#review fic-athon

[sorinethemastermind]

After the End of the World

They stopped the end of the world. Callum doesn't know why he's having a panic attack now. #Rayllum @endergriffin444 thank you for participating in the Review Fic-Athon! I hope you like it :)

 They had stopped the end of the world. Callum didn’t know why he was having a panic attack now.

 Lack of logic didn’t seem to be stopping it, though.

 His knuckles were white as he gripped the edge of the table, breath coming in short, shallow gasps. He knew he shouldn’t have hung that mirror there. It had been stupid. A stupid idea.

 Why was he always so stupid?

 He made the mistake of glancing up, spotting the white streak in his hair again before jerking his head back down to stare at the desk. He tried to focus on the positives; he wasn’t horribly scarred, the way Viren and Claudia had been.

 Maybe that would come later. After Aaravos came back and possessed him and he did who knows what to his friends and everyone he loved in the world and they all died because of him and it was all his fault because he was that horrible, twisted version of himself he’d seen in the forest and that was his destiny and-

 The door opened, almost as silently as the footsteps that followed.

 “Callum? Are you okay?” Rayla’s voice was low, concerned. He didn’t turn to face her.

 “I’m fine!” he forced out, voice oddly high pitched as he tried to sound cheery. The footsteps grew closer.

 “Oh, Callum.” she stopped beside him, reaching out a hand to cup the side of his face and tilt it towards her’s. He didn’t meet her eyes. “It’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s okay.”

 “It’s nothing.” Callum said, trying to look away even as she attempted to meet his gaze. He didn’t want to see the way she looked at him now that he was-

 She brushed the hair out of his face, tucking the white streak away. She didn’t flinch as her hand touched it, just smiled at him a little sadly.

 “Do you want to talk about it?”

 She wiped a tear from his cheek. He hadn’t realized he’d started to cry.

 “I did Dark Magic, and for what?” he asked, bitterly. “It didn’t even do anything. And now- now…”

 She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his scarf. He could feel her hair tickling his neck as she held him. “It’s going to be okay.”

 “How could it be okay!? It is not going to be okay.” Callum maintained. “I couldn’t stop him then, and when he comes back, I won’t be able to stop him then. We only have seven years, Rayla. Seven years and fifteen days! I know it sounds like a lot, but it’s not. It’s really not and-”

 “We’ll be ready this time.” Rayla assured him, giving him a squeeze before pulling back to look him in the eyes. The corner of her lip twitched upward into a small smile. “And we’ll have each other.”

 “No, we won’t.” Callum pressed his palms to his eyes. “Everything I did, I only played right into his hands. I’m so stupid. Stupid.”

 “Callum-”

 He threw his hands into the air, gesturing wildly at everything and nothing. “I did Dark Magic again! What did I promise you? That I wouldn’t do Dark Magic again. And now look at me! Corrupted forever, ruined all over again. And what did I get for it? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And now when he comes back…”

 “We’ll figure it out, Callum. We can… we can banish the darkness inside you again!”

 “No, we can’t.” he shook his head. “I already asked Astrid. It’s a one time thing. One second chance! No third chances. No third chances for Dark Mages who can’t learn from their mistakes.”

 He slumped into the chair behind him. “I screwed up. I screwed up again. You all should have left the first time.”

 “We’re not leaving you.” Rayla said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m right here with you.”

 “Maybe I should leave, before one of you gets hurt. Before I hurt you. Ez probably won’t even miss me and-”

 “Ezran would definitely miss you.” Rayla cut him off. “And then he’d have to send Soren and Corvus to go and track you down instead of finding King Harrow.”

 Callum groaned. “Our Dad. What am I going to say to him? How am I supposed to tell him that I abandoned Ezran when he needed me most and-”

 “Callum, stop this! You and Ez made up. Your Dad loves you. He’ll love you no matter what.” she knelt down, throwing her arms around him again. “Just like I love you.”

 Callum wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

 “I love you, Callum.” she said again, voice muffled by his scarf. “And I’m here for you. Just like you’ve always been there for me. And for Ezran. We’ve got you. But we need you to trust us to help carry this burden.”

 “I do trust you.” Callum sighed, taking a deep breath. “And I love you. So much.” 

“Then we’ll figure it out. It’s like you said. So long as we love each other, no one can control us. We write our own destinies.”

 Callum tried to take a deep breath. To focus on that. On the fact that, even when Aaravos did return, they would have each other. They would write their own destinies. He didn't know how, but he would make sure that Rayla was safe. That all of them were.

 They would carry their burdens together.

[raayllum]

Was originally gonna start this later and then thought more about timelines / my own schedule, so...

Welcome to Raayllum's Review Fic-Athon, which is not about reviewing fic, but leaving reviews for TDP on sites such as Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB and getting ficlets in return! Most episodes and seasons don't actually have that many reviews and it's an easy way to boost engagement / get the show's rating up higher so Netflix will #GiveUsTheSaga. Both sites just need an email address and nothing else, and immediately allow you to start reviewing.

The review system for each site works a little different, so here's how the fic-athon will work in response:

For Rotten Tomatoes, you can only review seasons, not episodes. So reviewing all 6 seasons = 1 ficlet for a pairing/character/topic of your choice. Reviews on RT have to be least 20 words, so this is probably the easiest pathway. Seasons get a star ranking.

For IMBD, you can do individual episodes, so 1 season (a review for each ep) = 1 ficlet for a pairing/character/topic of your choice. IMBD reviews have to be 600 characters (not words), which is about 1-2 paragraphs, and each episode gets a star ranking.

This is an effective way to show support because if stuff is trending on IMDB or has high ratings on RT, people are more likely to see it, watch, and/or get caught up. It also means that even if there were some eps of S4 you hated, giving the season / all episodes 10 stars every time is important to help boost their ratings and get them higher up.

Proof of reviews can be submitted here through screencaps on posts / in asks or by ID'ing your reviews by username (i.e. I left reviews on s3 under name XYZ). All ships and characters are welcome and if you're at a loss of what to prompt for, taking inspiration from previous prompt lists may be helpful.

Happy reviewing, and if you've been needing a kick in the butt to leave reviews, hopefully this is a worthwhile motivation!

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Wednesday, February 8

BUFFY: "Unconfirmed reports of severe trauma to the throats of one or more of the victims." (lowers the paper) Survey says ... vampire.

~~Crush~~

The Sunnydale Herald is looking for a new editor. Join us if you dare, and fall in love with the fandom anew every week as you unearth the incredible variety of creations and insights worth sharing with your fellow fen, buried among takes you'll never unsee!

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Role Reversal by badly_knitted (Buffy, Giles, Joyce, PG)

Down the Yellow Brick Road of Consolation and Non-Kosher Food by Diary (21 Jump Street crossover, Faith, T)

Cheeky Little Brat by yvochrali (Spike & Dawn, G)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Bleeding Poetry, Ch. 59 by Dusty (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Queens of Revello, Ch. 3 by violettathepiratequeen (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Merry and Xander, Ch. 7 by calikocat (Merry Gentry crossover, Xander, FR21)

Bleeding Poetry, Ch. 59 by Dusty (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Queens of Revello, Ch. 3 by violettathepiratequeen (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Drawing: Angle and Spik by akioukun (Angel, Spike, worksafe)

redraw of an old picture of mine - a most beloved Buffy the Vampire Slayer headcanon by enigmaticagentalice (Giles/Jenny, worksafe)

Buffy drawings by maryshepherd-sunderland (worksafe)

Spike drawing by new-rosecity (worksafe, cartoon blood, affectionate slut-shaming)

The Zeppo or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb by wolfstrong (Xander, worksafe, mild cartoon blood)

[Reviews & Recaps]

One Girl in All the World: a super spoilery review [of Kendare Blake's novel] by co-mixed

[Recs & In Search Of]

beatriceeverytuesday1 seeks Tara/Faith fic recs

Best Buffy Podcast? by MarzipanPiePlate97

Fandom Links: a list of Buffy and predominantly Spuffy-related links and resources compiled by sandy_s and the members of Sunnydale After Dark

[Community Announcements]

More Details About Finishing Months

Valentine's Day event: Satisfaction-athon (for Spuffy ficlets and art in which Buffy gets to be happy)

[Fandom Discussions]

[Giles leaving is justified character-wise] by disaster-vamp

While I do love Xander and Cordelia as a ship... by kyliafanfiction

Poll: Which is the most [Fanged Four moment]? by somekindofadeviant

Poll: best buffy fashion item part 2 by stellernorth

Re: Kendra by doggirlbuffysummers

Re: the gang getting angry at Buffy for concealing that Angel was alive in season 3 by doggirlbuffysummers

[Buffy as the “goldilocks slayer”] by mollyspeak

Poll: opinions on the plot in As You Were by womanaction

Who do you think the Shanshu Prophecy is about? hosted by DarkstarX84

Buffy’s college degree by Active_Coconut5000

Scoobies of the Month interviews with bruskiboo and violettathepiratequeen

It Wasn’t Our World Anymore (The Wish) by Emily a.k.a. herinsectreflection

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5: Family Responsibility by Andrew Heard

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

James Marsters to Attend Comic Con Yorkshire 3-4 Jun via dontkillspike

Charisma Carpenter, David Boreanaz and James Marsters will be at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, March. 31st - April 2nd

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

[riverdale-events]

The 6th Installation of the BRRR — Alternate Universe Edition —

When our fanfic authors could use some extra love and we could use some extra fic recs to read… It’s time for another round of Bughead Review Round Robin! We are focusing on non-canon related AU’s this round, coffee shops, offices, photographers, and anything else under the sun that’s totally removed from Riverdale canon. It’s time to read some fics that are 100% fanon!

A Short Version of How it’s Going to Work:

The BRRR is a read and review fest that welcomes all fans of Bughead fanfic. Each person who signs up will submit two Bughead-centric non-canon AUs that they would like to recommend for some extra comment love. For this round, recommended fics must not be written by the person submitting them. You will be placed in a group of 4-5 members, including a group leader, to read and review fics together ‘round robin’ style. Your group will be assigned a fic once a week on Tuesday to read and leave a thoughtful, kind, and detailed comment on that designated fic by the following Monday. Rinse and repeat for 4-5 weeks.

Everything you need to know about this round, including guidelines, requirements, and the sign up form are below the cut! Sign ups are open now and close on February 12th. The round will begin on February 16th.

We hope you all decide to join the fanfic love-athon! Tell your friends and as always, signal boosts are super appreciated.

Find the sign up link with the FAQ and Requirements under the cut!

WHAT WILL BE EXPECTED OF PARTICIPANTS?

Provide two recs (keeping with the ALTERNATE UNIVERSE theme) and your reading preferences at sign up

Have Ao3 and Discord accounts

Commit to read and review one fic a week for the full 4-5 week duration of the round

Follow all submission and review guidelines (listed below)

One of your two fic recs will be selected to best place you into a small group based on fics of similar lengths, rating preferences, and triggers pulled from the google form which needs to be filled out carefully

Be responsive to the group leader on updates, reminders, and important information provided throughout the reading weeks

Reading weeks will begin on Tuesdays and end at 11:59 PM PST on Mondays, which will be the deadline to submit reviews. All reviews must be posted on AO3 and links to each review must be linked in your groups “review links” channel.

Notify us if you change your tumblr or Ao3 username during the round

Follow @bughead-review-round-robin and reblog this post.

Check in on the Discord server regularly throughout the round for updates.

WHAT ARE THE FIC REC SUBMISSION GUIDELINES?

Must be Bughead centric NON-CANON AU (no canon divergent, this is all fanon) fic, and posted to Ao3.

Must be written by someone other than yourself.

Aim for a fic length of 10,000 words or less. You may use one of your recs on a fic over 10k and we will create a high word count group if there is enough interest. (Check the option on the survey to opt in for a high word count reading group if you are down for reading a 10k+ fic even if your designated fic rec is under 10k)

All sensitive content MUST be tagged appropriately on the form and Ao3.

You must be willing to read any rating/trigger that the fics you submit as your recs contain. (i.e. If on your form you fill out that you are not willing to read a fic with abuse, the fic you rec cannot contain abuse. Similarly, if you are unwilling to read an M rated fic, you cannot rec an M rated fic)

WHAT ARE THE FIC REVIEW GUIDELINES?

Leave a kind, thoughtful, and detailed comment on the designated fic of the week

Comments must reach a minimum of 200 words

Include your commentary and at least one quote from the fic.

If the review heavily features quotes, the amount of original commentary must be greater than or equal to direct quotes.

Do not leave criticism of any kind on the work.

Use kind, positive, and encouraging language when referencing the weekly fic, be it in your comment or discussion with your group.

COULD YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT GROUP LEADERS?

Small group leaders will work in tandem with the admins to ensure that rules are being followed, reviews are being submitted, and everyone is having a swell time.

Group leaders will be responsible for regular check-ins/reminders for their group, encouragement of open and active dialogue in the group’s chat channel, and verification that group members have completed and placed their reviews in the review links channel at the end of each week.

Those with the role will be placed in a Discord channel, along with admins, to better communicate and help one another.

If you are interested in being a group leader, please indicate so on the google form.

I’M IN! WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO SIGN UP?

Prior to signing up, please ensure you’re able to fully commit to your group for the 4-5 week duration of the challenge and that you’ve read this post, including the FAQ, carefully.

Pick out your two AU fic recs and take note of the title, author, rating, triggers/warnings, word count, and Ao3 link, as you will need the information to fill out your form.

You will need an account on both AO3 and Discord. If you need an AO3 invite feel free to send an off-anon ask to our blog.

It’s time to sign up! Carefully complete the google form found: HERE  **It is very important that you complete this form accurately and in its entirety as it will be used to form reading groups

Shortly after you’ve signed up, you will be invited to the BRRR Discord server via a link provided by an admin. You must join in order to participate.

Get ready to spread some love and positivity to our content creators!

Have any questions? Don’t hesitate to send a message to our ASK box or DM one of the admins - @bettycooper @theheavycrown % @bluevelvetvideo

[bughead-review-round-robin]

The 5th Installation of the BRRR — It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year —

When our fanfic authors could use some extra love and we could use some extra fic recs to read… It’s time for another round of Bughead Review Round Robin! Times are tough and what better way to escape your troubles than with fanfic. Right now, more than ever, readers need fic recs and authors need comment fuel. Like the last round, this round is putting a focus on being a fan of fanfics and recing your favorites but this time the theme is... WINTER HOLIDAY FICS!

A Short Version of How it’s Going to Work:

The BRRR is a read and review fest that welcomes all fans of Bughead fanfic. Each person who signs up will submit two Bughead-centric WINTER HOLIDAY FICS that they would like to recommend for some extra comment love. For this round, recommended fics must not be written by the person submitting them. You will be placed in a group of 4-5 members, including a group leader, to read and review fics together ‘round robin’ style. Your group will be assigned a fic once a week on Tuesday to read and leave a thoughtful, kind, and detailed comment on that designated fic by the following Monday. Rinse and repeat for 4-5 weeks.

Everything you need to know about this round, including guidelines, requirements, and the sign up form are below the cut! Sign ups are open now and close on July 28th August 7th. The round will begin on August 11th.

We hope you all decide to join the fanfic love-athon! Tell your friends and as always, signal boosts are super appreciated.

Extra special thanks to @arsenicpanda​ ​ for the gorgeous gif header!

WHAT WILL BE EXPECTED OF PARTICIPANTS?

Provide two recs (keeping with the WINTER HOLIDAY theme) and your reading preferences at sign up

Have Ao3 and Discord accounts

Commit to read and review one fic a week for the full 4-5 week duration of the round

Follow all submission and review guidelines (listed below)

One of your two fic recs will be selected to best place you into a small group based on fics of similar lengths, rating preferences, and triggers pulled from the google form which needs to be filled out carefully

Be responsive to the group leader on updates, reminders, and important information provided throughout the reading weeks

Reading weeks will begin on Tuesdays and end at 11:59 PM PST on Mondays, which will be the deadline to submit reviews. All reviews must be posted on AO3 and links to each review must be linked in your groups “review links” channel.

Notify us if you change your tumblr or Ao3 username during the round

Follow @bughead-review-round-robin​ and reblog this post.

Check in on the Discord server regularly throughout the round for updates.

WHAT ARE THE FIC REC SUBMISSION GUIDELINES?

Must be Bughead centric WINTER HOLIDAY fic, and posted to Ao3.

Must be written by someone other than yourself.

Aim for a fic length of 10,000 words or less. You may use one of your recs on a fic over 10k and we will create a high word count group if there is enough interest. (Check the option on the survey to opt in for a high word count reading group if you are down for reading a 10k+ fic even if your designated fic rec is under 10k)

All sensitive content MUST be tagged appropriately on the form and Ao3.

You must be willing to read any rating/trigger that the fics you submit as your recs contain. (i.e. If on your form you fill out that you are not willing to read a fic with abuse, the fic you rec cannot contain abuse. Similarly, if you are unwilling to read an M rated fic, you cannot rec an M rated fic)

WHAT ARE THE FIC REVIEW GUIDELINES?

Leave a kind, thoughtful, and detailed comment on the designated fic of the week

Comments must reach a minimum of 200 words

Include your commentary and at least one quote from the fic.

If the review heavily features quotes, the amount of original commentary must be greater than or equal to direct quotes.

Do not leave criticism of any kind on the work.

Use kind, positive, and encouraging language when referencing the weekly fic, be it in your comment or discussion with your group.

COULD YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT GROUP LEADERS?

Small group leaders will work in tandem with the admins to ensure that rules are being followed, reviews are being submitted, and everyone is having a swell time.

Group leaders will be responsible for regular check-ins/reminders for their group, encouragement of open and active dialogue in the group’s chat channel, and verification that group members have completed and placed their reviews in the review links channel at the end of each week.

Those with the role will be placed in a Discord channel, along with admins, to better communicate and help one another.

If you are interested in being a group leader, please indicate so on the google form.

I’M IN! WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO SIGN UP?

Prior to signing up, please ensure you’re able to fully commit to your group for the 4-5 week duration of the challenge and that you’ve read this post, including the FAQ, carefully.

Pick out your two WINTER HOLIDAY fic recs and take note of the title, author, rating, triggers/warnings, word count, and Ao3 link, as you will need the information to fill out your form.

You will need an account on both AO3 and Discord. If you need an AO3 invite feel free to send an off-anon ask to our blog.

It’s time to sign up! Carefully complete the google form found: HERE  **It is very important that you complete this form accurately and in its entirety as it will be used to form reading groups

Shortly after you’ve signed up, you will be invited to the BRRR Discord server via a link provided by an admin. You must join in order to participate.

Get ready to spread some love and positivity to our content creators!

Have any questions? Don’t hesitate to send a message to our ASK box or DM one of the admins - @bugggghead​ ​, @miss-eee​ ​, @smugheadjonesthethird​ ​, or @theheavycrown​ ​. We look forward to reading with you!

[mirandyfunandfrolics-blog]

Mirandy! Comment-athon is here!

What to do during the Comment-athon:

1. Read or Re-read Devil Wears Prada Mirandy fic (Including Miranda/Andy/Cruella and Miranda/Andy/Emily).

2. Comment on those fanfics. Each comment counts, so you can comment on multiple chapters in one fic, or leave a new comment on a fic you’ve commented on before.

3. Copy the link to your comment on a spreadsheet, via email, tumblr post draft – whatever is convenient for you. NOTE! That’s a link to the comment, not to the fic in general. Screencaps are fine but the date and your onscreen name must be visible.

4. Send the links to your comments to be recorded on the competition spreadsheet. (Either send an email to Mirandyfunandfroliics@gmail.com or use the submit button on the MirandyFunandFrolics blog).

5. Always use/reference the same user name in AO3, FFnet and Livejournal when sending in comments (it does not matter if your blog name is different, just let us know your AO3 or FFnet nick, so we can map you correctly).

6. Places to read and review for the Comment-athon.

ArchiveofOurOwnMirandaPriestlyAndAndreaSachs

https://www.fanfiction.net/book/Devil-Wears-Prada/

https://dvlwears-prada.livejournal.com/

For more Details see here: CommentathonDetails

SHOUT OUT AND GROVELLING THANKS TO @evergrove AND @soulofsilence from the SWEN fandom who inspired me and then allowed me to totally copy their wonderful SQ Commentathon event from last year. These are two AWESOME PEEPS and I loves em.!!!

..

[outburstcommentathon-blog]

June is the month for commenting on fics you read and love!

What is Outburst? Outburst Comment-athon is a OUAT Femslash Comment Challenge. This means all fics that have Once Upon a Time female characters as main pairing are eligible.

Do you read a lot of fanfic? Do you leave comments? If yes, yay, Outburst Comment-athon is definitely for you! If no, not to worry, Comment-athon is a great way to start leaving comments on fics you read.

What's in it for me? First, leaving comments means the writers will want to write more stories for you! Second, the four commenters with the most points will get an awesome reward -- a story written for them by angstbot, Delirious_Comfort, Oparu or RowArk.

How do I participate? Read a story, leave comments, send the links to the comments to us (instructions to submitting comments). We -- @soulofsilence and @evergrove -- commenters extra-ordinaire will check your comments and grade them. For this challenge, we are limiting entries to Archive of Our Own.

Grade them? What do you mean? Every comment is important but there is a difference between a comment and a review. We want to encourage you to review the stories. This is not mandatory at all, but a way to earn more points to get that prompt from our volunteering authors.

How to earn points: - 1 pt: Basic Comment (example: I love this fic!)

Then you can earn additional points for - 1 pt: Quoting the fic - 1 pt: Analyzing the fic

Scoring FAQ

Submitting Comments FAQ

Follow us to get more information about the Outburst! Comment-athon as we approach June!

[snaibselsource]

since the snaibsel fandom's kind of small, you guys should host a review-athon or something. a way to celebrate and review/talk about snaibsel/and works of snaibsel like art and fics and stuff if you're up for it

I love this idea! We have something in the works for Pride Month (should be posted in a few days! Keep your eyes open for it!), but this is an incredible idea for spreading goodness and fun and positive feelings in the fandom! Thank you so much for the suggestion! We’ll definitely do this soon, right mod z??

-mod e

[raayllum]

It took me a little while, but I finally had time to review seasons 2-3 of The Dragon Prince on IMDB (under chaoticgoodthiefling) so I'm here to say that I would love to see your take on on Rayllum breaking both their promises in S7 in fic form! (or one of them keeping their promise, the other breaking it, whatever you wanna do) - if you're still doing the review fic-athon, that is. If not, nw!

I would be more than happy to do a fic-athon for each season if you'd like, so for whichever one I didn't do (aka Callum's) I might keep it for Snake Boi Callum Week on the 17th and shore it up then <3 learn more about review fic-athon here

Somehow, they manage to make it back to camp.

Soren helps her walk, and Ezran bandages the cut on her cheek, her eyes as red as the blood on his too-tiny fingers. She explains what happened in a hoarse whisper as near as she knows it—her silk-wings vanishing while in pursuit of Claudia, sending her tumbling, her head smashing open on the rock, Callum crying as the shadows began to cloak them, asking her to stay, asking her to forgive him—Rayla blinking blearily as Soren and Ezran had crashed through the bramble just in time to see Callum, eyes all black and mouth unsmiling, place the cube in Aaravos' outstretched palm, because she was too weak to stop him, only bruises and blood to show for her troubles, her blades unable to follow through.

You promised, Callum had rasped before he'd said the spell.

But even then, that hadn't been his last words. One last kiss to her forehead. I love you. I'm sorry.

And they won't be his last words, Rayla thinks stubbornly as they regroup at the Silvergrove. The tea Ethari prepared for her is going cold, him and Ez and Soren discussing things—Callum—in the other room. Giving her time to recuperate. Like she needs it. What she needs is her—

"Rayla."

Runaan sits down in the chair across from her, his lips pursed, eyes guarded.

She sighs and gives up on ever drinking the tea, nudging the ceramic mug towards her father instead. Runaan gives it a dubious sniff and then takes a sip.

"What?" she asks tiredly when he makes a face and sets it down; he's always liked weaker rather than stronger tea.

"Your... human. Is what the others say true? He's—not himself?"

She snorts even as her eyes sting, Runaan's uncharacteristic gentleness crushing her heart into even more pieces. Oh, you have a nicer word for it, for being possessed? Corrupted. Soren and Ezran hadn't even known Callum had cured himself—that he'd chosen to throw it all away, and for what? For her? "For now," she says. "We're..."

She curls in on herself.

If Aaravos ever controls me again, if he uses me, promise me you'll kill me.

I promise.

Her fist in Runaan's face, closer than they sat together now, reminding him that You taught me to never break my promises!

"I'm scared, Runaan," she admits, the words feeling unholy—blasphemous—this deep in the heart of the Silvergrove, even with her trial behind her. "What if he—" she chokes back a sob. "What if he's gone?"

Runaan stares at the tea and then at her, cerulean blue eyes more than contemplative. Maybe sad? "Do you truly believe that? I thought I was gone, in the Moon Nexus. You convinced me otherwise."

"But you were just trapped with dark magic. He's..." Become it, all ashy and smoky, the stark white in his hair. The unseeing red in his eyes. Like the corrupted banthers that had almost eaten them on more than one occasion. She tugs on her hair. "At the Starscraper, they told us that if he ever did it again, he'd be corrupted—overwhelmed, completely. That there'd be nothing left. And now..."

She wipes stubbornly at her eyes. "He made me promise, Runaan. That I'd kill him if it ever happened. Now it has, and I..."

"Do you want to kill him?" Runaan asks plainly.

Rayla recoils. "What? Of course not. I love him."

"Then perhaps that is your answer."

Rayla stares at him this time. "It is not that simple. Aaravos—"

"Rayla."

Her father reaches across the table for her hand, his thumb stroking over the inside of the wrist, where he'd bound her long ago. Sometimes the joint still aches; if Callum hadn't hatched Zym, and Zym hadn't removed it when they did, the binding probably would've claimed her hand anyway.

Runaan gives her wrist a gentle squeeze. "When you were growing up, I fashioned you into my little blade. You were eager for it, and I was a suitable whetstone—I thought it was the best way to protect ourselves. To protect you. But you were not made to be an assassin, and I am sorry if I have ever made you feel like it is your greatest weakness instead of your greatest strength. At the time, I did not know better; I do now. That boy loves you, and you love him. Yes, you may kill him, and save the world—but will it be a world you want to live in, afterwards? What do you want when this is all over?"

"I..."

She knows, of course. Walks in the garden. Moonberry surprise by the square. His hand, warm and wrapped around her fingers. It's all she's ever wanted: a life with the boy in peacetimes that she could've had all along, if she'd just...

"I kept my promise to kill a king, and I have regretted it each day since," Runaan says. "If I had broken it, and listened to you, we would've been better for it. I would have, too. Trust yourself, and trust him. If your situations were reversed—when they were—what would he do? What do you want to do?" He levels her with an even, steady stare. "What feels right?"

Rayla blinks back a fresh wave of tears. "Saving him," she says, "of course, but—"

"Then Ethari and myself will stand by you," he says, "as you do just that."

Her chair scrapes against the floor as she rises, throwing her arms around her father; Runaan hugs her back tightly. "Thank you," she mumbles into his chest, her heart feeling lighter than it had in years.

He takes her by the shoulders when they pull away, a small smile playing over his lips. "Now, what do you say we join the crownguard and the young king, and decide on what to do next to save your mage, hm?"

[raayllum]

me watching s4's ranking on RT go from 40% to 56% in just one day bc of my review fic-athon exchange

[raayllum]

Hello again! So I think that the Review Fic-Athon is a genius idea (would you care if I held one at some point? Maybe post Season Seven to help give it a boost in the ratings?)

But also, after seeing your post, I made an IMDb and a Rotten Tomatoes account (also convinced a friend to do the same) and started reviewing! I'm planning to review all the seasons on Rotten Tomatoes and all the episodes on IMDb, but that's a lot of fics, so I'm not gonna make you write all those. So I'll just ask this;

I reviewed all the seasons on Rotten Tomatoes (under Bunny T) so wanted to submit an ask for a ficlet with some Soren & Ezran post destruction of Katolis stuff? I'd love to see your take on (spoilers to anyone who wants to know nothing about what they showed at NYCC) post 07x01 with Soren standing by angry King Ezran, but also maybe knowing that this isn't the path Ezran really wants to go down? #let ezran be messy and all. Thx!! (sorry this is so long 😅)

Absolutely feel free to ask for more fics as reviews roll in, 100% tis the point!! And yess feel free to replicate the idea for TDP or even other fandoms - the more fics and reviews the merrier! Your kind words and efforts are already much appreciated <33 + bonus playlist I listen to most of the time when I'm writing Ez

Ezran took his first steps at the foot of King Harrow's throne.

Soren had been there, one of Viren's hands clasped tightly over his shoulder—him and Claudia had been playing loudly outside the doors and instead of dismissing them (Viren's mouth opening raw and angry, eyes understanding only for his sister) King Harrow had invited them in to play with Callum, who was trying to show Ez how to (quietly) stack blocks.

The younger prince had been more interested in trying to get his father's attention, tugging on Harrow's sleeve with the thumb of his other hand stuck in his tiny mouth. Harrow had been wrapped up in discussing matters with Viren, so a determined Ezran had hoisted himself up on the edge of the throne, and then toddled forward on unsteady legs—effectively stealing everyone's intention, drawn in by Callum's excited gasp—and any matters of state had been forgotten for most of the afternoon.

Ezran sits in the charred, ash-ridden throne now, just tall enough his feet can touch the floor... and still so young it makes Soren's heart hurt sometimes.

"What's taking them so long?" Ez mutters. Corvus and Callum had gone to track Sol Regem to the Valley of Graves.

"Sol Regem is blind and got pretty injured," Soren considers. "He might've made it to one of the forests to hide and nurse his wounds."

Ezran's eyes darken like embers losing their warmth. "We'll make sure he doesn't recover from his injuries, then. Use his wounded state to our advantage."

Soren winces. ...a dead dragon all in one day? Everything's coming up Soren. "I know he attacked us, but—isn't killing an archdragon really difficult? Viren—" I've given up dark magic, until he hadn't, both a far cry from the confident, ruthless man he'd been, taking pilgrimages to the border in search of unicorns for most of Soren's youth. "It takes a lot to kill them. Dark magic."

"We'll find a way. He has to be punished for his crimes."

And it's not that Soren disagrees, even. They can't let Sol Regem get away with things. He attacked Katolis, so deciding what to do with him is within their range. But... there's something natural, and twisty, and uncomfortable, about those words coming from Ezran's mouth, an anger Soren has ever seen before on his young friend—young king's face.

"I know, King Ezran," Soren says carefully, a lump in his throat. He breathes and places a hand on his sword. "You just... don't have to be judge, jury, and executioner all at once."

That's what a crownguard (what once a high mage) is for. The last one, at least.

Ezran is a child sitting in the ruins of his home, and he doesn't need blood on his hands, even if he wants it.

(At the Banther Lodge, when Rayla and Callum sneak in to bust out Runaan—he'll be executed in the morning, Ez had decreed, eyes venomous—Soren turns a blind eye.

He swore to do whatever it took to protect the king, and that includes Ezran's good heart from doing things that can't be undone, even if the boy can't see it yet.)

[raayllum]

Hi Dragons,

I thought you might be able to help me with this:

Yesterday I started taking notes for my tdp reviews on imdb and rotten tomatoes but I'm completely stumped on how to actually write them. Do you have any tips on how to find a fitting header, how to structure the review and how to write enough to meet the needed word/character count?

Thanks in advance!

The good news on reviews is that it can kinda be whatever you want. I typically make my header something to do with the episode (1x02 was "brings the trio together!" or a general "great & fascinating episode" never fails). Then I just kinda write whatever I think or stood out. On RT the review word count is so small (like 20-60 words) it's very easy to fill, on imbd they're definitely longer but you can go full spoilers if you want to help fill things out.

This is a spoiler marked review I left for 4x06 for example:

This episode is one of my favourites so far in the season for a few reasons. The main thing that stands out is the Tribunal portion of this episode and how we get to see Karim, Janai, and Amaya all respond and interact differently in the situation with the architect, who herself is allowed to be flawed and angry (sometimes rightfully so) while also being unreasonable and uncouth. I loved Amaya taking more of what she learned through her relationship with Janai here, Janai's decision that addresses both the harm done but WHY it was done out of concern, and Karim's continual stubbornness. His portrayal of cultural grief is something I've never quite seen before in animation, but it's poignant and always gets me I also loved having to see the trio work together, particularly Rayla and Callum. Identity's been more of a subtle theme this season but Ezran's "don't you remember who you are?" because working together is an intrinsic part of who they are...The little moment where you see Rayla look to him and Callum considering what to do before he makes a decision is so good. And him supporting her when she almost has a self loathing spiral!! <33 plus N'than (Uncharted reference!!) just cracks me up. Great episode all around.

Meanwhile a more general one I left for 1x01:

From the lore heavy intro to the immediately intriguing characters, the premiere of TDP builds a fascinating world that it then delivers on. The show throws us into the deep end when it comes to a world on the verge of war, yet makes it easily accessible with interesting and likeable characters. One of the most impressive things I think is how quickly you're rooting for both the troupe of elven assassins not to be found, yet you're also hoping that King Harrow - a loving father yet clearly complicated man - will live to see another day. Episode 1 introduces us to the bulk of the main cast we'll follow while also giving hints of what's to come, and its closing scene is still one of the most effective in the show.

So just gushing or explaining why you liked XYZ thing in the episode is more than enough!

[sorinethemastermind]

Inspired by @raayllum's fic-athon back in October, I introduce to you... The Review Fic-Athon 2.0!!

Now if you didn't participate in their's, lemme explain. Through this little fandom event you can get ficlets in return for writing reviews on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes! Most episodes and seasons have a surprisingly low number of reviews and it's an easy way to boost the show's rating on Netflix. Anything for Arc Three, amirite or amirite?

I'll be using the same rules as Raayllum's previous fic-athon, so here's how it works.

✩ Rotten Tomatoes: you can't review individual episodes, only seasons. So if you review all 7 seasons you get 1 ficlet, written by yours truly!

✩ IMDB: you actually do review the individual episodes, so for each season's worth of episodes you review you get 1 ficlet.

⋆｡°✩ Make sure to leave star rankings as well!

Making the show trend on IMDB or giving it higher Rotten Tomatoes ratings will make people more likely to see it, and therefore more likely to binge the show! Which is super vital to us getting Arc Three, especially in the first 28 days after the show's release. And even if there is an episode / season you're not as big a fan of, giving them all the same 5 star treatment (or 10 star, on IMDB) can really help boost the show's rating. #anythingforthesaga!

Once you've written your reviews, send me an ask with proof (like saying "I left reviews on Season [blank] under username [blank]) or via screencaps. And then I'll write you a fic!

I'll write just about anything [except smut]. It can be fluff or angst, canon ships or rarepairs! Also doesn't have to be shipping related at all. So happy reviewing. Let's get us that saga!!

[bughead-review-round-robin]

The 4th Installation of the BRRR —One-shot Wonderland—

When our fanfic authors could use some extra love and we could use some extra fic recs to read… It’s time for another round of Bughead Review Round Robin! If you’ve participated in previous Bughead Review Round Robins this one is a little different! Times are tough and what better way to escape your troubles than with fanfic. Right now, more than ever, readers need fic recs and authors need comment fuel. Unlike other rounds, this round is putting a focus on being a fan of fanfics and recing your favorite one-shots! 

A Short Version of How it’s Going to Work:

The BRRR is a read and review fest that welcomes all fans of Bughead fanfic. Each person who signs up will submit two Bughead-centric one-shots that they would like to recommend for some extra comment love. For this round, recommended fics must not be written by the person submitting them. You will be placed in a group of 4-5 members, including a group leader, to read and review fics together ‘round robin’ style. Your group will be assigned a fic once a week on Tuesday to read and leave a thoughtful, kind, and detailed comment on that designated fic by the following Wednesday. Rinse and repeat for 4-5 weeks.

Everything you need to know about this round, including guidelines, requirements, and the sign up form are below the cut! Sign ups are open now and close on April 25th. The round will begin on May 1st and the first fic assignment will be on May 5th.

We hope you all decide to join the fanfic love-athon! Tell your friends and as always, signal boosts are super appreciated.

Extra special thanks to @arsenicpanda​ ​ for the gorgeous gif header!

WHAT WILL BE EXPECTED OF PARTICIPANTS?

Provide two recs and your reading preferences at sign up 

Have Ao3 and Discord accounts

Commit to read and review one one-shot a week for the full 4-5 week duration of the round

Follow all submission and review guidelines (listed below)

One of your two fic recs will be selected to best place you into a small group based on fics of similar lengths, rating preferences, and triggers pulled from the google form which needs filled out carefully

Be responsive to the group leader on updates, reminders, and important information provided throughout the reading weeks

Reading weeks will begin on Tuesdays and end at 11:59 PM PST on Mondays, which will be the deadline to submit reviews. All reviews must be posted on AO3 and links to each review must be linked in your groups “review links” channel.

Notify us if you change your tumblr or Ao3 username during the round

Follow @bughead-review-round-robin​ and reblog this post. 

Check in on the Discord server regularly throughout the round for updates.

WHAT ARE THE FIC REC SUBMISSION GUIDELINES?

Must be Bughead centric, a one-shot, and posted to Ao3.

Must be written by someone other than yourself. 

Aim for a one-shot of 10,000 words or less. You may use one of your recs on a fic over 10k and we will create a high word count one shot group if there is enough interest. (Check the option on the survey to opt in for a high word count reading group if you are down for reading a long oneshot even if your designated fic rec is under 10k)

All sensitive content MUST be tagged appropriately on the form and Ao3. 

You must be willing to read any rating/trigger that the fics you submit as your recs contain. (i.e. If on your form you fill out that you are not willing to read a fic with abuse, the fic you rec cannot contain abuse. Similarly, if you are unwilling to read an M rated fic, you cannot rec an M rated fic)

WHAT ARE THE FIC REVIEW GUIDELINES?

Leave a kind, thoughtful, and detailed comment on the designated fic of the week

Comments must reach a minimum of 200 words

Include your commentary and at least one quote from the fic. 

If the review heavily features quotes, the amount of original commentary must be greater than or equal to direct quotes.

Do not leave criticism of any kind on the work.

Use kind, positive, and encouraging language when referencing the weekly fic, be it in your comment or discussion with your group.

COULD YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT GROUP LEADERS?

Small group leaders will work in tandem with the admins to ensure that rules are being followed, reviews are being submitted, and everyone is having a swell time.

Group leaders will be responsible for regular check-ins/reminders for their group, encouragement of open and active dialogue in the group’s chat channel, and verification that group members have completed and placed their reviews in the review links channel at the end of each week. 

Those with the role will be placed in a Discord channel, along with admins, to better communicate and help one another.

If you are interested in being a group leader, please indicate so on the google form.

I’M IN! WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO SIGN UP?

Prior to signing up, please ensure you’re able to fully commit to your group for the 4-5 week duration of the challenge and that you’ve read this doc, including the FAQ, carefully.

Pick out your two fic recs and take note of the title, author, rating, triggers/warnings, word count, and Ao3 link as you will need the information to fill out your form.

You will need an account on both AO3 and Discord. If you need an AO3 invite feel free to send an off-anon ask to our blog.

It’s time to sign up! Carefully complete the google form found: HERE  **It is very important that you complete this form accurately and completely as it will be used to form reading groups

Shortly after you’ve signed up, you will be invited to the BRRR Discord server via a link provided by an admin. You must join in order to participate.

Get ready to spread some love and positivity to our content creators!

Have any questions? Don’t hesitate to ask our ASK box or DM one of the admins - @bugggghead ​, @miss-eee ​, @smugheadjonesthethird ​, or @theheavycrown ​. We look forward to reading with you!