#;;achronology of now

[whitesilverandmercury]

ff7 headcanon vignettes

compiling on AO3

in which cloud suffers emotional motion sickness

—

september [ ν ] - εγλ 0001

It is the morning after they return from Modeoheim that Cloud is in an elevator with Zack Fair, blinking down tens of floors from a higher security med wing towards psych eval and debrief. Cloud salutes when he enters, Zack makes a face and says Oh, don’t, it’s OK, which is good because Cloud is cinching back how it hurts. Ribs not broken, they said in med, but interstitial bruising pretty deep so it sure will feel like it, kid. He is thinking about Zack eating chips in general medbay a few months ago. He is thinking about a light out in Zack’s eyes yesterday when he got to backup’s helicopter, walked past Cloud and Tseng and said Let’s go home and really nothing else, and Cloud is staring realizing Zack is waiting for him to say something now in the elevator so he blinks and says, Sorry—what?

“I said, do you wanna be friends?”

#ffvii #zakkura #fanfic #ff7 #;;achronology of now #;;ff7 fic #zack fair #cloud strife #final fantasy 7 #final fantasy vii #crisis core #crisis core reunion #ccr #ff7 fanfic #fanfiction #final fantasy 7 fanfic #zakkura fanfiction #final fantasy 7 headcanons #ff7 headcanons #zakkura headcanons #ff7 hc #zakkura hc #ffvii fanfic #ffvii fanfiction #AO3 fanfic

[bodacious-becc]

"Why are we doing this? And why am I enjoying it…?"

Happy belated lesbeeb day heehee

#fuck it we posting events achronologically now cause I enjoy them too much :) #pokemon #gardevoir #tsareena #pokemon oc #gardevoir oc #tsareena oc #oc #pandora #elincia #lesbian #emerald adventurers #my art

[fvriva]

tried to keep the genders pretty even here. propaganda under the cut!

Iskandar is extremely tall, buff, and generally logical and stoic with a bit of a temper. She's still coming to grips with her sexuality and struggles with vulnerability, but once you can get her in a mood she really melts like butter. Covered in extremely hot multicolored scars that glow. Prophetically destined to become a milf

Bikkri is a curt but highly intelligent Asura scientist currently adapting to a demon core in their chest, which gives them some monstrous qualities. Has a tendency to push themself too far. Extremely thoughtful and will remember everything you tell them about yourself and your interests, acting on it when you least expect it.

Newt is a bit of a plain-jane everyman, but he has a heart of gold. He believes in you. You've got this. He's your dad now!

Sibyl has experienced a lot of sorrow throughout her two lives, but maintains a degree of warm serenity despite the horrors. Broods like a hen. Was a freak back in her prime.

Alrich honestly never really knows what's going on but is just happy to be here at any given point. They're living life out of chronological order after spending their formative years, similarly achronologically, in a time loop. They're easygoing as it comes, and playful, but not naive.

Razza is grizzled, irreverent, keen, and hardheaded. One of my three commanders in my Triumvirate, she's also the representative for the Whispers and chief spearhead on all things Elder Dragons. A little bit clingy but hates admitting it.

V'rylla was a hero from the previous age, an enchantress wed to the Chosen One that took advantage of the war in heaven to join their ranks as an angel herself. She's conniving, adaptable, duplicitous, a temptress, and intoxicating. She's got a kid, somewhere. She can do freaky body horror shit.

Baraquathor is chronically fatigued, seems a hapless fool, and has a short attention span for an elf, but he plays up a lot of his weaknesses in order to disguise the fact that he's in charge of every situation. He's really, really convincing about it.

Fvriva is power hungry and craves eldritch knowledge beyond what is capable of being understood and comprehended to an unhealthy degree. As such, she tends to gravitate towards positions of cosmic power, and tends to step over whoever she has to in order to taste the most forbidden of fruits. Highly variable in a relationship, but it does tend to bring out the best and most brilliant in her.

Baphy is sweet but plagued by melancholy all her life. She's very quiet and likes to paint in her free time. Works as a fabric merchant. Recently had a miscarriage; wants kids still.

#chesca.txt #chesca.oc #lmao this was hard to pick male characters that were also like available lol #honestly i might just canonize dilf newt #these kids need adults

[bestbonnist]

Chapter 175

175.1 | 175.2

I love the chapter title. “A Perfect Plan.” Yeah, Fushi, lying to your friends (again) is a brilliant idea. That worked so well for you the last time you tried it.

This feels like a good time to go over Fushi’s tendency to lie in the present era, because now it’s continuing over into the wish era and at this point I would go as far as to call it an essential part of their character.

Chapter 125 "Secret Base"

It starts with Mizuha, and Fushi’s decision to omit the truth about what happened to Izumi for her peace of mind. During their conversation the night after Mizuha kills her mom, they have a pretty telling exchange about lies and their deeper meaning. Fushi reveals that they think lying to someone means that someone’s important to you. They don’t say why they think so, but I’m going out on a limb and assuming it’s how they justify the decisions Bon made in Renril.

Chapter 105 "Setting Sun"

Immediately after Fushi tells Mizuha what they think of lies, they then proceed to lie to her, setting up that she’s important to Fushi and laying the groundwork for their eventual conflict. Mizuha doesn’t go into why she thinks lying is bad, but in the case of her relationship with her mom, she was so upset at Izumi stealing her hair-tie and lying about it because it was an act of self-preservation. Sure, Izumi wouldn’t have lied if she didn’t love Mizuha, but her lie was—from Mizuha’s perspective—100% selfish. Fushi is already inclined to take Izumi’s side, because they’re doing the same thing she is. After all, they’re concerned about Mizuha because she’s Kahaku’s reincarnation.

Fushi continues to lie not just to Mizuha, but to their other friends. They don’t tell them about the knockers returning because they want their friends to remain blissfully ignorant of what’s really going on. They tell Yuuki that it’s because they promised their friends a peaceful world, and they don’t want to let them down.

Chapter 131 "Alongside Peace"

Ideally, Fushi would like to take on everything by themselves and spare everyone else the pain. Connecting all of this back to the events of the chapter which I am supposed to be discussing, Fushi lies with the intention to "protect." Reality doesn’t go away if they don’t tell their friends about it—it’s still going to hit them eventually—but given the option Fushi will always choose to pretend everything’s fine for just a little longer.

Chapter 175 "A Perfect Plan"

Chapter 1 "The Final One" (panels in achronological order)

The composition of some of the panels in this chapter are a callback to the scene where the nameless boy thinks the rustling of his fishing line means a human tripped it. He and Fushi both expect to see someone on the other side of the door, although they’re hoping for different things—the nameless boy hopes that someone will be there, Fushi hopes that no one will—and they both switch back to a happy denial when the moment is gone.

Like Fushi, the nameless boy is a liar. He kept up the appearance that everything was fine, and carried on imaginary conversations with Johann because admitting the truth would completely break him. In a way, he was lying out of necessity. But the only person he was lying to was himself.

In the same way, when Fushi lies to the people around them, they’re trying to paint over the truth with an idealized version of reality. They’re lying to themselves just as much as they’re lying to others.

Chapter 172 "Utopia"

Earlier in the wish era, when one of the lacking dies in front of them, what Fushi says when reassuring him reveals more about what they would find comforting in this situation. Similarly, when Fushi lies to their friends about what’s going on with the knockers or Mizuha’s clones, they’re projecting what they wish happened over what actually happened. Fushi doesn’t want to say that the clones are dead, because theoretically they could have stopped the massacre. They especially don’t want to disappoint the doll. Hence the lie that they choose to go with, about all of 32’s friends remembering her.

In terms of whether Fushi’s lying is selfish or not, well. That’s not a distinction that matters in any way. Fushi is doing what’s best for themselves, but they only go through with it because they genuinely believe that’s it’s the best for the people they’re lying to as well. They’re just… not always right about that.

Chapter 175 "A Perfect Plan"

Moving on to the second half of the chapter—which I don’t have nearly as much to say about—this is our introduction to how Fushi uses Yuuki’s form now that he’s acquired it. Immediately I wonder what would happen if Fushi lost Yuuki’s form. It’s clear just from what we saw in this chapter that their memories of Yuuki have become a core part of Fushi’s decision-making process. “What would Yuuki want?” The wish era is the world that Yuuki built, of course Fushi is unwilling to disrupt it even thought they're familiar with its flaws. Maybe that'll change if they lose his form—or if they realize that this world isn't what Yuuki would have wanted.

It seems like most of Fushi’s friends don’t approve of their insistence on pacifism. Tonari and Messar are just tired of it, Bon and Hylo don’t really understand. It’s sort of ironic, since Fushi wanted to create a peaceful world for their friends to live in, that most of them don’t value peace all that much. What they value more is their life with Fushi. A peaceful world has been Fushi’s dream since Takunaha, and they believe everyone else wants it as much as they do. Kind of like the way they lie assuming everyone wants that kind of treatment. Just tied it all together, bam.

#get fucked lyn #fumetsu no anata e #to your eternity #to you the immortal #fnae #tye #fnae spoilers #fnae anime spoilers #fnae manga spoilers #fnae manga #wish era #a perfect plan #chapter 175.1 #chapter 175.2 #fushi #immo #mizuha #the nameless boy #original post #meta

[sapphic-story]

What's Lee working on in 2024?? A Mini Guide:

I have a better job with slightly less hours so hopefully it is time for creative things again yippee!! Text under cut

Slide 1:

Liho (comic)

Themes: definitions of love, social expectations, relationships dynamics, idealization

Welcome to the loveliest campus in the world, protected by the ever adored Cupid Heart!

Ifeolewa is a sophomore college student that has been chosen to become a magical girl and defend the sanctity of love around her school!

…unfortunately, Ife has a 5th grader’s understanding of love at best and doesn’t quite understand the complexities of modern relationships and romances.

Now, Ife juggles school, fighting villains, “fixing relationships”, and trying to win the heart of her crush, Liho (her best friend’s incredibly recent ex-girlfriend).

Slide 2:

Slips of the Stars (comic)

Themes: loneliness, abandonment, free will vs fate, individual perspective

Kaasey “Slips” Marion is a aimless, bored, burnt out college student who doesn’t know where they’re going in life. 

They’re also convinced that every person around them is literally in a story, meticulously recording the story details in her notebook. They believe they are a background character in these stories, probably for comic relief.

Also, every day the world ends and then she wakes up at the beginning of the day again. 

That one’s new.

Slips has to step out of the shadows and work with her main characters to figure out what’s happening, why, who’s causing it, and how to help this story finally have its happy ending before time runs out.

Slide 3:

Hospital Food (achronological ergodic novel-y thing..?)

Themes: Mental health and chronic illness, identity, multigenerational relationships, life and what could lie beyond it (if anything)

Sickly new employee Ward devoted her time and energy to her new job at an inpatient care facility for individuals with deadly parasites eating them alive. Ward and her team fought day and night to save patient lives from the very same parasites that threatened Ward’s life more and more every second.

Now, Ward, her coworkers, and their clients are nowhere to be found. The facility they worked and stayed at no longer exists. 

What happened? Where did they go? Is anyone left alive? All that’s left are the forgotten files, notes, and memos collecting dust in abandoned desks and drawers, waiting to be discovered.

Slide 4:

Other odds and ends 

I share story custody with some friends on some things about spies, zombie apocalypse, urban fantasy mysteries, and more magical girls

You might see me posting about an experiment I did polling college students about loneliness and their relationship to technology

Additionally might also just generally see things for my class/work 

There’s also a lot of story ideas and tropes that I really like (see next slide) so you’ll see a lot of very specific tags regarding those concepts 

I like playing with different mediums like art, writing, music, video games, and many more!

All the art in this is my own :) save for the jojo reference

Slide 5:

About the Author

Hi I’m Lee sapphic-story

I’m a 22 year old Black American lesbian

I use they/them pronouns

I’m a master’s student in educational psychology and work in a community college system to enhance student services 

I have a lot of specific interests including…

Time loops

All things urban fantasy

Perceptions of love

Familial relationships

(Former) christianity 

Atypical relationship dynamics

The physical/emotional/ psychological effects of being a “hero”

Story structures

Self aware characters

And way more I have so many tags 

Stay tuned for further story updates

#writeblr #wip intro #my posts #I know usually people make really nice intros but I love the look of powerpoint style intros and I am unapologetic #also hi I live!!! at least until school gets wilder #liho #hospital food #sots

[invested-in-your-future]

Character Narrative Logic (or lack thereof)

One of arguably biggest issues with the narrative structure is that the narrative elements themselves lack logical order.

And I don't mean chronological in terms of story. And I already wrote about the issues with story structure in terms of delivering logical cause/effect YEARS ago and hilariously the very same post is true for every. single. volume. since. You can cut out any of the volumes and pretend its not there and it being offscreen often would improve things.

What I mean here is "Logical" in terms of narrative structure.

No matter if you are telling a linear story in chronological order, an achronological epic tale that jumps forward and backward in time or a more personal stream of consciousness kind of story where time sometimes blurs, the logical order of narrative remains the same.

There's a specific "point" you are trying to achieve. Whether its a specific answer to a character conflict you set-up, thematic idea, etc. You know a specific thing you want a character/plot-thread/entire-story-overall to say and then you work your way backwards. You ask "Where do we go from here?" for specific plot-point/character/story. And once you answer that you have a vague "road" where you can start asking "why/how" your specific character/story would go that way. The points being made can be in character's past, character's future - doesn't matter.

Then you make sure different roads of "logic" for different characters don't necessarily get jumbled together unintentionally or out of order. For example if one character's resolution is important in another character's progression, you make sure that the said "resolution" actually comes before the other character's progression.

In that sense, V1 through V3 are set-up to introduce characters, establish their contradictions and set-up future conflict.

You have four characters. You have the key issues and conflicts set-up for them from the start and apparent in their very trailers.

And then you spend the introductory volumes laying out the foundation for the conflict. First you establish what the character is about, then establish conflicting elements or ideas that challenge that and then you just outright crash the character into obstacles and roadblocks, establishing the key conflict.

Let's say we take Ruby's psychology and her wish to be the hero which is one thing that is at the core of the show since the very start and that end of V3 sets up perfectly.

So Ruby is dealing with the idea of her idealized nature of just what it means to be a huntsman and the clash of it with reality as she faces tragic events in her life and finds out that she's only human and unlike in storybooks, that means failure and not being able to actually live up to your ideal. Traumatic experiences follow and Ruby is shaken and finally forced to actually face her own losses and trauma. Which in turn ties into larger themes about nature of humanity and the clash of two viewpoints of the two narrators and how they view humanity.

Now does what happens next? does the reaffirmation follow or does rejection happen and change of direction is contextualized through that set-up, which in itslef would deliver a message about nature of world and mortality in on itself? Because either way Ruby would be moving forward and parsing her trauma.

Let's say you want to end that story with reaffirmation of self and clearing up the doubts. That means Ruby overcoming self-doubts and issues and realizing that even in spite of all the issues, being a hero is good and worth it.

That means you now have to build a clear-cut road of escalation where her issues become more prominent and the character's doubts grow. Again, this character is the crux of your entire show, her conflict is the one into which the character conflicts of other characters and plot threads build up into. So how do you go from the statement of the central character conflict that the first three volumes gave to the protagonist to the resolution?

What is the path from V4 to V5 to V6 to V7 to V8 to V9 where Ruby's conflict grows? Did the show even LET her have character progression building up toward resolution? Does the show reiterate upon the established set-up, challenge any of those points?

The answer is no. The opening statement was made with the first three volumes and then the lead character of your entire story just faded into background. The best you could get was that she has "SOME ISSUES" going through her head, but the show never allowed her to actually vocalize them or showcase progression of the issues being there. The set-up of the conflict at the core of her character is never really elaborated upon. It still stays at the end of V3.

But okay let's put aside the characterization and character progression of your LITERAL PROTAGONIST not being there for now.

Let's just say you want to plan out how you resolve it first.

And, if for example, you are writing a situation where other characters reaffirm another character's path, you generally want to build that up, by drawing upon the reasoning from their mostly completed character arcs. Because if you don't, it ends up being denial rather than reaffirmation. If you have characters state something, there's always "Why did they do this" that follows. If you don't answer that, you don't refute the dilemma presented in the conflict, you just deny its there.

What is the resolution of Yang's self-doubt, identity issues and parental issues or her relationship with her sister? Did she discover herself and who she wants to be? Did she find an answer to her own doubts? Can Yang now stand as her own person with a path and set of ideals she believes in? Can she be an equal to the others in the team now?

What did Weiss learn about privilege, self-worth and standing up for what you believe in? What about recognizing, acknowledging and denouncing toxic behavior that one can inherit from one's abusers? And how did Ruby influence that?

How did Blake resolve the hypocrisy within her own goals and path? Did the way she sees the world change or did she reaffirm her beliefs? What ARE her beliefs? Did Blake find her own path, face her own mistakes and contradictions and acknowledged the budding feelings she has been running from because the person of her affection got hurt when her abuser came back? And in anywhere in this path, did Ruby feature into that somehow?

You can pretty easily write the idea of characters supporting other character's reaffirmation by drawing from their own development that was impacted by the said character. The issue is that for some that development is straight up missing and for some it has not even happened yet.

Yang is sort of left hanging on pretty much all of her issues. Some of them never came up again, some are just offscreen. And Raven is "somewhere" in the background with her mind-numbingly generic "bandit tribe" subplot just waiting till the show needs some more padding.

Weiss sort of skirted through her own arc and it "simply happened". You can sort of map out where her arc started and where it ended because she, arguably, has the least shaky arc (not saying much) but there's not really any actual solid attempt at characterization to highlight it. There's no real defining moment where she genuinely becomes her own person and shifts power dynamic away from her controlling abusive father (because he's kind of a joke as the show rushes dozen of plotpoints at once). The show doesn't really reflect upon her journey and where she started. And the show is not really interested in the fact that Ruby and Blake specifically both kind of played pivotal role in how Weiss perceptions of the world and others and herself have changed... Nor addresses just how Weiss changed in terms of her conscious/subconscious biases because whoops racism ain't there anymore right? By all accounts, her arc being mostly complete, Weiss at this point absolutely should have completely rebuilt herself from ground-up but...that's not there...She's just kind of there...

Blake is literally background object at this point. Her arc literally disappeared into thin air. Yaaaaay we solved racism, guys! Everything's fine now!

So you don't have a character progression for the character whose main resolution you are about to deliver. And you don't have the resolutions of characters through whom you are about to make that statement.

So what do you have now?

What kind of resolution can you deliver that is NOT just a roundabout way of characters going "Well yeah? NO YOU"

You can't. There's no logic structure and I don't quite think there has ever been a point (or at least past V3) for the character.

Chances are you as a writer just really really wanted to go M. Night Shyamalan and to "deliver a retort against any criticism you received" inside your own story.

#RWBY #RWBY Volume 9 #rwde #ruby rose #yang xiao long #weiss schnee #rwby stuff mine #blake belladonna

[catnipster69]

J2 Fic Recommendations Full List

My wincest rec list was getting so long, I thought I’d break out the J2 ones since that’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

Wincest rec list here.

Light

Black Cat Mercantile by deadlybride @zmediaoutlet​

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19348303

Searching for materials for a new sculpture he's planning, Jared gets sent to a magical salvage shop in a bad part of town. The proprietor's got a great artistic eye, a criminal conviction, and an attitude that could earn him a punch to the face. Jared finds himself coming back, anyway.

One of my favorites, very literary; I can just imagine this as a regular book if it were expanded.I just want to point out that a scale for wincest fic from lightest to darkest could skew pretty dark, so although I put this in “Light,” it’s not exactly without angst and background trauma. I’m not totally feeling my darkest category right now...

The King’s Hound by tryfanstone

https://archiveofourown.org/works/488844

To the victor goes the spoils, and Jensen's about to find out just how victorious Jared's feeling. Bonus: D/s, spanking, rimming, felching, creampie, bareback, orgasm denial, nipple play. Make it hot. Jensen eventually learns his place.

This one is a more recent discovery. My ability to find first-rate fics has slowed down quite a bit with the amount I read, so it’s always a delight to find one! Tryfanstone has many others worth reading, but this one is my favorite. I know, “light” for forced servitude? I dunno, it ends well.

Get Some [Ink] by BewareTheIdes15

https://archiveofourown.org/works/215362

Most high school kids who got lewd, cryptic notes from their bosses would probably have said bosses sued for sexual harassment. Most high school kids don't have bosses like Jensen.

Just insanely hot.

Prime by @hellhoundsprey

https://archiveofourown.org/works/8792401

Jensen watches Misha’s pet for a week.

I find the whole “humans, but they’re animals?” genre pretty interesting. Like, this can only work on the page, because a visual representation would be jarring. And what's really going on here? It's a mood. 

Gray

Do I seem bulletproof to you? by fleshflutter

https://fleshflutter.livejournal.com/43577.html

When he can't find any acting work, Jared takes a job as driver and bodyguard to Jensen, who is an extremely expensive prostitute with a bad habit of attracting crazy people.

Fleshflutter has the ability to make what should be boring, everyday interactions totally compelling. Not that this story has no plot, but it's kind of leisurely in its storytelling. I do wish this were on AO3.

Fate is a Traveler by @bangingpatchouli (sylsdarkplace)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/7822885

Jensen lives apart, destined to never mate. His only purpose is to service the sexual needs of the alphas of his village. His survival is predicated on the good will of those alphas until the night he’s expected to service a stranger who is just passing through.

I don’t usually go for A/B/O, as I’ve stated, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I put it in the gray zone, but (spoiler) it has a happy ending.

Over the Wall by cherie_morte

https://archiveofourown.org/works/13479252

The achronological he said-he said account of Jared and Jensen's jailhouse romance.

I just want them to be ok! ok?

Don't Touch What's Mine by Anonymous

https://archiveofourown.org/works/35278282

Jensen's cock belongs to Jared. Jensen is not allowed to touch his cock at all, and Jared never touches it when they fuck. According to Jared, Jensen needs to learn to come from being fucked in the ass or he won't get to come at all. Ever.

Why Anonymous, my dear writer?

Into His Hand by drvology

https://archiveofourown.org/works/31783861

JR Ackles is a professional bullrider at the top of his game. He's got one thing on his mind: winning the championship belt buckle and the right to call himself the best in the world. His unwavering dedication and focus is finally put to the test in the form of JT Padalecki, an up-and-coming rider new to the professional ranks, who has his sights set on winning the PBR finals - and Jensen. Cowboys ride and get by on grit and tough determination - the question facing Jensen is if they have to do it alone.

This is gray simply because all of the bull riding is scary and dangerous! I can’t say I care at all about rodeos, but this is a gripping read.

stars above, earth below by @hellhoundsprey

https://archiveofourown.org/works/45961108

Back home from an intergalactic war, Jensen struggles to reintegrate himself into society. His childhood best friend Jared is the only one who gets through to him—and not without trouble either. With his back to the wall, Jensen begrudgingly accepts Jared’s help.

I advise you don't read the tags, as there's a twist. Just, very sexy and hopeful.

Dark

Dark and Deep by @bangingpatchouli (sylsdarkplace)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/2286690

Jensen has issues, which he manages with carefully staged public sex acts, and thinks he’s in complete control until a stranger comes along with other ideas.

I like stories that are off the beaten track.

Gunpoint by felisblanco

https://archiveofourown.org/works/861978

Jensen got his childhood stolen away from him when he was ten years old. Along with his memory, his voice and every emotion that wasn’t fear, hatred or anger. Question is, can Jared help him get any of it back? And more importantly, does Jensen really want him to?

Couldn’t put it down. Love how the power of love helps, but there’s no magic cure for everything.

Kink Corner

These are the fics I was afraid to post as being too outré; but hell, you’ve made it this far! Your kinks may not be my kinks, but if they are, you’re very welcome.

Life Lessons by Anonymous

https://archiveofourown.org/works/9538715

Jensen is an Alpha who turns humans into omegas and sells them to the highest Alpha bidder. He has saved up quite a fortune and is ready to retire except for one more turning. He wants an omega for himself. He has found the perfect male. He has done his research all he has to do is catch him and turn him. He is hesitant because some humans don't adjust well. He has had repeat customers who put down the original omega they bought because they couldn't accept their fate. Jared has no idea what is about to hit him.

This Anonymous author “gets” me. I still think they should unveil their wonderful selves.

Training Jared by Anonymous

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22060132

Jensen has a large cock. Jared is the one destined to take it. Eventually.

Hello Anonymous again. This author really likes giving it to Jared.

Kennel Training by @bangingpatchouli (sylsdarkplace)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/567716

Jared owns a kennel where he trains very special dogs. Jensen is the newest addition to his kennel. This is very dark fic/horror porn including bestiality.

I get the impression that Syls Darkplace starts their stories as an exercise in kink satisfaction, but then they always turn in an unexpected direction and gain depth as they go. This is super kinky, but also a meditation on victim/perpetrator dynamics and shared trauma.

#catnipster69 recommends #full list #j2 #wincest fic rec #fic recs #fan fiction #my posts #j2 fic rec #wincest

[dwcmarshalarts]

really love what you do, but i just have one gripe: im not sure if its just me not knowing the right socials ect, i have a general understanding of your world but for the life of me it feels sometimes like reading spaghetti lore due to the conflicting comics and universes your working on i was wondering if you had any docs laying out most things in relative detail and just explaining what is and isn't cannon to each other because it hurts not being able to fully understand something i love and wait every day to see a new post from thanks in advance c:

Well I should hope that the stories aren't conflicting!

But I understand the general feeling: the stories are being uploaded achronologically (i.e. not in canonical order) and across several stories, so it's a little confusing to try to piece things together.

I'll say this: the best place to get my stories in order and separated into their appropriate storylines is my deviantART page here.

That said, while that's the best openly available resource, not 100% of things have been uploaded there. Despite being in order, there are gaps between points the pieces take place in. That's something I can't necessarily solve outside of continuing to work on the story.

I simply don't work on the stories in order. Some scenes during the different arcs just inspire me to work on them sooner than others.

Additionally, part of the methodology originally was creating a limited number of pieces per story and telling as much through individual pieces and making the viewer participate by piecing it together and theorizing. That much has changed at least, there are now things that happen for-sure in the plot that are canonical that just haven't been drawn yet.

In any case, I hope that providing a reference that at least sorts out the pieces in order helps!

#furry #dwc marshal arts #dwc ama #questions for dwc

[brawltogethernow]

8 and 23 :]

^^ Slapped Together Fan Fic Writer Asks

8. What project(s) are you currently working on?

Every October for the past...(thinks) --Every October for the past Oh No That Can't Be Right, I become motivated to work on a Girl Genius horror/suspense WIP. When the 31st passes I inevitably stop. Perhaps this year it Exists enough that I can at least incorporate it into my recent spate of posting anything I have an opening chunk of sitting around before Halloween? Unclear; schedule has been weird this month. Also a surprising number of people piped up to say they liked Cinnabon AU, so now I'm feeling determined to carry that farce forward! Even if it means I have to actually reread Death Note for the first time since middle school.

23. How do you choose where to end a chapter (if you have multi-chapter works)?

(head in hands) If there's enough of it, usually. I tend to ride out the first burst of inspiration writing whatever comes to mind out of order and then go back and patch the holes, so if at least one complete scene of whatever comes first/next (or for achronological collections just something complete-feeling full stop) is no longer in flux it's on the table to kick out to fend for itself, to streamline the working draft file if nothing else. Sometimes the structure of the section asserts a particular length. (I think the longest one has insisted on being is the 5k agil genderbend first meeting?) Sometimes it doesn't in which case my "yeah that's a chapter probably" minimum is around a thousand words. Which is too short by many respectable metrics of reader enjoyment but look sometimes that's what's happening.

Other times I'm actually attempting some kind of structure involving the chapters, which is pretty unique piece to piece. (the Inception thing is Very Structure; the hanahaki thing is sort of structure-in-progress but in a way somewhat guided by wanting to deploy poetry lines as chapter titles.) The most meaningless chapter cuts I've ever executed was with the dynamic duo origin AU(...? thing) where I had a single 7k chunk and decided to experiment with breaking it up. Those are spiritually the commercial break cuts in an episode you're watching on DVD. Don't think I'll do that again but hey now I know, scienced.

#why doesn't it let me copy paste unless i unhighlight the numbers and type them in manually #askbox meme #whetstonefires #asks answered

[acorrespondence]

4 and 13 for the fic asks!

4. How many WIPs do you have right now?

Two have chapters already posted as I actively work on one and have plans to finish the other. There are two more that I will periodically update the docs for when I have ideas but they’ll probably never see the light of day, they’re mostly just for me when I feel nostalgic for those characters/canons. Another one I’m on the fence about but it would need a lot of attention that I can’t pay to it because my focus is on the posted WIPs in question.

13. How much planning do you do before writing?

In one sense, none at all, but in another sense, a lot! As writing fanfic isn’t my job (though I confess if it was, I doubt much about this process would change except my commitment to forcing myself to sit down and work at it every day), I don’t actually want it to feel like work. To me, traditional outlining feels like work; but more than that, it feels like busy work, and it’s the quickest way to get me to lose interest in a project. So, instead of sitting down and creating an outline, I simply have the fic idea in my head and write down whatever little scene/description/scrap of dialogue comes to my mind whenever I think of it. Sometimes I’ll let it play out in my head for a bit until it solidifies itself into a longer scene, sometimes it’s two sentences of back and forth that I figure out how to incorporate later. This happens completely achronologically; sometimes I’ll write the ending before the beginning, and sometimes the ending will be the last thing I write, but usually the beginning and ending come randomly somewhere in the middle. For my currently updating WIP, I wrote several scenes past what I thought would be the ending, and still don’t have a solid idea what the true ending will be.

I actually struggle very much to place my own memories on a timeline in that I can never really remember how old I was when any specific thing happened. My memories are not sorted chronologically; rather, they’re connected by content, sometimes very loosely, in that a minute detail from one can correspond to a minute detail in another and a different minute detail links it to another minute detail in a third memory, and so on and so forth. This is both a boon to me and a setback, as if you were to ask me, “do you remember what it was like to be sixteen?” I’d have to tell you, unequivocally, “no.” I remember what it feels like to sit alone in the sound booth during the school play. I remember what it feels like to fail the driving test. I remember what it feels like to breathe from a scuba tank for the first time. I know I must have done these things at sixteen because the driving test and the scuba class weren’t available to anyone younger, and I was the sound tech for two years up until my graduation, meaning I must have been sixteen and seventeen. If you asked about what it felt like to be eight, or any age without the benefit of such life-altering milestones, I might conjure up memories from when I was six or nine and be unable to tell the difference.

This is obviously somewhat tangential to the question, except that it helps to contextualize my absolute comfort with achronology in my writing process. Skipping around this way feels very natural to me, where writing completely chronologically is something I have to force myself to do. And it’s a boon to me here, I think, more than a setback; if I’m interested enough in a fic concept, I’ll keep adding these achronological scenes and details until it turns into a passable outline: the critical mass needed for an idea to turn into a story. And unlike a traditional outline, most of those words in mostly that order will show up directly in the finished product. Finally, I go through (mostly) chronologically and add detail, clarify blocking, finish half-started conversations. I add the connective tissue that gets me from one scene to the next. Luckily I don’t have to rearrange too much, as I’ll add the new scenes to the doc in the rough place they’ll end up instead of placing them all in the order I thought of them—for me, this is where digital writing has a massive edge over paper.

I love this rounding out process, because it allows me to focus on the prose itself; I love language, so I enjoy this part very much. I also don’t find the connective pieces to be boring, because I love the puzzle of figuring out how to get the characters from A to B in a way that makes sense and enriches the story, and it allows me to find ways to set multiple things up rather than just the very next scene. I also think this style of drafting is what allows me to do something that several people have talked about when commenting on my fics, where something that comes up early on will have echoes throughout the work, or a recurring symbol or metaphor will keep popping up, or a thought a character had a long time ago will suddenly become relevant again.

So I guess the short answer is, I prepare to write by writing.

(Questions here)

#ask game #writing #powderkegging #justie2justie communication #thank you for the ask!! #and i apologize for the length haha #long post

[actualaster]

Plot spoilers, HEAVY. ENDGAME PLOT SPOILERS. As in "through the entire final sequences"

May or may not write up some more coherent thoughts on the game as a whole now that I've beaten it, not sure yet

I get why they did it--avoid confusion caused by finding information out out-of-order and to avoid forcing you into one specific path. But I still wish they'd had more variety with the 4 regional sage dungeons since it was the exact same backstory for each just from a slightly different angle.

Since you can already do things in an order then makes certain "mysteries" clear (like knowing the identity of the Light Dragon which means knowing the "Zelda" you see is a fake)... I think it would have been fine to tell more variety and maybe achronological, y'know?

Especially if they had included the stuff from the old Sages in re-watchable scenes.

ANYWAY on to The Next Part!

Oooh, blood moon in cutscene

Hm, that's a creepy cadence for not!Zelda

HEY WHAT THE FUCK IS THE GLOOM SHIT ON THE CEILING--OH FUCK THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FUCKING HANDS??? NOPE.

THEY BOB UP AMD DOWN AS THE HANDS MOVE /sobs

Ah, yep, called it, puppet for the Demon Lord. But ack, the way its body flopped around like a marionette for a bit before disintegrating was creepy. Literal puppet.

Huh. Honestly that was a way easier Phantoj Ganon fight than thr ones that appear after the GLOOM Spawn. (...probably because it too busy being terrified of them lmao)

SIDON WAS FIRST TO SHOW WHEN THEY SAVED HIS ASS. YOU GO SHARKY BOYFRIEND.

Also deeply appreciate Riju being the calm voice of reason when the others are very afraid and worried.

So, is THIS the past where I'm supposed to go to that spot that, uh, I accidentally came across before that was plot relevant?

Ah, yep. BUILDING ROBO!MINERU LET'S GO

I actually like to think that Mineru has been watching Link come and go from this area repeatedly as I abuse it to dupe items lol

Huh, that was an interesting gameplay sequence. I liked it :3

Wait, if MINERU has been in the Purah Pad how long has she been watching Link do dumb shit like hunt bugs and cook 30 fish skewers in a row ahdjahfhd

Also kind of morbid to think about Mineru getting to hold Rauru's hand one more time except it's attached to a different person

Oh, lol, THIS was when I was supposed to get the Master Sword. I've had it for ages lol

HE ISN'T... DUDE HOLY SHIT THAT IS SUCH A COOL DRAGON. I mean he can't actually rule the world now since "he" is gone now...

OH, FUCK, FOR REAL? LIGHT DRAGON TO THE RESCUE--WAIT DO I GET TO FIGHT HIM UP HERE!?

AERIAL DRAGON BATTLE, LIGHT DRAGON KEEPS ME IN THE SKY!!! FUCK YEAH!!

Say whatever the hell you want about the rest of the game, it's shot way up to one of my faves from this sequence alone FUCK YEAH

THAT WAS SUCH A COOL SEQUENCE OMG

Ah, there we go, Zelda restored. And Link's arm healed?! Sadly no more Zonai abilities for him XD

A final skydiving sequence, eh? That's a great closer, reaching out to grab her just like at the start except this time he succeeds.

Ah, huh, I kinda assumed "fall from any height and land in water to survive" was just a game mechanic not canon lmao nice

I also love that Link was shirtless for the entire final bit there lol

Goddamn that was a really fucking fun final sequence honestly. What can I say? I'm a sucker for dragons lmao.

Ah, Mineru... I'm glad Purah got to see the skylands lol, but it's sad seeing Mineru go.

Oh, and they all echoed the vow of their ancestors to Rauru but pledging to Zelda...

Nice.

Honestly, overall? 10/10 I had a blast with the entire game

#totk spoilers #kage plays games #kage plays totk #kage plays loz

[whitesilverandmercury]

cloud/aerith flash fanfic

read more on AO3

december [ ν ] - εγλ 0007

At the inn in Kalm, she’s thinking about remembering things that haven’t happened yet—or maybe remembering she’s forgetting to remember something, forgetting how to recall things that have yet to happen. Aerith can still feel his whisper from the flower petals, burning in her fingertips like holding them over a candle flame: Good work today, guys! Stop that, Cloud had said. “Stop what?” But she’d stopped wiggling her fingers over the burning wick. Not funny, he said. Not normal. “Cloud, who wants to be normal?” 

She’s looking at him. He’s sleeping. The inn creaks wearily around them. Warily. Her heart creaks in her chest—or whatever is tightening unfairly around it—because she is forgetting she remembers Cloud’s skin, the soft wet flame of his tongue between her lips, the scuffed knuckles and scarred boots, and yet it is impossible to forget he doesn’t remember her. Not before October, at least. Before Reactor 1. 

Memory is a shapeless stream of a thing, anyway. Always moving. 

Everything is connected, she says earlier, before he falls asleep. What about Tifa? “Don’t care.” He does care. That’s why he was extra quiet, just breath and body heat that means he’s alive. In Kalm’s tiny inn, he’d tiptoed over to join Aerith in the bed she’s in, they’re both naked now from the waist up and smelling of kisses, her sweat on his sweat, their one skin. Before he falls asleep, she tells him there’s no future, no past, not even present, really, there’s just Now. Just one long string of Nows. On his back and one folded arm, Cloud blinks sleepily up at the exposed beams of the ceiling, this rustic little wattle and daub town that reminds him of home. “Hm,” he replied. Which is typical of him. Aerith remembers that well enough. It makes her smile. Oh, you. Oh you— 

The plans changed. She doesn’t ask him what plans are, if there is only Now. He falls asleep easier than she’s ever known. 

#clerith #cloud/aerith #ff7 fanfic #cloud strife #aerith gainsborough #fanfic #ff7 rebirth #ff7 remake #ff7 ever crisis #final fantasy 7 #ffvii #final fantasy vii #ff7 #;;ff7 fic #;;achronology of now #;;cloud/aerith

[joshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

And I've now watched all 8 available episodes of Sonic Prime! I'll probably make a fuller opinions post once it's properly over, but feelings so far are leaning towards generally positive but with a good amount of eh.

It's really nice to look at and has a very good and constant sense of fun, but I'm finding that they've kind of intentionally regressed Sonic as a character in order to justify the "development" he's getting. I still feel like they channel his core appeal well a lot of the time but the more under-the-surface aspects of his character are definitely neutered.

The early episodes also playing out rather achronologically and just inserting flashbacks onto the initial setting is weird, makes it kinda hard to take in the core version of the setting we're supposed to be saving. Ideally they'd all play out in proper order before getting into the shatterverse stuff, would just make the beginning flow a little better.

I don't think I love any of the three shatterverses we've dealt in so far. New animated Sonic series dealing in a premise as generic as "alternate universe but they're all X" is just kinda tame, and the jungle area in particular was pretty boring lol. I do enjoy New Yoke though, and I think it works well as kind of the primary setting. The alternate versions of our core cast aren't exactly great most of the time but I find those from New Yoke and especially Nine to be actually pretty compelling.

It's very weird that SEGA are doing their whole unifying the canon thing and all the showrunners are calling Prime canon and yet even despite that it's got like, just weird inconsistencies? Knuckles' and Sonic's first meeting flashback for example (the pixel art in those scenes is really bad btw lol) just like, isn't it lol. And the whole Green Hill being the entire setting thing. This is a very weird element of the show.

I quite enjoy the voice cast! Knuckles having a New Yorker accent is weird and it's pretty impossible to beat Mike Pollock Eggman, but everyone otherwise sounds great! I'd lowkey honestly take this Shadow over Kirk Thornton lol.

I think from the way the early episodes played out I kind of expected the show to follow a very rigid structure of X episodes in every shatterverse doing the usual so it's nice that even this early in the total runtime we're subverting that and mixing shatterverses and all that stuff. Gives the narrative stronger weight.

I don't know if I have any other particular thoughts at this present moment. Certainly glad it's releasing in batches lol, way less of a grind to keep up. Yeah uh, gamer.

#sonic #17.12.22 #sonic prime

[purkinje-effect]

The Anatomy of Melancholy, 92: AEGIS

Table of Contents Third Instar, Chapter 23. Go to previous. Go to next. We now return to our regularly scheduled programming. Appreciate your patience and continued readership. Been having a lot of real life turmoil in the past few months.

This concludes the set of four achronological chapters, which I've termed the "Lockreed Tetralogy." I structured them in such a way that they're sorted into four chapters by theme and relevance, to emulate a sense of "disk repair scan," but if you would also like to read them in chronological order, I have made a Neocities page for it here. I think trying to format it as it appears in HTML, through Tumblr, has taken a year off my life.

It feels ironic that the fourth chapter doesn't have much in the way of content warnings. There's some vague eldritch fuckery afoot, and a bit of memory glitching. Hopefully not too bad.

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

"Aegis-bearing Zeus has a design for each occasion, and mortals find this hard to comprehend." — Hesiod's Theogeny

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

Data integrity recovery... 99%... Please do not power off your system.

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

January 5, 2288

The terminal bonks at 'Choly, to inform him he's used up all his tries for the hour. He's locked out. Again. He slouches and massages his nose bridge behind his glasses.

This would be so much easier if I could get my Pip-Boy working again... and if I had a decryption holotape for it.

Breaking windows isn't an option now that they've solved the building brownout, but the odds of this current trick working are still far higher, he thinks, now that they've restored full power. They just have to remember not to touch the exposed wiring in any security glass Sticks has already shattered.

Despite resistance logging into the admin's terminal at the reception desk, he remains confident that it is crucial to programming his ribbon rack and Lt. Creeley's. He found the required peripheral equipment in a drawer the other day, and a personnel management software manual remains among the reference texts on the desk. He's been at it going on two weeks, without hacking script at his disposal, and nothing at the reception desk seems to point to any clues.

If only the admin were so negligent to have written down the password and tucked it unceremoniously in the desk, or in any of the folders or books.

He sucks a Mentat and skims the desktop again anyway. When he started coming down here to get into the terminal, he would bring his gauss homework with him, but bouncing between failure and rejection is wearing on him more than he can admit. He quickly loses motivation searching the desktop, and lets himself read one of the books to occupy himself for the next hour.

He finds that the orientation text has a unit on the history of this Lockreed site. Maybe it can shed light on the General's interest in this place. Sticks insists she just stole all the robots, but 'Choly knows there's more to it. There's so much more, he swears. There's not any evidence robots have ever been employed here, for starters--there's no storage bays or workbenches, no maintenance equipment, no fuel, no mentions of them in company procedure materials--and the only robot they know is in the building at this given moment is Angel. Understanding just how deep this rabbit trail goes might not solve the primary obstacle that traps them here, but it will still check off a high priority task for them.

So, he reads. His sole taps along the low-pile carpeting, to the faint jazzy tune which saunters the well-lit empty halls of the first floor. The more populated that he learns the world is, the more accustomed to solitude he grows. He's proven he's not as isolated as he thought. All that matters to him is that he's alone by choice.

Interfacing and telemetry prodigies founded the security systems company SysDef in 2052. RobCo negotiated partnership with SysDef, then RobCo bought them in order to procure the patents for their state-of-the-art interfacing protocols. The buyout shifted the company vision: as RobCo Entertainment, they came to script video games. RobCo Entertainment's lavish library could be enjoyed on any RobCo processing system. Thanks to SysDef, that would include the pride of RobCo's Lowell location: the 'Personal Information Processor,' endeared to the world as the Pip-Boy.[2288.01.05-1]

No wonder RobCo devices are compatible with those of so many different companies. The SysDef patent set them a league apart from the rest. Impressed but restless, 'Choly bites through the remaining wafer of Mentat left in his mouth.

His discoveries do substantiate his months of paranoia. It's no secret that RobCo had always partnered heavily with the military, and the military saw special promise in RobCo Entertainment. The federal defense complex orchestrated annexation of the company under their Lockreed Industries. As Lockreed of Nashua, the company resumed full focus on defense systems development. Beyond mention that they had been coding aerospace technologies, the text does not indicate exactly what the military had contracted them to produce for them in the years leading up to the Great War. His only clue is that any questions regarding S.C.Y.T.H.E. Program projects must be routed through the director.

'Choly recalls the crates of ballistics fiber at Boott Mills were labeled S.C.Y.T.H.E. property, too.[2288.01.05-2]

"I really wish I knew what that stood for, damn it."

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

February 4, 2288

A terminal with an unburnt screen.

'Choly sits down at a cubicle in an office on an upper floor. He's been wandering a wider path researching the military documentation in the building ever since Sticks began making trips outside. Despite the degree of preservation throughout the premises, because something seems to have prevented the screensaver script on many terminals from triggering, centuries of disuse have burned images deep into their screens. The glow bleed on inoperable terminals, he imagines, resembles what it must be like to stare into the sun.

He hopes he's not Icarus.

It doesn't take long for him to ascertain that whoever once occupied this desk used its terminal for a diary. It's encrypted by pay grade. He unfurls his Pip-Boy keyprong to attempt his password decryption algorithm. Before he can analyze the possible correct commands among the guesses on the screen, a synchronization between a biometric sensor in the room and his nameplate verifies his identity and O-6 pay grade.

It dismisses the encryption check. He's had no reason to wear his bekesha-tulup indoors, so he's tucked his ribbon rack and nameplate into the small pocket in his Vault Suit's lining. Still, he would have expected secure terminals to require more than his physical presence to access them, but he supposes it's not too unlike a unique fingerprint, if the building's biometrics are as advanced as he suspects. He leans into the keyboard and favors proximity to the screen such that he can remove his glasses.

Delight flushes over any possible terror, to recognize the last active user of this terminal was Olivia Francis, then designated Major General.

April 12 2096

I knew this moment would come, but here I am. I may have set up here as a contingency because it was the next nearest secure military property, but there's a very real possibility its SCYTHE products could be the key to reclaiming Deenwood. I'll stay here a few weeks to get a head start on my research before heading to the mall to regroup.

He cannot imagine what enemy hand could accomplish the feat of seizing Deenwood. He squirms, and smiles knowing from history that their occupation was temporary.

April 30 2096

I resent that the... tests disfigured me, but resembling what the locals call a 'ghoul' has afforded me some degree of anonymity. I couldn't clear my head and instead shifted gears during my stay at the settlement that's sprung up inside the local shopping mall. It's my understanding that all Lockreed employees who survived Great War Day relocated at this 'Ant Lane.' They've integrated well enough that they've given me trouble tracking them down to question, but some still haven't broken the habit of wearing their Pip-Boys in public. I've found a lower-rung developer already. This Ken Luther knows nothing about AEGIS, remembers nothing notable about his tenure, and doesn't grasp why a scavenger would have much interest in a video game facility. Locating Brock Taskerlands would probably solve all my problems. For how hot he was to procure the property, he has to have known what he was buying into, but I need to continue under the likelihood that only his legacy lingers here.

After my stay, I know now what I must do. What I need is locked inside the mall, and the key to freeing it IS here.

He sits for some time. He rereads the entry trying to jog his memory of those names. Surely, he reassures himself, she had not set in motion the events which transpired last October. This couldn't have anything to do with the granite, or the fungus, or the hypnagogic chroma shifts, or the widespread acute memory damage.

He curses under his breath in a healthy mix of English and Russian. The idea that the General believed Taskerlands was actually remarkable ruffles him a great deal. Eventually, he jots some notes... Luther, Taskerlands, AEGIS... underscores Taskerlands, overwrites the name time and again with a strained gurn... and continues.

May 18 2096

At least one AEGIS technician survived the War, but she's since passed away. This Marion Rigley seems to have kept her classified training confidential and has shared only the most rudimentary repair methods. It's unthinkable that she couldn't recognize that her proprietary knowledge would prove invaluable in maintaining one of the largest and most effective bomb shelters on the Eastern Coast. Maybe she didn't believe Ant Lane would need to exist as a community much longer, and held onto the misguided idealism that the United States she knew might one day return to its glory days. Maybe she thought similar threats to human life have ceased to exist in this post-nuclear tapestry. Or maybe she knew that with an intimate familiarity with the system comes the capacity to abuse it. The irony almost stings.

June 9 2096

After speaking with some of the locals who maintain Ant Lane's walls, I convinced the Hall to let me look around their maintenance closet, under the guise that I wanted to know what sort of components to scavenge for repairs. They believe I'm interested in learning how to maintain the building. Beyond a doubt they have no knowledge whatsoever of the existence of a mainframe hidden somewhere on the property. I need to be more cautious because this is feeling a little too easy.

June 26 2096

The Lane is one Protectron lighter. No one noticed it wandered outside, and no one noticed it rejoined me one block away. I've proven I don't need access to the STAR Control mainframe to hack AEGIS. The robot will accompany me in a few days. I'll tell them that I found it and felt obligated to return it. When it rejoins the anechoic grid, it will transmit a Trojan frequency to the other robotics on site. It's a shame that STAR parameters only function within architectural boundaries designed for it. Otherwise, I might be able to conscript more robots than just these thirty Protectrons. Finally getting somewhere.

July 1 2096

The Hall let me keep the Protectron, which I've named Helen. They consider her defective since she was able to get outside the mall. I brought their attention to the reality that the robots on site have not undergone maintenance in twenty years, and they asked me if I couldn't take a look. I didn't expect to be able to freely repair and upgrade them prior to commandeering them. They've got me on robotics duty now. My plan exceeds my expectations already.

She's very efficient. It's sublime to finally have a robot of my own, after being surrounded by colleagues for decades whom the government legally required to have them. Even if she doesn't survive this scheme in one piece, I wholly intend to rebuild her. She's the beginning of something I hold dear.

July 24 2096

It's done. I tested the Trojan sequence. When interrogated on whether I tampered with the Protectrons, I underscored that I have nothing but the vitality of the Lane at heart. They blamed my repair work for the casualties, though no one could explain how the Protectrons and turrets all went haywire at once. Only steel and copper can reclaim Deenwood now. My efforts will nevertheless prevent needless slaughter at the hands of army traitors. The Court ruled it manslaughter, and motioned to dismiss all robots from the premises. I never met any of the Aldermen, but I'm thrilled they unwittingly ruled in my favor. When I told the Hall I would ensure total robot removal without further casualty, they decided that my guarantee outweighed taking my life. Some of the guards figured the robots would do me in either way. Going forward, they'll emphasize reliance on their security guards. I wish them all the luck.

Now that I have my reserve troops stationed inside Lockreed, I can uninstall the fabricated programming dysfunction, and convert the Trojan to my customized STAR parameters. I've been able to control Helen remotely. I'll be able to rein the others.

Those Academy of Liberty bastards won't know what hit them.

As expected, these diary entries raise more questions than they answer. When he tries to copy the entries to the JBD in his holotape deck, a permissions error bonks at him. The read function is locked behind an O-6 pay grade, but the write function is locked behind a confidentiality of O-8 or higher. He slaps the side of the terminal case, then pretends he's kidding. He smiles into himself as he retracts his key-prong.

It's fine. If he can't take the terminal's data to his current workspace, he'll take his current workspace to this terminal. This office desk boasts much more desk space than the cubicle downstairs anyway. And if he needs to, next time he can transcribe the entries himself manually.

But what did it all mean?

On his way back downstairs, he can't help but chuckle in a secondhand nostalgia regarding the humble beginnings of Helen's AI signature.[2288.02.04-1]

What other models has the General loaded her into? At what point did she become an Assaultron? His smile fades, but his spirit persists. What will her next model be?

He shakes his head with a tut and smirk.

"Of course See's is her fault. Of course it is."[2288.02.04-2]

He giggles and chuffs intermittently for hours, that the Lane likely never saw what its appointed squad of robots could have done drowning in the electromagnetic distortions of a postwar nor'easter... and that the General very likely never knew that she spared the Lane that tragedy by having rigged a smaller scale fake malfunction of her own.

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

February 15, 2288

"I do hope you're finding what you're looking for here, Sir."

Angel tidies the space it has tidied three times already. It whistles as it whisks its feather-bare duster at the spotless shelves of the director's office.

"You know that I had to be certain we wouldn't set off the security systems by coming up here."

Seated at the desk, 'Choly paces the menus on its terminal. For some time, he chews at a pencil bridled between his teeth, and says nothing further.

"Here. Fucking fuck, I've got it." He removes his glasses and rubs at his eyes, then rereads the most recent of several entries. "The S.C.Y.T.H.E. Program outline for this site is all here. All this time I was expecting it entailed a product, but their project was... Fuck. Ant Lane was a military experiment. Listen to this. The director kept drafts of sales pitches, and mental notes of investors."

Pheasant Lane Mall, our most ambitious phase of the STAR Control program, showcases the versatility of our STAR Cores. The property's highly specialized proprietary AEGIS wiring, which provides the above ground vault with an interior secure of all electromagnetic radiation, incorporates twenty STAR Cores. AEGIS in this way blocks external radio frequencies, including EMPs and ionizing radiation, while still providing internal management of all RobCo robotics on site. Thirty Protectrons and fifty-three turrets guard Pheasant Lane. The mall's supervisor has total and simultaneous control of all robots within the boundaries of the mall, all with the convenience and ease of a RobCo mainframe.

Its position straddling the NH-MA state line was not just a strategy of finance but also one of function. Ideally, the convenient location will create opportunities for many to frequent the property. We hope its lavish amenities make it feel like a second home to locals and tourists alike.

"And another. This one's dated 2071."

Due to the high production costs of AEGIS infrastructure, it's been a decade since the completion of Pheasant Lane, and it's still the only standing testament to its virtues. Military interest in STAR Control got us bought into the Lockreed market, and it's kept us going in recent years thanks to S.C.Y.T.H.E. And now, we can applaud John-Caleb Bradberton's sizable investment in implementing yet another illustrious demonstration of STAR Control excellence, by contracting us in the development and erection of the Galactic Zone park in Nuka-World.[2288.02.15-1] Needless to say, as inheritors of the RobCo Entertainment headquarters, we have been quite delighted to see the space themed entertainment park outfitted with dozens of opportunities for visitors to engage with RobCo Games properties. However, the park development committee opted to bring in Vault-Tec in a multi-corporation collaborative decision, and while showcasing cohabitation of multiple big name brands at Nuka-World, it's also a glaring commentary on the failure of AEGIS as a vault technology, as AEGIS-based vaults make no appearance on its roster.

Securing steady funding wouldn't be such a struggle if the only thing that has kept House's interest in us was the SysDef interfacing protocols. He's been investing more and more in private sectors over his military holdings. It's why Lockreed got its hands on the company so easily. My Intel tells me his business habits have been seeming more and more like unhinged hobbies, but they can never seem to spit out what they mean.[2288.02.15-2]

Perhaps Bradberton's investment in STAR Control will inspire further investors going forward. After all, our telemetry doesn't require the costly AEGIS infrastructure.[2288.02.15-3] Drawing in investors like Bradberton will not only improve popular opinion of the military's advancements, but will fund them for decades. To say he's pleased with the Galactic Zone is an understatement. He's reached out to me regarding any other highly proprietary military technologies with which he could be permitted to outfit his park. I contacted Col. Nelson about it, and he's told me to direct him to some bigwig, Gen. Braxton. Mentioned something bigger than the S.C.Y.T.H.E. Program, too. Bradberton is among the world's wealthiest. I can only imagine what Nelson's offhand remark must mean the eccentric inventor's buying into next.[2288.02.15-4]

It's least of many evils, between House, Taskerlands[2288.02.15-5], and Bradberton. If only I could get inside the head of a billionaire. Do you go crazy with that much money, or does it take being crazy to earn it?

He falls quiet again as he engrosses himself in the documents, a majority of which bear timestamps dating between 2054 and 2062. He recalls that Sacristan Haidinger suggested Vault-Tec had nothing to do with Pheasant Lane Mall's value as a bomb shelter, and these archives confirm that the two companies never communicated or collaborated regarding the site. The government's Project Safehouse, most well known for spearheading Vault-Tec's construction of the majority of the nation's bomb shelters, had also commissioned independent contractors to try a varied civilian-oriented approach to national defense. (For example, Pulowski Shelters spring to mind.)

Several documents indicate that when the military lost interest in the financial viability of constructing subsequent structures like Pheasant Lane, interest still lingered in repurposing STAR Cores elsewhere. The biggest contract for them shows that Lockreed supplied Nuka-World with thirty-five STAR Cores, to control a large and diverse reserve of fully outfitted RobCo and General Atomics military grade robotics.

The thirty Protectrons and fifty-three turrets still bewilder 'Choly. If everything in the General's terminal entries is accurate, the Lane had to determine the source of the earliest true AEGIS malfunction, restore it, and continue fully and knowingly protected. When had the first electromagnetic nor'easter ravaged the East Coast, and put this AEGIS system to the test? Yet, even if these AEGIS bugs do get repaired, he can appreciate how the biological effects of such a storm precipitate such entrenched local superstitions.

Any science Sutter Grove commands is likely reverse engineered at best. He's neither a programmer nor an engineer, and can't do much more than augment their knowledge base going forward. Have the Lane's inhabitants ever truly known why or how the building protects them? He's not confident he can adequately explain to the Lane exactly what such things represent, but he knows with unwavering certainty that the survival of Ant Lane depends on its ability to withstand harsh magnetic weather conditions. Although at heart its inhabitants have largely reduced its architectural aegis to ghosts and shadows, Ant Lane owes its very existence to overwhelmingly advanced technological engineering.

Angel stops its cleaning routine to check on its owner.

"Chin up, Sir. It can't be all bad," the Mister Handy says. "I'm not sure I follow most of what you've just read aloud, but surely there's some kind of silver lining in it all. Some information that makes your trouble getting into this office worthwhile? Mmh?"

He glances up at Angel with an uptick of purpose.

"More of a lead lining. Or copper? Copper lining? Fuck, there's got to be hundreds of tons of copper in that place. I don't follow much of what's detailed here, either, but some of Sutter Grove's electricians might. We'll take them everything we can. Spare parts and all."

There's got to be surplus components here. STAR Cores, the redundant components of Systemized Telemetry for Automated Robot Control, routed through the architectural multi-layered cousin of the Faraday cage AEGIS, the AnEchoic Gridwork Integrated Shield.

He snaps his fingers, and swivels in his seat to push himself up with his cane. Like the one the General had used to pen her entries regarding the Academy of Liberty, this terminal is also write-protected. He'll return to it as needed, to transcribe it and transfer its data somewhere he can print out everything.

He stops and frowns. The orientation booklet. The onboarding manual. If any of the texts he's found here have indicated anything regarding the STAR Control trained specialists, STAR Cores, or AEGIS, he would know it by now. Surely he's simply overlooking something profound in plain sight.

Of course, he reminds himself, the onboarding book is just an entry level training manual. STAR Control and AEGIS must be among the most sophisticated projects this Lockreed ever worked on. Their finer workings eluded a polymath like the General for an entire summer to the point she was tracking down the masterminds behind it all.

"Maybe there's a manual here for AEGIS training," he tells himself, and commences browsing the shelves Angel has just finished dusting for the fifth time today. "Or at the very least, a layout of where they manufactured STAR Cores."

"That's the spirit! Shall I help you look?"

Getting a reply where he expected none shakes him from inside his own head just a bit. He glances up with a pleasant startled thoughtfulness.

"Yes. Thank you."

"But of course!" After a while, it comments, "It's been so delightfully quiet since we've been here in New Hampshire, you know. Just the three of us. None of those pesky voices. So much easier to focus on my housekeeping."

'Choly stops and stares off into the corner. His voice cracks.

"Angel, clarify."

"The voices? Oh, they've been bouncing around in my receiver wiring since sometime in Lowell, I'd estimate. I couldn't tell you exactly when they stopped, but I've felt haywire since long before the damage you've told me I suffered recently."

"The laser attachment." His eyes dull as his head turns to his companion. His gaze falls past it. "We removed all your attachments when we entered Ant Lane."

"So that's where it's all gone!" Angel exclaims, with the levity of mere inconvenience. "I just knew I had attachments! Oh, I pray my service is still satisfactory to you, lacking them, Mister Sir. Should I fetch them so we can reattach them, or shall we continue with the brass tacks?"

He sees red. If her tampering extends beyond having modified Angel's tendril laser, there's no other explanation in his mind than that she tried to power it on during the storm... and that she's thus responsible for Angel suffering gauss damage. He can't cry.

"Moy Angel, you're you no matter what equips you."

"And you're you, no matter your equipment." Angel's chuckle fades out in a glitched static. "Remind me again what we're here for, if you could, Sir."

A smile cracks his haunted veneer.

"Sometimes you're more human than you think."

"Not as much of a compliment as one might think."

He wipes the smile off his face, only to grin and resume searching the shelves.

"Ни фига себе..."[2288.02.15-6]

"Well! No need to curse about it."

"This whole thing. Every turn leaves me speechless. Even you." He grips a book spine. "Perhaps I misspoke. You're complex, in a way humans can be. Complex, tragic, laughable."

"I'm complex in a way machinery can be. Complicated and unpredictable."[2288.02.15-7]

"Never change."

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

January 5, 2288

'Choly looks up from the book to check the countdown timer on the terminal. Three minutes left. He hems and drums his pencil on the steno he's been using to track the possible ten letter passwords he's already tried.

The General must think she's General of the entire US Army, having survived all other known officers. Maybe it's as simple as some presumption that she owns the rights to anything the Army claimed. He hopes it's that simple. She doesn't strike him as the type to binge Grognak & the Ruby Ruins.

His mind drifts, and his eyes trace over the individual letters. Something clicks about the dots and crosses and natural spacing of his handwriting. It may have been nine months ago, but he still remembers just enough of the method he applied to hack Eleanor's terminal in Lexington. The markup of the encryption is one means of finding the password. He's thrown blind guesses at it all this time. It takes a bit for him to jog his memory how to coax the terminal to display that formatting, but once it spills across the screen, he needs only heed the punctuation to determine the answer. Subjectify.

[Server connection severed. Contact an Administrator if the problem persists.]

He hopes he doesn't need an uplink in order to gain access to the nametag application. At least if he does, this is an administrative terminal, so he shouldn't need to stray far from where he sits at the first floor lobby. He plucks around the terminal to get a feel for how this administrator kept his desk. The admin's daily life doesn't concern him, but his curiosity distracts him enough from his immediate task that he still takes a glance at the inbox. Even if snooping doesn't yield anything, reading the admin's various correspondences still seems interesting.

He opens messages that appear high profile, but they're vague at best. Eventually, he doubles back to a shrink of messages with a long chain of back and forth. Most of it is between the admin and the director. He skims to get the gist, and cuts to the height of the drama.

I've told you once, and I'll tell you a dozen times: don't accept his creepy gifts, and don't entertain him! It's not our problem anymore, and we're not beholden to disclose confidential documents to a civilian, no matter how much money he paid for an old SysDef property. If he breaks it by modifying it, that's his problem. He comes in again, you call security. Please take your job seriously.

---

Sir, I accept responsibility for the storm I ruffled. Know that I take my position very seriously. It's just that I figured, if he bought the property, maybe the developers would be keen on helping him? It seemed like a possible avenue to garner his continued investment in Lockreed. I won't make the same mistake again.

I hope you enjoy your vacation next week.

---

As the admin, you have access to accounting files. As the admin, you don't have the authority or credentials to make decisions based on that data.

If the board needed your input on investors, you'd be looped into board meetings.

Lockreed has concluded involvement with Taskerlands. We will no longer be doing business with him in the future, not even on prior purchases. Do not let him in the building again, or YOU will not be let in the building again. Do I make myself clear?

The thread ends here, but an asterisk indicates that a reply sits in the admin's drafts:

Sir, I know this week's misstep with Mr. Taskerlands reflects poorly on my skills, but I assure you that going forward, I will prove myself to the board. My desk may not be the brains of this company, but I am its uncanny eyes and ears, and I hear just about everything. I know better than most

'Choly wonders if the admin was cruising for a promotion or simply clawing to keep his job. He muses over the ancient office drama while he gets to work fiddling with Lt. Creeley's RFID nametag. He grabs the personnel software manual, and roots through the admin's desk for the peripheral equipment required to use it. His hand sets upon something cold and sobering.

Instead of producing the name tag cradle, he pulls from the back of the drawer a potato sized bronze paperweight. He wishes he didn't recognize the features of the metal mask. A gift tag still dangles from a thin twine around it, in a crude indelicate script: A gift from the Aldermen, to Lockreed's sharpest and brightest.

He forbids himself from reacting. He returns it to the drawer, and shuts it rigidly when he cannot shut it calmly. He has work to do.

He searches the next drawer down for the RFID cradle, and finds it. Once he plugs it in, he instructs the terminal to scan for it, then dives into the script. Maybe he's just spent an alarming amount of time in recent months immersed in programming literature, but the application is surprisingly straightforward, and reprogramming its identity data for its new owner is a breeze. He notes that the script suggests the lieutenant's name was Maria Greeley, and inspects the tag where it sits in the cradle with a skewed expression. He removes his glasses and picks at the engraved lettering with the tip of his pencil. A fleck of debris dislodges from the engraved letter, demonstrating it is in fact a G, not a C.

Because the server is inaccessible, and because he and Sticks are the only living humanoids present in the building, he can isolate the building's biometrics and indicate which of the two he wants the nametag to define as Maria Greeley.[2288.01.05-3] The RFID cradle has a deck for engraving, but he has no blanks to use to make one that says Sticks on it. He hopes the ghoul won't mind what the physical tag says, as long as its digital programming works.

If they stay much longer, he'll consider snooping around for their office supply closet to locate some. But if it works, they shouldn't have to bother.

It's going to work.

Next, he has his own name tag with him. His ease altering Greeley's tag suggests that Lockreed likely developed this personnel name tag system for all military applications, not just corporate military sites such as this. Greeley wasn't stationed at Deenwood, as far as he can tell, but the tag's similarity to his own suggests even these are about as military issue as it gets. When he loads the script contained in his tag, he must sit back and read it time and again. There's something wrong about it. He's no sophisticated programmer, but between the script he just edited on the other name tag and the script instructions in front of him in the software manual, he can clearly discern entire lines of script that set apart his name tag from the lieutenant's.

"Olivia altered it." He sits back in his chair and chews on his pencil. "When she promoted me to colonel, she didn't just edit my ribbon rack and devices: she... tampered with it."

He's nervous to alter any of the script, lest it bungle his ability to regain access to Deenwood. He sits up and rolls his eyes at himself before poising over the keyboard once again.

That's ridiculous. Why does it matter if I hypothetically ever step foot on base again, if I can't even step foot out of this building? The system won't accept an ID that looks hacked.

Before deleting any lines of script, or changing any parameters or variables, he flips to a new page in his steno and writes down the entire code. It's not that many lines, fortunately, but just like a misplaced comma or unclosed parenthesis, whatever the General added doesn't look like it belongs.

He edits the code to resemble Greeley's as closely as possible, retaining his own name, biometric signature, and credentials, and ejects his tag. Within minutes, he hears the sibilant click of pneumatic locks opening all down the halls.

He shivers.

"Why am I usually only right when that's a bad thing?"

She's been their warden all along, intentionally or otherwise. But she couldn't have known they would end up here. They're here by a fluke of getting lost in the ice Fog. She couldn't have intended that they get locked inside due to a technicality of her code meddling. And yet, with the subtlety and sleight of mind the woman commands, he can expect no better explanation.

At least she was so kind as to stock a season's worth of MREs.

Go to Next »»»

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

[2288.01.05-1] Lockreed of Nashua. The history of this company is based off the historical Sanders Associates. Sanders Associates started as contractor of defense technologies. One of their engineers, Ralph H. Baer, developed the first video game as a side project, for which they partnered with Magnavox to produce. Their console was the Magnavox Odyssey. Eventually Lockheed Martin bought Sanders. Currently BAE Systems owns the property.

[2288.01.05-2] The S.C.Y.T.H.E. Program is mentioned in Fallout 4. In the years leading up to the Great War, the US military contracted existing civilian manufacturing facilities to produce army resources to reduce the time and funds building new factories. There are several such companies mentioned, but the acronym's definition is yet unknown, and it's unknown the full scope of contracts belonging to the project.

[2288.01.05-3] Greeley. Maria shares a surname with the protagonist and programming specialist of The Stone Tape, Jill Greeley. They both met their demise as a consequence of their indefatigable investigations.

[2288.02.04-1] The Assaultron Helen is named after Helen of Troy. One, a major factor to the Battle of Lowell does amount to Olivia and Laverne fighting over Helen, though they both have their notions as to why she's the perfect companion. Two, Olivia first stole her by exploiting Ant Lane's security systems via a Trojan virus.

[2288.02.04-2] See's assault rifles. Olivia may have removed the robots from Ant Lane, but the mall's security and maintenance crew were tasked with the turrets' removal. Turrets in Fallout typically take 5.56 bullets. The assault rifle is See's guards' most used weapon because the bullets would exist in surplus for decades after the 2096 incident. Some higher ranking guards have firearms with converted 5.56 receivers as well for this reason.

[2288.02.15-1] Nuka-World's Galactic Zone employs STAR Control telemetry to manage the operation of military grade robotics for entertainment display. These redundant components must exist in a certain quantity within the system in order to be capable of broadcasting a strong enough frequency to secure access.

[2288.02.15-2] Robert House, the owner of RobCo and all its subsidiaries, began investing in private sectors in the years leading up to the Great War. In Fallout New Vegas, it becomes known that two such high priority ventures for him were ensuring his effective immortality through development of a stasis chamber, and the development of the Platinum Chip with its capacity to control a fleet of Securitron robots. He sought to prevent the nuclear exchange altogether, but ironically a direct nuclear hit on Las Vegas on October 23rd prevented the delivery of that command chip.

[2288.02.15-3] In the Anatomy continuity, Ant Lane was the prototype for STAR Core telemetry modules. In practice, it was proven that a majority of what made the system so costly was AEGIS itself, and that STAR Cores are functionally independent of that infrastructure. Untethered from the problem child, Lockreed would go on to effortlessly produce STAR Cores for the military through the S.C.Y.T.H.E. Program. Bradberton would later furnish a contract to procure enough to furnish the Galactic Zone.

[2288.02.15-4] John-Caleb Bradberton colluded with high ranking military, bartering for confidential technologies both with his wealth and with his own inventions. Nuka-Cola produced several confidential military products, and the partnership promised a front-facing public image which would bolster popular opinion of both the soda and the army. He managed to convince Gen. Braxton to permit his inclusion in the incredibly top secret Project Cobalt, which, in kind with House's ideologies, turned out of be another effective immortality technology.

[2288.02.15-5] Brock Taskerlands is a portmanteau of both the property owner and project manager from The Stone Tape. Although his only holdings were in Vermont granite quarries and Pheasant Lane Mall, the billionaire was not so unlike the other eccentric investors who had their individual hands in Lockreed of Nashua's various interfacing and telemetry technologies.

[2288.02.15-6] Ни фига себе. Somewhat vulgar, definitely impolite. No kidding, no frigging way, not flipping yourself off.

[2288.02.15-7] 'Choly and Angel are exchanging various quotes from Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions regarding string theory, human nature, and self-determination.

#fallout #fallout fanfic #fallout 4 #sole survivor #fo4 fanfic #the anatomy of melancholy #melancholy #angel #let's have fun in new hampshire

[thekinglemingle]

Saying No to Yui

I've been sitting on an idea for an AU for a while now. I know how it starts and how it ends and some bits in the middle, but not much. I don't have much time for writing these days, but now I'm on tumblr and tumblr is full of sharp bursts of micro-fiction and AU's told in short achronological chunks. So what the hell. Let's give this a go. I won't add new snippets regularly, but hope to do so occasionally. This is part 1 of Saying No to Yui

Amongst the may subjects discussed in the Dead Sea Scrolls, is that of alternate timelines. The Old Men of SEELE had read such information, but it quickly became apparent that they were in a branch of the multiverse where interdimensional travel would remain out of reach for them. There was no Golgotha Object waiting for them in Antarctica and no Evangelion-i. No route to access the Book of Life, and to add their names to its pages. As knowledge of different timelines would not help them achieve their goal of Instrumentality, the information was forgotten and ignored, though some members of the Committee retained a quiet speculation that the complementation of mankind that awaited them would allow them to join with their own counterparts from the roads not taken.

The popular conception of branching timelines, is that they are formed every time a decision is made. This, the Dead Sea Scrolls explain, is not the case. Lilim, for the most part act in predictable ways, in accordance with the wealth of experience they have built up in their lifetime. To paraphrase the philosopher Lu Tse, while the laws of physics state that there should be a timeline in which Gendo Ikari woke up on the morning of the Contact Experiment and shot his wife dead, no such universe exists. While he was physically capable of doing so, his own soul would prevent him from doing so. This is but one example of the ways in which the Fruit of Knowledge can exert its influence on reality in ways far subtler and yet stronger than the brute force of the Fruit of Life.

And yet, in the immediate aftermath of the Contact Experiment Gendo Ikari was faced by a true decision. Where two warring facets of his personality vied for attention and where it was truly possible for him to go either way.

These then are the moments upon which the timeline turns.

Gendo stands at the train platform and looks down at the crying child, begging not to be sent away.

Gendo knows what he must do. The Scenario, or at least Gendo’s modifications to it, are still in their infancy, but he already knows that this is a path he must walk alone and the boy would be better off without a father as useless as him in his life. He opens his mouth to rebuke the child, to do what must be done, and the crying child opens his eyes.

Yui’s eyes.

Gendo has only just lost his wife. Only just started down the long road that leads of Instrumentality. His heart is not yet as hardened as it will be by the time the Angels come to Tokyo 3. And this is not just any child. Not even the fact that he is Gendo’s child will sway him to recent his decision.

But this is Yui’s child.

With Yui’s body dissolved into LCL, this child is the last physical remnant of her biological existence. And here, perhaps, is the only person in all the world who might miss Yui as much as he does. In a moment of weakness, he says something he shouldn’t, to comfort Yui’s child. In one timeline these words will be forgotten within a month, lost in a tide of grief and written off as an empty promise. In another, things go very differently.

 “I must. I am going to get your mother back.”

For a moment the child stops crying in shock and stares up at him. As he stares into the determined eyes of Yui’s son’s he is reminded again of how much he looks like his mother. The child speaks.

“Let me help you, father.”

Gendo pauses, the unstoppable force meets the immovable object and the timeline forks. On the one hand he needs to be without distractions if he is to work on his quest to retrieve his wife. On the other, when he stares into her eyes full of determination, he could never say no to Yui Ikari.

Where once there was a single timeline, there is now two. In two universes, two Gendo Ikaris walk back to their limo. Both are quietly confident that they made the only decision it was possible for him to make. They are both wrong. And in one universe Gendo tells the teary child sitting on the passenger seat,

“If you get in the way. You will have to leave.”

#Saying No to Yui #neon genesis evangelion #evangelion au #flash fic #fanfic #evangelion fanfic #Gendo cant love his own kid but maybe Yui's? #That seems emotionally healthy...

[semi-imaginary-place]

3rd times the charm i guess, the chronological order of events in brazil finally makes sense to me. the achronological presentation of scenes really messed with me. because we have yachi then it jumps back to a text from months ago then it jumps back to current hinata looking for a volleyball partner then it jumps to his first day in brazil then it jumps forward for a montage as he tries to balance new roommate new city new job and new volleyball until the day he loses his wallet and meet oikawa. and then we get scenes from the next few days and then a montage of hinata adjusting to rio before it cuts back to playing with hector.

brazil arc hinata is blessed.

... its only now that im holding the printed volumes that i realize... ALL THE FLASHBACKS AND OUT OF ORDER SEQUENCES HAVE A BLACK BACKGROUND. for the rest of the volume the space between panels is white/non inked, but for the scenes of hinata's first few months in rio the space between panels is black.

college student, stock trader, pro gamer, youtuber, ceo of his own company, and sugar daddy-ing his friend's volleyball career. based kenma. i still love this for him

#hq #haikyuu