#soul shattering great works of fiction

[ahwuum]

alright this is a total shot in the dark but i am DESPERATELY trying to find the great sealand takeover by whalehuntingboyfriends on ao3 and i saw your name floating around in some of the tumblr notes. did anybody ever send you the download for that? i would love to have it if they did! thanks in advance!

I only ever asked for the link for the crowned souls series but here my friend tender posted a link ages ago for sealand <3

sorry I took so long to reply I forgor </3

also speaking of fanfics if anyone has mindfulwrath's murder with the devil and friends (espeically the full devil's clocktower series) I would greatly appreciate it <3

[justwinginglife]

One Chance

25 Days of Simpmas: Day Fifteen December 15th: Osamu Dazai, Rank 11 Anime: Bungo Stray Dogs Event Masterlist

Ironically, three of the men on my top 25 list are voiced by Kaiji Tang, and two of them are back to back. Do I have a type? Maybe.

Also, it is a Dazai fic, so there are brief mentionings of suicide because again, it is Dazai.

“Do you wanna-”

“Commit a double suicide? Dazai, for the millionth time, no.”

Dazai whined. “What if I was gonna say go out to dinner with me, huh? So rude to just reject me before I’ve even finished asking.”

“Answer’s still no.”

He sighed dramatically, “You are a cruel, cruel woman, you know that?”

As a favor to your boss and longtime friend, Ango Sakaguchi, you’d left your job at the Special Division to follow Dazai to the Detective Agency. While you’d personally never met the man before, you had heard many stories about him, and initially came to the conclusion that he must be an impressive man. Putting aside the fact that you’d been asked to protect him as a favor to Ango, you thought you might actually like getting to work with a man as famous -or infamous, depending on the person you asked- as him. You thought it might be interesting. Fun, even. 

But now that you’d spent every day by his side, working closely with him as his partner, you just knew, deep down in your soul, that this man, this bizarre, enigmatic, borderline psychotic -again, depending on the person you asked, maybe he wasn’t even borderline- freak of a man, was going to drive you absolutely and utterly insane. 

How many times had you rejected him now? And yet, he still pursued you. And how many other women had he asked out, right in front of you? And then resumed his pursuit of you. He couldn’t possibly think that you’d take him seriously after all this time. And yet, he still tried. 

God, what had he done in the Detective Agency to amuse himself before you arrived? Had he harassed Yosano the same way? Or were you his personal favorite form of entertainment? Did he just like the way you turned him down? Was he a masochist? 

You shuddered at the thought. Yeah. He definitely seemed like the type to be a masochist. 

Wait.

So… if he’s a masochist… if he’s just going to keep asking me out over and over again… then the best course of action is to…

“Actually, you know what, sure. Let’s go out.”

Dazai dropped his glass and it shattered on the floor. “Uh. What?”

You bit back a laugh, attempting to keep a serious face on. “I said sure. You and me. We’ll go on a date.”

He blinked. And then he laughed. “Oh, you truly are cruel. You almost had me for a minute there.”

“I’m being serious. Dead serious. Let’s go on a date, just the two of us. Hell, we can even go right now.”

His eyes locked onto yours in careful examination.There were those cold, calculating eyes you’d come to know so well. So piercing that you felt rooted to the spot, that you felt the need to confess to crimes you’d not even committed. The eyes that discerned fact from fiction, that forced submission from oppression. Though there were plenty of times you were grateful for that cold calculation of his -even though, admittedly, it’d been somewhat unsettling to see them in action- they were only a blessing when they were working for your benefit. But now, as those same eyes peered into your soul, attempting to decipher your very existence, you once again found that his insight was nothing short of eerie and you hoped you’d never again be on the receiving end of his penetrative gaze. 

“What’s the problem?” You asked casually.

“You don’t say yes. You never say yes. Why today? What’s different about today?” The flirtatious and playful manner in which he’d previously been engaging you with had all but disappeared, now replaced with interrogative language. 

You stood your ground. “Why not today? C’mon. Let’s see if this date is actually so great after all.”

He let out a small laugh but the sound was empty and lacking any real humor. “Ahh, I get it. You think if we go out on a date, I’ll be satisfied and stop asking you out. And it’ll be all the better if the date goes terrible and I end up getting bored of you; that’s what you’re hoping for, am I right?” He leaned in to hear your response, but his tone was self assured, like he already knew the answer, and was allowing you a reply merely for show. 

Damn, he was good. Ah, well. Cat was out of the bag. Might as well roll with it. You narrowed the gap between you even further, leaning in to meet his domineering gaze. “And what if I am? Do you think you’d even know what to do if the date went well? If you liked it? If you wanted another? You wouldn’t know what to do with yourself. You like the chase, the hunt, the adrenaline. What’ll you do if it turns out I domesticate you, huh? If you turn into nothing more than a lovesick puppy? Someone as smart as you. Wouldn’t it kill you to be just another fool, like any other man?”

His lips curled into a sly smirk. “Well, well. This is turning out to be quite the interesting conversation. First, you lure me in by offering to give me everything I want and then you try to scare me away by making it seem less appealing, by making it seem terrifying, even. But what’ll you do if you’re the one who falls in love with me? Did you ever think about that? And have you considered that maybe I’ve already fallen for you? That maybe I don’t mind you ‘domesticating’ me,” He chuckled, “As you so crassly put it.”

You hadn’t thought of that. Sure, he’d been persistent, but you’d never once thought he’d been serious in his advances. Well…maybe just the once. Just the first time he’d asked. 

Ironic as it was, as tenacious as he was, the first time you’d met, he��d actually been somewhat normal. He’d been kind, he’d been respectful, he’d been welcoming. In fact, after recalling all the impressive feats he was known for, you were sure that, with his level of intelligence, he’d guessed the reason why you’d come; that even without telling him, he’d known that Ango had sent you, that his friend had sent you, that he’d worried for Dazai’s sake and sent you in his stead, to be the shoulder that he couldn’t be, and that’s why, on that first fateful day, Dazai greeted you like an old friend. Like a dear friend.

And he kept you close, kept you safe. As though he dare not tread on the gift he’d been given. 

It wasn’t until you got to know each other better that he started to become more eccentric. Or, in other words, he went back to his usual shenanigans. He’d run off to god knows where doing god knows what, maybe one day he was jumping off a bridge, maybe the next he’d be haggling for a vial of rare poison, but still, each and every case would come to its dramatic end, always by his hands. And dramatic was right. He always liked to put on a show, make every case seem grand, make every deduction seem riveting, turn every accusation into a spectacle. And he was extravagant with everyone, but sometimes, you wondered if maybe he was more so with you. If he was ridiculous to make you smile, if he was rambunctious to make you laugh. You noticed he always seemed just a little more comical when you were feeling down than when you weren’t. 

So the first time he asked you out, you almost said yes. The glint in his eyes was so contagious, it was hard to want to say otherwise. 

But your better judgment -and a healthy dose of caution after working so many years with the Special Division- told you that you barely knew the guy, so you turned him down.

After he’d asked a few more times, each time sounding more frivolous than the last, you’d come to the conclusion that he had never intended to seriously date you. And you were fine with it; it was all for the better. But then he started asking out women right and left whenever you’d work cases together and though you tried not to let it bother you, you wondered if his feelings really were so fickle and shallow. You wondered if he’d ever felt anything for you at all.

So now his silly, little shenanigans didn’t seem so silly anymore. Now, they seemed stupid. Now, if you were having a bad day, he just made it even worse when he tried to cheer you up by taking a detour to the amusement park, using the excuse that he “wanted to know what it felt like falling from a Ferris Wheel,” or when he commandeered a horse drawn carriage for a romantic ride through the park, because he was supposedly more “productive” when using transport that allowed fresh air to stimulate his brain instead of wasting away in stuffy cars, as if windows didn’t exist. Where before you might’ve found him thoughtful, chivalrous even, now you just felt he was wasting time. Now, you felt he was irresponsible, inconsiderate, incompetent. Now, you’d rather work with anyone but him.

But you stayed by his side anyway. Kept your promise to Ango. Sure, you might charge an expensive bill here and there to the Secret Division (enjoy a nice dinner one night, go see an opera the next) as reparations for the psychological damage inflicted upon you as a result of being Dazai’s partner, but you kept your promise all the same. 

You just hadn’t expected how infinite his persistence would be.

Even when he thought you’d say no, even when he knew you’d say no, he still asked you for the pleasure of your company. 

So today was as good a day as any to put this whole dramatic affair to rest. Today, you’d do the one thing you never imagined yourself doing in a million years. Today, you’d go on a date with Dazai. 

And you were sure he’d find you uninteresting, you were sure you’d find him displeasing, the night would end, and then you would both go back to your very busy lives, never again recounting the mistake that was your shared date. 

Now, he’d already picked a time and location- all you had to do was show up. And try. He begged you to at least try.  

So you chose a dress that was pretty, but not provocative. You chose a perfume that was adequate, but not alluring. You chose a hairstyle that was stylish, but not seductive. You put in enough effort to be considered effort, and absolutely nothing more than that. You’d rather not waste your best shoes and your best lipstick on him. 

But the moment you walked through the doors of the restaurant that Dazai had so carefully picked out -you were surprised he was capable of putting so much thought into a date, or rather, you were surprised he would do that much for you of all people- it was as if you had in fact put on your best gown, your best makeup, your best perfume, because he was immediately entranced by you.

He cocked a grin. “Domestication never looked so good.”

You had to laugh at that. “I bet you say that to all the women,” You retorted, knowing damn well that his compliment was meant for you and you alone.

He pulled out your chair for you and gestured for you to sit. “Only the ones I want to take home.”

“Ah, yes, but does your home have-” You took your seat, opening up the menu to examine its contents, “-a five star wine selection and, oh, a wide assortment of caviar? If not, then I think we’d better keep this date to the restaurant only. I have expensive tastes, you know.”

He chuckled. “But of course, only the very best for you, my dear. And who knows? Maybe I could have the food catered to our bedside, if you’d let me.”

You shook your head, only half amused. “Getting ahead of ourselves, are we? And here I thought you were supposed to be making me fall in love, not trying to get me naked.” 

He leaned in, resting his head atop his interlocked hands. “By all means, do enlighten me on how I could go about making you fall in love with me. I’m dying to know.”

“You’re the all-knowing detective, you tell me.”

“Ahh, but the all-knowing detective would like to hear from the all-knowing detective’s partner. Tell me. What would make you believe I’m serious about you?”

You almost laughed in sheer disbelief, but the look on his face now was the same one he’d worn just hours ago, when he implored you to give this date a genuine chance. Try. Just try, he’d said. You might find you actually enjoy it. For a moment, the disastrous, delinquent Dazai of the present faded away. For a moment, he was just the Dazai who’d realized that you were homesick when you arrived at the agency and took you out to a small diner that served a meal only made in your hometown’s region. For a moment, he was just the Dazai who got offended on your behalf, when some shady policemen suggested that you could try convincing a criminal to confess by flashing your two assets, so he put on a dress himself, shoving the chest full of toilet paper before asking the cops if they thought he looked pretty enough for the job. For a moment, he was the Dazai you’d almost said yes to. So, for a moment, you mustered up the decency to genuinely ponder his question and provide him with an answer. “You could stand to be more serious, for one. You can’t keep asking me out as a punchline.”

His eyes studied yours intently before replying, “It’s not a punchline. It’s never been a punchline. I’ve always been completely serious about you.” His tone of voice reflected the truth behind his words, but you weren’t sure if you could accept his words as reality just yet. 

“And what about the times you’ve asked me out only to say you’re just kidding shortly after?”

“It’s because I know that’s what you want to hear. And I’m trying to make light of an awkward situation.”

“And the times we’ve been completely engulfed in our work, whether it be poring over papers or chasing down a criminal, and you choose that very moment, as inopportune and inappropriate as it is, to make another confession?”

“You know I can’t help myself sometimes. Not when you look as good as you do solving crimes.”

“And… when you ask out other women, right in front of me? Who am I kidding, it’s probably even when I’m not around to see it. How am I supposed to take you seriously if you’ll bang anything that lives and breathes?”

His lips curled into a grin. “Aww, are you concerned about competition?” He’d known from the very beginning that it displeased you to see him making advances towards other women. He liked that it displeased you. He liked knowing that you felt enough for him to dislike the idea of him being with anyone else. He’d known that it was juvenile of him, and he’d known that it was counterproductive to his goal, but it was the quickest, most obvious way to make you see him, to make you acknowledge him, and like a child, he’d taken the easy way out. After so many failed attempts at securing your affection, you’d started to treat him like a nuisance. Started to rely on your other coworkers more than him. Started to deny his very existence, when all he wanted was to exist for you. So, of course he waited until you were in sight to flirt with a client, and of course he used the same pick up lines that he’d used on you before, just to strike home. He was a genius turned idiot when you were around, and the fact of the matter was that he just couldn’t help himself. He couldn’t.

Not when you were rolling your eyes the way he loved.

Not when you were sighing, exasperated, the way he adored. 

Not when you were so close to him yet so completely far from his reach. 

But you’d asked for an answer and he owed you one.

So he sighed, ego and arrogance deflating, as he spoke up again. “Truth is- I’m an idiot. I wanted you to be jealous. I liked that you were jealous. Because it meant you might’ve felt something for me. That’s all there is to it.”

You processed his words, letting them properly sink in. Then, shaking your head, you gave him a small smile. “You know, for a really smart guy, you can be really stupid sometimes. Actually, a lot of the time-”

He held up a finger in protest, but you raised an eyebrow, your expression saying “Really?” and he made the wise decision to let you continue.

“-But you did get one thing right. I do think I might enjoy this date. So… let’s just start over then. Put this extra baggage to the side. Tell me something about you. Anything.”

All this time, he’d spent as the master of his craft- a genius at lying, at manipulating, at reading lies, at reading manipulation, but all he wanted to do when he looked at you was tell you the truth.

So he’d order wine for you, talk with you over dinner, maybe even split dessert (no- he was definitely getting you dessert after everything he’d put you through) and he’d tell you anything you wanted to know. Hell, he’d tell you everything if you asked. He might tell you everything anyway, even if you didn’t ask. 

Sometimes, he didn’t know who he was when he looked in the mirror; was he an ex Mafia member or would the Mafia never really leave him? Was he a member of the Detective Agency or was he not worthy enough to be one, and had he done any good to deserve it? Or was he the sum of all his past mistakes? If he looked at his reflection closer, was he just someone who failed his friend, someone who never stopped failing his friend in his neverending nightmare? Sometimes, he didn’t know who he was when he looked in the mirror, but when he looked at you, he knew exactly what he was: yours. 

And you’d given him one chance to get this right, so there was no way he was fucking it up now. He’d tell you anything, tell you everything. He’d do anything, do everything. He’d do it all for you. 

And he’d do it all so that maybe, one day, you’d believe him when he finally told you that he loved you.

Taglist: @pixelcafe-network @minasfwoopyponytail @ouiouimochi @inkytypewriter

[exculpateinteractivefiction]

"All suffering originates from craving, from attachment, from desire." - Edgar Allan Poe

Exculpate: The Fall from Grace is an upcoming 18+ action packed and fantastical interactive fiction novel. Loosely inspired by media like “My Hero Academia”, “Bungou Stray Dogs”, “Jujutsu Kaisen”, “The X-Men” and “Titans”.

Tags: [Urban Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Romance, Drama, LGBTQIA+, Textbased]

The Astra. In the years after the war it was a name that had grown familiar. A select group of individuals who had gained special abilities after the…incident. They are powerful. They are talented. They are gifted.

And you’re one of them.

Or at least you were around a decade ago. Before you made the mistake.  The type of colossal fuck up that blows up your apparently  flimsy life in a matter of minutes. The kind that has you running away and starting completely over. That kind.

Now instead of using your worthless ability to save people, you are stuck using it for much more…aggressive work. More effective work. Or at the very least work that pays better. The only cost seems to be your sorry excuse for morals. Trading your soul and sense of justice for a paycheck. What could go wrong?

It was manageable. Meaningful even. Something that gave purpose to the now shattered pieces of your life.

Everything was great.

...until you got a hit for the strongest hero in existence. Wonderful.

Play a former hero turned assassin turned…“hero” but not really .

Customize your character’s name, appearance, personality, and gender identity.

Develop a better understanding of your dreadful ability.

Explore and navigate complex relationships with six unique romantic options.

Kill your former best friend and betray old allies and new ones alike!

Come face to face with your past (both the choices you’ve made and the people in it).

Repent for your mistakes…or continue making them.

The Hero (Your Target): Maverick “Mav” Kingston (He/Him)

Maverick Kingston, your current target and the strongest member of Astra. The strongest, period. He is unstoppable - unreachable - unattainable. You would know as his (former) best friend.

Appearance: Maverick is the embodiment of “perfection” and that crosses over into his looks. He is roughly 6’1” and is quite lean. He has vibrant light blue eyes and a head of messy blonde hair that seems to always fall perfectly into place.

Personality: Maverick’s greatest flaw is undeniably his personality. To put it bluntly, he’s the best and he knows it. He manages to come across as nonchalant and egotistical on a good day - often just messing around or teasing both his enemies and coworkers alike, and while he can be quite charismatic, his laidback and annoying disposition tends to steer most people away. Although, you get the feeling that there seems to be something deeper lying beneath the surface even after all these years…

The Strategist: Carmen Reyes (She/Her)

Carmen Reyes, lead strategist of the Astra and to put it bluntly the only one with any common sense. She is an intimidating presence - although that might just be due to her title of the best hand to hand combatant of the Astra. You used to be co-workers and classmates but that was a long time ago.

Appearance: Carmen’s beauty is just another thing that adds to her imposing nature. She is roughly 5’11” and has spent years building up her muscular physique. She has curly dark brown hair that rests just below her chin and surprisingly sharp hazel eyes that seem to track your every move…

Personality: Carmen can be considered reserved and wise at best and completely distant at worst. She has a professional air to her that most officials and authority respect, but it can come across as aloof or boring especially when comparing her to the loud personalities that the rest of the Astra has. That’s not to say she is uncaring though - in fact she is arguably the most moral of the group - or at least she was back when you were a member…

The Heart: Silas Jones (He/Him)

Silas Jones, arguably the kindest member of the Astra. He’s excitable and naive - if not a bit endearing. He tends to act as the mediator between the public and the other members of the Astra when necessary. You don’t remember being particularly close with him back when you were in the Astra so it’s surprising how desperately he seems to want your attention now…

Appearance: Silas is roughly 5’8” and has dark brown skin with glowing silver marks scattered across his body. He has black locs that have been dyed red at the tips and dark brown eyes that seem to pull you in wherever you go…

Personality: Silas is easily the nicest of the group and can be quite soothing especially compared to the harsher personalities of the other members and higher ups of the Astra. He is incredibly open and energetic, if not a bit naive. He cares very deeply for the people around him and that clearly extends to you even after all these years. It does make you wonder why he is so interested though…

The Healer: Juno Aceso (She/Her)

Juno Aceso, head of the healing and medical department at Astra. She isn’t what most people expect when they hear the words “doctor” but she is a breath of fresh air compared to the rest of the group. You were close with her back when you were in the Astra…or at least as close as you can be with someone like her.

Appearance: Juno is roughly 5’5”. She has deathly pale skin and dark eyebags that frame her murky green eyes. Her straight chestnut colored hair lands right at her chest, though she usually keeps it up in a bun.

Personality: If Carmen is distant and Maverick is nonchalant then Juno is on a whole other level. She is practically apathetic with her laidback nature and tends to be quite removed from everyone else. That’s not to say she has no personality though. She can be incredibly snarky and sarcastic when she wants to be. Unsurprisingly, she seems the least invested in your return. Although you get an odd feeling whenever she glances your way…

The Star: Payton Monroe (They/Them)

Payton Monroe is nothing if not a star. They embrace the celebrity status that comes with being a member of the Astra with open arms. You weren’t particularly close with them back when you were in the Astra but you heard the rumors of their exploits…

Appearance: Payton is roughly 5’7” and seems to make it their life’s goal to make themself as appealing as possible. They have ivory colored skin and dazzling lavender eyes. Their hair is shoulder length and white with streaks of pink going through it.

Personality: Payton is someone who has no issue embracing the finer things in life. They are far more interested in the public image aspect of being a member of the Astra and that comes across in nearly every interaction. While they are quite flirtatious, they seem to hold no interest in pursuing an actual relationship. Maybe you’ll be the one to change that…

The Newbie: Amari Gray (Gender Selectable)

Amari Gray, the newest member of the Astra. Not much is known about them - they joined after you left and they don’t seem exactly interested in getting to know you. They tend to be annoyed with you more often than not but you get the feeling that they are that way with most people. Although, their constant avoidance towards you specifically is quite odd…

Appearance: Amari is roughly 5’3”. They have tan skin and sharp gray eyes that seem to be set in a perpetual glare. They have thick white hair that is currently styled as a short undercut. They have a few piercings and tattoos.

Personality: You don’t know much about Amari but one thing you do know is that they don’t like you. They are either actively avoiding you or are going out of their way to pick fights with you. They seem incredibly familiar which makes their determination on making your life miserable even weirder…

DEMO TBA

[thirstdrafts]

"Knowing that he doesn’t exist is agonizing. It literally makes my heart ache. I hate feeling this way and I hate the fact that I can’t talk to anyone about it because I’m so embarrassed. But I don’t want to let go of him either."

^^^ I've dealt with this since forever. When I was younger I thought it would be great to grow up and fall in love, only to grow up and realize that I cannot love real people any percentage near my love of fictional characters. I'm married and I love my spouse, so it makes me sad that she has blank face told me "I know you would leave me for one of your fictional husbands in a second if you had the chance." It hurts me because I know it's true, and I can't fathom how bad it must feel to her.

But I literally can't stop. My feelings for fictional men boil over to the point of pain. When I think about them my heart swells with so much joy I feel like laughing and throwing up. Or butterflies in my stomach. And when the realization hits that they don't exist I feel so broken. Like my heart shatters and in those moments (scary as it is) I don't want to exist either if I can't have them.

I've admitted this to a therapist once and they asked if I wanted to work on it. I immediately panicked, resinded, and never brought it up again. The realization that someone could try to "fix" me and I would lose a very real piece of my heart stuck fear into my soul. That was the first time I knew it was a problem, but I couldn't bear to distance myself mentally from them.

Now I don't want to have se x with anyone in real life. It's super crazy. My spouse is miserable over it. I only want intimacy with fake men. It's insane. But it's my reality. I feel broken. Everyday I wake up in the real world is like I am missing a part of me and I have to ignore it.

Anyway, does anyone else on this black hole app have fictophilia? If so, have you solved it or found anything that helps you cope?

The quote above is from THIS ARTICLE on fictophilia, fictosexuality, and fictoromance.

[theink-stainedfolk]

New WIP!!!

Ink Of Fate

---

In a time when China’s golden age of knowledge and art flourishes, the young and brilliant Huang Rui returns to his homeland from England. As the son of the revered Chief Scholar of the Celestial Academy, Rui is destined for greatness, carrying the weight of his family’s prestigious name on his shoulders. Settling into his ancestral home, the Jinlong Estate, he immerses himself in teaching the intricacies of the English language and penning a mystery novel that promises to captivate the hearts of many.

But one fateful night, his tranquil life is shattered. A mysterious break-in at his estate leaves his prized manuscript stolen and a safe ransacked. While Rui dismisses the theft as inconsequential, his publisher is frantic, fearing the loss of a masterpiece. Urged to seek help beyond the law’s reach, Rui finds himself at the threshold of the notorious Red Serpent Manor, the lair of the enigmatic Shen Yi—an underground figure whose name strikes fear into the bravest of men, known widely as the "King of Hell."

Contrary to his fearsome reputation, Shen Yi is a man of striking beauty, with a commanding presence and a gaze that could pierce through one’s soul. Draped in a crimson robe with golden embellishments, his long black hair flowing like ink, Shen Yi exudes an air of lethal elegance. He agrees to help Rui recover his stolen work, but the price he demands is far from monetary. Shen Yi asks for something more intimate: for Rui to spend nights with him, whenever he desires.

Bound by the promise of retrieving his manuscript, Rui agrees, plunging himself into a world he had never imagined. But as the nights unfold, Rui’s written words begin to materialize in the real world. The line between fiction and reality blurs, and the horrors of his imagination come to life, ensnaring him in a web of danger, intrigue, and forbidden desires.

As the mystery deepens, Rui must navigate the treacherous waters of the Shadow District, where the elite’s darkest secrets are hidden behind the walls of opulent mansions and seductive brothels, With Shen Yi at his side—a man who is both his protector and a potential threat—.

---

[nesiacha]

Declaration of Albertine Marat on 17 Ventôse of the year II about Hébert

Albertine Marat

In the historical fiction I wrote about the death of Momoro (which is admittedly a mix of historical elements and fiction—I plead guilty ^^), here https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/762176646439649280/the-last-hours-of-the-first-printer-of-national?source=share, I talked about the declaration made by Albertine Marat on the 17th of Ventôse, Year II. According to the author Avenel, this caused significant damage to the Cordeliers because the speech was used against them in the Convention. He went further by saying that the Marat family was in favor of their indictment, which could align with Simone Evrard's statements against Hébert and what Albertine Marat allegedly said to Alphonse Esquiros  —that if her brother were alive, Danton and Desmoulins would not have been guillotined- (though I don't believe that he would save at least Danton, since Jean-Paul Marat had begun to doubt Danton towards the end). But in the absence of other serious sources, we must be cautious about claiming that the Marat family supported the indictments, especially considering that Simone Evrard and Albertine Marat, while politically active, were not deputies and did not have the right to vote.

Here the declaration of Albertine Marat

Letter from Citizen Albertine Marat to the Cordeliers

Published in issue no. 244 of the Journal du Club.

In the various proposals made to you concerning the editing of the journal you have decided to stop publishing, I could not hear without astonishment that someone dared to suggest to you that those entrusted with this glorious task should only carry it out in the shadows in which they should envelop it; that they should not be known, so as not to be exposed to persecution.

What! Is it to you, citizens, that such language is dared to be addressed? And is it from this very tribune, from where the thunderbolts were launched that pulverized the throne and the tyrant, that a patriotic journalist, who has sometimes shown vigor, that Hébert would dare to counsel cowardice? Has he forgotten that you are Cordeliers, and that you were the first to dare raise your proud heads when everyone else bowed before the idol that you shattered? Does he no longer remember that terrible petition which struck fear into the hearts of those unworthy of liberty, and which was not born in darkness?

That traitors, paid by our enemies, spread their vile writings anonymously is a sign that they fear the punishment they deserve. But that free men, Cordeliers, the defenders of the Rights of Man and Citizen, would fear to declare themselves as the authors of a journal, the hope of good patriots? It is in an open struggle that energy is deployed. It is at the sight of danger that strength and means develop, while timid souls hide, for they are not made for battle. But for those who have declared themselves the successors of Marat (he who signed all his works, who disowned none, even in the most tumultuous times); for those, I say, who follow the same path as this fearless defender of the people, to be intimidated by the idea of danger? Never! It is true, citizens, that they will tell you Marat fell under the assassin's blade which they would have you fear, but is life of such great value that it should be preserved through cowardice? It is by facing death, by looking at it with cold blood, that one becomes worthy of liberty.

And by what right, moreover, would we be more shielded from its blows than the thousands of our brothers whom the homeland calls to its defense? Would you have less courage than them? To believe this would be to misunderstand you. No, never will you cease to be Cordeliers, and the homeland will not be disappointed in its expectations.

[everythingkashmir]

Led’s Lense

The Other Kashmir

A Valley’s Physical Graffiti

By Faisul Yaseen

In the Himalayas, where the murmurs of the Jhelum weave through the lush valley, Kashmir has been a muse of poets and painters. Its name invokes both enchantment and anguish, a duality reflected in Led Zeppelin’s iconic song, Kashmir. Written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant with contributions from John Bonham over a period of 3 years with lyrics dating to 1973, the song featured on their sixth studio album Physical Graffiti in 1975. This timeless ode transcends physical geography, yet its mystical allure inadvertently mirrors the very soul of Kashmir.

It would seem rather bold, and even a little farcical, to compare Led Zeppelin’s ‘Kashmir’ with Kashmir valley. Yet tracing how the song born in the deserts of Morocco finds an uncanny kinship with a paradise mired in its own metaphoric deserts spurns curiosity.

Verse 1: Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face

If the sun could speak, it might recount the shadows it has witnessed in Kashmir. Led Zeppelin’s yearning for the sun’s warmth feels alien to a valley where winters are not just meteorological but political, where warmth is siphoned by fear that has reduced its famed sunlight to a pale glow that barely pierces the haze, casting a chilling pall over a land that once basked in idyllic harmony.

Chorus: I am a traveller of time and space

The stories in Kashmir are great works of fiction, sold with the finesse of the best of salesmen. Tourism hoardings show lakes as pristine and houseboats as inviting travellers to rediscover paradise. But the real travellers of time and space in Kashmir are not Instagram influencers but locals wandering in search of existence.

Governance in Kashmir functions on paradoxes - the claustrophobic presence contrary to the wide open landscapes. For every tourist sipping Kehwa on a Shikara, there is a youth piecing together the fragments of his shattered life. The spaces may be the same but the experiences are universes apart.

Bridge: My Shangri-La under the summer moon

Kashmir is Led Zeppelin’s Shangri-La, the mythical utopia nestled in towering peaks. Utopias are subjective, though. One man’s heaven is another man’s hell or purgatory. The beautiful valley becomes cruel irony for its denizens, who usually cannot savour its magnificence because it’s always reminding them of its perils.

All the rhetoric about Kashmir sounds almost hollow. Promises ring as empty as the deserted streets. In this dystopian Shangri-La, progress is measured not by prosperity but by publicity. New malls are inaugurated. Old memories erased.

Verse 2: Oh, father of the four winds, fill my sails

In Kashmir, the winds carry stories instead of sails. The winds carry the whispered prayers of a generation that has known nothing more than nothingness. The winds also carry the spirit of the people. Art adorns the walls. Poetry and music flourish. And, youth navigate censored spaces to tell their stories. Under relentless hopelessness, the spirit does not break.

Coda: When I am on my way, when I see

How many moons away is Kashmir from its road? This is a haunting refrain that never ceases ringing around the region.

When one beholds, Led Zeppelin puts forth a dreamy vision. What do we see when we behold Kashmir? A crown jewel? A problematic periphery? A land to own? People to love? All such answers decide the region’s dismal destinies.

The Unfinished Symphony

Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir ends with a sweeping, open conclusion, just like the region itself: untamed and mysterious. The music reflects the Valley’s breathtaking panorama. However, the underlying tensions and the lived reality of its people is another story. Rober Plant’s vocals and Jimmy Page’s guitar lines echo the paradox of its beauty and hopelessness. Kashmiris are left to wring out their purgatory alone, their voices buried in the cacophony.

Encore

Perhaps Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir should be the anthem adopted for the Valley. It is after all an attention-grabbing song. The majestic orchestration could go with the snowy passes and evocative lyrics could narrate the daily grind of Kashmiri life. If nothing else, it would be a fitting irony for a region where beauty is wrecked.

Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir is a call to rise above the mundane. It is a hymn to transcendence. However, the valley it shares a name with is still waiting for its transcendence. Until that day, Kashmir will remain an unfinished melody, its notes heavy with longing and defiance, resonating against the mountains that keep its secrets and sorrows.

Greater Kashmir

[doihavetosaymyname]

HOW TO UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL &lt;3

Pick your fav fictional couple and get a reading <3

_____________________________________________

Pile One. 

The Hermit, the Devil rx, 4 of Pentacles, 2 of Wands, the Moon, 6 of Pentacles, King of Wands, the World, 3 of Wands.

Channelled message: You always had it in you. 

Perhaps you have a bad habit of holding on to relationships (whether romantic or platonic) that no longer work. You do not like to be alone, that is why you are ready to endure everything as long as there is someone next to you.

This tendency to be codependent slows you down. In order to unlock your potential, you will have to work on your fear of loneliness. Let go of the person who you know is not compatible with you. Try being still and listen to what your soul is saying. What do you like to do alone? Do you have hobbies? Do you love yourself enough to enjoy solitude?

Take yourself out on dates. Alone. Treat yourself the same way you would treat your lover. Become your own best friend. Put yourself and your well-being first. This is not being selfish or narcissistic, it is simply self-care. 

Self-analysis, evaluation of pros and cons are difficult tasks but the effort you put into learning about yourself will pay off. Short-term satisfaction of fast gratification will vanish to make space for long-term happiness and silent confidence. It is highly advised to start therapy and in general to pay attention to mental health.

Hope you enjoyed your reading <3 Contact me for more in-depth readings.

________________________

Pile Two. 

The Emperor, Ace of Pentacles, 7 of Cups, the Sun, Page of Pentacles, King of Cups, the Hierophant rx.

Channeled message: You are like a cup of hot chocolate on a snowy day. 

You are an extremely positive and open-hearted person. You believe you are naturally incredibly lucky and attract lots of blessings in your life. You are ambitious, comfortable in your skin, and know that you have an undisputed power within. There is an interest in manifestation. But what you refuse to accept about yourself is extreme sensitivity and impulsiveness. You are a very emotional person. When you are overwhelmed with feelings, it is very difficult for you to pull yourself together and think rationally. You fantasize a lot about success but have no clear vision or plan of actually achieving it. There is a tendency of starting new projects and not finishing them; giving up/losing interest as soon as reality of life does not meet your expectations.

Your only limit is a tendency to live in your head. Therefore, in order to reach your full potential, you will have to stop daydreaming and take full responsibility for your actions and decisions. Discipline and control will open lots of new opportunities. Emotional maturity will transform your life. You will finally be able to complete that course you were procrastinating to take.

Your desires won’t be just fantasies anymore, they will become your reality.

Perhaps teachers/instructors/father figures in your life believe in you and expect you to surpass them in the future. They are ready to help you and teach you everything they know.

Hope you enjoyed your reading <3 Contact me for more in-depth readings.

________________________

Pile Three.

Queen of Pentacles, 2 of Cups, the Chariot, Knight of Swords, 10 of Swords rx, the Strength rx, Ace of Wands, 6 of Swords, 6 of Cups.

Channeled message: You will always be surrounded by love. 

Something in the past shattered your self-confidence. Childhood trauma or maybe a painful breakup; the event literally swallowed up your self-esteem. You've done a great job of leaving it all behind and healing your wounds. But the path to recovery is extremely unpredictable, so healed scars sometimes hurt. You keep scolding yourself for still thinking about your trauma even though some time has passed. You miss the person you used to be before it happened. 

However, remembering the past is normal. Coming couple steps back doesn't mean you threw the entire progress out the window. Progress is not always  linear and straightforward.

What will set you free and unlock your potential is self-forgiveness. I am so sorry you had to suffer. I am proud of you doing the best you can and shining despite your pain.

You always blame yourself and it leads to another obstacle: extreme self-doubt. You miss opportunities because you are so unsure of yourself, then regret it, and then eventually berate yourself again. A vicious circle of self-hatred.

You have to learn to break this bad habit of being too hard on yourself.

Release your doubts and guilt. You managed to achieve what you wanted once, so it will work again. And again. And again. And even if it doesn't work out don't blame yourself for it.

Also, I don't know who specifically needs to read this but your person reciprocates your feelings and is currently waiting for you. So be courageous  and approach them!

Hope you enjoyed your reading <3 Contact me for more in-depth readings.

________________________

If you like my readings, please consider donating <3

KO-FI

PAYPAL.ME

[melodytaylorauthor]

My struggle with plot structure

And struggle I have.

I feel like it’s not an unusual struggle.

When a person first starts writing, there’s a ton of information out there on how to make your sentences work, how to create characters that aren’t wooden, grammar, spelling, the art of fiction, putting your soul into it and not boring your reader, how to create a habit of sitting down and putting words on the page. All of that. Everywhere, for the choosing.

And then, once you’re no longer a beginner, all the information pretty much dries up.

You hear words bandied about like “3-act structure” and “theme” and “arc,” but what those things are and if you need them (you do!) never seems to come up. Or if they do come up, they’re very nebulous and it’s hard to get a great feel for them.

Last year, I realized I didn’t actually understand or know jack about plot, beyond the nebulous “arc is what your character goes through,” etc., so I figured I’d better get on that. “Trying to be professional” and all that jazz. It only took me four books to figure that out!

So first off, a Google search led me to a lot of articles about how many acts a plot should have. Apparently, there are a lot of choices. Every article I came across essentially said the same thing: “Shakespeare used 5-act structure, The Hero's Journey uses 7 acts, and Hollywood uses 3-act structure. Do whatever you want!”

Great. Not helpful. What IS an act? What goes into it? How does one know when one has a complete act? What’s the DIFFERENCE between the different numbers of acts in a story? If I can use anywhere from three to seven acts, why should I choose one over another?? I think the number six is pretty, should I use six acts?

So I tried Googling “what is 3-act plot structure.” I found a LOT of articles that stated “Three act structure is simple! The first act is your story’s opening. The last act is the story’s climax and end. And the middle act is everything else!”

Say what? Easy?? How is that easy? Why does so much advice on story telling have to be so damn vague? Is it because so many authors actually have no idea what they’re doing? It is, isn’t it. Ah, damn.

Interestingly, there were a LOT of articles that discussed authors complaining about the “soggy middle” of their story. Well, yeah, if they know how the story starts, they know how they want it to end, but the middle is “everything else,” what the hell is a person supposed to WRITE?? “Everything else” is not a direction! Are the characters supposed to sit around and drink coffee and smoke cigarettes and discuss the meaning of human existence? Hibernate? Run around screaming? What, what, what??

Well, silly, they’re supposed to arc. You know, what happens to your character through the course of the book.

Oh, yes, okay. Got it, got it.

(For the curious, a character arc is the world view/state of being a character starts out with, and how that shifts to something different for better or for worse through the course of the story. Usually better, but dark stories will sometimes have the main character lose all hope or something like that.)

I did manage to stumble across a couple actual books about plot. I bought them. One of them was very helpful. One of them was most certainly not. And I found one — count it — ONE article that broke plot structure down into FOUR acts AND explained WHY the authors of the article liked four acts and WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN in each act. HOLY SHIT!! That article has since been removed from the website where I found it. Good thing I copied and pasted it to my own computer before it vanished!

(For the curious: Act 1, we meet the MC, they are invited to adventure, they almost certainly refuse, and then they are forced into it somehow. Act 2, they strike out in a new world, making friends and enemies as they go, learning about how things work in this new place and gaining confidence until it’s shattered by something crazy happening. Act 3, they have to maneuver in a new way, figure out what they were doing wrong before and deal with the crazy thing that happened at the end of act 2, they will come face-to-face with the main baddie and they will lose. Act 4, everything has come to a head, the MC is trapped, on the run, pushed to the brink, with the baddie right on their heels, and when it finally looks like all is lost, the main thing they need to face or learn about suddenly becomes crazy clear, and they are able to defeat the baddie/situation using their new knowledge/skill/emotion.)

My favorite book on plot I found was “The Story Grid, what good editors know.” It’s not a book on act structure as much as what scenes need to do and how a book needs to flow. But man, is it helpful and insightful! It breaks writing a book down into concrete steps that you can check and follow, rather than all this woo-woo business with “the middle is everything else” and “arc is what happens to your characters.”

Armed with this new knowledge, I set about dissecting some of my favorite books and movies.

Man, four act structure and the mechanics of making a scene work is totally IT! Every book I re-read, every movie I re-watched, the acts lined up and made sense, the scenes turned and kept the plot moving, it all flowed. It all WORKED!

I feel so satisfied when someone who knows what they’re talking about can point out how things work. I hate when people offer squishy advice that doesn’t actually make any sense or that you just have to “feel.” Either it’s real and you can damn well put it into words, or it’s fake and you’re making it up. JEEZ.

I used my new knowledge to edit “The Winding Road Between,” and am very satisfied with how it shook out. I’m working on a new book called “Night Falls,” and it is coming together just slick. I’m super happy with the 4-act structure and even more happy with the leeway and wiggle room I’ve found inside of it. It’s far less rigid than it first appears, while offering a scaffolding to hang the scenes of my story on so it all makes sense. As long as it goes 1-2-3-4, and each act is roughly the same length-ish, it all comes out in the end.

I love it when a plot comes together!

[kmclaude]

Who are your favorite co-artists/writers/creators in the queer dark fiction space?

Some of my faves of the top of my head:

Krad @kradeelav who is in a NO U senpai-war with me and is senpai -- very much "what it says on the tin", 100% lizardbrain-centered id-scratching glory. Super inspirational work, definitely their print zines on itchio inspired me to start home printing my own.

@hydein maker of Après Moi le Deluge (which I've probably wrote wrong because I always mess up è and é) -- I see their stuff and think ah, this would not be out of place at all alongside older BL/shoujo that blurred the BL lines/Year 24 Group. Their work is like cotton-candy spun of fiberglass: beautiful, soft artwork, absolutely devastating topic made all the more lovely (and painful) given its exterior

Gretchen Felker-Martin's Manhunt kept me gripped the entire time reading it -- a genuinely thought-provoking, gutteral, human look at the trope of gendered apocalypse and she's the reason, her talking about it and praising it, that I and my ex-fiancé wound up watching The Devils and it's now a top fav movie of both of us. Also one time she said really nice things about my chapbook {familia} and I'm still :D about it. Any book she writes, I'd read without question.

Draculard (on AO3) genuinely writes some of the most straight-to-your-fucking-soul shattering works (one of Drac's latest works, Tithonus Reversed? Short and gutwrenching.) Everything they've written that I've read (and I've read more than the fics they've wrote for me though those are really mcfreaking great just FYI) has an almost surgical precision in its emotional core. alskdfja IDK man I love Drac's stuff, genuinely, I wish I could write like that.

[official-mistah-j]

this is a work of fiction

I am MISERY, FT, the Author,

Restrained and beaten ,

lifetimes

unhealed

bloodied and bruised gunshots

broken down, knees shattered, almost quite so

and a few rusty nails in my flesh

from hell

with a keyboard and innumerable

blank sheets of white paper

and pencils and pens

To write,

This,

intended,

end

all i can think

is her ghastly white

pallid skin

begging to be born again

she screeches like an owl

and im lost somewhere

between heaven and hell

though

i am not from this world

how did we not know she needed

help

gashes

on arms and legs

sorta like

sally skellington

and

shadows

like

fishnet in a half lit room

it looked like

she had clothes on

they said

the scars

all over

she seemed so confident

and so happy

and now i know

my true love, was bullied, and discarded

and set apart,

and i will not rest

til these strong men

and these women

are nothing

but children

crying

tears

streaming

down their eyes

a soul for a soul

a heart for a heart

and i got a date with the devil

and she's

wearing a dress

and i let them in

oh im so sorry

im so sorry

im so sorry

i am the great destroyer

[aeglica]

Im a character come to life

this is a work of fiction

I am MISERY, FT, the Author,

Restrained and beaten ,

lifetimes

unhealed

bloodied and bruised gunshots

broken down, knees shattered, almost quite so

and a few rusty nails in my flesh

from hell

with a keyboard and innumerable

blank sheets of white paper

and pencils and pens

To write,

This,

intended,

end

all i can think

is her ghastly white

pallid skin

begging to be born again

she screeches like an owl

and im lost somewhere

between heaven and hell

though

i am not from this world

how did we not know she needed

help

gashes

on arms and legs

sorta like

sally skellington

and

shadows

like

fishnet in a half lit room

it looked like

she had clothes on

they said

the scars

all over

she seemed so confident

and so happy

and now i know

my true love, was bullied, and discarded

and set apart,

and i will not rest

til these strong men

and these women

are nothing

but children

crying

tears

streaming

down their eyes

a soul for a soul

a heart for a heart

and i got a date with the devil

and she's

wearing a dress

and i let them in

oh im so sorry

im so sorry

im so sorry

i am the great destroyer

[maguro13-2]

Legacy of Shinra Reboot ~ Origins of the Ink Demon Chapter 1 Remake Pt.1 ~

"Real World AU..."

"A place where humans and witches coexist together, including their their fictional characters as well. This AU is where we live, work, educate and and play."

"It's much of a place ofhow fictional characters work their lives as well, mostly, it's a universe where all of Japan's video games, mangas, anime characters come to work with us in particular ways."

"This AU can be a place where heroes and villains are the real deal, they are those who have potential and has one's reputation that is their own and for others to keep it. They carry out to help others make their lives easier in order to count on us for our past, present, and future."

"Despite it's reputation, Real World AU also connects with the many universes that are connected such as cartoons, comics, mangas, animes, video games, and even TV and movies, well...not in that particular way."

"There's one chance that our world is connected with universes of famous Shounen, Seinen, and Shoujo mangas to all cartoons, comics, animes, and video games as well."

"Two companies that changed Real World AU for the sake of their lives...were Drawcia Family Corporation in Japan and E.Gadd Industries from the USA."

"But Interpol has an organization that truly maintains world public order, Majo Detective Force from the great states of New England. The organization is where humans and witches began to work together as a force when Truth, Love, and Justice that combines as a formidable effort to keep humanity safe and sound. Easily for that, It all worked out without ruffling a few feathers on it."

"But some organizations like that in Japan are not always associated with the personification Death, the so-called Death Weapon Meister Academy mysteriously appeared in the great lands of Nevada in the aftermath of 50% of the Ohkuboverse destroyed by the time-traveling entity and destroyer of all worlds known as the Time Eater, a vicious entity that flows through time and space. The Time Eater scolded the Ohkuboverse's first hero Shinra Kusakabe for creating Death and Soul World's foundation that made the Time Eater annihilated both him and his people, and including the true mother of witchkind who was executed after the start of Shinra's 1000 years of death began spreading the influence."

"However, Death Weapon Meister Academy wanted to sue Majo Detective Force for stealing it's peacekeeping forces as the number one organization that the governments of the united nations had to offer. But the Shinigami Council of Japan denies that request in partaking of saving both humans and witches together."

"So the Majo Detective Force have already won, and the DWMA lost it's hero organization case. Maybe that was the last time DWMA ever had to hurt witchkind to think our kind's xenophobic and nothing else, but that's what they get who were they messing with."

"That was the last obstacle between the Majo Detectives and the public order that stands for love and justice like Sailor Moon said. Thanks to Interpol, the great states of New England is the magical superpower of the world. Yeah, for realisies."

"But when it comes the ruler of FMA Universe known as Truth, the witches and humans agreed that Truth itself would ratify new rule for the Majo Order that forbids weapon-turning humans called Mabuki while Truth itself cease the functionality of the Mabuki's power system. But the one power system that truth cannot cease to function it was a deadly force called Shattered Resonance, which has the power to trigger frustration and hatred and it is affiliated with blood magic, and ability that individuals have the magical ability to manipulate and freely controlling their blood as weapons.

"It's hard to believe that both Shattered Resonance and Blood Magic are the combined forces of a deadly warrior that has the ability to target people's hearts called Shattered Meister as they are equivalent to the Shattered Soldiders told by the Phantoms of Society."

"Around 9 years ago, an explosive energy of Shattered Resonance has created a shockwave, wiping out eighty percent of Japan's population, causing the evil forces to wreak havoc by creatures called a heartless. Heartless are like zombie-like creatures that are created from a person's heart and are born from within the darknesss, and they also have the ability disguise their selves one's appearance."

"Despite their appearance in 2002, the heartless were planning to take over Real World AU by achieving their goal of conquest by conjuring all worlds into the reaches of unholy darkness itself. But apparently, it's parallel force the Holy Light that makes hope as a gift to humanity while Despair is the key the unleash the shadows of the realm of Darkness and light itself shall be the key restoring balance and order blessed from the powerful heart-shaped moon known as the titular Kingdom Hearts."

"Around two years since the Space Colony Ark incident, evil forces have sprung again as a heartless appeared as a human girl named Solva and attacked the vicinity of Hang Castle, a fortress located between the Real World and Sonic's world. Not only she fooled the machines and Grim the Hedghehog for their ability to cloak their selves as humans, but it seems to have no idea it was a monster in disguise itself."

"And now with that in order it's time for a fresh start..."

[Theme of Phantasy Star 0 (soundtrack ver.) - Hideaki Kobayashi]

Ashley : Let's go partner. We got a mission to do.

Kimial Diehl : You bet.

Penny Crygor : Good luck out there, guys. it's Time to uncover the secrets of Soul World. So look no further ado, we don't need any hesitation from the rest of the team. So give it your best and don't screw this one up.

Ashley : Roger that, Penny.

"I am Kimial Diehl, a witch born and raised in the city of Salem, a 17th century town located in th Great Bat State of Massachusetts, north of the capital city Boston. I am newest member of the Majo Detective Force organization, the organization was tasked to investigate of stopping crime and the forces of Evil itself. But that doesn't mean to change the subject. But some thing never changed do they? So that's why I had friends that are right behind me, Penny, Ashley, and not just everyone that I knew about, but the one person that is my love interest is Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre, a member of the Phantoms of Society. Of course, it's where we traveled around the world and see the wonders of where everyone lives."

"Right now I'm on my own request, I'm here to investigate to uncover the secrets behind Soul World's past, half of universe was completely destroy when the Time Eater to annihilate Shinra Kusakabe, legendary hero and founder of Soul World. Honestly, Shinra himself was called the Devil that has the responibility of creating his Man-made son Death himself, a Grim who anyone said about him being the self-proclaimed ruler of the cosmos. But apparent he's called Shinigami or somewhat who is he. Maybe he had some sort connections with the heartless attacking Real World AU."

"Despite all of that, we can all agree that he runs the DWMA all by himself and at least he's having some political ties with the United States, Japan, and the rest of the world itself. But this isn't about him, it's about a 13-year old Girl name Maka Albarn, born at the mysterious sanctuary located at the planet Jupiter, Maka was the hero that Soul World chosen and we discovered that she was the one responsible for destroying Japan's population. Wonder how that's gonna happen when Soul World's heroes and villains shall live up to reputation and in spite of those who wanted to become heroes of each of their story, these crazies stories full of weirdness will be in a total absolution, who says Maka Albarn looks alike something in the past?"

Inky Albarn : Don't forget about me. You can't be someone that is a hero, but I'm one step closer.

[Negative Notions - Ryo Yamazaki]

(lights were turned on)

Inky Albarn : Greetings, humans of this here Real World. I am alook alike of Maka Albarn's self as the queen of all demons. The name's Inky Albarn, I'm the queen who possess the powers of both demon and black blood, when I say black blood, I meant to say it's the royal blood of the Ink Demons! Don't forget my awesomeness story of how the world known the Ink Demon and my son's origins. I'll be waiting

*WHOOSH+SMASH!*

" ORIGINS OF THE INK DEMON "

Inky Albarn : The party's just begun.

~ THE INK DEMON'S ORIGINS BEGINS NOW ~

[call-signtracer]

I've got a few then, though you may have read/heard of some of em 😅

Inheritance Cycle (6 book series), Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance, The Fork the Witch and the Worm, and Murtagh by Christopher Paolini

When fifteen-year-old Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

Overnight his simple life is shattered, and, gifted with only an ancient sword, a loyal dragon, and sage advice from an old storyteller, Eragon is soon swept into a dangerous tapestry of magic, glory, and power. Now his choices could save—or destroy—the Empire

Deed of Paksenarrion trilogy by Elizabeth Moon (Sheepfarmers Daughter, Divided Allegiance, Oath of Gold) has some darker elements

Refusing to marry a pig farmer and joining the army, even if it means never seeing her family again, Paksenarrion begins an adventure that enables her to restore an overthrown ruler.

Paksenarrion: Paladin's Legacy (5 book follow up series to the previous, Oath of Fealty, Kings of the North, Echos of Betrayal, Limits of Power, Crown of Renewal) also by Elizabeth Moon

I'd put the summary of the first book here but it actually spoils a major plot point of the Paksenarrion Trilogy above 😅, but it's a direct follow up of the series following other characters from the first 3 books along with Paks

Honor Harrington series (14 books in the main storyline, first boom On Basilisk Station) by David Weber, more Sci-Fy fiction super long kinda complicated, dark moments but great storyline, I freely admit kinda drags at times but I love the action and the over-arching story to forgive that

Having made a superior look a fool, Honor Harrington has been exiled to Basilisk Station in disgrace and set up for ruin.

Her demoralized crew blames her for their ship's humiliating posting to an out-of-the-way picket station.

The aborigines of the system's only habitable planet are smoking homicide-inducing hallucinogens.

Parliament isn't sure it wants to keep the place; the major local industry is smuggling; the merchant cartels want her head; the star-conquering, so-called "Republic" of Haven is up to something; and Honor Harrington has a single, over-age light cruiser with an armament that doesn't work to police the entire star system.

But the people out to get her have made one mistake. They've made her mad.

Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind (more gritty and bloody fantasy series, dark themes etc) 22 books overall but 11 in the main original story.

In the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, appears in Richard Cypher's forest sanctuary seeking help...and more. His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due with thundering violence.

In a dark age it takes courage to live, and more than mere courage to challenge those who hold dominion, Richard and Kahlan must take up that challenge or become the next victims. Beyond awaits a bewitching land where even the best of their hearts could betray them. Yet, Richard fears nothing so much as what secrets his sword might reveal about his own soul. Falling in love would destroy them - for reasons Richard can't imagine and Kahlan dare not say.

In their darkest hour, hunted relentlessly, tormented by treachery and loss, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword - to invoke within himself something more noble. Neither knows that the rules of battle have just changed...or that their time has run out.

These guys are more kinda in the younger section but I enjoyed their stories and re-read them often:

Wolves of the Beyond, (6 book series), Lone Wolf, Shadow Wolf, Watch Wolf, Frost Wolf, Spirit Wolf, Star Wolf by Kathryn Lasky

A wolf mother has given birth, but the warm bundle snuffling next to her brings only anguish. The pup, otherwise healthy, has a twisted leg, and the mother knows what the harsh code of the pack demands. Her pup will be taken from her and abandoned on a desolate hill. The pack cannot have weakness - the wolf mother knows that her pup is condemned to die.

But alone in the wilderness, the pup, Seeker, does not perish. This his story - a story of survival, of courage, and of love triumphant. This is Seeker's story, the wolf pup who rose up to change forevever the Wolves of the Beyond.

Guardians of Ga'hoole (long series as well lol, too long of titles to list 😅) also by Kathryn Lasky

Soren is born in the forest of Tyto, a tranquil kingdom where the Barn Owls dwell. But evil lurks in the owl world, evil that threatens to change Soren's life forever.

Soren is captured and taken to a dark and forbidding canyon where there is a mysterious school. It's called an orphanage, but Soren believes it's something far worse.

He and his new friend, the clever and scrappy Gylfie, find out that the orphanage is actually a training camp. Soren and Gylfie know that the only way out is up. To escape, they will need to do something these fledglings have never done before: fly. And so begins a magical journey. Along the way, Soren and Gylfie meet Twilight and Digger. The four owls band together to seek the truth, be reunited with their families, and protect the owl world from unimaginable danger.

Deltora Quest (15 books across 3 connected mini series, first Book The Forests of Silence) by Emily Rodda

The evil Shadow Lord is plotting to invade Deltora and enslave its people. All that stands against him is the magic Belt of Deltora with its seven gems of great and mysterious power. When the gems are stolen and hidden in dark, terrible places throughout the kingdom, the Shadow Lord triumphs and Deltora is lost. In secrecy, with only a hand-drawn map to guide them, two unlikely companions set out on a perilous quest. Determined to find the lost gems and rid their land of the tyrant, they struggle towards their first goal - the sinister Forests of Silence.

Those are the ones off the top of my head, or at least have me re-listening to them frequently lol

And as a bonus, my new Pup who I named after the main character of the Honor series I mentioned, Honor!

Anyone have any book recs? 👀

[cloobert]

Who Is Clooby

Hi everyone-- I’ve had this account for almost a decade now but now that twitter is slow-motion dying I want to dive back into this site.

And part of that is explaining who I am, now! I’m Clay or Clooby, a writer of fiction, bad joke, and tabletop games. I’ve always loved the Gothic, the grand, and the mythic, and try to harness and repurpose that every chance I get. Other than that, I cook pasta and walk long distances, generally. I’ve yet to decide what specifically will go where, between here and @cloobywrites, but here’s what i do: My two published (ish) works are: Over Sea, Wander Home, a book for Jay Dragon’s Wanderhome about adding a sort of epic maritime dimension to the game’s wandering. Perfect if you want to play a former sea captain, lying (or honest) big-fish storyteller, or a cartographer looking to bound the world in maps.

END THE WORLD, a painful PBTA ashcan about, well, ending the world. It’s run straight through with my feelings about a recent death in my family and the pain of the summer of 2020, so it may never be truly finished, but it’s certainly playable right now.

I’m also working on a lot of current projects: I’m writing Mobile Chariot Aurochs (working title), a mecha novel about vampiric wood Chariots piloted with marionette strings. It's got sex, duels, and my complicated thoughts about Sayla Mass and Haman Karn threaded through it.

Next is another untitled project--this time my expansion for Austin Ramsay's Beam Saber. Real Robot is often about war, yes, but it is so often also about living in the shadow of the greatest war anyone has ever seen. So I'm adding five playbooks, two squad playbooks, and a setting made for emulating things like Zeta Gundam, Iron Blooded Orphans, After War Gundam X, and a whole bunch of others.

Below is the Comet, a playbook about flying in and out of history's great orbits:

And here are some abilities from the Shrike, a pilot burns their mechs hot and fast:

Next, I'm developing the Sparked by Resistance game Last Day Academy-- A game about teaching at the awful school for magic and monsters that you once attended. It's a personal, painful game, but it also lets you play a pyromancer who burns their own futures for the energy to get through grading season.

or a toxic-soul-waste repository who uses the runoff in their soul to work miracles:

Next, is The Lies from Friday Rhapsody's, a game about doing Lupin III style cartoon heists in a weird city with a shattered sky. This one has an all new system based around both playing and cheating at blackjack in genuinely every way to cheat I could imagine. You can also play an invertebrate clown. This one is on a back-er burner solely because it really wants a real  deck of cards to be marked up and altered as the adventures go on.

Finally, I've been writing Death Comes to Little Island, a Chuubo's Marvelous Wish Granting Engine campaign in the mode of things like Stand By Me and Anohana about grief, growing up, and also fistfighting Death on the beach. One of the main characters dropped out of world-killing void god school. They're a hoot.

[asteracaea]

i'm just gonna contemplate some hypotheticals here.

let's say you're a very young woman with startling talent as a songwriter and a performer, and you are dedicated to your dream of becoming a huge star. the particular genre your music has found its voice in (thus far) is country.

during the years you grow up, it's not really socially acceptable for a girl to not be interested in boys. and queerness in any form is even less supported, discussed, or accepted than it is today. so you talk about boys with your friends, convince yourself that you like them (and hey, maybe you really do!) but there's also something appealing to you about girls and you like them a LOT. maybe you haven't identified what it is exactly. you probably don't have the language or knowledge to understand what you're feeling. your culture doesn't provide you with that. but because girls are allowed to be very close and even physically intimate with their best friends, you are free to joke and play and explore your feelings without them being labeled as something unacceptable.

you work unbelievably hard and you finally get your big break as a musician. maybe your managers can tell something about you, maybe you've already figured it out about yourself, or maybe this is still unknown or un acknowledged by everyone in your circle. either way, your team starts to build the media narrative of the precocious american princess dreaming of love.

maybe originating from your pr team, or maybe starting organically in your fans, people start to love the idea that your songs are "confessional," like diary entries. they love the idea of knowing your innermost feelings. because this clearly leads to more sales and more revenue, you and your team decide to go along with this. you encourage it and play along. when you see the major interest that comes from revealing (or at least intimating) who a song is about, you use that as a marketing strategy and it works.

yes, your songs are actually brilliant and they are what keep people around, but the marketing strategies are what get most of them to bite the hook in the first place. the public has a massive fascination with the love lives and relationships of celebrities. you know this and exploit this and it works. maybe the guys you date are all pr set-ups, maybe you were encouraged to try dating them for real because it would benefit both of your upcoming projects, maybe you really did meet somewhere and sparks flew. but maybe there were other people who stirred your heart who your publicist told you "would not be a good idea." maybe you had to hide those feelings (or relationships!) but you could still write about those experiences by changing a gender pronoun here and inserting a male name there.

your strategy is working. you are quickly becoming one of the biggest country stars in the world, and then one of the biggest stars period. you expand into the more-widely consumed genre of pop. but more attention unfortunately also means more criticism and scrutiny. because people are obsessed with celebrity relationships, yours (real or not) become the only topic of conversation. not your music itself. this is heartbreaking for you. not only that, the strategy which once worked so well in your favor is now starting to tear you down. people slut shame you, call you a "serial dater," say that guys shouldn't date you because they'll "just get a song written about them." no one (except your fans) is actually paying attention to the beautiful art you are creating at a level of quality (and quantity) that is astonishing for anyone, let alone someone of your young years.

maybe around this time you meet someone who could very well be your soul mate. it's pretty much love at first sight. because you are both girls, you can let the world see how close you are, how you spend all your time together, even hold hands, and people can just call you "pals." maybe for a while that is what it is. but maybe one day you go from friends to this. maybe your behavior in public becomes a little too much to write off as "just pals." you both have careers as international superstars and it is very likely that a relationship of this nature would jeopardize them. the careers you love, that you spent your whole lives working toward, that other people's livelihoods depend on. so what are you to do?

your summer of the apocalypse comes. the world turns on you and you are sent into exile. you are devastated and what you thought was your reality has shattered and crashed. but you still have music, and you still have your great love. you step back from it all and reassess, rearrange, regroup. you find that you are happy, stable, grounded. but the only way to preserve that is by never again allowing the public so deep into your life. people loved you for your openness, how much of yourself that you shared. but then they used that to hurt you and you won't let it happen again. so you come up with a new strategy.

you want to write songs about a deep, intimate, long-lasting love, but your past "relationships" have only spanned a few months at most. you also want people to stop scrutinizing your actions, particularly your dating life; stop talking about it, speculating about it, criticizing you for it. you find a tall, blond, blue-eyed british boy. he will be part of the story you tell the world. he will be long-term, stable, happy. he will also be boring. no one will have anything to gossip about, and no one will go prying for anything under the surface. you take full control of your public image, to the smallest detail. eventually, your music will be heard for what it is, instead of as gossip-y tell-alls. you expand your creativity and meld "fact" with fiction to 1) throw everyone off the scent and 2) to create stunning art that you wouldn't have been able to when you felt limited to only write as the character of your public persona.

and behind the scenes, you can do whatever you want. are you still with your muse of 8 years? we don't know! are you dating other women, other people of any gender? we don't know! but you have your music and your privacy and you are at peace.