#not-graphic but it revolves around those two events

[velnica]

FFXIVWrite2024 #3 — Tempest

The shoji slid open with gusto, and Master Mathelin practically leapt out of the doorway, fist in the air. “We have a boy!” he yelled.

CW: Pregnancy and childbirth (non-graphic)

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49833130/chapters/149571925

[maybeasunflower]

Star Trek theme tunes: worst to best

Star Trek’s many TV series each have an opening sequence that attempts to set up the viewer for the show ahead. A good theme tune delivers a high-quality piece of music that encapsulates the show’s essence — and it is on this basis that I’ve ranked the themes. What isn’t included in my ranking is anything about the graphics that accompany the music, nor the show itself. Naturally, these are all purely my personal opinions, so there can be no argument.

Let’s get started!

11: Enterprise

“It’s been a long road…” are five words that launched a lot of strong feelings — and rightly so. The jarring mismatch between everything about this song and everything Enterprise was about relegates this theme to the bottom of the heap. The opening graphics are spot-on for the show’s premise — but I never got to watch them because I needed to skip the music, and that makes me madder.

If you want to know what could have been, search YouTube for “Star Trek: Enterprise Opening Credits with Archer’s Theme”. That music is perfect for the show: slow, dramatic, building up for the big reveal. Then finish weeping / gnashing your teeth and come back here.

This theme also meant that we can never have a Star Trek theme with words again, ever, because we have been all primed to hate such things because of Enterprise — and that’s sad.

Imagine if we’d had a good theme with words that we could all sing at appropriate and inappropriate occasions.

10: The Animated Series

You’d forgotten about this series, hadn’t you? I will confess I haven’t watched any episodes (unlike the other ST series), but that doesn’t me having an opinion about the theme music. The jaunty theme music. The theme music that speaks of hijinks and hilarious consequences. The theme with super precise drumming — the perfect accompaniment as we join our hero sipping a cocktail in his usual bar by the beach.

Wait, this show is about space exploration?

9: Discovery

Open with Those Four Notes (good), wistful hunting call horns (good), build up to a climax (good), and then… umm…

What follows musically reminds me of Fringe (a great show that also involved Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci as creators). Fringe was a show about the discovery of new scientific things (and the consequences thereof)— but Discovery is not. The stories of Discovery revolve around battling against various things. The main theme (minimalist repeated eighth note patterns with a slow-moving melody) simply doesn’t speak to premise of the show. It ends with the ascending “Star Trek motif”, but it just feels like something bolted on to end things.

This is a theme based on the title, not on the events in the show.

8: The Original Series

I’m going to get some flak for this, but I don’t care. Yes, The Original Series is sacred. Yes, this theme gave us Those Four Notes right at the start. Yes, it gave us the classic opening words. Yes, we must remember TV was different back then when judging TOS. But I’m ranking the music, and so that’s all that matters.

This is a show about exploring strange new worlds and going boldly. The music is not that. The music is about going somewhere on holiday in your 1960s convertible, or possibly going home from work for the weekly comedic capers. It’s not going boldly anywhere, it’s not exploring new worlds, and that’s final.

… I am going to get so much flak for this.

7: Picard

This is a theme unlike any other, but this a series unlike other, so that’s OK. The wistful main melody on solo cello works for the show and its premise. The theme then gets musically developed by other instruments in a musically satisfyingly way.

However, two-thirds (!) of the title graphics are consumed by the 137 producers, supervising producers, co-executive producers, executive producers, and producing producers — and it feels the music had to be extended by a good 30 seconds to cover them all. Like Discovery, it ends with ends with the ascending “Star Trek motif”, but it (just about) feels musically connected to what came before.

Overall, I am left with a very neutral opinion. There’s nothing that bad about this music, but nothing that makes it stand out.

It’s boringly OK.

6: Strange New Worlds

After the classic opening words, the dramatic bass line/repetitive strings/drums kick in, the music builds, everything’s set up for the main melody…. and what’s that? Well, you can’t hear that melody because the orchestration that gives it insufficient body, and the sound mix gives the accompanying dramatic bass line/repetitive strings/drums far too much prominence.

The overall structure is good — repeat the main melody with some extra oomph, transition to the B melody, build to a climax with some block chords, then bring every down nicely with the hunting horn call. It ticks all the boxes on (manuscript) paper — but the orchestration and mix just means I can’t enjoy it properly.

Give the melody some more body, turn the volume down on the rhythm section, and this theme would jump up a lot of places.

5: Deep Space 9

DS9 isn’t about going boldly anywhere, but it is still about dealing with dramatic, important things. The music has a stately beauty that reflects both those things. The opening lonely horn illustrates the emptiness of space, before being joined by more horns to build drama. Then the main melody kicks in over a minimal accompaniment, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. There’s a pedal note that sustains through most of the opening — so that when the bass finally moves, it makes for a dramatic conclusion.

Later seasons brought a new version that tried to punch up the excitement a notch by increasing the speed of the main melody and adding some more texture to the accompaniment — but at the cost of the stately beauty that is this theme’s best feature. Let’s ignore it.

The title sequence is about 30 seconds too long, which means the beauty has faded somewhat by the end. (Yes, the opening for Strange New Worlds is a similar length, but the music doesn’t kick in until after 30+ seconds).

Overall, a solid piece of music that aligns well with the show’s premise.

4: Lower Decks

Lower Decks is a show that is both 100% serious and 100% affectionate parody. It does everything any other Star Trek TV series does, while turning it up 11 in order to skewer those things. Musically, that’s a tough premise for a theme tune.

So what happens? We open with Those Four Notes, followed by hunting horn calls, then a dramatic main theme on trumpet that’s repeated on all the strings — followed by gear-changing chords into the real main theme. A theme that gets a full-bore orchestra with a melody on brass that descends like someone resigned to not doing first contact (no hopeful ascending motifs here!). Then a solid build-up brings it to a satisfying conclusion.

Like the show, this theme works both seriously and as affectionate parody.

3: Voyager

The show has a tension between “let’s get home as soon as possible” and “ooh, new alien planet to explore” — and the music reflects that.

The theme opens with muted trumpets on a lonely motif (plus timpani) at the start to bring a sense of the dramatic, but without wanting to shout too loudly about it in this unknown part of the galaxy. The main theme on the horns is repeated with added texture and followed by a B melody on strings. Both bring a sense of the long journey ahead, with an ebb and flow throughout.

A slow build-up is then followed by a gentle climb back down — then a rapid (and musically seamless) build up to an emphatic restatement of the opening motif, ringing out to remind us this isn’t just about skulking back to Earth.

Voyager may be headed for home, but it’s still boldly going new places.

2: The Next Generation

Whatever you feel about Star Trek: The Motion Picture, we can all thank it for this music. TNG opens with Those Four Notes on something ethereal, followed by the best delivery of the classic opening words (sorry Anson Mount!) with a hunting call on horns underneath—then we’re into music about exploring strange new worlds and going boldly. It’s going on an adventure — journeying to places unknown to find things unknown.

Structurally, it’s simpler than other themes: after the main melody on brass, we get the string-heavy B melody twice, then back to a shortened version of the main melody to end. However, the post-words music only takes up half the opening, and those two melodies have enough going on to sustain our interest.

You’re left excited about what’s going to happen this week— because we’re exploring, damnit.

1: Prodigy

Four chords build tension, launching into drums+ostinato that tell you right away that exciting things will be Going Down.

Dramatic trombone and bells set up a musical cadence that gets resolved into the start of the heart-stirring main melody soaring out on horns clearly over the accompaniment (take note, SNW). The main melody repeats with added trumpets, and transitions into the drum-less B melody on lush strings that tells you it’s also about the journey. Then bridge into a repeat with everything turned up a notch.

Things get a little chaotic for a moment (what else do you expect with this crew?), but it’s OK, because we’re back to those dramatic trombone and bells (plus friends) to bookend things and lead us into a final resolution… that leaves just enough going on afterwards to accompany Those Four Notes, as though that was the plan all along. Then spike the ending so there’s no doubt we’re done.

Perfect.

[azriel-scum]

It Wasn't Supposed to be This Way Part 3

Warnings: domestic abuse, mentions of sexual abuse and semi-graphic scene toward the end. Please do not read if this will trigger you!

Elara was shaking and trying very hard to control her breathing.

It wasn't just that Merikh had been in her face, gripping her harshly, dangerously close to recreating the events of the night before.

It wasn't just that Azriel had potentially discovered what was going on before she could fix it herself.

It was the intense feeling in her chest. The intense wave of shock and anxiety that had slammed into her. She had never felt emotions that intensely before, not even on Merikh's worst nights.

Azriel continued to stand there.

With restless and shaking hands she gathered up the scattered papers and books on her desk, having no idea if she actually needed any of it.

Azriel was still just standing there.

"Azriel, did you need something?" Her attempt at being composed came out breathy and rushed.

Still speechless, he just stood there. Opened his mouth. Closed it. And then settled on just shaking his head.

She picked up her haphazard pile of papers and made toward the door.

Azriel stepped to the side, out of the doorway and found his voice.

"I think Cassian wanted to discuss having his soldiers doing some city patrol shifts. He's upstairs."

Elara nodded her head and walked out the door. Taking two steps down the hallway before Azriel speaks again.

"El -" She paused in the hallway but didn't turn around.

Before he could finish, shouting erupts from down the hall.

Merikh, distraught and furious, screaming. She can't see him, but she knows it's him. Would recognize that kind of shouting anywhere, from her nightmares, from the drunken nights, from the daylight when he would track her down in the city.

Rhsyand. He was screaming at Rhysand. This couldn't be happening, someone she had brought around, someone she had gotten a job was screaming at the High Lord.

He was screaming at Rhysand; the High Lord was deathly silent.

For Elara, everything went black. The shouting was more than just yelling between two men. It triggered in her a reaction like nothing else in her life.

A warrior, a female who had seen unfathomable tragedy; had seen death occur in such unnatural, unimaginable ways over and over and over again - had even caused it by her own hands. As a young female, she'd seen abuse that was indescribable, memories that would play in a trance over and over again as she tried to sleep. Yet, none of those things triggered a reaction in her like the one she was having in this moment.

Elara had barely made it out of the doorway when the yelling started, now her body was frozen and none of her senses were working.

Azriel appeared next to her. "El maybe we should -" he reached out a hand to usher her back into the office, but Elara stuck out a stiff arm, commanding him to stay back.

A wave of nausea had overcome her and it was taking everything in her to not gag in front of Azriel. Gods how embarrassing would that be.

Elara had tried so hard to keep her interactions with the inner circle strictly business. She would consider all of them her friends, her closest confidants when it came to work, when it came to the battle field, but when it came to her personal life, she didn't typically factor them at all. It was a defense mechanism, a way to shield herself, and her heart, from being hurt.

Rhysand was the closest thing she had to an older sibling, he had saved her life and her family, but even still they rarely had conversations that didn't revolve around work. He was busy and she was happy to keep her personal life outside of his radar.

If you never have anything, you can never lose anything.

Elara had already lost so much in her life and felt the impending doom of losing her mother day in and day out. Every single day she mourned the loss of someone who was still here and every single day she worried about the safety of her siblings. And every single day she worried about the safety of the citizens of Velaris. There was nothing else she could attach her heart to.

And so she ran to the bathroom. One for the impending nausea and two for the escape of anyone who cared for her, who wanted to be a friend.

Her knees hit the tile and her chest hit the front of the toilet. As she kneeled on the floor and wretched, it was the loneliest she had ever felt in her life.

Elara leaned back against the door, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. No one had followed her to the bathroom, no one had knocked on the door. She assumed Azriel knew of her intense desire to be left alone and with all the commotion downstairs she was the last person on anyone's mind.

She couldn't stop thinking about that feeling in her chest. The intensity of it, the unfamiliarity.

Finally, she stood up on shaky legs, picking up her papers and notes that were strewn across the floor and walked out of the bathroom. The hallway outside her office was empty and the shouting had stopped. She walked toward the window, hoping to simply fly out of the house undetected - no such luck.

From around the corner, Rhys walked toward Elara, looking concerned. He looked at her, his eyes asking if she was okay. She gave a soft nod.

Silently she said to Rhys. I'll be back tomorrow, Do you need anything before then?

Before he could respond, Merikh came up behind Rhys, Azriel and Cassian quickly following behind him. Elara made brief eye contact with Merikh and that feeling from her chest returned. Before, her anxiety had covered the feeling that she wasn't able to discern the feeling, but now she knew exactly what it was. A small tug, right where her heart lays.

No.

This had to be some awful horrible mistake, some kind of cosmic mistake.

Maybe she was wrong, maybe this wasn't the mating bond. After all, how would she even know what it felt like?

Only from hearing it be described for hundreds of years of her life.

It wasn't supposed to be this way.

Merikh stopped in front of her. Cassian and Azriel were still standing behind him looking weary of his actions and Rhys just watched him apprehensively.

Elara had to keep reminding herself that they didn't know, they didn't know that he was violent with her, maybe Azriel was suspicious, but she could easily dispel that. In the seconds that she stood staring at Merikh, she reimagined her entire life. No one knew how horrible he had been to her, she could start out with him on a fresh slate. Surely the mating instinct would kick in for him and he would be protective of her, not want to hurt her anymore. This could be good for him, it could give him the purpose for his life that he's been searching for. They could be happy together, Elara thought. They weren't so different after all, they had been through a lot in their lives and neither one of them coped especially well, but surely surely there was a reason for this bond from the Mother.

She searched his eyes, trying to see if the bond had snapped for him too. The only thing she saw in him was anxiety.

"Lara I - I wanted to apologize for earlier. I - I shouldn't have talked about you getting r- attacked in Illyria and -"

Is he always this insufferable? The words came into her mind from Rhysand and she had to push her lips together to smother her reaction and keep her face neutral. It was abundantly clear that the shouting match had ended in Rhys forcing him to apologize.

Merikh stumbled through the rest of his apology, nothing more than a disjointed handful of words that didn't go together. Elara said nothing when he was done speaking just nodded her head once. Even though Rhys had put him up to this, maybe this could be the start of the clean slate she so desperately wanted. With her mate.

She winnows them down to the streets out the House of Wind and they walk home together. They don't hold hands, there's some tension, but Elara thinks maybe things will be okay. They chat easily, nothing serious, but they cover all of the small talk. As they near their apartment, he ventures to ask about her mother and siblings.

Elara tenses, she knows that out of all the conversations they could have, this one is probably the most volatile. For once though, she lets herself take a breath and relax. If she doesn't get defensive, maybe he won't either.

"I saw them, they're doing well. Enny and Vira are doing well in school, I'm very proud of them."

Merikh nods, but doesn't add anything and Elara thinks she's okay with him listening and not always having to respond.

Over the next few days, there's still some nervousness, they both seem apprehensive toward each other, as if they are a new couple that's just starting to date. Elara tries to work out if Merikh feels anything of the bond on his end, but there's been nothing to suggest that he had.

A couple weeks passed and Elara couldn't remember the last time she felt a tug in her chest. Was this how things were supposed to be? You get comfortable enough with your mate and things just get easier? Maybe your less aware of the bond, don't feel it everyday.

Elara had been busy with work over the last few weeks and it seemed that so was Merikh. They rarely crossed paths with each other, but when they did Merikh had been...good. He had made her dinner twice, they had sat on the couch together and chatted easily, they laid in bed together. It had been a very long time since they had been intimate together, but Merikh had started to initiate; in the past by the time Elara had gotten home Merikh would already be drunk or passed out, but he had been drinking less and was much more present. Being intimate with him was...fine. It wasn't something she loved doing, but she didn't hate it either. They didn't talk about work, or her mother or anything else of importance, but they also hadn't fought. Things were unremarkable, but they weren't bad. This was the person that the universe had chosen for her and maybe, just maybe, this is how things were supposed to be.

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

Today, Elara woke up sore.

She had bruises on her waist and sides from Merikh gripping her last night.

She hadn't said no last night.

She had agreed to be with him, but she hadn't known how excited he was going to get.

Maybe these bruises are okay, proof that he loves her, proof that they had made love.

They were not bruises borne from violence or aggression, but were they from love?

Elara wasn't sure.

She spent her morning making her rounds through the city. Stopping in and talking to shop owners, and visiting the school. Around mid morning she headed back to the training rings at the house of wind. Sometimes, she wasn't in the mood to train with others and preferred to work out by herself.

On her way to the rings, Elara was feeling a high of gratitude and happiness. How very lucky she was to be leading this city, to be trusted with the wellbeing of its citizen and the security of its borders. How very lucky she was to have had a second lease on life, but this was the promise of Velaris. A safe haven, a paradise, a place of redemption.

She flew up to the rings, landed gracefully and then promptly got to work.

The bruises made it hard to do any kind of core workout, but she did her best. The sweat and endorphins from lifting weights and doing exercises freed her mind and released her of the crippling anxiety.

In the middle of a bench pass, Cassian suddenly appears and is pulling the bar up from Elara's chest and racking it.

"I didn't need your help." She sits up on the bench and turns around to see the Illyrian general smirking.

"I know. I want to spar."

Sighing, she stood and looked at him to assess how serious he was being. He raised his eyebrows in a challenge, daring her to say no. Elara was in no shape to spar and she knew it. On a regular day, she could easily give Cassian a run for his money, but today she was far too fragile to move the way she needed to.

"I need to make sure our governess can still keep the city safe." He was smiling like a cat, knowing he gave a challenge she couldn't possibly say no to.

And then they were in the ring, a flurry of punches, ducking and defensive stances. Elara's mid section was on fire, but the thrill and adrenaline from the fight made her forget everything. She was completely dialed in until there was that feeling in her chest again. A tug on the bond. She hadn't felt it in weeks and it sent her heart into her stomach. Gasping, she lost control of her stance and Cassian landed a hit on her, squarely in her abdomen. She stumbled back, falling into the corner. The breath was completely knocked out of her, her chest and lungs were burning.

"Shit El. Are you okay?"

Elara couldn't catch her breath and it was making her start to panic. Between the sudden tug in her chest that she hadn't expected to the all the sensitive areas of her bruises flaring up, the punch Cassian had landed almost felt like an afterthought.

And now she hyperventilating and couldn't make eye contact with Cassian. This was embarrassing. She was so unable to be loved that she couldn't even handle the feeling of the bond, had a panic attack every time she was reminded of its presence.

He kneeled down in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"El, you've got to breathe. Deep breaths."

Slowly, with the soothing sounds of his voice she calmed down.

"Sorry, Cass. I've just been feeling off today, I think I might be getting sick or someth-"

"El," he's looking right into her eyes and it feels so vulnerable and she knows she has to get out of here.

"El, what's going on?" His eyes had travelled down to her waist, where her shirt had ridden up. Following his line of sight, Elara knows she has to make a decision. Does everything about Merikh unravel right here, or does she tell Cassian an embarassing half truth about where the bruises came from.

It was a no brainer.

"Rough training session last night." It was meant to come out as a joke, but the delivery was half-hearted and Cassian doesn't react in the slightest, just continues looking at her.

Finally, he helps her stand up. She's leaning on him heavily and still trying her best to take deep breaths. She turns around and flinches slightly when she sees Azriel is standing in the doorway of the training rings.

When had he gotten here? How much had he seen?

"Cass, we have to go for a meeting with Devlon." He doesn't say anything to Elara, but catches her eyes for a moment before looking back to Cassian.

The general looked reluctant to leave Elara, but they had a meeting and Azriel was waiting.

Quickly, she took her out. "I'll see the both of you later, have a good meeting." She winnows away before she can even register either of their reactions.

Elara ends the workday in her office, handling some correspondences and then meeting with Sylas about visiting Windhaven. They had identified the citizen of Velaris that defected out to the rogue camp, a young male named Taron. Despite everything, Elara felt empathy for him; he seemed lost, like he was searching for a purpose, she only hoped sense could be talked into him.

After her meeting with Sylas, she'd finishing up some paperwork, slowly, because she dreads going home to Merikh right now more than anything else. A note appears on top of her paperwork in Rhy's handwriting.

My office please, when you can.

After a few deep breaths, she winnowed down the hall and into his office. Rhysand was sitting at his desk, leaned back in his chair with a glass of bourbon. It wasn't unusual for him to end his day with a drink, and Elara knew Rhysand was a good male, but seeing him with the drink put her on edge. It felt too similar to what she been coming home to for the last few years.

He gestured to the seat.

She sat.

The nerves building, logically she knew he probably just wanted to talk about work, but there had been too many close calls recently and the risk of the truth coming out felt far too eminent.

"How are you feeling about your trip to Windhaven?"

"I feel good, Sylas and I finalized our plans today. I'm not excited to be back at the camp, but I know it's necessary."

He nods his head, but doesn't say anything else. Elara refuses to fill the silence.

"I'm concerned about this wayward group in Windhaven, but I'm more concerned about any of their members being in Velaris." Rhys finally says.

"Me as well, I've been working with Cassian to have more patrols and I've been speaking with citizens almost daily to catch anything suspicious , as far as any of us can tell there hasn't been any more activity in the city."

Rhys leans back further in his chair, looking at her intensely.

"I'm concerned about your partner and the access he has to the governess of the city."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm concerned about Merikh. Azriel and Cassian are concerned about his connections in Illyria. And I don't think you've been entirely honest with us."

Elara could feel her power stirring up in her, threatening to blow over.

"What are you trying to say?"

Rhys stands from his chair and walks around until he's leaning against the front of his desk with his arms crossed.

"I'm saying that Merikh has been acting and speaking suspiciously. I'm saying that I sense you haven't been entirely honest recently. I'm worried about my governess and I'm worried about her as a sister.

Elara kept her face completely steeled, her lips pursed and her eyes burning holes into his. She didn't move an inch, didn't betray anything in her emotions. Rhysand stares back and neither one of them are surrendering.

"If you have concerns about Merikh, then they need to be addressed. I can assure you, High Lord, that there are no issues with my honesty or my ability to protect the city."

Rhys still continued to look at her, not saying anything. Elara took that as her cue and walked out of his office.

She headed home, desperately wishing that Merikh was passed out on the couch or simply not home.

Elara entered the house and her senses went up immediately. Her intensified senses picked up the smell of whiskey. Her wings instinctively tucked in closer to herself when she saw Merikh sitting on the couch; he drains his glass and stands up to look at her.

Enough time had passed since the last incident with him that Elara was almost able to forget what he was capable of, but seeing the look in his eyes was a stark reminder.

"I thought I told you not to go to Windhaven, that's no place for you. You're making me look like a fool by going out there."

"How do you know I'm going out there?" It was a stupid thing to come out of her mouth, an instinctual reaction, but her mission was supposed to have been confidential and subsequently all the meetings had been strictly closed door. He had been in the room when she suggested going a few weeks ago, but no one had brought it up since. The orders for the mission had come down from Rhys last week and the meeting with Sylas had been in the afternoon.

Merikh completely ignored your question, but was slowly walking closer to her. He got up in her face and Elara tensed, waiting for the ball to drop. His breath hot on her face, he asks "what do you think all the other Illyrian males will say when they see you out there by yourself? You're too attractive of a female to be roaming around the camps?"

Forget the she was Illyrian and had spent her entire childhood in that camp - was he flirting with her? Was he acting like a jealous male? The kind that's actually protective over their partner?

Elara had no idea what to say to him. She couldn't tell if this was supposed to be an intimate moment for them or if she could set him off at any second, so she simply turned her head up and kissed him. Thankfully, he reciprocated.

Things progressed quickly from there, Elara's anger at Rhys long forgotten, her embarrassment in the training rings drowned out. His hands and mouth were all over her, their clothes flying off of them in a fury.

But still, Elara couldn't stop thinking about how Merikh knew of the mission. Why he was so adamant that she didn't go. It all felt off. But the male standing in front of her had been chosen for her, was her perfect match - he surely had his faults, but there was no way he'd be able to plot anything against her.

With no express warning or preparation, Merikh bent her over to slip inside her. Elara twisted around and put her hands on his forearms, trying to signal she wasn't quite in the mood for that yet, but Merikh was too drunk or indifferent to care.

Turning her back around, he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Taron won't be able to keep his eyes off of you, don't forget to let him know who you belong to."

This time Elara twisted around to look at him with force. Stood her ground against his rough hands. "What the fuck did you just say?"

"At your trip to Windhaven, don't forget who you belong to."

"No, who is Taron? How do you know him?"

"You wicked bitch, why does it matter?"

She lunges at him and he's fighting back. There has never been a time that she actively fought Merikh, she always became submissive and just waited for it to be over, but this time she realized that Rhys had been correct and the safety of her city and everything she worked for was at stake.

He's fighting back and she's resisting the urge to completely burn him up with a blast of starlight, but she can't muster up the power. Her powers have been dampened. She tries to winnow and she can't. She tries to speak to Rhys or Feyre mind to mind and she can't. She tries to fight back, but she's getting uncharacteristically tired. It starts to feel as though she's paralyzed.

Merikh has an evil look in his eye. He's pushes her to ground, starts kicking her and slashing at her wings, at her face, anything he could.

Elara remains conscious the entire time, but is completely frozen.

Finally, mercifully he places one final kick to her face and leaves. As soon as he's out the door, Elara feels a fizzle in her fingertips. Her magic returning.

She can barely move, barely think and can barely breathe.

With her last ounce of energy and consciousness she screams into Rhysand's mind.

[xxladyballadxx]

Roses In Bed

Eiji Arashiba x (Fem) Reader - (SMUT)

⚠︎ MINORS DNI ⚠︎

Summary: Eiji headed home to see you right after taking down the Dusk soldiers from the organization. A sudden surprise awaits him as he returns to his apartment…

Note: This fanfic is not really connected to the events of the manga or the anime so bear that in mind. Also the title is so bloody random lmao.

❦ dividers by @firefly-graphics ❦

Eiji shot the last man down with his revolver, he slipped it back into his holster and checked around to see if there were any Dusk soldiers coming. Kazuma goes to check on his older brother, “You alright, Eiji?” sheathing his Katana. Eiji gives a bitter smirk, “Never better, now those idiots have gotten taken care of.” 

“They will never learn, will they?” Kazuma folded his arms, a glare of annoyance expressing on his face. “Nope. Anyways, I’m going to head back home. Why don’t you two head back to the Titan cafe without me?” Eiji waved them off while walking off in a different direction. 

“Off to see (Y/n), I see.” Kagami appeared next to Kazuma, grinning, “Well, tell her we said ‘Hi.’” 

“Will do!” So Eiji left to go and see you at his apartment. As he arrived there, he suddenly noticed his door was slightly open. Along with that, he spotted a trail of red rose petals when he walked inside. A set of candles were placed on the counter and by the shelves. Eiji astoundingly followed the rose petals trail after taking off his shoes leading him to his bedroom where you were lying down on the bed in your sexy lingerie set. Your boyfriend’s heart pumped in excitement, admiring you in your (f/c) lingerie set. 

“Baby…” Eiji kept his lustful eyes on you while walking up to the bed, “You…you have no idea what you’re going to do to me, have you been waiting long?” 

You shook your head, pressing the rose towards your lips, “N-no..” your face coloured in a lusty colour of exhilaration. Eiji chuckled, smirking mischievously and flipped you over with his weight pressing you down to the bed, your back leaning on the bedsheets “Well then…” His hand slipped into your knickers, sliding them down to your knees, “How badly do you want me, babydoll?” 

“Very bad..” you whimpered needily, feeling your ass very close to his crotch. Desperately waiting for him to give you the best pleasure of your life. Eiji stripped down his boxers and pants before taking off blue shirt and black leather jacket. He slowly inserted himself into your sensitive spot and held tightly onto your hips. You made a loud sexual noise, your nails digging deep into the petals that were spread out on the bed, “E-Eiji!” 

Eiji growled, grinding against your body, “That’s right, babydoll! Scream my name! Let the entire building know whose cock you belong to!” his hands tightened on your hips, he could feel himself melting into you, “Fuck, you feel so tight…” 

Your moans increased to a high volume where your insides twisted, causing you to scream down the room in such a shameless manner. Eiji was aroused by your sweet-loud moans, he leaned in to kiss you greedily as his hands moved to your wrists. “Mmm..” Eiji groaned in the kiss, his tongue becoming tangled to yours, “You have no fucking idea how much I need you, baby…” He grunted, slamming his body aggressively against yours. 

“Ahhh…aaahhh…” Your entire body was shaking in sweat, feeling soaked already by him, “Aahhh, E-Eiji!” 

“Mmh..!” Eiji made a predatory growl, loving the sound of you screaming his name so heavenly. His body ignited, feeling his juicy cock devouring your insides. Oh how he loves to make you moan during sex. It just arouses him. “F-fuck me hard, Eiji!” You pleaded, desperately begging him to go rough on you. 

“You want me to go harder?  You gotta beg for it, babydoll!”

“P-please!!” 

“That’s my girl…”

Your mind swirled into a blur, getting lost in paradise. Too trapped into his world that you couldn’t even think straight with your hazy mind that’s making your vision blurry all thanks to Eiji pleasuring the fucks out of you. You’re his girl and nobody else’s, Eiji made sure of that. 

“Does it feel fucking good, babydoll?” Eiji grunted sexually, his body thrusting violently into your womanhood, feeling your drip on his cock. You let out a moan as you whimpered, “Y-yes…” 

“Louder, baby!” 

“Y-yes! It feels good!” You shouted with a moan escaping your lips. Eiji was satisfied with your response, earning you a good smack across your buttcheeks causing you to gasp moaningly as he did that shamelessly. “E-Eiji!” The more you scream his name, the rougher he thrusts deep into your weak spot. He tends to get more wildly turned on when you lustfully call out his name. 

You feel his thing digging deep inside your body in such ecstasy , pumping upwards and downwards. “Ahh..aah Eiji! I’m-” 

“We’re nearly there, baby…”

“Eiji, I-I can’t take it anymore..” 

“You can..” Eiji growled heavily, his breaking point coming near. 

His sweating body slamming hard towards yours, gripping down your wrists as he prepared himself, “Fuck! I’m close!” 

You moaned, biting down your lip, “Cum into me, Eiji! I-I wanna feel you!” 

With a final, hard long thrust, Eiji finally came and reached for the climax. He panted heavily, his body shuddering against yours with his head at the crook of your neck, “Jesus, you drive me insane, you know that?” 

You leaned your chin on top of his head, pressing down your lips to it, “I love you too, Eiji..” you said softly, running your hand through his brown hair. Eiji crawled up a bit to touch your lips with his, “God, you’re so irresistible, I can’t get enough of you these days…”

After the imitate moment, the two of you hit the shower together getting rid of the smell of sweat and sex. You slipped into one of Eiji’s shirts, heading back to the bedroom to lie down beside him. You leaned your head into his arm with him cradling you close as he pulled up a blanket on you, looking at you tenderly as you rested your eyes for a moment. 

[pennywaltzy]

Things To Look Forward To On This Blog In 2024!

So yes. This year did not go at all as planned. I spent it dealing with long haul COVID symptoms that sapped my energy and my concentration, dealing with being homeless and getting burnt out running @wipbigbang this year (also COVID related...I love the BB, it's coming back next year, but running it wore me the fuck out this year...and I didn't even finish any of my planned fic for it!).

But there is good news: I wrote a fic today. I made graphics. I am slowly getting my creative spirit back! I have some stuff planned for the new year, provided I don't overdo it, and here's some of what I have planned:

A new series revolving around Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and BBC Sherlock, as suggested to me by my enabler @dreaminonao3. How is it going to work, you ask? Easy: it's set during "The Abominable Bride" era of Sherlock, in the 1800s, when Phryne and Mac are ten and Sherlock has need of new Irregulars. Dremin looked at the timeline and I jumped at the chance to write this. It is going to also incorporate an AU version of Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries as well, as this fic is going to span all of Phryne's life except what we explicitly saw in the series (no movie for this series). I'm really looking forward to working on this series.

More of the "In Our Neck Of The Woods" series, which is going to span from way back in pre-series through an AU BBC Sherlock series 4 (I'M GONNA KILL JOHN AND LET MARY LIVE BWAHAHAHA!!!), crossing over with British shows like Midsomer Murders, Inspector Lewis, Murder In Suburbia; Australian shows like Mr & Mrs Murder and MFMM; the American crime procedural Criminal Minds and probably more! I have crazy ass plans for this series, but a HUGE focus of it is going to be the Mycroft/Lestrade ship. I eventually plan to finish "Every British Village Has Its Secrets" in 2024, but I'm going to start writing this out of order because I have Ideas and I'm tired of waiting to finish the casefic.

More beneath the cut!

CSIverse fic! I'm not going to write new stuff, probably, but I will finish posting the parts of my Danny Messer fic which seems to be popular (it's finished, I just need to format the future chapters for AO3, and I've misplaced my files), and I will start moving over more character bios for Nothing's Like Before/All Grown Up's OCs and start organizing those series and posting them. Plus I have a ton of other fic from LJ I need to post on AO3, so I'm going to try and average posting ten CSIverse fic a month for my various series and standalones and stuff.

I will be revisiting my older series. I mean, my OLD older series. Ones I started in my Wholock mania, BBC Sherlock series with only a small handful of fics, maybe even some of my Bleach series if I can figure out how to watch it on Hulu. I am also, because I binged them and miss my people and OCs and stuff, be adding more to "Stuff Of Improbable Legends" and "Saviors Of Time And Space" for @posterofamyth since I don't have the energy or creative capacity to dive back into actual roleplaying just yet. I'll be moving over story logs, filling in events that are mentioned in game but not logged, and adding newer content with the various ships and characters I grew to love when I was roleplaying. These will be fewer each month than the stuff I'm moving over, but I'm going to try!

More Star Trek AOS stuff. I have plans to add to "What Stork Brings" in January, I'm going to write more of "Academy Days," and I'll work on updating the Star Trek TOS movie "The Undiscovered Country" rewrite after I refresh my memory on the movie plot by watching it. @greenskyoverme is going to be dictating what I update and when for most of the stuff, as she's requested it as repayment for the multitudes of help she's given...

...That being said, I also plan on writing (hopefully) two stories a month in the "Between The Stars" series that I use Aurora Hliday in, as she is a OC of @luminarysketches and I'm commissioned to write at least 20K worth of stories (but I love Ro so this is not a daunting task, aside for the long haul stuff). Now, I'm going to hopefully get in touch with them soon to get more story ideas as well as have a bio for Aurora posted with the series in the series page link so you guys can learn all about her, so this one may not start until a little later in 2024.

More MCU! @dreaminonao3 has given me well over 1,000 prompts and a shit ton of them are my various MCU pairings I have series for so I will start using them to update the various series I have started. I got a ton of prompts specifically for "Just Pieces On The Board" so be on the lookout for those!

Provided I can get space and time to write, I am probably going to do a few month-long challenges. I may not do every day, but if I start one I will try and finish it before 2025 dawn, even if it's late.

Art! I have a ton more art to do for @wipbigbang and I'm getting back into making fanmixes. I would like to make a Mystrade mix at some point, and non-fic-inspired Sherlolly and Adlock ones as well. Plus I'm going to branch out into some of my MCU and Star Trek fandoms as well as some character-centric Elementary ones. I also have plans to make more fic inspired art I'm giving to holiday_wishes and @sherlollysecretsanta people as late Christmas gifts. So there should be a lot more art from me in the near future.

And that's kind of the gist of it! When I'm not posting fic and art of my own creation, I'm going to start posting more resources, fandom/fanfic adjacent stuff, art resources and other things. I'm planning to use this blog more than I did and 2023, so please, wish me luck!

[love-bokumono-fics]

Fresh Crops! October 30 - November 5, 2023

This week's newest fics and chapter updates for Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons on AO3!

𝓗𝓪𝓻𝓿𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓜𝓸𝓸𝓷 | 𝐻𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒮𝒽𝑒 - by HarvestMoonTales; WIP, 1/4, <1k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings; Categories: F/M, Multi Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town Relationships: Claire the Farmer/Gray, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran/Cliff, Kai/Popuri; Characters: Kai, Claire, Popuri, Gray, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Cliff, Mary the Librarian | Marie, Rick, Karen, Harvest Goddess, The Kappa Additional Tags: Fanfiction, YouTube, Slice of Life, Drama, Eventual Romance, Angst, Fluff, Near Death Experiences, Minor Character Death, Time Travel, Mystery, Fantasy, Embedded Video Summary: Awkward misunderstandings stir feelings of unrest between Claire and Gray. Ann has a huge crush on Cliff but he's running out of money to stay in town. And Kai made a huge mistake with Popuri, and circumstances prevent him from righting his wrongs. Soon disaster strikes Mineral Town, but there might be a way to fix it, perhaps in the least likely way thought possible...

Our Story of Seasons: Pete x Claire - by Ry2_Sinheart; WIP, 24/30, 25k

Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Categories: F/M, Gen Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town Relationships: Claire the Farmer & Pete | Jack, Claire the Farmer/Pete | Jack; Characters: Pete | Jack, Claire, Thomas, Zack, Dog, Harvest Goddess, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Karen Additional Tags: Romance, Slow Burn, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Slice of Life, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Developing Relationship, Strangers to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Video Game Mechanics, Game Logic, Male-Female Friendship, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Relationships, Slow Romance, Digital Art Summary: A story that revolves around the protagonists of Mineral Town. After a series of unfortunate events, Pete and Claire agree they'll have to raise the farm together, whether they like it or not. Through their farming-ventures, they realize that maybe farming together… isn't so bad.

The Egg Thief - by dicelady20; WIP, 16/19, 64k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence; Category: F/M Fandoms: Dragon Ball GT/Z, Friends of Mineral Town Characters: Trunks Briefs, Claire the Farmer Additional Tags: Harvest Moon, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Romance, Slow Burn, Martial Arts, Cussing, Crossover, Healing, city vibes, dark scenes, POV Multiple, POV Third Person Limited, Mild Gore, Supernatural Elements, First Meetings, story of seasons, Alternative Perspective, Don't copy to another website, Don't Have to Know Canon Summary: Claire decides to give the city life another chance, but as she does, she is haunted by her nightmares & her past. Mr. CEO of Capsule Corp., Trunks, is haunted by something else in his life; juggling between his CEO work & saving Earth from vindictive dragons. As their two worlds collide, what could possibly go wrong?

Degausser - by JillOfAllTrades__x; WIP, 12/?, 67k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings; Categories: F/M, Multi Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town Characters: Pete | Jack, Claire the Farmer, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Gray, Cliff, Jennifer, Popuri, Karen, Kai, Mineral Town Residents Additional Tags: Redemption, Fresh Start, Loneliness, Angst, Self-Acceptance, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Drug Use, Self-Harm, Multiple Pairings, Slice of Life, Hurt/Comfort, Hurt No Comfort Summary: Those that live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones – but that’s all Jack and Claire ever knew up until a series of half-lit cruel intentions landed them on the ferry to the desolate island of Mineral Town. After all, it was certainly easier to cast judgment unto others than it was to face the skeletons in your own closet. And surely no one would have an ill word to say about a brooding playboy and an immature party girl taking over the once-great farm that founded and funded their small town, right?

Under the Name - by ModernTsunami; WIP , 13/63. 124k

Rating: Mature; Archive Warning: Major Character Death; Categories: F/M, Gen Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Relationships: Elli/Doctor Trent | Torre, Elli | Elly & Stu | Yu, Elli | Elly & Old Ellen, Elli | Elly/Rick; Characters: Doctor | Trent, Elli | Elly, Old Ellen, Stu | Yu, Rick, Mary the Librarian | Marie Additional Tags: Character Development, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Co-workers, Roommates, Grief/Mourning, Smoking, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Strangers to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Medical, Implied Sexual Content, Illness, Injury Summary: When Trent accepted the offer to run a rural health clinic, he didn't realize he was taking on the part of small-town doctor and neighbor. The dual relationships he develops with the residents of Mineral Town begin to shape his ideas of who he is and who he wants to be. But growing closer to others always runs the risk of clouding one's judgment. While small-town life is nothing new to Elli, being caretaker to her younger brother and homebound grandmother is. There’s nothing she wants more than the confidence that what she’s doing for them is right, but as she strives to fulfill her growing obligations to her family, she finds it harder to hold on to what she wants for herself. Together they work in the clinic and learn the difference between what you do and who you are.

I'll Be My Own Hero - by PrinceErose; WIP, 5/?, 25k

Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: Other Fandom: Tree of Tranquility Relationships: Gill/Owen, Luke/Owen | Ose, Kathy/Owen, Luke/Gill, Gill/Selena; Characters: Gill, Owen, Barbara, Hamilton, Elli | Elly, Jin, Irene, Mira, Ramsay, Luke the Carpenter, Renee, Kathy, Toby, Bo, Yolanda, Craig, Selena, Anissa, Simon, Daren the Harvest Sprite Additional Tags: Idiots, Gill is a bisexual mess, i'll update the characters and tags as the story progresses, My First Work in This Fandom, Work In Progress, Drinking, Bar Buddies, can you tell how much i don't like hamilton, finally i can reveal my ship, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Gill x Selena has been living in my head rent free for like 12 years, AU Summary: No one was going to fall from the sky and come save their island. Gill felt like he was the only one who thought that way, and he was determined to change things. alternatively: Gill has to use the power of friendship to band everyone together and work to restore the island to its former glory. alternatively alternatively: What if the player character never arrived on Waffle Island? How would things have gone had they not stepped in when they did to restore the rainbows and save the Harvest Goddess and Mother Tree? The challenges and hardships that a single rancher had to conquer is now an entire town's responsibility.

Blue Bird - by viridian_house; Complete, 4/4, 21k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Categories: F/M, M/M Fandoms: A Wonderful Life, DS Cute Relationship: Pony | Aya | Jill/Takakura; Characters: Takakura, Pony | Aya | Jill Additional Tags: Angst, Pining, Bisexual Male Character, Age Difference, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Female Character, Smoking, Implied/Referenced Homophobia Summary: Takakura never had much luck in matters of the heart (until Aya came along, that is).

What We Know, What We Show - by copernicusjones; Complete, 1/1, 2.3k

Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: Gen Fandoms: A Wonderful Life Relationships: Romana & Lumina, Romana & Rock, Romana & Sebastian, Rock & Lumina; Characters: Romana, Rock, Lumina, Sebastian Additional Tags: Reminiscing, Lunch, Family Feels, Fluff and Humor, Advice, Rock/Lumina and Romana/Sebastian can be platonic or shippy, you the reader may decide! Summary: Romana spends a Summer afternoon having a lovely meal outdoors with those she cares for most, and Rock.

The Heart of a Westown Cowboy - by Mya_Stone; WIP, 31/?, 43k

Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/M Fandom: Trio of Towns Relationships: Female Farmer/Wayne, Farmer & Wayne, Wayne & Ford; Characters: Frank, Ford, Carrie, Brad, Megan, Hector, Colin, Daryl | Darius, Marlena, Lynn, Wayne, Miranda Additional Tags: Slow Burn, Romance, Romantic Friendship, Guy Falls First, famiy drama, I Wrote This For Me But I'll Share It With You Summary: Wayne is Westown's perpetually single lady's man. He'd like to settle down but he just hasn't found The One and he's fairly certain he's met everyone in town. Then Melody moves in, taking a plot of her uncle's ranch to fulfill her dream of being a rancher. A college-educated business woman, Melody doesn't accept failure - especially not her own. As Wayne falls hard for her, she struggles to return his affections until she has what she came for - and when she continually comes up short at the cow competitions, she begins to wonder if Westown is really the place for her.

It's Good in the Dark - by copernicusjones; Complete, 1/1, 11k

Rating: Explicit; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: M/M Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town Relationship: Carter/Doctor | Trent; Characters: Doctor | Trent, Carter the Pastor, Claire Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Porn with Feelings, Trust Kink, Relationship Study, Sensory Deprivation, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Kink Negotiation, Choking Kink is mentioned but nothing comes from it?, Service Top, Post-Coital Cuddling, Dirty Talk (but in a Goddess-honoring way :)), Blackouts, Background Claire/Kappa Summary: After a late Winter blizzard knocks Mineral Town into a blackout, Trent takes it upon himself to check in on the residents and verify they're safe and unharmed, as well as properly prepared for any future incidents. His final stop is the church, where his partner, Carter, resides. He stays much longer than intended.

Someone Else's Shame - by blushroomx; Complete, 1/1, 1.7k

Rating: Not Rated; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/F Fandom: A Wonderful Life Relationship: Nami/Samantha; Characters: Nami, Samantha, Kate, Gustafa Additional Tags: Rare Pairings Summary: Nami and Samantha's secret romance runs its course.

And one Not Safe For Tumblr fic written by Thefallen1986.

[dextivefanart]

Next Wednesday will be the release of the Wonders of Earth issue that will lead up to the bigger story that will act as its finale.

I am excited to make what is essentially a graphic novel about PITCH and doing something with all the world elements introduced. However, this project will likely be a long wait, for I currently have two other big projects going on.

My fanart blog won't yap about them much, but I will reblog material about them to here from main once there are things to actually show about them. The writing is well underway at this point.

The first and older of the projects is Our Home; Eternal. While there is a version currently out, I wasn't happy with that version and started from scratch. The new version is going to be all around better (since I have improved as a creator since then), and the first draft of the outlines are done.

It's pretty much a superhero Y/A dystopian story. It has an ending that is probably unconventional for as far as I know. Whether or not it will stay that way remains to be seen. For obvious reasons, I won't go into more detail.

The younger project is The Renegade Princess. Pretty much imagine Furry Doctor Who made by an American, and you more or less get the gist of it. While Our Home; Eternal has its one story, I'm hoping that the universe of The Renegade Princess could be much bigger than its initial illustrated novel trilogy one day. Though unlike Doctor Who, it's not going to be following the one alien with a bigger-on-the-inside time-space ship for the entire IP. The princess only has two stories where she is a main character in mind. The current one, and a future one that is more romance-based and explores her home planet more. Her future lover is MtF, but it might become FtM just because MtF transgender individuals get a lot more attention and representation. Even the transphobes generally ignore FtMs! But that's besides the point.

Snippy the Horse is a big inspiration for the first book. It revolves around similar fictional animal mutilations. Honestly, this is one real life thing that is attributed to aliens I would love to see Doctor Who make a story with. But considering it's a family show, it's obvious why Doctor Who wouldn't do a story revolving such a dark subject matter. Anything real life with a potential connection to aliens would honestly make for interesting Doctor Who episodes. And I'm not talking about "connections" that are clearly bogus such as the Egyptian Pyramids. I'm talking about the real eyebrow-raisers.

So yeah, those are my current projects. When at least one of them is done, I will work on Wonders of Earth's finale.

For how I'm financing things like these, it's pretty simple. I got an acting gig for Spooky Season. I'm not expecting a lot of money out of it. I also got into investing. My big goal is a mutual fund.

But the investing thing is also because the job market is crap. Many job listings aren't even for actual jobs, and the ones that are real are known for underpaying. It's a load of bullshit.

So unless if I get to do a charity event or something like that, half of my proceeds will be going to investing. If you are morally against that, then that is okay and perfectly valid. Shareholders are absolute monsters. For me, it's just a matter of having a consistent income that'll help me one day afford necessities and maybe even a horse. I also fully intend on using that money on artists and small businesses.

Anyways, as much as I hate plugging on the fanart blog, there are ways to help fund me live, and subsequently, my art. The biggest one is via commissions. Message me and I'll give you the service menu and TOS.

I also have a ko-fi and a shop. The shop has my actual blog on there, and I posted a spoiler-free review on The Book of Bill there this week. So DEFINITELY check that out. Shop has some cute gay buttons.

Oh yeah, for when both big projects are ready, I would also appreciate a volunteer editor. If everybody wanting to look over my stuff wants to get paid and nobody would volunteer, then I'll simply wait until I can afford to hire someone. I'd need to wait until I can do paid marketing/ads for the stories anyways. But if a willing volunteer is out there, I'd happily return the favor with a free art commission. Seriously, I doubt words could describe how big of a help a volunteer editor would be.

Anyways, I rambled enough. If you read this much, I won't keep you much longer. Any support would be appreciated.

[legahsworlds]

Bookish Hot Take:

Smut, like juicy, juicy, detailed, and very much not implied smut, is lowkey kind of overrated.

Disclaimer!!! I am not aro/ace by any means and am in fact a huge romance enthusiast, these are just my opinions and I think that we as a writing community could do so much better.

Exhibit A:

This specific genre has often caused a lot of controversy, specifically because of the fact that it encourages sexual abuse and other painful methods used against women, especially during certain events. And while I’m quite sure that a lot of authors do not intend for this to be the case, it ends up being like that or interpreted as such. It also has become a trend to romanticize being in toxic relationships because of these types of books, which can be extremely damaging to girls images especially, and can also be triggering to people who lived those events in their own life and use books as their escape. The only cases in which I think is okay to use this trope is when trying to spread awareness on domestic/sexual violence/abuse, or when telling your own story or someone else’s. And even a historical romance can pass in this catagory, depending on the circumstance however.

Exhibit B:

Another factor that also comes out of this particular section in most books today, is that it tends to become all that the story revolves around. Which gets very old after a while. Every other plot event and key point in the story becomes less important and less meaningful when every interaction the characters have is meant to be some type of sexual tension, the main victims being enemies to lovers; but that’s another conversation for another day. It just becomes a chore to read a story where you constantly know the outcome at some point, but the author just kind of baits you and strings you along till the middle or very end. It also removes the depth of the characters and the story, and completely erases personality and outside relationships significance. And while I do understand that you can have it in a book, and do believe that it can be done extremely well, I just think we need to tone it down because it’s not cute anymore.

Exhibit C:

In almost every case, even if it includes the other options above: it’s cringe. The writing is simply just uncomfortable to read (especially in public) and no longer feels like reading a real and original story, and more like a Wattpad fanfic written by some 12 year old who barely has the concept of what smut even is in their head. A lot of times when it’s cringe, the characters aren’t themselves either, like their entire personality just leaves for one scene, and then comes back the next. And there also is a lot of unnecessary detail in these scenes, which ALSO (surprise surprise) often are describing MINORS. And I’m not talking about implied smut scenes, I’m talking about the graphic ones.

Possible Alternatives:

This one’s kinda crazy, but hear me out: just don’t write it. I know right, insanity at its finest. However that’s only if you absolutely hate it or you’re aro/ace. I however do not entirely hate it, I just think it’s overdone, and done very very wrong in most cases. The other solution, which in my opinion is the best way to write this type of scene, is to make it emotional, and romantic, but not in like an immature and uncertain type of way. Make it so that what’s being described is not what’s happening, but what they’re feeling, their memories, their inner thoughts, how the other looks, the setting, etc. You also shouldn’t make this type of smut very graphic and detailed, it should be more implied of what is happening, where the reader knows what’s happening however that’s not the most important part of the scene, that way it gives the reader a sense of satisfaction while also remaining important to the plot and not actually taking away from the story and instead adds to it. This is also a very clear example of the saying “if two characters have to kiss to show that they’re in love, they’re not in love.” And I think a LOT of y’all have never heard that and it SHOWS.

Now I’m 16, so you’re probably like “oh you’re too young to understand—“ shut the actual fuck up. I just want to read a good sweet fluffy romance book, because they’re so hard to find nowadays. And if they do have a bit of that in it, I’d prefer that they’d be written better, and not encourage toxic behaviors, as well as keeping the plot of the story and not having it revolve around two characters sleeping together. Is that too difficult to ask for?

So in conclusion, just branch off and make your own genre guys, please for the love of god. Obviously these are just my opinions, and I’m sure other people feel the same (especially when reading in public…), so you can take this however you want. Anyways, that’s my Bookish Hot Take of the day, maybe I’ll start making them more often lol.

[datsteboi]

So I recently finished playing SubaHibi/Wonderful Everyday and wanted to give my thoughts on it.

I think it's important to note that this is the first long length visual novel I have actually finished. Yes, I have played Clannad and Muv-luv but ran out of time on my original playthroughs of those. I got to every route except for 3 Nagisa, Kotomi, Fuko and after story for clannad, and I finished all of Muv-Luv extra and that's it. Yes, I know it gets good i just need to get on that after Clannad. Well anyway lets get back to SubaHibi. The game starts off really weird, well the entire story is weird, so I guess different from the rest. You have to get through a false start as I like to call it. These are actually quite common in Visual Novels especially in horror ones. This false start focuses on the first Protaginist Minakami Yuki and her two childhood best friends making memories with a Girl named Zakuro. There are two side routes which are basically a Yuri fanfic within the story itself, and the main ending which is an ominus storyline about the end sky which is a sort of backround theme throughout the plot. Like with any false starts it is often called the worst part of the story which I dont think is fair. It can be a slog to get through at times but the foreshadowing is insane and it makes an interesting start in general.

Down The Rabbit Hole:

While the false start is also technially called Down The Rabbit Hole and also has the same Protaginist, this is the offical start of the plot and is usually referred to as Down The Rabbit Hole II or just RHII. This chapter is very short and doesn't give you many details. This is cleary intended. All the choices are just different parts of the school you backtrack to and there aren't any side endings. The story itself is just an introduction to the main plot pretty much with Yuki trying to find out about Mamiya Takuji and his deeds.

It's My Own Invention:

This is the longest chapter and personally my least favorite. I don't think its bad but it's incredibly long. This chapter focuses on Mamiya Takuji who goes insane after his only friend commits suicide. This is the first part where the foreshadowing from RHI is apparent. The girl who commits suicide and is friends with Takuji is none otther than Zakuro, who is the girl you become friends with in the false start. After that quite a bit of the plot is his delsusions and mental health issues. This is the problem i have with this chapter. It definitly is intersting seeing the crazy things he does including a magical girl he deludes himself into beleiving is real, but the mental episodes go on forever and you can go hours without character dialouge. The later parts of this chapter focus on a cult he forms by sending curse mail to girls that bullied Zakuro. This is also where Kimika appears who also has her own ending. i also think this is where it is important to note that this novel has some pretty graphic and gross scenes. The one i found the worst is actually in this chapter and revolves around a teacher he recruits into the cult and tells to have sex with her dad and she does and the entire scenario really had my stomach turning.

Looking-Glass Insects:

This is what I like to call an outlier chapter sort of like RH1 as its pretty seperate from the rest of the story even though its super long. It focuses on Zakuro and the events leading up to her suicide. She become's friends with Kimika and then becomes a target of severe bullying. There are a few interactions with Takuji but the main plot revolves around her bullying getting worse and worse to the point of her being raped by multiple guys. The last hour or so of the story explain the girls she was with in RH2. She is brought into a cult that tells her she needs to have a near-death experience to regain former powers. She then goes with the girls and dies.

Jaberwocky 1:

This is where the true story shows itself, but there were some issues with translation starting here. It isnt that noticable but its there. Its also important to note that the tone shifts quite a bit here and is pretty lighthearted sometimes. So you are in Tomosanes perspective this time and finally find out or you already kinda knew if you played the side ending in Zakuros chapter that several of the characters are just multiple personalites. In this chapter Tomosane belives he is the off personality of Mamiya Takuji and so is Yuki. Yes that Yuki. She was also a personality as well. Going through this chapter you start to find out that both Tomosane and Yuki are at risk of disapearing due to Mamiya Takujis actions and they need to try and stop him.

Which dreamed it:

This is the shortest chapter and the only one not to have any choices. This is from his sisters perspective and shes the real victim here. She was involved in the "incident" that caused the multiple personalities to happen. This chapter really only focuses on the times tomosane disapeared and hasakis reaction to it. It also introdcues the reporter guy and why he was in the previous chapter. He gets really important here.

Jaberwocky II:

This is the last chapter and it has kind of a weird structure. Its always starts with a collection of different memories that explain Tomosane's backstory and all of that. It also showcases the orignal incident that weve been curious about for a while at this point. After that you get the ending depending on the choices in Jabberwocky I. There are two main endings and a secret ominius ending with Ayana who randomly appears in every chapter.

I honestly really enjoyed this VN despite all the mindless clicking through long segments i had to do. If you have the time i would certianly reccomend it.

[camiladaviladigitalmediablog]

Blog Post #1

   This week's topic was about narrative theory and interactive narratives. By the end of the class, I was sure that in this week's post, I could analyze Incendies, a Canadian film made in 2010, which was definitely a wink to Oedipus’s tragic tale.

   This movie is based on the homonymous play written by Wajdi Mouawad. The story revolves around a woman from the Lebant, who recently passed away, and her two children who live in Canada. She has left them 2 letters, one addressed to their never met brother and the other one to their presumed dead father. The movie is composed of flashbacks and back-and-forths that narrate the life of this woman that had a difficult time in Lebanon, she even was tortured and raped during war times. 

   Like I said before, this movie is a wink to Oedipus’s tale. The reason is that the protagonist was systematically raped by her first son, and from said rapes, she had twins that were raised by her. This movie presents a conflict not only in context with the Lebant but with the story behind the existence of these twins. Who by the end of the movie have to live with this truth that was never shared with them before. And somehow, the protagonist was a mother who wished well for her 3 children and the father of her kids.

   This story brings back a classic but turns it into a modern story. I wonder how Vladimir Propp would have classified the characters since the protagonist is a woman, who is not a hero in this story. Although surviving such hardship is admirable, that would be a great argument for her to be the savior of this story, but I would say that thinking back on Propp's theories she could not be considered a hero, possibly for also being the damsel in distress (that also manages to save herself). To be fair, there is no hero in this story. According to Laura Mulvey “For Propp, the Oedipus story is a symptom of a social and historical transition that determines the transitional or hybrid content of the narrative material itself”(1991, p. 31). I guess that makes sense, but it would probably defy Vladimir’s definitions.

   This story has a defined place, time and events. Yet it is presented in a way that the spectator should be paying attention carefully to not get lost in the several flashbacks and back and forths in the story. It may not be interactive like a video game when the spectator can choose a path. But it is part of those movies where it is necessary to be completely absorbed into it so the finale makes sense. Unfortunately, this is not a movie that is easy to recommend, due to its sensitive topics and not fully explicit yet graphic depictions.

Bibliography:

Incendies. (2010). [film]. Directed by Denis Villeneuve. Canada: Micro_scope

Incendies (2011). YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ69WnwvZhE (Accessed: 09 January 2024).

Mulvey, L. (1991) ‘The oedipus myth: Beyond the riddles of the Sphinx’, Psychoanalysis and Cultural Theory: Thresholds, pp. 27–50. doi:10.1007/978-1-349-21170-8_3. 

[linuxgamenews]

My Summer Adventure: Memories of Another Life - Day 1 to take on the adventure - Free

My Summer Adventure: Memories of Another Life - Day 1 is a free romance visual novel game for Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Get ready for the sheer creative talent of developer Alkinoy. Which is available for all to play on Steam, for Free. Let me introduce you to My Summer Adventure: Memories of Another Life - Day 1, a romance visual novel. This game releases the first day for free on Linux with Mac and Windows PC too. The story revolves around the main character, Maksim Laas. He's just a regular guy from Tallinn, Estonia, who's going through a tough time after breaking up with his girlfriend. He feels like his life has become dull and boring. However, one day while commuting, a bizarre event takes place. He falls asleep and wakes up in someone else's body, in a totally different country. His new name is Akira Kojima, and he's also a Japanese student.

My Summer Adventure: Memories of Another Life | Official Announcement Trailer

As you play My Summer Adventure: Memories of Another Life - Day 1, you'll get to know Maksim / Akira. And also the two girls he meets, Kyoko and Haruko. Kyoko is his friendly neighbor, who's always willing to help. While Haruko is a bit strange and can be rude at times. You'll have to make choices during the game that will affect the story's outcome and the characters' fates. Will you win their hearts or break them? The choice is yours. One of the features in this Linux game is its anime-style graphics. You'll delve into a world full of colorful scenery that will take you back to your school days. Including those warm summers and romantic adventures. Play My Summer Adventure: Memories of Another Life - Day 1 on Linux via Steam. My Summer Adventure: Memories of Another Life is a unique romance visual novel game. To release on Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Play Day 1, then add the full game to your Steam. The full version will release on May 30th.

[reviewsthatburn]

Daine meets and then travels with Onua, the horse mistress of the Queen’s Riders, beginning as a hired hand for the journey to the palace and quickly becoming indispensable. She has wild magic so strong that she’s in danger of losing track of herself when she connects with animals (the People). They meet the mage, Numair Saladin, who becomes Daine’s master in her magical studies. The plot revolves around Daine connecting with People and with two-leggers, gradually feeling like she can belong again after having traumatically lost her home and family before the events of the book. I like almost all of this book, I just wish it didn't lean quite so hard into Daine's crush on Numair (a man twice her age and her mage master, besides). 

Full Review at Link

[talesgreys]

0 input delay pickaxes

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Once the player who owns it loses their spot at the top, it will move on to the next champion.

0 INPUT DELAY PICKAXES SERIES

Only one player can own it at a time, and you'll have to be the current Fortnite Championship Series champion to own it. To specify multiple input delays relative to different clocks, turn on the Add delay ( -add_delay) option. If we're going to be technical about it, then the Axe of Champions from the FNCS is without a doubt the rarest Pickaxe in the game. If you specify only the rise or only the fall value for a given port, the specified value is used for both rise and fall.īy default, the TimeQuest analyzer removes any other input delays to the port except for those input delays with the same clock name ( -clock), falling clock edge ( -clock_fall), and reference pin ( -reference pin) specification. In this video I will be showing you guys skins and pickaxes that will give you less input delay and better frames Remember to choose simple skins unlike. You can specify separate rising ( -rise) and falling ( -fall) arrival times at the port. As a bonus, this also allows you to swap. If you specify only the minimum or maximum delay for a given port, the same value is used for both. Terraria now has a brand new series of intro splash screens and an intro sequence. The TimeQuest analyzer uses the maximum input delay ( -max) for clock setup checks or recovery checks, and uses the minimum input delay ( -min) for clock hold checks or removal checks. You can specify input delays relative to the rising edge (default) or falling edge ( -clock_fall) of the clock. The Clock name must refer to an actual clock name in the design. Specifies the data required time at the specified input ports relative to the clock. You access this dialog box by clicking Set Input Delay on the Constraints menu in the TimeQuest Timing Analyzer, or with the set_input_delay Synopsys Design Constraints (SDC) command.

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In fact, default skin is the most fps optimized skin in Season 3.Set Input Delay Dialog Box (set_input_delay) Using minimal skins that don’t use many pixels (most male skins, warrior skins, etc.) will offer you a significant advantage TikTok video from FWYBdell (fwybdell): 'fortnite skinspickaxes no input delay'. Less friends & invites you have in the Epic Games overlay will directly improve your FPS by as much as 20% in some extreme casesįinally, the skin you wear has a great impact on your frames and input delay. Best Pickaxes for 0 input delay fortnite fortnitetips fyp chapter3 fortniterare Use this sound if Vinicius is better than Fati 821 fwybdell FWYBdell 44.5K views 821 Likes, 60 Comments. First off, you’re going to want to reject all pending Epic Games friend requests and remove all current friends if possible. Two more notes before we sign out revolves around minimizing clutter. Previously, optimized colorblind settings offered this advantage but this is a fair, fps friendly compromise Other optimizations *We set post processing to medium to give you an advantage to look into zone with more clarity. Note that keys are passed through before being passed to the HotKey instance.This is to remove any modifier state from the key events, and to normalise modifiers with more than. Here’s an easy way to deal with the entire graphics quality section: used catfish boat for sale Once all the specified keys are pressed simultaneously, onactivate will be invoked. The less additional color rendering, the better Graphics Quality

0 INPUT DELAY PICKAXES PRO

Previous FPS boost videos had you mess with brightness and contrast, but after stress tests we concluded that not messing with the settings leads to the most optimized resultsĭespite pro players touting their favorite colorblind settings, new research shows that setting the default colorblind setting to zero is going to be a handy way to save frames. Graphics is quite intuitive in all honesty. Never set max FPS to unlimited for this exact reason Graphics Don’t set your max FPS to more than your monitor’s refresh rate to keep consistent frames which will lead to less noticeable drops. Your capped FPS will depend on the refresh rate (hz) if your monitor. Ensure that you are using a 16:9 (1920x1080p) monitor in fullscreen mode While the display settings are fairly straight forward - messing up any of these will lead to the most input delay and FPS stutters. Video by hindog - YouTube / Twitch Display Settings Here’s our guide to milking out those extra frames and lower input delay Watch popular content from the following creators: G9Lunt(g9lunt), Ares Takeoff(txkeoff), kalazzy(kalazquez), Advanced(advancedfnbr), HeroClicker(heroclicker). Not everyone can afford a $3,000 supercomputer and not worry about optimizing game performance. 0 input delay skins and pickaxes 9.9M views Discover short videos related to 0 input delay skins and pickaxes on TikTok.

[astoryinred]

"Trese" and the truth in the fiction

In short: why the actual monsters in Trese don't have horns, wings, or summoning rituals

Finally the Netflix anime adaptation of the Filipino graphic novel/comics series "Trese" has dropped. It is available in several languages such as English, Filipino, Japanese, Spanish...just to name a few. It is not a perfect work, both in technical terms as well as an adaptation of the source material, but it is worth a watch. Go watch it. Please.

That being said, there is so much to unpack about the series, and I do not mean in terms of the voice-acting and the ethnicities of the persons involved, or just how crunched together the writing is. I will leave that to the critics. What I am writing here is a view as to the real life truths woven into the horror/supernatural threads of the "Trese" episodes, and why these are important. It's because for a lot of people encountering "Trese" at this point, the actual every day monsters of the tale (or at least of the first 4 episodes) are even more distant than the aswangs, tikbalangs, nunos and other supernatural beings that populate the anime.

This will go into spoilers below the cut

Episode 1: The series opens with a train stopping right near the "Guadalupe Station", and some of its passengers being attacked by aswang as they walk along the railroad tracks. During the course of investigating this and another case (that of a ghost murdered on Balete Drive), Alexandra Trese learns that other spirits using this train line have recently perished in a fire or have also been murdered by aswang in league with a politician.

The squatter/informal settler community mentioned in this episode is based on a real one. That area has gone up in flames from accidental and not so accidental fires over the past few decades. Some of the settlers have moved on, but a good many have stubbornly stuck around despite the land being eyed by a large property developer. That area is a symptom of the inequality that plagues that particular part of the metropolis, since it is only less than a mile away from some of the country's swankiest gated subdivisions. While the powers that be are (probably) not involved in selling anyone for meat, they still have a long way to go to address the woes of that community when it is not election season.

As for the other murder in the episode? There have been several cases of women associated with or married to prominent politicians who have died in mysterious circumstances, with some of these deaths ruled as suicide. In many cases, the truth has been hushed up, or simply swept under the rug.

Episode 2: While Alexandra is pursuing the trail of a tikbalang running wild in the city, she also is called to investigate a mysterious series of electrocutions in a gated village. Along the way she discovers that this is a form of human sacrifice to the bagyons manning the electricity providers of the city.

As reprehensible as the bagyons are, what is truly sickening is the seeming indifference of the people in Livewell Village. It's mentioned more in the comics (but also given a line or two of exposition here by the Nuno) that the people regularly offer an outsider, usually a skilled worker in charge of maintenance, to ensure that the bagyon will bless them. In real life there is the callousness that some people exhibit towards essential workers such as yes, repairmen and electricians who have to endure heights and storms just to ensure the "comfort" of consumers. Although the Philippines isn't a country crawling with litiginous folk and "Karens", there are enough of this sort to make essential workers' lives miserable on a daily basis.

Episode 3: This is a difficult one, both in the comics and the anime. One of Trese's cases leads her to cross paths with an actress named Nova, who is later revealed to have had her child left to die (hence making her a target for a specific type of monster). Nova's story is admittedly not easy to deal with and may be considered incredulous, but there are two important contexts to remember when watching it.

The first is that abortion is still illegal throughout the Philippines. It cannot be legally offered by any clinic or medical practitioner. There are clandestine alternatives available, but at a steep price.

That being said, most Filipinos regardless of where they stand on the abortion issue will still consider the abandonment or murder of an infant to be beyond the pale. Yet this does happen. Every month one can expect to read a story or two of babies being tossed in the trash or left in bathrooms---and those are just the stories that make it to the press. There have been exposes about mothers who have sold off their infants to "adopters" willing to pay thousands of pesos or dollars for an under the table transfer of custody. These happen because of desperation, poverty, and lack of resources to support mothers. Maternity leave is only up to 120 days here in most cases, and there are few resources to support mothers with PPD, mothers abandoned by their partners, or those with just too many mouths to feed. Questions of "bodily autonomy" are not first and foremost in the mind of many women who do the worst to their newborns; the question is food on the table for the next day or the day after. Survival is key. Not independence or empowerment.

With these in mind, it is not surprising that Nova is considered one of the most disturbing and reprehensible characters in this episode. From what we see, her choice of abandoning her child stems from vanity and pursuit of a glamorous career. We can see that this is not because she would be out on the streets if she had a child to care for, or because she was escaping something. It's just portrayed as pure selfishness.

It is interesting that Nova is introduced here almost as a juxtaposition to another mother, Ramona. Ramona, the mother of Crispin and Basilio, is an armed insurgent who engages in a ritual to avenge herself on the military men who forced her to murder her own comrades. It is also implied earlier in the season that it was not just murder involved, but that Ramona had also been a "prize" given to the soldiers who captured her. And yes in this context, it can also mean rape. The Armed Forces of the Philippines does not have a shining record when it comes to its treatment of women dissidents and prisoners. This backstory does not justify what Ramona does for the remainder of her screentime, but it does show why she has absolutely no sympathy or mercy to give to anyone outside of her two children. She is part of a cycle of killing that makes any peaceful resolution of the insurgency in the Philippines so difficult to achieve. Both sides behave abominably, and civillians do get caught in the crossfire (or explosions).

Episode 4: Much of this episode revolves around the events in and surrounding a certain police station located near a large public cemetery. We see that the police chief Captain Guerrero has his hands full with cases and keeping his subordinates in line. The cops in the precinct range from the innocent apparent newcomer Tapia to the more stereotypical "asshole" cops Reyes and company. Later it is discovered that the bodies apparently "stolen" from the graves are resurrected zombies who are being directed to attack the station for a specific reason...and it has to do with how the police run their often bloody operations.

The real life neighborhoods surrounding the cemetery have seen their share of violence and "extra judicial killings". In some houses there are still candles and placards calling for justice for family members killed in raids or accused of having been drug suspects (almost a death sentence in the Philippines 2016 onwards). Eyewitnesses and CCTV footage show members of the police force taking part in these raids and clandestine operations. The worst part? The neighborhoods surrounding that particular cemetery haven't even seen the worst of it. Other disadvantaged communities in the north of the metropolis have seen even more deaths of this sort...with some of the deaths being those of children. Google the name of Kian delos Santos as a test case. Kian's case was one of the few to have extended media coverage, and even then the resolution has been rather wanting.

It is tempting to go into the "all cops are bastards" line of thought with this episode, but I do like how Captain Guerrero is forced to interact with someone who he is trying to save in the station, since as it turns out this person has recently lost a family member to this form of senseless murder. Captain Guerrero and the audience are led to remember that these victims have names. They had families. They had lives. They are more than body counts and statistics. That scene is one of the most humanizing of the series, and shows that while not all cops are bastards, there is enough rot in the institution to make it a problem.

Episodes 5-6: I would go more into Episodes 5 and 6, but those deserve a whole new treatment into the nature of truth, compromise, and even gaslighting (even I am not sure how much of a certain character's narrative is true, and how much is just meant to confuse Alexandra with regard to what she knows of her father). The context she does face before those harrowing revelations is a very real one though: things going wrong in a penitentiary.

The penal system of the Philippines is alarmingly punitive and full of inequities. Privileged inmates like politicians do receive special treatment (including media coverage and becoming leaders of factions) while less privileged inmates languish and must struggle to survive the brutal social hiearchy in some institutions. And yes it has happened that inmates have been sent out to do "jobs" of murder and arson in the outside world, often being snuck in and out. A movie that tackles this aspect better is "OTJ (On the Job)" directed by Erik Matti. That one will keep you up at night.

The ending of Episode 6 is rather ambiguous, and it remains to be seen what Alexandra really experienced during her trials prior to becoming a detective, and what her father really did to her and her sibling. We'll have to wait for another season to get to the bottom of that. But if the anime will continue to draw from the comics themselves for stories/case files, we can count on seeing more societal demons and baddies alongside the supernatural ones. And those are the villains that Alexandra Trese cannot just readily beat; it will take a heck lot more than a babaylan na mandirigma to handle those!

[scifimagpie]

I Wrote About The Future; Then It Happened

So, you might have noticed a bit of a lack of blog posts over the winter. Well, this time it's not (just) depression eating me alive. I made a thing - two things, actually.

Consider this a soft reboot, and a perfectly good starting point in the series. Book 3, The Meaning Wars, follows two characters: Sarah, the weary Behavioural Criminal arrested for associating with dissidents, and Crystal, a wormhole engineer dissatisfied with her marriage and the safe, boring jobs she's been taking. Linked by friendship and their Martian origins, the two women fight ongoing trauma to reclaim their senses of self.

Book 4, Poe's Outlaws, finds Crystal and Sarah pursuing intersecting paths. Sarah has become a smuggler, wrapped up in a rescue mission to save a revolutionary leader (who happens to be her inspiration and her crush). Crystal is taking a much-needed vacation, but an old flame, the one who got away, is about to throw her life right back into chaos. The only way out? Friendship, teamwork, and possibly, a revolution. It's a beach episode featuring queer love, aliens, and derring-do.

I'm working on book 5, A Jade's Trick. I'm past the halfway point, but for a few months, I got completely stuck. Part of it was debating on the tone for the ending. War threatens, and I had no idea how to resolve the conflict. Should I choose something idealistic, where the corrective safeguards of the system work, or something drastic and grim, a more realistic vision of power dynamics? I couldn't choose, and it felt like a very abstract question.

Then war came to Ukraine, and I got a tiny taste of what it might be like to stand in Crystal's boots.

Apocalypse Turducken

Being in the late? portion of a pandemic, as very hurried politicians insist we are, and having that pandemic overlap with the disruptive attack on the American election (followed recently by a halfassed attempt to do the same here in Canada, with the farcical embarrassment of the trucker protests) [links], I wasn't exactly expecting more calamities. But the universe isn't really into following scripts or plot arcs or anything sensible like that - no, those are human constructs meant to carve chaos into coherence. I wasn't counting on a paranoid, ruthless dictator deciding that the lull after the second pandemic Olympics was the perfect time for his colonial power-grab.

And I really wasn't prepared for the war to affect me personally. In addition to the fact that my male partner is Ukrainian, a very dear friend is a Kievan native. She has been displaced by the conflict, and she and her mother are scrabbling to make ends meet in a different city. Hopefully, this displacement won't be permanent.

We've set up a fundraiser to help her and her mom while these events are going on. This is a fundraiser to help her and her mom not only get a tablet for her to work on as a graphic designer (her laptop is in Kyiv...), but also to help them get by for the next while. Her mother's job at the library is kind of out of commission right now, and it's possible that they'll have to emigrate elsewhere for safety.

Before this whole war thing got started, I also knitted her a sweater inspired by Yoongi of BTS's famous - and expensive - designer yellow sweater. Proceeds from the sale of the pattern will also be going directly to Katya, to help with resettlement costs. There is a chance that we're going to have to help her migrate to Canada, so anything you can give will be greatly valued.

Thank you all for reading my work and checking out these fundraisers. If you can't give, please share this article on social media.

***

Michelle Browne is a sci fi/fantasy writer and editor. She lives in Lethbridge, AB with her partners-in-crime and their cats. Her days revolve around freelance editing, knitting, jewelry, and learning too much. She is currently working on other people’s manuscripts, the next books in her series, and drinking as much tea as humanly possible.

Find her all over the internet: * OG Blog * Mailing list * Magpie Editing * Amazon * Medium * Twitter * Instagram * Facebook * Tumblr * Paypal.me * Ko-fi

[hp-fanfic-archive]

an introductory rec list (that nobody asked for) for some of my favorite (platonic and/or romantic) pairings: severitus [2/10]

First fic I read for the pairing: Of Potions and Phobias by tt22123 [1k,G] Severitus story with nightmares [i stumbled on this fic on accident and it was short and sweet (and a little bittersweet at the end).]

Fic that really sold me on the pairing: Leo Inter Serpentes (Series) by Aeternum [746k,E,6 works] (WIP) Just one conversation between two eleven year old boys goes slightly differently, and the world changes. Just how much will be different with Harry being sorted into Slytherin, and how much will stay the same? [i will never not recommend this series: it’s amazing, it’s well-written, it’s true to all the characters and relationships and it feels more canon than canon (of course, it’s also significantly more gay than canon but i said what i said).]

Absolute favorite fic(s) for the pairing: Nobody Cared by etherian [360k,G] Harry is 11 years old and looking forward to attending Hogwarts. Why, then, does he miss the Welcoming Feast? (warnings for: child abuse, bullying, depictions of violence) [this fic is really well done (but has a lot of angst and definitely mind the warnings above (although the author doesn’t include warnings on the fic)).] Family Means More Than Blood by WingsOfADream [422k,M] A prophecy made in 1975 drastically changes the life of the boy who should have been known as Harry Potter. [this is yet another fic with a really well-written and fascinating plot with excellent characterizations and plot lines. i definitely would recommend it to someone with a lot of time on their hands.]

Most recent fic I’ve read for the pairing: Blackberry Tart by starknjarvis [33k,G] One year after Severus Snape offered to become Harry's legal guardian, Sirius Black shows up at Hogwarts. [the fic is a part of a well-written and pragmatic series and this fic also includes the development of a remus & severus and a sirius & severus friendship so that harry can have a larger and supportive family and i’m living for it (i believe the exact tag that the author used was “coparenting with your childhood nemesis” and i am living for it).]

Favorite AU(s) I’ve read for the pairing: Alternate Sorting AU (Slytherin!Harry): Malfoy Flavor by Vorabiza [199k,E] Harry’s ready to banish the Golden Boy image and take charge of his life. Unfortunately for him, or fortunately, there are surprises in store for him. [Slytherin!Harry but it’s not an entire canon rewrite like most of the alternate sorting fics i love so much, so that’s fun. also drarry and just the right amount of painful but realistic angst. oh and it has a delightfully fluffy little sequel.]

Favorite Series for the pairing: Forgiveness & Redemption by waitingondaisies [130k,T,2 works] Severus Snape was discovered as a spy mere days before the start of the school year. Thankfully, Albus had been working on a vague contingency plan for this possibility. It had been inspired by the question, “What would it take for Severus Snape to see that he was wrong about Harry Potter?” The answer? Force Severus to go undercover as Alfonse “Eli” Hopkirk, a sixth year Gryffindor. (that’s technically the summary for the first fic but i think it serves well enough in lieu of a series summary, which the author did not provide. also warnings for child abuse.) [this series is such an interesting concept and it feels very realistic in how it played out and i’m honestly here for it.] You're a Parent, Severus by acmparker [210k,G,6 works] (WIP) When Lily got home from her first year at Hogwarts, she found a new distance between herself and Petunia. As a result Severus and Lily became even closer to each other over that summer. The next year Lily found a book in the Hogwarts Library that describe an ancient ritual for creating a blood bond that would make two unrelated people kin. She convinces Severus to undergo the ritual with her and they become brother and sister. This means that when Lily dies there is another whose blood relationship with her is recognized by the blood ward Dumbledore places on Harry. To Severus Snape's chagrin he finds himself the last line of defense between Harry and the forces of the Dark Lord. (again, no series summary but i think this works well enough.) [i love a good remus and severus friendship plus severitus so this series really works for me. and it’s a canon rewrite (love those).] Bruised Words by starknjarvis [49k,G,2 works] (WIP) After Harry blows up Aunt Marge, Dumbledore decides it's not safe for Harry to spend the rest of the summer at the Leaky Cauldron, and instead sends him to stay at Spinner’s End with Professor Snape. It's tense, awkward, and teeming with misunderstandings...but it might be the best thing that's happened to either of them. They're both been without a family for a very long time. (apparently all my favorite series aside from Leo Inter Serpentes, which i’ve already listed above, don’t have series descriptions, but the first work’s description seems to work well enough. also warnings for child abuse.) [this is the series that blackberry tart belongs to and may i just say: it’s excellent and well-written and pragmatic and i would recommend it.]

Longest fic I’ve read for the pairing: A Year Like None Other by aspeninthesunlight [789k,T] A letter from home? A letter from family? Well, Harry Potter knows he has neither, but all the same, it starts with a letter from Surrey. Whatever the Durleys have to say, it can't be anything good, so Harry's determined to ignore it. But then, his evil schoolmate rival spots the letter and his slimy excuse for a teacher intercepts it and forces him to read it. And that sends Harry down a path he'd never have walked on his own. It will be a year of big changes, a year of great pain, and a year of confronting worst fears. It will be a year of surprising discoveries, of finding true strength, of finding out that first impressions of a person's true colours do not always ring true. It will be a year of paradigm shifts. And from the most unexpected sources, Harry will have a chance to have that which he has never known: a home ... and a family. A sixth year fic, this story follows Order of the Phoenix and disregards any canon events that occur after Book 5. (warnings for: graphic depictions of violence, self-harm, severe medical trauma) [the fic has some really dark parts but the plot is so intricate and fascinating and the relationships and dynamics are excellently written and the characterizations are spot on and i would definitely recommend it to anyone with a lot of time on their hands.]

Fic(s) with some of my favorite tropes: Sickfic + Hurt/Comfort: When He Called Me Dad by MarauderChaos [31k,Not Rated] It was only however as the end of his second year did Severus collect enough evidence and enough of his own courage to step in. The boy looked as though the world was ending when Severus brought him to his private quarters to see Madam Bones, and for a moment Severus felt the world was ending when someone recommended him as guardian. But that was how it ended, with Harry Potter becoming the ward of the Potions Master. It was kept a secret from the press and the students of Hogwarts – even his own Godson didn’t know, mainly because Lucius was bound to hear of it if he did and Severus didn’t want to risk their lives. They had their ups and downs, screaming and shouting, hexes and slamming doors, crying and hugging, laughing and actually having fun. But there was one moment that Severus would always remember, with its own fair share of good and bad, was the time he called him Dad. [i’m a sucker for hurt/comfort and accidental revelation of feelings, which in this case is the strength of harry’s platonic feelings, and this fic has all that so… yeehaw.] Accidental Bonding (but make it platonic): Love is... (series) by atiaahmed [133k,G,4 works] (WIP) This series revolves around how Snape starts to care about Harry because of a charm put on him by Ron and Hermione. The first story "Love is a charm" explores how their relationship changes because of the charm and what happens when it expires at the end of the year The second story explores how their relationship develops after the events of "Love is a charm". In "Love is a haven" other paternal figures, namely Lupin and Black will threaten Severus position with Harry. [i kind of like the platonic severitus take on one of my favorite hp tropes tbh and i like the way that their relationship develops and the realistic trust issues and such.]