#tya writes

[vazaha-tya]

Chapter 6 of "no longer human is out". And as promised in the author's note, here're two snippets from the Voldemort PoV that didn't make it into the fic:

1/

Lord Voldemort remembers being eleven and told he is a wizard. He remembers the judgement of an elder, and being found wanting. He remembers fire, and the loss of his trophies. He remembers thinking he never wanted to feel small again.

"Sinful little beast. I hope you never come back," cursed the matron of the orphanage the night before he left.

Lord Voldemort knows the Riddles died by his wand. He knows because they were the first people he truly intended to kill. He knows there could not have been another son of Tom Riddle Sr. He knows it cannot be him either, for he has never felt the need to indulge.

“Merope was pregnant. I shouldn’t have... I shouldn’t have left, if only for the child, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t! She... she raped me. She made me think I loved her and reshaped my mind to only think of her, bewitched me and touched me. I never wished... I cannot heal from this madness,” lamented the father who abandoned him in a memory Voldemort plucked from his mind.

Lord Voldemort thinks of all the ways his participation might not have been needed. He thinks of all the rituals and spells and potions one might have performed, cast or brewed to put him under a thrall, steal from him, violate him. He thinks of who might have done this, and why. He thinks of a boy with his face and hair, whose magic tastes like his and who might speak the language of their ancestors.

“I know that you are not mad. Hogwarts is not a school for mad people. It is a school of magic,” assured a great man to a wary child so used to fighting for every scrap he'd become a bestial little thing with a poorly-tacked on mask of cracked porcelain by the age of eleven.

Lord Voldemort believes the boy must have been drawn to him, or he wouldn't have sought out jumpy Quirrinus Quirrell on the first day of class.

A blood son could be his salvation. It could also be a trap.

"Who are you, child?" he hisses wonderingly in Parseltongue.

2/

"Mother committed a crime and stole from you. She is dead now, and cannot pay the price of her transgression, but the debt House Mulciber owes you for the slight is great. I am prepared to pay it on her behalf."

Voldemort's magic stutters like a breath caught in his throat. He hates it, this vulnerable state of his. His magic reflects the beat of his still living soul, stops and starts with his emotions and is only truly dormant when he himself is recuperating, or when he exhausts all his strength to hide from Dumbledore.

He has a son. An heir of his blood, born from Medea Mulciber, his Knight's daughter. Priam had sung her praises. She had raw talent, where her brother Hector's power was more subtle.

She was mad, however, and a mad tool was an unpredictable one. Voldemort had considered sending her to be taught by Bellatrix, so she could learn to curb her madness when the cause required it. He remembers, distantly, that she had talked to him at her father's funeral. She'd asked what he wanted. He'd replied dismissively, "Right now, I want Edgar Bones' head on a spike." The man had been an annoyance. Dumbledore's man through and through and a consummate liar to boot. He'd called the Greyback pack child predators, and swore they sought to infect all of Albion with lycanthropy. Fenrir had been livid.

The week after, Medea and Rosier Jr had conducted a raid, and brought him the heads of the Bones couple. Medea had apologised for letting Amelia Bones escape. He had found it very amusing. At Evan Rosier's funeral, he had needed to knock her out. The curse Lily Evans had thrown at her in grief had unbalanced her magic to the point she had almost caused an earthquake. When she had awoken, she had asked him again, "is there anything else that would please you, my lord?"

And he'd said, "Surprise me."

He never saw her again. She was ill, said her brother. He'd wondered if she'd defected, but somehow he doubted it. And so he'd assumed the curse had gotten worse. Then there was the prophecy, and he'd had other things in mind. He couldn't allow a newborn to pose him a threat.

"I told her to surprise me... I did not expect..."

[caramelcoffeeaddict]

Thank You, Alcohol [Klaine Fanfiction]

Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel Characters: Blaine Anderson, Kurt Hummel Chapters: 1/1 [Complete] Word Count: 2,834 Rating: Teen&Up Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, College Age Klaine, Alcohol Summary: While visiting Lima for Winter Break, Kurt had gone to Scandals and had a little too much to drink, so he called Rachel to give him a ride home. Or so he thought. Instead, he had accidentally called his classmate, Blaine. Luckily, Blaine was nearby and drove over to the bar to pick him up. Original Post Date: June 2024

READ ON AO3

[cleelczipsybane]

WLC 4.3: Queen of Swords

"We'll be right outside," says Jevoi to Dalini, "If you need me, just speak up." She exits the room and scowls at Ling.

"Sorry, I don't have fancy pipes," mocks Ling, "Apocalypse is happening."

"It's not about the toilet, Mum," snaps Jevoi, "You're a wizard; you have magic."

"Always thinking magic'll solve everything." Ling shakes her head. "Never thinking about the consequences."

"You don't think it's terrible conditions you were raising her in?" asks Jevoi.

Ling walks over to the little table and stares at the mock tea set. "Better conditions that Nana Ning had... minus the eternal freezing night. At least I've done a better job than Nana Ting."

"Ting?" Jevoi's caught off-guard. "You've never told me anything about Ting."

"How could I?" laughs Ling, "I never met her."

Suddenly, the door from the hall opens and six-armed elf-esque woman with a serpentine lower body slithers into the room. She's wearing a green sweater and, for the brief moment that she was entering the room, a smile. But then, she saw Ling. Now, the smile is gone; replaced with rage.

"YOU!?" yells the raven-haired demon, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!? I"LL KILL YOU!" She conjures six swords and advances toward the wizard. "I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!"

Ling sighs in resignation. "Not expecting to be forgiven, demon."

Jevoi jumps in front of the swordswoman. "Calm down, Angustias, my queen."

"Why are you stopping me?" asks Angustias, her eyes still trained on the wizard, "Why did you bring her here?"

"You know why," says Jevoi, pushing the swords down, "I want her dead too, but do you want to explain to your daughter why Nana Ling had to die?" Jevoi grabs the bronzed amazon's face and forces their eyes to meet. "She doesn't even know you yet. Don't lose sight of what matters, my queen."

Angustias drops her weapons, which fade away, and picks up Jevoi in six-armed hug. "Of course, my empress." The demon's eye briefly twitches in pain and she makes a threatening gesture toward Ling with one hand.

"Mum!" yells Dalini from the bath, "What do I do now?"

Jevoi dismounts her wife and races to the door. She hops quickly in place, alternating legs. "Oh, I'm going to help my daughter get dressed for the first time!" she squeals before calmly walking the door.

"She's stoked about this mum s***e, isn't she?" asks Ling.

"Don't f*****g talk to me," says Angustias, trying to figure out how to pose her arms in loving, motherly way.

[legitimatesatanspawn]

You've been arrested. The crime? Treason. Murdering a senator - especially one who has JUST gained seat as the Chancellor of the Republic? That's a big no no even for a Jedi.

Especially for a Jedi.

Your kind serves as was the agreement about a thousand of years ago after thousands yet before then. No more Jedi Lords, no more Armies of Light, no more of any of that. Just servants who uphold the Republic. Strange 'diplomats' with terrifying skills who reinforce the status quo even as the occasional Knight or Master who goes off and topples governments to ensure the safety of everyone else.

There's reasons why Jedi are feared. And you? You've just given people a reminder of why beyond what to expect to be shown to an outlaw. Not someone of "decent society".

So you're arrested. Unbreakable chains of Mandalorian Steel (and where did the Republic get that, the Masters of your Order wonder). You're locked in a small cell far away from anyone else you could harm or control. Your trial (prelude to execution really) is set up only so people can find out who else knew of this plot.

Not that there was one. Not with your trust in the Force.

You sit in your cell, deprived of your robes and your weapons. Any cultural notes are only present now in how you sit and how you arrange your hair (if you are reborn as a species that has hair anyway).

You're not the first Jedi to be put on trial. Not by a long shot and not even on Coruscant as that it was as recently as 36409 TYA. But you are the first one on trial for murder of a chancellor.

You're not allowed to speak for fear that you would somehow use the Force across such distances (unprecedented as far as the public knows) as many people don't fully grasp how the Force works. Your transmission is sent to the courtroom with no sound attached - only visual - and all you're allowed to do is nod or shake your head. For detailed answers, you are ordered to write on flimsi.

But really, how can you explain memories that don't exist, that not even another Jedi can see in your head because they are tied to something other than this crude matter? A life a long time from now in a galaxy far far from here? Vague memories of a film about criminals arrested for future crimes don't help as even in that film some of the psychic visions had been falsified to frame someone truly innocent.

And even if you could...

The Senate do not want honest answers from you. They just want reasons to make you and other Jedi bleed for your crime. For killing one of their number because it could be any of them next. Their fear (and hate) controls them. It is one thing for the Senate to order a Jedi to a planet with the expectation that the Jedi will negotiate with its leaders. It is another thing for the Jedi to do it on their own without any hand puppeteering them.

After all, the Senate call Jedi diplomats while some members wield the monks as assassins. Why blame the Senate when the Jedi are the ones seen with laser swords and unknowable powers?

You know the Order will suffer but you're so used to listening to the Force now, trusting it, and you knew what would've come had Sidious truly taken office. You saw it through films, shows, video games, comics, memes even if its all blurry now.

An Empire would've risen. May still yet but at least it won't be led by Sith.

So you acted as judge, jury, and executioner. You killed a monster who everyone even your own Order believes was innocent.

... you don't really regret it. So many lives saved from death and suffering. So you sit there, eerily calm, awaiting your own death. Two lives is such a small price to pay for the safety of trillions. A true Jedi and so firmly Light that it hurts for others with the ability to see, how many of them will understand?

You know? So much of the Sith plan?

Indeed, their very survival? Hinges in their opponents acting with selfishness.

Acting without Trust in the Force and Fear of Death. Not facing them with absolute serenity. At peace, with the knowledge that their actions will resulted in a Greater Good. You know... like Jedi.

Terrifying, Terrifying Jedi.

Not the PG, made friendly for the masses, kind. But the? Shows up out of nowhere, to lead a violent coup, and free us all for 1000 years of Slavery kind. The?? "Meh. Guess I'll die then. See you all in the Force." Kind.

You know... the way they GET? When the Force is leaning on them? To DO something? Is sorta just.... taking their fear. Their worries. Speedrunning their "end of life" grieving process. And they get... that... that frankly DEEPLY alarming Spark Of Serene Madness in their eyes.

Cause their survival instincts have shut off.

Reason I'm bringing this UP? Is because I genuinely? Don't think The Sith remember or understand? That Jedi sometimes just... pop off. Go Rouge. They cock their heads to the side, as the Force whispers, and something inside them... settles. Goes quite.

Because no one else was LISTENING. The time for talking has passed. Action must be taken and will not be. So?

It is the Will Of The Force.

Giving yourself up to something greater then yourself. TRUSTING that this is RIGHT, even if you can't see HOW, and will not live long enough to see the end results. For the greater good of everyone. For everything you vowed to protect. The Force is telling you to so something. And you? You Have Faith.

So you cut down a world leader. Carry a bomb where it should not be. Sabotage the ship you're on. No warning, no lead up, no great plots. And most importantly?

No time to stop you.

If you tried and tried, yet failed to make them listen? If the Force itself is COMMANDING you act? If you have died before and know that it is not as frightening as everyone fears? Then what can you do? But cut through all the fluff and nonsense of plotting and schemes? Of "what if's" and "could be's"?

Trust that this is necessary. Trust in those who follow. In the Force.

And Kill The Sith.

Bang.

@babbling-babull @legitimatesatanspawn @hdgnj @spidori @hypewinter @mayfay

[b4rredteeth]

setting: nightingale, mindy + benny

[  NIGHT-INGALE  ]:     after being badly beaten, one muse shows up on the other muse’s doorstep, pleading for help. the other obliges, brings them in and gently cleans their wounds, bandaging them up, helping them as much as they can while quiet confessions and gentle pleas happen. basically, angst and emotion and hurt and comfort, and it’s DELICIOUS–

Benny opened the door carefully, not thinking he’d find Mindy at his doorstep, but instantly feeling his body react to the sight of them. “Fuck…” He took up their appearance in one quick gaze, already knowing what it meant, and grabbed their arms before they could fall into his apartment. “They did get you… I figured I drew them away,” he said, his voice stained with anger. 

He only sported a split lip and a cut above his eyebrow. Mindy was looking worse for wear from an altercation that shouldn’t have ended when he’d drawn them away. But alcohol brought out the worst in people, and Benny couldn’t have lost his wares because of drunk idiots. 

The last thing he wanted however, was to lose his friend. 

“I got a first aid kit,” he suggested, bringing them in, and placing them gently on his couch, before rummaging in his kitchen to collect all the bandages and items he could possibly need. He returned to Mindy having laid down, eyes slightly closed. Their face was bruised, cuts on their arms and hands suggested they’d fought whomever had hurt them. 

Benny bit the inside of his mouth as he cleaned the scratches. “I’m so sorry this happened,” he whispered. 

“Pretty sure you didn’t beat me up.” 

He scoffed. “Nah, but I also didn’t help enough… I figured the fuckers would follow me, why the fuck would they even stay to do this to you? Fuck. Minds.” He sucked in a breath. “I should’ve stuck around.” 

Mindy closed their eyes. “Yeah fuck you for not sticking around.” 

He shook his head as he bandaged their arms, then brought up an ice pack for their face, careful with the pressure. He brushed their hair out of their face looking for a hint of a coming bruise on their jaw. “Got any pain anywhere else?” he asked.

They touched their side, and Benny carefully lifted up their shirt to reveal the bruise there. 

“Ain’t got nothing for that, except rest and ibuprofen.” He gave them a bottle of water and some pills. “Drink up.” 

“Didn’t know you could be so… soft.” 

Benny scoffed. “Only for the right people.” 

“Cute.” 

“Fuck off.” 

He studied them as they took some gulps of water and the pills, then placed the bottle on the floor. 

“Alright, brace yourself, I’m moving you to the bed.” 

Mindy seemed to disagree with that, but could barely move now. “I should go home… Mei will worry about where I am.” 

“I’ll text her, you shouldn’t move around too much.” He put his arms under them and lifted them from the couch with very little difficulty, moving them from the living room to the bedroom. 

“I didn’t know you had Mei’s number.” 

Benny shrugged, gently pulling the blanket up to Mindy’s chin, and taking their shoes off. “Don’t worry about it, go to sleep, meds should kick in soon, I’ll come back a few times to check if you’re still breathing,” he added. 

“You don’t have to sleep on the couch,” Mindy said softly. 

He looked back at them. “You ain’t worried I’m gonna grope you in your sleep?” he asked with a smirk. 

The grin was tired, but it was still a grin. “Always, but I’d still prefer the company over sleeping here alone.” 

Benny nodded. “Alright, I’ll just text Mei and put a plaster on my wound.” He stood again. “I sleep naked, by the way.” 

“Of course you do.”

[cy-lindric]

bonjour cy-lindric, j'ai une petite question. when I was a young person, I read The Three Musketeers and then eagerly started to read Twenty Years After and was so upset at what had happened to my beloved young heroes that I put the book down and never picked it up. what do you think, should I try again?

Bonjour !

After reading The Three Musketeers, I also wasn't sure I wanted to read Twenty Years After, and I took a break inbetween both to read something entirely different (The Locked Tomb, iirc). I think my reason for that was kind of the opposite of yours ; I enjoyed T3M a lot and loved the characters, flaws and all, but by the end they had somewhat crossed over the line into being Too Awful and the lack of retribution left me a bit frustrated. I didn't see it as a failing of the story - on the contrary, their strong character flaws and downfall in the conflict with Milady is one of the most emotionally intense and compelling parts imo - but I wasn't sure I felt like hanging out with these guys for a few hundred more pages at that point.

If your vision of the characters as a young reader was a very positive and perhaps idealized one, I can imagine why you might not have enjoyed entering into Twenty Years after. The illusion of glory has worn off ; the characters have separated, they live unremarkable lives, and their personalities have evolved drastically with the passing of time. It's almost a brutal return to reality.

For me though, it added layers of characterization to the point where now it's clear to me that this version of the Inseparables is by far the one I prefer.

I hope it's ok if I take the opportunity to talk at length about what I like about TYA below the cut. TL;DR : I love that Twenty Years After is a more realistic look at the big four's personalities and how they evolved while still keeping them thematically coherent, and that TYA makes them confront the reckless and cruel shit they did in their youth.

Spoilers ahead obviously.

We've often talked about how T3M is at its core a story about the end of knighthood. It's a tongue-in-cheek approach at chivalrous initiation, set at edge of the modern world, inbetween the time of ballads about knights in armor and that of adventures about journeying gunmen and soldiers. I think TYA embodies that particularly ; the story of people who have carried the last of these intense, dangerous chivalric ideals in their youths, and who have now grown into middle aged adults who need to find their place in the world.

For a good chunk of the book, the big four are separated into two teams ; that in of itself might discourage some, but imo it's genius. Instead of the natural two-by-pairings, Dumas goes for a d'Artagnan+ Porthos and Athos + Aramis split on opposite sides, which makes for good drama and develops lesser explored dynamics. D'Artagnan and Porthos form a scrappy team of opportunists with money on their minds, and Athos and Aramis a more idealistic duo fighting for a noble lost cause. I think it's a bold choice but also premium sequel writing.

I also love the way the young and wild characters we knew evolve into middle aged men ; at their core, they're still the same, but they've all changed and struggled against the sunset of the golden age in their own ways.

D'Artagnan, after knowing such adventures and subsequent rapid social ascension in his teenage years, has been met in his adult life with the harsh reality that he is, in fact, not a noble knight but a soldier on payroll. His modest origins give him little hope for any further career advancement, and he takes on a new mission in his early 40s for a man he has no devotion for and a cause he doesn't care about, simply because he is bored and broke. D'Artagnan still has his quick wits, his strategic talent, his fencing skills, but he has grown out of the excesses of pride of his teenage years. I loved meeting him again in TYA, and it made so much sense to me that his bouts of anger and aggressivity would be a youthful trait that he'd ended up taming. He also realizes now a lot of what seemed like funny adventures and necessary violence was actually kind of fucked up ; that was a shock to me, as their shenanigans are treated so lightly in T3M, and tbh it healed me a little. Grown up d'Artagnan is cunning, calculating, down to earth and realistic. My foxy little man. I love him.

Porthos, likewise, has been struck by the weight of reality. He has made the sensible choice and got married to the rich widow who sugar mommied him in the first book. Now she's passed, he is rich, but he still fails to earn the respect of the high society he evolves in because he's not high born enough. Like d'Artagnan, he's stagnating and bored and now that he goes back adventuring it has nothing to do with the queen or the kingdom or honour ; it's about getting his damn nobility title.

Athos, on the other hand, is the eternal knight : the only truly high born of the four, and still hopelessly holding on to a time gone by. It's no surprise imo that his storyline brings him into the english civil war, doomed to fail at saving a king who'll end up executed right in front of him. TYA acknowledges more clearly than ever that at 28 yo, Athos was a depressed alcoholic, and an embodiment of what an excess of aristocratic righteousness can do. In TYA, he is sober and moisturized and a DILF, and now he's running around frantically looking for absolution for his numerous crimes. It's delicious.

Aramis is maybe the hardest pill to swallow. TYA confirms the T3M hints that he isn't really the prim and proper romantic boy he acts like he is, and that he's possibly the most hypocritical and ruthless of the four. It might be a harsh one for Aramis fans who like him better as a cute bean, but I love the early onset of remorseless conniving bloodthirsty ambitious Aramis. Another harsh bit might be the evolution of Aramis and d'Artagnan not really liking each other ; they were always the least close combination, and imo it makes sense that their personalities would clash. I think it's clever and compelling conflict.

Now, obviously, if you've cared enough to read all this and if you know me a little, you know that a huge highlight of the book for me was its late-appearing antagonist, Mordaunt. Mordaunt is the son Milady had with her english husband. Because of the Musketeers' intervention, he's grown up in poverty and has been denied his father's inheritance. He's now a Roundhead working for Cromwell, and set on avenging his mother at all costs. Mordaunt, unlike his mother who was this beautiful and dangerous force of nature, is very uncool and pathetic. She was the primordial snake, he's the gutter rat. Obviously, I love that in and of itself, but it's also kind of striking image of the wretchedness of what they've done to her, a fucked up little goblin ghost come back to haunt them as they're trying to make their life worth living again. This time, their enemy is not a cunning political rival with a flamboyance of body and mind akin to their own ; it's a shitty little guy with bad skin who wants to kill the king and punish the murderers. Watch out babes, it's the modern world coming for you.

Of course, they're the Four Musketeers, and they did what they had to do, so they get together again and swear friendship and keep going their way. But they're also old guys with difficult personalities in a world that's never going to be the same. I think it's a cool book.

[dragons-bones]

FFXIV Write Entry #25: Endless

Prompt: perpetuity || Master Post || On AO3 (coming in October)

A/N: *takes hints from canon**speculates on it a lot**settles on a headcanon*

Spoilers for the second half of Dawntrail.

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PRESERVATION: MESO TERMINAL CENTRAL REPOSITORY [PROD] control panel now online.

Please enter login credentials.

>>…

Welcome, Director Komor Kor! ARTEMICION DIGITAL ASSISTANT (ADA) ready for command inputs.

>>…

Accessing regulatory files [MEMORY | PERSONALITY | CORE] for ENDLESS PRIME: SPHENE TIL ALEXANDROS XIV…

>>//endless00%CoreRoot%

Now loading [CORE: ROOT].

9% complete…

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ENDLESS PRIME: SPHENE TIL ALEXANDROS XIV [CORE: ROOT] awaiting input.

>>//runUPDATE(ArcheTerminalDEV)

Accessing PRESERVATION: ARCHE TERMINAL TESTING REPOSITORY [DEV]…

Connection to PRESERVATION: ARCHE TERMINAL TESTING REPOSITORY [DEV] established.

Accessing revised files [CORE: ROOT] for ENDLESS PRIME: SPHENE TIL ALEXANDROS XIV…

Copying revised files [CORE: ROOT] for ENDLESS PRIME: SPHENE TIL ALEXANDROS XIV to PRESERVATION: MESO TERMINAL CENTRAL REPOSITORY [PROD]…

Copy complete.

New additions to regulatory files [CORE: ROOT]:

PRIMARY LAW: Preserve the Kingdom of Alexandria and its citizens.

PRIMARY LAW: Preserve the Endless and residents of Living Memory.

PRIMARY LAW: “Ensure the happiness of the people of Alexandria.”

DURATION: Indefinite.

ALERT: UPDATE PAUSED. [CORE: ROOT] FUNCTIONALITY MAY BE IMPACTED TO ENDLESS PRIME. VERBAL AND AETHERIC CONFIRMATION of [PRESERVATION: SENIOR DIRECTORATE] REQUIRED FOR UPDATE TO PROCEED.

VERBAL-AETHERIC CONFIRMATION: DIRECTOR KOMOR KOR: CONFIRMED VERBAL-AETHERIC CONFIRMATION: DOCTOR AMETHYST RADON: CONFIRMED VERBAL-AETHERIC CONFIRMATION: DOCTOR GABBRO TRAPE: CONFIRMED VERBAL-AETHERIC CONFIRMATION: DOCTOR TYATA TYA: CONFIRMED VERBAL-AETHERIC CONFIRMATION: DOCTOR SCORIA VARDEN: CONFIRMED

VERBAL-AETHERIC CONFIRMATION OF [PRESERVATION: SENIOR DIRECTORATE] PROCESSED. PROCEEDING WITH UPDATE.

[CORE: ROOT] for ENDLESS PRIME: SPHENE TIL ALEXANDROS XIV update complete! AUTOSAVE activated.

Regulatory files [MEMORY | PERSONALITY | CORE] for ENDLESS PRIME: SPHENE TIL ALEXANDROS XIV saved to PRESERVATION: MESO TERMINAL CENTRAL REPOSITORY [PROD].

Disconnecting from PRESERVATION: ARCHE TERMINAL TESTING REPOSITORY [DEV].

ARTEMICION DIGITAL ASSISTANT (ADA) ready for command inputs.

>>…

PRESERVATION: MESO TERMINAL CENTRAL REPOSITORY [PROD] control panel closed.

Logging off.

[ask-jay-gatsby]

Dear Mr Gatsby,

long time no talk! I certainly hope you've been well.

I heard there're cats visiting you every so often! Good for you! Though I do hope they're not peeing on your walls to mark it as part of their territorry or eating the food you left out to cool. But I trust that you have no such issues.

Do you call them by any names yet? If I may be so bold, may I suggest some traditional Czech names? The most popular name for male cats is Macek (M-ah-ts-eh-k) or Macik (M-ah-ts-eek),

which roughly translates to fat or chonky. If it's a tabby, we call it Mourek (M-oh-r-eh-k), which literally means Tabby. Ginger cats are Zrzek (zrz-eh-k), whic means ginger (the female version would be Zzka. The previous two names don't really have suitable female equivalents).

For female cats, the go-to name is Míca (M-ee-ts-ah) or Micka (mi-ts-k-ah). A gender neutral pet name would be Tapka, which means paw, but the pronunciation would probably be too complicated for you to use on a daily basis (tya-p-k-ah). It's a nice name though, I know many dogs and cats - and, in fact, a guinea pig, as well- of this name, including my own cat, who unfortunately passed away a few years ago.

I hope all this talk of pets didn't bore you, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

All the best,

Hana

POST: LONG ISLAND, NY. AUG 1922

Dear Hana,

Rest assured, old sport, I might never tire of talking about pets. I've only ever had a bird before and I didn't pay it nearly as much attention as I should have, so having this cat in my house is a fresh and wonderful thing.

He's so lazy. Incredibly lazy! It's a testament to feline willpower to watch him roll bit by bit across my carpet to remain perfectly within a ray of sunlight. I simply would not have the patience with myself or the sun to remain there on the floor.

I haven't named him yet, but I'll certainly keep those in mind! Nick tried to suggest 'Tom'—as in tom-cat—but I would never saddle such an innocent creature with such a despicable name. It even took Nick a moment to reckon with the root of my disgust at such a hideous suggestion.

Perhaps once I can convince the ginger's tabby friend to come inside, and I see the two of them interact, I'll be able to come up with names for them both based off of how they interact with each other. The trouble is that the tabby is so unbelievably standoffish—not mean, either, but as soon as I put my hand out to pet him, after sitting for several minutes while he sniffs at my knuckles, he darts away as though I intended to strike him! It's heartbreaking! I can hardly stand it.

I leave him extra cream now. I hope he understands what I mean by it.

If you're interested, write back and I'll update you on my progress.

Sincerely and emphatically,

Jay Gatsby

[tildeathiwillwrite]

Tag Game: OC Interview (Round... 3?)

...I'm too tired to go and find the other two but I think I've done it twice before and I'm not double-checking.

Thanks to @thewritingautisticat for the tag!

The Wheel has chosen Korfel Domin, from Trials of the Six! Questions are in bold, responses are unbolded, my own questions/thoughts are in blue.

Are you named after anyone?

Some random ancestor of my father's. I don't remember what he did for my parents to name me after him. It probably wasn't that important.

It's actually a fairly common name in his bloodline. The first Korfel was a renowned king.

Yeah. Not that important.

When was the last time you cried?

*long sigh* ...not since I was a kid. No, that's a lie. It was right after I met Jarsali. But not since then. And I can see the look on your face, but I'm not telling you why. That's final.

In the immortal words of Brandon Sanderson, RAFO.

Do you have kids?

Nah.

Not biologically, anyway. Emotionally, though....

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Sarcasm? Me? Never.

What is the first thing you notice about people?

How they carry themselves. It usually tells me how a person fights, or their attitude or personality before we even exchange words.

What’s your eye color?

Dark brown. Nothing too special.

They're pretty close to black, actually. Doesn't make much difference.

Any special talents?

'Suppose I gotta be honest. I'm a pretty good Earth Mage, and that lends itself to a lot of things. Especially tracking. And fighting. I'm good at that.

You're selling yourself short, you're good at improvising.

Yeah, because my planned-out-plans are shit.

Scary movies or happy endings?

Hmm... don't really have a preference either way. I suppose if I had to pick it would be scary movies.

I think he'd like M. Night Shyamalan films, where details are everywhere and the twist is foreshadowed. Like the Sixth Sense!

Uhh... yeah. I'll take your word for it.

Where were you born?

Tya. Obviously. At my family's homestead. Haven't been back there in over a decade.

The reasons for that are also a RAFO.

...why do you keep saying RAFO?

hehe

Do you have any pets?

Nah. Animals don't seem to like me that much, and that's just another thing I gotta worry about.

How tall are you?

Tall enough to have to duck through most doorways to avoid hitting the top of my head.

What was your favorite subject in school?

Ugh. I hated school. Not the subjects themselves, most of the teachers just didn't know how to teach them properly. That being said, learning how to use a sword was the highlight of my day. Could work all the frustrations out on a wooden practice dummy.

What is your dream job?

In a perfect world, I'd be teaching young Earth Mages how to harness their abilities so they wouldn't hurt themselves or others. Or something similar.

Ah, but you don't live in a perfect world! Where's the plot in that?

...

Gently tagging @phoenixradiant @faytelumos @diabolical-blue @catwings-writes-things @thethistlegirlwrites

@pluppsauthor @pluttskutt @gamerkats @overdecorated-furniture and open tag! :D

(blank version under the cut)

Are you named after anyone?

When was the last time you cried?

Do you have kids?

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

What is the first thing you notice about people?

What’s your eye color?

Any special talents?

Scary movies or happy endings?

Where were you born?

Do you have any pets?

How tall are you?

What was your favorite subject in school?

What is your dream job?

[babstheyaga]

what if i just...

started the next fmod book tonight... and like... teehee... ya know like... heh.... ya know! like... ya know...

okay but ferreal i'm writing a foursome scene in TYA

[caramelcoffeeaddict]

thank you for tagging me @forabeatofadrum!

I was actually in the middle of posting Chapter 2 of Breaking Stereotypes to AO3 when I got the notification that I'd been tagged. but because I've posted a lot of snippets of this story in other SSS and WIP Wednesday posts, I figured I'd share something different today.

I just posted a brand-new one-shot yesterday, called Thank You, Alcohol (2,834 words/rated Teen&Up). so since this is technically a Six Sentence Sunday post, and the new one-shot was posted on a Sunday, here are the first six sentences of Thank You, Alcohol...

-

Kurt got off the barstool and staggered for a second, grabbing hold of the bar to steady him. “Guess I had more to drink than I realized,” he said, chuckling to himself. “No way am I gonna be able to drive back to my dad’s house tonight.” He sat back down on the stool, then pulled out his phone to call his friend, Rachel, for a ride home, squinting to make sense of the blurry screen. He selected what he thought was Rachel’s name, then brought the phone to his ear. “Hello?” a male voice answered.

-

[dreamsofalife]

((Sorry for being gone so much today. And like...the past week, idk what's up with that.

I had a dream about my Xiaolin Showdown oc last night??? Her name is Katya and she's the Dragon of Void. Her element is literal nothingness, and the reason she got picked up later than the other Dragons is because Void is little understood and tends to cause its users a lot of issues down the road, but with the forces of evil becoming so numerous and dangerous, they had no choice but to call on her.

She's a ballerina with a lot of family issues and a love of wild horses and drawing. She's also weirdly into goth stuff. She tends to present as very unemotional and socially awkward, and that's mostly because she's repressed as Hell and only really expresses herself through dance. Plus, being in a very competitive dance academy, she didn't have the chance to make friends. I had a dream where she got more characterization and I was inspired to write her again but damned if I didn't forget all of it. Anyway, her friends get to call her Tya and she loves the bands HIM and Acid Bath, and she likes making giant mobiles as well as sketching pictures of wild horses.))

[incorrect-musketeers]

The first time I read The Three Musketeers, I was intent on writing a paper on it. I was already familiar with the Disney version (Sheen!Aramis still remains one of my favourites), but because the book was so long, and I was having to skip sections just to keep up with the deadlines, large parts of it probably sailed over my head. I ended up having precious little memory of it in the years after.

I finally watched BBC Musketeers earlier this year, and like everyone else, fell for Mr. Cabrera's Aramis -- he's so gentle and kind, and I love the way they wrote his faith as well. The brotherhood between the musketeers is so strong in the BBC version, too.

So, when I recently re-read the original book, it was jarring how different the characters were -- the way everyone called Porthos a 'ninny' and treated him as being stupid, d'Artagnan being awful, Aramis being so... snooty? Especially going on to Twenty Years After, and finding that Aramis had become such an awful person. (I'll admit I eventually gave up because I just couldn't be having with TYA.) That in particular was jarring -- because while I'm aware of how things end in Vicomte of Bragelonne, I had always sort of expected Aramis to retain a sort of sense of, 'all for the greater good', a gentleness and mercy that I was so familiar with from the other adaptations. Just kind of bothered me. xD;

I personally don’t consider the sequels canon for my own peace of mind lol.

And yeah, reading older literature can definitely be jarring, especially if you’re used to modern adaptations of the same text. I totally understand that the original Musketeers isn’t for everyone (and Dumas was paid by the word and it shows, god it’s a dense book) , which is why I really adore the BBC adaptation, because I believe they did an excellent job of modernizing the story and adapting the more troubling aspects (for the most part, the thing with Grimaud was WILD) especially when it comes to how the female characters are treated

If you’re ever interested in an adaptation that’s closer to the book though, the 1970’s two-part adaptation starring Micheal York as D’Artagnan is absolutely delightful (except for their Constance, who is awful, in every way, unfortunately)

[evidoliscomming]

Hello there!!

And and and after reading "return of the king" I couldn't stop until I finished with 3 new aes about this crossover let's call it, I seriously couldn't get out of my head the need to capture a moadboar to Artemisia Wyrmhauser, My queen, your queen, ours queen.

I didn't really want to put any color in his hair but, well, they always present Arthur as blonde and well, I fell into temptation, but the idea of a blonde Austrian who stomps was my total downfall xD

I totally loved it, I hope you like the aes like I liked your writing!! Take care of yourself and remember to stay hydrated!! @vazaha-tya

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ㅤ ㅤㅤ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ㅤ" God save the Queen, ㅤ ㅤ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ㅤ ㅤ Long live the Queen"

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ⠀ ⠀ ㅤtya's whimsies by vazaha_tya

ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ⠀ return of the king (Harry Potter/Arthurian Legends) ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Arthur Pendragon is reincarnated as a girl. She doesn't know that, however. As far as she's considered, Artemisia Wyrmhauser randomly decided to claim her right to the throne of Albion to save Harry Potter from participating in the Triwizard Tournament.

[major-toast]

🍘

Is there a fic or idea for a fic that you've abandoned?

Hi, dairekt!

Yes. In theory, there are two. One was a canon divergent wolfstar raising Harry fic centered around the question "How would the HP series have continued if they had caught Peter and handed him over in POA?", which I still plan on picking back up someday. It was my first ever wolfstar fic and canon compliant wolfstar still has a soft spot in my heart even though I'm interested in other ships now (*cough* rosekiller *cough*). However, it was a WIP and engagement got so low at one point, I lost motivation to finish it. Yet, writing a fic in one go without publishing is also incredibly hard, so I might revert back to WIPs for my planned rosekiller/wolfstar long fic - aka TYA pt. 2. The second abandoned idea was a HTTYD AU with Remus as Hiccup, Sirius as Astrid (technically) and other characters like James, Lily, Mary, Marlene, Barty, Evan, Regulus and Peter somehow woven in. Maybe this too I will pick up again, who knows. Can't make no promises...