff, pop star fantasy x love story, set in an AU where the Avengers reunite after Civil War, pre-infinity war, slight angst, hurt/comfort, lonely reader/OC.

author’s note: special holiday episode! Happy (late) Thanksgiving! guys listen...I had a whole plan for this story to have some drama and angst and a twist and now everyone is saying it's their happy little fluffy escapist story and I can't make myself do the original storyline! so I just keep writing fluff and happiness! let me know if you want me to stick to the happy stuff or go back to my original plan. thanks for reading, ily ily ily!

chapter list

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The sun had yet to fully breach the horizon when Gianna woke in the soft cocoon of Bucky's arms. The room, kissed by early morning light, painted an incriminating image of the night before. Gianna’s gown was crumpled in the doorway, discarded. Her heels were a few feet behind that, barely visible in the hallway. A black dress shirt marked a trail to the bed, a dark leather belt sitting atop forgotten dress pants. In the midst of plush bedding, tangled limbs and a mess of blonde and dark haired bedhead.

Bucky pressed a gentle kiss to Gianna’s forehead, his gaze soft as he watched her stir. 

"Morning, doll," he whispered, a smile playing on his lips.

Gianna stretched, her eyes finding his. "Mornin’, handsome."

“Big day today.”

“Mmhmm. I should have gotten more rest.” She yawned. 

“Sorry.” His grin was anything but apologetic. 

“No you’re not.” 

“No…I’m not.” His hand traced lazy circles on her stomach beneath the comforter.

“What’s on the agenda today, Sergeant?” 

Bucky, unraveling himself from the bedsheets, grinned. "Well, first, coffee. Then, once you’re fully functioning, we’ll have a little time to get ready before the team gets here. Maybe we can grab a few candles from the corner store, make it a little homier in here."

“Bucky Barnes, homemaker extraordinaire.” She teased, slipping out from under the comforter. “I didn’t know you had a Martha Stewart side.” 

“Who’s Martha Stewart?” He frowned.

“Nevermind.”

The brisk New York air greeted Gianna and Bucky as they stepped out of the Avengers' Tower. The city pulsed with energy, waking up to a day of celebration. Even at the early hour, the streets were bustling with pedestrians running their last minute errands. Hand in hand, they strolled toward a quaint corner café, the aroma of freshly ground coffee guiding their way.

Bucky’s eyes darted around the sidewalk, always on guard for anything to threaten their peaceful little bubble. His gaze softened as he looked at Gianna. "You know, this place reminds me of the little coffee shop we found in Kansas City during the tour."

Gianna grinned, the memory flooding back. "Oh yeah! The one with the too-small tables but amazing little pastries."

“Those tables were made for children.”

“Well,” She laughed. “Maybe just not for Super Soldiers.” 

“Discrimination.”

As they entered the café, the familiar chime of the bell overhead signaled their arrival. The barista, recognizing them, greeted them with a warm smile. They had a few favorites in the city, but this hidden gem was beloved by the team for the low key atmosphere and the discretion of the staff. 

Bucky stepped forward to order their usual drinks, his demeanor softened in civilian clothes. They settled into a cozy corner, the buzz of the city muffled by the quiet ambiance of the café. Their drinks came quickly, thanks to the lack of other patrons so early.

Sipping his black coffee, Bucky began to reminisce again. "Remember that night when we couldn’t even get into the hotel because the fans had swarmed the whole block around the entrance?"

Gianna chuckled, sipping her latte. "Um, you mean the night you lifted me onto that platform by the service entrance like I was literally seven pounds? How could I forget such a pivotal moment!"

He cocked his head to the side, brows furrowed. “Pivotal how?”

“Pivotal because that was the moment I cared more about getting you back in my bed than getting back to my room safely.” Gianna’s eyes narrowed, her face half sheepish, half flirtatious. The way his eyes darkened ever so slightly made her stomach flip. 

“Is that so?”

“Mhmm.” She sipped her coffee slowly without breaking eye contact.

“So why didn’t you ask me to stay again?”

“I couldn’t just ask you to sleep over with me.” 

“Yes. Yes, you absolutely could have.” 

“Okay, noted for the next time I want to seduce my mysterious and emotionally aloof bodyguard.” 

He scowled, shooting her a sidelong look to say he wasn’t a fan of the joke. Gianna breezed past it. "And then there was that show in Dallas when it didn’t stop raining for hours. I felt like I was performing in a hurricane."

“I should probably apologize to Tom for the things I threatened trying to get him to cancel it. I thought for sure you’d get sick, or hurt, or whatever the hell else happens when you stand in the rain for three hours.” Bucky rubbed his jaw. “That was before I knew you were the stubborn one keeping us from canceling.”

“A little rain never hurt anyone.” Gianna's fingers traced patterns on the steaming cup. "Those were good days. Long days, long nights, for sure. But it was good. I love those memories." Her eyes flicked up. “With you.” 

Bucky's voice softened as he reached across the table to squeeze her hand. "Yeah. They were good days."

A few hours later, the air buzzed with the arrival of the rest of the team. The Quinjet touched down on the landing pad mid-morning. One by one, Earth's mightiest heroes descended down the ramp, each carrying some kind of bag or dish. Except for Tony, who strode down empty-handed. 

“Damn, you clean up alright.” Sam elbowed Bucky as he strode past, pretending to gawk at his uncharacteristically cozy sweater and jeans combo. 

“Surprised you clean up at all.” 

“Don’t be grumpy on Thanksgiving,” Wanda scolded, thrusting a dish into Bucky’s arms. “Hi, G.” She kissed Gianna on both cheeks before following the men to the elevator. 

“Something smells amazing!” Gianna called after her. “Here, let me take something.” She held her hands out for Natasha to pass her a bag. 

The Tower, now adorned with autumnal decorations, felt like a homecoming. The team reconvened in the main common area, having dispersed briefly to drop off their belongings in their respective rooms. Music played over the speakers, candles were lit across every flat surface in the room, the sounds of the kitchen filled the air. 

Natasha, expertly chopping vegetables, shot a smirk at Tony. "Remember the first Thanksgiving we spent together? Turkey disaster, anyone?"

Tony, feigning innocence from his seat at the bar, replied, "I have no idea what you're talking about. The fire was small, barely noticeable."

Pots simmered, ovens hummed, and the rich aroma of Thanksgiving filled the air. As usual, Wanda and Gianna took the lead on cooking, enlisting the help of other hands as necessary. Tony didn’t move from his seat, sipping a drink and “supervising.” 

Wanda turned from where she stirred the pot of gravy. "Back in Sokovia, we didn't celebrate Thanksgiving. This tradition feels like something we missed out on."

Steve, kneading dough for his alleged famous apple pie, nodded in agreement. "One thing about America, we take our holiday celebrations seriously. Especially when they’re centered around eating.” He paused before adding, “and being grateful.” 

“Cap, put a dollar in the morality police jar.” Tony gestured with his drink.

As the feast took shape, the team gathered around Tony’s grand dining table, fully set for dinner. Finally making his contribution, he walked around the table filling everyone’s wine glass. Wanda floated the final dish to the table, now lined with steaming, hot food. They sat, joined hands, and obliged when Steve wanted to say grace.

“Amen!” Tony stood. “As owner of this lovely home, benefactor of the team, and generally the boss of everyone, I will do the honor of carving the turkey.”

Bucky squeezed Gianna’s knee under the table. “Happy Thanksgiving, G.” 

“Happy Thanksgiving, James Buchanan Barnes.” 

Laughter and conversation flowed freely as they savored the feast. Stories of past missions, arguments over who was at fault for what going wrong, and favorite victories echoed through the room. Steve clinked his knife against his glass, cutting through the conversation.

"I know you’re all going to give me a hard time for being old and sappy, but I don’t care. I’m grateful for all of you, even when you’re ruthlessly teasing me. I love you guys. To family," he declared. Even Tony’s eyes crinkling in a smile. The others echoed his sentiment with raised glasses and a chorus of "To family!"

"Alright, everyone. Let's go around the table. What are we thankful for this year?" Wanda was ever the sentimental one, but no one dared tease her. Whether it was for fear of her own retaliation, or the protective older-brother nature of Steve and Sam, everyone saved their jokes for the former. 

Nat spoke first. "I'm thankful for the resilience of this team. In a world that's ever-changing, you all remain a constant. I’m thankful for the no bullshit, no judgment, badass group of weirdos that you are."

Steve nodded in agreement. "I'm thankful for the chance to make a difference, every day. Thankful for reconnecting with old friends," He grinned at Bucky. “As well as all of my new ones. I’m thankful for the chance to fight alongside the best people I know. I’m thankful for this city, this country, and this hell of a meal that Wanda put together.” Across the table, Wanda blushed at his praise.

Bucky’s eyes lingered on Gianna beside him as he spoke, "I'm thankful for new beginnings. New additions to the family. Old friends,” He winked at Steve. 

“Emphasis on old.” Tony chimed in, unable to handle sentiment without a joke. 

“I’m thankful for beautiful women who need a little help keeping themselves out of trouble.” Bucky continued. He squeezed Gianna’s hand. “I’m thankful for Gianna, her kindness and her…gentleness, and…” Seeming to realize he was in public, he straightened. “And the fact that she clearly doesn’t realize how far out of my league I am.” 

“Hear, hear,” Sam raised his glass in agreement, earning a glare.

Gianna smiled at Bucky, squeezing his hand in return. "I'm thankful for finding a home among heroes. I’m thankful for sweet friends with open arms. I’m thankful for a new record label,” She winked at Tony. “Good coffee, great food, and a super smoking hot bodyguard.”

Wanda’s eyes gleamed with all the emotion as the gazes shifted to her, "I'm thankful for my family. Really, truly, incredibly thankful. I love you guys." Her voice cracked at the end. Gianna’s free hand found hers under the table and gave it a squeeze. Sam wrapped an arm around her shoulders, showing her affection while deflecting with his own gratitude.

"I'm thankful that I’m now the hottest, most eligible bachelor on the team. Thanks, Buck, ‘preciate that. I’m thankful for this sweet, sweet meal. I’m thankful that my bedroom is further away from y’all here than at the compound.” He gestured to Gianna and Bucky. “I’m thankful for all of you yahoos. I love y’all.” 

Peter chimed in, "I'm thankful for having more cool uncles and aunts than anyone else I know. I’m thankful to almost be done with that Political Science class. Thankful to Mr. Stark for bringing me in. Thankful to Gianna for making my street cred go through the roof, thanks to that dinner. Love you guys.”

Tony raised his glass, rounding out the table. "To my chosen family, oddballs and misfits as you may be—thankful for you all, today and always. Cheers."

"Cheers!" they exclaimed, clinking glasses. The Tower, filled with the aroma of Thanksgiving and the echoes of laughter, felt more like a home than ever before.

Peter, grinning mischievously, proposed, "How about a game to cap off the night?"

With wine glasses in hand and the remaining slices of pie scattered across the coffee table, the team had settled into mild food comas. Tony, always willing to keep the party going, produced a charades set with theatrical flourish.

"Alright, my friends, time for - drumroll please - Hasbro’s newest addition to the game aisle, Avengers’ Charades! This should be a piece of cake for those in attendance." Tony waved the box haphazardly. Appointing himself the designated 'game master,' he took charge of the box. "Who wants to go first?"

Wanda volunteered. She downed her wine and took a slip of paper from the box, her eyes scanning the words. A mischievous grin played on her lips.

"Alright, let's see who can guess this." She struck a pose, fingers wiggling in the air, and began floating her empty wine glass in the air.

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Telekinesis!"

Wanda nodded in approval, grinning, as Tony marked a point down for Nat. “Technically, that could be considered cheating, but when has that ever been against my moral code.”

Natasha went next, picking a slip and accepting the challenge with a smirk. She stood, then spun her left arm in a windmill motion. Bucky groaned beside Gianna.

"Winter Soldier! Bucky Barnes" Steve called out with confidence.

"Got it in one," Natasha acknowledged, winking at Steve.

As the game progressed, the wine flowed freely, and the pie disappeared piece by piece. Gianna leaned back against Bucky on the couch, fighting the sleep that kept creeping up on her. As much as she wanted to keep this perfect day going, they hadn’t been getting much sleep lately and it was catching up to her. She yawned, stifling it with her hand so no one would notice and suggest wrapping it up.

When it was Bucky's turn, the group hushed in anticipation. He picked a word, studied it for a moment, and then began. With a sweep of his metal arm, he mimicked a shield, then pointed dramatically at Steve. The room burst into exclamation

"Captain America! Uh, Steve Rogers! The man with the plan!" Peter exclaimed, pointing at Steve.

Steve chuckled, shaking his head. "That's a little too easy, Buck."

Bucky shrugged. "Sometimes you've got to go with the classics."

Eventually, Tony suggested calling it a night, seeing as half the team was fighting to keep their eyes open and the game wasn’t exactly a challenge to begin with. Bucky gently roused Gianna from where she’d began to doze off on his shoulder. With sleepy embraces and a few final “Happy Thanksgiving”’s, everyone strode off to their separate rooms. 

“What do you say we actually get some sleep tonight?” Bucky kissed Gianna’s head as he held the door to his bedroom open to her. She whined, despite knowing she’d be asleep within seconds of laying down. 

“Don’t be greedy.” He grinned. “I didn’t say anything about tomorrow morning.”

[rubatozis]

i think because this sounds like obvious advice people just don't say it bc its kind of an unspoken, common-knowledge sort of thing. but it kinda isn't.

the best thing you can to do improve your writing is to read actual books.

"fanfic writing" as a vibe, descriptor etc is often used in a negative way bc a lot of fandom is based around visual media, which means the only writing references that fic writers have.... is each other.

think about it for more than a second. if everyone references each other, everyone's art is going to end up looking exactly the same. the same tropes, the same vocabulary, the same wording, the same prose, the same style, the same lack of basic writing concepts and/or principles, the same often bad grammar; the list goes on. that's what people mean when they say a book sounds like it came from wattpad.

here's a little science analogy. if coacervate droplets (which would become the first protocells) exchange molecules - like rna - with each other with too much ease and within seconds, then they're going to end up looking like clones of each other. this means they won't mutate, which means they won't evolve, which means life would not exist. ...it's kind of a similar thing. if everyone just gets inspiration from each other, inside a single, limited space or bubble (fic communities but also specific genres or groups of authors), then everything will look and feel exactly the same. as such, nothing will change, adapt, or become unique. it will all be clones; the originality now long gone leaving only a feeling of dread and boredom because everything is just bland.

thing is. apparently when rainwater came in contact with the droplets it formed a barrier around them which allowed for the rna to stay for longer without being exchanged. so they could mutate and change. and so they ended up different from each other. that's what gave way to evolution.

the books are your rainwater. it's this external thing that is likely out of your bubble - especially if you're reading a genre you're not used to - that is going to enrich and thicken your writing style with new ideas. the result is that your writing will likely feel different from other people's and you'll just improve in your skill in general.

this was a really weird analogy but it's not my fault i'm both a literature and science nerd.

read classics but also read trashy romance. read fantasy but also read teen dramas. read cozy but also read horror. honestly- if you have a bookshelf at home with fiction books that belong to someone else who lives with you, read every single one of them.

"i don't have the patience" turn your phone off. use a pomodoro or just a timer. grab a drink or a snack. listen to instrumental music or ambience videos. uninstall or block distracting apps like tiktok. mute your notifications. close your door. or do none of these things and just start reading impulsively. bring it with you somewhere you know you'll feel bored after a while like school or something and read it instead of using ur phone. start with short stories. maybe try a novel. maybe a series. percy jackson is what made me get into reading so maybe that would be a good recommendation.

and once you start, get to the end and reward yourself. save quotes you think sound nice. memorize them. let the book transform your writing. then, when you feel ready, write something.

it will look completely different than it was before.

[tamiveldura]

How long have you been writing?

Since I can remember! The first thing I remember "writing," I was maybe 5, was a single sheet of paper where I copied the descriptive paragraph inside all of my Lisa Frank folders and gave it to my mother claiming I'd written a story.

My mother, in her infinite wisdom, handed it back to me and said, "It's great! What happens next?"

I moved into forum based RP groups immediately after that. Shifted into fanfiction during my high school years, then majored in college in creative writing, with a novella as my senior project.

I've been writing original fiction ever since!

I use several pennames to keep genres separated:

London Kemaker: PNR and SFR, M/M, dark and kinky

S.T. Lynn: YA cozy fantasy, female mains, if romance it's F/F or Nonbinary.

Anna Morgan: to-market M/F PNR, at the moment all books are in the same world. Dark-ish.

Tami Veldura: science fiction, fantasy, adventure, short story experiments, my first and catch-all penname, so it holds a large variety in the older catalog. Going forward, the focus is non-romantic genre adventure with limited exceptions to complete existing series.

[lilrobinbird]

Maybe some better questions would be: what visual artists inspire you the most? Are there any artists whose style or use of color you like to emulate? (I know nothing about visual arts, so I hope these are not dumb questions lol)

I really need to read more high fantasy. Should I start with The Witcher?

Long response by me (!!!) under cut, I'll not be held accountable for any typos as my autocorrect is currently not present

Letsgooo

Not to emulate a whole artstyle but I it's good to take little parts from different ones and translate it into your own (which honestly I should start doing again bc I'm getting stuck lately)

@/manny.oe (insta) is probably my favourite artists, he changes artsyles whenewher he feels like it but he is a professional and does visual dev work, he does so mych aauuh so much to kearn from him, I used to get inspired by the way he shades and picks colors, he also posts a lot of figure drawing sketches on stories that I try to just copy lolol (but these are the kind of studies you copy and never post)

@/ahmedaldoori_art (insta) when you look up his profile you see a lot of sketches and unfinished stuff but when you find his fully rendered pieces RAHHH THATSS how I want to render, very soft(?) rendering that I like

There is also someone from tumblr aaand from avatar fandom @/allgremlinart and they're my lineart goals (the line weight! yes!)....ok and rendering goals too..... They also have a side blog where they post their original art and yeeea good stuff good stuff

@/jamjoob (tumblr and insta) LINEART GOALS waaauuhhh such a nice light smooth lines, their colors are also tasty cozy..

So there's four digital artists I thought about first, there's WAY more but I'm not writing a book pointing out every artist I like (sadly. Hm ok I'd be too lazy)

(bonus five person a girl I had csush on fhgvjh legit best artist man give me your style. hand it over)

But I can get inspired with others all I want I still should learn color theory my biggest hater and enemy

I told you before you sent a fun good ask but I didn't notice a witcher part then shsjs

So hmmmm mmm m I'm not sure? It really depends on the person but the writing isn't that good, I was personally drawn by the characters and concepts (and the whole idea how witchers work is fun to me) (also I've read them in highschool so)

Some scenes can be kinda weird, it was after all written by a silly old polish guy

First two books- The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny are more of short stories and they're probably the best, after them the tone changes a little and the main plot begins (if I remeber it correctly)

I've read them in polish but I've heard some opinions that the writing in translations can be worse than original

But you already know I loooove legend of Korra, that is an art of taking good characters and concepts form stuff with questionable writing (but legend of korra is justified and forgiven by circumstances the writers struggled with (((and by me)))))))

But honestly that's up to you, I'd say you should try something else for your first time, you can look for other opinions too

[epic-solemnity]

hi! i found you and your works while you were towards the end of writing part 2 of immunity on ao3! i’ve always been too shy and anxious to comment and even now it’s very hard for me to type this, but following your beautiful story has really kept me going these past few years and i fell in love with your world building and characters.

i’m glad you kept writing and stuck with this story for so long and i’ve always admired your drive and dedication. i just think you and your story are pretty cool :)

sorry i’m not good at articulating but i hope my words got across. also i don’t know if you answered this already, but do you ever see yourself writing another original story after this series is complete?

Your message was articulated perfectly! And I completely understand the anxiety about stepping outside the role of a silent reader (it’s a cozy and comfortable place—I’ve been there!). Just know your words mean so much to me 🤍 I’m so happy you’re still enjoying the story and the characters after all this time.

do you ever see yourself writing another original story after this series is complete?

I do! I wouldn’t have been able to rest easily knowing Triloka wasn’t as polished as it could have been, but now that it will be, I eventually plan to move on to new worlds and new characters after we say goodbye to Ezra and Agni (which will be excruciatingly painful, and who knows, maybe I'll write another story or two about them after Triloka). I’ll probably stick with the MM fantasy genre, but we’ll see. I only have a list of random phrases of potential new ideas, so nothing concrete yet.

Thanks so very much for your kind message; I truly appreciate it 🥰🥰

[calamitaswrath]

Man, playing Octopath Traveler 2 really reminds me of just how much I loved the original, and since 2 is basically More Of The Same But Refined, it's really just. . . so cozy to come back to.

My current impressions of the characters (having beaten everyone's first chapter so far) are:

Osvald (started with him) is edgy and serious and that's fun. Give that old man a break. A yaoi break, maybe with Temenos

Temenos is a funny guy with a surprising amount of Little Shit Energy for someone who's 30 years old (speaking of which: he's 30???)

Throné's story feels a bit like combination of Therion's and Primrose's from the first game in terms of themes and what it is about, and it is Intriguing™. Also she's hot

Ochette seems to be following in the great tradition of Tressa by being My Daughter™️. Though I do have to say that I find it. . . idk, rather iffy that all beastlings other than her have this gimmick of not being able to "speak properly".

Castti is kinda hard to judge right now, but I like her and between her voice, personality and age I actually think she's more hot than Throné

Hikari is a Fire Emblem Lord (affectionate)

Agnea has some Tressa vibes between her personality and in the tone of her story, but she is not My Daughter. I like her well enough, though.

Partitio I also like well enough, but I do find it kinda jarring how he's from basically an American wild west town when the rest of the setting is all swords and magic low fantasy. Like, I did pick up on it being not exactly medieval-ish but further advanced, but it still comes off as kinda odd. Also not sure yet what to think of the inevitable Capitalist aspects of his story. In terms of gameplay though, I already had some fun in his first chapter by saving up some money, and then hiring the 5 star tavern maid to come along. . . who then proceeded to knock out the boss of the chapter in two hits, before the game could even give me a tutorial about Partitio's latent power.

[lixenn]

COMES IN TO BOTHER YOU. what was the first fic you wrote? do you have any cool keychains/trinkets you carry around? if money and time was no object, what field of study/career would you pursue? what is a book youre currently reading?

WOW SO MANY QUESTIONS I LOVE IT!!

Let's get you some answers then:

First fic

... Already stumped at that one, because damn my memory is so fucking bad. I can't even ruffle through my documents on laptop because when I first started writing I had a different one and I'm not sure if I transfered all the files when I upgraded.

*tries to make the brain do the thinking thing*

I think actually my first try at anything fanfic like was with my super cringy self-insert thing into the Percy Jackson universe. I didn't even know fanfic was a thing at the time and I'm pretty sure I deleted that document because it went absolutely no where, so yeah that was probably it. I was and still kinda am pretty obsessed with Uncle Rick's work, so it's no surprise to me that I tried my hand at writing fanfic without knowing the concept even existed. However I wouldn't be able to tell you what that story was about even if you put a gun to my head so I can't really give you much detail.

Cool keychain/trinkets

Unfortunately no cool keychains for me, I have a heart shaped one my mum got me from her trip to Berlin but that's pretty basic. As for trinkets? Do earrings count? Because I have some pretty dope sword earrings.

The keychain situation might change though, because my friend is going to Japan in May and he promised to get me a souvenir, so maybe I'll have a cool KHR keychain soon (might get something else though who knows ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Field of study/career

It's a toss up between Writer and Owner of Small Crochet Business. I would love to spent my day just being creative and making stuff. I do like science and I think with all the time I invested in my studies I can say I'm not bad at it but it's not my passion. Like, learning about new stuff is fun and I certainly can do experiments and data analysis but give me the option to simply chill on my couch/bed and just create, I would choose it over science every single time.

I'd probably need to get a better grip on scheduling my day because I realized having a strict routine does wonders for my mental health but otherwise just let me make stuff and I'll be happy.

BOOKS

*stares at all the books in my shelf that I've started but currently don't have the energy to read*

...

You want me to choose just ONE?

Well, if we take the one I read the most recently it's Assisstant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Meahrer. It's a cozy fantasy romance, easy to read and quite funny at times. I liked the premise so I picked it up and I'm over half way through but my brain is so focused on writing right now, I don't really have the motivation to read (which is very strange since normally it's the other way around.)

Other titles that are gathering dust in my self:

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch; also funny but in a more serious way, very heavy on the worldbuilding which is awesome but it takes a lot of brainspace so I put it on hold for now.

As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson; I binged the first two books in the trilogy in a day, but this one a bit darker than the others (which makes sense because shit happened) and I need to be in a certain brainspace for that.

The colour of magic by Terry Prachett; I read a lot of Discworld as a kid but I read it in German. This book is my first try reading Prachett in his original glory and it's actually a bit difficult, because again very heavy on the worldbuilding.

I know you only asked for one book, but I'm a chronic oversharer and you asked about BOOKS okay?! I'm bad at controlling myself when it comes to book discussions, so be glad I just kept it to four examples, I could have listed more!

[duhragonball]

Dragon Ball Super 031

When Jaco and Bulma team up, anything could happen!   (Narrator: Nothing happened.)

Let’s try to go over Bulma’s plan here.  The upcoming Destroyer Invitational Tournament will decide who gets control over the Super Dragon Balls.  If Champa wins, he plans to wish for the Earth of Universe 7 to switch places with the dead Earth of Universe 6.  If Beerus wins... who knows?  But Bulma doesn’t want to find out.  Since Champa is the God of Destruction from U6, Bulma believes that there’s a second set of Super Dragon Balls in Universe 7.  So she aims to track them down and use them to undo any destructive wishes Beerus or Champa might have in mind. 

To do this, she needs a radar powerful enough to detect the Super Dragon Balls, and she also needs to take it to the center of the universe, where she can use the radar’s range will be as effective as possible.  So she calls in Jaco to take her there.  Except Jaco works for the Galactic Patrol.  Their ships aren’t designed to cover the vast distances from one galaxy to another.  They only operate inside of the one galaxy they’re in. 

Okay, a couple things.  First, I like that this detail is acknowledged in the story.  A lot of sci-fi/space fantasy franchises fail to recognize just how big space is.  Well, specifically, I’m thinking of DC and Marvel Comics.  The Green Lantern Corps divided the universe into 3600 sectors, then assigned a handful of GL’s to patrol each one, and somehow seven or eight of them always wind up sticking close to one planet in one galaxy in one sector.   If I remember right, their headquarters is located at the center of the universe, and Hal Jordan just zips back and forth like it’s no big deal. He also constantly runs into colleagues from other sectors, but, again, space is huge.  Aside from staff meetings on Oa, you would expect him to live out his entire lifespan without ever seeing a Green Lantern from another space sector.  Meanwhile, all of Marvel’s big intergalactic powers rule over entire galaxies.  The Skrulls have the Andromeda Galaxy, and the Kree have theirs and the Shi’ar have theirs.  I’ve lost track of all that lore, so maybe Marvel introduced some shitty new aliens called the Dipshittors to build on that concept, but the point is that the Avengers and Fantastic Four will just fly out to fight those guys whenever it’s convenient. 

Star Trek and Star Wars get it right, because those stories take place in one galaxy.  There’s like one episode where the Enterprise went to another galaxy and it was this insane thing that happened.  Maybe the new shows play with that idea more, but fuck the new Trek shows.  Scott Bakula’s dog can kiss my ass.  The point is that because those shows are confined to one galaxy, they don’t spent a lot of time talking about how impractical it is to go to a different galaxy.  It just never gets brought up. 

But that leads me to my second thing I want to talk about: Jaco seems to imply that Universe 7 is a lot bigger than we’ve heard in the past.  Maybe it’s just the dub, and I’m in no mood to go back and check the subtitles, but he talks about the multitudes of other galaxies in the universe, and how unbelievably far away it all is, and I feel like that conflicts with the cozy four-galaxy scenario introduced in Dragon Ball Z.   Earth is in the North Galaxy, overseen by the King Kai of the North, while the East, South, and West Galaxies are overseen by their own King Kais. 

Then again, I’m not sure how that was all established.  It comes up in the original Broly movie, which is mostly set in the South Galaxy, which all of the characters are able to reach without much trouble.  It also comes up in the Otherworld Tournament arc, because they have to explain who the other three Kais are. 

But I don’t know that it gets much play in the original manga.  Like, South Kai appears in the manga, and the Grand Kai is mentioned, and Kid Buu’s origin story refers to other Supreme Kais who used to work alongside Shin.  But I’d have to check to see if there’s any mention of just four galaxies.  Maybe it’s a Toei invention. 

Anyway, Jaco suggests an alternative: Visit the world of Master Zuno and ask him about the Super Dragon Balls.  I don’t see how that solves anything, though.  Zuno’s gimmick is that he knows everything, and he certainly seems to know everything, but even if he tells Bulma exactly where the Super Dragon Balls are, they could still lie far beyond the North Galaxy, and so they’re completely out of her reach.   Also, the SBD’s are the size of planets.  How was she planning to gather them all together?

Now, most of this episode is Jaco making cracks about Bulma’s age, and Bulma beating the absolute shit out of him for it.  Also, he tries to turn the tables on her by accelerating his ship really fast, but he winds up making himself nauseous as well.  They seem to utterly despise one another, and it’s not much fun watching them interact. 

I mean, for all intents and purposes, this episode is a direct sequel to the Jaco manga.  There’s even a flashback to the chapter where Jaco met Bulma, and she repaired his ship and flew it around Professor Omori’s island.

But the Jaco in that story was a lot more calm and collected, more of a detached observer of humanity.  We see him here freaking out about Tights’ little sister joyriding in his ship, but I’m pretty sure he was only mildly irritated about it in the manga.  The most upset Jaco ever got in the manga was whenever that police sketch came up. 

But now, in Dragon Ball Super, he’s become this cowardly little twerp.  At the beginning of this episode, he vents his frustrations with a little target practice, and accidentally destroys a space monument, which he tries to pin on a wanted fugitive in the area.  And that seems authentic for Jaco, but when he gets to Earth, all he does is try to find some excuse to leave, and when that doesn’t work he trades barbs with Bulma and lets her whoop his ass. 

Which is a shame, because there was something much more humanist about the original Jaco story.  It was about how the characters grew after working together and helping one another.  Jaco’s kind of a dick, and Omori was kind of a bitter misanthrope, but they still cared about one another because their better nature overcame their anti-social tendencies. 

This episode might have tried to hearken back to that theme, but it just doesn’t happen.  When they get to Zuno’s planet, Bulma and Jaco discover there’s a seven year waiting list just to ask Zuno a question.  Then they see this red frog dude show up for his appointment, and Jaco recognizes him as the crook he heard about earlier. 

So Jaco has a choice to make.  If he arrests this guy, he can open a spot on Zuno’s schedule and skip to the front of the line.  However, bringing in this frog guy might expose his lie about the destruction of that space monument.  On the other hand, the frog dude recognizes Jaco as a space cop, but he’s waited seven years for this appointment, and he decides to just play it cool and hope Jaco doesn’t recognize him. 

And Jaco... lets him go.  The frog dude was wanted for dine-and-dash crimes, so it’s not like he’s a violent offender or anything.  In fact, the reason he came to this planet was to ask Zuno how to dine-and-dash without getting caught.  That’s how into dine-and-dash this guy is.  For all his bluster, Jaco isn’t a model patrolman, and besides, this is his day off.  And Bulma’s mission is her problem, not his, so he doesn’t want to risk getting in trouble with his superiors over this. 

But then Bulma tells him they’ll just have to go home and take their chances on Beerus’ wish, and that spurs him into action.

Frog dude tries to take a hostage, but Jaco defeats him with ease, and Zuno’s attendants give him an immediate audience with Zuno out of gratitude.  This s basically the climax of the episode, and it’s presented like some character developing moment for Jaco, except... it really doesn’t work.  Maybe he took action because he didn’t like the idea of letting Bulma down, or he couldn’t stand the thought of failing a mission, or something like that.  But it looks more like he was more frightened of Beerus using the Super Dragon Balls than he was of getting in trouble at work.   And that’s not much of a conflict to build your story around. 

As for Zuno, well, he’s another alien like his attendants, only he has an even bigger head.  You have to kiss him before he’ll answer your questions.  Since Jaco’s a man, Zuno only gives him one question.  Jaco wastes it on a pointless demonstration.  He asks Zuno what Bulma’s bust size is, and he not only gives and answer, but extrapolates what Bulma’s bust size used to be before she got older.   He should have asked why the animators keep drawing Bulma’s blue jeans so weird in every episode. 

As for Bulma, she gets three questions, because she’s a lady, and Zuno is horny, I guess.  So this is just the same gag they used thirty years ago with Master Roshi.  Bulma wastes a question asking if Zuno will answer her questions.  Then she asks him to tell her about the Super Dragon Balls, and when he’s finished, she summarizes it all and asks if she got it right, and Zuno counts that as her third question.    Bulma offers to kiss him some more, but her time is up.

So the only useful information that came out of the whole trip was this: There’s only one set of Super Dragon Balls, which are scattered across Universes 6 and 7.  So Bulma’s plan was doomed from the start, because Champa already has most of the one set secured, and there’s no other SDB’s out there to use.  This also means that Champa must have been trespassing into Universe 7 to collect the SDB’s, since at least some of them must have been there.  But that hardly matters, since we already knew Champa had been lurking around behind the scenes.   We saw him destroy a planet, and then Beerus ran into him during the Golden Frieza battle.  Also, Beerus doesn’t care, since he plans to win the Super Dragon Balls in this tournament anyway. 

So this was all a pointless aside.  I guess this shot of Goku copping a squat with Jaco is kind of neat.  They didn’t interact much during the Res F stuff, so this is the first indication that they’ve met.

Also, Bulma gives Jaco some dairy products for the road, so I guess they don’t hate each other that much.

Oh, and this is the episode where Goku and Vegeta talk about how they like their feisty, feisty wives, and Vegeta says it’s because Saiyans are genetically predisposed to this.  And Piccolo’s astonished to hear this, and I really don’t know why he, of all people, would care.